News Headlines
Rangel to Stand Trial on Ethics Violations
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Members of the House ethics committee on Thursday detailed the charges against Representative Charles B. Rangel, who failed to reach a settlement to avoid the proceeding.
Rangel to Stand Trial Before House Ethics Panel
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Charles B. Rangel and the ethics committee fail to reach a settlement to avoid a potentially embarrassing proceeding.
Small-Business Bill Falters on Senate Partisanship
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
The procedural blockade underscored how determined Republicans are to deny Democrats any further victories.
Obama Takes On Critics of Education Program
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
President Obama on Thursday sought to deflect criticisms from some minority and teachers groups.
Republican concerns could stall START treaty
Reuters: Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senate Republicans voiced objections on Thursday to the new START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, raising concerns that could delay efforts to hand President Barack Obama a foreign policy victory ahead of the November elections.
Ethics panel reviews tentative Rangel deal: source
Reuters: Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A House of Representatives ethics panel on Thursday began reviewing a "tentative agreement" to settle charges against Democratic Representative Charles Rangel, a congressional source said on Thursday.
Ex-Official Takes Blame For Arlington Graves Mix-Up
NPR - US News. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
The man who ran the famous military cemetery for 19 years before being forced out over the scandal tells a Senate panel that he accepts "full responsibility." Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill said at the hearing that as many as 6,600 graves could be unmarked or mislabeled because managers didn't do their job properly.
Well-Heeled Newcomers Take Leads In Florida
NPR - US News. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
In Senate and gubernatorial races, wealthy contenders have edges in latest poll. The primaries are Aug. 24.
WATCH: Democrats Against War in Afghanistan
ABC News Politics Headlines. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
House passes bill to fund the war without support of 102 Democrats. War in Afghanistan - Afghanistan - Asia - United States - Barack Obama
WATCH: Himes Defends Stimulus Until 'Day I Die'
ABC News Politics Headlines. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Congresman James Himes D-CT., talks about Congress and fiscal dicipline on "Top Line." Business - Recreation - Consumer Goods and Services - Congress - Religion and Spirituality
Amazon Launches Sleeker Kindle
NPR - US News. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
A vice president at Amazon says the new e-reader, which will become available at the end of August, fits in a coat pocket or a relatively small purse.
Hearing to address mismanagement at Arlington Cemetery
CNN: Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
A senate subcommittee hearing is scheduled Thursday to examine the mismanagement of Arlington Cemetery, one of the nation's most hallowed burial places for its war dead.
Obama Trumpets Democrats’ Small-Business Bona Fides
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
President Obama and the Democrats are vying with Republicans for the right to claim they are the true friends of small-business owners.
Obama to sign bill targeting violent crime on Indian reservations
Washington Post - Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
A measure designed to ease stubbornly high rates of violent crime, including rape and sexual assault, within Indian reservations will be signed into law by President Obama on Thursday. Crime - United States - President - Research - Barack Obama
Small businesses emerge as big campaign issue for Democrats and Republicans
Washington Post - Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
As President Obama and his adversaries look for winning themes in the run-up to the November congressional election, both sides are noisily clamoring to prove their support for a critical constituency: America's small-business owners. Small business - United States - Democratic - Politics - Republican
Congress passes bill to reduce disparity in crack, powder cocaine sentencing
Washington Post - Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
Congress on Wednesday changed a 25-year-old law that has subjected tens of thousands of African Americans to long prison terms for crack cocaine convictions while giving far more lenient treatment to those, mainly whites, caught with the powder form of the drug. Crack cocaine - Cocaine - Drugs - Health - Substance Abuse
2010 likely to bring more negative campaign ads than ever, analyst says
Washington Post - Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
It's getting ugly out there. In Florida, Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek unveiled his first TV ad Monday, a disco-themed portrait of primary opponent Jeff Greene as a billionaire carpetbagger and Wall Street hustler who "helped to fuel the economic meltdown." Brad Ellsworth also rolled ... Negative campaigning - Politics - Campaigns and Elections - Election Reform - Republican
On midterm campaign trail, Obama mixes populist appeal with wooing of big donors
Washington Post - Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
President Obama's message to voters this election year is simple and full of populist zeal: Democrats are on the side of the little guy, not the Wall Street brokers, celebrities and chief executives. Barack Obama - United States - President - Government - Elections
White House proposal would ease FBI access to records of Internet activity
Washington Post - Politics. Thu, 29 Jul 2010
The Obama administration is seeking to make it easier for the FBI to compel companies to turn over records of an individual's Internet activity without a court order if agents deem the information relevant to a terrorism or intelligence investigation. White House - United States - President - Government - Executive Branch
Congress Is Rethinking Its Ban on Internet Gambling
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Under pressure to find new revenue sources, Congress is reconsidering legalizing, and taxing, Internet gambling.
Iraq veterans come home to a vice presidential welcome
CNN: Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Iraq veterans from the Army's 10th Mountain Division came home to Fort Drum, New York, Wednesday for a welcome that included Vice President Joe Biden.
Different 'View': Obama in Presidential First
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Unlike most guests who come to ABC's "The View," President Obama does not have a new movie, album or reality show to promote. Instead, he's promoting himself and his agenda, going beyond the traditional media filter and speaking directly to the American people, especially women. Barack Obama - View - United States - President of the United States - Talk show
How Rangel's ethics hearing could play out
CNN: Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Longtime Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel of New York will be the subject of the House Ethics Committee's first corruption trial in almost a decade unless his attorneys reach an agreement to settle his charges.
Congress Moves to Narrow Sentencing Disparities for Crack and Powdered Cocaine
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
The House of Representatives passed a bill changing the mandatory federal sentences for crack and powder cocaine violations.
Democratic Party Chief Aims to Equate Republican Party With Tea Party
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Democrats Wednesday tried to paint Republicans and tea party supporters as members of the same political party, with a common goal: to move the country backward. Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kaine, flanked by six congressional Democrats, ticked off a list, entitled " The Republican Tea Party Contract on America ,"at a press conference at DNC headquarters in Washington. A satirical take on the " Contract with America " Republicans used to help win control of the House of Representatives in 1994, the "Contract" lists ten agenda items Republicans would allegedly strive to do if they were to gain control of the Congress in the November midterm elections. As Chairman Kaine read the list aloud, a common theme quickly emerged, with seven of the ten points in the "Contract" beginning with the words "repeal," "end," or "abolish." On the Republican-tea party agenda , as crafted by the Democrats, are such items as privatizing Social Security and "ending Medicare as it presently exists." The Democrats have also included more obscure items that a couple of candidates have proposed in the past, such as abolishing the Department of Education, and attempt to attach it to every Republican running for office this year. "The Republicans can take a break and relax," Kaine joked, now that Democrats have provided them with a "handy blueprint" for the Fall. "The Republican agenda has become the tea party agenda and vice versa," he added. It's still unclear to what extent Republicans will embrace the tea party this campaign season, though the party is eager to harness all of that enthusiasm and energy on the right and translate it into votes on Nov. 2. Although some high-ranking Republicans signed on when Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., launched a tea party caucus on Capitol Hill last week, support from others party leaders was notably absent. Republican National Committee spokesman Doug Heye was skeptical of Wednesday's strategy. "This is the third time this year Democrats have unveiled their strategy. Clearly, they are searching for some kind of a message because they can not communicate with voters on how the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda has done anything that it promised to do, such as creating jobs or putting America back on the right track," Heye told the Rundown.
House passes bill to reduce cocaine penalty disparity
CNN: Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Ending a decade-long campaign led by African-American lawmakers, the House Wednesday approved and sent to President Barack Obama a measure to reduce the disparity in penalties between use of crack and powder cocaine.
