February 28, 2008
Bye-Bye! The Last Gate Post Ever.
At least a few of our readers have figured it out already, but here goes: We've been winding things down at The Gate for the last couple of weeks, and today we formally say goodbye. Actually, we prefer John McLaughlin's way of doing things, so we say: Bye-bye!
It has truly been an honor and pleasure to write for and interact with you. (Even the Ron Paul fanatics who hate us because we don't cover him enough.)
The Gate would have turned a year old next month, but we're pretty proud of the more than 1,700 posts we've churned out. Most memorable for me -- Jane Roh -- was covering the U.S. attorney firings investigation, which culminated with the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in August, and liveblogging the David Petraeus/Ryan Crocker hearings in September. It's been an intense and rewarding experience, and I'll always be grateful for those opportunities.
And then there's our campaign coverage, where I've gotten some witty and insightful assists from fellow Deputy Managing Editor Irene Tsikitas. The abundant and frequently silly MSM campaign coverage wore us out at times, but it's been a real honor covering what is likely the most pivotal presidential election of my lifetime. (Won't miss liveblogging those debates, though.)
You can tell by the accompanying photo that we had lots of fun along the way, too. Thanks to our online graphics team, Ryan Merrill and Reuben Dalke, for gamely producing myriad image requests.
As for me, I am leaving National Journal and moving on. I will still be participating in the Horserace '08 weekly radio roundtable on the campaigns, so look for me on air and online. To keep up with my whereabouts and reporting, visit me on Facebook. If you want to weigh in on the demise of The Gate, e-mail thegate[at]nationaljournal.com.
Thanks for reading along. I enjoyed writing for you.
-JANE ROH
Posted at 3:27 PM
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Attorney Scandal, Campaigns, Iraq, WH 2008
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As House Approves Tax Bill, Senate Dems Look To Reconcile
Senate Democrats are inching toward including an energy tax plan as part of budget legislation to overcome a Republican-led obstacle there, as the House yesterday reaffirmed its support of repealing billions of dollars in incentives for oil and gas companies in a stand-alone measure.
While House Democrats have pushed through similar proposals this Congress with majority support, Senate Democrats have been unable to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster.
Senate Democrats have mulled including an energy tax plan that repeals oil and gas company incentives to pay for extending and expanding renewable energy and efficiency incentives as part of a filibuster-proof budget reconciliation bill.
See CongressDaily (subscription) for the full story.
Posted at 9:19 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Kenyan Rivals Sign Deal; Bernanke Sounds Alarm
World. Rivals in Kenya have signed a deal forming a coalition government, ending the violence that has killed 1,500 since the disputed elections in December.
Administration. President Bush appointed the first U.S. special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference -- a Texas Muslim named Sada Cumber.
Courts. The Supreme Court yesterday heard arguments on Exxon Mobil's appeal of a $2.5 billion award to those harmed by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Congress. A bill that would more than triple the funding for the global AIDS initiative got a stamp of approval from both parties in the House as well as the White House yesterday.
Economy. During testimony on the Hill yesterday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers that he is concerned about the economic downturn and that the Fed would consider further cuts in interest rates.
Iraq. Turkey is ignoring U.S. demands to end its incursion into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:16 AM
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February 27, 2008
Clinton & Obama: The Alamo Debate In Ohio
Media fixation on the March 4 primaries as do-or-die contests for Hillary Rodham Clinton guaranteed that last night's debate -- the final one before voters in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont go to the polls -- would get a lot of attention, but it was something of a surprise to see Clinton turn some of that attention back on the media.
Clinton called MSNBC's moderators out for going easy on Barack Obama, telling Brian Williams that she is used to always being tapped for the first question on any given topic. (Slate has a lengthy explanation of Clinton's comment about the SNL skit mocking the media for fawning over her rival.)
A question about the North American Free Trade Agreement sparked Clinton's comment last night at Cleveland State University. NAFTA is particularly delicate territory in bellwether Ohio, which has a high proportion of blue-collar workers concerned about jobs going overseas.
Continue reading "Clinton & Obama: The Alamo Debate In Ohio"
Posted at 12:07 PM
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Barack Obama, Campaigns, Democrats, Hillary Rodham Clinton, WH 2008
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National Review Founder William F. Buckley Jr. Dies
Conservative icon and National Review founder William F. Buckley Jr. died this morning at the age of 82 at his home in Stamford, Conn. Citing his son Christopher, the New York Times reports that Buckley suffered from diabetes and emphysema, although the exact cause of his death is not yet known. He was reportedly found at his desk at home. "He might have been working on a column," his son said.
