Here is a news article: That the events in Tunisia took place far beyond the region’s traditional centers of power did little to diminish the enthusiasm they seemed to generate. In fact, the very spectacle of crowds surging into the streets and overwhelming decades of accumulated power in the hands of a highly centralized, American-backed government seemed an antidote to the despair of past years — carnage in Iraq, divisions among Palestinians and Israeli intransigence and the yawning divide between ruler and ruled on almost every question of foreign policy.

 The protests’ success gripped a region whose residents have increasingly complained of governments that seem incapable of meeting their demands and are bereft of any ideology except perpetuating power. The combustible mix that inspired them — economic woes and revulsion at corruption and repression — seemed to echo in so many other countries in the Middle East, American allies like Egypt foremost among them.

 Al Jazeera headlined its broadcasts: “Tunisia ... the street creates change.”

 Mohammed al-Maskati, a blogger in Bahrain, put it more bluntly on Twitter. “It actually happened in my lifetime!” he wrote. “An Arab nation woke up and said enough.”

 Through the eight years of the Bush administration, democratization was at least a rhetorical priority of American policy in the Middle East, even as the United States maintained its support for Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other authoritarian governments in the region. On Thursday, as the protests in Tunisia were escalating, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued a scathing critique of Arab leadership and the region’s political and economic stagnation. Her comments seemed one attempt to reposition the United States, which backed Tunisia’s dictatorial leader as a partner against terrorism.

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 In the end, the most dramatic change in the old Arab order in years was inspired by Mohamed Bouazizi, the 26-year-old university graduate who could find work only as a fruit and vegetable vendor. He set himself on fire in a city square in December when the police seized his cart and mistreated him.

 A Facebook page called Tunisians hailed him as “the symbol of the Tunisian revolution.” “God have mercy on you, Tunisia’s martyr, and on the all free martyrs of Tunisia,” it read. “One candle burns to create light and one candle beats all oppression.”

 In Egypt, his name came up at a small solidarity protest.

 “Egypt needs a man like Mohamed Bouazizi,” said Abdel-Halim Qandil, a journalist and opposition leader who joined dozens of others at the Tunisian Embassy.

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 The momentum of Tunisia’s street protests overshadowed other instances of dissent in the Arab world. In Egypt, protesters, often lacking in numbers, are occasionally beset by divisions between secular and religious activists. The mass protests in Lebanon that followed the assassination of Rafik Hariri, a former prime minister, in February 2005 ended up deepening divisions in a country almost evenly split over questions of ideology, sectarian loyalty and foreign patrons.

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 Tunisians’ grievances were as specific as universal: rising food prices, corruption, unemployment and the repression of a state that viewed almost all dissent as subversion.

 Smaller protests, many of them over rising prices, have already taken place in countries like Morocco, Egypt, Algeria and Jordan. Egypt, in particular, seems to bear at least a passing resemblance to Tunisia — a heavy-handed security state with diminishing popular support and growing demands from an educated, yet frustrated, population.

 In Jordan, hundreds protested the cost of food in several cities, even after the government hastily announced measures to bring the prices down. Libya abolished taxes and customs duties on food products, and Morocco tried to offset a surge in grain prices.

 “It’s the creeping realization that more and more people are being marginalized and pauperized and that, increasingly, life is more difficult,” said Rami Khouri, director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut. “You need little events that capture the spirit of the time. Tunisia best captures that in the Arab world.”

 Despite the enthusiasm, the scene Friday night in Cairo might serve as caution.

 The protesters who gathered at the Tunisian Embassy in the upscale neighborhood of Zamalek chanted slogans into a megaphone and waved red Tunisian flags. They went through a litany of the region’s strongmen — from Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya to Hosni Mubarak of Egypt — and warned each that his day of reckoning was coming.

 “Down, down with Hosni Mubarak!” some chanted.

 “Ben Ali, you fraud! Mubarak, you fraud! Qaddafi, you fraud!” others shouted.

