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Senate clears way to vote on financial reform — The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to end its three-week debate on a bill to rewrite the nation's financial regulations, paving the way for a final vote on the landmark legislation. — The 60-to-40 vote — the minimum required to end debate …
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Wall Street bill nearing finish line as Senate passes legislation 59-39 — President Barack Obama on Thursday moved to the cusp of winning a major overhaul of Wall Street, following the worst financial crisis since the 1930s. — The Senate on Thursday voted 59-39 to support …


Rodent scurries by as Obama lauds Wall Street vote — WASHINGTON - In his battle with the titans of Wall Street, President Barack Obama almost got upstaged by a rat. — But he didn't even seem to notice. Assuming that's what it was, scurrying in front of his podium Thursday in a sun-drenched Rose Garden.


Brown key to Wall St. bill passage — In January, he broke the Democrats' lock on the Senate. — On Thursday, he gave it back. — Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) effectively became the 60th vote to cut off debate on Wall Street reform Thursday - a far cry from when Republicans were hailing …

Bill to Overhaul Financial Rules Clears Hurdle in Senate Vote
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The Moderate Voice, DealBook, Firedoglake, Truthdig, Swampland, Gawker, Washington Monthly and Ezra Klein


Rand Paul comments about civil rights stir controversy — Two days after becoming the newest symbol of “tea party” politics, Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul of Kentucky thrust himself, his party and the movement into an uncomfortable conversation about the federal government's role …
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Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he is an extremist — Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy — It's safe to say Rand Paul's first few days as the Republican nominee for the open Senate seat in Kentucky are not going well.
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Rand Paul On Civil Rights Controversy: I Shouldn't Have Talked …
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Rand Paul in '02: I may not like it, but ‘a free society’ …
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Paul: I Support the Civil Rights Act
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Exclusive: President Obama To Replace Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair* — ABC News has learned that President Obama will replace the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.) His resignation will come as soon as tomorrow, sources tell ABC News.
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Facing a Rift, U.S. Spy Chief to Step Down — WASHINGTON — Dennis C. Blair, whose often tumultuous tenure as director of national intelligence was marked by frequent clashes with White House officials and other spy chiefs in America's still fractured intelligence apparatus, announced Thursday that he was resigning.

Obama Has “More Confidence” in Brennan? — I've never been a huge fan of Admiral Dennis Blair as Director of National Intelligence—nor of the institution of DNI, for that matter. A fine naval officer, Blair seemed out of his milieu as DNI, often unaware of basic facts that someone in his position should know.

National intelligence director resigning
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Outside The Beltway


And The Winner of The Everybody Draw Mohammad Contest is... To remind readers of the stakes: In recent months, a Swedish cartoonist that sketched Mohammed as a “roundabout dog” as part of a planned street installation was assaulted during a lecture and, the following week, two extremists attempted to burn his house down.
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iowahawk, Washington Post, Dean's World, Balloon Juice, Grim's Hall, Townhall.com, Hot Air and Spiked
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Little Girl Who Challenged First Lady Is Right: Obama Is Deporting More Immigrants Than Ever — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — A little girl became the face of the nation's immigration debate on Wednesday, when she told First Lady Michelle Obama about her mother's fear.
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Immigration crackdown for Illinois — Feds to step up enforcement — In the midst of an outcry over illegal immigration and Arizona's new crackdown, a top Department of Homeland Security official visiting Chicago on Wednesday said his agency intended to step up enforcement in places such as Illinois.


Fox News Poll: States Should Have Right To Make Immigration Laws — Amid the ongoing controversy over Arizona's new immigration law, voters by a 2-to-1 margin think individual states should have the right to make their own immigration laws. And a majority of voters would like their own state to follow Arizona's lead.
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THE SITUATION ROOM — Interview with Mexican President Felipe Calderon; Analysis of Special Election Results — THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. — WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Thanks very much, guys. — Happening now, the presidents …

The New Term for the War on Terror — If you blinked, you might have missed it. The Obama administration has unofficially rebranded “war on terror” phrase that dominated public discourse throughout the Bush administration. The replacement phrase, carefully chosen, is “CVE” — Countering Violent Extremism.

Scientists make ‘artificial life’ — The synthetic cell looks identical to the “wild type” — Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell. — The researchers constructed a bacterium's “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.

Op-Ed Contributor: The Rush Limbaugh Victory — THERE are many theories for why very conservative Republicans seem to be doing so well lately, taking their party's Senate nominations in Florida, Kentucky and Utah, and beating Democrats head-to-head in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia.