Newser Story Index from January, 2009
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.
MLK's Dream Now a Reality: 69% of Blacks
CNN
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Jan 19, 2009 9:28 AM CST
(Newser) -
More than two-thirds of African Americans believe that the goals set out in Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech have been met, a CNN poll finds. That number has doubled since last March, to 69% from 34%. Although whites seem to still think race relations have a long way to go, optimism is up among them as well, at 46% compared...
Obama Invites Hero Pilot to Inauguration
San Jose Mercury News
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Jan 19, 2009 9:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
The pilot of downed US Airways Flight 1549 has received a personal invitation to tomorrow’s inauguration from Barack Obama, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The event will also give Chesley Sullenberger, who gained national-hero status for guiding the damaged plane to safety, a chance to see his wife and daughters for the first time since...
Israel Speeds Gaza Pullout to Beat Inauguration
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 19, 2009 9:09 AM CST
(Newser) -
Israel hastened its withdrawal from Gaza today, saying the troops could be out in time for Barack Obama’s inauguration tomorrow—assuming the Palestinians keep their end of the ceasefire. But some rockets were fired after the ceasefire was declared, and Hamas’ armed wing has promised to rearm ASAP, the Guardian reports. “Manufacturing...
Aussie Writer Gets 3 Years for Thai Insult
BBC
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Jan 19, 2009 9:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
An Australian writer has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for insulting Thailand’s monarchy in one passage of a self-published book, the BBC reports. Tough “lese-majeste” laws shield Thailand’s monarchy from criticism and led to Harry Nicolaides’ arrest as he was leaving the country. He pleaded guilty to the insult...
Knox Flirts With Ex at Their Trial
Times (UK)
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Jan 19, 2009 8:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Amanda Knox tried to mend fences with her ex-boyfriend and fellow accused murderer Raffaele Sollecito during her trial Friday, the Times of London reports. Knox took pains not to glance Sollecito’s way in the courtroom, but during a recess she approached the 24-year-old, asked how he was doing, and complimented him on his haircut. Sollecito...
Panda Lovin' Leaves DC Zoo Wanting
Washington Post
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Jan 19, 2009 8:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
A romantic day in the park amid inaugural hubbub wasn’t enough to propagate the genes of two famous pandas at Washington’s National Zoo, the Washington Post reports. The pair had given mating calls, prompting hopes for the conception of a new member of the endangered species, which is apparently horrible at the reproduction game. ...
EU Expects Deep, Lengthy Recession
Associated Press
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Jan 19, 2009 8:26 AM CST
(AP) -
The European Union said today it is facing a "deep and protracted recession" with government spending the only source of growth. The 16 nations that use the euro will shrink 1.9% in 2009, with the entire EU contracting 1.8%, the European Commission forecasts. The EU will lose 3.5 million jobs as business and household spending falls and lending...
London City Hall Will Fly US Flag Tomorrow
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 19, 2009 8:09 AM CST
(Newser) -
Tomorrow morning, while Washington sleeps, the mayor of London will celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama by hoisting the American flag at city hall. Boris Johnson, a Conservative born in New York who publicly supported Obama during the campaign, will raise the flag himself, reports the Guardian. A rep from the American embassy in London...
This Picture Is Worth $6K
Politico
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Jan 19, 2009 8:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
When the five current, former, and future occupants of the Oval Office mugged together at the White House last week, one could almost hear the cash registers cha-chinging, reports Politico. All five will sign a limited 250 copies of the photo—with each keeping 50—instantly jacking the value to an estimated $6000 per photo. Works out to...
UK Rolls Out Another Bank Bailout, Tightens Controls
New York Times
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Jan 19, 2009 7:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
The British government today rolled out a new bank rescue plan that includes $147 billion to insure troubled mortgage assets, reports the New York Times. It also offers an additional $73.5 billion to the Bank of England to buy up struggling banks’ “high-quality assets” to insure credit lines to some of Britain's biggest companies,...
O No: Bushies Warned to Skip Pranks
CNN
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Jan 19, 2009 7:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
White House aides have been ordered not try some of the pranks played by Clinton aides eight years ago, reports CNN. Mischievous Clintonites yanked the "W" keys from keyboards, and outgoing aides have been warned to keep their mitts off the "O" keys—or try any other tricks, reports CNN.
Tough-as-Nails Pooty-Poot Is Also an Artiste
Reuters
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Jan 19, 2009 7:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
Vladimir Putin has a murky past with the KGB, a black belt in judo, and the public image of a tough guy, so when the Russian PM tried his hand at fine art, patrons sat up. Putin painted a scene of snowfall seen through a window for a charity auction in St. Petersburg, with a florid "Putin" signature at the top (a pro finished the work). Bidding...
Israeli Gains in Gaza Are Elusive
New York Times
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Jan 19, 2009 7:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
As the world waits to see whether the truce declared this weekend in Gaza will hold, Israelis are asking themselves just what the 3 weeks of vicious fighting has achieved. There is hope that damage to tunnels may prevent Hamas from rearming and resuming firing rockets across the border, at least at the previous volume. But Hamas remains in power in...
Randy Inaugural Crowds Lookin' for Love on Craigslist
Gawker
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Jan 19, 2009 6:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Frisky Democrats are angling for more than just ringside seats at tomorrow's inauguration—they're flooding Craigslist in search of a little side action, reports Gawker. One poster first thanks his congresswoman for tickets, then pleads: "I want to make this even better by getting kinky," hopefully in a foursome. But the "fun"...
Obama Turning to McCain for Advice
New York Times
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Jan 19, 2009 6:30 AM CST
(Newser) -
Not only is John McCain in town for Barack Obama's inauguration, he's the guest of honor at an event celebrating it, reports the New York Times . In fact, the president-elect has been discreetly consulting his former rival—the one Obama said America can't trust on the Iraq war—on Iraq, foreign policy, and national security appointees (many...
Merkel's Party Wins Big in German Election
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 19, 2009 6:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
The right-wing party of Angela Merkel came out on top in a closely watched German state election last night, giving the chancellor a major boost ahead of a federal election later this year. In Hesse, home to the financial powerhouse Frankfurt, right-wing premier Roland Koch won a new mandate, while the left-leaning Social Democratic Party went down...
Heart 'Time Bomb' Ticking for 60M
BBC
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Jan 19, 2009 5:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Scientists have discovered a mutant gene carried by 1% of the population which almost guarantees heart disease in later life, reports the BBC. Some 60 million people have the genetic time bomb, including 4% of the total population of India. The gene increases the risk of heart disease sevenfold, according to a study in the journal Nature Genetics...
Cute Dog Craze Yields Dumber, Weaker Breeds
Times (UK)
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Jan 19, 2009 5:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Humans' quest for beautiful, quirky "leash candy" is making man's best friend dumber, weaker, and more introverted, reports the Times of London. Bred less and less to be hunters, guard dogs, and herders, current breeds can do little more than look pretty, a Swedish study of dog behavior has found.
Army Recruiting Soars as Job Dry Up
New York Times
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Jan 19, 2009 4:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
The recession has swelled military recruitment, bumping the forces past their goals for the first time since 2004, reports the New York Times . Many Americans are being enticed from a flagging job market by the promised stability and benefits. The Army—whose recruiting has struggled most under the shadow of the Iraq war—gained 6% more...
2 Dozen Gitmo Prisoners Win Court Cases
New York Times
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Jan 19, 2009 4:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
At least 24 detainees at Guantanamo Bay have won cases in federal court or military tribunals voiding their detention in the last 3 months. While the Bush administration has insisted that the prisoners who remain at Gitmo are "the worst of the worst," there was apparently no legal reason to detain nearly 10% of them. The timing of the decisions...
Big Day a Windfall for Newspapers
Bloomberg
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Jan 19, 2009 4:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
Newspapers expect a multi-million-dollar windfall in extra sales to people who want a keepsake of Inauguration Day, and publishers are gearing up to make the most of it, Bloomberg reports. The Washington Post is jacking up its price to $2, and the New York Times, USA Today and other publications plan a variety of special editions. ...
DC Cell Phone Calls: Maybe We Can
New York Times
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Jan 19, 2009 3:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Throngs of people at the inauguration threaten to overwhelm the cell phone system with a massive number of calls, texts, tweets and emails, reports the New York Times . Major cell phone companies are scrambling to upgrade and add capacity, but no one knows how the system will respond to the enormous volume of calls.
Inauguration Becomes De Facto Holiday
USA Today
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Jan 19, 2009 3:12 AM CST
(Newser) -
Employers nationwide are bracing for a new slowdown, but they're excited about this one, reports USA Today . Thousands of workers nationwide are expected to take the day off tomorrow to watch the inauguration—or watch with co-workers in office parties. Companies are wise to grant the time off, since the festivities will bring employees hope...
Rapper, 6, Touts Obama to Peeps
San Francisco Chronicle
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Jan 19, 2009 2:49 AM CST
(Newser) -
Though the historical context of Barack Obama's victory may be lost on "Lil Yani," the president-elect has made the 6-year-old very proud—enough to produce a rap tribute that's fast becoming an online hit, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Like the other upbeat raps from the charismatic Californian, Yani's presidential ode Obama...
Black Box Reveals Both Engines Failed
Associated Press
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Jan 19, 2009 2:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Both engines on the airplane that crashed into the Hudson River last week lost power simultaneously at 3,200 feet, a clue from black box recorders for investigators still searching for the missing left engine, AP reports. Tugboats have begun hauling wreckage to New Jersey where it will be examined to confirm the pilot's report that a flock of birds...
