George Wenschhof
Consumer Confidence Rises - The Conference Board Consumer Reseach center announced that consumer confidence had risen unexpectedly in July from 62.7 in June to 65.9. You can read more here.
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First Lady, San Antonio Mayor to Speak Opening Night at Democratic Convention - Mayor Julian Castro will be the first Hispanic to deliver the keynote address on opening night September 4. You can read more here.
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Obama To Deliver Speeches on Economy on Thursday - In Orlando, Florida and Leesburg, Virginia, the President will focus on his economic plan which will help middle class Americans. Both, are swing states. You can read more here.
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Romney's Overseas Trip Doesn't Go Well - seems the presumptive Republican nominee spent most of the trip removing his foot from his mouth. Eugene Robinson has a good editorial in The Washington Post today you can read here.
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Secretary of State Clinton Begins 11 Day 6 African Nations Trip - Clinton will begin in Senegal and travel to South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Ulawi and South Africa. You can read more here.
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600 Million Without Power in India - for a second day in a row, the nation's power grid has failed, leaving half of the population without electricity. You can read more here.
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Representative LaTourette (R- Ohio) Retires, Cites Acrimony in Congress - a Republican centrist, Steven LaTourette said the benefits of being a Congressman were outweight by the partisan acrimony in Washington. You can read more here.
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Texas and Georgia Primaries Today - a Republican Senate runoff in Texas between Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and former state solicitor general Ted Cruz is one race to watch. Another, is the Democratic race in Texas for the House seat in the 23rd district between Ciro Rodriguez and satte rep. Pete Gallego. You can read more here.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Daily Political Wire
Monday, July 30, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Romney Says Israel's Economy Better Than Palestine's Due to Culture, Providence - the, closed-then-open to the press, Miit Romney Israel fundraiser, produced the latest embarassing comments by the Republican presumptive presidential nominee. You can read more here.
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Romney's Wimp Factor - Newsweek's cover asks the question "Is he just too insecure to be president?" You can read more here.
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Romney Unsure if He Had Paid Less Than 13.9% in Taxes - responding to an ABC News interview, Mitt Romney said "I've been audited in the past....I don't pay more than are legally due and frankly if I had paid more than are legally due I don't think I'd be qualified to become president. I'd think people would want me to follow the law and pay only what the tax code requires." You can read more here.
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Bill Clinton To Nominate Obama at Democratic Convention - sure to fire up the Democratic base, Clinton will also deliver a prime-time speech. You can read more here.
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Obama Maintains Lead in Swing States - while, national polling indicates a close race, President Obama continues to lead in the twelve pivotal swing states, giving him a path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win. You can read more here.
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Syrian City of Aleppo Devastated - with the increased level of attacks from the Syrian government directed at the rebels dug in to the city, hundreds of thousands of residents have been fleeing the city. You can read more here.
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Sunday, July 29, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
100 Days Until Election - the period most political advisers say is the time a majority of the voters tune in and when elections are won or lost. RollCall.com has a good read here on the impact of early voting, absentee balloting and vote by mail.
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Obama Signs Israel Security Bill - the bill will provide Israel with an additional $70 million for it's short range rocket shield known as "Iron Dome". The White House signing came as Mitt Romney visits Israel. Reuters.com has more here.
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Romney Would Support Israeli Strike Against Iran - not a big surprise statement as this has been the official U.S. position since Iran's nuclear weapons development program became known to the world. However, Mitt Romney will say this during his speech today in Israel to hopefully demonstrate his support of Israel. The Washington Post has more here.
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Cheney Advises Romney To Not Pick Someone like Palin as VP - former Vice President Dick Cheney said the test should be "they should be capable of being president". TheHill.com has more here.
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OMB says Unemployment Will Drop Gradually Over Next Decade - the Office of Management and Budget says unemployment levels will drop slowly to 5.4% by 2018 and likely stay there until 2022. The unemployment rate was last at 5.4% in May of 2008. Politico.com has more here.
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Saturday, July 28, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Cheat Sheet
George Wenschhof
The discussion this Sunday morning should be varied, ranging from the Mitt Romney gaffe in Britain to Supreme Court decisions. Mitt Romney will also have been in Israel for a day, so he has time to make more verbal blunders before Sunday morning. Romney will deliver a speech in Jerusalem on Sunday at noon ET, which will be covered live by CNN.
