Politics News, Elections Coverage, Political Analysis and Opinion

3/21/11 at 5:35 PM

Libya Releases New York Times Journalists

The Libyan government on Monday released four New York Times journalists six days after their capture by forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi, the New York Times is reporting. The four were released to the custody of Turkish diplomats and crossed safely into Tunisia in the late afternoon, the Times reported on its website. The journalists include Anthony Shadid, the Times' Beirut bureau chief; two photographers, Tyler Hicks and Lynsey Addario, who have extensive experience in war zones; and a reporter and videographer, Stephen Farrell, who in 2009 was captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan ...

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3/21/11 at 5:08 PM

Opposition Rises to Increased Nuclear Power Use; Offshore Drilling Support Rebounds

By Bruce Drake

How long lasting are the effects of disasters on public opinion? The nuclear plant crisis that resulted from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has prompted a spike in opposition in the U.S. to increased use of nuclear power, much like the rise in opposition to increased offshore oil drilling following the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that was set off last April by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. But almost a year later, according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted March 17-20, support for more offshore oil drilling has rebounded. Fifty-two percent ...

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3/21/11 at 12:18 PM

Pawlenty Uses Facebook to Announce Presidential Exploratory Committee

By Politics Daily Staff

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty released a video on Facebook Monday announcing he has formed a presidential exploratory committee. In the two-minute video, Pawlenty says his experience as a Midwestern governor has prepared him for the job of commander in chief. He also makes numerous references to the founding fathers and Presidents Lincoln and Reagan. Click play to watch video: "We the people of the United States will take back our government. This is our country," he says. "That's why today I am announcing the formation of an exploratory committee to run for president of the ...

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3/21/11 at 11:51 AM

Democrats, Republicans, Independents Differ on Issues That Worry Them Most

By Bruce Drake

The top five issues that Americans worry about the most would not surprise anyone -- the economy, federal spending and the deficit, availability and affordability of health care, unemployment and the Social Security system. But one polling snapshot zeroes in on the difference in emphasis that Republicans, Democrats and independents regard as the top issues. For the overall population, 71 percent say they worry a great deal about the economy, 64 percent name federal spending and the deficit, 58 percent are concerned about health care, 57 percent fret about unemployment and 51 percent mention ...

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3/21/11 at 11:20 AM

Nancy Pelosi Released From Rome Hospital

By Politics Daily Staff

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi fell ill Monday in Rome and was briefly hospitalized, Italian news agencies report. According to NBC News, she was released after undergoing tests, which proved negative. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), part of a group traveling with Pelosi, told NBC: "She's at the hotel now. She's fine, she's in good shape. Just a few tests to make sure she was all right." The California Democrat is visiting her ancestral homeland to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Italian nation. According to Agence France-Presse, she was scheduled to meet Monday with Defense Minister ...

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3/21/11 at 10:24 AM

Palin Meets With Netanyahu as India-Israel Trip Wraps Up

By Politics Daily Staff

Sarah Palin's quick trip to India and Israel wraps up Monday when she meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On Sunday, the former Alaska governor and possible 2012 presidential candidate visited the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in the Holy Land. "I'm very thankful to know that the Israeli and American link will grow in strength as we seek peace along with you," Palin told reporters afterward. In a statement upon her arrival, the Republican firebrand said, "As the world confronts sweeping changes and new realities, I look forward to meeting with Prime Minister ...

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3/21/11 at 8:59 AM

Obama's 'March Madness' Prescience: President Lights It Up With His Picks

By Politics Daily Staff

Barack Obama has always been a high achiever, and he's living up to that standard with his "March Madness" picks. After the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the president ranks in the 99th percentile, according to ESPN.com. Alas, that's down a notch from his standing after the second round ended Friday: He was in the 100th percentile then, tied for 492nd out of 5,923,829 submitted brackets to ESPN. According to the Hill, Obama also leads a tournament pool featuring members of Congress. Based on a point-tallying system designed by Yahoo.com, the president's score of 49 (out of a ...

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3/21/11 at 7:45 AM

As Airstrikes Continue in Libya, Obama Talks Up Peaceful Change in South America

By Politics Daily Staff

In a speech Sunday to Brazilians, President Obama barely made reference to military operations raging in Libya, but his remarks characterized South America's largest country as a model for the kind of change the U.S. would like to see in the embattled North African nation. "You fought against two decades of dictatorships for the same right to be heard -- the right to be free from fear and free from want," Obama told 2,000 people in Rio de Janeiro's Municipal Theater. "Brazil today is a flourishing democracy, a place where people are free to speak their mind and choose their leaders." The ...

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3/20/11 at 9:48 PM

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Resigns Over WikiLeaks Disclosures

By Politics Daily Staff

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual, resigned on Saturday night, becoming the first casualty of the WikiLeaks disclosures of communications between Washington and its diplomatic corps. Pascual had drawn the ire of President Felipe Calderon of Mexico after WikiLeaks made public documents in which Pascual was critical of Mexico's anti-drug efforts. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's statement on Pascual's resignation said, in part: For the past year and a half, Ambassador Pascual has been an architect and advocate for the U.S.-Mexico relationship, effectively advancing ...

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3/20/11 at 6:28 PM

Video: Obama Denounces Repression in Iran

By Politics Daily Staff

Today, I want to extend my best wishes to all who are celebrating Nowruz in the United States and around the world. Each year of my presidency, I have marked this holiday by speaking directly to the people of Iran. That is what I would like to do once more. This is a holiday for the Iranian people to spend time with friends and family; to reflect on the extraordinary blessings that you enjoy; and to look forward to the promise of a new day. After all, this is a season of hope and renewal. And today, we know that this is also a season of promise across the Middle East and North Africa, even ...

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