http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ en-us Copyright 2008 The Seattle Times Company Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:25:57 PST Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:25:57 PST MattBase 1 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/art/ui/stlogo_231.gif http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008435203_apmeltdownautos.html?syndication=rss Humbled and fighting for survival, Detroit's once-mighty automakers appealed to Congress with a retooled case for a bailout as large as $34 billion Tuesday, pledging to slash workers, car lines and executive pay in return for a federal lifeline. GM and Chrysler said they needed an immediate cash infusion to last 'til New Year's, and warned they could drag the entire industry down if they fail. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008435203_apmeltdownautos.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:20:22 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008443133_apusindiashooting.html?syndication=rss National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell says the terrorist group U.S. intelligence believes carried out last week's attack in Mumbai is the same one that attacked Mumbai trains in 2006. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008443133_apusindiashooting.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:25:35 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008457577_govs02.html?syndication=rss When the president-elect meets with 40 governors in Philadelphia today, talk will be about what relief his administration can provide. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008457577_govs02.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:35:36 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458033_elections02m.html?syndication=rss Two former King County officials — ex-County Councilmember David Irons and former Elections Superintendent Julie Anne Kempf — received a dual blessing Monday as candidates for King County director of elections from the group that pushed to make the job an elected one. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458033_elections02m.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:40:43 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008457585_obama02.html?syndication=rss While his new team may be a bit more centrist — some war opponents might even say hawkish — than many Obama supporters might prefer, he said the withdrawal timetable he emphasized in the presidential campaign is still "the right time frame." Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008457585_obama02.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:33:23 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008460080_apobamarichardson.html?syndication=rss President-elect Barack Obama plans to name New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as his choice for commerce secretary on Wednesday, adding another former campaign rival to his Cabinet, Democratic officials said. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008460080_apobamarichardson.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:16:25 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456355_apwmdstudy.html?syndication=rss A bipartisan commission is asserting the country should expect a terrorist attack using nuclear or biological weapons sometime in the next five years. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456355_apwmdstudy.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:17:45 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008435626_apgeorgiasenate.html?syndication=rss Georgia's seemingly endless U.S. Senate campaign drew to a finish on Tuesday as polls closed on the hotly-contested race that will sway the balance of power in Washington. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008435626_apgeorgiasenate.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:20:33 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460480_apgates.html?syndication=rss Defense Secretary Robert Gates signaled a willingness Tuesday to forge ahead with two key priorities for the incoming Obama administration: accelerating the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460480_apgates.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:06:10 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008434597_apobamagovernors.html?syndication=rss President-elect Barack Obama promised swift action Tuesday on an economic plan "to solve this crisis and to ease the burden on our states," and he cast governors as his partners in crafting a recession-rebound strategy. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008434597_apobamagovernors.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:10:28 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008447179_apcanadapoliticalcrisis.html?syndication=rss Canada's governor general cut short a European trip Tuesday to deal with an unprecedented political crisis that could force the second national election in two months or see an opposition coalition take power. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008447179_apcanadapoliticalcrisis.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459410_apcapitolvisitorcenter.html?syndication=rss Hundreds of visitors got their first look at the Capitol Visitor Center - an underground museum and now the first stop for people touring Congress - as it opened Tuesday three years late and $360 million over budget. Nation & World http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459410_apcapitolvisitorcenter.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:02:36 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460088_apfactcheckobamaring.html?syndication=rss Looks like Michelle Obama won't be setting aside her fake pearls in favor of a $30,000 thank you ring from her husband. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460088_apfactcheckobamaring.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:20:58 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458876_aprovetransition.html?syndication=rss President Bush's former political director says the national security team named by President-elect Barack Obama "represents, to a substantial degree, continuity" especially in hot spots like Iraq and Afghanistan. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458876_aprovetransition.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:38:12 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008436922_apbarbarabushhospitalized.html?syndication=rss Former first lady Barbara Bush was released from a hospital Tuesday, a week after she underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008436922_apbarbarabushhospitalized.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458165_apnixondisclosures.html?syndication=rss In Richard Nixon's time, all the president's men fretted about threats on every front: disquiet out on the streets, disloyalty inside the administration and trouble from political opponents who had to be discredited at any cost. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458165_apnixondisclosures.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:14:10 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458261_apobamaattorneygeneral.html?syndication=rss President-elect Barack Obama's choice to become the next attorney general, Eric Holder, once defended the Bush administration's arguments for holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay, a position that runs counter to his more recent comments - and to a signature policy of the incoming administration. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458261_apobamaattorneygeneral.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:51:27 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458183_apscotuspowerplants.html?syndication=rss The Bush administration asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to let the nation's older power plants draw in billions of gallons of water for cooling without installing technology that would best protect fish and aquatic organisms. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458183_apscotuspowerplants.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:01:33 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459292_apfundraisersentence.html?syndication=rss A federal judge on Tuesday set a Jan. 6 sentencing for political fundraiser Tony Rezko, who helped bankroll campaigns for Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459292_apfundraisersentence.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459153_apmelmartinez.html?syndication=rss U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, who has struggled to boost public support because of his close ties to President George W. Bush, announced Tuesday he will not seek a second term in 2010, saying he wants to spend more time with his family. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459153_apmelmartinez.