100 Days Into Oil Disaster, What's in the Gulf Waters?
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio The oil has stopped gushing from the BP's damaged Gulf of Mexico well -- at least for now -- but the damages are apparent along the beaches and marshlands. However, little oil can be seen on the water. Jim Lehrer speaks with a professor about dispersants and water quality in the Gulf. JIM LEHRER: Now to the Gulf Coast, where the oil is no longer spewing. We have two takes, the first about what's happening to the oil that's already in the water. It's been 100 days since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, killing 11 workers, fouling the Gulf of Mexico, and leaving wildlife to an oily fate. A temporary cap on the gushing well finally halted the flow of crude two weeks ago, and now signs of oil on the surface have been greatly reduced as well. As these images illustrate, at the end of June, crude covered thousands of square miles of the Gulf's waters. By this week, the remaining oil appeared only in small patches. Mike Sutcliffe flew over the Gulf on Tuesday, sizing up the situation for BP. MIKE SUTCLIFFE , oil observer, O'Brien's Response Management: At this point in time, going over the source, I actually didn't see any sheen whatsoever. JIM LEHRER: But, in Louisiana, Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser and others insist, it's far too early to relax. BILLY NUNGESSER , president, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana: Are they trying to say this is over? I mean, are they that stupid? It took six weeks from when it first started leaking to come ashore. And now they stopped it last week, so it's over? JIM LEHRER: Before it was capped, the well spewed 94 million to 184 million gallons of oil, and coated more than 600 miles of coastline. BP's cleanup operation has skimmed about 35 million gallons of oily water and burned off another 11 million gallons. An unknown amount remains suspended below the surface. And many marine scientists worry about that. SAMANTHA JOYE , professor of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia: There's a lot of dispersed oil in the water, and that stuff could end up in the food web. JIM LEHRER: In the meantime, entire communities that depend on fishing and tourism remain idled. LUCIEN GUNTER , Acme Oyster House: Who would have thought that 100 days of an oil spill would, you know, really kind of put us in a situation that, after 100 years of business -- you know, we're worried about what's going on? JIM LEHRER: BP announced today it has paid out more than $250 million in damage claims so far. The company also hopes to try a so-called static kill next week to plug the ruptured well once and for all. Once the well is plugged, the newly named CEO of BP, Bob Dudley, vows the cleanup will go on as long as it takes. JIM LEHRER: We get more now from Nancy Kinner. She's a professor and director of the Coastal Response Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. She's worked closely with the government since the oil spill in the Gulf. JIM LEHRER: Dr. Kinner, Welcome. NANCY KINNER , environmental engineer, Coastal Response Research Center Co-Director, University of New Hampshire: Great. Thank you. JIM LEHRER: Where has all that oil gone? NANCY KINNER: Well, it's weathered, basically. So, some of it evaporates. The kind of lighter molecules in there go up into the air. And then what's left starts to be biodegraded by naturally occurring microorganisms. And then the remaining fractions stick together, and you get those kind of tarry substances. And then some of it is still under the water dissolved as droplets. JIM LEHRER: Well, let's take some of these basic things. Do you agree that roughly 40 percent of the oil that was part of the spill is now gone? NANCY KINNER: Yes. Just with evaporation alone, you can lose 35 percent or so of the oil that reaches the surface up into the air. So, yes, it's quite possible. JIM LEHRER: And this is just a natural process? NANCY KINNER: Yes. This is called weathering. It's a process that you see in all oil spills. And the key thing here is, in the Gulf, it's warmer temperatures, so it happens at a faster rate. So, you... JIM LEHRER: Why? Why is that? NANCY KINNER: For instance, if you're going to evaporate something, and it's a warm temperature, it evaporates, goes up into the air faster. JIM LEHRER: Sure. NANCY KINNER: Biodegradation by a breaking down of these molecules by the naturally occurring organisms, they work faster at warmer temperatures. So, all of those processes are accelerated. JIM LEHRER: And does anything go up in the air as they're disintegrating? NANCY KINNER: Yes. This -- these lighter fractions tend to evaporate, just like when you're at the gas station and you're pumping gas into your car, and you see those vapors. It's that kind of thing, I mean, not to that extent, but that is the kind of thing that happens. JIM LEHRER: Is there an environmental problem there, a potential program, polluting the air? NANCY KINNER: Yes, there is. Some of that will break down. As does any kind of release from combustion engines, you will see breakdown by -- the light rays from the sun help break it down, et cetera. But EPA has been monitoring to see that those concentrations are at acceptable levels. JIM LEHRER: Now, you -- when -- as one of the folks said in the setup piece, that there's no sheen anymore, that's -- that's a good thing, right? NANCY KINNER: Right. Yes. JIM LEHRER: And that -- you can see it with the naked eye, and -- but, for you, what does that mean? NANCY KINNER: Well, basically, that's all part of that weathering process. And the thing we have to remember is that, for 90-plus days, there was a major spill basically day after day after day. JIM LEHRER: Sure. NANCY KINNER: And now, a couple of weeks later, we haven't had that spill, and these natural processes have occurred and tried to catch up with the release. JIM LEHRER: Now, the dispersants, these... NANCY KINNER: Yes. JIM LEHRER: ... chemicals that were put in, have they... are they still being used? NANCY KINNER: No, they're not -- they're not being used, because you don't have the oil coming out of the well anymore. So -- and once the oil gets weathered, the dispersants don't work very well. JIM LEHRER: All right, now, there have been reports that a lot of this oil sunk to the bottom. Is that true? NANCY KINNER: I don't think we have all of the data in yet, but I think most of the data shows that the well -- oil came out of the well, and, when they added the dispersants there, the -- that broke the oil into little droplets. And that oil actually stayed under the surface, most of it, stayed under the surface. And then some fraction of it came up to the surface. JIM LEHRER: So, what about the stuff that's still in there? Just a matter of time before it goes away on its own? NANCY KINNER: Yes, what's happening is, again, a kind of a weathering process, but you don't have evaporation down there, because it's colder, and it can't go into the air. NANCY KINNER: But biodegradation is occurring. And some of the data coming back from the cruises of the research vessels out there has shown that biodegradation is occurring out there right now. And, then, of course, there's just the natural dilution process. JIM LEHRER: Is there any way to authoritatively predict what's going to happen and how long it's going take to get rid of the rest of this oil? NANCY KINNER: I think we're going to have to keep monitoring, and we're going to have to really look at the organisms themselves to see what the effects... JIM LEHRER: What exactly are these organisms that... NANCY KINNER: The bacteria breaking it down? JIM LEHRER: Yes. Yes. NANCY KINNER: They're very, very tiny, tiny organisms. And you can't see them with the naked eye. JIM LEHRER: Oh, you can't see them? NANCY KINNER: Oh, no, no... JIM LEHRER: Oh, no. OK. OK. NANCY KINNER: ... not the organisms that are breaking down the oil. They are really tiny. And they basically live naturally in the ocean. And they are used to having some amount of hydrocarbons because the Gulf of Mexico has natural seeps of oil. And, basically, what they do is, they use that oil, the compounds in the oil, as a food source. Just like we eat hamburgers, for example, and use oxygen to breathe into degrade it, they're using the organics in the oil and using oxygen from the water. JIM LEHRER: Sure. Sure. As an expert, are you optimistic about all of this at this point? I know about -- there's a whole -- the oil that is already onshore, that's a different thing. NANCY KINNER: Right. Right. JIM LEHRER: But the oil that's still in the water, what's your level of optimism that this is going to eventually go away and how long it might take? NANCY KINNER: Well, I think it will -- it will weather, and we will lose a fairly large percentage of it to biodegradation. JIM LEHRER: Yes. NANCY KINNER: ... and, as I said, some to evaporation. I think some of it, the heavier fractions, those kind of tarry fractions, will remain for a fairly long time. JIM LEHRER: Like what, a matter of months, years? NANCY KINNER: Oh, months -- months, at least, to years, yes. And then what I don't think we know is what the effect will be on the organisms themselves. And we have really got to look into that. JIM LEHRER: You mean what's left behind after the oil leaves? NANCY KINNER: Right. Well, what they have come in contact with over that period of time, will it affect their genetic material, will it affect their metabolism, those kind of things. And those are longer studies. JIM LEHRER: And the ecosystem within the water itself. NANCY KINNER: That's right. JIM LEHRER: Don't know yet? NANCY KINNER: I think the book is still out on that. JIM LEHRER: OK. Dr. Kinner, thank you very much. NANCY KINNER: Thank you.
