NATIONAL & WORLD NEWS - June 13, 2008

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

-Ga. group aims to coax more seminarians to pulpit
They come from a host of Christian denominations, but one thing unites them:they are part of a shrinking number of theology students nationally who areinterested in taking over a pulpit rather than doing something else withtheir degrees.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Young-Ministers.html?scp=11&sq=gay&st=nyt

-Bush, Pope Take Break In Calm Of Vatican Gardens
Pope Benedict gave George W. Bush an unprecedented welcome in thetranquility of the Vatican Gardens on Friday before the U.S. presidentresumed his campaign to rally European support for sanctions against Iran. Under tight security, Bush was driven from the bustle of Rome into theidyllic setting. As birds chirped, the two entered a restored medieval towerand held 30 minutes of private talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-bush-europe.html?scp=10&sq=gay&st=nyt

-Justices Rule Terror Suspects Can Appeal in Civilian Courts
The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered its third consecutive rebuff to theBush administration's handling of the detainees at Guantánamo Bay, ruling 5to 4 that the prisoners there have a constitutional right to go to federalcourt to challenge their continued detention. The court declared unconstitutional a provision of the Military CommissionsAct of 2006 that, at the administration's behest, stripped the federalcourts of jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus petitions from the detaineesseeking to challenge their designation as enemy combatants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/washington/13scotus.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

-McCain and Obama Split on Justices' Guantánamo Ruling
The presidential candidates took differing positions Thursday on the SupremeCourt decision granting foreign terrorism suspects at Guantánamo Bay a rightto challenge their detention in civilian courts. Senator John McCainexpressed concern about the ruling, while Senator Barack Obama lauded it. Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama have both long advocated closing the Guantánamodetention center but have disagreed on the rights of prisoners there.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/us/politics/13candidates.html

-Detention Camp Remains, but Not Its Legal Rationale
Despite the Supreme Court's decision stripping the legal premise behind the Guantánamo Bay detention center, it will not close today or any day soon.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/washington/13gitmo.html?hp

-Justice 5, Brutality 4
The Supreme Court's most recent ruling was a good day for people who abhorPresident Bush's attempts to turn Guantánamo Bay into a constitutional-rights-free zone.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/opinion/13fri1.html?ref=opinion

-Media and Critics Split Over Sexism in Clinton Coverage
Many in the news media see little need to reconsider their coverage of theClinton campaign.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/us/politics/13women.html?hp

-In Eastern Iowa, the City That 'Would Never Flood' Goes 12 Feet UnderThey said this city would never flood. They talked about 1993, and 1966 and1851, years when the Cedar River swelled and hissed but mostly stayed withinits banks. They thought they were safe. They were wrong.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/us/13flood.html


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

-Bush says West must stand with Afghanistan
President Bush said Friday that Europe and United States must hold firm in Afghanistan and never let it be a base for terrorists again. In a speechbilled by the White House as the centerpiece of his European trip, Bushurged allies to stand by the Afghanistan, where the ongoing conflict andredevelopment effort is often overshadowed by the war in Iraq.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/13/AR2008061300252.html

--America's Gitmo Victory by Eugene Robinson
George W. Bush may not trust America's basic values and highest ideals, but I do. [....] It shouldn't be necessary for the Supreme Court to tell the president that he can't have people taken into custody, spirited to a remote prison camp and held indefinitely, with no legal right to argue that they've been unjustly imprisoned -- not even on grounds of mistaken identity. But the president in question is, sigh, George W. Bush, who has taken a chainsaw to the rule of law with the same manic gusto he displays while clearing brush at his Texas ranch.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/12/AR2008061203473.html

-Democrats on the Rise by E. J. Dionne Jr.
A sharp shift toward the Democrats could prove decisive in November.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/12/AR2008061203471.html


