Newser Story Index from May, 2008
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
Clinton Ready to Take It to Convention
New York Times
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May 22, 2008 8:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A defiant Hillary Clinton signaled yesterday that she might take the nomination fight all the way to the convention, the New York Times reports, again emphasizing the importance of seating Florida and Michigan delegates in a swing through the Sunshine State. Those delegates still wouldn't erase Barack Obama's lead, but some insiders believe she's...
Kenya Mob Torches 11 for Witchcraft
Associated Press
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May 22, 2008 8:15 AM CDT
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A mob in western Kenya hunted down and killed 11 people they accused of being witches and wizards, AP reports. The gang went from house to house with a list of suspected sorcerers and the spells they had cast. The eight men and three women, most over 70, were lynched and burned in their homes in the notoriously superstitious district.
China Death Toll Breaks 51K
CNN
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May 22, 2008 7:59 AM CDT
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China’s official earthquake death toll has today topped 51,000, with almost 300,000 injured, and another 29,000 missing, CNN reports. Meanwhile, donations from home and abroad tallied $3 billion, while Beijing pledged another $10 billion to reconstruction efforts, including $3.6 billion for rescue and relief work.
Quit-Smoking Drug Linked to Heart Trouble, Dizziness
Wall Street Journal
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May 22, 2008 7:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Pfizer smoking-cessation drug Chantix has been linked to nearly a thousand serious incidents in the last quarter of 2007, the Wall Street Journal reports. A report from a drug safety group found that some users of the drug—already linked to depression and suicide—suffered heart trouble, diabetes, or accidents caused by dizziness and confusion.
Braves Fan Dies in Upper-Deck Fall
WEBTV
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May 22, 2008 7:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An Atlanta Braves fan died after plummeting from the upper deck at Atlanta’s Turner Field, WSBTV.com reports. The 25-year-old man fell to the field-level concourse behind home plate during the bottom of the 8th inning in last night’s game against the New York Mets, a police rep said; he was pronounced dead at a hospital soon afterward.
Visiting UN Chief Pushes Burma to Accept Aid
Reuters
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May 22, 2008 7:07 AM CDT
(Newser) -
UN chief Ban Ki-Moon witnessed cyclone damage in Burma today, on a trip to bring the devastated country a “message of hope” and push the junta to allow international aid for the millions left destitute, Reuters reports. “I'm quite confident we will be able to overcome this tragedy,” he said. But his work to open the doors to...
Ex-Sis-in-Law: Billy Bob's Stalking Me
New York Daily News
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May 22, 2008 7:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
The sister of Billy Bob Thornton's fourth wife says the star has been stalking her for a decade, the New York Daily News reports. The actor's former sister-in-law—who offers up no proof—also accuses him of wife-beating, drug abuse, and bugging her home. A spokesman for Thornton said the allegations are completely untrue and the woman...
S. Africa Deploys Troops as Immigrant Killings Spike
AFP
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May 22, 2008 6:48 AM CDT
(Newser) -
South African president Thabo Mbeki has summoned troops to help counter a wave of anti-immigrant violence in the country, AFP reports. Mbeki called on soldiers after police requested help quelling mob violence that has claimed 42 lives, officials said. As many as 16,000 people have been displaced by the violence. Locals blame foreigners for high crime...
Feisty Kennedy Goes Sailing
Boston Globe
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May 22, 2008 6:34 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Just a few hours after leaving the hospital where he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, Ted Kennedy set sail off Cape Cod with his wife and their dogs, the Boston Globe reports. The senator-turned-skipper took his 50-foot schooner for a two-hour voyage on the Nantucket Sound. “It was wonderful to be on the water," the senator...
Oil Rockets to $135 on Surprise Supply Decline
Bloomberg
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May 22, 2008 6:11 AM CDT
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A surprise 5.32 million barrel decline in US crude oil stockpiles prompted oil prices to surge past a record $135 a barrel in after-hours New York trading this morning, extending oil's runup to 19% this month, reports Bloomberg. The Energy Department also said yesterday that gasoline stockpiles had declined some 755,000 barrels, while analysts had...