Romney needs the Jewish vote, especially in the pivotal swing state of Florida. Galup just released a poll which shows President Obama has gained support among Jewish registered voters and now leads Romney 68% - 25%.
Former justice Sandra Day O'Connor appears on CBS "Face The Nation and justice Antonin Scalia on Fox News Sunday. Maybe Scalia can explain the reasoning behind the "Citizens United" decision which allowed for unlimted campaign spending by corporations and unions. Look to see gun-control also discussed.
The presidential campaign will get attention when senior Obama campaign adviser Robert Gibbs squares off with Kevin Madden, a Romney campaign adviser on ABC "This Week".
Who Romney will pick to be his running mate is likely to receive attention when Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), one who has been rumored as one the possibles, appears with Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on CNN "State of the Union".
The continued violence in Syria should receive attention, but it appears the networks will be light on covering this subject Sunday morning.
The sheduled guests follow below.
NBC "Meet The Press" - preempted due to Olympics coverage
CBS "Face The Nation" - Penn State President Rodney Erickson, Sandra Day O'Connor, DNC chair and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.)
ABC "This Week" - Robert Gibbs and Kevin Madden
Roundtable with George Will, Donna Brazile, David Chalidan, Ruth Marcus and Dana Loesch
CNN "State of the Union" - Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)
Fox News Sunday - Justice Antonin Scalia
Bloomberg TV "Political Capital" - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.)
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
President Obama urges the House to pass the extension of tax cuts for those earning $250,000 or less, which was passed earlier this week by the Senate.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) calls for the full extension of the George W. Bush tax cuts. The Senate voted this week to extend the tax cuts for those earning $250,000 or less.
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Friday, July 27, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Campaign Ad To Air During Olympics Opening Ceremony -
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"Mitt the Twit" - is just one of the names the British press has come up with to describe Mitt Romney after his gaffe on the Olympics. You can read more here.
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U.S. Economy Slows To 1.5% - during the second quarter of this year. You can read more here.
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Bloomberg Endorses Scott Brown - The Republican Massachusetts Senator received a big boost from the independent mayor of New York. Brown is facing a tough challenger in Democrat Elizabeth Warren. You can read more here.
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Turkish Base provides Aid To Syrian Rebels - a not so secret base is providing communications and military aid to rebels from saudo Arabia and Qatar. You can read more here.
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Speaks out Against Gun Violence - durng a speech delivered to the Natinal Urban League in New Orleans. "I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals," Obama said. "That they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities." You can read more here.
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Obama Announces New Educational Program for African Americans - by way of executive order, the President will establish a program aimed at improving the education achievement of African American at all levels. You can read more here.
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Prime Minister Cameron Unhappy With Romney Remarks - presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney began his overseas trip by upsetting British Prime Minister David Cameron and the British press by expressing concerns about their prepareness for the Olympics. You can read more here.
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Job Claims Down 35,000 - last week the unemployment claims dropped 35,000 to 353,000. You can read more here.
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35% Business Owner Approval of Obama - as of the end of the second quarter per a new Gallup poll released.Overall, President Obama received a 47% job approval rating and 47% disapproved. You can read more here.
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Senate Votes to Extend Tax Cuts for Earners Under $250,000 - the vote passed with a 51-48 vote. A vote to extend all of the Bush tax cuts failed by a vote of 45-54. The Bill will not be going anywhere as the House is unlikely to pass it. You can read more here.
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Maryland Governor O'Malley Sets Up Federal Political Action Committee - furthering the term limted Democratic Governor's entry into the national political scene. The move will allow Martin O'Malley to contribute to candidates across the country which will strengthen relationships for a future endeaver in national politics. You can read more here.
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Super Pac Priorities USA Releases New Campaign Ad
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Obama Leads Romney 49% - 43% - in latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll of registered voters. You can read more here.
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Romney Falls Short on Foregn Policy - presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney addressed the VFW yesterday and will embark on a short overseas trip where he will vist Israel, Poland and Britain. To date, Romney has offered few details, if any, of how he would be different than President Obama in the area of foreign policy. The NY Times has a nice editorial today. You can read it here.
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Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) Says Constitutional Amendment Needed to Address "Citizens United" Supreme Court Decision - “Since the Supreme Court’s decision on Citizens United, we have seen the rapid rise of super PACs and unprecedented influence buying by wealthy individuals seeking to advance their agendas,” Durbin said at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, which he chairs.
