NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST March 21, 2008

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Washington Post
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Democrats in Stalemate
Voters in Florida and Michigan should not be excluded from the presidential
primary.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003022.html

-Another Angry Black Preacher
Let's ask the hard question about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright: Is he as faroutside the African American mainstream as many of us would like to think?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003021.html

-An Epidemic No One Wants to Talk About
A much-publicized study from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionthis month highlighted the high rates of sexually transmitted diseases amongteenage Americans. But for those of us who work in public health, this"news" is already old.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003019.html

-Hope in Pakistan
The Problems Are Real, but So Is the Progress.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003016.html

-Democrats in Stalemate
Voters in Florida and Michigan should not be excluded from the presidentialprimary.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003022.html

-Privately, Bush Presses China Over Crackdown on Tibet
President Bush is avoiding public statements on the intensifying Chinesecrackdown on Tibet, relying instead on private messages to the Chineseleadership, pressing Beijing to show restraint, allow U.S. observers intoTibet and have open trials of people arrested, administration officialssaid.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032002346.html?hpid=sec-world

-Court Disbars Cheney Ex-Aide
Libby Loses Right To Practice Law
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032001757.html?hpid=sec-politics


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-NM Gov. Bill Richardson endorsing Obama
SANTA FE, N.M. -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the nation's onlyHispanic governor, is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, calling hima "once-in-a-lifetime leader" who can unite the nation and restore America'sinternational leadership.
http://www.miamiherald.com/692/story/464917.html


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Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:
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Fewer Voters Identify with GOP
The balance of party identification in the U.S. electorate now favors theDemocratic Party by a decidedly larger margin than in either of the twoprevious presidential election cycles including in some key swing states.
Read more
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Political Water Cooler Conversation Features Ferraro, Rev. Wright
Not only are Americans closely following news about Obama's preacher andClinton surrogates, but an overwhelming majority (84%) are talking about thecampaign with family and friends. Read more
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Racial Tensions Dominate Media Coverage of Democratic Race
Maybe the good news for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama last week was thatthe problems of another Democrat -- Eliot Spitzer -- generated almost asmuch media attention as they did. Read more
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Iraq: Five Years On
How Public Attitudes About the War Have Shifted: 2003 to 2008
Ratings of how things are going in Iraq have improved over the past year,but a clear majority now say the initial decision to go to war was wrong. Read more
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Public Remains Highly Critical of Government Care for Troops
A year after problems at Walter Reed and other military hospitals made majornews, Americans see no improvement in treatment of soldiers returning fromIraq and Afghanistan. Read more
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Bad Budgets
States Besieged by Budget Woes
Already, 22 states have a collective budget shortfall of at least $37billion; if the current slowdown follows the path of previous recessions, 35to 40 states could face budget cuts in 2009. Read more
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Daily Number
17% - Rate US Economy Good or Excellent
Fewer than one-in-five Americans (17%) now rate the US economy as performingwell -- a sharp decline from the already low number (26%) who viewed theeconomy as in good or excellent state in the first month of 2008. Check backevery weekday for another number in the news. Read more


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Michigan drops revote bid, weakening Florida's hopes
Michigan lawmakers on Thursday folded plans for a do-over primary, whichcould mean another setback for Florida Democrats.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2008/03/21/a10a_xgr_demsprez_0321.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=0

-Bill Richardson's tough call, short of endorsement
He came close. Oh, so close. But Bill Richardson stopped just short Mondayof endorsing one of his former competitors for the Democratic presidentialnomination -- a coy game he's played before.
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/03/bill_richardsons_tough_call_sh.html

-HILLARY TAKES LEAD IN NATIONAL POLLS
March 21, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton has snatched thenational lead from Barack Obama and built a big advantage in Pennsylvania,where the next primary is being held, according to polls released yesterday.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03212008/news/nationalnews/hillary_takes_lead_in_national_polls_102895.htm

-Clinton, Obama are Wall Street darlings
WASHINGTON -- Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, who are running forpresident as economic populists, are benefiting handsomely from Wall Streetdonations, easily surpassing Republican John McCain in campaigncontributions from the troubled financial services sector.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-wallstdems21mar21,0,3587484.story

-Popular Indiana senator passionately touts Clinton, sparking VP talk
TERRE HAUTE, IND. - At times Thursday it was hard to tell who was runningfor president in Indiana - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton or the man who neverleft her side, Sen. Evan Bayh, a popular politician and perhaps the formerfirst lady's best hope for winning the state's May 6 primary.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5637627.html

-Notebook: McCain raised healthy $11 million last month
Sen. John McCain raised $11 million in February and ended it with $8 millionin the bank, according to a new report filed with the Federal ElectionCommission.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5637468.html

-Voters' views diverge over Obama flap
Leadership on race praised, questioned. HAMMOND, Ind. - Frieda Andersen andTed Skup are both white, both live in northwestern Indiana, and both plan tovote in their state's Democratic presidential primary in May.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/21/voters_views_diverge_over_obama_flap/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Front+Page

-Republican Exodus
With Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (N.Y.), below, announcing his retirementyesterday, all but two of the Republican leaders who controlled the Housebefore Democrats seized power in the 2006 elections are gone or on their wayout. A look at the team, now mostly on the sidelines.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003528.html

-Two Fired for Viewing Obama Passport File
State Department Investigating Whether Contractors Broke Law
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/20/AR2008032003422.html?hpid=moreheadlines


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Editorial: Socialized Compensation
How can one feel sorry for James Cayne? The potential losses of the chairmanand former chief executive of Bear Stearns must rank up there with thebiggest in modern history. The value of his stake in Bear Stearns collapsedfrom about $1 billion a year ago to as little as $14 million at the priceJPMorgan Chase offered for the teetering bank on Sunday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/opinion/21fri1.html?ref=opinion

-Public Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines
In an unusual outbreak of measles in San Diego, 12 children fell ill; nineof them had not been inoculated against the virus because their parentsobjected
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/us/21vaccine.html

-At Harvard, Students' Muslim Traditions Are a Topic of Debate
The controversy focused on whether the call to prayer should ring out acrossHarvard Yard and whether the university should grant women separate gymhours.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/us/21tolerance.html

-Socialized Compensation
Until bankers face a real risk of losing their shirts, they will keep
ratcheting up risks to collect rewards while letting the rest of us carrythe bag when their punts go bad
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/opinion/21fri1.html?ref=opinion

-Public Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines
In an unusual outbreak of measles in San Diego, 12 children fell ill; nineof them had not been inoculated against the virus because their parentsobjected.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/us/21vaccine.html

-At Harvard, Students' Muslim Traditions Are a Topic of Debate
The controversy focused on whether the call to prayer should ring out acrossHarvard Yard and whether the university should grant women separate gymhours.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/us/21tolerance.html


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