Teen Busted for Posting Ex's Nude Pix on MySpace
The Smoking Gun
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May 22, 2008 5:25 AM CDT
(Newser) -
A Wisconsin teen didn't take it too well when his relationship turned sour, so he posted graphic nude photographs of his 16-year-old ex on his MySpace page with equally graphic captions, reports the Smoking Gun. The cops got a foul-mouthed refusal when they asked him to remove the photos. That's when they busted him on child porn charges. He's in jail...
Superdelegates Rejected $1M 'Deal' From Clinton Donor
Huffington Post
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May 22, 2008 4:54 AM CDT
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A billionaire Clinton backer offered to donate a million bucks to the Democratic Party's unofficial youth arm if its two uncommitted superdelegates endorsed his candidate, sources told the Huffington Post. Entertainment mogul Haim Saban allegedly made his million-dollar proposal to the Young Democrats of America just before the Indiana and North Carolina...
How About President Chelsea?
ABC News
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May 22, 2008 4:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Bill Clinton hasn't given up hope of a Clinton woman getting into the White House—but it may be his daughter rather than his wife, ABC reports. Clinton says he would never have thought Chelsea would consider running for office—until she proved a natural on the campaign trail this year. Clinton calls his daughter's emergence the second-best...
Mets Manager Apologizes for Calling Critics Racist
Associated Press
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May 22, 2008 4:07 AM CDT
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Two days after Mets manager Willie Randolph lashed his critics for being "racial," he apologized for what he said, reports AP. The first black manager of a New York baseball team had suggested in an interview with a columnist from The Record that he was portrayed differently than white managers. "Is it racial? Huh? It smells a little...
Stargazers Witness Birth of Supernova
Space.com
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May 22, 2008 3:43 AM CDT
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A pair of Princeton astronomers have become the first people ever to witness the explosive death of a star, Space.com reports. The pair were observing another supernova in its later stages when they happened to spot a huge burst of X-rays 90 million light years away. Astronomers believe their observations will fill in some blanks in knowledge...
Rocker Tyler No Longer Livin' On the Edge
E! Online
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May 22, 2008 3:21 AM CDT
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Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has checked into a California rehab facility, E! Online reports. The singer is being treated for undisclosed substance abuse at the center where Dr. Drew's Celebrity Rehab was filmed. The dad of actress Liv Tyler had been clean for over 20 years since his wild '70s and '80s heyday, but he reportedly fell off the wagon...
Manson Body Hunt a Bust
Los Angeles Times
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May 22, 2008 2:53 AM CDT
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Investigators yesterday packed up and left the the Death Valley ranch used as a hideout by the murderous Manson Family after finding no trace of bodies a member of the group once suggested might be buried there. The search was triggered by a cadaver-sniffing dog and initial findings of scientific equipment which may have erroneously interpreted dead...
Steroid Dealer: I Taught Olympic Track Coach About Drugs
San Francisco Chronicle
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May 22, 2008 2:33 AM CDT
(Newser) -
An admitted steroid dealer told a San Francisco jury that he showed track coach Trevor Graham—who trained Olympic medalists Tim Montgomery and Antonio Pettigrew, among others—the ins-and-outs of the performance-enhancing drug trade. Angel "Memo" Heredia said he crossed the Mexican border to buy steroids, human growth hormone,...
Newest 'Idol': David Cook
New York Post
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May 21, 2008 9:15 PM CDT
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The newest "American Idol" is David Cook. The 25-year-old defeated David Archuleta, 17, in the season finale, the New York Post reports. The two received a record 97.5 million votes from viewers, eclipsing the previous mark by 23 million votes. Cook got 56% of the vote. The victory is a bit of a surprise because the judges swooned over...
