Daily Democratic Wire 9-9-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama is set to give his health care reform speech to the joint session of Congress tonight - there is a lot at stake tonight for the Obama administration and for those millions of Americans without adequate health care and the millions more faced with the spiralling cost of health care. This pivotal speech by Obama will be televised beginning at 8:00 PM ET.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has made the rounds this morning on the TV Talk Shows and ThePage.Time.com has some excerpts here.

Giving reform a boost today was the endorsement and support of reform by the American Medical Association (AMA) - Politico.com has more here.

Continuing to show the disconnect some Republican leaders have with helping those in need, the wicked witch from the North, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin once again spread lies about death panels in a op-ed in the Wall street Journal you can read here.

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Vice President Joe Biden will visit Syracuse University today - the vice president is head of the White House Middle Class Task Force and they will host a panel on college access and affordability. Newsday.com has more here.

Later today, the vice president will host a celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

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Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) turns down chair of the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP)- he was next in line to replace the late Senator Ted Kennedy. Dodd will stay as chair of the senate Banking Committee. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin (D) is the next in line to become HELP chair. MSNBC.com has more here.

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On the international front, the vote fraud in Afghanistan is straining U.S. relations with Hamid Karzai - While Karzai is inching closer to the majority vote in the recent election, U.N. mandated recounts will take place as a result of massive voter fraud. Karzai has received the support of the U.S. in the past and the current vote manipulation is straining those relations. The NY Times has more here.

Yesterday, a NY Times reporter, Stephen Farrell was freed by British commandos after being held prisoner by the Taliban - one British commando and the reporter's interpreter were killed in the raid. Reuters.com has more here.

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