Former surgeon general's letter prompts scare
6:42
An unstamped letter from former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop turned into a security scare Wednesday as U.S. Capitol Police closed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office for about 45 minutes. Police officials...
Democrats say elections won't stop health care
6:30
Far from chastened by off-year election setbacks, congressional Democrats vowed no let-up in the drive to pass controversial health care Wednesday, arguing that the way to regain voter trust was to complete what they...
White House: Tuesday's GOP wins not about Obama
5:45
The White House says that Republican wins in two governors' races were not referendums on the president. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Wednesday that voters went to the polls in Virginia and...
Details on health care bills in House, Senate
4:47
House Democratic leaders have presented a new health overhaul bill that melds legislation passed by three committees over the summer. And House Republicans have unveiled their own alternative, after months of...
Young voters who helped elect Obama stayed home
4:19
Last year, 23-year-old Rashida Hill watched the presidential debates, visited the college political party meetings and put a Barack Obama bumper sticker on her townhouse door. She voted for Obama because she felt like...
Govt criticizes Toyota press release on floor mats
4:03
The government says Toyota Motor Corp. is misleading consumers about an investigation into problems with stuck gas pedals that led to a massive Toyota recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said...
White House monitoring crackdown in Iran
3:55
The White House on Wednesday expressed concern about a violent crackdown on anti-government protesters in Iran as President Barack Obama said he wanted the U.S. and Iran to move beyond "suspicion, mistrust and...
Democrats agonize over what might have been in NYC
3:49
Democrats who saw how close their candidate came to unseating New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg agonized Wednesday about what might have happened if the national party had not abandoned the party's little-known...
A look at credit card interest rate increases
3:41
Credit card interest rate increases are behind the House's vote Wednesday to make new rules on credit card companies immediately, accelerating the February enactment date in legislation previously passed by Congress. ...
Court worries about stifling prosecutors
2:17
The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed worried that allowing people to sue prosecutors who fabricate evidence to win convictions might chill other prosecutions _ even if those prosecutors are doing their jobs correctly...
Economy is big issue in Va. GOP governor's victory
2:15
A Republican who promised to create jobs won the Virginia governor's office just a year after state voters helped a Democrat who promised change _ and jobs _ win the White House. Bob McDonnell, a former state attorney...
US disappointed in Italian verdict on CIA kidnap
1:59
The United States expressed disappointment over an Italian court's conviction of 23 Americans in absentia of the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric from a Milan street. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said...
STIMULUS WATCH: Salary raise counted as saved job
1:39
The government's latest count of stimulus jobs significantly overstates the effects of the $787 billion program under a popular federal preschool program, raising fresh questions about the process the Obama...
GOP sweep: Big governor victories in Virginia, NJ
1:13
Independents who swept Barack Obama to a historic 2008 victory broke big for Republicans on Tuesday as the GOP wrested political control from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey, a troubling sign for the president and...
Steele: Election returns show 'transcendent' GOP
11:42
An ebullient Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele asserted Wednesday that GOP victories in governors' races in New Jersey and Virginia demonstrate "a transcendent party" on the move again. The White House said the...
White House hoping violence in Iran won't spread
10:39
The White House is calling for an end to violence in Iran as security forces there crack down on anti-government protesters. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that Obama administration leaders are...
Government agrees to pay $3 million in CIA lawsuit
9:50
The government has agreed to pay $3 million to a former agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration who sued CIA officers for illegal eavesdropping. The proposed settlement followed a ruling by U.S. District Judge...
Health care issues: Other presidents have tried
9:45
A look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Which former presidents have attempted comprehensive health care reform and why hasn't anyone succeeded? THE POLITICS: Many have tried. Only Lyndon Johnson...
GOP rides wave of discontent to NJ governorship
7:35
Republican Chris Christie, a former corruption-busting prosecutor, tapped into deep voter discontent over stubbornly high taxes and chronic financial problems to unseat New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine on Tuesday, despite...
Obama speaks at WI school, hosts music event
6:27
President Barack Obama travels to Madison, Wis., to speak about the importance of strengthening America's educational system. Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan will also meet with students at Wright Middle...
Obama coaxes states to change with school dollars
6:26
One year after his election, President Barack Obama is coaxing states across the country to rewrite education laws and cut deals with unions as they pursue his vision for school reform. Obama is visiting Wisconsin,...
Some notable races and measures on state ballots
3:46
Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election: GOVERNORS: _Chris Christie, a Republican former U.S. attorney, unseated New Jersey Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, a billionaire former Wall Street executive. _In...
Democrat wins House seat in heavily GOP area in NY
3:38
President Barack Obama's decision in June to appoint a Republican congressman to a Pentagon post has paid dividends in November now that Democrats have gained the House seat by capitalizing on a split between moderates...
SUPREME COURT NOTEBOOK: Justices split on Series
3:16
He's a right-leaning New Jersey native with a lifelong love of the Phillies. She's a liberal New Yorker who grew up near Yankee Stadium. They're eying each other warily these days from opposite ends of the Supreme Court...
Defeat in Maine a harsh blow to gay-marriage drive
3:10
The stars seemed aligned for supporters of gay marriage. They had Maine's governor, legislative leaders and major newspapers on their side, plus a huge edge in campaign funding. So losing a landmark referendum was a...
Houston mayor's race going to runoff
2:05
Houston won't know who its new mayor will be until next month. City controller Annise Parker and former city attorney Gene Locke are headed to a runoff to become mayor of America's fourth-biggest city. Parker, who...
