Rhode Island

20080128
• Barack Obama - Hillary Clinton - Massachusetts - Rhode Island - US - Iraq - Military - Race - Gay - 2008 Election - "Sen. Kennedy endorses Barack Obama: Democratic elder statesman plans to campaign for candidate." ... "Two generations of Kennedys - the Democratic Party's best known political family - endorsed [2008 Election Democratic Presidential Candidate] Barack Obama for president on Monday, with [Massachusetts Democratic Senator "Ted" Kennedy] Sen. Edward M. Kennedy calling him a "man with extraordinary gifts of leadership and character," a worthy heir to his assassinated brother [two of Ted Kennedy's brothers were assassinated, Democratic President John F. Kennedy and Democratic Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy]." ... "He [Obama] was introduced by Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president [John F. Kennedy], who said Obama "offers that same sense of hope and inspiration" as did her father. [Rhode Island Democratic Representative] Rep. Patrick Kennedy also endorsed Obama from the stage before a boisterous crowd at American University." ... "In his remarks, Sen. Kennedy sought one by one to rebut many of the arguments leveled by Obama's critics." ... ""From the beginning, he opposed the war in Iraq. And let no one deny that truth," he said, an obvious reference to former President Clinton's statement that Obama's early anti-war stance was a "fairy tale."" ... ""With Barack Obama, we will turn the page on the old politics of misrepresentation and distortion." ... ""With Barack Obama we will close the book on the old politics of race against race, gender against gender, ethnic group against ethnic group, and straight against gay," Kennedy said." ... "Lately, according to several associates, Kennedy became angered with what he viewed as racially divisive comments by [husband to 2008 Election Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton, former Democratic President] Bill Clinton." -AP via -MSNBC 

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20070608
• US - Iraq - Afghanistan - Politics - Rhode Island - "New War Czar Wins Praise, but White House Is Faulted." ... "In a hearing that alternated between back-slapping and back-stabbing, Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute, nominated as assistant to the president for Iraq and Afghanistan, was assured by Democrats that he exemplified the military’s highest standards of professionalism and would be confirmed easily." ... "But General Lute was also told that his new duties should have been carried out by others." ... "“All you’re being asked to do was what Mr. [Stephen J.] Hadley and Dr. [Condoleezza] Rice were supposed to be doing for the last several years: identify problems, coordinate resources, bring it to the attention of the president, get presidential direction — and that has been abysmal,” [Rhode Island Democratic] Senator Reed said." ... "Senators also focused their questions on past comments from General Lute that expressed skepticism that the solution in Iraq required increasing the number of American troops — which is exactly what was ordered by President Bush as part of his new strategy, announced in January." ... "General Lute is representative of a group of officers that worked at the military’s Central Command under Gen. John P. Abizaid, now retired, who argued that a large American presence was like a virus in Iraq, with more troops adding to a sense of occupation and thrusting the Iraqis into a relationship of dependency." -By Thom Shanker -NYTimes 

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• US - Iraq - Afghanistan - Iran - Politics - RI - "'War czar' duties may signal policy shift: Many are surprised when Lute testifies he'd report directly to Bush on Iraq and Afghanistan, leaving the national security advisor out of the loop." ... "The man chosen by President Bush to become his new "war czar" told Congress on Thursday that national security advisor Stephen Hadley would no longer be responsible for Iraq policy, indicating the administration has quietly engineered a significant change in foreign policy leadership that could directly affect U.S. war strategy." ... "Army Lt. Gen. Douglas E. Lute testified at his confirmation hearing that he would be reporting directly to Bush on all issues involving the war, as well as the conflict in Afghanistan, while Hadley would deal with the president "on matters outside of Iraq [and] Afghanistan."" ... "The testimony stunned leading Democrats and at least one Republican. They appeared taken aback by the extent of the shake-up in Bush's inner circle of advisors — particularly the diminished role Hadley will play." ... ""Afghanistan, Iraq and, related to that, Iran are the most critical foreign policy problems we face, and the national security advisor of the United States has taken his hands off that and given it to you?" asked [Rhode Island Democratic Senator] Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), a former Army officer who described himself as a longtime friend of Lute's." ... ""Then he [Hadley] should be fired," Reed said. "Because frankly, if he's not capable of being the individual responsible for those duties and they pass it on to someone else, then why is he there?"" -By Peter Spiegel -LAtimes 

