politics

All Hail the Supreme Court!

Lee Blum — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:11:58 -0400

The Supreme Court of the United States recently reached a decision in Boumediene v. Bush that we will all come to regret. The Court ruled that detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, and any enemy combatants that the U.S. captures, have the right to a habeas corpus appeal in U.S. civil courts. This decision has been praised as a victory for civil liberties and as a rebuke of the Bush administration’s handling of the war on terror.

Former Aide: Bush Should Tell All on CIA Leak

The Associated Press — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:52:08 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former White House spokesman told Congress on Friday that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney wanted him to say that Cheney's chief of staff wasn't involved in the leak of a CIA operative's identity, an assertion that turned out to be false.

Scott McClellan, Bush's spokesman from 2003-2006, said he had reservations about publicly clearing the name of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Cheney's chief of staff at the time. Later, Libby was convicted of obstructing the investigation of the leak of Valerie Plame's CIA identity.

McClellan told the House Judiciary Committee that he doesn't know if a crime was committed. But he had harsh words for the White House, suggesting that the administration is continuing to cover up.

Begging for Integrity

Alex Kantrowitz — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:28:49 -0400

Every now and again I’ll have a difficult time understanding our media. Now, it’s not that the content is too esoteric, although sometimes it can reach over in that direction (I’m still astounded as to why a “fist bump” is worth half a mention in any medium with the gall to call itself a news source). It's more that some decisions made by higher ups are so incredibly ludicrous I end up asking myself why I trust these people.

Libel, The Chronicle, and The Sun

Mike Wacker — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:04:46 -0400

Burnt by hot coffee? Don't like what someone else what wrote about you? In America, we deal with these kinds of problems by sueing the pants off of the other party. However, while one woman sucessfully sued McDonalds because her coffee was too hot, a Cornell alumnus unsuccesfully sued Cornell University and its publication, the Cornell Chronicle, because it published an unflattering article about him.

Dems Reach Deal to Seat Mich. and Fla. Delegations

The Associated Press — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:02:52 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Party leaders agreed Saturday to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes at this summer's convention with a compromise that left Barack Obama on the verge of the nomination but riled Hillary Rodham Clinton backers who threatened to fight to the August convention.

"Hijacking four delegates is not a good way to start down the path of party unity," said adviser Harold Ickes.

Clinton's camp maintains she was entitled to four additional Michigan delegates.

Cornell Hosts N.Y. Gubernatorial Debate

Sat, 31 May 2008 14:48:58 -0400

Start: Sep 26 2006 - 12:00am

End: Sep 26 2006 - 11:59pm

The French Obsession

Mike Wacker — Sat, 24 May 2008 22:01:19 -0400

A description of French President Nicholas Sarkozy as dynamic would only touch the surface of his personality. While his defeat of Jacques Chirac finally gave me a reason to like the French, L'American (as he's called) has gone on to become a national obsession across the Atlantic Ocean according to The New York Times.

The article leads with a psychiatrist identifying a new mental illness: obsessive Sarkosis. It gets even more interesting than that, and if I read this article without knowing who it was about, I would go for a mix of the Miley Cyrus and a crazy stalker obsession.

And you thought Obamamania was bad.

Obama Plays the (Other) Race Card

Mike Wacker — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:37:13 -0400

Oppose illegal immigration? In that case, you may be responsible for xenophobia and hate crimes, according to Obama:

"A certain segment has basically been feeding a kind of xenophobia. There’s a reason why hate crimes against Hispanic people doubled last year. If you have people like Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh ginning things up, it’s not surprising that would happen."

So much for all of Obama's talk to disagree agreeably.

Many Voters Remain Undecided in Presidential Contest

The Associated Press — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 09:23:23 -0500

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dig beneath the surface of the raucous Republican presidential race and you will find even deeper turmoil: Four in 10 GOP voters have switched candidates in the past month alone, and nearly two-thirds say they may change their minds again.

Mike Huckabee, who has roared to a tie with longtime front-runner Rudy Giuliani, has little reason to feel safe, according to an ongoing national survey conducted for The Associated Press and Yahoo News.

Neighbor of Clintons Arrested in Shooting

The Associated Press — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:52:24 -0500

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. (AP) — A neighbor of former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton was arrested Thursday in the slaying of his wife, who he claimed had been shot by a stranger on a dark suburban road.

Carlos Perez-Olivo, a disbarred lawyer who was wounded himself in the Nov. 18, 2006, shooting, was expected in county court later Thursday, said Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore. Chalfen did not say what charge or charges Perez-Olivo faced.

Perez-Olivo's lawyer has said his client is innocent. He did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment Thursday.

Presidential Candidate Giuliani Hospitalized, Released

The Associated Press — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:49:11 -0500

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani was released from a St. Louis hospital Thursday after spending the night to undergo tests for flu-like symptoms.

