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Building a Bench

A Supreme Court nomination is perhaps the least predictable event in political life. A president never knows when a justice might decide to give up his or her lifetime appointment. It did not happen in Jimmy Carter's four years or in the first term of President Bush.

Obama Gets Look At Afghan War Zone

KABUL, July 19 -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama got his first look at deteriorating conditions in war-torn Afghanistan on Saturday, meeting with U.S. military commanders and local officials and touring part of the country by helicopter on the first day of a highly anticipated visit...

Right the Ship or Hold the Course?

From a book-lined den on the fifth floor of the Justice Department, the attorney general is watching the clock.

U.S. Talks With Iran Exemplify Bush's New Approaches

WACO, Tex., July 19 -- With his moves last week involving Iraq, Iran and North Korea, President Bush accelerated a shift toward centrist foreign policies, a change that has cheered Democrats, angered some Republicans and roiled the presidential campaign.

The Talk Shows

Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:

Some Legal Activists Have Hearts Set on 'True Liberal'

It could be seen as the sincerest form of flattery: Ask some activists on the left the kind of Supreme Court justice they would like to see a President Obama appoint, and the name you hear most is the same justice they most often denounce.

McCain's in the Red for June

Republican Sen. John McCain spent more money in June than he took in, a sign that his campaign began undergoing a major expansion last month, according to the monthly campaign finance report he filed with the Federal Election Commission late Friday.

Democrats Plan to Put Money on the Ground

Much has been made of Senate Democrats' two-to-one cash advantage over their Republican counterparts as the November elections approach.

Mukasey's Goal: Righting the Ship Or Just Steadying It?

From a book-lined den on the fifth floor of the Justice Department, the attorney general is watching the clock.

U.S., Iraq Agree To 'Time Horizon'

President Bush and Iraq's prime minister have agreed to set a "time horizon" for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq as part of a long-term security accord they are trying to negotiate by the end of the month, White House officials said yesterday.

Obama Going Abroad With World Watching

Sen. Barack Obama will make his international debut as a Democratic presidential candidate in the coming days with a weeklong tour of the Middle East and Europe designed to deepen his foreign policy credentials, confront questions at home about his readiness to be commander in chief, and signal the...

Move to Digital TV Faces Language Barrier

The television set in Marisa Orozco's Falls Church living room is almost always tuned to Spanish-language stations. For her parents, who don't speak English, the telenovelas -- soap operas -- and newscasts are a strong connection to their former lives in Colombia. The shows, received through the old...

Cosmic Markdown: EPA Says Life Is Worth Less

Someplace else, people might tell you that human life is priceless. In Washington, the federal government has appraised it like a '96 Camaro with bad brakes.

Governing in Black and White

One of the unspoken tenets of the Obama candidacy is that his election would be a milestone for race relations, healing many of the country's wounds.

Warming Is Major Threat To Humans, EPA Warns

Climate change will pose "substantial" threats to human health in the coming decades, the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday -- issuing its warnings about heat waves, hurricanes and pathogens just days after the agency declined to regulate the pollutants blamed for warming.

Bush Views Fire Devastation in N. Calif.

REDDING, Calif., July 17 -- President Bush joined Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday for a helicopter tour over the charred landscape of Shasta-Trinity National Forest, surveying a small part of the devastation left behind by the largest single "fire event" in California history.

Ashcroft Testifies on Interrogation Policy

Former attorney general John D. Ashcroft defended his approach to forestalling terrorist attacks but told lawmakers yesterday that he moved quickly to respond to concerns that some Justice Department memos employed shoddy reasoning.

New Stimulus Plan on Tap

Senate Democrats plan to unveil a second fiscal stimulus plan next week, this one worth at least $50 billion, arguing that soaring energy prices and the crisis in the housing market require a major jobs program to kick-start a faltering economy.

Congressman Seeks Ethics Probe of Fundraising

Rep. Charles B. Rangel, facing two controversies in as many weeks, called yesterday for an ethics committee investigation of his fundraising for an academic center that bears his name. But he said the panel should not delve into his rental of four New York apartments at below-market rates.

Baghdad Embassy Has Its Hands Full With Hill Visitors

When it comes to hosting congressional delegations, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad likes to think of itself as the eHarmony of Iraq -- lawmakers outline what they're looking for, and officials try to set up the perfect date.