At The Corner, Kathryn Jean Lopez posted a tribute to the National Review's "dear friend, mentor, leader, and founder":
He died while at work; if he had been given a choice on how to depart this world, I suspect that would have been exactly it. At home, still devoted to the war of ideas.
As you might expect, we'll have much more to say here and in NR in the coming days and weeks and months. For now: Thank you, Bill. God bless you, now with your dear Pat. Our deepest condolences to Christopher and the rest of the Buckley family. And our fervent prayer that we continue to do WFB's life's work justice.
Buckley's final column, posted on NRO Feb. 2, is a recap of the preceding debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in Hollywood. Reflecting his love of the written word, the column is largely an homage to "Fowler's Modern English Usage."
Posted at 11:40 AM
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White House Threatens Veto Of Mortgage Reform Measure
The White House yesterday threatened to veto a Senate Democratic housing stimulus package, saying it would cost too much and rewrite bankruptcy rules that would undermine current mortgages.
In a Statement of Administration Policy [PDF], the Bush administration listed many items that it objected to in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's bill of direct aid and consumer-friendly initiatives designed to help homeowners who cannot afford to pay their mortgages because they took predatory loans. It said many of the provisions are "unnecessary, costly, and counterproductive."
The White House opposed a provision sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., that would allow a judge to change the terms of a primary mortgage that has entered into foreclosure. Durbin reworked his provision to pick up support, such as credit union lobbying groups that received a carve-out for members that made interest-only loans for those with good credit histories.
Continue reading "White House Threatens Veto Of Mortgage Reform Measure"
Posted at 9:12 AM
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Bush Administration, Congress, Economy, Senate
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Earlybird Roundup: War Debate, Turkish Troops In Iraq, Immigrant Deportations
Administration. President Bush is threatening to veto legislation that would remove nearly $18 billion in tax breaks for oil companies if the bill makes it through Congress.
Congress. The Senate has renewed debate on the Iraq war, with Democrats pushing discussion on a bill that would cut off funding.
Iraq. The Turkish military's continued presence in Iraq after an incursion into the Kurdish-dominated north prompted Baghdad to call for an immediate withdrawal of Turkey's troops.
Nation. The number of deportations of illegal immigrants is on the rise.
Courts. The Supreme Court ruled yesterday on a job-discrimination case about bias in corporate culture.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:05 AM
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February 26, 2008
North Koreans Reportedly Love 'Layla'
The Financial Times is reporting that the North Korean government has invited Eric Clapton to perform. The invitation comes on the heels of a historic visit by the New York Philharmonic to the Hermit Kingdom.
Judging by the New York Times' account of the intensely emotional concert, we can't even begin to imagine how "Slowhand" will be received. That is, by those North Koreans who have actually been permitted to listen to the British guitar icon's music.
FT reports that Clapton agreed to a concert "in principle," although his reps have yet to confirm it. Rock and pop are banned in North Korea. Some will have fun imagining Kim Jong Il rocking out to "Cocaine" -- but AP reports that his son, Kim Jong Chol, is the family's Clapton fan.
Continue reading "North Koreans Reportedly Love 'Layla'"
Posted at 3:31 PM
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Asia, Japan, North Korea, Nuclear Weapons, South Korea
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New Database Has Congressional Staffers' Numbers
Ever wonder how low-salaried Hill staffers survive in Washington, one of the more expensive cities on the East Coast?
The answer is supplements, supplements, supplements, in the form of "freelancing" campaign work for their bosses or acting as corporate consultants. A new Web site called LegiStorm has compiled the personal financial disclosure forms of staffers required to file them -- those with salaries higher than $111,675 in 2007. Per the site, about 15 percent of the 16,000 congressional aides fit the bill.
Continue reading "New Database Has Congressional Staffers' Numbers"
Posted at 3:07 PM
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Campaigns, Congress
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Obama-McCain Squabble Injected Into Army Readiness Hearing
A controversial anecdote relayed by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in last week's Texas debate wended its way into a Senate Armed Forces hearing on Army readiness today.
Obama claimed that he'd "heard from an Army captain who was the head of a rifle platoon" that was sent to Afghanistan grossly undermanned and underequipped. "They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief," Obama said during Thursday night's debate.
