Yahoo! News: Elections

Obama campaigns for help in Afghan terror fight (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:49 PM PDT

AP - Courting Europe with an American-style campaign, President Barack Obama on Friday talked up his plans popular here to eliminate nuclear weapons, close the Guantanamo Bay prison and tackle global warming.

Unemployment soars to 8.5 pct.; 13 million jobless (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:53 PM PDT

AP - Unemployment zoomed to 8.5 percent last month, the highest in a quarter-century, as employers axed 663,000 more workers and pushed the nation's jobless ranks past 13 million. The hard times were only expected to get harder a painful 10 percent jobless rate before long.

Analysis: Dismal joblessness could hurt Obama (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 01:40 PM PDT

AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke calls them "green shoots" the rising housing sales and factory orders and small market gains that signal an economy coming out of its downward spiral.

Obama reaffirms support for NATO alliance (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 08:52 AM PDT

AP - President Barack Obama says Western nations need to redefine and clarify NATO's responsibilities for the 21st century.

Politi-quotes: The week in one-liners (Politico)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 04:24 PM PDT

Politico - The week's Top Ten best quotes:

Analysis: Obama no-nukes pledge not so farfetched (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 04:12 PM PDT

AP - President Barack Obama's startling call Friday for a "world without nuclear weapons" brings to mind Ronald Reagan's idealistic, unfulfilled dream of eliminating the threat of nuclear annihilation.

World watches Obama, Sarkozy — forget the husbands (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:29 PM PDT

AP - It's been billed as one of the major face-offs of the NATO summit, and it had nothing to do with troops in Afghanistan or relations with Russia.

Lobbyist gets probation for destroying evidence (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 01:55 PM PDT

AP - A lobbyist was sentenced Friday to three years probation for destroying evidence about her ties with former Pennsylvania congressman Curt Weldon, who is under FBI investigation.

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Lobbying to land the Olympics (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 12:26 PM PDT

AP - Bringing the Olympics to the United States is a cause most American politicians can support. Still, the Chicago 2016 organizing committee figures a little prodding couldn't hurt.

Homeland Security boss says cartels under pressure (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:43 PM PDT

AP - Beefed up vehicle inspections, more drug-sniffing dogs and improved surveillance should help curb the flow of guns and drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Friday.

Is Congress Being Too Tough on Nominees' Taxes? (Time.com)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:45 PM PDT

Time.com - With legions of Obama Administration posts sitting vacant amid multiple national crises, many in Washington are asking if congressional due diligence has become unreasonable flyspecking

Millions for Axelrod in sale of firm (Politico)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:30 PM PDT

Politico - As he prepared to take a job in the White House at the end of last year, David Axelrod sold the political consulting firm that helped elect President Obama for $2 million to a group of consultants who helped steer Obama’s campaign.

Obama to abolish limits on U.S.-Cuba family ties (Reuters)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 05:10 PM PDT

Reuters - In a move that could herald better ties between Cold War foes, the Obama administration is planning to abolish limits on family travel and cash remittances between the United States and Cuba, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Obama climate plans face long route for passage (Reuters)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 04:31 PM PDT

Reuters - A U.S. Senate vote this week rejected an effort to put climate-change legislation on a fast track, making it harder for Congress to put limits on greenhouse gas emissions this year.

Rahm Emanuel Was Blagojevich Extortion Target, Official Says (Bloomberg)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 03:51 PM PDT

Bloomberg - April 3 (Bloomberg) -- Rahm Emanuel, a former U.S. House member now serving as President Barack Obamaâs chief of staff, is the congressman who prosecutors say was the target of an extortion attempt by ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, an Obama administration official said.

Chief justice blocks release of sex offenders (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 03:21 PM PDT

AP - Chief Justice John Roberts has granted the Obama administration's request to the Supreme Court to block the release of certain sex offenders who have completed their federal prison terms.

Obama-era goodwill for Rice at U.N. (Politico)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 03:15 PM PDT

Politico - NEW YORK — It is, says Susan Rice, "a good time to be American Ambassador to the United Nations."

NYC fried chicken joints under fire for Obama name (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 03:14 PM PDT

AP - Two New York City fried chicken restaurants in predominantly black neighborhoods are under fire for putting President Barack Obama's name on their signs.

Intel chief replacing inspector general (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 02:27 PM PDT

AP - National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair is replacing the agency's inspector general with his own pick, an attorney from the Justice Department, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

Obama calls shooting act of 'senseless violence' (AP)

Posted: 03 Apr 2009 01:53 PM PDT

AP - President Barack Obama says he is shocked and saddened by the deadly mass shooting in Binghamton, N.Y.