BLOOMBERG News, Jun 2011

Gates weighs toll of war Wed,29 Jun 2011 11:02 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Robert Gates, in his final interview as defense secretary, grew quiet as he tried to articulate the heavy toll his job took on him over the past four and a half years -- every day of them during wartime. Full Story1

Factbox: Legislative scorecard for Texas governor Perry Wed,29 Jun 2011 09:35 PM PDT Reuters - AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas Governor Rick Perry, who has said he is weighing a bid for the 2012 Republican nomination for president, designated six pieces of legislation as "emergency" items for the 2011 session of the Texas legislature. Full Story1

Pennsylvania legislature passes budget with cuts Wed,29 Jun 2011 09:02 PM PDT Reuters - HARRISBURG, Pa (Reuters) - Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled state legislature gave final approval on Wednesday to a $27.15 billion budget that will cut spending by three percent from the current fiscal year. Full Story1

NJ Democrats, Christie poised for budget fight Wed,29 Jun 2011 08:21 PM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey's Democrat-led state legislature passed a spending plan on Wednesday, the eve of the state's budget deadline, but the deal was immediately rejected by Republican Governor Chris Christie. Full Story1

Bachmann says she can be "unifying" U.S. candidate Wed,29 Jun 2011 07:23 PM PDT Reuters - ROCK HILL, South Carolina (Reuters) - Rising Tea Party star Michele Bachmann said on Wednesday she can be a unifying candidate for the Republican Party's 2012 bid for the U.S. presidency by attracting disaffected Democrat and independent voters. Full Story1

Obama praises NY gay marriage law, won't endorse it Wed,29 Jun 2011 04:42 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday praised New York's move to legalize same-sex marriage but stopped short of endorsing it himself, maintaining a stance that has frustrated many liberal supporters. Full Story1

Minnesota leaders talk budget as state shutdown looms Wed,29 Jun 2011 04:10 PM PDT Reuters - MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Minnesota's Democratic governor and Republican legislative leaders were meeting on Wednesday in search of a budget deal but so far with no success with one day to go before a broad state government shutdown. Full Story1

In race, Huntsman fights Romney cash juggernaut Wed,29 Jun 2011 03:39 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman is racing to find moderate Republican donors who have not been caught up in frontrunner Mitt Romney's fundraising juggernaut, which shows no signs of slowing. Full Story1

Obama aide claims big gains against al Qaeda Wed,29 Jun 2011 03:32 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Recent successes against al Qaeda by the United States and its foreign partners, including the killing of Osama bin Laden, have decimated the group and brought the "demise" of its senior leadership within view, a top White House aide said on Wednesday. Full Story1

U.S. enters next round of public pensions fight Wed,29 Jun 2011 02:54 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is entering the next round of a nationwide boxing match over public pensions, with states approving changes to the funds, a leading municipal union challenging claims of yawning shortfalls and a research group advocating moderation. Full Story1

Obama administration wants Guantanamo suit tossed Wed,29 Jun 2011 02:36 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Wednesday asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit by a Syrian man who sought compensation for alleged torture and inhumane treatment while at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Full Story1

Obama says Libya campaign legal, making progress Wed,29 Jun 2011 01:49 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday strongly defended his decision to intervene in Libya, saying he consulted with Congress and operated within legal guidelines in approving a narrow, U.N.-mandated mission. Full Story1

Bill Clinton's group offers recipe for US economy Wed,29 Jun 2011 01:21 PM PDT Reuters - CHICAGO (Reuters) - If U.S. banks loaned out their $2 trillion cash hoard, if worker training programs were stepped up and if 3 million job openings were filled, the economic recovery would be far stronger, a panel assembled by former President Bill Clinton said on Wednesday. Full Story1

Bachmann says she won't have "mud-wrestling fight" with Palin Wed,29 Jun 2011 01:05 PM PDT Reuters - CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann said on Wednesday there would be no "mud-wrestling fight" between her and fellow staunch conservative Sarah Palin, with whom she is often compared. Full Story1

Justice Stephen Breyer unconcerned on colleague's Tea Party wife Wed,29 Jun 2011 12:59 PM PDT Reuters - ASPEN, Co. (Reuters) - Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has raised concerns with her role in the Tea Party and her lobbyist career, but not for one of his colleagues -- Justice Stephen Breyer. Full Story1

Democrats catching up in election spending race Wed,29 Jun 2011 12:56 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats, badly outspent in congressional elections last year, fired their first shot on Wednesday against conservative groups in the advertising wars running up to the 2012 presidential election. Full Story1

U.S. sets sanctions on Syria, Iran over rights abuses Wed,29 Jun 2011 12:10 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Treasury Department said on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions against Syria's security forces for human rights abuses and against Iran for supporting the Syrian regime. Full Story1

Obama praises NY gay marriage law, won't endorse it Wed,29 Jun 2011 11:47 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday praised New York's move to legalize same-sex marriage but stopped short of endorsing it himself, maintaining a stance that has frustrated many liberal supporters. Full Story1

Libya actions do not violate War Powers Act: Obama Wed,29 Jun 2011 09:06 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said Wednesday his administration's actions on Libya do not violate the War Powers Act and that it has consulted repeatedly with Congress on the operation. Full Story1