Lindsey Graham, who lately has been stumping hard for Republican John McCain, relayed the story to Army Secretary Peter Geren and Army Chief of Staff William Casey during the hearing. "Has Sen. Obama talked to you or anyone in the department about this?" the South Carolina Republican asked.
"I have not discussed this with Sen. Obama," Geren replied, before handing the baton to Casey.
"As we looked into this, the best we could tell was this incident occurred back in 2003 and 2004," Casey said. "We talked to the brigade commander, looked at readiness reports. The brigade was manned over 100 percent and stayed 100 percent manned when they were there."
Continue reading "Obama-McCain Squabble Injected Into Army Readiness Hearing"
Posted at 12:26 PM
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Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Bush Administration, Campaigns, Congress, Democrats, Donald Rumsfeld, Iraq, John McCain, Middle East, Military, President Bush, Republicans, Robert Gates, Senate, WH 2008
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FEC Impasse Threatens To Undermine McCain & Obama
A fight over whether Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., can reject federal funds for his presidential campaign has thrown new attention on a stalemate hamstringing the Federal Election Commission and given unexpected attention to the role of McCain's possible election opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in that impasse.
The situation presents problems for both McCain, whom Democrats are accusing of defying the same campaign finance regulations he has championed, and Obama, who is seeing a hold he placed on an FEC nominee used in a bid to undermine his claims of working in a bipartisan manner.
McCain's problem, meanwhile, is generating calls for the White House or Senate Democrats to blink in their battle over FEC nominees.
"When you talk about the FEC, people's eyes glaze over.... But there will be increasing public pressure to do something as more and more people understand" the situation, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Her group called Friday for Republicans to compromise to end the standoff.
Continue reading "FEC Impasse Threatens To Undermine McCain & Obama"
Posted at 9:14 AM
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Barack Obama, Campaigns, Congress, Democrats, John McCain, Republicans, Senate, WH 2008
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Earlybird Roundup: Health Care Costs, Crack Sentencing, N. Korea Talks
Administration. President Bush reacted coolly to governors' requests for a second economic stimulus package yesterday, telling state leaders it was too early to consider such action but that he would not rule it out.
Health care. A new study shows government spending on health care could double to more than $2 trillion by 2017.
Congress. Indicted Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz., told FOX News yesterday he would not resign and would fight the federal fraud charges that have been brought against him.
Nation. Attorney General Michael Mukasey is asking police officers to join him in opposing the expected early release of about 1,500 convicted crack cocaine offenders.
World. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is pressing for six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program during a tour of East Asia this week.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 8:53 AM
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February 25, 2008
Canada May Withdraw From Afghanistan In 2011
Canada's Conservative government proposed a withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by 2011 at the open of parliamentary debate on the future of the Canadian mission there.
"It is the opinion of the House that Canada should continue a military presence in Kandahar beyond February 2009 to July 2011 in a manner fully consistent with the U.N. mandate on Afghanistan," said Royal Galipeau, the Conservative deputy chair of Committees of the Whole House.
The Canadian House of Commons is debating that country's lead role in the Afghanistan mission. Support for the ongoing mission has dwindled among Canadians, who have seen a disproportionately large number of casualties in the Afghan conflict.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has bristled at what it sees as reluctance among the other large NATO members to contribute resources and manpower to the fight against the resurgent Taliban. The patchwork-style NATO mission -- with Canadians, Britons, Dutchmen and Americans doing the lion's share of security and reconstruction work -- is facing Taliban fighters who have adopted tactics used by al-Qaida and insurgents in Iraq (e.g., suicide bombings) and a rampant opium trade that Afghan farmers are reluctant to abandon.
Ahead of a contentious NATO meeting in Lithuania early this month, Harper's government threatened to bring the Canadian mission to an end if other NATO countries did not increase their contributions. That threat still holds as the Canadian parliament hammers out its Afghanistan timeline.
Continue reading "Canada May Withdraw From Afghanistan In 2011"
Posted at 2:42 PM
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Afghanistan, Asia, Bush Administration, Canada, Condoleezza Rice, Iraq
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If You Needed Proof That This Primary Has Lasted Too Long...
... look no further than Time, where political reporters Mark Halperin and Joe Klein took a break from handicapping the presidential horse race last night to critique the red carpet fashions at the 80th Annual Academy Awards.
