Democrats Want To Bring Scientists Back Into Environmental Policy Debate
(AP/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service )
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Read all posts by Adam Hutton in Political Hotsheet
March 5, 2009 9:36 PM America's policy decisions about global warming and its impact on endangered species could once again be influenced by the scientists and researchers who understand the issue best, as Senate Democrats voted Thursday to allow President Obama to wipe out Bush administration rules that excluded such experts from the process, reports the Associated Press.
February 19, 2009 5:45 PM 
The lobbyist who filed a lawsuit against The New York Times over a story which allegedly implied she had a romantic affair with Sen. John McCain, has withdrawn her $27 million defamation suit, the Associated Press reported.
According to the U.S. District Court, attorneys for Vicki Iseman filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of the December legal action. The story in question appeared in the paper almost exactly a year ago, when McCain was out on the campaign trail. The piece, written by four veteran Times' reporters, was about McCain's first campaign for President in 2000 and the chummy appearance the candidate displayed with the lobbyist.
Lobbyist Drops NYT Suit Over Alleged Affair With McCain
(AP Photo/Stephen J Boitano)
According to the U.S. District Court, attorneys for Vicki Iseman filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of the December legal action. The story in question appeared in the paper almost exactly a year ago, when McCain was out on the campaign trail. The piece, written by four veteran Times' reporters, was about McCain's first campaign for President in 2000 and the chummy appearance the candidate displayed with the lobbyist.
February 14, 2009 11:47 PM
White House Not Challenging Rove's Privilege
The Obama White House is not challenging whether a valid claim of “executive privilege” can keep former presidential advisor Karl Rove from testifying in the matter of the U.S. Attorney firings during the Bush Administration.
In a statement provided to CBS News, White House Counsel Gregory Craig says Pres. Obama is “very sympathetic to those who want to find out what happened.”
But at the same time, Craig makes it clear that Mr. Obama is not disputing the claim of privilege.
“He is also mindful as president of the United States not to do anything that would undermine or weaken the institution of the presidency,” Craig says in the statement.
In a statement provided to CBS News, White House Counsel Gregory Craig says Pres. Obama is “very sympathetic to those who want to find out what happened.”
But at the same time, Craig makes it clear that Mr. Obama is not disputing the claim of privilege.
“He is also mindful as president of the United States not to do anything that would undermine or weaken the institution of the presidency,” Craig says in the statement.
February 14, 2009 9:42 PM
Renegade Republicans Push Stimulus Over The Finish Line
President Obama owes the passage of his stimulus bill to three senators from the losing side, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier.
Renegade Republicans – senators Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine – tipped the balance toward Mr. Obama's plan in a late night Senate vote on Friday, forwarding the package to the president's desk by a 60-38 margin.
Renegade Republicans – senators Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine – tipped the balance toward Mr. Obama's plan in a late night Senate vote on Friday, forwarding the package to the president's desk by a 60-38 margin.
Video: February 9, 2009 9:40 PM 
President Obama covered a wide range of issues in his first primetime press conference, touching on topics as disparate as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and revelations that Alex Rodriguez had abused steroids during his Major League Baseball career. What follows is a series of excerpts from the press conference.
Obama's First News Conference Covers A Range Of Issues
(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
February 9, 2009 7:55 PM
White House Eyes Cyber Security Plan
In the age of terrorism and the Internet, threats to the United States' national security come not just from those wielding bombs and guns, but unconventional weapons – such as a keyboard and a mouse.
The White House announced today that it will conduct a review of the nation's cyber security to "ensure that U.S. Government cyber security initiatives are appropriately integrated, resourced and coordinated with Congress and the private sector," according to a release from the White House.
The announcement comes less than a week after President Obama's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon Panetta, raised the issue of protecting vital national security interests online during a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee. During the hearing, Panetta uttered the phrase "cyber-attack" in the same breath as such threats as al Qaeda and the potential of a nuclear armed North Korea.
(AP)
The announcement comes less than a week after President Obama's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon Panetta, raised the issue of protecting vital national security interests online during a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee. During the hearing, Panetta uttered the phrase "cyber-attack" in the same breath as such threats as al Qaeda and the potential of a nuclear armed North Korea.