Speculation Surrounds Pakistan Over Content of Leaked Documents
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio Afghan war documents published earlier this week by whistle-blower site WikiLeaks have raised questions about Pakistan's role in the war. Judy Woodruff gets two perspectives. JUDY WOODRUFF: And for more on what the leaked documents reveal about the Pakistani government's relationship is with the Taliban and what they might mean for relations with the United States, we get two views. Stephen Cohen is a senior fellow the Brookings Institution and the author of numerous books about Pakistan, India and South Asia. And Shuja Nawaz is the director of the Southeast Asia Center at the Atlantic Council. He's a former journalist and author of a book about the Pakistani military. Gentlemen, thank you both for being with us. STEPHEN COHEN , senior fellow in Foreign Policy Studies, Brookings Institution: Good to be with you, Judy. JUDY WOODRUFF: Stephen Cohen, to you first. What about what the ambassador said, that relations between Pakistan and the United States government are improving, despite this WikiLeaks episode? STEPHEN COHEN: I think they're getting better. You have a government in Pakistan now that is possibly the best government Pakistan has ever had. That's not saying very much, because what you have in Pakistan is a country that is simply coming apart at the seams. The state has been dismantled by the military, among others. But I think he's right that there's close cooperation between the two countries. Our interests in Pakistan are not only in Afghanistan, but also in Pakistan itself. And I think that's an important point. JUDY WOODRUFF: And when he says the government of Pakistan is not officially in any way supporting or aiding the Afghan Taliban, what about that? STEPHEN COHEN: I think question is whether the government of Pakistan is capable of not supporting the Taliban, simply looking the other way when they come over. There's a lot what I call the ISI alumni association, a lot of unofficial cooperation with the Taliban from Pakistan. So, I think that the government may not have the capacity to actually stop the Taliban. And they don't have an interest in stopping them. They are fighting both sides of this war. They are supporting the Americans, but they're also supporting the Taliban, because they want to make sure, when there's a peace settlement in Afghanistan, that their interests are protected. JUDY WOODRUFF: So, Shuja Nawaz, you heard what the ambassador said. He said there's no official support, but he also acknowledged that there may be private interests who are supporting. How do you square the two things? SHUJA NAWAZ , Atlantic Council: Well, it's always existed that way in Pakistan. There is, as Steve said, what he calls the alumni association. There is the ex-ISI officials, their group, as well as the other militant groups that have set up franchise arrangements with al-Qaida, as well as with the Taliban. They serve their purpose and certainly provide assistance to them. JUDY WOODRUFF: And does that give the government the ability, in effect, to deny that they're supporting? How does that work? SHUJA NAWAZ: Well, there is no evidence of official support. And the government obviously wouldn't wish to be involved in any such activities. The question really is, can they prevent these activities from taking place, which means effectively sealing the border between the Federally Administered Tribal Area and Pakistan, which is a very difficult task at best. JUDY WOODRUFF: Steve Cohen, we did hear the ambassador say that the government views these activities as illegal, and he said, we have gone after individuals who have been engaged in this. STEPHEN COHEN: It's the question of the capacity of the Pakistan government to stop what is patently illegal activities. And it's a weak capacity. In Punjab, for example, there are groups that are raging against the state. And the police can't do anything about them. In the Northwest Frontier, it's even wilder. So, the Pakistan government has lost much of the capacity to actually enforce its own law. He compared this with the United States, but maybe some parts of the South 50 years ago, but it's not like America now. JUDY WOODRUFF: But is it getting better, as he said... STEPHEN COHEN: I think this is a work in progress. I think, at the top, the change is there. Certainly, Haqqani's party and the prime minister and the president of Pakistan all want a change. And I think there may be -- there's good evidence that the head of the military want a change. But whether they can turn the ship, it is like moving an ocean liner. It's hard to just simply change policy on a dime. We have trouble doing it ourselves, but I think Pakistan has less capacity than almost any other state in the region, except Afghanistan. JUDY WOODRUFF: Shuja Nawaz, help us understand the threat that Pakistan feels from India vs. the threat it feels from the Taliban, and what may be left after the United States leaves Afghanistan. SHUJA NAWAZ: I think the Indian capacity on Pakistan's eastern border is always the one that threatens Pakistan, something like nine corps poised against Pakistan, well over 30 strike airfields within reach of Pakistan. But I also believe that, in recent years, the insurgency inside the border has really become the existential threat to Pakistan, increasingly recognized as such by the military and by the politicians, and that, within the last 18 months, the military has transformed itself from effectively a conventional force into a fairly effective counterinsurgency force. The training, the operations, the fact that they have committed something like 150,000 troops to the insurgency is evidence of their commitment. JUDY WOODRUFF: But connect the dots from that, if you would, to the Taliban in Afghanistan. SHUJA NAWAZ: The Afghan Taliban, as Steve said, really represent more of support for the Pashtun elements in Afghanistan. And we have to recall that the Taliban are Pashtun, but not all Pashtun are Taliban. And because these tribes are -- stride the border with Afghanistan -- they straddle the border, they receive support from inside Pakistan. And so there is and always has been a kind of implicit Pakistan support for the Pashtun movement inside Afghanistan. JUDY WOODRUFF: Steve Cohen, how does all this complicate what the United States is trying to do in Afghanistan? STEPHEN COHEN: Well, half of us are fighting a war in Afghanistan in Afghanistan, but there's also consideration of the impact of the war in Afghanistan on Pakistan. And my own view is that Pakistan is by far the more important of the two in the long run. It's a nuclear weapons state. It's a major state that is sort of losing integrity as a state. Afghanistan has its problems, will always have its problem. Pakistan is a more serious problem. But I don't think we have been able to unite this even within our government. I think we're sort of bipolar disorder. Both the Pentagon and the State Department have different bureaus and different agencies dealing with Pakistan and India, for example. I don't think we have a regional approach to the region. We don't have an integrated approach to it. JUDY WOODRUFF: And do you think these WikiLeaks documents that have come out in the last few days -- what's their bearing on that? STEPHEN COHEN: No, I think they're really irrelevant. But what they will do -- irrelevant to policy -- what they will do is drive policy-makers to stop putting things on paper. And that will make it harder to -- for -- to establish a record of what was done. Any time the government has these leaks, it closes down and closes in. So, there will be more verbal communication about policy, rather than written communication. JUDY WOODRUFF: Shuja Nawaz, how do you see the effect of this WikiLeaks episode? SHUJA NAWAZ: I think they add a lot of noise and confusion to the dialogue. And, despite the best efforts of policy-makers in the United States and in Pakistan to stay committed to the current path, which is that of collaboration and cooperation, there will be a lot of internal second-guessing. There will be a lot of soul-searching and seeing whether they have in fact connected all the dots, and is one side being duplicitous or is the other being duplicitous. JUDY WOODRUFF: Is there anything the United States can do to counter what you have just described? SHUJA NAWAZ: I think the U.S. needs to stay the course. The fact that it is now providing medium- and long-term assistance to Pakistan, once that assistance starts arriving, will convince the people in Pakistan that the U.S. is committed to the region. It will not leave the region in a precipitate manner. That's critical. JUDY WOODRUFF: And a quick last word. STEPHEN COHEN: I'm less concerned about Pakistani attitudes towards the United States, and more concerned about the integrity of the Pakistani state. I wouldn't mind it if they hated us, as long as they were able to take care of their own business and run a normal state. And I think that's the longer -- longer, more deeper process we face. JUDY WOODRUFF: Tough questions, all. Steve Cohen, Shuja Nawaz, thank you both. SHUJA NAWAZ: Thank you. STEPHEN COHEN: Thank you.