Seriously.
(In case you were wondering, Halperin finds Daniel Day-Lewis "wolfishly handsome" and Klein's a "sucker" for women like Tilda Swinton.)
Posted at 2:20 PM
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Campaigns, Media, WH 2008
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FTC Punts On Sports Complaint
The FTC will not investigate a complaint that Major League Baseball, the National Football League and media giants misrepresent their legal rights through deceptive and intimidating statements during sports telecasts.
The complaint was filed last summer by the Computer and Communications Industry Association, which argued that the strong copyright warnings are aimed at intimidating rather than educating consumers.
For the full story, see this afternoon's CongressDailyPM.
Posted at 11:46 AM
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Trade
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Lawmakers Return With The Economy On Their Minds
After a week away from Washington, lawmakers return to the Capitol today looking to legislation they hope will address the economy, an issue increasingly on their own and their constituents' minds. But members also have to contend with intense negotiations over the farm bill, rewriting the nation's intelligence laws and looking for troop withdrawals in Iraq.
House Democrats this week will renew a floor fight over paying for billions of dollars in renewable energy and efficiency tax breaks by repealing incentives for oil and gas companies. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats will attempt to bring up a housing stimulus package of direct aid and consumer-friendly initiatives to help the struggling industry, though they first want to finish work on an Indian health care bill and revisit Iraq war legislation.
See CongressDaily's comprehensive preview of the Hill's post-recess agenda here.
Posted at 10:30 AM
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Earlybird Roundup: Pakistan Bombing, Cuba's New Leader
Pakistan. A top military official and three others were killed in a suicide bomb attack near a government office in Rawalpindi.
Cuba. Newly elected leader Raul Castro has promoted several top military loyalists from his brother's regime to his governing team.
Iraq. Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday condemned the Turkish military's incursion into northern Iraq.
Congress. When they return to the Capitol today, lawmakers will be taking up new legislation on the economy and resuming their battle with the White House over the wiretapping law.
Nation. Governors are pressuring Congress and President Bush to pass another economic stimulus package with funding for infrastructure.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:13 AM
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February 22, 2008
How About *A Campaign* You Can Xerox
Did Hillary Rodham Clinton step under a ladder and over a black cat before announcing her presidential campaign last year? The hits -- in the bad sense -- just keep on coming at her.
She was booed last night after sniping that Barack Obama was pushing a message of "change you can Xerox" -- a reference to Camp Clinton's charges that Obama plagiarized Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick -- an Obama supporter. It was an Ouch moment for Clinton, and the audience did not like it.
Yesterday's CNN/Univision debate at the University of Texas (transcript) was tense at times and warmly collegial at times. Neither candidate tripped up too badly, but it was clear that Obama has greatly improved his debating skills. Clinton's been strong there from the beginning, so she's not being awarded any extra points.
The New York senator ended the evening on a high rhetorical note that won a standing ovation. Points for that, right? Nope. Many viewers read her lips and saw a concession speech.
Continue reading "How About *A Campaign* You Can Xerox"
Posted at 5:52 PM
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Barack Obama, Campaigns, Democrats, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards, John McCain, Republicans, WH 2008
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FP Responds To West Point
Yesterday, we published West Point's protest of a statistic found in the Foreign Policy magazine and Center for a New American Security [PDF] survey of active-duty and retired military officers released earlier this week. USMA spokesman Col. Bryan Hilferty said that 40 percent, not the 58 percent reported by FP, of the class of 2002 left active duty in 2007.
We requested a response from FP on Wednesday, and finally got one this afternoon.
"Foreign Policy fact checks every article that it publishes, ensuring that there is an objective and independent source for every statistic that appears in our pages. That is no less true of the U.S. Military Index appearing in the March/April issue of the magazine," editor Mike Boyer wrote in an e-mail today.
Continue reading "FP Responds To West Point"
Posted at 5:18 PM
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Military
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Renzi Indicted On Land Deal Charges
UPDATED.
Rep. Rick Renzi, R- Ariz., was indicted on federal charges of extortion, wire fraud and money laundering stemming from an investigation of land deals in his home state and an alleged payment in return for the lawmaker's influence, the U.S. attorney's office in Arizona said today.
