Politics News, Politics Pictures
Tommy Thompson picture
“Tommy Thompson, the Republican former Wisconsin governor and George W. Bush’s first secretary of Health and Human Services, has told friends he plans to run for the open Senate seat in Wisconsin, according to top Wisconsin sources.”
“Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has acknowledged that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff, a revelation that apparently prompted wife Maria Shriver to leave the couple’s home before they announced their separation last week.
Schwarzenegger and Shriver jointly announced May 9 that they were splitting up after 25 years of marriage. Yet, Shriver moved out of the family’s Brentwood mansion earlier in the year after Schwarzenegger acknowledged the child is his, The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.”
A new poll shows that President Obama would beat Gov. Chris Christie in his home state of New Jersey, winning 52% to 39%.
“Five seasons later, Jack Donaghy’s ex-girlfriend is finally appearing on ’30 Rock.’ After all, she has some free time, now that she’s not Secretary of State.
Condoleezza Rice picture
Condoleezza Rice will appear on an upcoming episode of ’30 Rock,’ star Tina Fey announced on WNYC’s Leonard Lopate Show on Thursday. ”
“Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has obtained a new restraining order against an alleged stalker, contending he threatened to rape one of her daughters.
Palin was granted the temporary measure last week in Anchorage, TMZ reports. She’ll fight for a permanent order later this month.”
“President Obama will head to Chicago on Thursday afternoon for his first official events as a 2012 presidential candidate, a trio of fundraisers that will bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars for his campaign and provide him a rare chance to spend the night in his non-White House home.”
“A rumour that Barack Obama would be losing the public backing of one of his biggest supporters, Oprah Winfrey, was shot down by the TV talk show queen herself last night.
Oprah’s camp firmly denied a report that quoted an unnamed source saying Oprah would not be backing the president in his 2012 re-election campaign.”
“Forty-two United States Senators have signed a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder demanding more prosecutions over adult pornography via the “vigorous” enforcement of federal obscenity laws. The Obama administration has not filed any new adult obscenity cases, because it has plenty of other actual work to do than to enforce dated, pandering laws about videos of adults having dirty sex.”
“President Barack Obama formally launched his re-election campaign Monday, urging grass-roots supporters central to his first White House run to mobilize again to protect the change he’s brought over the past two years.”
Tim Kaine picture
“Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine is planning to announce he will run in 2012 for the Virginia U.S. Senate seat currently held by fellow Democrat Jim Webb, who is retiring, two senior Democratic sources told CNN on Sunday.”
Barack Obama picture
“Democratic officials familiar with the president’s plans said Saturday that Obama intends to file papers as early as this coming week with the Federal Election Commission to launch his 2012 re-election campaign. He also will announce his candidacy to supporters by email and text messages.”
“The animated TV show and comic book, being co-developed by no less a superhero authority than Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee (pictured, right), won’t be out until next year, but this week EW offers an exclusive early look at Arnold’s cartoon alter-ego. ‘The Governator is going to be a great superhero, but he’ll also be Arnold Schwarzenegger,’ Lee says of the semi-fictional character.”
“President Obama on Monday called for a major overhaul to the Bush-era education policy “No Child Left Behind,” emphasizing the need for more effective measurement tools in assessing the success of teachers and schools, and pledging that “we cannot cut [funding for] education” despite the nation’s economic woes.”
“Before Sarah Palin posted her infamous ‘Blood Libel’ video on Facebook on January 12, she placed a call to Fox News chairman Roger Ailes. In the wake of the Tucson massacre, Palin was fuming that the media was blaming her heated rhetoric for the actions of a madman that left six people dead and thirteen others injured, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
Palin told Ailes she wanted to respond, according to a person with knowledge of the call. It wasn’t fair the media was making this about her. Ailes told Palin that she should stay quiet.
‘Lie low,’ he said. ‘There’s no need to inject yourself into the story.’”
Sarah Palin picture
“A former campaign manager for Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential campaign is reported to have said that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was added to the vice presidential ‘short list’ because then candidate McCain had requested a woman be added.”
“‘It’s a little sluggish. The major donor folks are sitting back a bit,’ said Rob Bickhart, a former Republican National Committee finance chairman helping ex-Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.”
