NewsDaily: Politics Headlines

Ex-State Dept official pleads guilty to spying for Cuba (Reuters)

Jeremy Pelofsky — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:46:35 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (Reuters) -- A former U.S. State Department official and his wife pleaded guilty on Friday to charges that they spied for almost three decades for the Communist-led Cuban government. ... > read full story

Obama job approval rating drops under 50 percent (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:31:58 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (Reuters) -- President Barack Obama's job approval rating has dropped below 50 percent in a second major poll in an indication he is suffering from the long healthcare debate and weakness in the economy, Gallup said on Friday. ... > read full story

Ethics panel admonishes Obama Senate replacement (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:39:27 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

Senate leader at risk in healthcare battle (Reuters)

Thomas Ferraro — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:42:40 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

Senate announces Bernanke confirmation hearing (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:55:48 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

U.S. healthcare companies set for record lobbying in 2009 (Reuters)

Susan Heavey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:46:01 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

U.S. to tighten control of Afghan contracts: Gates (Reuters)

Phil Stewart — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:42:15 EST

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Nov. 20, 2009 (Reuters) -- The United States must tighten control of Afghan development contracts as a first step toward stemming rampant corruption, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday. ... > read full story

U.S. urges Honduras de facto leader to step aside (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:40:18 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

No Obama decision on Afghan until after Thanksgiving (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:26:56 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

Nearly half of Americans rate Geithner performance "poor" (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:18:23 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

West Virginia governor to approve pension rescue, new bonds (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:26:25 EST

MIAMI, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

Pelosi calls Afghan Karzai "unworthy partner" (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:41:50 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (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. ... > read full story

State, local budget cuts a "time bomb" for U.S. jobs (Reuters)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:15:52 EST

NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2009 (Reuters) -- Budget shortfalls pose a direct threat to millions of U.S. jobs, many in the private sector, as state and local governments lay off workers and cut spending on contracts and other business services, a think tank said on Thursday. ... > read full story

Senate confirms long-stalled Obama judicial pick (Reuters)

Thomas Ferraro — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:14:43 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 (Reuters) -- The Democratic-led U.S. Senate, having smashed through a Republican wall of opposition, confirmed on Thursday U.S. President Barack Obama's first and longest-stalled judicial nominee. ... > read full story

House panel OKs plan to open Fed policy to audits (Reuters)

Mark Felsenthal — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:50:01 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2009 (Reuters) -- A U.S. congressional panel on Thursday approved a measure to open the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions to government audits, a surprise blow to the central bank's efforts to shield its independence and a signal of frustration with the central bank. ... > read full story

EU says it has solved the Kissinger question (Reuters)

David Brunnstrom — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:49 EST

BRUSSELS, Nov. 19, 2009 (Reuters) -- The European Union says it finally has the answer to a question long attributed to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger: Who do I call if I want to call Europe? ... > read full story

House votes to boost Medicare pay to doctors (Reuters)

Donna Smith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:25 EST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2009 (Reuters) -- The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Thursday to boost Medicare payments to physicians in a move that could help shore up support from doctors for a sweeping Democratic-backed healthcare overhaul. ... > read full story

Busy agenda clouds hopes for immigration reform (Reuters)

Tim Gaynor — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:21:42 EST

PHOENIX, Nov. 19, 2009 (Reuters) -- Some U.S. Democrats see momentum building for an overhaul of immigration laws that would legalize millions of undocumented workers, but analysts say a crowded agenda and struggling economy may once again sink hopes for reform next year. ... > read full story

Sen. John Kerry's daughter arrested in Hollywood (Reuters)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:56:51 EST

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 19, 2009 (Reuters) -- Senator John Kerry's elder daughter, Alexandra, who made a red-carpet splash at the Cannes film festival five years ago in a see-through dress, was arrested in Hollywood on Thursday on suspicion of drunken driving. ... > read full story