April 11, 2008

 

<><>DEMOCRATS<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

THE FIELD

 

Outside political groups spend heavily on races

 

By Fredreka Schouten

USA Today

April 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON — Spending by independent political groups has more than doubled since 2004, a USA TODAY analysis shows, in a sign that outside organizations are gearing up for sweeping influence in the heated presidential contest. More than $8 of every $10 spent has helped Democrats, according to the analysis of "independent expenditures" reported to the Federal Election Commission…

 

CLINTON

 

Elton John sings Clinton's praises, raising $2.5M

 

Associated Press

April 10, 2008

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Experience is central to Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid, and Wednesday night she tapped one of pop music's most venerable rockers to help fill her campaign coffers with $2.5 million. Elton John, who has sold records and filled arenas for four decades, played a benefit concert for Clinton at Radio City Music Hall…

 

OBAMA

 

Obama Likes the Sound of Silence

 

By Jeff Zeleny

New York Times

April 11, 2008

 

LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A political vow of silence? At a campaign event here tonight, a man rose from the audience to praise Senator Barack Obama for his oratory. In doing so, the Hoosier voter gently dismissed the criticism that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers about her rival: speeches don’t solve problems…

 

Allies of Palestinians see a friend in Barack Obama

They consider him receptive despite his clear support of Israel.

 

By Peter Wallsten

Los Angeles Times

April 10, 2008

 

CHICAGO — It was a celebration of Palestinian culture -- a night of music, dancing and a dash of politics. Local Arab Americans were bidding farewell to Rashid Khalidi, an internationally known scholar, critic of Israel and advocate for Palestinian rights, who was leaving town for a job in New York. A special tribute came from Khalidi's friend and frequent dinner companion, the young state Sen. Barack Obama. Speaking to the crowd, Obama reminisced about meals prepared by Khalidi's wife, Mona, and conversations that had challenged his thinking…

 

<><>REPUBLICANS<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

McCAIN

 

McCain Seeks Smaller Oil Reserve

Goal of Suspending Purchases Aims To Ease Demand

 

By Stephen Power and Neil King Jr.

Wall Street Journal

April 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John McCain broke with President Bush on how to manage the nation's emergency stockpile of petroleum, saying the administration should stop adding oil to the reserve at a time of high prices…

 

McCain, in Shift, Seeks U.S. Help for Homeowners

 

By Michael Cooper

New York Times

April 11, 2008

 

Senator John McCain, who had warned against broad government action, called on Thursday for help for qualified homeowners with subprime mortgages…

 

McCain Revises Proposals for Families in Economic Crisis

 

By Dan Balz

Washington Post

April 11, 2008

 

NEW YORK -- Two weeks after drawing criticism for saying he favored only a limited federal role to help deal with the home mortgage crisis, Republican presidential candidate John McCain sought to assure Americans that he is prepared to use the government where necessary to help ease the impact on working families of a declining economy. In a campaign appearance with small-business owners in Brooklyn, McCain also addressed the economic downturn with proposals to help families facing foreclosure restructure their mortgages and to give workers who have lost their jobs more flexibility and incentives to seek retraining and a speedier return to the workforce…

 

McCain Urges Olympic Ceremony Boycott

 

By Dan Balz

Washington Post

April 10, 2008

 

Republican presidential candidate John McCain added his voice to the growing chorus of officials urging President Bush to consider boycotting the opening ceremonies at the 2008 Olympics in China…

 

<><> PRIMARY CONTESTS<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

<><>RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE<><><><><><><><><><><>

 

Financial Industry Pours on Campaign Donations

Democrats by Far Receive Larger Portion of Funds

 

By Christopher Cooper

Wall Street Journal

April 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- Hard times may have settled over Wall Street, but campaign cash from banks and securities firms has flooded Washington as Congress and the White House gird for a regulatory revamp of the financial industry…

 

<><>WAR/TERROR<><><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

Gates Sees Hope for Withdrawals

Some Troops Could Leave Iraq in Fall; Conflict With Bush?

 

By Yochi J. Dreazen

Wall Street Journal

April 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he hoped more U.S. forces could leave Iraq this fall, adding a note of uncertainty to the politically sensitive question of future troop levels in Iraq. The comments came just hours after President Bush endorsed Gen. David Petraeus's call for an indefinite halt to any further troop withdrawals after the last of the 30,000 "surge" troops return to the U.S. in July…

 

Bush Defies Calls for Faster Withdrawal of Iraq Troops

 

By Steven Lee Myers

New York Times

April 11, 2008

 

President Bush said on Thursday that the senior commander in Iraq could “have all the time he needs” before reducing troops further…

 

Stresses still high on U.S. military

Bush announced Thursday that Army tours will be cut to 12 months.

 

By Peter Grier

Christian Science Monitor

April 11, 2008

 

The US military for the immediate future continues to face daunting arithmetic: continued war, and too few warriors to go around. Shorter tours in Iraq could help. President Bush's announcement Thursday that he is reducing Army combat deployments from 15 to 12 months for troops sent overseas later this year is aimed at reducing stress on soldiers and their families…

 

 

 

<><>CONGRESS<><><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

Bush Team Reassures Trade Partners

House Vote to Stall Colombia Deal Rattles Officials

 

By Greg Hitt and Martin Vaughan

Wall Street Journal

April 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- Senior Bush administration officials have reached out to reassure international trade officials and trade partners rattled by a setback to the U.S. push for open markets, as the House of Representatives sidelined a free-trade deal with Colombia…

 

Senate Passes Tax Breaks Aimed at Housing Crisis

 

By Michael R. Crittenden

Wall Street Journal

April 11, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- The Senate passed a combination of tax breaks and funding intended to help home builders and struggling borrowers in its most aggressive effort to address the cratering housing market…

 

Senate clears housing relief bill

It approves a $15 billion bipartisan package Thursday after several contentious measures are dropped.

 

By Gail Russell Chaddock

Christian Science Monitor

April 11, 2008

 

Washington - After weeks of gridlock – and a presidential veto threat – the Senate passed a bipartisan housing package Thursday that Democratic leaders say President Bush will sign…

 

House votes to delay Colombia trade pact

White House expresses dismay at the move to wait until after the election for a vote on the accord, providing Obama and Clinton with political cover.

 

By Johanna Neuman

Los Angeles Times

April 10, 2008

 

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House of Representatives voted 224-195 today to delay until after the November election a controversial trade pact with Colombia, sparing Democratic presidential candidates the need to choose between businesses that support the deal and unions that oppose it…

 

<><>OTHER NEWS<><><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><>

 

States vie to attract clean-tech industries

California and Massachusetts have the edge, but at least half of US states have entered the race.

 

By Tom A. Peter

Christian Science Monitor

April 11, 2008

 

On the road to becoming governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick visited Evergreen Solar in Marlborough, a campaign stop that at the time seemed more of a nod to environmental stewardship than part of a greater economic policy. But more than two years later, the solar-cell manufacturer has demonstrated the explosive potential of ecoindustry, announcing plans this week to triple its Massachusetts workforce to 1,000 by 2009. The move will bring $44.5 million a year in salaries and benefits to the Bay State…

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