CBS News Politics: 20 November 2008
November 21st, 2008 • CBS News, Politics
- Clinton On Track For State Department Nod
An aide to Barack Obama’s transition team says the president-elect is on track to nominate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state by next Thursday. - Clinton Pick Would Be Big Gamble For Obama
If he picks Hillary Clinton for secretary of state, President-elect Obama is making his first great presidential gamble, reports the Politico. - Long-Time Rep. Replaced On Key House Panel
Rep. Henry Waxman - a liberal ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi - will take over the chairmanship of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee when the next Congress convenes in January. - Inauguration Housing Is Risky Business
There is a property frenzy in Washington as homeowners seek to rent to those wanting to come for Barack Obama’s inauguration. But the arrangements are fraught with peril on both sides, reports the Washington Post. - Dems Put Auto Bailout Vote On Hold
Democratic leaders in Congress have put off a vote on bailing out the auto industry until next month, and want the top companies to present a plan showing the money will make them financially viable. - Lieberman On Obama, Post-Campaign Politics
Sen. Joe Lieberman speaks out in an exclusive interview - his first since supporting Republican Sen. John McCain - about the presidential campaign and post-election politics. Katie Couric sat down with the Independent senator. - Napolitano Eyed For Homeland Security Role
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano is “under consideration” by President-elect Barack Obama’s administration for the relatively new role of Secretary of Homeland Security, CBS News has learned. - Huckabee Says He’s Envious Of Palin
Mike Huckabee won’t rule out a 2012 run for president, but he acknowledges it could be hard to take back the spotlight from fellow Republican Sarah Palin. - Will Clinton Pardons Mar Cabinet Pick?
The Republican National Committee yesterday highlighted the role of attorney general candidate Eric H. Holder Jr. in controversial 2001 pardons, but GOP senators avoided direct attacks on Barack Obama’s leading choice to lead the Justice Department. - “Uncle Ted” Delivers Senate Swansong
“Uncle Ted” Stevens, an old-style Senate giant and the chamber’s longest-serving Republican, delivered his swansong address and yielded the floor for the final time Thursday. He was saluted by his colleagues as a staunch friend and teacher. - Ark. Shooting Case Closed With No Answers
City and state police have closed their investigations into last summer’s shooting of Arkansas’ Democratic Party chairman without offering an explanation of why the attack occurred. - 2 Months Left, Bush Says Goodbye, Quietly
Two months from today, the White House packs up the Bush Family belongings and moves in those of the Obama”s. CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller says Mr. Bush is saying goodbye in good spirits, and largely out of sight. - Paulson Warns Against Regulation Overkill
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson called the financial crisis now plaguing the world economy a “once or twice” in a 100 years event, even as he warned Thursday against imposing too-strict regulations to prevent a repeat calamity. - Obama Calls For U.N. Reforms
President-elect Barack Obama is urging the United Nations chief to embark on “far-reaching reform” of the world organization to help it address pressing global issues. - Clinton Warms To Secretary Of State Job
Associates of Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband say the former first lady is weighing whether to leave the Senate and become secretary of state, believing the job is hers if she wants it. - Desperate Automakers Launch PR Campaign
The Big Three automakers are taking a page out of their unions’ playbooks as they deploy grassroots tactics to drum up public support for the proposed $25 billion auto industry bailout. - Obama Taps Tom Daschle For Cabinet Post
Democratic officials say former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has accepted President-elect Barack Obama’s offer to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. - Stevens Concedes Alaska Senate Race
Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has lost his bid for a seventh term. The longest-serving Republican in the history of the Senate conceded the extremely tight race Wednesday to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. - Bush Set To Ease Endangered Species Rules
Preisdent Bush is set to install new rules that would exclude input of wildlife scientists when federal construction projects are proposed. Bush hopes to enact them before Friday, preventing President-elect Obama from easily reversing them. - National Security Team Key For Obama
If President-elect Obama follows the pattern of most of his predecessors, one of the first documents to bear his signature after he takes office will be a directive laying out his national security structure, reports the Washington Post. - Bush Official: Mortgage Aid Not Working
Two government programs designed to help hundreds of thousands of delinquent borrowers avoid foreclosure are having negligible effects, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Steve Preston said. - Holder Is Obama’s Attorney General Pick
CBS News has learned that long-time Washington insider Eric Holder is President-elect Barack Obama’s choice to be attorney general. After some initial hesitation, Holder has now told the Obama team he wants the job. - Gay Marriage Ban Challenged In Calif.