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Pew Research center
http://pewresearch.org/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-24-Nation Pew Global Attitudes Survey
Economic Gloom on the Rise, But Some Positive Signs for U.S. Image
The latest Pew Global Attitudes survey of more than 24,000 people in 24countries finds some encouraging signs for America's global image for thefirst time this decade. Although views of the U.S. remain negativeoverall -- and many now worry about the U.S. economy's impact on their ownnational economy -- favorable views of the U.S. have increased modestlysince 2007 in 10 of 21 countries with comparative data. People around theworld are following the U.S. election closely -- and in most placessurveyed, express greater confidence in Obama than in McCain. Read more

-Values Voters
Gay Marriage Back on the Radar
While overall public opinion regarding gay marriage is more positive nowthan during the 2004 campaign, many Republicans and white evangelicalProtestants, in particular, remain staunchly opposed to allowing gays andlesbians to marry. Among these groups, unlike others in the electorate, gaymarriage has regained the importance as a voting factor that it held fouryears ago. Read more

-Sizing Up the 'Religious Left'
Questions and answers about the various groups that make up the religiousleft movement and the implications for the "religious right" in the comingelections. Read more

-Political History
Most Americans See a Black Nominee as Important for the Country
A solid majority says the nomination of an African American for president isimportant to the country, but racial and partisan divisions exist on thesignificance of Obama's historical achievement. Read more

-Clinton Question Drives Coverage
While Obama's primary win gave him the edge in quantity of coverage, Clintonwas the driving force in a media narrative that focused largely on what shewould do next. Themes revolving around the question of "what does Hillarywant" alone accounted for 29% coverage. Read more

-Popular Vote? States Take Aim at Electoral College
A movement is bubbling at the state level to ensure that future presidentsare the candidates who get the most votes nationwide. Read more

-Daily Number
43% - Obama Not Tough Enough on Foreign Policy
A sizable minority of voters (43%) say that Barack Obama would not be toughenough in dealing with foreign policy and national security issues aspresident; an equal number of voters say Obama's foreign policy would beabout right (43%). Check back every weekday for another number in the news. Check back every 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:

-Crist's style called Republican Party's future
Florida Republicans get it, and they want the rest of the nation to watchand follow their lead. That was the message from Florida Republican partyleaders as they gathered in Orlando to honor Florida Republican governorsand tout their own winning formula.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article622031.ece

-Poll: Many in world look to US election for change
People around the globe widely expect the next American president to improvethe country's policies toward the rest of the world, especially if BarackObama is elected, yet they retain a persistently poor image of the U.S.,according to a poll released Thursday.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/13/poll_many_in_world_look_to_us_election_for_change/

-Joe Lieberman keeps twisting that knife
He campaigns for McCain, recruits independents and Democrats, swipes atObama -- and even parts with former party colleagues on some Senate votes. Joe Lieberman, Al Gore's partner on the 2000 Democratic presidential ticketbut now an independent, has turned into a major annoyance for Democrats inthis year's race for the White House.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-trailjoe13-2008jun13,0,814130.story?track=rss

-Obama camp creates website to fight rumors
Senator Barack Obama, dogged throughout the presidential race byInternet-driven smears, launched an aggressive campaign yesterday to fightthem head on, betting that the political benefit of debunking damagingrumors outweighs the risk of making them more visible.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/13/obama_camp_creates_website_to_fight_rumors/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Today%27s+paper+A+to+Z

-Obama moves DNC operations to Chicago
In a major shakeup at the Democratic National Committee -- and a departurefrom tradition -- large parts of the committee's operations are relocatingto Chicago to be fully integrated with the Obama campaign.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Obama_moves_DNC_operations_to_Chicago.html

-A little 'whitey' lie?
Jobless women in Germany can't collect unemployment benefits if they declineto work at brothels. Black citizens will lose the right to vote unless 38states ratify an extension of the Civil Rights Act. Rapper 50 Cent's handwas surgically reattached after being slammed in a car door.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0613edit1jun13,0,6286827.story

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