Politics: Afternoon Edition

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Most Viewed Articles in Politics 1) With speech, president makes the conflict truly his own President Obama assumed full ownership of the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday night with a speech arguing that the fastest way out of the conflict is a rapid and significant escalation of it. But the muted response from key Democratic congressional leaders and the skepticism from Republicans about ... 2) Senators express hope for a health reform bill Senators prepared to cast their first votes Wednesday on health-care reform, but even as partisan divisions hardened and contentious amendments stacked up, Democrats increasingly expressed optimism that they would succeed in passing a bill before Christmas. 3) After police killings, Huckabee defends clemency for suspect Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on Tuesday defended his decision to commute the prison sentence years ago of the man who allegedly killed four police officers Sunday near Tacoma, Wash., saying the defendant had received an unfairly harsh sentence because he was young and black. 4) Salahis sought gala access through a Pentagon door E-mails turned over to the Secret Service show that Tareq and Michaele Salahi had sought a top Defense Department official's help to gain access to last week's White House state dinner. 5) Afghanistan strategy to be scrutinized at Congressional hearing Top administration officials told Congress on Wednesday that the deployment of 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan is vital to stem the growing momentum of a resurgent Taliban in what they called the epicenter of global Islamic extremism. But they promptly came under tough questioning fr... 6) House panel likely to pass rest of financial overhaul The final pieces of a package to overhaul the financial regulatory system are expected to win approval Wednesday from a key House committee with the support of black lawmakers who previously blocked the legislation to protest President Obama's handling of the economy. 7) Obama meets with Nobelists President Obama met briefly Tuesday with the other Americans accepting Nobel prizes next week, continuing an Oval Office tradition even though he happens to be among this year's winners. 8) 34,000 troops will be sent to Afghanistan President Obama will outline Tuesday his intention to send an additional 34,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, according to U.S. officials and diplomatic sources briefed Monday as Obama began informing allies of his plan. 9) Senate health bill gets a boost As the Senate opened debate Monday on a landmark plan to overhaul the nation's health-care system, congressional budget analysts said the measure would leave premiums unchanged or slightly lower for the vast majority of Americans, contradicting assertions by the insurance industry that the averag... 10) In health-care reform, no deficit cure As the long battle over health care is rejoined in the Senate this week, experts remain deeply divided over whether the legislation would rein in soaring health-care costs or simply add millions of people to a system that is already driving the nation toward bankruptcy. UNSUBSCRIBE | Additional Newsletter Services | Advertising | Subscribe to the Paper | Privacy Policy

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