“It’s increasingly clear that the only way to really reform our system is to pass a constitutional amendment to regulate how we finance our elections,” Durbin, the chamber’s Majority Whip, added. You can read more here.
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Warren Leads Brown in Massachusetts Senate Race - MassInc Polling Group has it Elizabeth Warren 40% and Republican Senator Scott Brown 38%. The margin of error is 4.4%. You can read more here.
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Mobil Devices, Tablets, Personal Computers Rival TV For Political News - the presidential campaigns have spent hundreds of millions on television ads already, yet one in three who have seen a campaign ad on youtube have not seen the same ad on TV. One-third of likely voters have not watched TV in the last month. Google has an interesting chart on how people consume the news today. You can see it here.
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Latest Obama Campaign Ad "The Choice" To Air in Swing States
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Romney Says Obama Administration Leaked Classified information for Political Gain - Mitt Romney will include this in his speech to the VFW in Nevada today. He will echo the statement made by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-Calf.), who said yesterday, the leaks were not coming from the President, but were coming from the White House. You can read more here.
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Obama/Romney Not Drawn Into Gun-Control Debate - while some are calling for new legislation after the horrific Aurora, Colorado theater shootings, the President and the presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney are staying the course. You can read more here.
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Super PACs Account for 80% of GOP Campaign Spending - in the general election to date. On the Democratic side, super PACs have accounted for 19% of their spending on the general election. You can read more here.
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Reuters/Ipsos Poll Shows Bain, Failure to Release Taxes Hurting Romney - among registered voters by a 2-1 margin, they said the issues had made them view Mitt Romney less favorably. You can read more here.
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Obama in Portland For Fundraiser Event - the President will speak to supporters at the Oregon Convention Center. This stop is part of a five states the president will visit over three days. You can read more here.
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Pennsylvania Voter ID Law Under Fire - a federal investigation is underway and a state trial begins tomorrow as state officials admit there has been no in-person voter fraud in Pennsylvania and there isn't likely to be any in November. You can read more here.
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Monday, July 23, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Approval Rating Rises for Third Quarter in a Row - President Obama averaged 46.8% approval, his highest rating in a year. George H.W. Bush averaged 39.2% and Jimmy Carter 39.2% during the same period. You can read more here.
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Obama Visits With Victim Families in Colorado - "I confessed to them that words are always inadequate in these kinds of situations, but that my main task was to serve as a representative of the entire country and let them know that we are thinking about them at this moment, and will continue to think about them each and every day," Obama told reporters......It reminds you that even in the darkest of days, life continues and people are strong," the president said. "Out of this darkness a brighter day is going to come." CNN.com has more here.
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Obama Campaign To Suspend Colorado Ads for the Week - following the shooting in Aurora, Colorado. You can read more here.
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Obama and Romney To Address VFW Convention - being held in Reno, Nevada. President Obama will speak today and Mitt Romney on Tuesday. You can read more here.
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Few Undecided Voters in Presidential Race - the latest polling from The Washington Post and ABC News shows only 19% say there is a chance they will change their minds in regard to their presidential pick.
Only 6% say there is a good chance they will change their mind. Meaning the Obama and Romney campaigns will spend hundreds of millions over the remaining 100 days prior to the election to influence a small percentage of voters. It is likely, these voters will determine the outcome in November. You can read more here.
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Unemployment Below National Rate in 9 of 15 Swing States - a crtical factor to weigh in the presidential race. Only, four of the fifteen swing states had unemployment figures above the national 8.2% level. You can read more here.
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Syrian Regime Threatens Use of Chemical Weapons - if attacked by outside forces. The threat comes as internal fighting has spread to Damascus and Aleppo. You can read more here.
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Shi'ite Muslims Targeted in Iraq - gun and bomb attacks atributed to Sunni Muslim militants claimed the lives of over 100 and injured many more. Blame has been direct at Iran and al-Qaeda. The weakness of Iraq sceurity forces has been highlighted as a result. You can read more here.
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama To Visit Colorado Today - the President will visit with victim families of the Aurora theater shootings and local officials. Afterwards, he will embark on a three west coast trip to San Francisco, California, Reno, Nevada, Portland, Maine and Washington state. You can read more here.
