44 - Politics and Policy in Obama's Washington - April 6, 2008

Obama Concedes He Misspoke

As his political opponents heap on scorn, Sen. Barack Obama acknowledged that he chose his words poorly when describing small-town Pennsylvanians at a fundraiser on Sunday. But he didn't back off the message he had sought to convey. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 12, 2008; 12:08 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (596)

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In Hoosier State, Clinton Ramps Up 'Bitter' Talk

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- For the second straight day, Sen. Hillary Clinton blasted Sen. Barack Obama for comments he made that voters in small towns in Pennsylvania and other states were "bitter" because of the loss of job in their states. --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Web Politics Editor | April 12, 2008; 11:56 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (62)

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Obama Expands on 'Bitter' Pennsylvanians Comment

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Sen. Barack Obama didn't back down from "Bittergate." At a town hall meeting here tonight, he repeated the offending word three times. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 11, 2008; 9:37 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (727)

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Obama Calls Small-Town Pennsylvanians 'Bitter'

Sen. Hillary Clinton criticized Sen. Barack Obama for a comment the Illinois senator made at a fundraiser in San Francisco earlier this week in which he referred to voters in Pennsylvania as "bitter." --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Washington Post Editors | April 11, 2008; 8:37 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (138)

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Bill Clinton's Bosnia Comments Revive a Controversy

Bill Clinton's defense of his wife leads to a need for self-defense. --Michael Dobbs

By Web Politics Editor | April 11, 2008; 8:03 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (35)

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McCain Challenges Obama on Public Financing

Sen. John McCain prods Sen. Barack Obama to live up to a past commitment to accept public funds for the general election. --Dan Balz

By Washington Post Editors | April 11, 2008; 3:37 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (47)

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Will Halt in Troop Withdrawals Give Dems Flexibility?

What if Bush's decision to suspend troop withdrawals from Iraq is actually doing a favor for a future Democratic president? What if, intentionally or not, he is giving a President Obama or a President Clinton more running room come January 20? --Peter Baker

By Web Politics Editor | April 11, 2008; 12:35 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (77)
Categories: B_Blog, Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Morning Cheat Sheet
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Clinton Touts Crime Plan

PHILADELPHIA -- Signaling she is not conceding the black vote to Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton touted her plan to reduce urban crime while speaking at a YMCA in a mostly African America neighborhood here. --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Web Politics Editor | April 11, 2008; 11:57 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (62)

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Citizen McCain

New efforts to make sure John McCain's citizenship is not questioned.

By Web Politics Editor | April 11, 2008; 11:42 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)

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Obama on Powell, Public Financing and Mark Penn

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Sen. Barack Obama addressed a number of newsy issues at a press conference this morning. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 11, 2008; 9:52 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (37)

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Keeping a Sense of Perspective on College Life

LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Sen. Barack Obama has a vision, and it extends well beyond health care and Iraq. It includes parenting (turn off the TV and video games). And eating habits (no cold Popeye's for breakfast). And now, dorm life. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 10:01 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Barack Obama
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Pizza and Economy on the Menu for McCain

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) gave a speech in Brooklyn, N.Y., on the economy and housing crisis. He also visited Verrazano Pizza during his campaign stop, and is pictured here paying for a slice. April 10, 2008. (Reuters)

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 7:43 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: The Day in Pictures
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Clinton: America Needs Leader Who Won't 'Bend' or 'Break'

Is Hillary Clinton saying Barack Obama isn't tough enough to be president? --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 6:31 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (124)

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Questions on Trade Agreement Bring Back the Laugh

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Asked about her husband's receipt of almost $1 million from a group that backs a trade deal with Colombia that she opposes, Sen. Hillary Clinton turned to a tactic she had used often early in her campaign, though not recently: laughing off the question. --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 6:20 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (27)

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McCain Urges Olympic Ceremony Boycott

Republican presidential candidate John McCain added his voice to the growing chorus of officials urging President Bush to consider boycotting the opening ceremonies at the 2008 Olympics in China. --Dan Balz