In Obama Fundraising, Signs of a Shift From Online to In-Person

Sen. Barack Obama reversed a three-month fundraising slide by raising $52 million in June, a monthly total that has been surpassed only by his own performance in February in the history of presidential campaigns, aides announced yesterday.

Romney to Write Off Loans to Aid Party

MUSKEGON, Mich., July 17 -- Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will reclassify as a gift $45 million in loans he made to his campaign, his spokesman said Thursday, ensuring that he will not compete with presumptive GOP nominee John McCain for donations.

Investigation of Iraq IG Ends With No Charges

The federal government has dropped two investigations into the office of the inspector general overseeing Iraq reconstruction projects, according to a lawyer for the IG.

Tony Snow: Farewell To the Light Heart

Yesterday's funeral for Tony Snow was a grand send-off: a Mass, a tribute by President Bush, and more than 1,000 mourners, including an all-star lineup of Washington's political and media elite. It was sweet and sad, but if the former White House press secretary had his way, he would have opted f...

In Texas, the Right Boots Up to Gain Strength Online

AUSTIN, July 17 -- Now this is some serious smackdown, blogger style.

Gore Delivers Remarks on Energy and the Climate

FORMER VICE PRESIDENT ALBERT GORE JR.: Thank you. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

Transcript: Rep. Charles Rangel's Remarks on Controversial Academic Center

SPEAKER: REP. CHARLES B. RANGEL, D-N.Y. [*] RANGEL: Good morning. This looks like a pretty good crowd. That's great. Thank you so much for being here. Had some apprehensions that I might not get the same turnout. First of all, I'm trying to think of something that would be so catchy that would de...

Fed's Crisis Role Spurs Questions of Overreach

The sprawling financial and economic crisis is leading to expansion of the Federal Reserve's role, increasingly turning the central bank into a sort of all-purpose guarantor of the financial system.

Senate Agrees to $50 Billion AIDS Plan

The Senate approved legislation yesterday that would triple funding to fight AIDS and other diseases around the globe, rejecting efforts to pare down the bill's $50 billion price tag.

Keeping His Eye on the Ball

It was another day of turmoil in the capital. The Federal Reserve chairman again tried to reassure jittery markets. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said he wanted more troops in Afghanistan to put down the growing insurgency. And just before 4 p.m., President Bush stepped onto the South...

White House Blocks Release of FBI Files

The White House yesterday blocked a House committee's attempt to obtain internal FBI reports about the leak of a CIA officer's identity, asserting that notes from interviews of Vice President Cheney and other administration officials are protected by executive privilege.

Administration Wanted Loyalist As Justice Dept. Legal Adviser

Then-Attorney General John D. Ashcroft offered the White House a list of five candidates to lead the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel in early 2003, but top administration officials summarily rejected them in favor of installing a loyalist who would provide the legal footing needed to c...

Rangel Says He Welcomes Ethics Inquiry on Fundraising

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) said yesterday that he would welcome an ethics committee investigation into his fundraising efforts for an academic center that bears his name.

House Passes Intelligence Authorization Bill

The House yesterday passed by voice vote the fiscal 2009 intelligence authorization bill, which limits the funds available for covert actions next year until all members of the House intelligence panel are briefed on the most sensitive ones already underway.

The Running-Mate Question: Hill Veteran or Change Agent?

Sen. Barack Obama campaigned in Indiana yesterday with a pair of potential vice presidential picks and will travel abroad with a third, the latest round of high-profile appearances coinciding with a search process that could be critical to his chances of winning the White House in November.

Figures in Both Campaigns Have Deep Ties to Mortgage Giants

When Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's stock prices plunged and rumors of their insolvency swirled, the presidential campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama released terse statements about the mortgage giants, then went nearly silent.

In a Red State, Obama Tackles Issues of National Security

WEST LAFAYTETTE, Ind. -- Barack Obama promoted his proposals to stop the spread of nuclear weapons to countries unfriendly to the United States and to address other security threats at a campaign event in this traditionally Republican state. The Democratic candidate is targeting GOP strongholds...

Census Won't Count Gay Marriages

Diane Curtis and Ellen Leuchs tied the knot in May 2004, less than a week after Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage and a decade after beginning their life as a couple.

3 Anchors to Follow Obama's Trek Abroad

The three network anchors will travel to Europe and the Middle East next week for Barack Obama's trip, adding their high-wattage spotlight to what is already shaping up as a major media extravaganza.

