February 11, 2009 4:31 PM
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Dems To Bush: See You In September
The Skinny is Joel Roberts' take on the top news of the day and the best of the Internet.
Nearly all the morning papers lead with the decision by Senate Democrats to cut off debate on the Iraq war after an all-night session failed to sway enough Republicans to vote with them on a troop withdrawal plan.
The New York Times said the move "appeared to postpone the next Senate showdown over the war until September" and give President Bush "the added time he said he needed to demonstrate that his troop buildup was succeeding."
The Washington Post said the decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to suspend the debate – and deny consideration of competing Iraq plans – "startled colleagues," but was "hailed by antiwar groups, which have urged Democrats not to compromise."
The NYT said Reid acted out of concern that allowing Republican senators who opposed a firm deadline for a troop withdrawal to vote for other, less extreme measures could give them "political cover."
While the Democrats' essentially "handed the president a two-month reprieve," the Los Angeles Times says the delay "may prove troublesome for some Republicans" who now have to go home for the summer recess and face their constituents "after voting against a measure that would have compelled Bush to start bringing the unpopular war to an end."
Moms In The House
It's hard enough for most working moms to juggle the demands of career and family. But what if the mom's job is working in the House – as in the U.S. House of Representatives?
The Washington Post reports Thursday on the challenges faced by the 10 women in Congress raising children under 13, who have to balance "motherhood with politicking, lawmaking, fundraising and the constant shuttle between Washington and their home states."
Most of the congresswomen live apart from their kids during the week, "parenting by phone, e-mail and faxes and relying on husbands, family or nannies to fill the gaps." But what really sets them apart from the 70 percent of mothers with school-age kids who work outside the home, the Post says, is that "the public will scrutinize and judge the mothering choices" they make.
They're also judged differently than their male colleagues with small children. Male lawmakers "get kudos" from voters for raising young kids, one analyst says, while women are often penalized for it
Harry Potter Countdown
Long lines and lawsuits preceded the midnight arrival(12:01 a.m. Saturday) of the final installment in the Harry Potter saga.
While eager readers camped out at bookstores across the country, the Los Angeles Times reports the book's publisher, Scholastic Inc., is suing an online retailer for breaking an embargo on shipping copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" before 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The New York Times, meanwhile, jumps the gun, too, running a review of the book – which it says was purchased Thursday at a New York City store – in Friday's paper. The Times doesn't spill the beans on the fate of young Harry, but does say that the series "ends not with modernist, 'Soprano'-esque equivocation, but with good old-fashioned closure."
A NOTE TO READERS: The Skinny is now available via e-mail. Click here and follow the directions to register to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Nearly all the morning papers lead with the decision by Senate Democrats to cut off debate on the Iraq war after an all-night session failed to sway enough Republicans to vote with them on a troop withdrawal plan.
The New York Times said the move "appeared to postpone the next Senate showdown over the war until September" and give President Bush "the added time he said he needed to demonstrate that his troop buildup was succeeding."
The Washington Post said the decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to suspend the debate – and deny consideration of competing Iraq plans – "startled colleagues," but was "hailed by antiwar groups, which have urged Democrats not to compromise."
The NYT said Reid acted out of concern that allowing Republican senators who opposed a firm deadline for a troop withdrawal to vote for other, less extreme measures could give them "political cover."
While the Democrats' essentially "handed the president a two-month reprieve," the Los Angeles Times says the delay "may prove troublesome for some Republicans" who now have to go home for the summer recess and face their constituents "after voting against a measure that would have compelled Bush to start bringing the unpopular war to an end."
Moms In The House
It's hard enough for most working moms to juggle the demands of career and family. But what if the mom's job is working in the House – as in the U.S. House of Representatives?
The Washington Post reports Thursday on the challenges faced by the 10 women in Congress raising children under 13, who have to balance "motherhood with politicking, lawmaking, fundraising and the constant shuttle between Washington and their home states."
Most of the congresswomen live apart from their kids during the week, "parenting by phone, e-mail and faxes and relying on husbands, family or nannies to fill the gaps." But what really sets them apart from the 70 percent of mothers with school-age kids who work outside the home, the Post says, is that "the public will scrutinize and judge the mothering choices" they make.
They're also judged differently than their male colleagues with small children. Male lawmakers "get kudos" from voters for raising young kids, one analyst says, while women are often penalized for it
Harry Potter Countdown
Long lines and lawsuits preceded the midnight arrival(12:01 a.m. Saturday) of the final installment in the Harry Potter saga.
While eager readers camped out at bookstores across the country, the Los Angeles Times reports the book's publisher, Scholastic Inc., is suing an online retailer for breaking an embargo on shipping copies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" before 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
The New York Times, meanwhile, jumps the gun, too, running a review of the book – which it says was purchased Thursday at a New York City store – in Friday's paper. The Times doesn't spill the beans on the fate of young Harry, but does say that the series "ends not with modernist, 'Soprano'-esque equivocation, but with good old-fashioned closure."
A NOTE TO READERS: The Skinny is now available via e-mail. Click here and follow the directions to register to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning.
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