 They were ringed by police officers in black berets, and outnumbered by them, as well. They had little room to maneuver. And an hour later, the protesters went their way, a Tunisian flag flying from one of the cars, as it ventured down a largely empty street. ||||| Hassene Dridi, AP

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 TUNIS, Tunisia -- Gunfire rang out Sunday in central Tunis near the Interior Ministry, as police and troops try to calm tensions after the president's ouster.Issam Chebbi, a senior member of the main opposition party PDP, said a gunfight also broke out Sunday between security forces and unidentified attackers in front of the opposition party headquarters. A big crowd was gathered in front of the building and heavy security was deployed in the area.Soon afterward, repeated volleys of gunfire were heard nearby, near the Interior Ministry. The source of the shots was unclear.The violence broke out as Tunisia sped toward a new future after its iron-fisted leader fled. A new interim president ordered the country's first multiparty government to be formed.But violence in many parts of the capital heaped doubt on hopes for a smooth transition to a new era.The omnipresent posters of ex-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali were coming down, a vivid signal to citizens that Tunisia is moving on after 23 years of autocratic rule. Even the main state TV station changed its name.For Tunisians who protested for four weeks - with police shooting dozens to death - the announcement that a "government of national unity" would be formed opens the possibility of a leap toward democracy in this Muslim country in North Africa whose modernity clashed with Ben Ali's repressive rule.The nation must wait 60 days to see whether the party that maintained the ex-leader in power gets an upper hand in the new government, locking the old system back in place.The 74-year-old Ben Ali fled his country Friday for Saudi Arabia, literally chased out by angry legions of citizens protesting joblessness, corruption and lack of freedoms - a first for an Arab country. Numerous citizens laid a large measure of blame for his fate on his in-laws, supremely wealthy and considered just as corrupt.The interim president, Fouad Mebazaa, the former president of the lower house of parliament, was named Saturday - the second change of power in fewer than 24 hours. He quickly ordered the creation of a unity government that by its nature would include the opposition which had been frozen out under Ben Ali."We can start to hope," said a founder of the main opposition party, the Progressive Democratic Party, Nejib Chebbi. The question now, he said, is whether a new government will be pluralistic or again dominated by Ben Ali's ruling RCD party. "If the RCD is dominant, we're not out of the woods."The Tunis airport reopened Saturday but the state of emergency declared Thursday continued. Instability ruled in the streets and spotter helicopters churned in the sky above the capital.Fire blackened the main Tunis train station, torched along with large stores and scattered shops as troublemakers defied a curfew Friday night.At least 42 people were killed Saturday in a prison fire in a resort town and the director of another prison let 1,000 inmates flee after a deadly rebellion.Assailants fired on police guarding the Interior Ministry in a bold attack on the symbol of the Ben Ali reign and police returned fire, battening down the city center. An Associated Press Television News cameraman near the scene saw two bodies on the ground. Their identities were not known.Street violence took a new form Saturday with marauding gangs sacking homes in at least one wealthy neighborhood and residents, armed with golf clubs, forming self-styled vigilante committees to protect themselves.Rumors were rife in a chaotic Tunisia, with some citizens voicing suspicions the gangs were made up of Ben Ali loyalists bent on sewing chaos in the country.Many Tunisians also expressed worries about what lies ahead."This all happened in three days. Maybe tomorrow we can't eat," said Mohsen Yacoubi, referring to the mostly closed shops in the capital. He said Ben Ali's departure should have been negotiated over time. "Instead, it's war right away."Soldiers took up posts around Tunis, with tanks guarding strategic facilities like ministries and some major crossroads. The army presence was clear but discrete. Police were everywhere.Two quick changes in leadership since Ben Ali bowed out fed rumors that the army was the shadow ruler in a country without a government.Longtime Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi, a Ben Ali ally, stepped stepped in briefly Friday to assume power after Ben Ali fled, leaving open the possibility that the longtime leader could return. But on Saturday, Constitutional Council President Fethi Abdennadher declared the president's departure permanent and gave lawmaker Mebazaa 60 days in which to organize new elections.Hours later, 77-year-old Mebazaa was sworn in and announced that all parties will be consulted "without exception or exclusion.""Ben Ali was a military dictator and everyone knows it," said Nouredine Jouini, 56, a former mechanical designer now guarding a closed up mall on Tunis' main avenue. But, he added, "The people aren't dumb. We know the prime minister was appointed by defense forces .... But it won't stay this way. Tunisia will function."Streets were flush with police, for decades the most visible - and most feared - force in Tunisia. Cars were checked, particularly rental cars considered suspect as gangs combed the city.In the idyllic coastal resort of Monastir, a prison fire killed 42 people, coroner Tarek Mghirbi told The Associated Press on Saturday. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. In Mahdia, a resort town further down the coast, inmates were set free after a rebellion by prisoners who set fire to the facility holding some 1,000. Soldiers opened fire and five inmates were killed, a top local official said, asking not to be identified because of security concerns.A Paris-based photographer, Lucas Mebrouk Dolega of the EPA photo agency, was in critical condition Saturday after being hit in the face by a tear gas canister.An Associated Press photographer saw soldiers fire warning shots and try to stop looters from sacking the supermarket in Ariana, north of the capital, to no avail. Shops near the Tunis bazaar were also looted.Public television station TV7 - just renamed Tunisian National Television - broadcast phone calls from residents of working-class neighborhoods on the capital's outskirts, describing attacks against their homes by knife-wielding assailants. Young boys were seen armed with long sticks along some streets.The wealthy were not spared, with some homes sacked in the upper class La Marsa neighborhood.Tunisian television has urged citizens to organize patrols, and men and boys in the tony Tunis neighborhood of El Menzah set up makeshift barricades and armed themselves with golf clubs and baseball bats for patrols against intruders.Businesses owned by member's of Ben Ali's family also appeared to be targets. The family of the ex-president's wife, Leila Trabelsi, has financial interests in wide-ranging sectors from banking to car dealerships. A branch of the Zeitouna bank in Tunis founded by Ben Ali's son-in-law was torched, as were vehicles made by Kia, Fiat and Porsche - brands distributed in Tunisia by members of the ruling family."This isn't good at all. I'm very afraid for the kids and myself," said Lilia Ben Romdhan, a mother of three in central Tunis. "If (Ben Ali) had stayed in the country it would be better."Saudi King Abdullah's palace ended hours of speculation about where Ben Ali had fled to, confirming Saturday that the ousted president and some family members had landed in Saudi Arabia. The palace said the kingdom welcomed him with a wish for "peace and security to return to the people of Tunisia."A source inside the kingdom said he was in the small city of Abha, about 310 miles (500 kilometers) south of Jeddah - taken there to avoid sparking any possible demonstrations by Tunisians living in the larger, seaside city of Jeddah. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.The whereabouts of all family members were unclear.The French government said some members are in France - former colonial ruler - but are "not welcome." Spokesman Francois Baroin told France-Info radio that Ben Ali's family "have not shown a desire to stay on French soil and are going to leave."Thousands of tourists were being evacuated from the Mediterranean nation, where tourism is a chief industry.Ben Ali's downfall sent a warning to other autocratic leaders across the Arab world, especially because he did not seem vulnerable until very recently and managed his country of 10 million better than many other Middle Eastern nations.However, the new era he dubbed "The Change" - starting when he snatched power from the nation's founder, President Habib Bourguiba, in a bloodless palace coup in 1987 - never fully materialized.The improved quality of life for many failed to keep up with the increased limits on civil rights like freedom of expression and a growing reputation as a police state - invisible to the tourists flocking to the country's Mediterranean beaches.The unemployment rate stands officially at 14 percent but is thought to be far higher among the young - who make up 52 percent of Tunisia's 10 million inhabitants.The self-immolation, and eventual death, of a 26-year-old university graduate selling fruits in central Tunisia triggered a dizzying series of riots that moved to the capital and, relayed by social media like Facebook, spun into general anger over the regime.Nicolas Garriga, Oleg Cetinic in Tunis, Hassan Ammar in Doha, Qatar and Angela Doland and Jenny Barchfield in Paris contributed to this report. ||||| The leadership of this troubled country changed hands for the second time in less than 24 hours Saturday as security forces and ordinary Tunisians struggled to quell mayhem that some have attributed to henchmen loyal to ousted President Zine el Abidine ben Ali Fouad Mebazaa, president of the lower house of the parliament, was sworn in as chief of state amid fast-moving political developments and chaotic lawlessness that have transformed Tunisia into a symbol of revolution in the Arab world.Mebazaa, 77, became the national president less than a day after Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia , handing power to his prime minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, whose appointment sparked new demonstrations and questions about constitutional propriety. Mebazaa promised in a televised speech to consult with all political parties before holding elections within 60 days."I urge you all, and all dynamic forces of political parties, national organizations and components of civil society to put national interest first and to help the armed forces and national security in maintaining security and in protecting private and public property, and to restore calm and tranquillity to all citizens," he said.With video of the uprising airing constantly on satellite television throughout the region, the events