Democratic Party

Stories 161 - 180 | << Prev   Next >>

Baucus Leaning Left Again
 Baucus Leaning Left Again 
ANALYSIS

Baucus Leaning Left Again

As interminable mark-up on health bill continues, chair moves on from bipartisan dream

(Newser) - With his health care reform bill finally in committee, finance chair Max Baucus appears to have given up on a truly bipartisan bill. On day one yesterday, "he seemed to be moving back to the left again," writes Mike Madden in Salon. He agreed to a host of...

Black Caucus Worries About Resurgent Racism

Anti-Obama anger troubles CBC ahead of triumphant annual conferences

(Newser) - The Congressional Black Caucus is enjoying unprecedented power, with more of their members in leadership roles than ever before, not to speak of one of their number in the White House, but many are disturbed by changes in the political atmosphere, Politico reports. As the 42-member group holds its annual...

Fall Sends Byrd to Hospital
 Fall Sends Byrd to Hospital 

Fall Sends Byrd to Hospital

Spokesman says Democratic senator will likely not be admitted

(Newser) - Sen. Robert Byrd is at the hospital after a fall at his Northern Virginia home, the Washington Post reports. The 91-year-old West Virginia Democrat has been scarce at the Capitol recently after a previous hospitalization that ended in June. The longest-serving US senator ever “apparently stood up too fast...

Ex-Adviser: Obama Not Bold Enough

(Newser) - One of Barack Obama's top advisers during the campaign tells Politico he's "losing patience" with the White House and wants more "bold" leadership from the president on a host of issues including health care and gay rights. “I’m not going to just sit by the curb...

House Progressives Call Out Obama on Public Option

Democrats may be headed for intra-party battle

(Newser) - House progressives have told President Obama that they “cannot vote for anything less” than health-care legislation with a “robust public option”—all but threatening a showdown if, as seems likely, the White House doesn’t push for a public plan, Talking Points Memo reports. The California lawmakers...

GOP Candidates Hold Own Town Halls

Republicans jump on Democrats' reluctance to host ugly meetings

(Newser) - Republican candidates across the country are staging their own health care town halls in a bid to upstage Democratic incumbents, Politico reports. With many Democrats declining to host the rowdy events, GOP challengers have seized on town halls as easy tickets to voter connection and press coverage. “By the...

Dem Fundraiser Charged in Citibank Scam

Obama, Clinton donor allegedly tried to bilk bank out of $74M

(Newser) - A major fundraiser for Democratic candidates, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, was charged yesterday with using bogus documents to obtain a $74 million loan from Citigroup, Reuters reports. Hassan Nemazee, who did not enter a plea, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors say he forged...

Ted Kennedy Dead at 77
 Ted Kennedy Dead at 77 
OBITUARY

Ted Kennedy Dead at 77

(Newser) - Sen. Ted Kennedy, patriarch of one of the most powerful political dynasties in American history and long-time liberal lion of the Democratic Party, died late last night at his Massachusetts home in Hyannis Port, reports the New York Times. “We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and...

Clinton Urges Progressives to Solidify Power

But president, Congress need help cementing it

(Newser) - Political winds have shifted in America, says Bill Clinton: The country has “entered a new era of progressive politics which, if we do it right, could last 30 or 40 years,” the former president told liberal Internet activists at a convention in Pittsburgh. But first, he told Netroots...

New DNC Ad Slams GOP's 'Angry Mobs'

Dems use town hall protests to fire back

(Newser) - In a new online ad, Democrats return fire at “angry mobs” driven by the Republican Party, the Huffington Post reports. “They lost the election. They lost on the Recovery Act, the budget and children’s health care,” says the ad. “Now, desperate Republicans and their well-funded...

Blue Dogs Aren't Centrists, They're Greedy

(Newser) - Blue Dog Democrats might represent more socially conservative constituencies than their liberal brethren, but that's no reason to take pro-corporate stances on everything from the mortgage market to health care reform. Thomas Frank has a simpler explanation: They're in it for the cash. The Blue Dogs are "champion fundraisers,...

Health Care Debate Readies for Road Trip

Democrats will spend recess targeting insurance companies

(Newser) - With the House already on break and the Senate readying for the August recess, the health care debate has moved to the court of public opinion, the New York Times reports. Both sides are launching campaign tours and waves of TV ads, with Democrats attacking the insurance industry and Republicans...

Facing Primary Battle, Specter Shifts Leftward

Has voted with Dems 97% of time since Sestak announced bid

(Newser) - Since going blue, Arlen Specter voted with Democrats some two-thirds of the time on “Contentious Votes”—defined by Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com as “anything that comes up for a floor vote and where the majority of each party splits their votes.” That is, up until...

Obama: You Can Keep Your Honeymoon
Obama: You Can Keep Your Honeymoon

Obama: You Can Keep Your Honeymoon

Prez says he's not losing sleep over harsh NYT column

(Newser) - "I never understood this concept of honeymoon," President Obama told Katie Couric yesterday when the CBS interviewer asked about his sliding poll numbers. Obama said he wasn't too worried about a New York Times column from David Brooks saying he has fallen into step behind Nancy Pelosi on...

Obama's Poll Numbers Dive
 Obama's Poll 
 Numbers Dive 

Obama's Poll Numbers Dive

(Newser) - The public is rapidly losing faith in President Obama, new polls show. His overall approval rating is below 60%—a USA Today/Gallup poll gives him 55%, putting him 10th among the 12 post-World War II presidents after six months in office. A Public Trust Monitor/Politico survey finds 54% trust Obama,...

Congress Leads Dems on 'Liberal Suicide March'
Congress Leads Dems on 'Liberal Suicide March'
OPINION

Congress Leads Dems on 'Liberal Suicide March'

They're as out of touch as Republicans were in Bush years: Brooks

(Newser) - The Republican Party turned away from America during its years in power, writes New York Times columnist David Brooks, by paying more attention to echo-chamber media outlets and yes-men pollsters than voters. Now the Democrats are doing the same—instead of Southern conservatives, now it's left-wingers from the coasts who...

Dems' Tax Plans Raise Fears of Rich Rebellion

(Newser) - Over the last few elections Democrats have captured House seats from the GOP in some of the wealthiest constituencies in the nation, from northern Virginia to suburban Denver. But as the White House and leaders in Congress look to tax hikes to fund the health care overhaul, recently elected congressmen...

It's Official: Burris Won't Run

(Newser) - Roland Burris made it official this afternoon: He won't run for a full term next year, the Chicago Tribune reports. “I love serving the people of Illinois,” the current holder of President Obama's old Senate seat said. But “political races have become far too expensive in...

Lieberman, Dems Heal Old Wounds

Independent sen. 'critical' to party despite departures

(Newser) - The rift between Joe Lieberman and his former party, which stretched wide after the senator supported John McCain for president, is closing, the Hill reports. The Connecticut independent, who caucuses with the Democrats, has been "critical" to the party, the majority whip says—Lieberman has praised the president on...

Israeli Minister Urges Sanctions Against US

Upset with Obama shift, he also wants to influence elections

(Newser) - An Israeli cabinet minister has suggested his country stop buying technology from the US and even try to influence US elections because of the Obama administration’s perceived shift on Mideast policy, the Jerusalem Post reports. Yossi Peled, a “minister-without-portfolio,” said “Obama’s ascendance represents a turning...

Stories 161 - 180 | << Prev   Next >>
Most Read on Newser