Bush Administration News Blog

Race-based school programs reined in

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON -- They started their day, by custom, by shaking hands all around. A short while later, Supreme Court justices were throwing darts at one another on a topic that has divided Americans like no other -- race.

They accused one another of betraying the Supreme Court's most acclaimed ruling, the 53-year-old Brown v. Board of Education decision outlawing segregated schools, and of misapplying the law.

In the end, a conservative majority held sway in a decision that clamped new limits on local school efforts to make sure children of different races share classrooms.

Sanford names choice to succeed Hoisington

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

Education: Duke University, A.B. mathematics, magna cum laude, 1984. University of Texas School of Law, J.D. with honors, 1987. Employment: February to present: U.S. Attorney Northern District of California. 2005-07: General Counsel, Executive Office for United States Attorneys, Washington, D.C. 2001-05: First Assistant U.S. Attorney, United States Attorney's Office, Columbia. Served as deputy to then-U.S. Attorney J. Strom Thurmond Jr. 1997-2000: Assistant U.S. Attorney, Charleston. Assigne...

Gov. Mark Sanford has picked experienced federal prosecutor Scott N. Schools to succeed Solicitor Ralph Hoisington, who died earlier this month after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer.Schools, the interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, will return home to take charge of the 9th Circuit Solicitor's office covering Charleston and Berkeley counties.Schools, 45, returns with an impressive resume. He prosecuted white collar criminals in Charleston for several years in ...

Senate kills immigration reform measure; little hope for revival

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON — The look on his face said it all.

AP VIDEO: The Senate drove a stake Thursday through President Bush's plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, likely postponing major action on immigration until after the 2008 elections. (June 28)

As the clock ticked down on the crucial immigration debate Thursday, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, the Florida Republican who helped craft the contentious measure, paced the Senate floor visibly concerned.

Quotes related to White House subpoenas

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

Some quotes about the White House's assertion of executive privilege Thursday, rejecting lawmakers' demands for documents that could shed light on the firings of federal prosecutors.

"We've made it clear that we are willing to share information with Congress so that they can do their jobs, but on the other hand, we think it is essential, as a matter of principle, to protect the prerogatives of the presidency, especially when it comes to being able to have privileged and confidential communications with key staff members and key executive branch officials." - White House spokesman Tony Snow.

"This White House cannot have it both ways. They cannot stonewall congressional investigations by refusing to provide documents and witnesses, while claiming nothing improper occurred." - Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.

White House rejects Congress' demands

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON -- The White House refused Thursday to comply with House and Senate subpoenas for documents, setting the stage for what could be a protracted constitutional battle.

The Bush administration claimed executive privilege in refusing to release the documents and indicated it was prepared to do the same for a subpoena compelling former White House counsel Harriet Miers' testimony.

South Korea, U.S. agree on trade pact

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea and the United States have agreed on final changes to their free trade agreement, paving the way for its signing on June 30, the prime minister's office said Friday.Prime Minister Han Duck-soo told managing editors of major newspapers and broadcast outlets that Seoul and Washington had agreed to change parts of the agreement to include new U.S. labor and environmental standards for free trade agreements, his office said.Han said the agreement was reached and "tra...

High court eases ban on minimum prices

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Manufacturers will have more leeway to set minimum prices at the retail level without violating antitrust laws under a Supreme Court ruling that could hurt consumers and small merchants.

By allowing minimum price agreements, the court's 5-4 decision on Thursday could lead to higher prices, dissenting justices said. The ruling could also make it harder for new retailers to enter the market, according to consumer advocates, because most innovative retailers begin as lower-cost alternatives.

Supporters of the ruling argue that it will enable retailers to pay for better customer service by charging more without fear of being undercut by discounters.

IMF Chief To Resign In Fall

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON -- International Monetary Fund managing director Rodrigo de Rato will step down in October, he said Thursday, some six weeks after upheaval at the helm of the sister institution, the World Bank.

"My family circumstances and responsibilities, particularly with regard to the education of my children, are the reason for relinquishing earlier than expected my responsibilities at the Fund," he said in a statement to the board of the 185-nation lending institution.

De Rato, 58, a former Spanish economy minister, told the executive board of the 185-nation lending organization he would leave in October after the IMF's annual meeting.

Dems say march to racial unity not over

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

Democratic Presidential hopeful former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. answers questions during the televised Democratic presidential candidates debate at Howard University in Washington Thursday, June 28, 2007.

Quotes from the Democratic debate

Democrats denounce desegregation ruling

Democrats Focus On Race In Debate

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON -- An historically diverse field of Democratic presidential candidates - a woman, a black, an Hispanic and five whites - denounced an hours-old Supreme Court desegregation ruling Thursday night and said the nation's slow march to racial unity is far from over.