Ambassador: Pakistan Has No Interest in Allowing Terrorists to Succeed
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio Ambassador Husain Haqqani speaks with Judy Woodruff about the deadly plane crash in Pakistan and responds to new allegations that the country's intelligence service might have helped the Taliban. His nation has "no interest to allow terrorists to succeed," he said. JUDY WOODRUFF: I talked with the Pakistani ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, just a short while ago. Mr. Ambassador, thank you very much for talking with us. HUSAIN HAQQANI , Pakistani ambassador to the United States: Pleasure being here with you. JUDY WOODRUFF: First, today's plane crash in Pakistan, our condolences to everyone involved. Do you have any information about the cause? HUSAIN HAQQANI: Judy, I spoke to the prime minister of Pakistan earlier in the day. There is no idea that we have on the cause. There are certain assumptions, but it's not good to go with the assumptions. The Pakistani equivalent of the Transportation Safety Board is going to investigate this tragic incident, 154 lives lost. The nation is in mourning. JUDY WOODRUFF: Is there any evidence at all that there was sabotage or terrorism involved? HUSAIN HAQQANI: So far, there is nothing that points in that direction. JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, let me turn now to the leaks, the WikiLeaks story this week, U.S. military secrets that document, among other things, information that there's been ongoing support by the Pakistani intelligence services of the Afghan Taliban. How does your government respond to this? HUSAIN HAQQANI: Well, Judy, the first thing is that not all the documents are what they are being made out to be. In many cases, they are just the first draft of first reports. So, in the field, in the fog of war, many people come. Many people report many things. They don't always pan out. Somebody comes. A villager says, I have just seen so many people amassing on the other side of the border. The military goes and investigates, finds that's not what is happening. So, what we are looking at is raw, unprocessed information. That said, the government of Pakistan maintains that these -- whatever statements are being made by some people and some media on the basis of these reports about Pakistan do not reflect current on-ground realities. JUDY WOODRUFF: And what about the role of retired intelligence officials? One of them, we just heard from, General -- General Gul. What evidence is there, what do you know at all about the involvement of any retired or current Pakistani intelligence officials involved in supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan? HUSAIN HAQQANI: Firstly, anybody who retires from our military or our intelligence services is like any other retired person in any other country. They stop working for the government officially, unless, of course, they get a contract position somewhere. Now, the general you have mentioned has not been in government -- in any government position for 20 years. He has not been serving the government. He hasn't been working in our intelligence services. Now, do people sometimes or is it possible that some people use their connections built while they were in government in the private sector and pursue what they consider to be an ideological war? It's perfectly possible. And several people have in the past been detained, some people have been put on trial for doing that. The important thing is the government of Pakistan wouldn't want and will not allow anyone who served the government before, but now wants to break our own laws, to be able to do that. JUDY WOODRUFF: So, it's illegal in your country, but some of it's going on is what you're saying. HUSAIN HAQQANI: I'm sure that there are many illegal things that are going on here in the United States, too. But the government of Pakistan, as it establishes its writ all over the country, will make sure that people, whether serving or retired or people who are not in government, none of them break our laws. Look, the war against terrorism is our war. We have lost a lot of people in this war. Our leader Benazir Bhutto was killed by the terrorists. Several hundred Pakistanis get killed -- on average, Pakistan loses 10 soldiers a day fighting the terrorists since the beginning of 2008. So, there's no interest on the part of Pakistan to allow the terrorists to succeed. And anyone who aids and abets the terrorists is our enemy. JUDY WOODRUFF: And what about, Mr. Ambassador, the allegations that are frequently voiced here in Washington, that there's much of what goes on in your military, in your intelligence services that is not under the control of your civilian government? HUSAIN HAQQANI: I think that a lot of people are prisoners of history. Now, I'm somebody who's taught as a professor of political science and international relations. And I have taught history, too. So, I look forward to going back to that some day. I think what we're trying to do in Pakistan right now is to develop a new orientation. Our military, our intelligence services, and our civil leaders are all working together. I think that a lot of speculation relates to the distant past. And we must not forget that this past includes -- it started somewhere in 1979, when the U.S. went in to support the mujahedeen against the Soviets. So, there's a long history to it. Let's not get into the history of it. What we are trying to change is the future. We certainly do not want the Taliban, who do not our women to be educated, who do not want our young to join the modern era as normal people, like the rest of the world, we do not want them to succeed, and we are fighting them. JUDY WOODRUFF: But it's not ancient history, the very strained relations Pakistan has with India, ongoing tensions between your two countries. And every analyst one talks to now who has not taken sides says they believe clearly that Pakistan is using, in many ways -- quietly -- is using the Afghan Taliban as a way to counter the influence of India in Afghanistan. HUSAIN HAQQANI: Judy, we have been concerned. And we are very honest about it. We are concerned about Indian military or intelligence presence in Afghanistan, if it threatens our national security. We do not want that to happen. What would the United States have thought if the Soviet Union had bases in Mexico during the Cold War? The important thing here is that we're working it out. We're working it out with our Afghan brothers. President Karzai and President Zardari have met several times. Our military leaders have met. Afghanistan is working with us to reassure us. And we're working our differences out with India as well. There are outstanding disputes. There are disputes on which we think we still have a stance the Indians have not -- have paid attention to, but we will work it out. Our vision -- our vision for our region is not one of perpetual conflict. And we certainly do not want a prolonged conflict in our part of the world. JUDY WOODRUFF: Bottom line, how do these leaked documents, these WikiLeaks documents, affect the trust between the United States and the government of Pakistan? HUSAIN HAQQANI: Bottom line is that those in the government of the United States who deal with us on a daily basis know that we are doing things to build trust. Our intelligence service and the U.S. intelligence service is working closely together now, much more than ever before. The mistrust that was -- which we inherited from the era when General Musharraf, a dictator, was in power in Pakistan, a lot of it has eroded. It's a work in progress, but I think Pakistan and the U.S. are closer today than they were from the period from which these documents come from. JUDY WOODRUFF: Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani, thank you very much for being with us. HUSAIN HAQQANI: Pleasure being here, Judy.