California’s highest court agreed to hear several legal challenges to the state’s new ban on same-sex marriage but refused to allow gay couples to resume marrying before it rules. - Despite Big 3 Pleas, Auto Bailout Stalling
Top Senate Democrats suggested Wednesday that a bill to rescue the Detroit Three automakers was stalled and called on the Bush administration to take steps to help save the industry if congressional efforts falter. - Al Qaeda: Don’t Be Fooled By Obama
Al Qaeda has released its first detailed response to Barack Obama’s election win. In a new audio tape, al Qaeda No. 2 Ayman Zawahri admonishes Muslims to keep up the fight against America, a country which he claims “is still full of hate.” - Boehner To Stay House Minority Leader
Rep. John Boehner of Ohio was re-elected Wednesday as House Republican leader, tasked with reviving a party diminished in numbers and fighting to stay relevant as Democrats take over the White House and strengthen their majorities in Congress. - Kerry Greets McCain Upon Senate Return
On Tuesday, John McCain got an induction into an unofficial bipartisan caucus of would-be commanders in chief who fell short of the big prize and landed, humbled somewhat, back where they started in the Senate. - Texas County Indicts Cheney, Gonzales
Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have been indicted on state charges involving federal prisons in a South Texas county that has been a source of bizarre legal and political battles under the outgoing prosecutor. - Spitzer Scandal Hooker Says Sorry To Wife
The prostitute at the center of the scandal that brought down former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer says she’s undergone “intense” psychotherapy since the events that generated national headlines - and feels especially bad for his wife. - Insurance Group Backs Health Care Overhaul
The health insurance industry said it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage. - Military Ready To Implement Obama’s Plans
The top U.S. military officer said Tuesday the Defense Department is developing plans to get troops quickly out of Iraq and into Afghanistan to battle a more confident and successful Taliban. - Big 3 Face Stiff Challenge On Capitol Hill
Detroit’s Big Three automakers are running out of time in their quest to convince skeptical lawmakers that Congress should throw them a $25 billion lifeline. - D.C. Mayor Expects 3M For Inauguration
President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration has officials in the nation’s capital bracing for an unprecedented turnout of possibly 3 million people or more, District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty said. - Lieberman Dodges Bullet For Backing McCain
Sen. Joe Lieberman will keep his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee despite hard feelings over his support for GOP nominee John McCain during the presidential campaign. - Obama Kids Visit White House, Schools
Malia and Sasha Obama get to see their new rooms at the White House on Tuesday, capping a busy few days looking into their new life in the nation’s capital that also involved visits to potential new schools. - Washington Churches Woo The Obamas
Churches in the nation’s capital have started extending invitations to President-elect Barack Obama and his family, touting their African-American roots, their ties to presidents past and to Mr. Obama himself. - Political Posts Turned Into Career Jobs
The Bush administration is trying to transfer some political appointees into permanent federal positions, which at least initially will deprive the incoming Obama administration of the chance to install its appointees, the Washington Post reports. - Detroit’s Big 3 Make $25 Billion Plea
Detroit’s Big Three automakers pleaded with Congress for a $25 billion lifeline to save their once-proud companies from collapse, warning of broader peril for the national economy as well. - Obama Appointees Face Extensive Vetting
As President-elect Barack Obama assembles his administration, an army of lawyers are vetting his potential picks with unprecedented scrutiny of their personal, financial and professional backgrounds, reports the Washington Post. - Obama: U.S. Will Lead Climate Change Fight
Calling climate change an urgent challenge, President-elect Barack Obama promised Tuesday that Washington would take a leading role in combating it in the United States and throughout the world. - Vets Group: Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
More than 100 retired generals and admirals called Monday for repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays so they can serve openly, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press. - Lawmakers Grill Bailout’s Architects
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke waged a stout defense on Capitol Hill of their management of a $700 billion bailout just one week after the administration abandoned the original strategy behind the rescue. - Palin Faces Challenges Back In Alaska
Gov. Sarah Palin, heralded by some conservatives as the future of the Republican Party, faces some cold political realities in present-day Alaska. - AP: Obama Unlikely To Seek Torture Charges
President-elect Barack Obama’s coming administration is unlikely to bring criminal charges against government officials who authorized or engaged in harsh interrogation of terrorist suspects during the Bush presidency, reports the AP. - Obama, McCain Vow To Cooperate
President-elect Barack Obama says he and Republican Sen. John McCain plan to work together to “fix up the country.” - Two Clintons In The Spotlight
If Hillary Clinton is named the next secretary of state, she and her husband could be positioned to lead a public-private partnership on the global stage unlike any before it, reports the Washington Post. - Republicans Ask: Just How Bad Is It?