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Lautenberg To Introduce Gun-Control Legislation This Week - in the wake of the Aurora shootings, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) will introduce legislation to crack down on high capacity ammunition clips. TPM.com has more here.
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Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calf.) Calls For Renewal of Assault Weapons Ban - You can read more here.
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Obama Leading Romney in Florida 48% - 45% - Florida is a state Mitt Romney must win in order to become President. SurveyUSA conducted the poll. You can read more here.
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U.S. Poverty Highest in 46 Years - the expected poverty rate, to be released this fall, will hit as high as 15.7%, the highest level since 1965. The Washington Post has more here.
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Libor Scandal Arrests Expected - U.S. prosecutors and European regulators are close to making arrests of individuals who colluded to manipulate global interest rates. You can read more here.
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Fighting in Syria Continues in Aleppo and Damascus - with no signs of the conflict ending anytime soon, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is calling for more direct U.S. support for the rebels, who cites a fear the Assad regime might resort to using chemical weapons. Reuters.com has more here.
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup
George Wenschhof
With, the horrific shootings at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, the Romney campaign will receive a break from the relentless media frenzy concerning the release of Mitt Romney's tax returns and the date when he left management of Bain Capital.
The change of focus may last a little longer, as Mitt Romney begins an overseas trip, including a trip to Israel.
Interestingly, after the Colorado tragedy, NBC "Meet the Press" choose to replace scheduled guest surrogates from the Romney and Obama campaign; former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and David Axelrod, to concentrate on the details of the shootings.
I say interestingly, because it would have been interesting to hear the reactions/viewpoints from the Romney and Obama campaigns to this incident.
CBS "Face the Nation" will have on New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has already stated the Colorado tragedy should result in the political discussion on the issue of gun-control.
ABC "This Week" will follow the same approach as NBC, with analysis and breaking news surrounding Aurora killings.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will also appear on CBS and Fox News Sunday where he is sure to discuss the violence in Syria and the concern with Iran developing nuclear weapons.
CNN "State of The Union" will focus on the close Virginia Senate race with Democrat Tim Kaine facing off against his Republican opponent; George Allen.
The scheduled guests follow below.
NBC "Meet The Press" - latest on the Colorado theater shooting
CBS "Face The Nation" - NY City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
ABC "This Week - more on the mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado
CNN "State of The Union" - Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Tim Kaine and George Allen
Fox News Sunday - Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
President Obama speaks of the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado and honors the victims as well as those who knew and loved them.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) delivers the Republican weekly address and discusses the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado.
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Friday, July 20, 2012
Parking Woes in Corvallis, Oregon
George Wenschhof
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
President Obama to address Colorado shootings at 11:20 AM ET - at a campaign event, the president will discuss the horrific shootings at a cinema in Colorado last night.
The Washington Post has more here on the shooting, which killed 12 and wounded 38 others, at a theater showing the midnight premier of the movie "The Dark Knight Rises".
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Candidates Pull Negative Ads in Colorado - the Obama and Romney campaigns have canceled in the wake of the shootings in the state. President Obama, who was campaigning in Florida, has returned to the White House and Michele Obama and Vice President Joe Biden caceled campaign scheduled events today. You can read more here.
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Will Gun Control Debate Heat Up? - whether the horrific shootings in Colorado rekindle the gun control debate and make it a issue in the 2012 campaign remains to be seen. But, New York City mayor Michale Bloomberg, a gun control advocate, said politicians need to offer policies and not just soothing words. Politico.com has more here.
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Senate Republicans Block Obama Jobs Bill - once again, Republican obstructionists stopped a bill with a 56-42 vote, four votes shy of the 60 needed to end a filibuster. The jobs initiative would have rewarded companies that insourced jobs from overseas and eliminated tax breaks to companies who moved jobs overseas. CNN.com has more here.
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Banks in Libor Scandal May Seek Settlement - Banks involved in the rigging of the key interest rate are now rumored to be seeking a group settlement. Reuters.com has more here.
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Syrian Rebels Seize Border Outposts - along the borders with Turkey and Iraq. This comes as violence continues in Damascus, following the bombing which killed the foreign minister and other government officials. The liklihood President Assad will be able to remain in control erodes daily and his main partner; Russia, appears to be the big loser. MSNBC.com has a good read here.
