Palin Energizing Right-Wing Base
While John McCain had trouble exciting the conservative base of the
Republican Party early in his campaign, the same can't be said for the
staunchly pro-life vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Although
few socially conservative voters had heard of her before McCain named
her to the ticket, the Washington Post reports that they have been "electrified by the few facts they quickly learned." Palin will give her first national interview later this week with ABC's Charlie Gibson.
Convention Gives GOP Bump In Polls
Enthusiasm about Palin and McCain's addresses last week has given
the Republican nominee a significant bump following the party's
national convention. A USA Today/Gallup poll released over the
weekend gives McCain a 50-46 percent lead among registered voters, the
Republican's biggest advantage since January. However, political
scientist Larry Sabato says that since 1960, the post-convention polls
only signaled the election's outcome half the time.
Congress To Take Up Energy Legislation
Congress returned to Washington today for a shortened session with
energy legislation as a primary focus. House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi will likely refuse to allow an up-or-down vote on additional
domestic drilling, instead packaging a bevy of options -- including
opening portions of the Outer Continental Shelf for exploration -- into a
comprehensive bill. A bipartisan group of Senate lawmakers, which
blossomed to 16 from its original 10, is "trying to end an impasse over
offshore drilling" with a compromise bill as well.
Reese Deal Complicated By Cleanup Costs
Mayor Richard Daley encountered a setback yesterday in his plan to
purchase Michael Reese Hospital as a possible location for Chicago's
Olympic Village. Sun-Times sources estimate that
because many of the hospital's buildings contain asbestos and
lead-based paint, the cost for the demolition and environmental cleanup
of the 37-acre campus will be 60 percent higher than anticipated -- $32
million, rather than $20 million. The city's Olympic organizing
committee is trying to renegotiate the purchase price.
All Kids Program Stalled
Eager to advance his health care agenda last year amid legislative delays, Gov. Rod Blagojevich
announced an expansion of the state's All Kids program, which would
allow young people with organ transplants, diabetes and other serious
medical conditions to receive subsidized state coverage until their
21st birthdays, two years past the previous cut-off. But according to
the Tribune, the program doesn't yet exist and the state has not proposed a plan to the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Program, the agency charged with running it.
States Offers $100 Million In Student Aid
As lenders hamstrung by the credit crunch have pulled out of the
college loan market, it's become increasingly difficult for students --
especially low-income students -- to pay for college. To fill the gap,
eight Illinois credit unions and two state agencies have joined forces
to provide $100 million in financial aid for students whose loans have
dried up. Governor Blagojevich says the funding is expected to ease
financial burdens for about 20,000 students.
Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user brian rmsy.
Post new comment