Washington Post - Politics

Date Posted Article 3 hours ago The Fix: Al Franken comes out of his shell Slowly but surely, the "Air America" version of Minnesota Sen. Al Franken is making a comeback. alfranken - United States - Government - Senate - Legislative Branch Yesterday Director W. Craig Fugate refocusing a chastened FEMA W. Craig Fugate's corner office at the Federal Emergency Management Agency is sparse: a few family photos, a couple of blue and orange mementos from his beloved University of Florida Gators, and not much else. Hurricane Katrina - United States - Federal Emergency Management Agency - W. Craig Fugate - Craig Fugate Yesterday Florida Senate race starts without a clear favorite Gov. Charlie Crist is the man in the middle in Florida's high-stakes race for the Senate, a candidate without a party whose hopes of moving from Tallahassee to Washington depend on his ability to fend off a squeeze play from his Democratic and Republican rivals. United States - Florida - Senate - Democratic - Government Yesterday Among Democrats, economic pressures are changing tax-cut dynamics With the economy rapidly weakening, some senior Democrats are having second thoughts about raising taxes on the nation's wealthiest families and are pressing party leaders to consider extending the full array of Bush administration tax cuts, at least through next year. Tax cut - United States - Taxation - Politics - Republican Yesterday Some worry lack of energy has taken its toll on liberal movement Michael Kazin, a history professor at Georgetown University, has studied political activism for decades. But two years ago, he thought he was participating in a unique political movement, one not organized against an idea or a war - like most he has seen or been involved with - but in support of a... Politics - Energy - Parties - Technology - Toll Brothers Yesterday Levi Johnston takes back his apology to Palin ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandson, says he wishes he hadn't apologized for telling lies about the former Alaska governor because he's "never lied about anything." Levi Johnston - Republican - United States - People - Sarah Palin Yesterday 44: Murkowski third-party bid compared to prostitution Alaska mayor Joe Miller and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) are still locked in a tight primary fight. (Results on Wednesday showed Joe Miller holding a slim lead of about 1,900 votes, but a winner won't be declared until election officials count as many as 10,000 absentee ballots.) In the meantim... Lisa Murkowski - Politics - Joe Miller - United States - Libertarian Yesterday Same-sex marriage gains GOP support A growing number of Republicans are breaking with the party's traditional stance to publicly state their support for same-sex marriage, a shift strategists say stems as much from demographics as from the renewed focus on economics and the "tea party" movement. Same-sex marriage - United States - Marriage - Politics - Gay Lesbian and Bisexual Yesterday Live coverage: Al Sharpton's 'Reclaim the Dream' rally Updated: 3:56 p.m. Participants in both rallies assess the other side. Al Sharpton - Glenn Beck - United States - Martin Luther King - President Yesterday Beck, Palin tell thousands to 'restore America' A sea of people rallied at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday as conservative commentator Glenn Beck and other heroes of the "tea party" movement honored Americans serving in the military and called for the nation to turn back to God and to protect the traditional values that they said make the country exceptional. Glenn Beck - Sarah Palin - United States - Martin Luther King - Washington DC Yesterday In 2010, Obama's poll numbers less of an asset for congressional Democrats Two years can change just about everything in politics. Democratic - Barack Obama - United States - President - Politics Yesterday Obama promises new efforts to boost economy Under pressure to revive the faltering recovery, President Obama said Monday that he and his economic team are discussing "additional measures" to bolster growth and spur hiring, including "further tax cuts" to encourage businesses to create jobs. Barack Obama - United States - President - History - Government Yesterday Indiana's Ellsworth, onetime Democratic star, now a symbol of party's struggles INDIANAPOLIS When Brad Ellsworth won his U.S. House seat in Indiana four years ago, he was hailed by Democrats as the future of their party: a telegenic former sheriff with moderate instincts and an ability to appeal to a diverse electorate. It was candidates such as Ellsworth who enabled the Dem... Indiana - Democratic - United States - Politics - Brad Ellsworth Yesterday Carter arrives in Boston with freed prisoner after securing Kim Jong Il's pardon The release of a U.S. citizen imprisoned in North Korea since January satisfied the main goal of a trip to Pyongyang by former president Jimmy Carter. But Carter's mission was also noteworthy for what did not happen - a meeting with Kim Jong Il. Boston - North Korea - United States - Jimmy Carter - Asia Yesterday Vanity Fair: Sarah Palin's 'sad and moldering strangeness' "Sarah Palin the Sound and the Fury" is sure to set tongues wagging as Michael Joseph Gross explores the "sad and moldering strangeness" of Sarah Palin's life in the new to the Web October issue of Vanity Fair. Sarah Palin - Vanity Fair - Republican - United States - Politics Yesterday Ex-Ill. Gov. Ryan wants part of conviction tossed CHICAGO -- Imprisoned former Illinois Gov. George Ryan is seeking to have