McCain Addresses NAACP Convention

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN: (JOINED IN PROGRESS) I appreciate your kind invitation and this warm welcome to the NAACP. And by the way, this is your second invitation to me during my presidential campaign, and I hope you'll excuse me for passing on the opportunity at your convention last year and not being ...

Anchoring Obama's Trip

Barack Obama's upcoming swing through Europe and the Middle East is now guaranteed to be a major media event, certified by the presence of the three network anchors.

Obama Remarks On Confronting Terrorist Threats

BARACK OBAMA, D-ILL.: It's great to be back in Indiana with such a terrific group of experts. In a few moments, we'll open this up to a discussion, but first I'll make a few comments about some of the emerging threats that we face in the 21st century, and offer some ideas about how we can face t...

Obama Leads by 8 Points In Poll

Sen. Barack Obama holds his biggest advantage of the presidential campaign as the candidate best prepared to fix the nation's ailing economy, but lingering concerns about his readiness to handle international crises are keeping the race competitive, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Candidates Find Some Accord on Afghanistan

Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain shifted their foreign policy focus yesterday from the future of U.S. military involvement in Iraq to the deteriorating war in Afghanistan, with both White House hopefuls pledging thousands of additional troops and a large-scale infusion of aid for the Afghan...

Congress Easily Overrides Medicare Veto

President Bush sought to block a bill yesterday aimed at forestalling an 11 percent cut in payments to doctors taking care of Medicare patients, but Congress quickly overrode his veto.

Incumbent House Members Coast in Ga. Primaries

ATLANTA, July 15 -- Rep. John Lewis easily triumphed Tuesday in his first Democratic primary fight in 16 years, turning back two challengers on an election night in Georgia dominated by congressional incumbents.

Probe Is Urged of Rangel's Fundraising for N.Y. Center

The House Republican leader and a government watchdog group separately called yesterday for the House ethics committee to look into Rep. Charles B. Rangel's fundraising efforts on behalf of an academic center that bears his name.

The Trail

Hillary Rodham Clinton is giving donors to her general-election fund an option: Either take back the money given to her presidential campaign or contribute it to her 2012 Senate reelection effort.

Terrorism Suspect May Petition Civilian Court

A federal appellate court issued a new setback to the Bush administration on the treatment of terrorism suspects yesterday, declaring that the only accused "enemy combatant" apprehended and held on U.S. soil can petition a civilian court to review the evidence against him.

Bush Attempts to Allay Fears About the Economy

President Bush sought yesterday to reassure shaky markets and frightened consumers about worsening financial conditions, and he blamed congressional Democrats for not acting quickly enough to tackle the nation's economic troubles.

American Envoy To Join Iran Talks

The Bush administration will send a senior envoy this weekend to international talks with Iran about its nuclear program in what U.S. officials described as a "one-time deal" designed to demonstrate a serious desire to negotiate a solution to the impasse over Tehran's ambitions.

Costly Weapon-Detection Plans Are in Disarray, Investigators Say

Bush administration initiatives to defend the nation against a smuggled nuclear bomb or a biological outbreak or attack remain poorly coordinated, costing billions of tax dollars while basic goals and policies remain incomplete, according to new reports by congressional investigators.

House Panel Unveils Bill to Keep Airlines, FAA at 'Arm's Length'

U.S. House Transportation Committee leaders yesterday introduced an aviation safety bill aimed at keeping airlines and federal aviation inspectors at "arm's length."

Former Lobbyist Is Charged With Trying To Destroy Evidence

A former lobbyist and close friend of former congressman Curt Weldon was charged yesterday with trying to destroy potential evidence in the federal investigation of the Pennsylvania Republican.

Obama Delivers Remarks at NAACP Convention

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D-ILL.): It is always humbling to speak before the NAACP. It is a powerful reminder of the debt we all owe to those who marched for us and fought for us and stood up on our behalf; of the sacrifices that were made for us by those we never knew; and of the giants whose shoulder...

Obama Addresses National Security

OBAMA: Sixty-one years ago, George Marshall announced the plan that would come to bear his name. Much of Europe lay in ruins. The United States faced a powerful and ideological enemy intent on world domination. This menace was magnified by the recently discovered capability to destroy life on an ...

