Latest News

Check back often for the latest news.
  • Biden Exit Has Dems Bracing In Del.
    Jan 26, 2010 — Politico
    David CataneseThis was not the way anyone thought it would turn out in late November 2008 when then-Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner announced that a longtime aide to Sen. Therefore I cannot and will not run for the United States Senate in 2010.”Citing the child-abuse case, he added: “I have a job to finish.
  • Biden's Son Will Not Run for Father's Senate Seat
    Jan 26, 2010 — New York Times
    Biden who was appointed to serve until the November election. Kaufman restated his decision not to seek the Senate seat outright.The decision by the younger Mr. Biden raises the possibility that Democrats could lose both the vice president’s old seat and the Illinois Senate seat previously held by the president in this year’s midterm elections.
  • Biden's son will not run for US Senate
    Jan 26, 2010 — The Boston Globe
    Obama and lawmakers in both political parties.The plan would require spending cuts or revenue increases to pay for new spending initiatives or tax cuts.Passing the plan would take 60 votes in the Senate, a tall order since all but a handful of Republicans are likely to oppose it.Obama welcomes Lakersteam to White HouseWASHINGTON - President Obama welcomed the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers to the White House yesterday,...
  • David Plouffe to the Dems rescue?
    Jan 26, 2010 — CNN
    Recently, the American Association of Political Consultants awarded Plouffe the 2009 "Pollie Award" for campaign manager of the year. Plouffe was former House Speaker Dick Gephardt's chief of staff. Plouffe did not join other Obama campaign staffers in the White House.
  • Finally Focused On Jobs
    Jan 26, 2010 — Politico
    Martin Kady IIHEALTH CARE LITE: Many Democrats don’t like the scaled back bill idea, and they don’t trust Republicans to help them pass it. So far, 29 Democrats and independents have voiced their support.”SPEAKER’S SNOOPING: Looks like the speaker cares who’s doing Freedom of Information requests about her.
  • Joe Biden's son won't seek Senate seat vacated by his father
    Jan 26, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    In another blow to the Democrats, Vice President Joe Biden's son, Beau Biden, announced Monday that he would not seek to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by his father. Berry represents a conservative district that favored Sen. The assumption that Beau Biden would eventually announce his candidacy for the Delaware seat has allowed the GOP candidate, Rep.
  • 'Obama the populist' doesn't ring true
    Jan 25, 2010 — CNN
    Barack Obama is a conciliator, not a fighter. Conciliation and deliberation are virtues, by the way. He did least well among noncollege, nonpoor whites.
  • Another blow for Democrats: Beau Biden won't run for father's old seat
    Jan 25, 2010 — The Hill
    His decision leaves another strongly Democratic state at risk as Dems face a growing number retirements and candidates bowing out. His decision leaves another strongly Democratic state at risk as Dems face a growing number retirements and candidates bowing out. Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden’s (D) decision not to run for Senate leaves another strongly Democratic state at risk, just a week after the party lost Ted Kennedy’s seat in deep-blue Massachusetts.
  • Dem election woes: Expectations crumble as retirements mooted
    Jan 25, 2010 — The Hill
    Democratic election expectations were crumbling Monday after a leading Senate recruit declined to run and another lawmaker announced his retirement. Marion Berry’s (D-Ark.) departure and Beau Biden’s (D) decision not to pursue the upper chamber came after Democrats said they expected the opposite. As for the Delaware Senate seat, Republican Rep.
  • Hawaii Democrats Love Obama
    Jan 25, 2010 — Politico
    The signature photo on his Twitter page is one of him and Obama. And the 55-year-old loves telling people about the time then-Sen. While Abercrombie became the first major Hawaiian politician to support Obama and campaigned vigorously for him during the primary, Hannemann sat on the sidelines, many believe out of fear of Sen.
  • Opinion: 'Obama the populist'..not
    Jan 25, 2010 — CNN
    The Obama team always assumes the best remedy for any Obama difficulty is more Obama. Barack Obama is a conciliator, not a fighter. Conciliation and deliberation are virtues, by the way.
  • What David Plouffe can do (and what he can't)
    Jan 25, 2010 — Washington Post
    John McCain (Ariz.) 59 percent and he carried retiring Rep. John Boozeman (R) is going to get into the Senate race. Scott Brown (R) in the special election, Patrick's numbers were downright dismal: 15 percent approve/82 percent disapprove.
  • White House advisers promise sharper focus on jobs
    Jan 25, 2010 — USA Today
    WASHINGTON (AP) A politically shaken White House promised Sunday a sharper focus on jobs and the economy, but key advisers were less sure-footed on health care reform. Officials in the White House and Senate, however, predicted that Bernanke would be confirmed for a new four-year term. The Senate is scheduled to vote on Bernanke by week's end.
