Gates signals White House may need to settle Afghan war strategy before elections are resolved

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY JET — The Obama administration needs to decide on a war strategy for Afghanistan without waiting for a government there to be widely accepted as legitimate, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday.

White House: Afghan leaders must ensure legitimate election results to their people and world

WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday prodded the leaders of Afghanistan to prove to their people and to the watching world that the results of an intensely disputed presidential election are legitimate.

The recession may be over, yet job losses endanger recovery, create woes for Democrats

Job losses mar recovery, create woes for Dems

WASHINGTON — A distressed economy is widely blamed for President George H.W. Bush’s re-election defeat in 1992, and a decade earlier, for the loss of 26 House seats in midterm elections by Ronald Reagan’s Republicans. Yet in both instances recession had already ended or was winding down.

Massachusetts governor faces a delicate dance as he weighs interim Kennedy replacement

BOSTON — For Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, picking a temporary replacement for the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy isn’t just about finding the best person to represent the state in Washington.

NY governor ignores pressure to end 2010 election quest despite pressure from senior Democrats

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. David Paterson isn’t scrapping his plans to run for the office he inherited 18 months ago, despite growing pressure from Washington and intervention by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has contacted the governor and the White House over his concern.

Mass. GOP blocks debate on bill to allow governor to name interim successor to Sen. Kennedy

BOSTON — Massachusetts Republicans temporarily blocked Senate debate Friday on a bill allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to name an interim appointment to the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Edward Kennedy.

Mass. House approves bill letting Gov. Patrick name interim successor to late Sen. Kennedy

BOSTON — A bill allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to name an interim appointment to the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Edward Kennedy is headed to the Massachusetts Senate, where its fate is uncertain.

Mass. House gives initial OK to bill letting Gov. Patrick name interim Kennedy replacement

BOSTON — The Massachusetts House of Representatives has given initial approval to a bill allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to name an interim appointment to the Senate seat left vacant when Edward Kennedy died last month.

Mass. House begins debate on bill allowing Gov. Patrick to name interim Kennedy replacement

BOSTON — Massachusetts Speaker Robert DeLeo said Thursday there are enough votes in the House to pass a bill allowing Gov. Deval Patrick to name an interim appointment to the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Edward Kennedy last month.

History, poor economy, declining Obama support could mean big losses for House Dems in 2010

NEW YORK — Despite sweeping Democratic successes in the past two national elections, continuing job losses and President Barack Obama’s slipping support could lead to double-digit losses for the party in next year’s congressional races and may even threaten their House control.

Colombia’s lower House backs referendum on allowing Uribe to run for 3rd term; court rnext

BOGOTA — Colombia’s lower House has approved a bill calling for a referendum on whether to change the constitution to allow President Alvaro Uribe to run for a third term.

With Kennedy’s death, debate heightens over Senate succession process

WASHINGTON — With the death of Edward M. Kennedy, seven seats in the Senate have been opened since the last election or soon will be, the most in any one year in six decades.

Afghan election next week will test whether US security plan is taking hold in the country

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama’s new Afghanistan war plan is facing its first major test, and it’s not on the battlefield.

Analysis of Iranian election results casts doubt on Ahmadinejad’s victory

CAIRO — An analysis by a British think tank highlights profound differences between voting patterns in Iran’s recent election and hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first victory in 2005, casting doubt on whether they could have occurred without manipulation.

White congressman faces formidable black challenger in mostly black district in Tennessee

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Steve Cohen, a two-term white congressman from a mostly black House district, faces a bruising Democratic primary next year and race again will likely be at the center of the campaign.

White House says US watching for irregularities in Iran’s contested presidential election

WASHINGTON — The White House says it is monitoring Iran’s presidential election results, including reports of voter fraud.

Obama administration sees hope for Mideast peace prospects after Lebanese election

WASHINGTON — Detecting signs of hope for its Mideast peace initiatives in the defeat of a Hezbollah slate in Lebanon’s weekend election, the Obama administration said Monday it will send special envoy George Mitchell to Syria and Lebanon this week.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky announces re-election bid for House, passes on Senate run

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jan Schakowsky said Monday that she has decided to seek re-election to her House seat, passing on a bid for the Senate and a potentially crowded Illinois Democratic primary.