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:30:09 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459293_apinaugurationtips.html?syndication=rss Camera and cell phone, yes. Backpack, no. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459293_apinaugurationtips.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459290_apcandidatesclothing.html?syndication=rss Turns out Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin wasn't the only candidate with donor-financed duds. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459290_apcandidatesclothing.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:30:13 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008456461_apfinancialmeltdown.html?syndication=rss The government must toughen its monitoring of the $700 billion financial bailout to ensure that banking institutions limit their top executives' pay and comply with other restrictions, federal auditors said Tuesday in the first comprehensive review of the rescue package. Business & Technology http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008456461_apfinancialmeltdown.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:25:21 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456507_apclintonindiapakistan.html?syndication=rss Secretary of State-nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton's close ties with India forged during her years as a U.S. senator and presidential candidate could complicate diplomatic perceptions of her ability to serve as a neutral broker between India and its nuclear neighbor, Pakistan. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456507_apclintonindiapakistan.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:51:42 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458140_apgatesminot.html?syndication=rss Hours after being named President-elect Barack Obama's choice to remain as defense secretary, Robert Gates visited Minot Air Force Base and said lapses in nuclear weapons procedures last year were unacceptable. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458140_apgatesminot.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:51:35 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459899_apimpeachmentornament.html?syndication=rss The White House won't display a Christmas tree ornament that calls for President Bush's impeachment. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459899_apimpeachmentornament.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:06:58 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459704_apvirginiarepublicansobama.html?syndication=rss Virginia's Republican chairman said Tuesday that his remark tying Democrat Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden during the presidential campaign was stupid, but he refused to apologize. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008459704_apvirginiarepublicansobama.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008450701_apobamacabinet.html?syndication=rss Barack Obama promised "a new dawn of American leadership" in a troubled world, announcing a strong-willed national security team headed by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who fought him long and bitterly for the presidency, and Robert Gates, the man who has been running two wars for George W. Bush. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008450701_apobamacabinet.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459199_apscotus9thcircuit.html?syndication=rss The Supreme Court took aim at one of its favorite targets Tuesday, criticizing a California-based federal appeals court for its ruling in favor of a criminal defendant. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459199_apscotus9thcircuit.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458188_apbush.html?syndication=rss President George W. Bush, trying to emphasize the softer side of his policy record before leaving office, on Tuesday thanked volunteers who have served as mentors to children of prisoners. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458188_apbush.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:21:30 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460084_apwmdstudycorrective.html?syndication=rss In a Dec. 1 story about a WMD commission report, The Associated Press reported erroneously the date Vice President-elect Joseph Biden would be briefed on the commission's findings because of incorrect information provided by the commission. Biden will be briefed Wednesday, not Tuesday. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460084_apwmdstudycorrective.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459727_apcoxnewspapers.html?syndication=rss Cox Newspapers said Tuesday it will shut its Washington, D.C., office in April, citing a need to limit costs in a tightening economy. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459727_apcoxnewspapers.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:50:23 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460710_apepamountaintopmining.html?syndication=rss The Environmental Protection Agency, rejecting pleas from state governors and environmental groups, signed off Tuesday on making it easier to dump mountaintop mining waste near rivers and streams. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460710_apepamountaintopmining.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:00:33 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460596_apscotussexharassment.html?syndication=rss A Massachusetts girl's awful experience on a school bus is at the heart of a case argued in the Supreme Court Tuesday over limits on lawsuits about sex discrimination in education. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008460596_apscotussexharassment.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:30:25 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458791_apmeltdownautosmayor.html?syndication=rss The mayor of Lansing, Mich., says the government must step in and save the troubled auto industry because it is indispensable to America's national security. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008458791_apmeltdownautosmayor.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459154_apunfitdrivers.html?syndication=rss Federal regulators are taking steps to get medically unfit truck and bus drivers off the road after being accused for years of dragging their feet on the issue. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008459154_apunfitdrivers.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456407_apobamanationalsecurity.html?syndication=rss The selection of experienced centrists - Hillary Rodham Clinton, Robert Gates and James L. Jones - to head President-elect Barack Obama's national security team points to the possibility that on Iraq, the incoming commander-in-chief may take a more measured path to ending American military involvement than he described during the presidential campaign. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456407_apobamanationalsecurity.html?syndication=rss Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008455576_apcabinetsuccessors.html?syndication=rss President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet picks Monday are sweet political gifts for the Republican who'll become governor of Arizona and the yet-to-be-named Democrat who'll assume Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate seat. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008455576_apcabinetsuccessors.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008454277_apkennedyharvard.html?syndication=rss Saying he has "lived a blessed time," Sen. Edward Kennedy smiled broadly and flashed a thumbs up as he accepted an honorary degree Monday from his alma mater during a rare special convocation at Harvard University. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008454277_apkennedyharvard.html?syndication=rss Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008455826_apbushinterview.html?syndication=rss President George W. Bush expressed remorse that the global financial crisis has cost jobs and harmed retirement accounts and said he'll back more government intervention if needed to ease the recession. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008455826_apbushinterview.html?syndication=rss Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456230_apbushlegacy.html?syndication=rss President George W. Bush says history will judge him, but he is getting his own crack first. Bush is using his final 50 days in office to tout his legacy, hoping to leave a lasting impression of overshadowed progress. On Monday, World AIDS Day, Bush was heralded for his leadership in fighting the disease, a point that even his Democratic critics readily concede. Politics http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008456230_apbushlegacy.html?syndication=rss Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 PST