“President Obama mocked his potential 2012 GOP rivals — and poked fun at himself — while Mitch Daniels returned fire and got in his own shot at Sarah Palin at Saturday night’s 126th annual Gridiron Club dinner of Washington politicos and journalists.”
“Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, 47, who is also contemplating a Republican White House run, has seen her favorability among all political groups drop since December.
Sixty percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of Palin, the 2008 Republican nominee for vice president, while 28 percent view her favorably. Since December, she has dropped 3 percentage points among Republicans, 7 percentage points among both independents and Tea Party supporters and 3 percentage points among Democrats.”
Mercede Johnston picture
Mercede Johnston, the teenage sister of Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston, plans to pose nude for Playboy Magazine. An insider tells E! that Mercede wants the “easy money” and thinks the shoot could lead to a modeling career.
Meg Whitman, former CEO of EBay, spent over $178 million in her losing bid to be governor of California. That’s $140 million more than Jerry Brown, the winner of the race. $144 million of the money spent was from Whitman’s personal fortune.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2011
White House to Launch “Startup America” Initiative
Administration and Private Sector Campaigns will promote entrepreneurship and innovation
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a plan for winning the future by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building the rest of the world. This week, the White House will hold a number of events to focus on innovation, and how we can create the jobs and industries of the future by investing in the creativity and imagination of the American people.
Today, the White House will launch “Startup America,” a national campaign to help America achieve these goals by promoting high-growth entrepreneurship across the country with new initiatives to help encourage private sector investment in job-creating startups and small firms, accelerate research, and address barriers to success for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
President Obama said, “Entrepreneurs embody the promise of America: the belief that if you have a good idea and are willing to work hard and see it through, you can succeed in this country. And in fulfilling this promise, entrepreneurs also play a critical role in expanding our economy and creating jobs. That’s why we’re launching Startup America, a national campaign to help win the future by knocking down barriers in the path of men and women in every corner of this country hoping to take a chance, follow a dream, and start a business.”
At an event at 11:00 am ET on Monday at the White House, Gary Locke, Secretary of the Department of Commerce; Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary of the Department of Energy; Karen Mills, Administrator of the Small Business Administration; Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council; Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, and a number of America’s top entrepreneurs and business leaders will hold an event to launch the program.
President Obama continued, “Startup America also represents a historic partnership with business leaders, investors, universities, foundations, and non-profits, and we’re urging others to join them in this effort. For entrepreneurs speak to what’s best about America, and in their drive and innovative spirit — in their willingness to take a risk on a bold idea — we can see the future. We can see how America will compete and win in the 21st century global economy.”
Answering the President’s call to action to invest in job-creating startups, leaders in the private sector will launch the “Startup America Partnership,” an independent and private-sector led campaign to mobilize private sector commitments. Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and Chairman of the Case Foundation, will chair the Partnership, and Carl Schramm, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation will be a founding board member. Case and Schramm, along with entrepreneurs from across the country, will join administration officials at the event.
As a part of the White House’s “Startup America” initiative, the administration will announce new initiatives and incentives to encourage the private sector to invest in new startups:
The President’s new budget will propose making permanent the elimination of capital gains taxes on key investments in small businesses, which was passed as a temporary provision in 2010 as part of the Small Business Jobs Act the President signed in September. The budget will also propose expanding the New Markets Tax Credit to encourage private sector investment in startups and small businesses operating in lower-income communities.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) will direct $2 billion in existing guarantee authority over the next 5 years to match private sector investment funding for startups and small firms in underserved communities, as well as seed and early-stage investing in firms with high growth potential, through its Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program.
Together SBA and the Department of Energy will boost high-quality mentorship for cleantech startups, while the Veterans Administration is launching new training programs for Veterans who want to start new businesses.
The Department of Commerce will expand the i6 Challenge to help foster the commercialization of clean technologies, and are finalizing a plan to allow entrepreneurs to request faster review of their patents, an initiative that should lower patent pendency times overall and speed the deployment of new ideas to the marketplace.
