Archive for July 16th, 2009
-
Obama to NAACP: Progress made but much still to accomplish
President Obama commended the progress of African-Americans in a speech on the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, but said there was still much work to be done.
-
Democrat: Obama slowing down progress on health care reform
President Obama’s opposition to taxing employer-provided health benefits has slowed progress on passing a health care reform bill, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee complained Thursday.
-
Obama: Racial divisions still persist
In an address to the NAACP, President Barack Obama says African-Americans are still feeling “the pain of discrimination” but urges them to take greater responsibility for their own future. -
Wife of ex-GOP Rep. Pickering claims he had affair (AP)
AP – The estranged wife of former U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering claims in a lawsuit that the Mississippi Republican had an affair that ruined their marriage and derailed his political career.
-
House Democrats muzzle GOP on sensitive issues (AP)
AP – In their zeal to protect their members from politically hazardous votes on issues such as gay marriage and gun control, Democrats running the House of Representatives are taking extraordinary steps to muzzle Republicans in this summer’s debates on spending bills. -
Sotomayor speeds toward confirmation
Sonia Sotomayor sped toward confirmation as the nation’s first Hispanic justice Thursday, encouraged by Republican promises of a quick vote and cheered on by a Democratic senator’s challenge to take on the Supreme Court’s conservative wing when she arrives. -
Congress’ health care hangover (Politico)
Politico – For a brief moment Thursday, Senate Democrats could celebrate. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus suggested for the first time publicly he was hoping for a bipartisan deal to pay for health care reform by the end of the day.
-
Gates: More US troops could head to Afghanistan (AP)
AP – The Pentagon’s chief said Thursday he could send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan this year than he’d initially expected and is considering increasing the number of soldiers in the Army. -
Analysis: GOP sets stage for future court battles (AP)
AP – Lacking the votes to block Sonia Sotomayor from the Supreme Court, Republicans established lines in the sand for challenging any future nominee for the high court and tried to limit President Barack Obama’s hand if he gets another opportunity to pick a nominee. -
Obama turns up heat on mortgage servicers
As complaints mount about President Obama’s foreclosure prevention program, the administration is ratcheting up the pressure on mortgage servicers.
