Author: Tom Raum
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Polls show Obama-Romney race very close
EDITOR’S NOTE: With 201 days left until Election Day, here are insights into today’s highlights in US politics. Polls go up and polls go down. That’s a common refrain from politicians, usually from those with sinking numbers. But it could be said today by either President Barack Obama or Republican Mitt Romney in a clearly…
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Higher gas prices cloud Obama’s re-election hopes
WASHINGTON — Soaring gasoline prices are threatening to undercut President Barack Obama’s re-election prospects and offering Republicans an easy target. With prices pushing $4 a gallon and threatening to go even higher, Obama sought Thursday to confront rising public anxiety and strike back at his GOP critics. “Only in politics do people root for bad…
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Obama slams Wall Street ways while asking for support
NEW YORK — President Barack Obama rebuked Wall Street for risky practices Thursday even as he sought its leaders’ help for “updated, commonsense” banking regulations to head off any new financial crisis. “Ultimately there is no dividing line between Main Street and Wall Street. We rise or we fall together as one nation. So I…
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Former Cold War foes to slash nukes
WASHINGTON — The U.S. and Russia sealed the first major nuclear weapons treaty in nearly two decades Friday, agreeing to slash the former Cold War rivals’ warhead arsenals by nearly one-third and talking hopefully of eventually ridding a fearful world of nuclear arms altogether. President Barack Obama said the pact was part of an…
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Obama: Nationalization of GM to be short-term
WASHINGTON – In a defining moment for American capitalism, President Barack Obama ushered General Motors Corp. into bankruptcy protection Monday and put the government behind the wheel of the company that once symbolized the nation’s economic muscle. The fallen giant, the largest U.S. industrial company ever to enter bankruptcy, is shedding some 21,000 jobs and…
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McCain, Palin campaign in Pennsylvania
ST. PAUL, Minn. – John McCain introduced new running mate Sarah Palin to voters in battleground Pennsylvania on Saturday as they wound their way toward St. Paul and a Republican National Convention where the mood was suddenly threatened by Hurricane Gustav.Gulf state governors could decide to remain at home if the storm threatens to bring…
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U.S. leaders are running out of economic options
WASHINGTON – The nation’s leaders are running out of answers to America’s economic crisis. The Federal Reserve has no more practical room to push interest rates lower. There’s only so much taxpayer money for shoring up housing. And if depositors lose confidence there’s little officials can do to stop a run on banks. President Bush,…
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Obama has the delegates; Clinton would consider VP role
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois won enough delegates to earn the Democratic nomination Tuesday, a historic step toward his once-improbable goal of becoming the nation’s first black president. Hillary Rodham Clinton maneuvered for the vice presidential spot on his fall ticket.That potentially set up a five-month campaign with Republican Sen. John…
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Help almost on the way
WASHINGTON – President Bush said tax rebates will start going out Monday, earlier than previously announced, and should help Americans cope with rising gasoline and food prices, as well as aid a slumping economy.Democrats said they were glad the rebate checks were about to go out, but suggested that multinational oil companies were not among…