By ERICA WERNER on Mar 11, 2010 01:10AM

Democrats, White House close in on health bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A final agreement nearly in hand, President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders are about to embark on one last sales job that will determine the outcome of the president's signature health care overhaul....

By LOLITA C. BALDOR on Mar 11, 2010 01:04AM

Success of lone gunmen may shift al-Qaida strategy

WASHINGTON (AP) -- On Christmas Day, a passenger on a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Detroit tried to blow up the plane with plastic explosives in his underwear. He failed, yet the very attempt shook the U.S. government, set federal agencies against each other and triggered months of political second-guessing....

By KEN THOMAS and STEPHEN MANNING on Mar 11, 2010 02:06AM

Safety agency under spotlight in House hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Toyota's massive recalls are bringing new scrutiny to the government's auto safety agency, prompting Congress to look at how federal safety officials have lived up to their mission of protecting motorists....

By DEVLIN BARRETT on Mar 11, 2010 01:06AM

Critics of Justice Dept. lawyers under fire

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A conservative group's bashing of several Obama administration lawyers as the "al-Qaida Seven" has struck a nerve in the U.S. legal community, prompting even some fellow Republicans to denounce the group's attack....

By LARRY MARGASAK on Mar 11, 2010 01:09AM

Ex-freshman, veteran kingpin equal Democratic woes

WASHINGTON (AP) -- One is a former Democratic freshman little known outside his Corning-Olean-Pittsford, N.Y., district. The other, a 20-term Democratic kingpin from Harlem, is widely known to New Yorkers and anyone following tax legislation....

Mar 10, 2010 04:47PM

House Dems plan ban on earmarks to for-profits

House Democrats said Wednesday that they will ban earmarks directed to for-profit companies.

Mar 10, 2010 05:25PM

White House slams insurers

President Obama is set to turn up the heat on private health insurers again Wednesday, taking his increasingly populist health care overhaul pitch on the road to the political battleground state of Missouri.

Mar 10, 2010 12:35PM

Chief justice chides State of the Union as 'pep rally'

Simmering tension between the White House and U.S. Supreme Court spilled into public this week when Chief Justice John Roberts labeled the political atmosphere at this year's State of the Union address "very troubling."

Mar 10, 2010 04:44PM

Biden: U.S. won't play favorites with Israelis, Palestinians

The United States will hold both Israel and the Palestinians responsible for any steps that make peace between them more difficult, Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday.

Mar 10, 2010 11:15AM

Clinton: Improving foreign health is good policy

Aside from a moral obligation, improving the health of people in other nations is smart foreign policy, former President Clinton said Wednesday.

Sean Trende on Mar 10, 2010 03:10PM

How Much Damage Could HC Inflict on Dems?

Republican polling firm The Tarrance Group, in conjunction with the Start Over! Coalition (which appears to be an anti-ObamaCare group) has commissioned polling for the districts of eleven Democrats thought to be potential flippers on the final vote on health care reform. The results for the main question, ?do you favor or oppose the [...]

Mike Memoli on Mar 10, 2010 02:43PM

FL Sen: Second Poll Shows Rubio Landslide

Did it really get this ugly that fast? A second poll in as many days, this time from Insider Advantage for the Florida Times-Union, shows Marco Rubio with a huge lead over Charlie Crist in the GOP primary for Senate. Primary Election Matchup Rubio 60 Crist 26 Und 10 The majority of primary voters identify controlling government spending as [...]

Tom Bevan on Mar 10, 2010 01:36PM

Health Care Ad Inifinitum

President Obama said the following about health care on March 3: Every argument has been made.  Everything there is to say about health care has been said -- and just about everybody has said it. Three days later, on March 6, President Obama devoted his weekly address to health care. Two days after that, on March 8, President [...]

Mike Memoli on Mar 10, 2010 12:21PM

WA Sen Poll: Rossi Ahead As He Considers Murray Challenge

Third time's the charm? Dino Rossi nearly won the governorship in Washington in 2004, only to see Christine Gregoire inch ahead after a series of recounts. He lost a rematch in 2008. Now, he seems increasingly tempted by the idea of challenging Sen. Patty Murray (D), and Rasmussen's latest poll (500 LVs, 3/9, MoE +/- [...]

Mike Memoli on Mar 10, 2010 11:40AM

NH Sen Poll: Hodes Trails Two Potential GOP Foes

Rasmussen's latest numbers in New Hampshire (500 LVs, 3/8, MoE +/- 4.5%) show Rep. Paul Hodes (D) continues to trail against two of his potential Republican opponents in November. General Election Matchups Ayotte (R) 47 (+1 vs. last poll, 2/10) Hodes (D) 37 (-2) Und 12 (-1) Binnie (R) 46 (+4) Hodes (D) 36 (-5) Und 14 (+1) Hodes (D) 42 (-2) Lamontagne (R) [...]