Dems Fret Over School Ruling

Under-the-radar pick Sidney Thomas gets Oval Office meeting

(AP) - President Obama has accelerated his search for his next Supreme Court nominee, meeting in the Oval Office with one of the candidates, federal judge Sidney Thomas of Montana, a person familiar with the conversation says. Obama's meeting with Thomas yesterday was his first known formal interview for the upcoming vacancy on the court. He's holding conversations with other candidates, but it's unclear whether he's had any other face-to-face meetings. More»

Senator sorry for 'Negro' remark

(NEWSER) - Harry Reid apologized again this afternoon for comments he made about Barack Obama in the early days of the presidential campaign, acknowledging that he "could have used a better choice of words" in evaluating Obama's prospects. "I've apologized to the president. I've apologized to everyone that, within the sound of my voice—that I could have used a better choice of words," Reid said at a Nevada news conference. More»

(NEWSER) - Increased turnout by minorities in last year's election helped Barack Obama take several swing states and advance in GOP strongholds, new data from the Census Bureau shows. Turnout was 64%, the same as the last presidential election—but a growing population means that 5 million more people voted in 2008 than 2004. Minorities account for almost the entire increase; 2 million more blacks, the same number of Hispanics, and 600,000 more Asians cast a ballot. More»

Studies show flip side of 'Bradley Effect' fears

(NEWSER) - In this election, some feared that racial biases could affect the outcome—but tolerance between groups can grow as quickly as distrust, new studies suggest. Researchers have used interviews and competitions to quickly forge close relationships between people of different ethnic backgrounds, and those newfound friendships can ease the subjects’ relations with each others’ racial groups, the New York Times reports. More»

Jesse Jackson's tears expressed so many possible thoughts

(NEWSER) - Not long after the networks declared Barack Obama the next American president, writes Rebecca Traister in Salon, the years worth of emotions that led up to that moment flashed across the face of Jesse Jackson. In minutes, the civil rights leader's expression transformed from a still one of disbelief, (or perhaps resentment, or shock) to unabashed, weeping joy. More»