The 26-page indictment [PDF] accused Renzi and two former business partners of conspiring to sell land that buyers could swap for federal property. The sale netted $4.5 million for one of the associates, the government said. The FBI conducted a raid in April on a business owned by Renzi's wife, leading to his decision to step down from the Intelligence, Natural Resources and Financial Services committees. Renzi previously announced he would not run for another term and would work to clear his name.
But stepping down next January isn't soon enough for the House Republican leadership. In a statement issued this afternoon, Minority Leader John Boehner urged Renzi to resign.
Continue reading "Renzi Indicted On Land Deal Charges"
Posted at 4:05 PM
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Campaigns, Congress, Crime, FBI, House
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Bipartisan Lawmakers To Participate In 'Congress Debates'
The House Democratic Caucus and the House Republican Conference, in cooperation with the Democratic Leadership Council and the Congressional Institute, announced today that they will host the first in a series of debates between bipartisan groups of lawmakers on Monday.
The kickoff of "Congress Debates" will take place at the Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University. The topic will be the U.S. economy; according to the press release, the debates are meant "to foster bipartisan debate and discussion of the most important issues facing the country."
In the lineup for Monday's crossfire include: Reps. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill.; Adam Putnam, R-Fla.; Robert Andrews, D-N.J.; Eric Cantor, R-Va.; Artur Davis, D-Ala.; Steve Israel, D-N.Y.; Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.; and Paul Ryan, R-Wis. The debate will be moderated by Atlantic Media Political Director Ronald Brownstein.
-Winter Casey, National Journal
Posted at 2:50 PM
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Congress
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Earlybird Roundup: Rove Accused Of Seeking Dirt; NRCC Calls In FBI
World. The U.S. condemned the Serbian government for inciting violence yesterday, when protesters attacked the embassy in Belgrade to oppose U.S. support for Kosovo's independence.
Administration. President Bush finished up his five-country tour of Africa yesterday with a visit to Liberia.
Politics. A former GOP staffer is accusing then-Bush strategist Karl Rove of instructing her to dig up dirt about an alleged extramarital affair involving former Gov. Don Siegelman, D-Ala.
Congress. The National Republican Congressional Committee has called in the FBI to investigate "irregularities" in NRCC finances.
Military. When the Pentagon shot down a wayward spy satellite earlier this week, it showed that the U.S. military has new weapons capabilities: anti-satellite missiles.
See Earlybird (subscription) for more of this morning's headlines.
Posted at 9:12 AM
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Iraq: Turkish Invasion, Mahdi Cease-Fire, Troop Withdrawals
There are several big stories coming out of Iraq this morning:
Turkish troops launch ground incursion. The Turkish military announced this morning that it had begun a "cross-border ground operation" into northern Iraq "backed by the Air Force" last night. The operation, which is believed to involve thousands of soldiers, is targeting Kurdish rebels viewed as a threat to Turkey's security. The news has been met with caution and alarm by U.S. and EU officials.
Al-Sadr extends cease-fire. Recognizing a significant reduction in violence, radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr today instructed his followers in the Mahdi Army militia to extend their freeze on attacks on rival groups and U.S. forces for another six months. U.S. commanders are welcoming al-Sadr's decision to prolong the truce, which began in late August 2007, as they continue to try and build on the gains of the surge strategy.
Gates says withdrawals to continue after "pause." Speaking to reporters en route to Australia, which recently announced it was pulling one-third of its troops out of Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert Gates sounded optimistic that the U.S. could continue its own withdrawals after commanders conduct a brief re-evaluation of the security situation this summer.
Can we all agree that the surge is working? Apparently not. In today's Washington Post, columnist Charles Krauthammer charges that Democrats are willfully ignoring evidence that "we are winning" in Iraq thanks to the influx of U.S. troops last year. But Michael Kinsley counters that the success of the surge should be gauged by one simple test: "Has it allowed us to reduce troop levels to below where they were when it started? And the answer is no."
Posted at 8:22 AM
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Iraq, Middle East, Military
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February 21, 2008
West Point Disputes Attrition Rate In FP Report
On Tuesday, we wrote about a Foreign Policy magazine and Center for a New American Security [PDF] survey of active-duty and retired military officers that found growing concern about the strength of America's armed forces. We attributed the following statistic to FP's report on the survey:
According to Foreign Policy, nearly 60 percent of the West Point class of 2002 left active duty at their first chance to opt out, in 2007.
The United States Military Academy, better known as West Point, disputes that figure, calling it: "Hogwash. Gibberish. Misinformation."