Obama Has Met Only Half of Rick Warren
Time
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Jan 19, 2009 1:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Evangelical Rick Warren has fooled many Americans, Barack Obama included, with his lifelong attempt at creating a double personality, Amy Sullivan writes in Time. There's Pastor Rick—the apparently progressive anti-poverty, concerned-about-AIDS persona Obama invited to deliver the inaugural invocation, and there's the divisive staunch conservative...
Steelers Down Ravens, 23-14, for AFC Crown
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2009 9:39 PM CST
(AP) -
Pittsburgh used its dominating defense to beat the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14, in tonight's AFC championship game and return to the Super Bowl, the AP reports. Santonio Holmes scored on an electrifying 65-yard catch-and-run in the first half, and hard-hitting safety Troy Polamalu returned an interception 40 yards for a clinching TD with 4:24 remaining...
Growing Obama Security to Peak at Inauguration
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2009 8:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
Two years of improving security for Barack Obama will climax at his swearing-in on Tuesday, the Washington Post reports. The president-elect will address the nation from behind a 5-ton bulletproof curtain as more than 23,000 police and National Guard troops stand guard. Road, river, and air traffic will be shut down for miles—except for Obama,...
Obama Is Update, Reboot for Presidency's Software
CNN
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Jan 18, 2009 7:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama is poised to be, by far, the most wired president ever, reports CNN. With more than a million MySpace friends, 3.7 million Facebook pals, and online access to more than 13 million voters, Obama invented a new media model and will be able to communicate in ways far beyond the capacity of previous presidents.
Obama's Crew Abounds With Expats
Newsweek
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Jan 18, 2009 7:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
If you’re seeking a job in the Obama administration, you may want to get out more—way out, Newsweek reports. Like the president-elect, many of his advisers have lived in other countries. Top aide Valerie Jarrett was born in Iran and has traveled widely, mixing with Europeans, Arabs, and Latin Americans. Such travels make her "more...
Let Them Eat Fast Food
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 7:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
French cuisine just got a little less haute , the Daily Telegraph reports. As the recession hammers consumers and restaurants alike, some of France’s top chefs are opening fast-food offshoots. Expense-account meals running $450 per head are out and $6 ham sandwiches are in as famed restaurants like l'Auberge du Pont de Collonges target today's...
Seeking Surgery at 80? You're Not Alone
Sacramento Bee
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Jan 18, 2009 7:03 PM CST
(Newser) -
Folks over 80 are increasingly going under the knife despite critics who say it's unethical or financially perilous, the Sacramento Bee reports. New medical technology has persuaded doctors to violate tradition and perform operations like cancer and open-heart surgery on octogenarians. But one doctor has sparked controversy by saying patients over...
Team Obama Told to Ditch Instant Messaging
Politico
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Jan 18, 2009 6:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Team Obama will be chatting in the hall and by phone, Politico reports, because instant messaging just got the boot. Lawyers told them this week that programs like AIM and GChat, still staples of their daily operations, can't be used in the White House. "They just told us flat out we couldn't IM in the White House," a senior staffer said....
Mr. President, Tell Us a Story
Slate
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Jan 18, 2009 5:53 PM CST
(Newser) -
On the campaign trail, Barack Obama often punctuated his speeches with personal stories about a campaign volunteer or a city councilwoman. With the world ready to watch Obama’s inauguration speech Tuesday, John Dickerson wonders in Slate what stories Obama will tell to rekindle a sense of unity. "The idea is that everyone, from politicians...
Cards Edge Eagles for NFC Title
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2009 5:40 PM CST
(AP) -
That's not a mirage rising out of the desert, folks: It's the Arizona Cardinals soaring to their first Super Bowl. The once-dysfunctional team capitalized on Larry Fitzgerald's three first-half touchdown receptions today, then coolly marched downfield to Kurt Warner's 8-yard scoring pass to rookie Tim Hightower with 2:53 left. They beat the Philadelphia...
Need an Orgasm? Bag a Rich Man
Times (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 5:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
A man's wallet can carry a woman to the peak of ecstasy, a new study says. Based on surveys of 5,000 people across China, British researchers have found that “women’s orgasm frequency increases with the income of their partner,” said one author of the study. He called women's attraction to moneyed men an "evolutionary adaptation"...
Obama 'Has 4 Years to Save Planet'
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 5:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Carbon levels are skyrocketing, ice caps are melting, and global flooding is on its way if Barack Obama doesn’t do something about it, and quickly, a NASA scientist says. Top climate expert Jim Hansen says it’s crucial that within 4 years the next president change America—the world’s biggest carbon emitter and its largest economy—after...