Some examples of the private sector and philanthropic commitments that will be announced alongside the launch of the “Startup America Partnership,” the private sector initiative, are below:
Expand startup accelerators that provide seed funding and intensive mentorship, allowing the Astia network to serve twice as many women entrepreneurs, the MassChallenge competition to extend its national reach from Boston’s Innovation District, and the new TechStars Network to boost the success rate of 6,000 entrepreneurs in 15 regions, including Miami, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Nashville, and New Orleans.
Scale up programs that prepare K-12 and college students to start their own companies, such as the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Blackstone LaunchPad, Junior Achievement, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, the Virtual Incubation Network for America’s Community Colleges, and the Artists & Instigators Practicum.
Increase corporate investment and support for startups from companies such as Intel, HP, IBM, Facebook, and others.
Foster innovation and entrepreneurship in states and regions such as Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and New Orleans, building on the success of models such as JumpStart America and the Deshpande Foundation’s innovation centers.
For the last several weeks, Mr. Olbermann and the network have been in negotiations to end his successful run on MSNBC, according to executives involved in the talks who requested anonymity because the talks were confidential. The deal was completed on Friday, and Mr. Olbermann made the announcement on his final “Countdown” hours later.
Mitt Romney picture
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney easily won a poll of several hundred Republican delegates Saturday about whom they would choose to take on Democrat Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election.
President Obama hosted Chinese president Hu Jintao for dinner at the White House. Obama and Jintao discussed the different issues straining on the US-China relationship.
The NY Times reports: “Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut Will Not Seek a Fourth Term”
Sargent Shriver picture
Sargent Shriver, founder of the Peace Corps, has died at the age of 95. In 1961 President John F. Kennedy called on Shriver to start the organization, and it was up and running in 6 months. Shriver later married Eunice Kennedy, President Kennedy’s sister. He had 5 children, including broadcaster and former California First Lady Maria Shriver.
Kent Conrad, senator from North Dakota, will announce today his plan to retire.
Reince Priebus picture
Reince Priebus has been elected new chairman of the Republican party, ousting current chairman Michael Steele who was unpopular with the party’s membership. Even after winning back the House in the 2010 election, the RNC faces a $22 million debt after Steele’s big spending ways.
Fidel Castro picture
President Obama has announced that travel restrictions to Cuba will be eased for students and church groups. Americans will also be allowed to send up to $500 every three months to Cuban citizens who aren’t part of the Castro administration or the Communist party.
Pat Quinn picture
Illinois governor Pat Quinn has signed a law increasing taxes 66%. Quinn says that “It’s important for this government not to be a fiscal basket case.”
President Barack Obama, retooling his economic team to boost sluggish U.S. growth and tackle emboldened Republicans, will on Friday name Gene Sperling as the new head of his National Economic Council.
Shelby Mustang picture
CBS station KTVT reports that a suspect has been detained outside former president George W. Bush’s home in Preston Hollow. The suspect apparently drove a muscle car past the gate outside Mr. Bush’s home and drove erratically on the property.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden released the following statement, revealing he has prostate cancer:
“After my annual physical in late November, I was diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer. After reviewing all the options with multiple physicians, I decided to take a proactive approach and have surgery, which will be performed December 20 at Johns Hopkins Hospital by Dr. Alan Partin.
Thanks to routine screening, this was diagnosed very early and I expect a full and speedy recovery.
I scheduled the surgery for the Monday before Christmas anticipating that the Senate would have recessed by that time and that there would be no disruption to my work in Oregon or Washington. However, it now appears that I will be missing votes tomorrow and possibly next week while I prepare and undergo this procedure. I expect to be back to work full-time when the Senate reconvenes in January.
If anything is taken away from my experience, I hope it is the importance of getting routine physicals. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetimes. Early detection is critical to catching this disease when treatment is most effective.”
A deal that President Barack Obama struck with Republicans to extend tax cuts for nearly every working American and spur job growth sailed through the Senate on Wednesday.
The Senate passed the legislation 81 to 19, with Democrats and Republicans delivering a rare display of bipartisanship.
