politics news stories on Newser

Calif. Dem: Elect Me and I'll Smoke Dope on Capitol Hill

Kevin Spak — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:37:00 CDT

Andy Caffrey is for the most part a pretty standard-issue progressive, but he's got one campaign promise that makes him stand out: He's vowing to smoke pot on the steps of Capitol Hill if he's elected. Caffrey, 54, is running for Congress in California and happens to have a prescription...

10 Facts About That Imprisoned Candidate

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:33:07 CDT

The imprisoned felon who challenged President Obama for the Democratic nomination in West Virginia's primary and won an impressive 40% of the vote remains the bizarre political story of the day. Politico rounds up 10 facts about the locked-up candidate, Keith Judd, including:

Only 26% of Political Donations From Women

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:21:05 CDT

Less than a third of political donations come from women, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed the money given to candidates, political action committees, and party committees in 2010 and discovered that only 26% of federal contributions came from female donors, a dip from 31% in 2008, and 27%...

Salahi Running for Virginia Gov

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:27:12 CDT

Get excited, Virginia residents: White House gatecrasher and former Real Housewives of DC hubby Tareq Salahi is running for governor of your state! Salahi formally announced his candidacy in the most appropriate political medium possible, ie, TMZ . "I am troubled to see how our current political figureheads continue to waste...

White Males Will Be Minority Among House Democrats

Dustin Lushing — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:55:07 CDT

For the first time in history, a political party will soon be represented in Congress by a majority of female and minority lawmakers. The Cook Political Report predicts that white males will make up 46% to 48% of House Democrats when the new Congress is sworn in next January, reports...

Mitt Gushes About Wife's 'Warmblood' Horses

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:22:00 CDT

A new/old potential wealth gaffe from the mouth of Mitt Romney. The GOP candidate apparently gushed about his wife's much-deserved time off the campaign trail spent riding her "Austrian warmblood" horses (though he prefers his own "Missouri foxtrotter"); each costs as much as a pricey sports car. He made the...

George McGovern Hospitalized

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:12:30 CDT

George McGovern has been hospitalized in Florida for tests, his daughter said yesterday. The former South Dakota senator and one-time presidential candidate was admitted to a St. Augustine hospital so doctors can determine why he occasionally passes out and loses his ability to speak, reports the Sioux Falls Argus Leader...

Sarah Palin Co-Hosting Today Show

Mary Papenfuss — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:35:00 CDT

Welcome to the lamestream media, Sarah Palin. She's going to be co-hosting NBC's Today show tomorrow morning, reports Mediabistro . Palin will go head-to-head with arch-nemesis Katie Couric, who's filling in this week on ABC's Good Morning America , and who's responsible for one of the former vice-presidential candidate's most embarrassing campaign...

Gillibrand: I'll Ask Hillary to Run in 2016

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:31:13 CDT

Hillary Clinton in 2016? New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she'll be among those pushing for it. Gillibrand, who took over Clinton's Senate seat after Clinton left to become secretary of state, sat down with BuzzFeed to discuss women in politics. "I'm going to be one of the first to...