"We have made enormous progress, but the progress we have made is not good enough," said Sen. Barack Obama, the son of a man from Kenya and a woman from Kansas.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first female candidate with a serious shot at the presidency, challenged those who would suggest otherwise. "There is so much left to be done and for anyone to assert that race is not a problem in America today is to deny the reality in front of our very eyes."

Democrats to hold hearing into Cheney role in salmon die-off

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee said Thursday his panel will hold a hearing into the role Vice President Dick Cheney may have played in the 2002 die-off of about 70,000 salmon near the California-Oregon border.

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said the Democratic-led committee has been examining what he called the Bush administration's "penchant to favor politics over science in the implementation of the Endangered Species Act."

In light of allegations made about Cheney's role in developing a 10-year water plan for the Klamath River that courts later called arbitrary and in violation of the Endangered Species Act, a hearing is worthwhile, Rahall said. He and other Democrats charged that Cheney's action resulted in the largest adult salmon kill in the history of the West.

A new cultural icon is born

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

The frenzy surrounding Friday's release of the iPhone is made up of equal parts of hype, cool factor and the cultlike devotion of Apple users

Tribune staff reporters

It's the Tickle-Me-Elmo moment for the mobile phone.

Dems denounce court desegregation ruling

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A historically diverse field of Democratic presidential candidates - a woman, a black, an Hispanic and five whites - denounced an hours-old Supreme Court affirmative action ruling Thursday night and said the nation's slow march to racial unity is far from over. "We have made enormous progress, but the progress we have made is not good enough," said Sen. Barack Obama, the son of a man from Kenya and a woman from Kansas. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first female candidat...

Head of IMF stepping down

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- International Monetary Fund managing director Rodrigo de Rato will step down in October, he said Thursday, some six weeks after upheaval at the helm of the sister institution, the World Bank. "My family circumstances and responsibilities, particularly with regard to the education of my children, are the reason for relinquishing earlier than expected my responsibilities at the Fund," he said in a statement to the board of the 185-nation lending institution. De Rato, 58, a f...

Pelosi unveils energy plan, won't speak to House goals

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 08:01:33 +0000

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unveiling of a broad energy package was overshadowed Thursday by her refusal to indicate whether the House would debate an increase in fuel economy standards for new cars and trucks when the bills come to the floor next month.

The Bush administration also jumped into the debate Thursday, telling Pelosi in a letter that it would prefer to see fuel economy increases considered in the current energy bill, saying it "applauded the Senate's work" in tackling the issue. The administration has said it doesn't favor the Senate plan calling for mileage standards at 35 m.p.g. by 2020 for all vehicles.

Feds talk to another ex-Doolittle aide

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- California GOP Rep. John Doolittle's former legislative director said Wednesday he has been contacted by federal investigators in their probe of Doolittle's ties to jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Pete Evich, Doolittle's legislative director from 1998 to 2002 and now a lobbyist, told The Associated Press that he plans to talk to the Justice Department soon. The news comes two days after an attorney for another former Doolittle aide, former chief of staff David Lopez, said h...

Court limits schools considering race

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected school assignment plans that take account of students' race in two major public school districts. The decisions could imperil similar plans nationwide.

U.S. House bill to seek private help for national insurance fund

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- A U.S. House bill seeking to stabilize the insurance market in disaster-prone areas would use private investors to build a national backup fund that states could use after the worst catastrophes. Investors would gamble that a Category 5 hurricane wouldn't make a direct hit on an area like Tampa Bay, or that a major earthquake wouldn't be centered in San Francisco or Los Angeles. They would then get their original investment and interest returned after the contracted...

S.Korean Workers Strike Against FTA

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

House members seek to pressure Iran

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

IMF director stepping down in October

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

Clinton, Richardson fault policy on Iran

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

White House, Cheney's office subpoenaed

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate subpoenaed the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney's office Wednesday, demanding documents and elevating the confrontation with President Bush over the administration's warrant-free eavesdropping on Americans. Separately, the Senate Judiciary Committee also is summoning Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to discuss the program and an array of other matters that have cost a half-dozen top Justice Department officials their jobs, committee chairman Patrick L...

White House mulls response to subpoenas

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

US-India relations hit rough patch

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:13:40 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States has trumpeted a nuclear cooperation deal with India as the cornerstone of strong new ties with a growing economic and strategic force in Asia. But with talks on that deal stalled and India and the United States trading blame for a breakdown in world trade negotiations, tension is creeping into the relationship. In reaching a preliminary nuclear agreement, and persuading Congress to approve it, the Bush administration scored a rare foreign policy success l...