The White House
Office of the Vice President
For Immediate Release December 13, 2010
Statement from the Vice President on Richard Holbrooke
Today, I lost a great friend and America lost one of its greatest warriors for peace. Richard Holbrooke was a larger than life figure, who through his brilliance, determination and sheer force of will helped bend the curve of history in the direction of progress. He touched so many lives and helped save countless more. He was a tireless negotiator, a relentless advocate for American interests, and the most talented diplomat we’ve had in a generation. Jill and I will miss him tremendously and we extend our deepest sympathies to his wife Kati and the entire Holbrooke family during their time of grief.
Richard C. Holbrooke, the high-octane diplomat who spearheaded the end of the Bosnian war and most recently served as the Obama administration’s point man in the volatile Afghan-Pakistani war zone, has died, officials said.
The 69-year-old diplomat died Monday at George Washington University Hospital in Washington. He was admitted last Friday after feeling ill. Doctors performed surgery Saturday to repair a tear in his aorta.
A judge in Virginia on Monday invalidated a key part of the landmark healthcare law that requires individuals to buy health insurance, the first major setback for President Barack Obama on an issue that will likely end up at the Supreme Court.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin arrived in Haiti on Saturday as part of a humanitarian delegation led by evangelist Franklin Graham and his relief organization Samaritan’s Purse.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday, “no way, no how” will he run for the U.S. presidency.
Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Bloomberg said he intends to remain focused on being mayor, and that those urging him to seek the presidency “should cease and desist.”
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday, “no way, no how” will he run for the U.S. presidency.
Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Bloomberg said he intends to remain focused on being mayor, and that those urging him to seek the presidency “should cease and desist.”
The publisher of Sarah Palin’s forthcoming book filed a lawsuit against Gawker Media on Friday for leaking pages of “America By Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag” before its release next week.
The legal complaint was filed Friday in federal court in Manhattan, said a spokeswoman for HarperCollins Publishers. The filing came two days after Gawker published images of 21 of the book’s pages and its dedication page. In response, Palin tweeted, “Isn’t that illegal?”
A House panel found Charlie Rangel guilty of the ethics charges levied against him.
After reluctantly ditching his political gig to film A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Kal Penn is back as associate director in the Office of Public Engagement this week.
According to New York Post gossip column Page Six, Palin was bumped from the cover of People magazine for Kardashian at the last minute before this week’s issue hit stands.
Palin was due to grace the cover with an exclusive interview to promote her TLC show, Sarah Palin’s Alaska, but Kim ended up taking her place!
Clinton, who’ll play himself in the comedy, shot his brief appearance on Saturday in Bangkok, where part of the production takes place. He was in the capital city to deliver a speech on clean energy.
President Obama picture
President Barack Obama declared Friday that his “number one priority” is preserving tax cuts for the middle class, and sharply denied that comments by his senior adviser David Axelrod suggest that his administration is about to cave in to Republicans who also want to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
Olivia Wilde picture
Olivia Wilde got “a lot” of hate mail as a result of her pre-election “Back From the Future” MoveOn.org video ad that (humorously) envisioned a post-apocalyptic 2057 run by a president named Palin and Republican-corporate conglomerate called RepubliCorp.
The contents of those letters? “Just shut up and act;” “you just lost a lot of fans,” Olivia Wilde tells USA TODAY’s Olivia Barker.
Mitt Romney picture
In the critical early state of New Hampshire Romney continues to hold a dominant polling advantage, with 40% to 13% for Huckabee and 10% each for Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin. If Tim Pawlenty, Mike Pence, Mitch Daniels, or John Thune somehow emerges as the winner in New Hampshire they’ll be able to truthfully say they started out with nothing- they poll at 4%, 3%, 1%, and 1% respectively.
Paul Volcker picture
A top economic adviser to President Barack Obama said Tuesday he sees no short-term way to reduce high U.S. unemployment and expects slow growth for the near future.
The comments from Paul Volcker come after the Federal Reserve announced last week that it would purchase $600 billion in Treasurys, aiming to lower long-term interest rates in an effort to spur spending and ultimately lower the U.S. unemployment rate, currently at 9.6 percent.
Joe Manchin picture
Republicans are making some big promises to try to lure West Virginia Senator-elect Joe Manchin to cross the aisle.
Aside from his pick of committee assignments (likely the Energy and Natural Resources Committee), Manchin might get support for one of his pet projects – a plant to convert coal to diesel fuel that has stalled under Democratic leadership in Washington.