in Tunisia have captivated Arabs who hope it will inspire the toppling of other entrenched authoritarian regimes. That has raised the stakes for a people's power rebellion that could be threatened by the continuing violence.Tension and confusion gripped the streets, where many residents spent hours searching for bread and other food.Army tanks were positioned in the heart of Tunis, along the capital's main Avenue Habib Bourguiba . Death toll figures were not available, but scores of people across the nation have died in the unrest, including 57 reportedly killed Saturday in an inferno at a prison.As a 5 p.m. curfew approached, surly young men appeared to be gathering steam for another night of clashes with police officers, who stalked sidewalks wearing riot gear and holding clubs, menacing pedestrians who didn't move quickly enough.As night fell, occasional bursts of gunfire could be heard throughout Tunis and its suburbs, as well as the occasional roar of army helicopters roaming the skies.Common criminals and overzealous young demonstrators have contributed to the spasm of looting and violence in this previously placid and tightly controlled North African country. But just as loyalists to Iraq's Saddam Hussein set off fires and released prisoners in the wake of his 2003 ouster by U.S.-led forces, security officials loyal to the autocratic Ben Ali, many Tunisians suspect, have played a role in the unrest here."These are not ordinary people," said Bochra Belhaj Hmida, a lawyer and human rights activist. "They are at risk because they tortured people. They are going to be condemned for their crimes if they are arrested."The country's constitutional court ruled Saturday that the departure of Ben Ali, driven out of office Friday after weeks of protests over rising food prices, unemployment and a lack of political freedom, was permanent. And France , the former colonial power that had long backed Ben Ali, asked relatives of the former president who had entered the country to leave and announced the launch of investigations of suspicious money transfers between Tunisia and France.Many Tunisians suspect that former members of Ben Ali's presidential guard, his most brutal adjutants in the Interior Ministry and loyalists in his ruling Constitutional Democratic Rally were fomenting the violence to discredit the protesters and contribute to chaos that would justify harsh security measures."These are people from the ex-government who are orchestrating everything," said Mokhtar Trifi, president of the Tunisian Human Rights League, an opposition group.Officials of the interim government could not be reached for comment. But there were signs that security forces loyal to the interim government, especially the army, were trying to beat back efforts by the former regime to spread chaos.Al Jazeera pan-Arab satellite television network reported the arrest of Ali Seriati, the head of Ben Ali's despised presidential guard. In the capital's November 7 Square, police fatally shot two of their own, explaining to a European journalist at the scene that the pair were former regime loyalists who were responsible for crimes.Mohammad ben Ghomdhan, head of a small socialist political party, Renewal, that is conferring with the interim government, said officials had told him Saturday that during the preceding two days, soldiers at army checkpoints had seized two armored Interior Ministry vehicles filled with weapons.On television shows, on the Internet and in the few cafes that remained open in the capital, many said they feared that security officials close to Ben Ali also were responsible for an outbreak of violence at the country's prisons. Al Jazeera cited a medical source as saying 57 people had died in a fire at a prison in Monastir, about 80 miles southeast of the capital, amid reports of attempted escapes at at least two other detention facilities.Al Jazeera also reported that political prisoners held at Borj Roumi prison in the northern port city of Bizerte had been released. It was not clear who had given the order to free them.On the streets, the tension between the population and the police, which answers to the Interior Ministry, was palpable, as was the higher status that Tunisians accord their army.When police officers tried to detain a young man at the square near the Republic Metro station, a crowd waiting for a tram erupted with fury, moving toward the officers and tossing rocks. The police fired teargas volleys, but the crowd only got angrier and moved closer."We are not afraid!" they chanted.A group of soldiers ran into the square to intervene, forcing the police to release the man. The crowd cheered the man as he boarded the tramway platform.Numerous videos posted on the Internet during the weeks of protest showed police officers in uniform smashing shop windows and setting fires. In the hours after Ben Ali stepped down, residents of the Manar and Menzah neighborhoods of Tunis reported spotting vans dropping off people armed with clubs and canisters of gasoline to start fires. Some of the witnesses said the vehicles were escorted by police.Ben Ghomdhan said that unlike in post-invasion Iraq, where the U.S. disbanded the army and regime stalwarts were able to organize an insurgency in the ensuing power vacuum, Tunisia's interim government and relatively popular army were already a step ahead of the Ben Ali loyalists."I think they cannot win," he said. "These networks have been identified, from the information that I have so far. Their chief, Seriati, has been arrested, and many of his networks have already been arrested." |||||
A summary of this is?