Atlanta's race for mayor heads to runoff
1:34
An Atlanta councilwoman could become the city's first white mayor in a generation, facing off against a black state senator in a runoff next month. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting early Wednesday, Mary...
40 years after riots, Pa. city elects black mayor
1:08
The central Pennsylvania city of York has elected its first black mayor, 40 years after violent race riots led to the death of a white police officer and a black woman. Democrat Kim Bracey beat Republican Wendell Banks...
Democrats win California House seat
12:24
California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi has won a special election to a Northern California congressional seat, keeping the district in Democratic hands. Garamendi's victory on Tuesday was all but certain after he won the...
Rybak wins re-election as Minneapolis mayor
11:56
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has locked up a third term as the leader of Minnesota's largest city. Rybak rolled up more than 72 percent of the vote in Tuesday's election with almost three-fourths of precincts...
Colorado ski town legalizes pot
11:43
The Colorado ski town of Breckenridge has voted overwhelmingly to legalize marijuana. Early returns Tuesday night showed the proposal winning with 72 percent of the vote. The measure would allow adults over 21 to have...
Havana-born city commissioner elected Miami mayor
11:30
A Havana-born commissioner and former television reporter has won the Miami mayor's race. With all of the precincts reporting, unofficial results showed Tomas Regalado had 72 percent and Joe Sanchez's had 28 percent of...
Dave Bing elected to full term as Detroit mayor
10:53
Professional basketball Hall of Famer Dave Bing has been re-elected Detroit mayor. The 65-year-old Democrat defeated accountant Tom Barrow in Tuesday's nonpartisan general election. Bing's NBA career lasted 12...
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10:50
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg wins third term as New York mayor. ...
Christie took a winding route to NJ governor post
10:47
Chris Christie thought his political career was over 12 years ago when he was bounced from a primary election for a county board. Christie, practically a born politician who campaigned as a teenager with future Gov....
Pittsburgh's young mayor wins first full-term
10:45
Pittsburgh's 29-year-old mayor has won his first full term in office by beating two independent candidates, including the son of pro football Hall of Famer Franco Harris. Luke Ravenstahl inherited the seat in September...
Manhattan elects 1st new prosecutor in 35 years
9:58
Politically pedigreed trial lawyer Cy Vance has been elected as Manhattan's first new district attorney in 35 years. The Democrat had 92 percent of Tuesday's vote with 26 percent of precincts reporting. The only other...
Boston Mayor Menino elected to a record 5th term
9:48
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has won an unprecedented fifth consecutive four-year term. With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Menino had 57 percent of the vote to City Council President Michael Flaherty's 43 percent....
A look at Virginia Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell
8:14
NAME _ Robert F. McDonnell. AGE _ 55; born June 15, 1954, in Philadelphia. HOME _ Richmond. OCCUPATION _ Lawyer, partner at Huff, Poole and Mahoney. EXPERIENCE _ Virginia attorney general, 2006 to February 2009;...
Bob McDonnell: Catholic family formed life views
8:05
The new Republican governor-elect of Virginia brings to the office firmly conservative views that took root in the suburban, middle-class Irish Catholic home of his youth. Robert Francis McDonnell, 55, was one of five...
AP exit poll: NJ governor race too close to call
8:00
An Associated Press exit poll shows the New Jersey governor's race is too close to call between Republican Chris Christie and Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine. Independent Chris Daggett was falling far short of the 20...
White House: No flu vaccine for Gitmo detainees
7:36
The White House says detainees at Guantanamo Bay are not yet receiving vaccinations against the swine flu. Robert Gibbs on Tuesday said concern that terrorism suspects at the U.S. naval base in Cuba were receiving...
Obama coaxes states to change with school dollars
6:01
Using stimulus dollars as bait, President Barack Obama is coaxing states to rewrite education laws and cut deals with unions as they compete for $5 billion in school reform grants, the most money a president has ever...
House calls on Obama, Clinton to oppose UN report
5:51
The House on Tuesday condemned a U.N. report that accuses Israeli forces and Palestinian militants of war crimes in Gaza last winter as "irredeemably biased and unworthy of further consideration or legitimacy." On a...
US: NKorea plutonium moves violate commitments
2:17
The United States says North Korea's use of more nuclear fuel for weapons violates the North's past commitments at international disarmament talks. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Tuesday that the...
Tapes show Kennedy was conflicted over Saigon coup
2:10
Newly released White House tapes from the Vietnam War era portray President John F. Kennedy wrestling over the fate of South Vietnam's strongman in a situation that appears to mirror President Barack Obama's quandary...
White House: corruption must end in Afghanistan
1:07
The White House says specific steps are needed to crack down on corruption in Afghanistan. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Tuesday said the U.S. embassy in Kabul is working with President Hamid Karzai to improve...
Holder, Gates oppose restrictions on Gitmo trials
10:57
The defense secretary and attorney general are opposing an attempt to prohibit Guantanamo detainees from having civilian trials in the United States. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Attorney General Eric Holder said...
Races an early test of Obama influence
7:49
In a very early test of President Barack Obama's political influence, two states are choosing whether to continue Democratic rule while voters elsewhere elect a handful of congressmen and big-city mayors. Elected just...
NIH official vouches for safety of flu vaccine
7:20
A leading government health figure says tests on millions of people who have received the H1N1 flu vaccine show that it's safe and effective. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said in a nationally...