January 28, 2009 8:42 PM
It's Good To Be Commander-In-Chief
The man who 2½ months ago was the junior senator from Illinois, today made his first visit to the Pentagon as commander-in-chief.
With the help of police who shut down traffic in both directions on Constitution Avenue and the Memorial Bridge over the Potomac –Pres. Obama made the trip from the White House to the River Entrance of the Defense Department in ten minutes flat.
He was escorted to “The Tank” – nickname of the secure conference room of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he spent longer than expected - nearly two hours - discussing his plans to withdraw most U.S. forces from Iraq and send more American troops to Afghanistan.
With the help of police who shut down traffic in both directions on Constitution Avenue and the Memorial Bridge over the Potomac –Pres. Obama made the trip from the White House to the River Entrance of the Defense Department in ten minutes flat.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
January 27, 2009 12:18 AM 
President Obama reached out to the Muslim world Monday in an exclusive interview on Arab television network Al Arabiya.
"In all my travels throughout the Muslim world, what I've come to understand is that regardless of your faith – and America is a country of Muslims, Jews, Christians, non-believers – regardless of your faith, people all have certain common hopes and common dreams," Obama said in the wide ranging interview, a transcript of which can be found below.
The freshly-minted president spoke about the prospects for peace in the Middle East, the nuclear threat posed by Iran and the stake that America has in the overall well-being of the Arab world. Mr. Obama praised the people of Iran, but chided their government for stirring up trouble in the region.
"Iran has acted in ways that's not conducive to peace and prosperity in the region: their threats against Israel; their pursuit of a nuclear weapon which could potentially set off an arms race in the region that would make everybody less safe; their support of terrorist organizations in the past – none of these things have been helpful," Obama said.
Obama Addresses Muslim World On Arab Television
(Al Arabiya)
"In all my travels throughout the Muslim world, what I've come to understand is that regardless of your faith – and America is a country of Muslims, Jews, Christians, non-believers – regardless of your faith, people all have certain common hopes and common dreams," Obama said in the wide ranging interview, a transcript of which can be found below.
The freshly-minted president spoke about the prospects for peace in the Middle East, the nuclear threat posed by Iran and the stake that America has in the overall well-being of the Arab world. Mr. Obama praised the people of Iran, but chided their government for stirring up trouble in the region.
"Iran has acted in ways that's not conducive to peace and prosperity in the region: their threats against Israel; their pursuit of a nuclear weapon which could potentially set off an arms race in the region that would make everybody less safe; their support of terrorist organizations in the past – none of these things have been helpful," Obama said.
January 19, 2009 8:37 PM 
Bob Schieffer, CBS News' chief Washington correspondent and anchor of Face the Nation, has been covering inaugurations since L.B.J. In 1965, but he's never seen anything like this.
"It's impossible to overstate the atmosphere," Schieffer says. "There's this feeling of good will that seems to have settled over the capitol. I've never really seen anything like it. I did an interview with Bill Safire who wrote speeches for Richard Nixon and he said to me in the interview 'I really want him to succeed.'
Schieffer Reflects On Historic Inauguration
(CBS)
"It's impossible to overstate the atmosphere," Schieffer says. "There's this feeling of good will that seems to have settled over the capitol. I've never really seen anything like it. I did an interview with Bill Safire who wrote speeches for Richard Nixon and he said to me in the interview 'I really want him to succeed.'
January 18, 2009 6:41 PM 
CBS News has confirmed that Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has asked President Bush to pardon Ted Stevens, the former Alaska senator from charged with several felony counts by a federal jury in 2008.
Murkowski’s spokesperson, Mike Brumas spoke to CBS News' Ryan Corsaro by phone, saying that Sen. Murkowski had made the request to President Bush, but would not give details.
“It's a sensitive time right now,” said Brumas after confirming the pardon had been requested. Murkowski does not have an announcement scheduled for tomorrow.
Murkowski Asks Bush To Pardon Stevens
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Murkowski’s spokesperson, Mike Brumas spoke to CBS News' Ryan Corsaro by phone, saying that Sen. Murkowski had made the request to President Bush, but would not give details.
“It's a sensitive time right now,” said Brumas after confirming the pardon had been requested. Murkowski does not have an announcement scheduled for tomorrow.
Grammy winner Shakira on her music career, philanthropy and being sexy..