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 2:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (20)

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Obama Rallies Gary with Talk of Tough Times

GARY, Ind. -- Sen. Barack Obama brought his newly minted economic populist message to one of the country's most troubled cities -- and a key front in his nomination battle with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 1:59 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (98)

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McCain Refines Plan for Homeowners

BROOKLYN -- Two weeks after drawing criticism for saying he favored only a limited federal role to help deal with the home mortgage crisis, Republican presidential candidate John McCain sought to assure Americans he is prepared to use the government where necessary to help ease the impact of a declining economy on working families. --Dan Balz

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 1:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (56)

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Examining a Mother's Work

Time magazine story by Amanda Ripley.

By Web Politics Editor | April 10, 2008; 12:57 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (30)
Categories: Politics News From Around the Web
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Boycott Gets a Maybe from Obama

LEVITTOWN, Pa. -- Sen. Barack Obama today took a wait-and-see approach to a potential boycott of the opening ceremonies in Beijing. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 7:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (69)

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Candidates React to Carter Hamas Plans

Former president Jimmy Carter plans to meet next week in Damascus with Khaled Meshal, the head of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in a direct rebuke of the Bush administration's campaign to isolate it. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, was quick to blast Carter's reported plans, while Clinton and Obama issued statements with milder language, saying they "disagreed" or did "not agree" with Carter's plans. --Glenn Kessler

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 7:13 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (38)

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On the Stump, McCain Outlines Differences with Bush

WESTPORT, Conn. -- Speaking before a global investment firm this afternoon, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) took pains to distance himself from President Bush even as he reiterated his support for Gen. David Petraeus's handling of the war in Iraq. --Juliet Eilperin

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 6:56 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (41)

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Unique Tensions, When a Former President's the Spouse

Hillary Clinton's husband's business dealings create unique challenges for her campaign. --Matthew Mosk

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 6:19 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Hillary Rodham Clinton
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Where It All Began for Obama

Sen. Barack Obama disclosed to a crowd of 1,400 that the ice cream chain Basin-Robbins was his first employer as a teenager. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 4:48 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Barack Obama
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New Clinton Radio Spot Goes After Obama on Energy Policy

Hillary Clinton has released a radio ad criticizing an Obama television ad saying he takes no money from oil companies. --Garance Franke-Ruta

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 4:39 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (108)
Categories: The Elements of Advertising
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Obama's Emerging Economic Message

MALVERN, Pa. -- Sen. Barack Obama took aim at both parties for lacking an economic vision to lead the country into a more prosperous era, decrying the "Bush-Cheney-McCain" principle of "you're on your own," rather than "we're all in this together." --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 3:04 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Pelosi Pooh-Poohs the 'Dream Ticket' (Again)

In an interview with four student journalists as part of mtvU's "Editorial Board," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revisited comments she made roughly a month ago -- that there was no way that the so-called "Dream Ticket" would come to pass.

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 2:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (21)

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Clinton Steps Away from Husband's Position on Trade

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- In the wake of reports that both her husband and former chief strategist support expanded trade relations with Colombia, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said again on Wednesday that she opposes the pending free trade agreement -- and that there is no conflict within her campaign on the subject. --Anne E. Kornblut

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 1:41 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (131)

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From Clinton, Fresh Questions for the President - and Obama

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. -- On the heels of congressional appearances by the top US leaders in Iraq, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton took the war back to the campaign trail on Wednesday, challenging President Bush to answer questions she said were dodged during testimony. --Anne E. Kornblut

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 12:20 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Light Reading Aboard the Obama Express

The Obama campaign gets a new charter airplane, one that's still using the inflight materials for its previous route to Nigeria. --Shailagh Murray

By Web Politics Editor | April 9, 2008; 11:56 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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A Clinton Supports Colombian Trade Deal

