politics

Obama wins little from China

AP Wire — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:16:05 -0500

BEIJING - President Barack Obama on Wednesday wraps up a three-day visit to China that has left him keenly aware of the limits of his administration's leverage over this economic powerhouse on issues from currency exchange rates to human rights.

Senate hopefuls spar on lobbying

AP Wire — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:16:27 -0500

BOSTON - Democrat Alan Khazei on Tuesday turned an environmental forum into platform to criticize two leading U.S. Senate rivals for their connections to lobbyists and other special interests, but he quickly staged a pragmatic retreat himself.

Olver, other area lawmakers, endorse Capuano for Senate

Daily Hampshire Gazette — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0500

U.S. Senate candidate Congressman Michael Capuano has picked up the endorsement of fellow Congressman John W. Olver, of Amherst, and a handful of state legislators.

Local Democrats honor Barney Frank

mpilon — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0500

HOLYOKE - Democrats everywhere cheered U.S. Rep. Barney Frank in August when he reacted to a woman holding a poster of Obama-as-Hitler at a meeting in Dartmouth by asking "Madam, on what planet do you spend most of your time?"

Report: Gitmo closing bungled

AP Wire — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:02:09 -0500

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's decision to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison by Jan. 22 was followed by a series of mistakes and missteps by his administration that will delay the prison's closure for months, according to a report from a policy organization with close ties to the White House.

Obama said to push for other war options

AP Wire — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:02:09 -0500

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government, a senior administration official said Wednesday.

Bishops shaping health 'reform'

AP Wire — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:02:10 -0500

WASHINGTON - The call came in from Rome, just as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her top lieutenants were scrambling to round up scarce votes to pass their sweeping health overhaul. Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, was on the line for Pelosi, calling to discuss adding strict abortion restrictions to the House bill. It was just one element of an intensive lobbying effort orchestrated by the nation's Catholic bishops, who have emerged as a formidable force in the health care negotiations.