  • Obama critics say his economic vision lacking
    Jan 24, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    In February, Obama pushed through a $787-billion economic stimulus, which officials have trumpeted as saving up to 2 million jobs and returning the nation to economic growth. And Obama has been engaged deeply in economic policy issues, aides say. Volcker stood next to Obama as the president announced he would push for new banking restrictions.
  • Ten reasons health reform stalled
    Jan 24, 2010 — The Hill
    That made it tougher for House centrists to take another tough vote on healthcare, which dragged out the process further. Before the climate vote, a number of Democrats, including Rep. The excise tax is a main reason why the lower chamber rejected fast-tracking the Senate bill and closing the book on healthcare reform.
  • Vice President says son doesn't want to run for Senate
    Jan 24, 2010 — Washington Post
    Themal responded that he didn't think Beau Biden wanted to run to which Joe Biden responded: "I don't think he does either.
  • Consequences for State Laws in Court Ruling
    Jan 23, 2010 — New York Times
    Since the state laws are vulnerable, it is unlikely that officials will continue enforcing them, experts said.Montana is one of the states that will probably be affected. DeLay’s case, disagreed.“The indictments against Mr.
  • McConnell's stock surges after big win in Massachusetts
    Jan 23, 2010 — The Hill
    Conservative activist Grover Norquist say McConnell deserves to be named the party’s Most Valuable Player. Throughout the courtship, McConnell never publicly criticized the Maine senator. Erickson noted that Boehner kept the entire House GOP conference unified in opposition to the $787 economic stimulus package last year while McConnell allowed three Republicans to defect. (One, Sen.
  • In Ohio visit, Obama acknowledges hitting a political 'buzz saw'
    Jan 22, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Obama carried Ohio with just 51.2% of the vote. George W. Bush carried Ohio with a narrower margin in 2004. In April, the Ohio Poll conducted by the University of Cincinnati found that 63% of Ohioans approved of the job that Obama was performing as president.
  • Obama, Senate Dems turn attention to jobs while health reform stalls
    Jan 22, 2010 — The Hill
    President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats are turning their attention to jobs and the economy while healthcare reform is frozen on Capitol Hill. Obama and Senate Democrats turned to the issue of jobs while the healthcare bill stalled on Capitol Hill. “The insurance reform really depends on Americans getting health insurance,” Baucus said.
  • A year later, Obama honeymoon is over
    Jan 21, 2010 — CNN
    Democratic sources who were in the room say Obama, pressed by liberals angry about the reform package getting watered down, decided to quote Sen. Ron Pollack, head of the liberal health group Families USA, is pushing Obama to finish off health reform quickly before Democrats lose their 60-vote supermajority in the Senate. But Pollack added that it's "way premature" to suggest the Massachusetts race will bring a major shift to the political climate.
  • In Year 2, Obama Plans To 'spread Out What We Do So It's Not So Cram-Packed' -- John Harris: Obama's Three Year 1 Miscalculations -- Dems To Turn Up Heat On Banks, Gop -- 2 Health Routes
    Jan 21, 2010 — Politico
    Two main routes being considered: 1) MOST LIKELY: House passes Senate version, packaged with reconciliation fixes. You know, part of the Obama agenda, et cetera. Pence, the No. 3 Republican in the House leadership, will meet with National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn on Thursday.
  • Opinion: Obama can get back on track
    Jan 21, 2010 — CNN
    In essence, the Democratic Party is too democratic. President, your party is in need of some political Viagra. The White House has been careful to protect first lady Michelle Obama.
  • Some House Dems warming to idea of scaled-back healthcare reform
    Jan 21, 2010 — The Hill
    There is growing consensus in the House Democratic Caucus that comprehensive healthcare legislation is dead and the only option is to pass a series of piecemeal measures. When the House Caucus met Thursday, Pascrell was one of the lawmakers who talked about boiling down the massive House and Senate bills into smaller base elements, and moving them one at a time. Pascrell said his idea was one of many in an early series of plans put forth Thursday morning for incremental healthcare reform.
  • Big win for Brown Republican trounces Coakley for Senate, imperils Obama health plan
    Jan 20, 2010 — The Boston Globe
    They changed the law again several months ago, allowing Governor Deval Patrick to temporarily appoint Paul G. Kirk to the seat. On the campaign trail, he frequently wore a barn jacket over his coat and tie. In one of his more memorable lines in the final debate, Brown said, ``With all due respect, it's not the Kennedy seat, and it's not the Democrats' seat.