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Washington State First to Offer Voter Registration on Facebook - it will begin next week with the app placed on the state secretary of state facebook page. Washington state votes entirely by mail and began online voter registration in 2008. You can read more here.
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Unemployment Claims Up 34,000 - last week, highlighting Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke testimony to Congress that the economy is likely to remain sluggish for some time. You can read more here.
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Romney 47%, Obama 46% in Latest NY Times/CBS News Poll - the margin of error is three points, so the candidates for president are essentially tied. You can read more here.
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Romney Super PAC Makes $8.8 Million Ad Buy - American Crossroads bought the ad time in nine swing states to defend Mitt Romney from the Obama campaign charges that he shipped jobs overseas. You can read more here.
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DSCC Raises $18.1 Million in Second Quarter - this follows the $17.7 million the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee raised in the first quarter. They reported having $31.4 million cash on hand. You can read more here.
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Control of Senate Remains in Play - Democrats presently have a slim 53-47 advantage in the Senate with the upcoming November elections unclear as to which side will gain the majority. It is genearlly agreed that regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans win the majority, it will be a slim majority and the possibility of an even 50-50 split remains. You can read more here.
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Will Libor Interest Rate Be Scrapped? - central bankers and regulators are meeting in September to deicde whether to keep or make changes to the Libor system, which was manipulated during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. You can read more here.
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U.N. Sanctions Against Syria Vetoed By Russia and China - the civil war in Syria continues with fighting in Damascus. Yet, allies of President Assad; China and Russia veto sanctions pushed by the U.S. and United Nations. You can read more here.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Romney Campaign Hits Back, Attacks Obama on Stimulus Spending
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Obama Campaign Says Romney "Croney Capitalism" Ad is False -
“Mitt Romney’s desperate to avoid answering serious questions about his tenure at Bain Capital and his investments in foreign tax havens and offshore accounts,” OFA spokeswoman Lis Smith said in a statement. “So he’s joined his surrogates and allies in launching over-the-top attacks that independent fact-checkers and news organizations have said are ‘flat out false,’ ‘wrong,’ and use ‘weasel words.’ The truth is that President Obama’s investments in clean energy—along with the loan guarantee program established under the Bush administration that Romney now attacks—have supported nearly 225,000 jobs in the clean energy sector and have helped bring our dependence on foreign oil to a 16-year low. President Obama refuses to cede the clean energy sector to China. Apparently Mitt Romney disagrees”
TPM.com has more here.
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Obama Winning 70% of Latino Vote - the new poll of registered Latino voters shows only 22% support Mitt Romney. You can read more here.
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Romney Campaign Releases Spanish Speaking Ad - promising to work toward long term solution to immigration. You can watch it here.
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63% Oppose "Citizens United" Decision - the First Amendment Center poll shows about two-thirds of Americans oppose unlimted campaign spending by corporations and unions. You can read more here.
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Senate Republicans Block Disclose Act Second Time in Two Days - this time, the bill received two more votes, but failed to advance with 53 votes in favor. 60 votes are needed to end a Senate filibuster. CNN.com has more here.
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Suicide Bomber Attacks Inside Damascus - conflicting reports indicate Syrian Defense Minister and President assad's brother-in-law have either been killed or seriously injured in the attack by a bodyguard. Reuters.com has more here.
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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama campaign out with new ad on Mitt Romney's refusal to disclose tax returns.
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Pew Research Center Poll shows 2-1 favor Increasing taxes for those earning more than $250,000 - they feel it would be good for the economy and more fair. You can read the full poll results here.
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Portman, Pawlenty, and Jindal Rumored to be Final Three in Romney VP Selection Process - not, a big surprise, with Ohio Senator Rob Portman remaining the favorite to be picked. Reuters.com has more here.
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Romney Camp hires staffers for VP candidate - Randy Bumps has been hired as director of operations and Kevin Sheridan as communications director. You can read more on both here.
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Senate Republicans Block Disclose Act, Democrats to try again today - the bill failed to get pass the Republican filibuster yesterday by a vote of 51-44. The bill would require companies to disclose campaign spending above $10,000. Democrats held a midnight vigil after the vote failed yesterday and plan to reintroduce it today. TheHill.com has more here.
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Clinton Says Iran Proposals are "Non-Starters" - while in Israel, secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the proposals received thus far from Iran in regards to their nuclear program were non-starters and urged continued worldwide economic pressure against Iran. CNN.com has more here.