– Tunisia got a new interim president today—parliamentary leader Fouad Mebazaa—who is technically the third leader in 24 hours, notes the Los Angeles Times. He takes over from the previous interim president, who briefly held power when longtime leader El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country in the face of mass protests over rising prices, joblessness, corruption, repression, you name it. The storyline continues to shape up as one that could set a historical precedent—an Arab populace rising up against its leader. Anthony Shadid, New York Times: "The most enthusiastic suggested it was the Arab world’s Gdansk, the birthplace of Solidarity in Poland, which heralded the end to Communist rule in Eastern Europe. That seemed premature, particularly because the contours of the government emerging in Tunisia were still unclear." Shadi Hamid, Huffington Post: "No one should underestimate what happened yesterday in Tunisia. If the revolution succeeds, it may very well prove to be one of the most important moments in recent Arab history. It will alter the calculus not only for Arab regimes—who are watching very, very nervously—but for Western powers that have long oriented their Middle East policy around seemingly stable, autocratic governments." Click for the latest as chaos continues on the streets.


Here is a news article: Washington (CNN) The era of Paul Ryan has begun on Capitol Hill after House Republicans nominated the 45-year-old Wisconsin congressman to serve as speaker of the House, setting him up to be the youngest to ascend to the post since before the Civil War.

 Ryan will step into a job he repeatedly insisted he didn't want after easily defeating Florida Republican Daniel Webster for the top House leadership post, which is second in line to the succeed the President. The secret-ballot vote was 200 for Ryan versus 43 for Webster.

 The full House of Representatives is now set to officially approve the nomination Thursday morning when the gavel will pass from Speaker John Boehner to Ryan.

 Speaker of the House Denis Hastert, left, administers the oath of office to Ryan at the beginning of his first term as representative of Wisconsin on January 6, 1999.

 Speaker of the House Denis Hastert, left, administers the oath of office to Ryan at the beginning of his first term as representative of Wisconsin on January 6, 1999.

 Ryan speaks at a Cato Institute briefing on Medicare reform in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on July 22, 2003.

 Ryan speaks at a Cato Institute briefing on Medicare reform in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on July 22, 2003.

 Ryan follows President George W. Bush off of Air Force One at General Mitchell International Airport - Air Reserve Station in Milwaukee on July 11, 2006.

 Ryan follows President George W. Bush off of Air Force One at General Mitchell International Airport - Air Reserve Station in Milwaukee on July 11, 2006.

 Then-Budget Committee Chairman John M. Spratt Jr., left, and ranking member Ryan listen to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testify during the House Budget hearing on the economy on January 17, 2008.

 Then-Budget Committee Chairman John M. Spratt Jr., left, and ranking member Ryan listen to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testify during the House Budget hearing on the economy on January 17, 2008.

 Ryan, left, and Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire speak to reporters about the 2010 federal budget.

 Ryan, left, and Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire speak to reporters about the 2010 federal budget.

 Ryan looks over papers as he waits for other House Republicans to arrive for a news conference in the Capitol Visitors Center in 2010.

 Ryan looks over papers as he waits for other House Republicans to arrive for a news conference in the Capitol Visitors Center in 2010.

 Ryan listens as Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget annual conference in Washington on June 14, 2011.

 Ryan listens as Ben Bernanke, chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, speaks at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget annual conference in Washington on June 14, 2011.

 Ryan holds a news conference in December 2011 in Washington to introduce a package of 10 legislative reforms designed to revamp the budget process.

 Ryan holds a news conference in December 2011 in Washington to introduce a package of 10 legislative reforms designed to revamp the budget process.

 Ryan is introduced before speaking about the federal budget at Georgetown University on April 26, 2012.

 Ryan is introduced before speaking about the federal budget at Georgetown University on April 26, 2012.

 Ryan, left, and Romney greet each other on stage April 3, 2012, during the primary night gathering at The Grain Exchange in Milwaukee.