Who's Your Daddy? DNA Tests May Shock You
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 18, 2009 4:34 PM CST
(Newser) -
A simple DNA test is enough to rend a family apart, the Los Angeles Times reports. As more people take genetic tests to uncover medical data or trace family roots, more are discovering that their biological father is someone else. It's an old issue in medicine—blood types, after all, can reveal non-paternity—but "it's going...
'Anything Possible,' Obama Tells Crowd
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2009 4:10 PM CST
(AP) -
Two days away from the White House, Barack Obama joined a vast throng today at a roaring, rollicking pre-inauguration celebration staged before marble monuments to past heroes. "Anything is possible in America," he said. "Despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead—I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States...
Rourke Finds Comeback Light at End of Dark Tunnel
CNN
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Jan 18, 2009 3:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
After the collapse of his career—admittedly his own fault—Mickey Rourke has found his way back up the Hollywood ladder with his recent Golden Globe for The Wrestler . Despite many promising turns during the 1980s, CNN reports, self-destructive behavior and problems with authority—which Rourke attributes to childhood abuse—culminated...
Mall Cop Wins Box Office Battle
Variety
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Jan 18, 2009 3:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
A mall security guard on a Segway wrested control of the box office this weekend. Paul Blart: Mall Cop , a PG-rated comedy starring Kevin James, raked in $33.8 million to knock Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino from the top spot, Variety reports. Torino earned $22.2 million, a mere 25% drop from last weekend. Rounding out the top five: My...
Search Still on for Engine; but It's 'Not Going Anywhere'
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2009 3:25 PM CST
(Newser) -
The missing left engine from the US Airways jetliner that landed in the Hudson River still hasn’t been located, the New York Times reports. Still, there’s no hurry, a transportation authority says, because “it’s not going anywhere.” Police and army boats using sonar haven’t pinpointed any locations, but a transportation...
Crowds Thrill to 'Obamastock'
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2009 3:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
A free inauguration concert that one attendee dubbed "Obamastock" kicked off today before tens of thousands of excited but chilly visitors in Washington, DC, the Washington Post reports. Fans sat patiently on blankets and waited in long security checkpoint lines as Denzel Washington took the stage to announce Bruce Springsteen, USA Today...
Israel Begins 'Gradual Withdrawal' From Gaza
Times (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 2:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
Israel began pulling troops out of the Gaza Strip today after Hamas echoed the call for a ceasefire, the Times of London reports. As troops started leaving, Gazans came out of their homes to survey the damage. Mosque loudspeakers declared "victory," but Palestinians appeared too stunned to celebrate. “Everything has been completely...
Lance Makes Comeback Down Under
Associated Press
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Jan 18, 2009 2:12 PM CST
(AP) -
Lance Armstrong made a cautious return to professional cycle racing today, finishing 64th among 133 riders in a 30-mile criterium in downtown Adelaide, Australia. More than 138,000 people watched Armstrong return from three years of retirement and begin a campaign to win his eighth Tour de France. He stayed well back in a tight field, following instructions...
Mugabe's Wife Pounds Photog
Times (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 1:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
The wife of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe attacked a photographer for the Times of London who caught her leaving a posh Hong Kong hotel, the newspaper reports. Grace Mugabe ordered her bodyguard to seize the shutterbug’s camera—and then joined in the fracas. The photographer suffered nine cuts, abrasions and bruises to the face caused...
Looking for Happiness? Forget Puppy Love
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 1:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
If you’re stuck in a romantic rut, blame it on puppy love. Sociologists say the torrid affairs of youth lead to unrealistic expectations about relationships later in life, the Guardian reports. "Remarkably, it seems that the secret to long-term happiness in a relationship is to skip a first relationship," one sociologist, who edited...
Obama Can't Win 'Em All
Politico
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Jan 18, 2009 1:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
Washington will be swimming in champagne for the inauguration Tuesday, but some conservatives are warning merrymakers to stop drinking the Obama Kool-Aid, Politico reports. “While we’re sitting around the campfire and trying to sing Kumbaya, our country is slipping away from us,” said one. Another predicted, “The first time...
10 Obscure Inauguration Tidbits
Chicago Tribune
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Jan 18, 2009 12:48 PM CST
(Newser) -
Ahead of Tuesday’s inauguration, the Chicago Tribune compiles a list of the 10 best little known facts about ceremonies past. George Washington had to borrow money to attend his own inauguration. No, William Henry Harrison’s long-winded, “fatal” speech on a chilly morning in 1841 didn’t kill him, but his...
100 Families Gave $100K to Obama
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2009 12:27 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s political efforts haven’t run purely on grassroots fuel: almost 100 families that gave $100,000 or more made up an “elite” group of repeat donors over the past 2 years, the Washington Post reports. Current donation rules make whopping contributions possible if donors distribute funds among several committees....