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Monday, July 16, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Romney's Role at Bain Capital Remains Muddled - The NY Times has a good read today on the different stories coming out from the Romney campaign as to when Romney left Bain and his role in outsourcing jobs, laying off workers and declaring bankruptcy. You can read it here.
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Romney Attempts To Push Back on Bain - with an appearance on Republican friendly "Fox and Friends".
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Romney Super PAC Raises $20 Million in June - Restore Our Furure's raised four times the amount they raise in May. Their counterpart, Priorities USA Action, which supports President Obama, raised $6 million in June. You can read more here.
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Romney May Announce VP Pick This Week - rports indicate Mitt Romney has made his choice and will announce his vice president running mate this week. Those who are the short list include former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Senator Rob Portman and South Dakota Senator John Thune. You can read more here.
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Secretary of State Clinton in Israel - following her visit to Egypt to meet with newly elected President Mohammed Morsi, Hillary Clinton meets with leaders of Israel. The Washington Post has more here.
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Fighting Spreads in Syrian Capital - the conflict, now labeled a civil war by the Red Cross, has spread to Damascus. Reuters.com has more here.
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Sunday, July 15, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Tops Romney on the Economy and Foreign Policy - the latest McClatchy/Marist poll shows On the economy, Obama leads Romney 46% - 44% and on foreign policy Obama leads 47% - 41%. Overall, Obama leads 48% - 46%. You can read more here.
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Maryland Governor O'Malley Rises in Stature - the term limited Democratic Governor and chair of the Democratic Governors Association is becoming a point man in the Obama reelection campaign. O'Malley's term of Governor ends in 2014 and rumors abound he is preparing a run for the White House in 2016. Politico.com has more here.
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How Much Impact Will State Voter ID Laws Have? - a hotly debated question as Republican led state legislatures have moved to enact voter ID laws. Nate Silver of The NY Times has an interesting analysis here which suggests the impact will be minor, but could reduce Democratic voters by 2%. A percentage that may be crucial in important swing states.
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Romney Can't Leave "Bain" Behind - Outsourcing, the date Mitt Romney left the company and more was discussed on the morning "talking Heads" as surrogate for the Republican presidential candidate sought to deflect the spotlight on Bain Capitol and Romney's role in the company. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Romney Will Not Release More Tax Returns - seems Mitt Romney is sticking to what he originally stated when he released his 2010 tax return and that is he will release his 2011 tax return when it is completed by his accountant. However, previous returns which may show off shore investments in Caymen Islands, Switzerland and Bremuda, will not be released. CNN.com has more here.
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Oprah Winfrey Interviews Romney - at the Romney lakeside home in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Winfrey has said she supports President Obama 100%. You can read more here.
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Saturday, July 14, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup
George Wenschhof
From this point on, the Sunday morning "Talking Heads" will be all about the November elections.
Romney campaign senior adviser Ed Gilespie appears on NBC "Meet The Press" and CNN "State of The Union". Expect him to be asked the many unanswered questions concerning when Mitt Romney left Bain Capitol and why he is not releasing more tax returns. Obama Senior campaign adviser David Axelrod will face off with Gillespie on CNN "State of The Union".
The rumors will also fly on who Romney will pick for his VP. Two, who are in the running for VP, will have appearances, with Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) on ABC "THis Week" and Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on CBS "Face The Nation". Don't look to see either selected by Romney.
Former White House Chief of Staff and Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel will be on ABC "This Week". A question about the health of Illinois Democratic Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., who has been absent from the Hill, will surely be asked.
The discussion will surely heat up during the roundtable discussion on NBC "Meet The Press", where Grover Norquist, a man democrats love to hate, is sure to hammer President Obama on his proposed extension of tax cuts for those making $250,000 or less. NAACP President ben Jealous will also appear.
The entertaining duo; James Carville and Mary Matalin will be on the ABC "This Week" roundtable discussion and will be worth a listen.
Another man Democrats love to hate; Republican strategist Karl Rove will be on Republican friendly "Fox News Sunday". To counteract Rove, Democratic consultant Joe Trippi, of Hoaward Dean presidential campaign fame, will also appear on "Fox News Sunday".
First Lady Michelle Obama, while campaigning in Florida, sat down for an interview which will appear on Univision's "Al Punto".