Politico: GOP officials and strategists at party conferences last week offered sharply contrasting assessments of what went wrong, and of how difficult it will be to rebuild. The split tended to fall along generational lines. - Obama May Have To Quit Blackberry Habit
Before he ran for president Barack Obama quit smoking. Now that he’s won the job, he may have to break another addiction: Checking his BlackBerry for e-mail. - Obama On Economic Crisis, Transition
In his first interview since winning the election, President-elect Barack Obama talks to Steve Kroft about a variety of issues, including the ailing economy, national security, Iraq, and more. - Ted Kennedy Back At Work In Senate
Sen. Edward Kennedy, who is fighting a malignant brain tumor, is back at work in the Senate for the first time since July. - The Obamas On Their Personal Transition
In 66 days, Barack and Michelle Obama and their daughters 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha will be the youngest first family to move into the White House since the Kennedys nearly 50 years ago. - Obama Wooed Federal Workers Before Vote
In wooing federal employee votes on the eve of the election, Barack Obama wrote a series of letters to workers that offer detailed descriptions of how he intends to add muscle to specific government programs, reports the Washington Post. - White House, Dems Clash Over Auto Bailout
Senate Democrats are proposing to deny bonuses to U.S. auto executives making more than $250,000 a year in exchange for giving the firms and their suppliers $25 billion in loans from the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. - Obamas On Picking The Presidential Pooch
The issue of the future presidential pet is making headlines, but the Obamas tell Steve Kroft they have worked out a deal during the transition to the White House. - Obama Resigns Senate Seat, Honors Illinois
On the day he formally stepped down as Illinois’ junior senator, President-elect Barack Obama released an open letter to state residents, saying they had taught him lessons he would draw on during his presidency. - Iraq’s Cabinet Approves U.S. Security Pact
A senior aide to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says Iraq and the U.S. are now in agreement over a final draft of a security pact. - Jindal: Something Is Wrong With The GOP
When asked about the future course of the Republican Party following their losses on Election Day, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana said it is imperative his party offers solutions to voters, and not just be the opposition. - Bush’s “Fire Sale” For Oil, Gas Industries
Late on Election Day, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced a Dec. 19 auction of more than 50,000 acres of oil and gas parcels alongside or within view of Arches National Park. - Sen. Stevens Falls Further Behind In Count
Republican Sen. Ted Stevens, a stalwart of Alaska politics who was convicted of felony charges last month, fell further behind his Democratic rival, and most remaining ballots come from parts of the state that have favored the challenger. - Bill Ayers Distances Himself From Obama
Vietnam-era radical Bill Ayers said Friday he doesn’t know President-elect Barack Obama any better than “thousands of other Chicagoans” and the two never talked about Ayers’ anti-war activities. - Pelosi Outlines Auto Bailout Package
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House would provide aid to the ailing U.S. auto industry, requiring that the industry meet new fuel-efficiency standards, produce advanced vehicles and restructure “to ensure their long-term economic viability.” - Post-Racial USA? Not So Fast
The election victory of President-elect Barack Obama has givne rise to a series of racist incidents, hate crimes, and even death threats around the country. - Obama Pledges Foreclosure Help
President-elect Barack Obama promises a program to help keep homeowners from foreclosure in his first post-election interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft. This Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. ET/PT. - Obama Economic Advisers Have Diverse Views
As President-elect Barack Obama works to set his governing priorities, some of his supporters are watching warily as he weighs advice from a team of economic advisers who span the policy spectrum, the Washington Post reports. - Obama Picks Up Another Electoral Vote