Grammatical Dynamic Duo Wages War on Typos
Chicago Tribune
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May 21, 2008 8:50 PM CDT
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Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson are out-of-work Ivy Leaguers on a mission. They just wrapped up a three-month cross-country drive to eradicate typos and grammar gaffes in public spaces. Sharpies in hand, the pair confronted store owners about typos on their signs and windows and did their best to correct them, explains the Chicago Tribune . "A...
Guess What Oil Execs Make
Associated Press
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May 21, 2008 8:19 PM CDT
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Big Oil executives today were grilled by the Senate on soaring prices, and Sen. Patrick Leahy asked for their salaries, the AP reports. Here's what they said: J. Stephen Simon, Exxon: $12.5 millon. John Lowe, ConocoPhillips: Did not recall Peter Robertson, Chevron: Did not recall. John Hofmeister, Shell, $2.2 million. ...
House Overrides Farm Bill Veto; Senate to Follow
Washington Post
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May 21, 2008 7:50 PM CDT
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The House today overrode President Bush's veto of the $307 billion farm bill, and the Senate is expected to follow suit tomorrow morning, the Washington Post reports. Bush issued the 10th veto of his presidency this afternoon, complaining that the wide-ranging measure gives too much money to rich farmers and is stuffed with wasteful perks. The override...
Prof Copyrights Notes, Sues Web Cheats
Ars Technica
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May 21, 2008 7:25 PM CDT
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A professor at the University of Florida who has regularly copyrighted his lectures is suing a service that offers online course notes to lazy students. Dr. Michael Moulton of the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation department says it's not about money, reports the Ars Technica blog. "It used to be that students had to find the answers themselves,...
Low-Income Buyers Make Brazil 5th-Biggest PC Market
Bloomberg
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May 21, 2008 7:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Brazilian consumers are putting better credit offers and growing wealth into computers, and HP and Dell are the beneficiaries. The country is now the 5th-biggest PC market in the world, and low-income buyers are fueling the boom there. Computer shipments rose 38% last year to 10.7 million, Bloomberg reports, as overall purchases passed TVs for the...
Cockfight Mag Forced Off Amazon.com
Associated Press
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May 21, 2008 6:32 PM CDT
(Newser) -
In a victory for the Humane Society, the publisher of The Gamecock has agreed to stop selling its publication on Amazon.com. The anti-animal cruelty group had sued Amazon to remove the magazine—which it says promote cockfighting—from its site, charging the online retailer with violating federal law, the AP reports. The publisher says...
Hillary Endgame Isn't a Battle in Gender War
Los Angeles Times
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May 21, 2008 6:06 PM CDT
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Women who treat Hillary Clinton's candidacy as a feminist symbol and see sexism in calls for her to quit don't quite make sense to Jonathan Chait, writing in the Los Angeles Times . "People of my generation tend to have a less personal view of Clinton," the 36-year-old writes. "She's not us, she's not our ex-wife, she's just a politician."
Corporate Bonding 2.0
CNN
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May 21, 2008 6:05 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Company retreats are nothing new. And then, Fortune reports, there's Eco Seagate, a $2 million, week-long, life-changing challenge in New Zealand that some employees of the Northern California tech company trained months for. The trip, developed by CEO Bill Watkins, costs the company $2 million a year, and though the corporate gains are difficult...
Drew Faces Weapons Charge
Chicago Tribune
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May 21, 2008 6:04 PM CDT
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Drew Peterson is free on bail after surrendering to police today on felony weapons charges, the Chicago Tribune reports. The charges—he owns a rifle with an illegal barrel—are not related to the cases of his missing fourth wife or the suspicious death of his third, but they carry a possible penalty of 5 years in prison.
Skinheads Dupe German Mail, Make Stamp of Nazi Hero
Der Spiegel
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May 21, 2008 5:51 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Neo-Nazis in Germany pulled a fast one on the national postal service by tricking the agency into making stamps featuring one of Hitler’s senior deputies, der Spiegel reports. The skinheads used a Deutsche Post service that allows people to upload images for custom stamps online to create about 20 with images of Rudolph Hess. "The Hess...