It appears the morning shows will be light on discussion surrounding foreign policy, even as violence continues in Syria.
The scheduled guests follow below.
NBC "meet The Press" - Ed Gillespie, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Jon Kyl (R-Az.)
Roundtable with Mike Murphy, Grover Norquist, Ben Jealous, Hilary Rosen and Bob Woodward.
ABC "This Week" - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) and Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)
Roundtable with James Carville, Mary Matalin, George Will, Donna Brazile and Matthew Dowd.
CBS "Face The Nation" - Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Obama Deputy Campaign Manager Stephanie Cutter and Romney Campaign Senior Adviser Kevin Madden.
Economy roundtable with Mark Zandi, Rana Foroohar and Robert Reich
Political roundtable with Frank Rich, Michael Gerson, Norah O'Donnell and John Dickerson
CNN "State of The Union" - Ed Gillespie, David Axelrod, Governors Bob McDonnell (R-Va.) and Deval Patrick (D-Mass.)
Fox News Sunday - Karl Rove, Joe Trippi, Governors Terry Branstad (R-IA) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.)
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
President Obama continues to push Congress to pass an extension of tax cuts for all who make $250,000 or less.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Ohio Senator Rob Portman, who is on the short list for Mitt Romney's VP, attacks President Obama on the economy, saying the President's approach to the economy has been "more spending, more regulation and higher taxes".
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Friday, July 13, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Clinton Says It is "Odd" Romney Will Not Release Tax Returns - appearing on NBC "Today"
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Date Romney Left Bain Questioned - seems the Mitt Romney campaign says he left Bain Capitol in 1999, but Romney told Olympics official in 2002 he still maintained business ties. Romney also continued to show up as CEO on corporate records. TPM.com has more here.
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JP Morgan Chase Loss Climbs to $5.8 Billion - almost three times the original estimate of $2 million from bad trades. The Washington Post has more here.
It is past time to reinstate the Glass Steagall Act and the Volcker Rule.
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This Congress is The Worst Ever - Ezra Klein lists 13 reasons the 112th Congress is the worst ever in history. He begins with the Republican led House voting 33 times to appeal the Affordable Care Act, somehow expecting a different result. You can read more here.
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Obama Visits Virginia Today - the president begins in Norfolk as he embarks on a two day bus tour across the state. Virginia is an important swing state. TheHill.com has more here.
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Will Romney Pick Condoleeza Rice as VP? - the latest buzz is she is among those on the short list in spite of her being pro-choice. Many Republicans may think having an African American woman on the ticket will help Mitt Romney. Rice has repeatedly said she is not interested. You can read more here.
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Campaign Says Romney Tax Plan will Raise Taxes on 18 Million
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Unemployment Claims Lowest Since March 2008 - weekly jobless claims dropped 26,000 to 350,000, in part due to the rise in auto sales. You can read more here.
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House Passes Latest Attempt To Repeal Health Care Act - the 33rd House vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act since it's passage. Only five Democrats joined Republican legislators in the 244-185 vote. The bill is expected to die in the Senate as the others before it. You can read more here.
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CBS Charlie Rose Interviews President Obama and First Lady - the interview will be today with excerpts televised on CBS evening news tomorrow. The full interview will be shown on CBS Sunday Morning. You can read more here.
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Rep. Jackson Receiving Treatment for "Mood Disorder" - the Illinois congressman last voted on June 8 and his office intially issued a statement he was being treated for exhaustion, later amending the statement to he was being treated for a medical disorder more serious than originally thought. TheHill.com has more here.
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Federal District Court Decision on Texas Voter Law Nears - the most controversial part of the Texas law is the requirement of a photo ID. RollCall.com has more here.
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Leads Romney in Latest Polls - a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows President Obama with 49% and Mitt Romney with 43% and a Quinnipiac poll has it Obama 46%, Romney 43%.
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Romney Campaign Releases New Spanish Language Ad - this one has Mitt Romney's son Craig saying "I invite you to get to know him and listen to his ideas".
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NAACP Boos Romney Over His Promise To End "Obamacare" - things did not go well for Mitt Romney when he addressed the NAACP at their annual convention. The Washington Post has more here.
