Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof


Kerry: Congressional Vote on Syria; "The Right Decision"

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Senator Leahy: Senate is Drafting Language on Use of Force in Syria - Sen. Patrick Leahy said Sunday that Senate Democratic aides are drafting new language for an authorization of military force in Syria.
 
The news comes after an intense holiday Sunday with the administration pressing its case with reluctant lawmakers on the Hill and to the American public on the Sunday shows, while members of Congress attended classified briefings and tried to decide what to do now that Obama has forced them to take a stand.

The administration’s proposal is too open-ended — a complaint many lawmakers have — Leahy (D-Vt.) said. The current version wouldn’t garner his support, but he indicated that a more tightly written draft might.  Politico.com has more here.

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McAuliffe, Cuccinelli in Close Contest for Governor of Virginia - The two top candidates for Virginia governor are focusing the bulk of their efforts on trying to get core Democrats and Republicans to turn out and vote, an unusual strategy for both in a state where contests have long been dominated by cautious appeals to the middle.
 
Republican Ken Cuccinelli II and Democrat Terry McAuliffe are running parallel scavenger hunts for Virginians inclined to their side but not yet certain to show up on Election Day.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Latest Revelations Show NSA Monitored Communications of Leaders of Brazil, Mexico - The NSA monitored communications of the leaders of Brazil and Mexico, Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald said in an interview on Brazilian television, according to the Associated Press.

The revelations come days before President Obama is to travel to Russia for a meeting of the G20.

Greenwald told the Brazilian television program “Fantastico” that he has a document indicating Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s emails were being read. The document is dated from June 2012, a month before Nieto was elected.

National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has leaked thousands of documents related to the U.S. surveillance programs to Greenwald.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Japan Offers Public Funds as Fukushima Radiation Leaks Continue - Japan vowed quick, decisive action, including the use of public funds, to tackle the worsening problem of contaminated water pouring from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, as the authorities step in to help the facility's embattled operator.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the government "will step forward and implement all necessary policies" to deal with the flood of radioactive water from the plant, a legacy of the world's worst atomic disaster in a quarter century.  Reuters.com has more here.

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