Americans Reducing Mileage on Cars, Not Stomachs
Reuters
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May 21, 2008 5:33 PM CDT
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Many Americans are cutting back on gas due to spiking prices, but few are eating less in response to similarly soaring food costs, a poll finds. Nearly half of respondents said they were driving less, but only 8% said they were eating less. "People have more control over gasoline. They are driving less and driving smarter," pollster John...
McCain to Meet Possible VPs This Weekend
New York Times
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May 21, 2008 5:16 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain will meet with three men this weekend thought to be on his short list of vice-presidential candidates, the New York Times reports: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Mitt Romney. McCain's camp remains mum on possible VPs—though the candidate says he has a list of about 20 contenders—and won't characterize...
Manchester United Wins Russian-Roulette Club Final
BBC
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May 21, 2008 5:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Manchester United beat Chelsea in a sudden-death shootout to win tonight's European Champions League Final in Moscow, with goalie Edwin van der Sar saving a shot from Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka to seal the all-British encounter, the BBC reports. "The first penalty shoot-out I've ever won in a big game," exhaled Man U boss Sir Alex Ferguson....
Why Brown Is Still Hung Up on Black
Esquire
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May 21, 2008 4:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The US Latino community is made up of 20 nationalities and 44 million people, but it is largely in agreement on one thing—suspicion of, and often condescension toward, blacks, Ernesto Quiñonez writes in Esquire . Quiñonez remembers growing up in East Harlem, recalling “pecking orders and historic beefs and a belief that light...
Honda Looks to Muscle in on Prius Market
Forbes
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May 21, 2008 4:40 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Honda is rolling out three new hybrids, looking to muscle in on rival Toyota in a world ever more receptive of fuel-efficient vehicles. The current Civic hybrid will be joined by a five-door compact, another compact already sold in Europe as the Jazz, and a new hybrid sports car, Forbes reports. The five-door models are to be sold beginning early...
Nanotech Cancer Risk Seen
Los Angeles Times
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May 21, 2008 4:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Researchers have found that microscopic “wonder particles” used in a small number of materials, including bicycle parts and bumpers, have asbestos-like effects if inhaled, the Los Angeles Times reports. Consumers aren’t really at risk from the carbon nanotubes, but factory workers making the products could be, the researchers concluded.
Murder Suspect Unrepentant in Moscow
Guardian (UK)
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May 21, 2008 4:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
To Britain, he’s a wanted man, a murderer responsible for a diplomatic crisis. To Russia, he’s a respected, successful politician. So it was an unrepentant Andrei Lugovoi who sat down with the Guardian ’s Luke Harding. The ex-KGB man insists he did not poison dissident Alexander Litvinenko by placing radioactive polonium in his tea....
Networks Aiming to Rein in RedLasso
CNET
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May 21, 2008 3:50 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Three of the big networks are trying to get a handle on video syndication website RedLasso, cNet reports. The site records and indexes clips from TV and radio shows, making it easy for bloggers to share and embed them. NBC, CBS and Fox News have issued a cease-and-desist letter ordering the site to stop using their material without permission.
Oil, Fed Leave No Grins, Just Bears
Wall Street Journal
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May 21, 2008 3:37 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Oil prices kept on pummeling the markets today, and minutes from the Fed's most recent meeting confirmed warnings of higher inflation and lower growth—signaling a pause in rate cuts. "The rise in energy products is going to be the knell for consumer spending," one analyst tells the Wall Street Journal . The Dow ended down 227.49 to...
Obama Already Beating McCain ... in the Wallet
Politico
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May 21, 2008 3:30 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama raised $32 million in April, Politico reports; Hillary Clinton bagged $22 million, and John McCain, now squarely in Obama's general-election sights, brought in $18.5 million. It was a record for Republican, yet dwarfed by what was a rough month for Obama—who also banked $9 million in general-election money to none for McCain, who...
