Thank you for visiting our website

Featuring breaking political news and commentary on local, state, and national issues.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch Dies at 88

---

Dow Hits 14,000 - U.S. stocks rose, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 14,000, as data showed hiring increased in January after accelerating more than previously estimated at the end of 2012 and manufacturing expanded.

Payrolls rose 157,000 following a revised 196,000 advance in the prior month and a 247,000 surge in November, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The revisions added a total of 127,000 jobs to the employment count in November and December. The jobless rate increased to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent.  Bloomberg.com has more here.

---

Hagel Likely To be Confirmed - in spite of a weak performance yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Hagel’s most heated exchange of the day came with a former friend and fellow Vietnam War veteran — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who pushed Hagel to admit he was wrong about the 2007 Iraq surge, which Hagel had predicted would be a blunder.

Levin said the confirmation vote in the Armed Services Committee could come as soon as Thursday, though that was still tentative. He did not have a timeline for the full Senate. TheHill.com has more here.

---

Suicide Bomber Hits U.S. Embassy in Turkey - A suicide bomber blew himself up at an entrance to the U.S. Embassy compound in Ankara on Friday, officials said.

Turkish interior ministry officials said the bomber and one other person were killed in the attack at about 1:15 p.m. local time (6:15 a.m. ET).  NBC News has more here.

---

Opt Out Option Likely for Religious Insurers Who Oppose Contraceptives - Religiously affiliated organizations will be able to opt out of providing their employees with insurance coverage for contraceptives under updates to an Obama administration mandate that the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to unveil on Friday, according to two sources. CNN.com has more here.

---

Chu is Latest Cabinet Member To Step Down - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced on Friday that he intends to resign from the cabinet once President Obama's chosen replacement is confirmed.

The Nobel Prize-winning physicist's four-year tenure was marked by milestones in green-energy spending along with withering attacks from Republicans and the collapse of the solar company Solyndra. News of his departure comes just a day before he is set to overtake George W. Bush Cabinet member Spencer Abraham as the nation's longest-serving Energy secretary."  Politico.com has more here.

---

Your financial contributions to Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof are appreciated - Click here to donate. Thank You!

No comments: