David Plouffe: Obama "Delivering on His Promise"
(CBS)
"I think generally these elections tend to be overrated in terms of what they mean later," David Plouffe told "The Early Show" of the GOP victories in New Jersey and Virginia.
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November 4, 2009 7:35 AM President Obama's campaign manager played down Wednesday the significance of election results that saw Republicans steal two governorships from his party, and gave a glowing assessment of his boss's performance one year into the job.
"I think generally these elections tend to be overrated in terms of what they mean later," David Plouffe told "The Early Show" of the GOP victories in New Jersey and Virginia.
"I think generally these elections tend to be overrated in terms of what they mean later," David Plouffe told "The Early Show" of the GOP victories in New Jersey and Virginia.
November 3, 2009 7:54 AM 
Former Alaska Governor and Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is one of the most polarizing figures in politics today. Love her or hate her, when Sarah Palin speaks, people pay attention.
New revelations about her life from the campaign that made her an overnight sensation are now coming to light in a new book, "Sarah from Alaska," jointly authored by CBS News' own Scott Conroy and Shushannah Walshe.
The book, based on the two authors' experience covering the campaign from within Palin's inner circle, shines a unique light on the new Republican superstar's meteoric rise.
Click here for an exclusive excerpt from "Sarah from Alaska"
Conroy tells CBS "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith that he and Walshe bore witness to a "remarkable internal war" between Palin's staff and that of her boss, former Presidential Candidate John McCain.
Walshe tells Smith that McCain's campaign leaders were "terrified that she would embarrass John McCain, even after the campaign had officially ended."
Another revelation in the book; the authors allege that Palin didn't tell her daughters she was running for vice president, instead leaving it to a staffer to deliver the news.
Sarah Palin: The Inside Story
(CBS)
New revelations about her life from the campaign that made her an overnight sensation are now coming to light in a new book, "Sarah from Alaska," jointly authored by CBS News' own Scott Conroy and Shushannah Walshe.
The book, based on the two authors' experience covering the campaign from within Palin's inner circle, shines a unique light on the new Republican superstar's meteoric rise.
Click here for an exclusive excerpt from "Sarah from Alaska"
Conroy tells CBS "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith that he and Walshe bore witness to a "remarkable internal war" between Palin's staff and that of her boss, former Presidential Candidate John McCain.
Walshe tells Smith that McCain's campaign leaders were "terrified that she would embarrass John McCain, even after the campaign had officially ended."
Another revelation in the book; the authors allege that Palin didn't tell her daughters she was running for vice president, instead leaving it to a staffer to deliver the news.
August 14, 2009 3:38 AM 
Damon Weaver made his name in journalism with a campaign-time interview of then-Vice Presidential wannabe Joe Biden. Now, a veteran reporter at the age of 11, the Florida boy sat down at the White House to pepper the President himself on issues important to American kids.
Weaver admitted to being a bit nervous as he waited for the nation's leader to enter the Diplomatic Room. However, for the remainder of the nine minute "dream" interview, which appeared Thursday night on YouTube, his nerves never betrayed him.
The reporter, who has doubtless become something more of a media star than his position at Kathryn E. Cunningham Canal Point Elementary's KEC-TV initially promised, first prodded the Commander in Chief to reveal details of his upcoming education reform plans.
Reporter, 11, Grants Obama Homeboy Status
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Weaver admitted to being a bit nervous as he waited for the nation's leader to enter the Diplomatic Room. However, for the remainder of the nine minute "dream" interview, which appeared Thursday night on YouTube, his nerves never betrayed him.
The reporter, who has doubtless become something more of a media star than his position at Kathryn E. Cunningham Canal Point Elementary's KEC-TV initially promised, first prodded the Commander in Chief to reveal details of his upcoming education reform plans.
August 5, 2009 8:14 AM 
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith Wednesday that the United States has not put itself in a position of owing North Korea any diplomatic favors by securing the release of two journalists arrested for entering the country illegally.
As former President Bill Clinton flew home with Laura Ling and Euna Lee, Richardson said that in the diplomatic "chess game" between North Korea and Washington, "it's equal right now".
U.S.-N. Korea Chess Game "Equal Right Now"
(AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency)
As former President Bill Clinton flew home with Laura Ling and Euna Lee, Richardson said that in the diplomatic "chess game" between North Korea and Washington, "it's equal right now".
June 4, 2009 5:08 AM 
A federal judge in San Francisco has tossed out a slew of lawsuits filed against AT&T and other telecommunications companies alleged to have illegally opened their networks to the National Security Agency.
U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker on Wednesday ruled that, thanks to a 2008 federal law retroactively immunizing those companies, approximately 46 lawsuits brought by civil liberties groups and class action lawyers will be dismissed. (See our related story.)
Congress has created a "'focused immunity' for private entities who assisted the government with activities that allegedly violated plaintiffs’ constitutional rights," Walker wrote in a 46-page opinion. That has not, he said, "affected plaintiffs' underlying constitutional rights."
Wednesday's ruling is a bitter defeat to groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union, which are coordinating the lawsuits over warrantless wiretapping. They had hoped to convince the judge that the law improperly infringed upon the separation of powers described in the U.S. Constitution and handed too much power to the executive branch.
Judge Halts Suits Over NSA Wiretapping
(CBS/AP)
U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker on Wednesday ruled that, thanks to a 2008 federal law retroactively immunizing those companies, approximately 46 lawsuits brought by civil liberties groups and class action lawyers will be dismissed. (See our related story.)
Congress has created a "'focused immunity' for private entities who assisted the government with activities that allegedly violated plaintiffs’ constitutional rights," Walker wrote in a 46-page opinion. That has not, he said, "affected plaintiffs' underlying constitutional rights."
Wednesday's ruling is a bitter defeat to groups including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union, which are coordinating the lawsuits over warrantless wiretapping. They had hoped to convince the judge that the law improperly infringed upon the separation of powers described in the U.S. Constitution and handed too much power to the executive branch.
June 3, 2009 2:07 AM 
The government mistakenly published a detailed list of the nation's civilian nuclear sites online, sparking an flurry of debate on how dangerous the breach really was before it was reported and called into question by the New York Times.
The 266-page report was marked "highly confidential," and listed the many sites across the country which comprise the civilian nuclear power network — and some weapons testing locations — but not, according to the Times, any sensitive information on military programs or the security systems in place to protect the nuclear sites.
Government Publishes "Confidential" Nuke Info
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The 266-page report was marked "highly confidential," and listed the many sites across the country which comprise the civilian nuclear power network — and some weapons testing locations — but not, according to the Times, any sensitive information on military programs or the security systems in place to protect the nuclear sites.
June 1, 2009 6:22 AM 
President Obama has said his Supreme Court pick, Sonia Sotomayor, has earned the "respect of colleagues on the bench, the admiration of many lawyers who argue cases in her court and the adoration of her clerks, who look to her as a mentor."
On Monday, some of those adoring clerks are making their official argument for Sotomayor — with 45 who previously worked with her signing a joint letter of endorsement and sending it directly to the lawmakers in charge of her approval.
"As former law clerks to the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, we write this letter to offer our enthusiastic and wholehearted support for President Obama's nomination of Judge Sotomayor to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States," begins the letter, addressed to the Senate leaders of both parties and the two men at the top of the Judiciary committee.
Law Clerks Endorse Sotomayor
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
On Monday, some of those adoring clerks are making their official argument for Sotomayor — with 45 who previously worked with her signing a joint letter of endorsement and sending it directly to the lawmakers in charge of her approval.
"As former law clerks to the Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, we write this letter to offer our enthusiastic and wholehearted support for President Obama's nomination of Judge Sotomayor to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States," begins the letter, addressed to the Senate leaders of both parties and the two men at the top of the Judiciary committee.
May 25, 2009 8:39 AM
"Three Navy SEAL snipers take out Somali pirates," the headlines trumpeted a few weeks back. "Head shots, every one!"
In Coronado, where they put incoming would-be SEALs through BUDs, there were groans. BUDs stands for Basic Underwater Demolition — the six-month course you have to get through, just to start the three-year process of becoming a SEAL.
"Oh, great," they were saying. "Now, everyone will think, 'how cool to be a SEAL.' Now we'll get a bunch of young guys trying to sign up who think this is some kind of video game."
Navy SEALs And The Sign On The Door
The first thing most people get wrong about Navy SEALs is that they love the limelight.
Video: "Three Navy SEAL snipers take out Somali pirates," the headlines trumpeted a few weeks back. "Head shots, every one!"
In Coronado, where they put incoming would-be SEALs through BUDs, there were groans. BUDs stands for Basic Underwater Demolition — the six-month course you have to get through, just to start the three-year process of becoming a SEAL.
"Oh, great," they were saying. "Now, everyone will think, 'how cool to be a SEAL.' Now we'll get a bunch of young guys trying to sign up who think this is some kind of video game."
February 13, 2009 4:58 AM
Senate Vote On Stimulus Expected
The Senate is expected to vote on the economic stimulus package Friday evening, Sen. Harry Reid announced Thursday. The vote was expected to begin at about 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
A 60-vote threshold is required to pass the legislation long-sought by President Obama.
Democrats pushing for the plan's passage now have the 60 votes they need, even without Sen. Ted Kennedy, who was not expected to attend the session. Fifty-seven Democrats are onboard, and three Republicans; Susan Collins, R-ME, Olympia Snowe, R-ME, and Arlen Specter, R-PA.
It is expected to be a very long vote because the Senate will wait for Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who will be returning from his home state where funeral proceedings are being held for his mother.
A 60-vote threshold is required to pass the legislation long-sought by President Obama.
Democrats pushing for the plan's passage now have the 60 votes they need, even without Sen. Ted Kennedy, who was not expected to attend the session. Fifty-seven Democrats are onboard, and three Republicans; Susan Collins, R-ME, Olympia Snowe, R-ME, and Arlen Specter, R-PA.
It is expected to be a very long vote because the Senate will wait for Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who will be returning from his home state where funeral proceedings are being held for his mother.
January 29, 2009 2:33 AM This analysis was written by CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen.
Today, the threadbare phrase “political theater” rises temporarily from cliché. Kingfish-like, Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich will tear himself away from the green rooms and audio ear pieces of New York and will, on this last Thursday of the rest of his life, deliver himself into the well of the State Senate in Springfield.
There, he will face his prosecutors, who also happen to be his judges, to stand and deliver his own closing argument for an impeachment trial at which he has not been present or presented any defense.
Gladiator Blagojevich To Face The Lions
(AP Photo/Richard Drew)
There, he will face his prosecutors, who also happen to be his judges, to stand and deliver his own closing argument for an impeachment trial at which he has not been present or presented any defense.
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