Bush Remarks on the Economy

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Good morning. It's been a difficult time for many American families who are coping with declining housing values and high gasoline prices. This week my administration took steps to help address both these challenges. To help address challenges in the housing and financi...

Bush Addresses Economy

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Good morning. It's been a difficult time for many American families who are coping with declining housing values and high gasoline prices. This week my administration took steps to help address both these challenges. To help address challenges in the housing and financia...

Obama Addresses the National Council of La Raza

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, D-ILL.: I've got to tell you, being here with all of you today feels a little like coming home. Because while I stand here as a candidate for President of the United States, I will never forget that the most important experience in my life came when I was doing what you do eac...

Rangel's Pet Cause Bears His Own Name

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel is soliciting donations from corporations with business interests before his panel, hoping to raise $30 million for a new academic center that will house his papers when he retires.

Poll Finds Voters Split on Candidates' Iraq-Pullout Positions

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds the country split down the middle between those backing Sen. Barack Obama's 16-month timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and those agreeing with Sen. John McCain's position that events, not timetables, should dictate when forces come home.

Banking Stocks Take a Lashing

Banking stocks suffered some of their worst losses in a generation yesterday as investors' confidence in the U.S. financial system continued to erode despite the dramatic initiative by the federal government Sunday evening to bolster mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Jobless Rate for Youths Is Increasing

CHICAGO -- Since Eddie Macias graduated from high school in Chicago on June 17, his summer has stretched in front of him.

A Challenge From the Obama Generation

A 21-year incumbent and an icon of the civil rights movement, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), is racing around his Atlanta district like a first-time candidate.

Responsibility Is Again Theme for Obama

Bush Rescinds Father's Offshore Oil Ban

President Bush yesterday lifted a presidential ban on offshore oil drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf that was implemented by his father, escalating a confrontation with Democrats in Congress over how to cope with soaring gas prices.

Lawmakers Fast-Track Help for Mortgage Giants

A Treasury Department plan to bolster beleaguered mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be added to a massive housing package working its way through Congress, to be to the president's desk within days, key lawmakers said today.

Sen. McCain Delivers Remarks at the La Raza Convention

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-ARIZ.): Thank you, Jane, for that kind introduction. Thank you, also to the leadership of the National Council of La Raza, and its board of directors. I'm very pleased to be with you again to discuss some of the issues in this campaign that most concern you. As you know, this ...

Bush Addresses Offshore Drilling

BUSH: Good afternoon. Across the country, Americans are concerned about the high price of gasoline. Every one of our citizens who drives to work or takes a family vacation or runs a small business is feeling the squeeze of rising prices at the pump. To reduce pressures on prices, we must contin...

In Obama's Circle, Chicago Remains The Tie That Binds

For once, Barack Obama left his iPod and stack of news clips at his seat and worked the front cabin of his campaign's chartered plane, laughing and reminiscing with the people who know him best.

U.S. Unveils Plan to Aid Mortgage Giants

The federal government unveiled a broad program yesterday evening to bolster troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, extending unprecedented support to the companies and proposing new authority to lend them money and even buy their stock.

Offshore Drilling Backed as Remedy for Oil Prices

On Jan. 28, 1969, a blowout on a Unocal rig six miles off the coast of California spilled 3 million gallons of oil into the waters off Santa Barbara. The blackened beaches and oil-soaked birds and seals became icons for the environmental movement and eventually brought oil exploration off the Atl...

Candidates Pushing Hard for the Latino Vote

SAN DIEGO, July 13 -- Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) are aggressively courting Latino voters in the early stages of their election contest, as the presumptive Republican nominee looks to hold on to Latino-heavy states, such as New Mexico, that Obama hopes to turn blue.

Gramm's Role Reduced

While Sen. John McCain might not be sending his friend and former Senate Republican colleague Phil Gramm off to Belarus quite yet, he is definitely done trotting him out on the campaign trail, and he is also minimizing the Texan's role among his team of advisers.

U.S., Iraq Scale Down Negotiations Over Forces

U.S. and Iraqi negotiators have abandoned efforts to conclude a comprehensive agreement governing the long-term status of U.S troops in Iraq before the end of the Bush presidency, according to senior U.S. officials, effectively leaving talks over an extended U.S. military presence there to the next...