Pakistan's Worst Air Disaster Shifts Attention From WikiLeaks Tension
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio A deadly plane crash in Pakistan killed 152 passengers including two Americans. Kwame Holman has more on the disaster and questions that has been raised about the country's role in the Afghan war. JIM LEHRER: And to Pakistan, where an airliner crashed today, killing all 152 people on board, including two Americans. The tragedy momentarily shifted the focus from new tensions created by the leak of Afghan war documents. NewsHour correspondent Kwame Holman begins our coverage. KWAME HOLMAN: It was the worst air disaster ever in Pakistan. The Airblue plane went down in the hills overlooking Islamabad and scattered wreckage and passengers' bodies across the rugged area. BIN YAMEEN , deputy inspector general of police, Pakistan (through translator): We didn't find any intact bodies. We found pieces under the wreckage. We put the body parts in bags. The recovery operation has almost been completed. KWAME HOLMAN: Officials of the airline said the Airbus A321 was no more than eight years old and didn't appear to have any mechanical problems. RAHEEL AHMED , marketing general manager, Airblue: Maintenance was done regularly. Like I said, there was nothing wrong technically with the aircraft. Of course, when the investigation will take place, they will get to know what all happened. But, right now, I don't think we should get into speculations as such. KWAME HOLMAN: In Washington, the special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, spoke at a U.S. House hearing. RICHARD HOLBROOKE , special U.S. representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan: I understand from our embassy in Islamabad that the smoke is visible throughout the city. We hear there's going to be a national day of mourning. There are apparently two Americans who were on that plane. And I just want to express, on behalf of the U.S. government, the administration, our deep condolences. KWAME HOLMAN: Holbrooke then turned to the issue that's dominated the week in Washington, the leak of 91,000 secret U.S. military documents on the war in Afghanistan. RICHARD HOLBROOKE: First of all, the leak -- leaks themselves are pretty appalling. And for somebody like myself, who has been in and out of the government for over 40 years, in fact, an author of one of the volumes of the Pentagon Papers -- so I have lived through something similar before -- I just find it inexplicable that people who would take the oath of office to the United States could violate it in such an extraordinary way. KWAME HOLMAN: Other top U.S. officials have warned, the documents may place American operatives inside Afghanistan and Pakistan in danger. And some of the disclosures put the U.S. relationship with Pakistan back in the spotlight. In particular, the leaks raised new questions about links between the Taliban and Pakistan's intelligence service, the ISI. A former head of the agency insisted this week the documents were made up. HAMID GUL , former head, Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, Pakistan: All this is fictional. There is no truth in it, all the allegations that have been leveled against me. It only depicts the intelligence failure on the part of America and whoever else. KWAME HOLMAN: But the issue came up at U.S. congressional hearings this week. SEN. JOHN MCCAIN ,(R-Ariz.): The WikiLeaks controversy has reopened charges that elements of the Pakistani military and intelligence services are playing both sides of the fight in Afghanistan. But this shouldn't be surprising, especially when we are sounding an uncertain trumpet about our own commitment. KWAME HOLMAN: Just last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tried to bolster that commitment in Pakistan with a new pledge of $500 million in aid. Back at today's House hearing, Special Representative Holbrooke insisted U.S. policy remains firm, despite the WikiLeaks furor. RICHARD HOLBROOKE: There is nothing in these documents, most of which date way back into the previous administration, that change -- that should change anyone's judgments about the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. KWAME HOLMAN: And, in Afghanistan today, a NATO spokesman echoed that sentiment. BRIG. GEN. JOSEF BLOTZ , spokesman, International Security Assistance Force: Let me assure you, this unfortunate event will not impact our ongoing commitment to deepen our partnership with Afghanistan and Pakistan. KWAME HOLMAN: On Tuesday, the U.S. House easily rejected a bid to withdraw American military advisers and other forces currently serving in Pakistan.
News Wrap: Afghan Passenger Bus Bombing Kills at Least 25
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio In other news Wednesday, a roadside bomb killed at least 25 passengers and wounded 20 others when it hit a bus in southern Afghanistan. Also, due to furloughs, California state workers will be forced to take an extra three unpaid days off every month until the Legislature adopts a budget. HARI SREENIVASAN: A bus packed with passengers hit a roadside bomb in Southern Afghanistan today, killing 25 people. Twenty others were wounded. The bus was blown up as it drove through Nimruz Province on a main highway to Kabul. Meanwhile, NATO reported a U.S. service member was killed yesterday in the south. Fifty-nine Americans have died this month. A record 60 were killed in June. The budget crunch in California is going to hit state workers again. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today ordered a new round of furloughs starting August 1. He said state employees will have to take three unpaid days off every month until the legislature adopts a budget. Last year, they piled up 46 days in furloughs, in effect a 14 percent pay cut. The Justice Department is investigating whether FBI agents cheated on a test about surveillance rules. The Associated Press reported that the department's inspector general has received allegations that hundreds of agents were involved. But, at a Senate hearing, FBI Director Robert Mueller said the number is unclear. ROBERT MUELLER , FBI director: I do not know how many. And I'm not certain the I.G. knows how many either. He's put out instances -- or pointed out instances orally to me where they may be persons in particular office where it was widespread, and it may be attributable to a lack of understanding and confusion about the procedures. HARI SREENIVASAN: The allegations include claims that agents took the test in groups, instead of alone, in violation of the rules. Others may have printed copies of the test ahead of time. Congress will narrow the huge gap between jail time for crack cocaine and powdered cocaine. The current law enacted in 1986 gives someone with five grams of crack the same punishment as someone carrying 100 times that amount in powdered form. The House voted today to cut the ratio to 18-to-1. The Senate had already done so. Over the years, black defendants have accounted for most crack convictions and ended up serving far more time than whites. Wall Street ended its four-day winning streak, after new reports showing the economy has slowed. The Dow Jones industrial average lost more than 39 points to close under 10498. The Nasdaq fell 23 points to close at 2264. Parts of China braced for more rain today, adding to a national flood disaster. Nearly 1,000 people have died in the floods this year. Today, thousands more were trapped by rivers in the northeast. In the south, recent downpours caused the Yangtze River to rise ever higher. The water submerged much of the shoreline. The huge Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze was near its capacity. It was designed to end centuries of devastating floods. Catalonia has become the first major region in Spain to outlaw bull fighting, effective 2012. The local legislature in Barcelona approved the ban today. It followed an emotional debate between animal rights advocates and those wanting to preserve the centuries-old tradition. The ban in this region is largely symbolic. Catalonia has just one functioning bullring. It stages 15 fights a year, compared with nearly 1,000 across Spain as a whole. Those are some of the day's major stories -- now back to Jim.