It’s one of Manchin’s pet projects and could mean big money for the state’s coal producers.
In an Fox News interview with Sean Hannity to air tomorrow night, former President George W. Bush said he wants his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), to run for president one day but it will not be in the next election.
Republican gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino got into a physical altercation with a NY Post reporter Fred Dicker, here is the video:
Some viewers say the following video clip shows Sarah Palin being booed while appearing on ABCs Dancing With The Stars. What do you think?
Sarah Palin Dancing With The Stars Booing? Video
Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert testified in character to a US House committee on Immigration.
Daily Show’s Jon Stewart explains that the Republican Pledge To America is the same old rhetoric from the Republican party.
“Billionaire Texas brothers Sam and Charles Wyly have created a name for themselves by spending millions of dollars on conservative political candidates and committees, but new Securities and Exchange Commission charges against them are expected to depress – or completely wipe out – future donations to Republicans.
‘There is a rich tradition in Washington of not taking money from people who are controversial,’ said David Brown, partner at the law firm Alston & Bird LLP, in Washington. ‘Until this is resolved, these guys are in that category.’” Link
Ron Paul picture
“‘It is probably hard to believe, but I look at it a little bit differently than others,’ Paul said in an interview during his recent visit to Iowa. ‘I don’t expect to be president. I don’t expect to be. That doesn’t mean I won’t run for president, but I am really energized when I think we make inroads … to broaden the outreach on the philosophy I have been talking about for 40 years.’” [Link]
Rielle Hunter picture
“Rielle Hunter’s attorneys said she was entitled to money made on the book because Andrew Young promoted it by talking about an Edwards sex tape. Hunter is suing to reclaim the video. Hunter’s attorneys did not say how much money she was seeking from Young’s book ‘The Politician.’” [Link]
US Senator Robert Byrd has died at the age of 92.
Dolph Briscoe picture
“Dolph Briscoe Jr., 87, a rancher, banker and businessman from the Texas Brush Country whose promise to restore integrity to a scandal-plagued state government propelled him into the Governor’s Mansion in 1973, died Sunday at the family home in Uvalde. He had been hospitalized in January and had returned home only recently, said former Gov. Mark White, who considered Briscoe a mentor. The cause of death was kidney failure and pneumonia.” [Link]
“Martin Ginsburg, the husband of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a prominent lawyer in his own right, has died. He was 78. The Supreme Court says in a statement that Ginsburg died at home Sunday from complications of metastatic cancer.” [Link]
Robert Byrd picture
Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has been admitted to a Washington area hospital and his doctors have described his condition as “seriously ill.”
Byrd was admitted to the hospital late last week suffering from what was believed to be heat exhaustion and severe dehydration as a result of the extreme temperatures. He was expected to remain in the hospital not more than a few days.
However, upon further examination by his doctors, other conditions have developed which has resulted in his condition being described as “serious.”
“Police made more than 400 arrests after black-clad demonstrators broke off from a crowd of peaceful protesters at the global economic summit and went on a rampage in downtown Toronto that lasted into the early morning hours, authorities said Sunday.” [Link]
“Spokesman Peter Long says Cheney was not feeling well Friday afternoon and was seen by his doctors at George Washington University. He was admitted to the university’s hospital for more testing and was
expected to remain in the hospital over the weekend.” Link
“Prescott S. Bush Jr., brother to one U.S. president and uncle to another, has died after a long illness, according to his family. He was 87. A retired insurance executive, Bush died on Wednesday in Hingham, Mass., a spokeswoman for Keohane Funeral Home said. He had moved there from Greenwich, Conn., about three years ago.” [Link]
Barack Obama picture
“Obama’s rating stood at 45 percent in the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, down 5 points from early last month. For the first time in the survey, more people — 48 percent — say they disapprove of Obama’s job performance.” [Link]
Nikki Haley picture
“Nikki Haley won the Republican nomination for governor of South Carolina on Tuesday, a victory that swiftly elevates her to becoming one of the leading faces of the national Republican Party and puts her within one step of being elected this fall as the state’s first female governor.” [Link]
“Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting, the president said McChrystal showed ‘poor judgment’ in connection with the Rolling Stone article in which the general expresses concerns about President Obama, appears to mock Vice President Joe Biden and is described by an aide as seeing Richard C. Holbrooke, Obama’s senior envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, as a ‘wounded animal.’” [Link]
Peter Orszag picture
“A Democratic official tells The Associated Press that President Barack Obama’s top budget official, Peter Orszag, plans to step down later this year. The exacting timing of Orszag’s resignation is not clear. ” [Link]
“A Democratic Party aide said scores of House and Senate candidates have requested help from Clinton, who left office in 2001 with the U.S. enjoying record budget surpluses that have since become record deficits. Clinton campaigned this month for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as he fights for political survival in Nevada, and has helped Senate Democratic candidates in Florida and New York.” [Link]
Full text of President Obama’s 6/15/2010 speech to the nation about the BP Gulf Oil spill:
Video of Gen David Petraeus passing out/collapsing at a Senate hearing. He was later found to be okay.