President-elect Barack Obama has won one of Nebraska’s electoral votes, making history in a state that has never split its electoral votes. - Sarah Palin Still A GOP Star
GOP governors gathered to implore their party to reckon with the demographic changes sweeping the country and win their way back by offering ideas about pressing issues. But Sarah Palin was the main attraction to journalists, reports the Politico. - Obama Weighs Clinton, Richardson For State
President-elect Barack Obama has interviewed primary election rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Richardson to be his secretary of state, Democrats said Friday, as he weighed the decision on folding former foes into his new administration. - House GOP Leader Faces Challenge
A conservative lawmaker challenged House GOP Leader John Boehner for his job Friday after Republicans lost at least 20 seats in last week’s elections. - Priest: Obama Voters Must Do Penance
A priest at a South Carolina Roman Catholic church says his parishioners shouldn’t take Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because of the Democrat’s stance on abortion. - Election Means Boon For (Some) Lobbyists
Barack Obama spent much of his presidential campaign decrying the influence of Washington lobbyists, writes the Washington Post. In the 10 days since he was elected, he already has had an impact: He has touched off a mini-boom on K Street. - Can Obama Truly Deliver?
“The pressure on Obama to deliver instantly is going to be enormous,” said presidential scholar Robert Dallek. Whether the president-elect will succeed remains to be seen, reports U.S. News & World Report. - White House Calls For Automaker Loans
The White House on Friday threw its support behind a plan to speed release of $25 billion in existing loans to the Big Three automakers but rejected a Democratic proposal to use money from a financial bailout to help the troubled industry. - After Palin’s Rise, Romney Mulls Future
The surprising ascendancy of McCain’s eventual pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and her popularity among some GOP conservatives have left Romney wondering whether he could wage a viable second campaign for the White House. - Video Of Obama Radio Address To Go Online
President-elect Barack Obama is taping Saturday’s weekly Democratic address not just for listeners, but for YouTube viewers, his office said Friday. And he plans to keep videotaping the radio addresses after taking the oath of office on Jan. 20. - Obama Gets The Clinton Band Back Together
Obama’s victory in the general election produced what his primary campaign couldn’t: A swift merger of the Clinton Wing of the Democratic Party with the Illinois Senator’s self-styled insurgency, writes Politico. - Lawmakers Blast Shifts In Bailout Plan
Lawmakers complained Friday that the Bush administration is ignoring the will of Congress and slighting homeowners on the verge of foreclosure in its latest approach to spending $700 billion in economic rescue money. - Triumph Of Temperament, Not Policy
U.S. News & World Report’s Michael Barone writes that the decisive shift of the election came when the financial crisis hit. McCain approached it like a fighter pilot, Obama like a law professor. Voters preferred law professor to fighter pilot. - The Formidable Task Ahead
President-elect Obama enters the White House as a political mystery: Liberals see him as an ally; moderates say he’s one of theirs. They may both be right, writes U.S. News & World Report columnist Gloria Borger. - Cheneys Welcome Bidens At V.P. Mansion
Vice President-elect Joe Biden got a tour of his new home from the outgoing occupant, Vice President Dick Cheney. - One Million Plus For Obama Inauguration?
President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration is expected to draw 1 million-plus to the capital, and already some lawmakers have stopped taking ticket requests and hotels have booked up. - Palin Focuses On The Future
Sarah Palin called on fellow GOP governors to keep the new president and his strengthened Democratic majority in check on issues from taxes to health care as she signaled she’ll take a leadership role in a party searching for a new standard-bearer.
