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POLITICS

  • Ethics panel admonishes Obama Senate replacement Posted 24 minutes ago

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate ethics committee on Friday admonished Roland Burris, saying he had been less than candid about his gubernatorial appointment to the Senate seat previously held by President Barack Obama. In taking the action, the panel decided the Democratic Illinois senator's behavior, while "reflecting unfavorably ... More
  • Senate leader at risk in healthcare battle Posted 1 hour, 21 minutes ago

    Senate Majority leader Reid speaks about healthcare reform legislation during a news conference at t WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Other than President Barack Obama, perhaps no one's political future is riding more on the Senate battle to revamp the healthcare system than the chamber's Democratic majority leader, Harry Reid. With Reid already in danger of being unseated in next year's congressional election, the fight ... More
  • Senate announces Bernanke confirmation hearing Posted 2 hours, 7 minutes ago

    Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke speaks during the Economic Club of New York luncheon in WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Banking Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's nomination to a second term as chief of the U.S. central bank December 3, the panel said on Friday. The exact time and location of the hearing is yet to be ... More
  • U.S. to tighten control of Afghan contracts: Gates Posted 2 hours, 21 minutes ago

    Defense Secretary Gates speaks in Maryland HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (Reuters) - The United States must tighten control of Afghan aid contracts as a first step toward stemming rampant corruption, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday. A central question as President Barack Obama debates sending up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan is whether the Afghan ... More
  • U.S. urges Honduras de facto leader to step aside Posted 2 hours, 23 minutes ago

    Honduras' de facto leader Roberto Micheletti speaks during a news conference in Tegucigalpa WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Honduras' de facto leader should make good on an offer to step aside for a week so voters can focus on November 29 polls and resolve the country's political crisis, the U.S. State Department said Friday. Roberto Micheletti, who seized power after a June military coup ... More
  • No Obama decision on Afghan until after Thanksgiving Posted 2 hours, 36 minutes ago

    U.S. Army soldiers of A-BTRY 2/377 PFAR Task Force Steel operate a 105mm Howitzer during a fire miss WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's announcement of a new strategy on Afghanistan will not take place until after the Thanksgiving holiday next week, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday. Obama is considering whether to add thousands more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. He said during a just-concluded trip ... More
  • Nearly half of Americans rate Geithner performance "poor" Posted 2 hours, 45 minutes ago

    Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner listens to a statement by the chairman of the Joint Economic com WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Adding to lawmaker criticism of U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's performance is a new survey released on Friday showing 42 percent of Americans say he has done a "poor job" handling the credit crisis and federal bailout programs. The survey by Rasmussen Reports, a polling and ... More
  • West Virginia governor to approve pension rescue, new bonds Posted 3 hours, 37 minutes ago

    File photo of West Virginia Governor Manchin talking to reporters in Tallmansville, West Virginia MIAMI (Reuters) - West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin expects to sign bills giving the state's large cities pension-funding relief and approving the sale of $225 million in stimulus bonds, a spokesman said on Friday. The bills were promoted by Manchin, a Democrat, and were passed during a four-day special session ... More
  • Pelosi calls Afghan Karzai "unworthy partner" Posted 4 hours, 21 minutes ago

    Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in Capitol WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai is an "unworthy partner" who does not deserve a big boost either in U.S. troops or civilian aid, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. Pelosi, a skeptic on sending more troops to Afghanistan, also said in an interview with National ... More
  • U.S. healthcare companies set for record lobbying in 2009 Posted 4 hours, 25 minutes ago

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It's not just spending on U.S. healthcare that's hitting record levels. Drugmakers, insurers and industry groups are on track to spend an all-time high of more than $500 million this year to influence Congress' revamp of the U.S. healthcare system. Lobbyists for the healthcare ... More