General Petraeus has passed out while testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“An FBI employee told msnbc.com that the new file is dominated by investigations of threats against Ted Kennedy, who died Aug. 25 at age 77. The file was requested by msnbc.com and other news organizations under the Freedom of Information Act. After a kerfuffle over the FBI’s decision to let the Kennedy family review the file before release, the FBI said today that no information was withheld from the file.” Link
“Republican officials in northeast Indiana have selected state Sen. Marlin Stutzman to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Souder on the November ballot. Fifteen Republicans sought the chance to replace Souder, who resigned last month after admitting an extramarital affair with a staffer.” [Link]
“Seeking to set the record straight about ‘Boob-Gate,’ Palin told Van Susteren, ‘No, I have not had implants. I can’t believe, yes, that we’re even talking about this. I think a report like that is about as real and truthful as those reports that Todd and I are divorcing or that I bought a place in the Hamptons or that Trigg is not my own child.’ ” [Link]
James Clapper picture
“Obama was expected to announce the nomination of Clapper, a retired Air Force three-star general, as national intelligence director in a Rose Garden ceremony Saturday. Two senior administration officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement, confirmed Clapper was Obama’s choice.” [Link]
Republicans plan to undo the health care reform passed by President Obama and congressional Democrats, taking away insurance from millions.
Rielle Hunter, the mistress to former senator and Presidential candidate John Edwards, has posed for some pictures for GQ magazine and is the subject of a 10,000 word profile. In the interview Rielle Hunter talks about her affair with John Edwards and the child she had with him.
Rielle Hunter in GQ picture
Rielle Hunter in GQ picture
Rielle Hunter in GQ picture
“Superior Court Judge Abraham Penn Jones has given Andrew Young until Friday afternoon to account for how he handled various items sought be Edwards’ mistress, Rielle Hunter. Jones told Young on Tuesday he was ‘troubled’ by discrepancies in the statements that Young has made in court.” [Link]
“Tuesday is the first day same-sex couples can pick up marriage licenses and tie the knot in the city. Some couples planned quick ceremonies at a church or a gay rights group’s office while others said they’ll wait and have more elaborate celebrations.” [Link]
In a ratings stunt, Jay Leno had as his guest former Alaska governor, failed vice-presidential candidate and Fox News analyst Sarah Palin on the Tonight Show:
Sarah Palin Tonight Show Video
“Caught in a swirl of ethics inquiries, Representative Charles B. Rangel, the dean of the New York Congressional delegation, announced Wednesday that he would temporarily step down from his powerful post as chairman of the tax-policy-writing Ways and Means Committee. ” [Link]
“The longtime lawmaker from Harlem, one of the founders of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971 and chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, will face another challenge this week related to his ethics problems. Congressional Republicans plan to offer a resolution on the House floor that, if approved, would strip Rangel of the committee post he long coveted before he got the gavel in 2007.” [Link]
The White House is set – according to a report in the NY Times – in the upcoming Nuclear Posture Review, to announce plans by President Obama to cut America’s nuclear arsenal. Obama is set to announce that he will end the creation of bunker buster bombs championed by the Bush administration, but is refusing to rule out a first strike nuclear attack by the USA. [Link]
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