  • Happy Anniversary, Mr. President -- 'epic Upset': 52%-47% -- White House Vows Not To Go Small -- Axe: No Walking Away From Health -- Stealth Cash And Staff: Gop Kept Quiet About Brown Surge
    Jan 20, 2010 — Politico
    Brown was against the bank tax, and despite a coordinated effort between the White House, OFA, DNC and the Coakley campaign (including the President's weekly address and lots of ads), he won handily. And Brown was helped by the fact that Democratic pollsters and the media were giving an inaccurate picture … The NRSC’s Dec. 16 poll … showed Brown 13 points behind Coakley. Yet that survey also showed Republicans a potential path to victory, Cornyn said.
  • Miller: One year in, will fortune smile on Obama? Zelizer: Midterms could sap Obama's power Borger: Obama's agenda is on the line in vote
    Jan 20, 2010 — CNN
    To overdramatize, but not by much: Washington created the nation; Lincoln saved it; and FDR laid the basis for modern America both at home and abroad. Transactors and transformers alike, they changed America for the better, and forever. Like FDR, Obama was determined not to waste a crisis.
  • Obama at year one: The end of the inside game
    Jan 20, 2010 — Washington Post
    A president who promised persuasion has instead offered legislation. Obama's presidency has tried to show, not tell. The White House has played an inside game, focusing on helping Congress pass legislation rather than helping the public understand it.
  • Obama's first year
    Jan 20, 2010 — CNN
    Democratic sources who were in the room say Obama, pressed by liberals angry about the reform package getting watered down, decided to quote Sen. Ron Pollack, head of the liberal health group Families USA, is pushing Obama to finish off health reform quickly before Democrats lose their 60-vote supermajority in the Senate. Of course, there's also the possibility the public mood continues to sour on the economy and Obama's other key initiatives like health care.
  • Obama's First Year: What Went Wrong
    Jan 20, 2010 — Politico
    Carol E. Lee,John F. HarrisAs the Obama administration marks its first birthday, there is no reason to shop around for the perfect present. He remains a president who scores more than 50 percent in most polls, and whose party controls Congress. But it was misplaced in the context of 2009.
  • Senate confirms Martin as federal appeals court judge in Atlanta
    Jan 20, 2010 — Atlanta Journal Constitution
    He lauded Martin for having a balanced temperament as well as the tenacity of a former prosecutor.Martin is a fourth-generation lawyer from Macon.
  • The Democrats' Day After
    Jan 20, 2010 — New York Times
    Why are they allowing the filibuster to block things when the Republicans did not? Hence, it was and easy to get Democrats to do tax cuts. Republican negativism played great in the media, slowed or blunted reforms in the Senate, and interacted with slow-paced Democratic tactics in Congress to protract health reform bargaining.
  • For Christie, a Swearing-In That's Light on the Pomp
    Jan 19, 2010 — New York Times
    Christie was the United States attorney in Newark.Mr. Christie has released few details of his inaugural address, which Ms. Christie has leveled at state officials in recent weeks.
  • Gun control group gives Obama an 'F'
    Jan 19, 2010 — The Hill
    President Barack Obama on Monday received a failing grade from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for running away from gun control. When Obama was elected, gun rights supporters feared the new president would take away their guns; their worries spiked gun sales in the days and weeks before Obama’s inauguration. The National Rifle Association (NRA) said Obama would be the most anti-gun president in U.S. history.
  • Obama at odds with some Dems on key provision in healthcare
    Jan 19, 2010 — The Hill
    The White House is considering jettisoning bipartisan language championed by the late Sen. The provisions are part of both the House- and Senate-passed healthcare reform bills. The Eshoo-Barton amendment passed against Waxman’s wishes on a 47-11 tally.
  • Obama has a climb ahead in his second year
    Jan 19, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    What Obama cannot do Coast on his charisma In the 2008 campaign, Obama-mania was rampant. The result is likely to be passage of historic healthcare legislation. Draw upon his credibility The polling is worrisome for Obama, but there are bright spots.
  • Obama Looks To Tap Populist Anger
    Jan 19, 2010 — Politico
    In March and again in October of last year, Obama expressed outrage in response to reports of huge bonus payouts on Wall Street. However, his statements appeared intended to acknowledge public anger rather than stoke it.Early last year, that approach may have been essential. If Obama needed more bailout funds from Congress, whipping up further public frenzy over the issue would have made it even harder to get help from the Hill.
Take Action Click on the Take Action Now button to be taken to the US Chamber's Action Center where you can write your Members of Congress on issues of importance to the small business community.
Take Action Now!
Voter Resources