elements of his conviction thrown out based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sharply curtailed an anti-fraud law employed by prosecutors nationwide to convict politicians and executives. United States - Philippines - Movies - Asia - Arts and Entertainment Yesterday Maryland Sen. Currie indicted on charges of taking bribes from grocery chain Longtime Maryland Sen. Ulysses Currie, one of the most powerful and popular figures in the General Assembly, was indicted Wednesday on charges that he took more than $245,000 in bribes to use his position and influence to do favors for a grocery chain. Indictment - United States - Maryland - Politics - Business Yesterday Employers shifting health-care costs to workers, survey shows Amid high unemployment and a weak economy, employers have been shifting health care costs to workers, according to a study released Thursday. Health care - United States - Kaiser Family Foundation - Insurance - Health insurance Yesterday As Mideast talks begin, Clinton urges Israelis, Palestinians to seek 'future of peace' Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton officially inaugurated a new Middle East peace process Thursday urging patience and leadership from the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, who soon after agreed to meet in less than two weeks for a second round of talks. Palestinian people - Middle East - Hillary Rodham Clinton - United States - Peace Yesterday Egg industry alarmed at cage limits Even before the recent salmonella outbreak, America's egg industry was struggling to fend off another threat: allegations that it was cruel to chickens. Business - Poultry - Meat and Seafood - Food and Related Products - Home Yesterday McDonnell's push to privatize Va. liquor stores could add tax on drinks in bars RICHMOND - Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R), scrambling to make ends meet in his plan to privatize Virginia's 332 state-run liquor stores, is considering adding a fee on alcoholic drinks sold in restaurants or bars to help make up the $250 million in annual taxes and profits that state stores current... Business - United States - Hospitality - Bar Inventory - Distilled beverage Yesterday The polarizing president One of the puzzling questions about Barack Obama's presidency is how the post-partisan candidate of 2008 became the polarizing chief executive of 2010. The answer may be surprising. He was far more polarizing from the start than many recognized. His choices in office and his opponents' responses ... United States - President - History - Government - Elections Yesterday Obama to call for $100 billion business tax credit Under mounting pressure to intensify his focus on the economy ahead of the midterm elections, President Obama will call for a $100 billion business tax credit this week, using a speech in Cleveland on Wednesday to launch what administration officials said was a new policy push. Barack Obama - Business - United States - Research and development - Tax Yesterday Republicans fear echoes of Alaska in Delaware primary Is Mike Castle the next Lisa Murkowski? Nearly two weeks removed from Murkowski's stunning defeat by little-known attorney Joe Miller in the Republican Senate primary in Alaska, establishment GOPers are nervous of a repeat in Delaware, where Castle faces 2008 Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell in... Delaware - United States - Christine O'Donnell - Republican - Alaska Sep 5, 2010 Wal-Mart asks court to overturn ruling in lawsuit WASHINGTON -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has asked the Supreme Court to throw out a massive class action lawsuit alleging gender discrimination over pay for female workers. Wal-Mart - Business - Allegedly Unethical Firms - Anti-Corporation - Activism Sep 5, 2010 Major Garrett leaving Fox for National Journal NEW YORK -- Fox News Channel chief White House correspondent Major Garrett said Wednesday he's leaving the network after eight years to join the National Journal as a congressional correspondent. National Journal - United States - Major Garrett - Maryland - Garrett Sep 5, 2010 How Joe Miller caught Lisa Murkowski by surprise If there had been any doubt that this is a year when no incumbent can afford to be caught off-guard, it has been put to rest by the ambush of Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska's Republican primary. Joe Miller - Lisa Murkowski - Sarah Palin - Republican - United States Senate Sep 5, 2010 Media on ice: Those unpredictable primaries The press is gobsmacked to find Lisa Murkowski trailing some guy named Joe in the battle to hang onto her Senate seat. Republican - Bill McCollum - Business - John McCain - Sarah Palin Sep 5, 2010 Obama administration sides with utilities in Supreme Court case about climate change The Obama administration sided with major utility companies in a Supreme Court case about climate change on Thursday, angering environmentalists who say that the administration's broad argument could hurt their ability to force reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or even to bring other lawsuits. Supreme Court of the United States - Supreme Court - Climate change - Environment - United States Sep 5, 2010 Ken Mehlman and the same-sex marriage debate Supporters of same-sex marriage have a new and unexpected advocate: Ken Mehlman, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and manager of President George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign. Same-sex marriage - Ken Mehlman - Politics - United States - Republican National Committee