Yahoo! News: Elections

Michael Steele becomes first black RNC chairman (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 11:30 PM CST

AP - The Republican Party chose the first black national chairman in its history Friday, just shy of three months after the nation elected a Democrat as the first African-American president.

Tax issues emerge in Daschle nomination (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 11:29 PM CST

AP - Former Sen. Tom Daschle, picked by President Barack Obama to lead his health reform efforts, recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest, according to a Senate document obtained by The Associated Press.

Blackwater's Iraq deal not to be renewed (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 09:16 PM CST

AP - The State Department said Friday it will not renew Blackwater Worldwide's contract to protect American diplomats in Iraq when it expires in May.

White House: Bailout plan will address bonus pay (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 01:35 PM CST

AP - The White House says its upcoming financial plan will clamp down on the salaries and bonuses paid to Wall Street employees whose firms receive taxpayer help.

Reid loans aide to Burris (Politico)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 07:50 PM CST

Politico - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has loaned one of his top advisers to Illinois Sen. Roland Burris – a sign that Reid is warming to a senator he wanted to keep out of the chamber just three weeks ago.

Senator says US, Russia must work together on Iran (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 05:25 PM CST

AP - Sen. Carl Levin, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, said Friday he believes the time is ripe for the U.S. to pursue a fresh partnership with Russia aimed at deterring Iranian missiles.

Obama to sign bill on analog shutdown delay (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 01:13 PM CST

AP - White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says President Barack Obama will sign a bill to give consumers more time to get ready for the switch from analog to digital television broadcasts. The switch under current law is set for Feb. 17.

Geithner, Bernanke work on $700B bailout overhaul (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 11:17 PM CST

AP - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other top banking officials met Friday to hammer out details of a major overhaul of the government's financial rescue program. One official said the Obama administration was close to unveiling the new plan.

Republicans choose first African-American party leader (AFP)

Posted: 31 Jan 2009 02:23 AM CST

AFP - US Republicans have elected their party's first-ever African-American leader, hoping to draw younger and more diverse voters after bitter losses in November, when Democrat Barack Obama became the first black to win the White House.

Iraqis vote behind barbed wire, testing security (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Jan 2009 12:58 AM CST

Reuters - Iraqis voted behind barbed wire and rings of police on Saturday in an election that tested the war-battered country's fragile security gains and which may ease lingering sectarian resentment still fuelling violence.

Iraqis vote in landmark election (AFP)

Posted: 31 Jan 2009 12:48 AM CST

AFP - Iraqis were voting in provincial elections on Saturday in a crucial test for a nation struggling to emerge from years of sectarian strife and strengthen its fledgling democracy.

15 lawmakers to join Obama to watch Super Bowl (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 11:24 PM CST

AP - He met at the White House with congressional leaders from both parties. He went to Capitol Hill for private meetings with House and Senate Republicans. President Barack Obama even schmoozed with a group over cocktails at the executive mansion.

Obama addresses global trade imbalances with Hu (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 11:02 PM CST

AP - President Barack Obama on Friday opened his relationship with Chinese President Hu Jintao, promising cooperation in a phone call that broadly covered sensitive trade issues, the global financial crisis and the North Korean nuclear threat.

Senate Democrats promise to change stimulus bill (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 09:34 PM CST

AP - Senate Democrats promised more money for infrastructure projects when an almost $900 billion version of President Barack Obama's stimulus plan hits the Senate floor next week.

US reviewing 'Buy American' stimulus clause (AFP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 09:26 PM CST

AFP - The White House said Friday it was reviewing a "Buy American" clause in Congress's version of President Barack Obama stimulus plan that has sparked angry claims of protectionism from US allies.

Tax issues shadow Obama health nominee Daschle (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 08:54 PM CST

Reuters - President Barack Obama's choice to spearhead U.S. healthcare reform, Tom Daschle, paid more than $100,000 in back taxes for a three-year period, setting up a potential roadblock to his nomination, documents showed on Friday.

Republican Romney criticizes Obama on abortion (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2009 08:34 PM CST

AP - Republican Mitt Romney, a potential candidate for the White House in 2012, accused President Barack Obama on Friday of answering to the "most extreme wing of the abortion lobby." Even if the administration "will say nothing on behalf of the child waiting to be born, we must take the side of life," the former Massachusetts governor told House Republicans at a weekend retreat, according to his prepared remarks.