Daily Democratic Wire 8-23-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama and family leave Camp David and head to Martha's Vineyard - unlike his predecessor George W. Bush, who seemed like he always was on vacation, this is the first week long vacation for the President since taking office. They will be staying at the Blue Heron Farm. Similar properties rent for $30,000 per week. USAToday has more here.

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Tom Daschle works to calm the health care reform debate - the man President Obama wanted to oversee health care reform through it's treacherous path in Congress continues to provide advise. He proposed several months ago the idea of non-profit insurance cooperatives, an idea which is now picking up steam on the Hill. The NY Times has a good read here.

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Afghanistan election results now due to be released on Tuesday - while many will view the election as largely successful, election monitors say it was marred by vote rigging, intimidation and low turnout. Especially the southern and eastern regions dominated by the Pushtans, who are the country's largest ethnic group. McClatchydc.com has more here.

With U.S. public support of the Afghanistan conflict eroding, Peter Baker has a good read today in the NY Times entitled "Could Afghanistan Become Obama's Vietnam?" You can read it here.

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CIA report due to be released tomorrow to show more prisoner abuse - additional reports of mock executions and threatening of a al Qaeda leader with an electric drill and a gun will be part of the revelations. Reuters.com has more here.

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