Immigration Law Experts Debate Next Legal Steps for Arizona
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio A Federal judge blocked several key provisions in Arizona's Immigration Law that goes into effect Thursday. Gwen Ifil gets both sides on today's ruling. GWEN IFILL: For more on the impact of today's ruling, we turn to two experts in immigration law. Michael Hethmon is general counsel for the Immigration Law Reform Institute. And Steven Gonzales teaches constitutional law at the Phoenix School of Law. Steven Gonzales, were you happy with today's ruling? STEVEN GONZALES , constitutional law professor, Phoenix School of Law: Well, I think so. I think that the plaintiffs, Department of Justice included, pretty much got everything they wanted of substance. And as I said previously on this show, there were some very serious threshold constitutional issues here about the state interfering in federal power that have very long-term consequences. So I think the judge made the right call. GWEN IFILL: Michael Hethmon? MICHAEL HETHMON , Immigration Law Reform Institute: I'm relieved. As one of the attorneys that was part of the senator's brain trust that has worked on these issues over the years, it could have been a lot worse. We could have had a very radical judge. But the judge's ruling was very interesting. On these key points that she preliminarily enjoyed, almost all of them were technical. And it will be very easy to fix. As a matter of fact, I was down in Virginia meeting with Virginia legislators on how to do their version of SB-1070 when we got the bill. And it was a sad face when the order came off the machine. And, as we worked through it provision by provision, they were quite relieved. GWEN IFILL: So, when Judge Bolton says today that in fact the state had overreached its authority, you think that's a technicality? MICHAEL HETHMON: I think Judge Bolton gave the state of Arizona a B-minus. She said it was a good effort. You had a hard problem to work with. And spelled out the very technical items that are needed to address 75 percent of the problems she identified in the bill. It's not going to go first to appeal or to the Supreme Court. It's going to go back to the state legislature. And they're going to make these technical amendments. And it's going to be an improved and better bill that faces judicial scrutiny. GWEN IFILL: Professor Gonzales, is that what happens next, from your point of view? STEVEN GONZALES: I have a completely different take. The way I look at it, in looking at the opinion, the points fall along basically two lines, two columns, if you will. Pretty much anything in which the state tried to get involved in federal regulation of immigration, the judge said no, no, you can't do that. That's federal power. The very -- the things that the judge upheld had to do with the state regulating employers and other traditional areas in which states have always been involved in. So, I think, if you look at it that way, it looked to me very clear that the federal courts here are -- at least at the trial level so far, are -- have struck down this law. I think it's left toothless. It's pretty much -- I would agree it probably needs to be rewritten for those who support it, but that's because it was completely decimated by this decision. GWEN IFILL: But you just heard Michael Hethmon say that other states who already have versions of this law under way don't feel the least bit deterred by this. Do you think that this drives all of those other states -- it shuts down their efforts to try to copy what Arizona did? STEVEN GONZALES: Well, I think it's certainly a game-changer. From a strict legal technical standpoint, the precedential value is not binding in other jurisdictions. It's more what we call persuasive value. But, certainly, any state that is looking at pressing some type of legislation like Arizona's has to think twice that now there's a federal court saying that it's unconstitutional. GWEN IFILL: Governor Brewer said today, Mr. Hethmon, today that this is one of -- there's a sign to the federal government they need to step up their game at the border. Did the judge speak to that, in your reading of her ruling? MICHAEL HETHMON: Sure. Right in the very first line of the ruling, it says, against a backdrop of rampant illegal immigration, escalating drug and human trafficking crimes, and serious public safety concerns, the Arizona legislature acted. And I think she shares the concerns of the state of Arizona. She simply wants to make sure that this law, in its final form, will be fully constitutional and consistent with our concepts of federalism and federal supremacy. GWEN IFILL: Well, is the solution then for the state to rewrite the law, or for the federal government to step in and to pass stronger law? Which would you prefer to see happen? MICHAEL HETHMON: Ultimately -- ultimately, comprehensive immigration enforcement will have to happen at the federal level. But the federal government is not acting. And until they change their game plan, you will see more and more of these state-type measures. And they will be effective, I think, perhaps in a limited sort of way, but they will still be effective. GWEN IFILL: Professor Gonzales, does this take the state efforts off the table, or does it throw a gauntlet down now to the federal government to step in? STEVEN GONZALES: Well, I would like to say that the federal government will now step forward and do what it needs to do, but the reality is, Congress and the successive administrations in the White House have been paralyzed because they're really just reflecting the polarization of Americans on this topic. So, I think, until we get some strong consensus on which way to go, I'm not too optimistic, particularly in an election year. I do think, though, now, with the federal court standing in the way and standing up and basically, like an umpire, blowing the whistle and saying, foul, I think that definitely is going to put a pause in what the states, at least some states, are thinking of doing. And don't forget the states themselves are divided, too. Not all states are doing this. Some of them have strong majorities that feel the other way. GWEN IFILL: Was that foul? Was the whistle blown today, Mr. Hethmon? MICHAEL HETHMON: It wasn't a whistle blown. I think Arizona got back their corrected midterm exam. And the teacher said, you did well. You're going to have to do better. And I'm sure they -- the Arizona legislature and the governor and her counsel are already planning to do just that. GWEN IFILL: Michael Hethmon of the Immigration Reform Law Institute, and Steven Gonzales of the Phoenix School of Law, thank you both very much. MICHAEL HETHMON: You're welcome.
Arizona Immigration Law Set to Take Effect Minus Key Provisions
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Listen to the Audio A federal judge struck down several key provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration law hours before it was set to go into effect. Reporting from Phoenix, Ray Suarez explains what parts will and won't go into effect Thursday and says people on both sides of the issue there have established "little common ground." GWEN IFILL: Arizona's tough immigration law would have empowered local law enforcement to check the immigration status of anyone they reasonably suspected was in the U.S. illegally, even if they were detained on unrelated charges. But a federal judge ruled today the state was, in effect, usurping, the federal government's role. Ray Suarez has been reporting the story from Phoenix, and he joins us now. Welcome, Ray. Good to see you. RAY SUAREZ: Gwen, good talk to you. All during the week, pressure was mounting. People on both sides of the question were waiting for Thursday to test the proposition: Could a law like this be enforced in the state of Arizona without preempting federal power and without abusing the civil rights of the people of Arizona? And on different sides of the question, you got all different answers. The whisper date for actions from the federal court judge in this case, Susan Bolton, had been yesterday. And there were a lot of rumors running through Phoenix that she was going to rule that certain parts of the law would not go into effect tonight, in nine hours. Well, what happened was a little surprising bit on all counts. There are several key provisions of the bill that will not take effect at 12:01 a.m., Mountain Standard Time, here in Phoenix. And they are, specifically, the requirement that an officer ascertain the immigration status of someone he encounters while enforcing other laws. Even if it's found that the first cause, the traffic stop, the investigation of an assault in progress, turns out not to be an actual, bona fide crime, he still must check on the immigration status. That won't go into effect. Creating a crime in Arizona to not carry immigration documents will not go into effect. Creating a crime for someone living in the country illegally to look for or actually perform employment will not take effect. These and other provisions were identified by Judge Bolton as those that would likely be struck down on later appeal in other parts of the federal court system. So, she did not want them to take effect. But, interestingly, several other parts of the law will be -- come into force in nine hours. And they include Arizona laws cracking down on employers who solicit, hire and pay people who are living in the country illegally, Arizona laws regarding the seizure and forfeiture of vehicles that are used to transport illegal immigrants around the state, and laws that attempt to crack down on the solicitation of work by day laborers in the public street. So, it's sort of a mixed bag for people who were opponents and supporters of the bill. GWEN IFILL: Yes. Ray, you've been spending a lot of time while you've been there this week talking to people about this bill and the debate around it. To what extent has the proximity of the violence we have seen across the border in Mexico driven a lot of the debate here and driven a lot of the anxiety? RAY SUAREZ: You know, people who support and oppose this law, you can't get more than a minute or two minutes into a conversation with them before they allude to what's going on just over the border from Arizona. People are very well aware of it, and people are very well aware of the human traffic that is flowing over the Arizona-Mexico border across some of the most inhospitable landscape the United States has to offer, the people who are dying, the people who are being picked up close to death by law enforcement officials in some of those rural counties. People on all sides of the question are very well aware that Arizona has a problem and a challenge with illegal immigration, but they differ on how to address it. GWEN IFILL: But this was a state law. Was there any sense in passing and in trying to enact this law that this was going to become such a national issue? RAY SUAREZ: I talked to the majority leader of the state house of representatives, and he told me he was stunned that this has gotten the kind of play that it's gotten in other parts of the country. He was shocked that it's gotten the attention that it's gotten from pro-immigrant-rights activists and from other state legislatures that want to pass similar laws. He said the earth is not going shift under our feet. The sun is still going to come up when SB-1070 takes effect. He was shocked because Arizona has already been moving the ball downfield, addressing some of its internal laws regarding people who are living and working in the country illegally. And those had not been challenged. They had been upheld. And he assumed that this was going to get the same kind of treatment. He's surprised, but he's not backing off on his support of the law. GWEN IFILL: Does this debate break down there the way it does here in Washington, along kind of conventional liberal-conservative lines? RAY SUAREZ: Well, really, you would think that you were talking about two different states, two different countries, and two different laws as you spoke to people who were looking at this shared landscape from their different vantage points. For immigrants, there was no question that this was going to lead to racial profiling, that there was no way to enforce this law without using racial profiling as a tool in making those inquiries about someone's immigration status. And for supporters of the law, they referred to the training that local law enforcement had gotten, their experience in previous years in working with federal immigration officials in enforcing federal law, and said that the things that were being threatened, the things that were being speculated about simply were not going to happen. But again, Gwen, I have to stress one of the most fascinating parts of covering this story was how diametrically opposed, how little common ground there was in discussing this law among the people who had staked out their opposite territory. GWEN IFILL: Well, thank you, Ray. We are going to talk a little bit more about that right now, because Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the immigration law in April. She conceded, today's ruling was a setback, but said the state would appeal the judge's decision all the way to the Supreme Court. GOV. JAN BREWER, (R-Ariz.): Obviously, it's a little bump in the road, I believe, and that, until I get my whole arms around it, we don't really exactly know where we're going to go. We knew, regardless of what happened today, of course, that one side or the other side was going to appeal. So, this begins the process.