 Ryan, left, and Romney greet each other on stage April 3, 2012, during the primary night gathering at The Grain Exchange in Milwaukee.

 Ryan speaks while campaigning for Romney at a textile factory in Janesville, Wisconsin, on June 18, 2012.

 Ryan speaks while campaigning for Romney at a textile factory in Janesville, Wisconsin, on June 18, 2012.

 Ryan looks on as Romney greets people June 18, 2012, during a campaign event in Janesville, Wisconsin.

 Ryan looks on as Romney greets people June 18, 2012, during a campaign event in Janesville, Wisconsin.

 Romney jokes with Ryan in April 2012 during a pancake brunch at Bluemound Gardens in Milwaukee.

 Romney jokes with Ryan in April 2012 during a pancake brunch at Bluemound Gardens in Milwaukee.

 Romney introduced Ryan as his running mate in front of the USS Wisconsin. The seven-term congressman provides a strong contrast to the Obama administration on fiscal policy.

 Romney introduced Ryan as his running mate in front of the USS Wisconsin. The seven-term congressman provides a strong contrast to the Obama administration on fiscal policy.

 Ryan speaks after Romney announced him as his running mate in Norfolk, Virginia, on August 11, 2012.

 Ryan speaks after Romney announced him as his running mate in Norfolk, Virginia, on August 11, 2012.

 Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin speaks during a campagin stop at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on August 13, 2012. It was the newly minted GOP vice presidential candidate's first solo stop since becoming Romney's running mate.

 Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin speaks during a campagin stop at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines on August 13, 2012. It was the newly minted GOP vice presidential candidate's first solo stop since becoming Romney's running mate.

 Ryan greets supporters during a presidential campaign rally with Mitt Romney at The Square at Union Centre in West Chester, Ohio, on November 2, 2012.

 Ryan greets supporters during a presidential campaign rally with Mitt Romney at The Square at Union Centre in West Chester, Ohio, on November 2, 2012.

 Willie Robertson of the reality TV series "Duck Dynasty" poses for a picture with Ryan and his wife, Janna, before President Obama delivers his State of the Union address on January 28, 2014.

 Willie Robertson of the reality TV series "Duck Dynasty" poses for a picture with Ryan and his wife, Janna, before President Obama delivers his State of the Union address on January 28, 2014.

 Ryan and his wife, Janna, arrive at a state dinner at the White House in honor of French President Francois Hollande on February 11, 2014 .

 Ryan and his wife, Janna, arrive at a state dinner at the White House in honor of French President Francois Hollande on February 11, 2014 .

 Ryan announced Monday, January 12, that he would not run for president in 2016, preferring instead to focus on policy work as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Ryan, the GOP's 2012 vice presidential nominee, has long been seen as a top contender for the presidency.

 Ryan announced Monday, January 12, that he would not run for president in 2016, preferring instead to focus on policy work as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Ryan, the GOP's 2012 vice presidential nominee, has long been seen as a top contender for the presidency.

 Rep. Paul Ryan, R.-Wisconsin, was elected the 54th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, October 29, after receiving the votes of 236 members. The vote was largely a formality after House Republicans nominated him for the position on Wednesday, October 28.

 Rep. Paul Ryan, R.-Wisconsin, was elected the 54th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, October 29, after receiving the votes of 236 members. The vote was largely a formality after House Republicans nominated him for the position on Wednesday, October 28.

 The change in leadership comes after weeks of dramatic and public turmoil among House Republicans, after Boehner, who turns 66 next month, abruptly announced in late September that he was stepping down. Since Republicans took control of the chamber in 2011 and elected Boehner to the top post he faced a constant barrage of criticism from conservatives. A band of members on the right thwarted almost every major legislative move Boehner made, taking the county to the brink of default in 2011 and triggering a government shutdown in 2013.

 Ryan pledged to unify the House Republicans and get the House back on track. "We have an obligation here in the people's house to do the people's business," Ryan told reporters after the vote. "We are going to respect the people by representing the people."

 Ryan reluctantly agreed to seek the job after spending a week at home with his family in Janesville, Wisconsin, but agreed to run only if the various factions inside the House GOP backed him and signed off on his desire to protect his family time with his wife and three young children.

 Already, Republicans were signaling that Ryan's background as a policy wonk with experience on the national stage after as Mitt Romney's 2012 vice presidential nominee would make him different from Boehner.