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Holder Battles New State Voting Laws - the attorney general said the Texas voter ID law was similar to the "poll" taxes used many years ago which disenfranchised African American voters. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Obama Issues Executive Orders to Help Small Business - the initiatives will accerlerate payments to government subcontractors, extend the SBA's small loan program and streamline the application process for SBA services. Politico.com has more here.
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Kaine Out Raises Allen in Virginia Senate Race - former Governor Tim Kaine (D) announced the campaign raised $3 million in the second quarter compared to the $2 million raised by former Senator George Allen (R). TPM.com has more here.
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Spain Passes New Austerity Measures - the Spanish government approved tax hikes and spending cuts which will reduce the budget by $80 billion over the next two and one-half years. The action came a day after receiving approval of a $100 billion bail out from the Euro Zone countries. You can read more here.
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Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Why is Romney Hiding The Rest of His Tax Returns? - is the latest ad released by the Obama campaign.
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Obama/Romney Tied at 47% - among registered voters in a new poll released by ABC News/Washington Post. The poll shows while a majority of voters are disatisfied with the economy, they are not voting for Mitt Romney. You can read more here.
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House Republicans To Hold Repeal Vote on Health Care - tomorrow, with the vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Republicans hope to elevate this issue into the presidential campaign. Even though, it is highly unlikely the measure will pass in the Senate. CNN.com has more here.
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Obama To Iowa, Romney to Colorado - keys swing states to both campaigns. The electoral votes in both states are key to getting to the magic 270 needed to win the presidency. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Berkley Ethics Inquiry To begin - The Democratic Representative from Nevada will face an investigation as to whther she did anything wrong when she fought to block the closing by a federal agency of a medical facility where her husband worked. Shelley Berkley is facing Republican Senator Dean Heller, who replaced Republican Senator John Ensign who resigned after his own ethics scandal. You can read more here.
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Rangel declared Winner in Hotly Conested NY Democratic Primary - the embattled long term Representative, Charles Rangel won by about 1,000 votes after absentee ballots were counted. Politico.com has more here.
Rangel is expected to win wasily in November in a heavily favored Democratic district.
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Defiant Egyptian Parliament Meets - despite a court order to disband and military opposition, the newly elected parliament met today and voted to appeal the court ruling. The NY Times has more here.
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Spain To get First Installment of $100 Billion Bail Out - Euro Zone leaders agreed to send $37 Billion to Spain which will they hope will be approved by the numerous finance ministers by July. The BBC has more here. Is Italy next?
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Monday, July 9, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Wants Extension of Middle Class Tax Cuts - President Obama will make this announcement from the Rose Garden at the White House today. He will then travel to Iowa tomorrow where he will ask voters to push Congress to extend the tax cuts for those earning less than $250,000 for one year. TPM.com has more here.
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Obama Leads Romney 48%-44%, Swing States remain Close - the latest USA Today/Gallup poll reflects the closeness of the race with four months to go until the election. In the twelve battleground states, Obama leads Romney 47%-45%. TheHill.com has more here.
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Euro Zone Remains Fragile - In spite of efforts made by the 17 nation union to stabilize their monetary system, problems remain. Perhaps, it is time to recognize the euro zone, in it's present system, has too many flaws to overcome. Instead, a reasonable move to end the eurozone may be in order. Reuters.com has more here.
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Elizabeth Warren Raises $8.6 Million in Second Quarter - the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts now has $13.5 million cash on hand. Republican Senator Scott Brown's campaign has not released numbers yet. Politico.com has more here.
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Romney Outraises Obama in June - the campaigns reported raising $106 and $71 million for the month of June. The 2012 campaign will be the most expensive in U.S. elections with the initial projection of a one billion campaign now being raised to 2 billion. The NY Times has more here. Campaign Finance reform, anyone?
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Egypt President Morsi Orders Parliament Reinstated - the move to democracy in Egypt has been anything but smooth and the latest oder by the newly elected president will certainly create an internal conflict with the military. The military had used the court to disband the elected parliament prior to the presidential election, which Morsi won. The highest court of Egypt said their decision was final and binding. Yet, President Morsi has scheduled a meeting with parliament on Tuesday. Stay tuned... The Washington Post has more here.
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Annan Renews Syrian Peace Talks - Kofi-Annan, negotiating on behalf of the U.N./Arab League announced talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had resulted in an agreement to end the violence. Annan indicated he will travel to Iran to discuss the situation and share details with the Syrian opposition. CNN.com has more here.
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