VP Biden: Time for Iraqis to Take Responsibility for Security, Governing
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
ABC News’ Karen Travers reports: Vice President Biden welcomed home soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team at Fort Drum, calling them “the best America has.” The unit has been deployed to eastern Baghdad since October. It served four deployments... United States - Baghdad - Joe Biden - Fort Drum - Vice President of the United States
House Democrats Stage Silent Protest Over Jobs in Senate Chamber
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Six House Democrats entered the Senate chamber Wednesday afternoon and took seats on the backbench of the Republican side of the aisle. Rep. Donna Edwards of Maryland, Danny Davis of Illinois, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, Carolyn Kilpatrick of Michigan, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado and Jackie Speier of California held what they called a silent protest against GOP obstructionism on job creation. "We will be here every day and our numbers will grow," said Rep. Edwards, organizer of the protest. Democratic House members have been upset that Senate Republicans have tried to prevent votes on initiatives Democrats support by demanding 60 votes to end debate -- known as a filibuster. Senate Republicans recently filibustered an extension of unemployment benefits, which eventually came to a vote and passed . The threat of Republican filibuster on an energy bill that included a cap and trade provision helped kill it in the Senate even though House Democrats already passed a version of that bill. Majority Whip Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., went over to the group and talked to them, as did Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah. Bennett shook hands with each House member, though it did not appear he spoke to them. Edwards said the members will enter the Senate chamber at 2 p.m. every day to bring attention to the plight of their constituents, the ones without a paycheck. House members can enter the Senate chamber by rule, but they do not have floor privileges . "We have no intention of disrupting the business of the Senate," said Moore, "but by us sitting here in the Senate chamber silently we're bringing attention to the issue and lack of jobs. Republicans continue to stand in the way of our people getting back to work," Moore added. The protest occurred reportedly at the same time Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was in negotiations with Republicans to move forward on a small business bill -- legislation Democrats say will help create jobs. The bill includes $14 billion in tax enhancements to existing government and small business programs. The House is scheduled to leave for a six-week recess by the end of the week.
Obama: Helping Small Businesses is 'As American as Apple Pie'
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Helping small businesses is 'as American as apple pie,' President Obama said from a small business in Edison, New Jersey today where he urged Congress to pass the Small Business Jobs Act. New Jersey - Barack Obama - United States - Small business - United States Congress
Obama calls for GOP to rally behind small-business loans
Washington Post - Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
President Obama said Wednesday that Republicans should join Democrats in passing legislation to help provide loans to small businesses. Small business - Barack Obama - Business - United States - President
Obama urges GOP to back bill aiding small businesses
CNN: Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
President Barack Obama on Wednesday challenged Senate Republicans to back a bill that would help small businesses, calling its provisions "things the Republican Party has said it supported for years."
Maxine Waters: Sherrod Tape "Planted By The Enemy"
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
The California Dem. blames the "right-wing press." White House - United States - Maxine Waters - Shirley Sherrod - Government
Political Times: Orszag Leaves, but Turf Battle With Congress Goes On
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Peter Orszag, who steps down Friday, tried to wrest budgeting responsibility from Congress.
In Arizona, Posters of Protest Against Immigration Law
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Editor's Note: Updates have been made to this article to reflect a federal injunction on Wednesday that puts some of the more controversial aspects of the law on hold. * This article is cross-posted at The Rundown , where you can find a series of reports from Arizona all week as the NewsHour looks at different perspectives on immigration law 1070. Stay tuned. As soon as Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070 into law in April, grassroots groups started protesting. The high-profile immigration law was supposed to make it a state crime to be in the country illegally and requires local law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of anyone they encounter while enforcing other laws, where reasonable suspicion exists that they are in the state illegally. The statute has been seen by many as an attack on the state's large Mexican and Latino populations. But on Wednesday, a judge in Arizona overturned several of the most contentious terms of the new law that is set to go into effect on Thursday, including the police requirement to check immigration status, as well as a provision that would require immigrants to carry their papers at all times, among others. Before the injunction, protests had been taking place on a daily basis. One of the main organizers is 23-year-old artist and activist Ernesto Yerena, who, growing up, didn't have to look very far to see that art and social issues could intersect. Yerena was born in El Centro, Calif. , a border town 10 miles from Mexico. We talked to Yerena in Phoenix earlier this week:
Democrats Struggle to Deliver "Jobs Agenda"
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
President Obama is on the road to promote a jobs agenda, but back in Washington, Democrats in the Senate and Capitol Hill have trouble passing jobs bills. Republicans have criticized their latest proposal as "mini-tarp." Washington - Barack Obama - Democratic - United States Senate - United States
Hardship Index: Pain in the 'Burbs Means Pain for Democrats in the Fall
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election was broad-based, but when you look closely, it was mostly about the 'burbs. President Obama's margin of victory in the suburban counties Patchwork Nation calls the Monied 'Burbs was 12 percent. Four years before, Sen. John Kerry won those 285 counties by less than 2 percentage points. So if you were, say, a congressional Democrat in 2008 with a lot of those Monied 'Burb voters in your district, you were feeling pretty good about your prospects in 2010. Not anymore. Over the course of the last 18 months, the wealthy, educated Monied Burbs have seen a decline in their fortunes. Last year they were seeing less economic hardship than most of Patchwork Nation's 12 county types, but lately they've been in the middle of the pack. And this month's edition of the Economic Hardship Index shows them to be faring worse than almost every other county type. In short, the economic pain that has been hitting the country hard for the past two years has come home to the 'Burbs. And that may mean a hard November ahead for the party in power - and hard times for the economy in general. Suburban Pain The Hardship Index measures the most recent economic data available by county including gas prices, unemployment and foreclosures. It then takes those figures and factors them with the basic demographic information Patchwork Nation has about its 12 county types to come up with a Hardship Score. When we first began measuring the Hardship Index in summer 2008, many of the scores were in the single digits or teens. They are now usually in the 20s or 30s. But the change in the 'Burbs is especially noteworthy. Last year their Hardship Score was consistently better than the average. Since May, they have been below the average. In July their Hardship Score is 38.91, well above the average of 34.13 and higher than every community type except the big city Industrial Metropolis counties, which come in at 40.52. (On the other end of the spectrum, rural and agricultural Tractor Country has a Hardship Score of less than 28 and has seen drops in foreclosures and unemployment, which is down to 5.36 percent.) "The dramatic difference, it seems to me, is how much worse the suburbs are scoring this year relative to before," says James Gimpel, a University of Maryland professor and creator of the Hardship Index. "California, Nevada and Florida suburban locations continue to be terrible, and were last year too, but the suburbs seem more uniformly distressed this year, like the plague has spread. Now suburban counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Connecticut, Washington, Georgia and even recession-proof Maryland and Virginia." The numbers in the Monied 'Burb counties speak for themselves. In July 2009, Fairfax County, Va., had a Hardship Score of 12.42. In this latest Index, its score is above 38. In Montgomery County, Pa., the score went from 19 last year to 37 this year. Lake County, Ill., went from a score of 24 last July to a score of 37 this year. Unemployment and/or foreclosure readings are up in all those counties over a year ago and over the past few months, which is the window of time the Hardship Index uses to make its measurements. Sensitive Places These sour numbers could have an especially heavy impact on the elections this fall because the Monied 'Burb counties are more likely to swing their vote than other county types and they base their votes more heavily on the state of the economy. In some ways, those Democrats who saw big things in the Obama Monied 'Burb vote in 2008 were really just fooling themselves. As Patchwork Nation noted way back then, the crash in the stock market -- and the following dip in stock portfolios and 401(k) plan accounts -- was the winning issue for candidate Obama in many of the Monied 'Burbs. We saw it in Los Alamos, N.M., our Monied 'Burb watch community that fall. But beyond concerns for the Democrats, there are bigger issues in this July Hardship Index. The Monied 'Burbs hold more than 68 million people and they are relatively wealthy. They drive the consumer economy. Numbers like these explain why the most recent Consumer Confidence Index was down sharply . And if those numbers don't turn around, it's hard to imagine that the Index or the larger economy will move strongly forward anytime soon. Dante Chinni is the director of Patchwork Nation.