 "Ryan is a really a thought leader for the Republican Party. We've been operating under his blueprints and he's one of the best communicators that we've had -- equal or even greater to Newt Gingrich," California GOP Rep. Devin Nunes, a close ally of Boehner's, said on Tuesday.

 With the 2016 presidential race showcasing the split between establishment candidate and outsiders pledging to shake up the GOP, Ryan effectively becomes the national face of the Republican Party.

 "It's our onus, it's our burden to set the agenda now because we don't have anyone on the presidential side," said Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Florida.

 Will face challenge from the right

 Inside the closed meeting Wednesday, Ryan was nominated by South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy, a close friend and a conservative beloved by the GOP base as the chair of the high profile Select Committee on Benghazi. Gowdy's endorsement was seen as an important marker that the right flank, which had stymied Boehner, was prepared to give Ryan a chance to govern.

 But Ryan is likely to confront the same criticism from the same outside groups that Boehner faced -- that he's not conservative enough.

 He won 200 votes from his fellow Republicans, but will need 218 votes to win on the House floor. Webster gathererd 43 votes, a signal from the right wing that they will not give Ryan free reign. Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kansas, a member of the power conservative House Freedom Caucus, said he voted for Webster but believes Ryan will get the 218 he needs Thursday.

 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power The current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives is Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin. He gained his power from his predecessor, former Speaker John Boehner, after the Ohio Republican shocked the political world by deciding to vacate his position. Click through for other recent speakers: Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power Former Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, gained his power from his predecessor, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, when the GOP gained the majority of seats in the House in the 2010 midterm elections. Boehner announced his intention to leave the position in September 2015, and Paul Ryan succeeded him in October. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi was the first and only female speaker of the House. Her speakership lasted from January 4, 2007, to January 3, 2011. Pelosi, a Democrat, lost her seat to the Republican majority in the 2010 midterms. John Boehner took the gavel. Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power Dennis Hastert remains the longest serving Republican speaker in history, from January 6, 1999, to January 3, 2007. However, the GOP lost its majority in the House of Representatives, leaving Democrat Nancy Pelosi to become speaker. On Thursday, May 28, Hastert was accused in an indictment of lying to the FBI and evading currency reporting requirements as he sought to pay off a subject to "cover up past misconduct." On Thursday, October 28, Hastert pleaded guilty in the case. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power Newt Gingrich broke the four-decade line of Democratic speakers by becoming speaker from 1995 to 1999 and was named Man of the Year by Time magazine for the accomplishment. He then fell from grace after a disappointing 1998 midterm election for the GOP, prompting him to step down from both the speakership and Congress. Gingrich's resignations came as a complete surprise to many, as the speaker had been fighting to keep his top job until the announcement. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power Tom Foley, a Democrat who represented Washington state in the House for 30 years, took over the office of the speaker after the resignation of Jim Wright. Foley served as speaker from 1989 to January 1995 but was defeated in the 1994 election by George Nethercutt. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power Jim Wright of Texas served two years as speaker, after Massachusetts Democrat Tip O'Neill retired. But he stepped down in 1989 after facing a House Ethics Committee investigation on improprieties with the sale of his book and fees from speaking engagements. He was the first speaker to resign in the face of a scandal. He died on May 6, 2015, at 92. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: The hand-off: How Speakers Ryan to O'Neill came to power A Massachusetts Democrat who served as speaker from 1977 until retirement in 1987, Tip O'Neill was well-known for his deal-making as well as his collegiality with former President Ronald Reagan. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought to commemorate the 34-year congressional career of O'Neill with an office building on the edge of Capitol Hill that bears his name. O'Neill was the longest continuously serving House speaker of any party in U.S. history. Hide Caption 8 of 8

 Another Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Mo Brooks, voted for Webster but said he will back Ryan on the floor. "He's the nominee," Brooks said.

 A Ryan backer, Greg Walden, said the "political flu bug is over" and downplayed the tally, predicting Ryan would get in the range of 230 votes tomorrow.

 Ryan did not initially want the job. When conservatives rejected Boehner's number two, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, to take his place, Ryan immediately put out a press release saying he had no interest in the job as speaker. He took a pass at running for president in 2016, told all his colleagues he already has his dream job as Chairman of the Ways and Means committee, where he set the GOP agenda on trade, tax reform and other complicated policy issues.