Continue reading "West Point Disputes Attrition Rate In FP Report"
Posted at 5:07 PM
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Delegation Led By Biden Safe After Emergency Landing In Afghanistan
Sens. Joseph Biden, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel are safe and unharmed after the helicopter transporting them made an emergency landing in Afghanistan.
"The helicopters transporting the Senate delegation in Afghanistan made an unscheduled landing this morning due to a snowstorm. There were no injuries and all members of the traveling party were safely transported to their destination at Bagram Air Base," said Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander.
Biden is the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, on which Kerry and Hagel also sit. The three are in the region visiting Afghanistan, India, Turkey and Pakistan.
Biden is due to report on his trip before the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Monday.
-JANE ROH
Posted at 3:34 PM
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Chuck Hagel, Congress, John Kerry, Joseph Biden, Senate
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Angry Serbs Assault U.S. Embassy In Belgrade
Hundreds of protesters are attacking the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia's capital. Video footage captured one protester scaling the building to rip down the American flag, and fires can be seen in and around the compound.
"As long as we live, Kosovo is Serbia," Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said at another rally in front of the former parliament building. That gathering was peaceful, and drew around 200,000 people.
At the embassy, Serbs were throwing rocks and other objects at riot police and attempting to break through the police presence to raid the building. Serbs angry over Kosovo's declaration of independence -- a decision supported by the White House and much of the EU -- chanted "Kosovo is ours! Kosovo is Serbia!" and "We'll never give up Kosovo, never!" according to various media reports. (See accounts from AP, Reuters, BBC News and the London Guardian.)
The State Department tried to downplay the situation, emphasizing that the embassy was probably closed at the time. According to CNN, U.S. officials are denying that protesters actually penetrated the building.
"It has been up and running. It's been functioning. They've been carrying out their diplomatic functions and activities," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack at the afternoon briefing. "The question is whether or not it was open to the public."
McCormack stressed that the White House is sympathetic to the concerns of Serbs, angry because they consider Kosovo part of their religious and cultural heritage. NATO forced an end to ethnic cleansing of mostly Muslim Albanians in the former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. Since then, the mostly Albanian province of Kosovo and the mostly Orthodox Christian Serbia have existed in an uneasy peace.
Continue reading "Angry Serbs Assault U.S. Embassy In Belgrade"
Posted at 3:32 PM
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Bush Administration, EU, Europe, Russia, U.N.
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Recession Fears Drag Bush's Approval Rating To New Low
No wonder President Bush has been spending so much time in Africa and has a full slate of foreign travel planned for the rest of his final year in office. With the economic crisis eating away at the pocketbooks and the confidence of the American public, the president's approval rating has sunk to a stunning new low of just 19 percent in the latest American Research Group survey -- the first time Bush's job approval has dipped into the teens.
Bush's plummeting approval numbers are matched only by the slide in consumer confidence, with 74 percent rating the economy negatively and 78 percent saying it's getting worse in the ARG poll. Only 14 percent said they approved of Bush's handling of the nation's finances.
For more on these and other new numbers on Bush and the economy, see today's Poll Track.
Posted at 12:40 PM
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McCain Denies Improper Relationship With Female Lobbyist
John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, denied a New York Times report that hinted at a prior inappropriate relationship with a female lobbyist. The article, published online yesterday evening, quoted anonymous former aides who said they had grown concerned that McCain's relationship with Vicki Iseman had become romantic.
"If they were [concerned], they didn't communicate that to me," McCain said, speaking to reporters in Toledo, Ohio, with his wife, Cindy, at his side. "I've seen her on occasion, particularly in receptions and fundraisers and appearances before the [Commerce] Committee. I have many friends in Washington who represent various interests and those who don't, and I consider her a friend."
According to the Times report, Iseman's frequent appearances alongside McCain at events, in his office and on trips -- beginning in 1999 -- moved top advisers to intervene. Aides began "instructing staff members to block the woman's access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him," according to the report.
Continue reading "McCain Denies Improper Relationship With Female Lobbyist"
Posted at 10:30 AM
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Campaigns, John McCain, Republicans, WH 2008
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This week, Gate blogger Jane Roh and Government Executive senior editor Kellie Lunney discuss Hillary Rodham Clinton's Alamo moment, John McCain's anti-MSM moment and Barack Obama's momentum moment.