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20070607
• US - Iraq - Afghanistan - Politics - Rhode Island - "US senators dubious about Bush's new war czar post." ... "U.S. senators expressed deep skepticism on Thursday at President Bush's nomination of a "war czar" for Iraq and Afghanistan, saying it muddled the White House chain of command but likely signaled no strategy change." ... ""I'm afraid that your position will be someone who's there to take the blame," Rhode Island Democratic [Senator] Sen. Jack Reed told Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee." ... ""I am very concerned that this is not going to work. It's just another political, public relations ploy rather than a significant change of strategy," Reed, who joined others in praising Lute's service record, told the three-star general." -By Susan Cornwell -Reuters via -AlertNet.org/Newsdesk

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20061108
• Election 2006 - US - Iraq - Military - Missouri - Montana - Virginia - Pennsylvania - Santorum - Rhode Island - Ohio - Indiana - Kentucky - "Democrats win House control in midterm elections; Senate still in doubt." ... "Democrats took over the House in Tuesday's midterm elections but Senate control might take weeks to decide, in an election shaped by voter discontent with President Bush and the direction of the Iraq war." ... "Democrat Claire McCaskill's victory over incumbent [Republican] Sen. Jim Talent in Missouri has put Senate control within her party's grasp. Two Senate races remained undecided early Wednesday -- Montana, where a Democratic challenger led, and Virginia, where another Democratic challenger was ahead by the slimmest of margins. Democrats must win both to seize Senate control." ... "Four incumbent Republicans lost in the Senate. Pennsylvanians voted out conservative stalwart Rick Santorum [Republican] — the No. 3 GOP leader in the Senate — in favor of Democrat Bob Casey; Rhode Island voters picked Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse over incumbent Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee; Ohio voters chose Democratic Rep. Sherrod Brown over Republican incumbent Mike Dewine; and McCaskill beat Talent." ... "Democrats also won major House races in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Kentucky and the closely contested governor's race in Ohio, the AP projected. And Democrats seized a majority of the nation's governorships for the first time in 12 years." -USATODAY 

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20060902
• Rhode Island - 2006 Election - Election 2008 - "Is Chafee the GOP's Lieberman? [Rhode Island Republican Senator] Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., Tries to Fend Off [Republican] Steve Laffey in Senate Primary Rumble." ... "In an exclusive appearance on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., predicted he will withstand an intraparty primary challenge from Republican Mayor Steve Laffey in one of the key races to his party's chances of holding onto control of the Senate." ... ""This is going to be a close race," Chafee told Stephanopoulos, who traveled to Rhode Island as a part of "This Week's" on-the-trail series of interviews leading up to the 2006 midterm elections and 2008 presidential race." ... "The latest independent poll done by Rhode Island College surveyed a small sample size of only 363 registered voters, and showed Laffey defeating Chafee in the Sept. 12 primary by a 51-to-34-percent margin, a 17 percentage point gap. Their previous poll, conducted in June, found the race nearly even, suggesting some movement in Laffey's direction." ... "Troubling to Republicans nationally, however, is that polls consistently show Chafee fares far better than Laffey in the general election against the leading Democratic candidate, Sheldon Whitehouse." (1, 2, 3, 4) -By Ed O'Keefe -ABCNEWS.com

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20060811
• Rhode Island - Michigan - Pennsylvania - "Conservative Group Sets Sights on Chafee." ... "Fresh off their first victory over a Republican incumbent, GOP conservatives seeking party purity on taxes and spending are focused on ousting moderate Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island." ... "The Club for Growth and its 36,000 members spent around $1 million to help challenger Tim Walberg unseat first-term Rep. Joe Schwarz in Michigan's Republican primary on Tuesday. The win came despite Schwarz's support from President Bush and the National Rifle Association." ... "Since its inception in 1999, the group has spent millions to help dozens of conservative Republicans win seats in Congress — often at the expense of more moderate party members. The Club's president, former Rep. Pat Toomey, nearly defeated Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter in 2004." ... "The prospect of a Laffey win worries national Republicans, who consider Chafee the party's best bet for holding the seat in a heavily Democratic state. Polls show Laffey trailing far behind the leading Democratic candidate, former Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse." -By M.L. Johnson -AP via -SFGate.com 

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