Recent Bush Victories Smell of Compromise

The decider has become the compromiser. President Bush has racked up a series of significant political victories in recent weeks, on surveillance reform, war funding and an international agreement on global warming, but only after engaging in the kind of conciliation with opponents that his...

The Talk Shows

Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:

Clinton Urges Governors to Nurture 'Laboratories of Democracy'

PHILADELPHIA, July 12 -- Former president Bill Clinton kicked off the centennial gathering of the National Governors Association here Saturday with a challenge to the states to reassert themselves to help the country combat what he called the profound challenges of globalization and interdependency.

One Cannot Choose but Wonder

With the national party conventions less than two months away, the speculation over who John McCain and Barack Obama will pick as their seconds in command is heating up. The Fix's top five picks (5 being least likely to be chosen, 1 the most) for each party are below.

Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow Dies at 53

Tony Snow, the former television and radio talk show host who became President Bush's chief spokesman and redefined the role of White House press secretary with his lively banter with reporters, died yesterday at Georgetown University Hospital after losing a high-profile battle with cancer. He wa...

U.S. Weighs Rescue of Mortgage Giants

Senior government officials prepared emergency steps yesterday to rescue troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac but stopped short after a campaign of public statements eased immediate concerns about the stability of the institutions.

Judges Toss EPA Rule To Reduce Smog, Soot

A federal appeals court yesterday threw out a major component of the Bush administration's effort to reduce unhealthy levels of soot and smog in Eastern and Midwestern states, a decision that environmental groups worry will delay action on air pollution well into the next administration.

Germany Denies Being Pressured on Obama

BERLIN, July 11 -- The German government strongly denied Friday that it had been pressured by the Bush administration to discourage Sen. Barack Obama from giving an address in front of the landmark Brandenburg Gate during his upcoming European tour.

The Trail

DAYTON, Ohio -- Sen. Barack Obama wishes he spoke Spanish -- or some other language.

EPA Seeks Comment on Emissions Rules, Then Discredits Effort

The Bush administration yesterday unveiled but immediately disparaged a proposal to seek public comment on whether the government should regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, declaring at the outset that the proposed approach would be unworkable.

EPA Won't Act on Emissions This Year

The Bush administration has decided not to take any new steps to regulate greenhouse gas emissions before the president leaves office, despite pressure from the Supreme Court and broad accord among senior federal officials that new regulation is appropriate now.

Fannie, Freddie Shares Plunge as Unease Rises

Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two pillars of the nation's housing market, continued to plummet yesterday as investors and federal officials contemplated the possibility that the giants of the mortgage business could require a federal bailout.

Gramm Remark Adds to McCain's Difficulty Addressing the Economy

BELLEVILLE, Mich., July 10 -- Sen. John McCain ventured to an auto-parts supplier in this hard-hit Detroit suburb to express sympathy for those affected by Michigan's economic malaise and to talk up his ideas for creating jobs in the region.

Jackson Incident Revives Some Blacks' Concerns About Obama

The larger point of Jesse L. Jackson's criticism of Barack Obama -- if not the crude way he expressed it -- touched a nerve among some African American political activists who have been unhappy about the senator 's pointed critiques of absentee fathers and other problems in the black community.

Mukasey Rejects Inquiry

Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey rejected calls to appoint a special counsel to investigate Bush administration officials who approved the use of coercive interrogation techniques against terrorism suspects.

Obama Brings Economic Message to N.Va.

Sen. Barack Obama said yesterday at a town hall meeting in Fairfax County that if elected president, he would bolster the economy by helping working mothers. It was his second visit to the area since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee and occurred on a day when his likely Republican foe ...

The Red, White and Eat Your Greens Party

The folks organizing (if you want to call it that) the Democratic National Convention have spent all week trying to squash a major flapdoodle involving political correctness and color that threatened to confirm every negative stereotype about how Democrats are so hilariously sensitive to the full...

Senate Housing Bill Moves Toward Passage

A massive package of housing legislation that seeks to rescue hundreds of thousands of homeowners in danger of foreclosure while shoring up confidence in struggling mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac cleared a final procedural hurdle in the Senate yesterday and was headed for passage.

Bush Remarks on Signing of FISA Bill

BUSH: Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you. Welcome to the Rose Garden. Today I'm pleased to sign landmark legislation that is vital to the security of our people. The bill will allow our intelligence professionals to quickly and effectively monitor the communications of terrorists abroad ...