Yahoo! News: Elections

Obama pledges to slash deficit after increase (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 10:48 PM CST

AP - Urging strict future restraint even as current spending soars, President Barack Obama pledged on Monday to dramatically slash the skyrocketing annual budget deficit as he started to dole out the record $787 billion economic stimulus package he signed last week.

McCain questions Obama about helicopter at summit (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 10:51 PM CST

AP - President Barack Obama never had a helicopter, which he says might explain why he's perfectly happy with the current White House fleet and doesn't need a more costly one. At the conclusion of a fiscal summit Monday, Obama faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including his former presidential rival, Sen. John McCain.

House Democrats propose $410B spending bill (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 10:54 PM CST

AP - House Democrats unveiled a $410 billion spending bill on Monday to keep the government running through the end of the fiscal year, setting up the second political struggle over federal funds in less than a month with Republicans.

Health care costs to top $8,000 per person (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:17 PM CST

AP - A new government report on medical costs paints a stark picture for President Barack Obama, who is expected to call for a health care overhaul in a speech Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress.

Clooney: W.H. to appoint Darfur envoy (Politico)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:44 PM CST

Politico - Actor George Clooney emerged from an Oval Office meeting with President Barack Obama Monday night to say the White House will appoint an envoy to Darfur, the Sudanese region ravaged by war and famine.

Official: Obama likely to name Locke to Commerce (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 04:30 PM CST

AP - President Barack Obama's likely third pick for Commerce secretary is former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, a senior administration official said Monday.

Obama's deficit goals count on rosy assumptions (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:27 PM CST

AP - President Barack Obama's ambitious goal of cutting the federal deficit in half relies on a perfect some might say improbable convergence of factors: a recovered economy, a tax boost for the rich and success in easing foreign entanglements.

Clinton picks a special adviser for Persian Gulf (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:31 PM CST

AP - A veteran diplomat who has served as Mideast envoy under Democratic and Republican presidents will be a special adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the Persian Gulf region, officials said Monday.

Summary of breakout sessions during fiscal summit (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 06:46 PM CST

AP - The fiscal responsibility summit President Barack Obama hosted at the White House on Monday included breakout discussions of key issues in five different areas. A summary of each of the 90-minute sessions:

Holder embarks on Guantanamo inspection visit (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 05:53 PM CST

AP - Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday visited the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the Obama administration weighs what is needed to shut the facility.

Obama seeks to bolster strong Japan alliance (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Feb 2009 12:21 AM CST

Reuters - President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso will discuss the global economic crisis, Afghanistan and North Korea at a meeting on Tuesday aimed at reinforcing the strong alliance between their two countries.

Obama set for showpiece address to Congress (AFP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 11:37 PM CST

AFP - President Barack Obama was set Tuesday to use the grand political stage of his debut address to Congress to counsel a nation gripped by economic fear and to showcase his ambitious agenda.

Obama announces health care summit (Politico)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 09:57 PM CST

Politico - It was the seating chart that mattered Monday.

Former governor Locke likely commerce nominee (Reuters)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 09:32 PM CST

Reuters - Former Washington state Governor Gary Locke is President Barack Obama's "likely nominee" for U.S. commerce secretary, an administration official said on Monday.

Most Americans support Obama's economic plan: polls (Reuters)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 08:45 PM CST

Reuters - Large majorities of Americans support U.S. President Barack Obama's plans to revive the economy and his efforts to work across party lines, according to a pair of public opinion polls released on Monday.

Obama says U.S. helicopter project costs "gone amok" (Reuters)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 07:52 PM CST

Reuters - President Barack Obama vowed on Monday to crack down on costly military programs, citing a project to build a new presidential helicopter fleet as an example of the procurement process "gone amok."

Arnold - a loner inside GOP (Politico)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 07:08 PM CST

Politico - While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) has always been something of a loner within the GOP, never has it been as obvious as in the last few days.

Federal officials debate placement of power grid (AP)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 06:32 PM CST

AP - Democratic congressional leaders and the Obama administration indicated Monday that they will push for greater federal authority to locate electric transmission lines, saying the current power grid stands in the way of developing alternative energy sources.

Obama Moves to Next Priority: Health Care (CQPolitics.com)

Posted: 23 Feb 2009 06:15 PM CST

CQPolitics.com - After signing a huge economic stimulus package and launching a plan to stem home foreclosures, President Obama will step before a joint session of Congress Tuesday and launch arguably the most ambitious component of his domestic agenda: a plan to provide affordable medical insurance to all Americans.