Obama optimistic on debt deal, end to tax breaks Wed,29 Jun 2011 09:03 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pressed his case Wednesday that tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans must be ended as part of a deficit deal, which he said he believed Republicans and Democrats would reach. Full Story1

Prioritizing debt payments won't work: Geithner Wed,29 Jun 2011 08:02 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner warned on Wednesday that "prioritizing" government payments to avoid a debt default would spur deep cuts in other disbursements and still cause investors to shun Treasury securities. Full Story1

Analysis: California budget wins approval but no applause Wed,29 Jun 2011 07:22 AM PDT Reuters - SACRAMENTO/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California is taking a first step to shedding its reputation for fiscal sloppiness, adopting an on-time budget for the first time in years. Full Story1

Factbox: Highlights of "Costs of War" research Wed,29 Jun 2011 04:04 AM PDT Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major findings from the "Costs of War" study on the financial and human costs of U.S. wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan since 2001 by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. Full Story1

California lawmakers OK first bill in budget package Tue,28 Jun 2011 07:01 PM PDT Reuters - SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California lawmakers in the state Senate approved on Tuesday evening the first bill in a state budget package that closes a nearly $10 billion shortfall a day after Governor Jerry Brown and top Democrats unveiled the package. Full Story1

Palin fuels presidential bid speculation in Iowa Tue,28 Jun 2011 06:02 PM PDT Reuters - PELLA, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican Sarah Palin said on Tuesday she is still considering a potential 2012 presidential run, though her daughter said she has already made up her mind and is keeping the decision secret for now. Full Story1

U.S., India pledge cooperation on market access Tue,28 Jun 2011 05:21 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Finance chiefs from the United States and India pledged on Tuesday to deepen efforts to open up India's financial, retail, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors to competition but offered no specific measures to boost access for American firms. Full Story1

White House pressures Republicans over trade deals Tue,28 Jun 2011 05:16 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday made a push to advance long-delayed trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, challenging Republican lawmakers over a worker retraining program that many of them oppose. Full Story1

Palin fuels presidential bid speculation in Iowa Tue,28 Jun 2011 04:37 PM PDT Reuters - PELLA, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican Sarah Palin said on Tuesday she is still studying a potential 2012 presidential run, though her daughter said she has already made up her mind. Full Story1

Obama's oil reserves plan took shape in May: official Tue,28 Jun 2011 04:01 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It was on May 2, the day U.S. oil prices peaked at nearly $115 a barrel, that President Barack Obama put into a motion a controversial plan that would lead to the biggest-ever sale of U.S. emergency oil stocks. Full Story1

White House pressures Republicans over trade deals Tue,28 Jun 2011 03:42 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday made a new push to advance long-delayed trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, challenging Republican lawmakers over a worker retraining program that many of them oppose. Full Story1

Senate panel approves Libya mission Tue,28 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday approved a resolution formally authorizing continued U.S. participation in the NATO-led military intervention in Libya but banning the introduction of U.S. troops on the ground there. Full Story1

California legislators prepare for budget vote Tue,28 Jun 2011 03:26 PM PDT Reuters - SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) - California lawmakers prepared on Tuesday to approve a state budget that closes a nearly $10 billion shortfall a day after Governor Jerry Brown and top Democrats unveiled the package. Full Story1

Tax standoff blocks progress in debt talks Tue,28 Jun 2011 02:05 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans on Tuesday showed no sign of resolving an impasse over taxes that has stalled budget negotiations and could threaten the country's top-notch credit rating. Full Story1

Senate panel to start work on trade deals Tue,28 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Finance Committee said it will begin long-awaited action on Thursday on three U.S. free-trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama that have been stalled for years. Full Story1

U.S. sees "progress" after Syria activists meet Tue,28 Jun 2011 12:09 PM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday that Syria's move to allow activists to meet to discuss political change was a positive step but that the government needed to do more to launch real reforms. Full Story1

Lieutenant General John Allen backs Obama troop plan Tue,28 Jun 2011 11:52 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The general poised to take command of Western forces in Afghanistan on Tuesday embraced President Barack Obama's plan to withdraw a third of U.S. troops, saying it can be done without undermining the war effort. Full Story1

Factbox: What's on the table in debt talks Tue,28 Jun 2011 11:35 AM PDT Reuters - (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and congressional leaders hope to reach a budget deal in the coming weeks that would narrow stubborn budget deficits and extend the country's borrowing authority. Full Story1

State, local budgets closer to recovery: report Tue,28 Jun 2011 11:26 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State and local governments brought in record first-quarter revenues this year, according to a Census Bureau report released on Tuesday that offered a sign their budget crises may be abating. Full Story1

Senate confirms 3 top Justice Department nominees Tue,28 Jun 2011 11:06 AM PDT Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-led Senate on Tuesday confirmed three of President Barack Obama's senior Justice Department nominees, including long-stalled Deputy Attorney General James Cole, who drew broad Republican opposition. Full Story1

Bachmann facing scrutiny as top-tier candidate Tue,28 Jun 2011 09:14 AM PDT Reuters - DES MOINES (Reuters) - Some of the wild statements uttered by Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann are coming back to haunt her now that the Tea Party favorite faces greater scrutiny as a top-tier 2012 candidate. Full Story1

 

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