WATCH: Rangel: 'I Have To Prepare My Self'
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Congressman Charles Rangel D-NY talks to ABC News about upcoming meeting with ethics committee and talks with lawyers. Charles B. Rangel - United States House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct - Democratic - Politics - United States
Dems Keep Their Distance From Rangel
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Several Democrats facing competitive elections began distancing themselves Tuesday from embattled New York Rep. Charles Rangel as a potentially damaging hearing on whether he violated House ethics rules drew near. As Rangel's lawyers tried to negotiate a settlement to avoid a public ethics trial — set to begin Thursday — Democrats attempted to shift focus away from vulnerable lawmakers under pressure from GOP challengers over the Rangel controversy. Ethics - Democratic - Charles B. Rangel - House - Republican Party
The Morning Line: Taking Care of Small Business
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
President Obama will meet with small business owners at the Tastee Sub Shop in Edison, N.J., this afternoon, hoping to put a human face on his effort to get the Senate to pass a small business jobs bill before the August recess. The bill includes a $30 billion lending fund for community banks and some $12 billion in tax cuts for small businesses. Most Republicans have remained opposed to the measure, comparing it to the 2008 bank bailouts. After meeting with a bipartisan group of congressional leaders at the White House Tuesday, Mr. Obama said, "We shouldn't let America's small businesses be held hostage to partisan politics -- and certainly not at this critical time." The president described the provisions in the bill as "the kind of common-sense steps that folks from both parties have supported in the past." Mr. Obama's visit to New Jersey coincides with the release of a mid-year economic report by the National Small Business Association, which shows "41 percent of small businesses are unable to garner adequate financing." THE WAITING GAME From courtrooms in Arizona and Illinois to the hallways outside the ethics committee in the House of Representatives, we await the next twists and turns in the immigration battle, the Blagojevich trial, and the Rangel case. With the high profile Arizona immigration law set to take effect in less than 24 hours, all eyes are on Judge Susan Bolton to see if she will rule to grant the federal government's request for an injunction which would prevent the law from taking effect. "Protesters who fear racial profiling are expected to descend on Arizona, intent on getting arrested for not carrying identification that proves their citizenship. Supporters of the law, meanwhile, will keep a careful eye on police activities to detect any agency that may have instructed officers to not enforce the law to the fullest extent," reports the Arizona Republic's J.J. Hensley . In Washington, Rep. Charlie Rangel told ABC News his lawyers are still talking with the ethics committee in hopes of reaching a settlement before tomorrow's expected organizational session of how a Rangel trial would likely proceed. Democratic allies of Speaker Nancy Pelosi continue to hope a deal that resolves the Rangel mess without a public trial is the eventual outcome here. And Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced former governor of Illinois, awaits the jury's verdict after his lawyer presented a colorful closing argument. MARCHING ORDERS As House Democrats gather this week for one final pep rally of sorts before they head home for the August recess and to begin the campaign season in earnest, they will hear their leaders put forth seven reasons Democrats believe point to why they will keep the majority in November. Elections are a choice between two candidates The NRCC has not put enough seats into play The NRCC and Republican candidates can not afford to compete The NRCC has recruited fatally flawed candidates Republicans have a Tea Party problem The NRCC has yet to show that they can win one hard election, not to mention 39 of them Democrats are prepared According to talking points being distributed to House Democrats and obtained by "The Morning Line," it is that second bullet point about the playing field that may provide the majority party with its best line of defense. Per the memo: "Republicans will need to win 39 seats to take back the House. Democrats will win at least four Republican seats (the best opportunities include: LA-02, HI-01, IL-10, DE-AL, FL-25). As a result, the real number of seats Republicans will have to pick up to win a majority is at least 43. To win 43 seats, the NRCC would need to put 70 to 80 seats in play. The NRCC have simply not put that many Republicans seats in play and do not have the resources or caliber of candidates to do so." This effort to fire up to the troops comes as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has revealed additional advertising time on hold in an attempt to widen the playing field beyond just protecting vulnerable Democratic incumbents. GATOR BITE Rep. Kendrick Meek and businessman Jeff Greene are turning up the heat in their race for Florida's Democratic Senate nomination. Each candidate has released a campaign ad in recent days attacking his opponent . Meek went first, slamming Greene , a real estate investor, for helping to "fuel the economic meltdown" by "betting middle class families would lose their homes." The ad closes with the line: "Betting on suffering does matter." Greene followed with a spot called "Crooked, " which opens with the announcer asking, "How corrupt is Kendrick Meek?" The ad then says Meek "pushed the subprime loans that wrecked our economy" and "lobbied for big tobacco against children's health care." Primary day in Florida is Aug. 24. David Chalian contributed to this report. Follow Terence Burlij and David Chalian on Twitter.
House and Senate Address Gulf Oil Spill Issues
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Provisions would increase regulation of offshore drilling, lift liability limits on companies responsible for damaging spills and funnel more money to spill-related research and restoration projects.
Democrats Split as House Backs War Funds
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
The House approved a war funding bill, but Democrats splintered after a disclosure of battlefield documents.
House approves $37 billion war-funding bill
Washington Post - Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
The House on Tuesday approved spending an additional $37 billion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, overcoming the opposition of some Democrats who have concluded that the Afghan conflict is unwinnable. History - United States - War in Afghanistan - Twentieth Century - Wars and Conflicts
Bill on political ad disclosures falls a little short in Senate
Washington Post - Politics. Wed, 28 Jul 2010
Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked legislation requiring fuller disclosure of the money behind political advertising, derailing a major White House initiative and virtually ensuring an onslaught of attack ads during this year's midterm election season. United States - Politics - Senate - Government - Legislative Branch
