Newser - Politicshttp://www.newser.com/2008 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorWed, 03 Dec 2008 22:04:28 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44309/army-deserter-seeks-asylum-in-germany.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSpecialist André Shepherd has become the first US military deserter to apply for political asylum in Germany, Der Spiegel reports. Shepherd, who disobeyed orders to redeploy to Iraq from Germany in the spring of 2007, argues in his petition that the Iraq war violates international law. "If I carried out my orders, it would make me a criminal," said the 31-year-old Cleveland native.http://www.newser.com/story/44309/army-deserter-seeks-asylum-in-germany.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 19:08:49 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44316/richardson-offers-olive-branch-to-clintons.html?refid=rss_all_defaultBill Richardson appeared to make a peace offering to the Clintons today in his speech accepting Barack Obama's nomination to be Commerce secretary, writes Chris Cillizza in the Washington Post . Richardson, whose relations with the power couple turned icy after he endorsed Obama in the primaries, objected to the term "team of rivals" in his speech because "rivals implies something harder edged and less forgiving. "http://www.newser.com/story/44316/richardson-offers-olive-branch-to-clintons.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 16:01:50 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44308/pro-impeachment-ornament-wont-grace-bush-tree.html?refid=rss_all_defaultA Seattle artist who created a Christmas tree ornament advocating the impeachment of President Bush will not see it hanging on the White House after all, the Washington Post reports. The first lady ordered that it be yanked down. “Oh, dear,” said Deborah Lawrence. “This doesn’t really surprise me. But it’s disappointing that I won’t get to see it on the tree.”http://www.newser.com/story/44308/pro-impeachment-ornament-wont-grace-bush-tree.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 15:39:46 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44295/obama-appointments-leave-little-for-gop-to-knock.html?refid=rss_all_defaultBarack Obama’s Cabinet picks leave Republicans with few lines of attack, Politico reports. In contrast to campaign rhetoric that painted Obama as a radical leftist, the retention of Robert Gates and selection of McCain buddy Jim Jones has won praise from GOP stalwarts. Karl Rove himself said Obama’s brainy, centrist economic appointments “provided surprisingly positive clarity.”http://www.newser.com/story/44295/obama-appointments-leave-little-for-gop-to-knock.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 14:48:00 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44300/ala-county-declares-obama-day.html?refid=rss_all_defaultA small, mostly black county in Alabama that delivered Barack Obama 70% of the vote has declared the second Monday of November “Barack Obama Day,” the AP reports. The state itself went convincingly for John McCain, but Perry County wanted to make a point about opportunity and the possibility of change. County offices will close, and workers will receive a paid holiday.http://www.newser.com/story/44300/ala-county-declares-obama-day.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 14:37:00 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44294/for-inauguration-week-dc-pushes-last-call-to-5am.html?refid=rss_all_defaultPreparing for a wave of inauguration visitors (and their cash), Washington legislators loosened the capital’s laws yesterday to let restaurants, bars, and nightclubs stay open all night and serve alcohol until 5am in the days leading up to the historic occasion, the Washington Post reports. The move upset civic leaders concerned about safety and crowd control.http://www.newser.com/story/44294/for-inauguration-week-dc-pushes-last-call-to-5am.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 14:29:01 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44270/obama-to-fill-wmd-post-bush-ignored.html?refid=rss_all_defaultPresident-elect Obama will hire an official to oversee efforts to stop terrorists from gaining nuclear and biological weapons, the Boston Globe reports, a position the Bush administration approved but left unfilled. Such efforts are currently spread among many agencies, and a report predicting a deadly attack within 5 years using weapons of mass destruction gives them new urgency.http://www.newser.com/story/44270/obama-to-fill-wmd-post-bush-ignored.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 14:24:01 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44297/rove-if-we-knew-the-truth-we-wouldnt-have-invaded.html?refid=rss_all_defaultIf George Bush had known that Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction, he wouldn’t have invaded Iraq, Karl Rove said last night during a debate in New York. Were it not for the WMDs, the administration would have found “more creative ways to constrain him, like in the '90s.” Rove's remark reflected a similar Bush comment this week, in which he backed off earlier assurances that he'd have invaded even without WMDs, the Huffington Post reports.http://www.newser.com/story/44297/rove-if-we-knew-the-truth-we-wouldnt-have-invaded.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 13:59:31 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/44276/guvs-to-obama-public-works-projects-will-take-time.html?refid=rss_all_defaultBarack Obama’s plan to throw hundreds of billions of dollars into state infrastructure projects may not be as effective as he imagines in stimulating the economy, some state officials say. Yesterday, governors told the president-elect that they had $136 billion in projects ready to go, but the National Governors Association says fewer than half could break ground in the next six months. Many would take 24 months, which might be too slow to help the economy.http://www.newser.com/story/44276/guvs-to-obama-public-works-projects-will-take-time.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 03 Dec 2008 13:50:00 CST