Former president Bill Clinton has spoken in favor of the proposed bilateral trade agreement with Colombia, which his wife opposes. --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Washington Post Editors | April 8, 2008; 6:06 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Clinton's Questions for Crocker and Petraeus

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By washingtonpost.com Editors | April 8, 2008; 4:57 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Video Report
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Clinton: Time for 'an Orderly Process of Withdrawing'

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By washingtonpost.com Editors | April 8, 2008; 2:47 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Video Report
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Clinton Lead in Pa. Dwindles

Hillary Clinton's Pennsylvania lead has dwindled to six points, according to a new statewide survey of likely Democratic primary voters. --Jon Cohen

By Web Politics Editor | April 8, 2008; 2:35 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Pollster
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McCain: 'Hope and Optimism' About Iraq

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By washingtonpost.com Editors | April 8, 2008; 12:55 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Video Report
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No "Shermanesque" Statement from Rice

Condoleezza Rice has said she has no plans to seek the vice presidency, but hasn't

By Web Politics Editor | April 8, 2008; 12:25 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Hillary Rodham Clinton, John McCain
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Campaign Finance Reform Group Targets McCain

Tonight, as McCain is joined at the Willard Hotel by a crowd of Washington lobbyists who will be donating to his presidential campaign, the Public Campaign Action Fund will protest the senator who was once an ally. --Matthew Mosk

By Web Politics Editor | April 8, 2008; 11:37 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: B_Blog, John McCain, The Green Zone
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An Eco-friendly Convention Contest

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Democratic National Convention organizers have launched the "Green Delegate Challenge," which offers incentives to the delegation that does the most to offset its carbon footprint. --Juliet Eilperin

By Web Politics Editor | April 8, 2008; 11:26 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: The Democrats
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Bush, Clinton and China

Candidate Clinton was pretty tough on President Bush for his handling of China. He "coddled" a communist government that used deadly force to break up peaceful protests, the candidate said.--Peter Baker

By Washington Post editors | April 8, 2008; 9:37 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Morning Cheat Sheet
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Clinton Told True Tale of Woe, Says Kin

The aunt of a young pregnant woman who died after a hospital told her she needed to pay $100 up front for care said in an interview on Monday that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has been telling the story accurately on the campaign trail -- following claims by an Ohio hospital that it did not turn the patient away. --Anne E. Kornblut

By Web Politics Editor | April 7, 2008; 7:13 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: B_Blog, Hillary Rodham Clinton
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Rice: Still Not Running for VP

Condoleezza Rice wants it known: Despite recently speculation, she is still not interested in being vice president. --Glenn Kessler

By Web Politics Editor | April 7, 2008; 6:25 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (122)
Categories: B_Blog, John McCain
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Clinton Calls for Bush Boycott of Olympic Ceremony

By Perry Bacon Jr. Criticizing the Chinese government for its attitude on human rights, Hillary Clinton today said President Bush should not attend the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing this summer. --Perry Bacon Jr.

By Web Politics Editor | April 7, 2008; 5:56 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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McCain to Release Taxes Mid-April

By Matthew Mosk Now that both Democratic presidential contenders have made public their tax returns, Republican John McCain has made plans to follow suit. --Matthew Mosk

By Web Politics Editor | April 7, 2008; 5:21 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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McCain Makes the Case for Staying in Iraq

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Speaking just a day before Gen. David Petraeus will testify before Congress about progress in the war in Iraq, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said this morning his Democratic rivals' promise to withdraw amounts to "the height of irresponsibility" and "a failure of leadership." --Juliet Eilperin

By Web Politics Editor | April 7, 2008; 12:33 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Penn Out as Clinton's Top Strategist

Mark Penn, the chief strategist behind Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid, quit under pressure Sunday, two days after reports surfaced about Penn meeting with Colombian officials interested in promoting a trade deal that the New York senator opposes. --Anne E. Kornblut

By Post Editor | April 6, 2008; 6:50 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (303)
Categories: B_Blog, Hillary Rodham Clinton
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44: April 6, 2008 - April 12, 2008