"I feel great. Take care. Merry Christmas, I'm feeling fine thanks to the hospital. They did a good job," a smiling and waving Giuliani said as he left Barnes-Jewish Hospital en route to returning to New York.

His campaign said he would make planned stops in New Hampshire Saturday and Sunday.

The former New York mayor felt the symptoms while campaigning for the nomination in Missouri, and they soon became worse, campaign spokeswoman Katie Levinson said late Wednesday. She did not describe the symptoms beyond those being commonly associated with the flu.

Campus Republicans, Dems Debate Terrorism, Iraq War

Christine Ryu — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Rockefeller Hall may be far from Washington, but it played host to a decidedly political event last night as the Cornell Democrats and College Republicans met to debate the War on Terror. In their first debate of the year, panelists from each side discussed Iraq, multilateralism and the nature of terrorism.

Each club had three panelists. Tim Krueger ’08, Randy Lariar ’08 and Ethan Felder ’09 represented the Democrats while David Goochee ’09, John Farragut ’11 and Brian Wolfel ’10 spoke for the Republicans. Each side was given three minutes for opening statements.

Senators Grill Attorney General Nominee

The Associated Press — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:27:41 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators want to know whether Attorney General-nominee Michael Mukasey would uphold the administration's view of executive power, the president's eavesdropping program and a legal shield for reporters before they confirm him as So far, Mukasey has told senators he will reject any White House meddling in Justice Department matters and resign if his legal or ethical concerns about administration policy are ignored.

Senate confirmation seemed all but certain, but members of the Senate Judiciary Committee have more questions for him.

Colbert Announces Run for Presidency

The Associated Press — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 01:16:43 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Colbert has announced his candidacy for president on "The Colbert Report," tossing his satirical hat into the ring of an already crowded race.

"I shall seek the office of the president of the United States," Colbert said Tuesday on his Comedy Central show as red, white and blue balloons fell around him.

Colbert, 43, had recently satirized the coyness of would-be presidential candidates by refusing to disclose whether he would seek the country's highest office — a refusal that often came without any prompting.

Bush Threatens Vetoes on Spending Bills

The Associated Press — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:24:17 -0400

ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — President Bush admonished Congress on Monday for failing to send him a single spending bill yet, and warned lawmakers to trim their plans or face rejection.

"You're fixin' to see what they call a fiscal showdown in Washington," Bush told a friendly audience in this northwest Arkansas community.

"The Congress gets to propose, and if it doesn't meet needs as far as I'm concerned, I get to veto," Bush said. "That's precisely what I intend to do."

The budget year began Oct. 1, and federal agencies are operating on a stopgap bill for now. Congress has not yet agreed on the 12 spending bills that keep the government running.

Putin Delays Trip to Tehran

The Associated Press — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:22:05 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged Monday to negotiate with Iran on behalf of the international community in their nuclear standoff, although he didn't come to Tehran as scheduled amid warnings of a possible assassination plot.

Putin's planned trip, the first here by a Kremlin leader since World War II, raised hopes that personal diplomacy could find a solution to the impasse over the Iranian nuclear program, but he delayed his arrival, which had been set for Monday evening.

Atlantic City Mayor Resigns After Absence

The Associated Press — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:38:55 -0400

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The mayor of this gambling resort resigned Wednesday after a two-week absence from office during which he checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.

Robert Levy's disappearance came amid a federal investigation for embellishing his Army service in Vietnam.

"Mr. Levy has concluded that public confidence is so eroded by these circumstances that the only responsible action is to step down," said his attorney, Edwin Jacobs. "He does so with great regret and with apologies to his supporters, to the people of Atlantic City, and to his family and friends."

The president of the seaside city's council was sworn in as acting mayor.

Senator's Bid to Withdraw Guilty Plea Rejected

The Associated Press — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:12:42 -0400

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Idaho Sen. Larry Craig lost a court bid to withdraw his guilty plea stemming from an airport men's room sex sting, and his state's governor swiftly announced he had chosen a replacement in the event of a resignation.

Craig had no immediate public response to the ruling by Hennepin County Judge Charles Porter in Minnesota.

But a pre-emptive announcement from Idaho, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter seemed an unmistakeable signal that home-state Republicans want Craig to surrender the seat he has held for 17 years.

Senate Authorizes War Funding Bill

The Associated Press — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:37:26 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thwarted in efforts to bring troops home from Iraq, Senate Democrats on Monday helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another $150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 92-3 vote comes as the House planned to approve separate legislation Tuesday that requires President Bush to give Congress a plan for eventual troop withdrawals.

The developments underscored the difficulty facing Democrats in the Iraq debate: They lack the votes to pass legislation ordering troops home and are divided on whether to cut money for combat, despite a mandate by supporters to end the war.

Hoping the political landscape changes in coming months, Democratic leaders say they will renew their fight when Congress considers the money Bush wants in war funding.