NYC Institution Bidding Final Bon Appetits
New York Times
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May 21, 2008 3:27 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Few places encapsulate New York's transformation from crime-ridden metropolis to Sex and the City -fied playground than Florent, a French restaurant housed in an old diner in the meatpacking district. A 24-hour hangout for slumming A-listers and transvestite prostitutes, Florent is closing after 23 years in the face of a 2,000% rent hike. The Times...
GOP Worries Mount That Boehner Lacks 'Killer Instinct'
Politico
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May 21, 2008 3:14 PM CDT
(Newser) -
After three stunning special-election losses, Republicans foresee and ugly November—and John Boehner is taking the heat. The House minority leader refused to push aside National Republican Congressional Committee chair Tom Cole, and many worry it’s too late for the impassive Boehner to change the game anyway, Politico reports. “This...
10 of Sect's 'Child Brides' Are Adults
Houston Chronicle
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May 21, 2008 3:00 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Texas authorities have admitted that 10 of the "children" taken into custody from the Eldorado polygamist sect are actually adults—including one who is 27—and more could be reclassified this week, reports the Houston Chronicle . This development could weaken the Child Protective Services' case that the sect was forcing underage...
World Toes Junta's Line as Burmese Die
Guardian (UK)
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May 21, 2008 2:47 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The leaders of the Burmese junta don’t want you to think about the victims of Cyclone Nargis, writes Tom Jenkins for the Guardian , and the world and the media are only too happy to oblige. The Chinese government’s heroics in Asia's other natural disaster focuses attention on victims receiving help, while the Burmese who desperately need...
The Youngest Brother Is His Own Man
Washington Post
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May 21, 2008 2:24 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Ted Kennedy's malignant brain tumor adds yet another chapter to the tragic epic of the Kennedy clan, Robert Kaiser writes in the Washington Post . The youngest of Joe Kennedy's sons got a huge boost from his older brothers when he entered politics, Kaiser notes, but he built his legacy of different stuff than theirs—not so much brilliance and...
Pakistan Truce Cedes Region to Militants
Associated Press
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May 21, 2008 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Pakistan struck a peace deal today with Islamic militants in northwestern Pakistan, the AP reports. Under the pact, the military will slowly pull out of Swat, a region along the Afghanistan border, and allow radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah to install limited Islamic law there. In exchange, the militants will recognize government authority, halt attacks,...
Gambling Ref: Don't Trust NBA Game Results
Associated Press
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May 21, 2008 2:04 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy alleged yesterday that relationships among basketball officials, coaches, and players "affected the outcome of games." He may also have passed the league information about other referees with gambling problems, and about the flow of confidential information from an official to a coach, AP reports. Donaghy's...
Get Back to the 'One Nation,' Barack
New Republic
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May 21, 2008 1:55 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Give us our “one nation” Obama back, the New Republic editors demand: Barack has been "sapping the charisma from his campaign” to chase down the white working class, and now that Clinton is (all but) gone, it’s time to pivot back to pure patriotism. Trumpeting national unity was Obama’s “greatest political...
Who Cares Who We Talk to?
New York Times
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May 21, 2008 1:42 PM CDT
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Though politicians and pundits alike are caught up in which foes the US should or shouldn't be reaching out to, Thomas Friedman, in the New York Times , points out that few world leaders of any stripe are sitting by the phone waiting for our call. Waning American influence and the rise of new powers in the developing world and outside the state system...
Bargain Airfares Still Out There
New York Times
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May 21, 2008 1:37 PM CDT
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Airfares are skyrocketing, but deals are still out there. The New York Times offers some pointers: Book directly with the airline. Sign up for private price cuts. Buy one ticket at a time. Make your computer do the work.
Lieberman, Hagel Cross Aisles to Pound Candidates
Wall Street Journal
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May 21, 2008 1:25 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Joe Lieberman and Chuck Hagel are fighting a duel of aisle-crossing foreign policy critiques, as the former Dem candidate takes aim at Obama and the GOP heavyweight scolds McCain. “How did the Democratic Party get here?” Joe asks in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, accusing Barack of kow-towing to extremists who have taken the party “further...