 Many House Republicans -- scrambling to find a leader to avoid what promised to be a messy process to united a deeply fractured conference -- wouldn't take no for an answer and made a full court press for Ryan to reconsider. Boehner and other top national Republican leaders, including Romney, to step in and save the party from an embarrassing spectacle.

 "We're in a new era of politics," Nunes said, explaining that with growing media contingent covering every Washington debate and outside advocacy groups raising money off of Republican battles, it's important to drive a direct message about the agenda the House is pursuing. "This is all about marketing."

 Changes sought to House process

 Multiple House GOP members told CNN that Ryan's success will be determined less by his personality than by how he follows through on his pledge to make the House use a more bottom-up approach to governing. Rank-and-file members are demanding they be given the chance to put their imprint on legislation before it reaches the House floor.

 "In the business world where I came from, once a process was in place, the person wasn't as important," Rep. Jim Renacci, R-Ohio, told CNN. "If I had one recommendation for a Speaker Ryan it would be - make sure the process gets in place very quickly so he can continue the policy side, and the process can then can continue to work."

 Ryan already has vowed to change how the chamber operates and work on adjusting internal GOP conference rules to allow broader representation on committees.

 The presumptive speaker already faced his first major challenge this week when Boehner announced he cut a major budget deal with the White House and quickly moved it toward a House vote Wednesday. Ryan distanced himself from the agreement, making conservatives happy by declaring that, "the process stinks."

 But even though he criticized the process, Ryan announced hours before the vote on the House floor that he'd back the deal. And although it sets spending levels for the next two years, one of the new speaker's first tests will be passing a spending bill in December that sets more detailed budgets for federal agencies and avoids a government shutdown. ||||| The Gavel Blog Archives Select Date… November, 2018 October, 2018 September, 2018 August, 2018 July, 2018 June, 2018 May, 2018 April, 2018 March, 2018 February, 2018 January, 2018 December, 2017

 AP Photo Don't call him Paul: It's 'Speaker Paul D. Ryan'

 Paul Ryan is changing his job title. He’s changing his office. And he’s even changing his name.

 From today on, the Wisconsin Republican would like to be known – in official capacities, anyway – as Paul D. Ryan.

 The Ways and Means chairman asked the Clerk of the House Karen Haas to officially change his name to include the middle initial on all official documents and offices – just one day before Ryan is set to be elected speaker.

 Ryan’s middle name is Davis.

  |||||
A summary of this is?

– House Republicans officially nominated Paul Ryan as speaker Wednesday, CNN reports. Er, excuse us, Paul D. Ryan. Also Wednesday, the congressman asked the Clerk of the House to formally change his name on all official documents and offices to Paul D. Ryan, Politico reports. His full name is Paul Davis Ryan. The full House is expected to approve Ryan's nomination Thursday morning.


– Rarely reticent after overseas incidents, President Trump spoke up early Friday after news streamed across the pond of a rush-hour explosion in the London Underground that injured at least 18 people. He railed on Twitter against the "loser terrorists," calling those responsible "sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard." (The Telegraph notes Scotland Yard hasn't yet indicated that's actually the case; Politico says it's "unclear" what info Trump used to make that assessment.) Trump also suggested we must deal with any such terrorists "in a much tougher manner," including cutting off "their main recruitment tool": the internet. The Independent reports it's not the first time Trump has mentioned internet restrictions, noting he said in late 2015 he wanted to "see Bill Gates" about "closing it up." Trump's tweets next segued into a call to make the US travel ban "far larger, tougher and more specific," though he lamented that "stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" And finally, a dig against his predecessor: "We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years. Must be proactive & nasty!" Shortly after his terrorist-themed tweets, Trump moved on to a new topic: the controversy over ESPN host Jemele Hill (though he didn't mention her by name), who earlier this week called him a "white supremacist." "ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!" he tweeted.

Expand this summary.

Tweet with a location

 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!” President Donald Trump tweeted. | Win McNamee/Getty Images Trump's tweet on London attack draws ire from U.K. officials 'These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!' Trump tweets.

 British officials rebuked President Donald Trump on Friday for claiming that the individuals responsible for setting off explosives in the London subway had been “in the sights of” law enforcement who failed to be “proactive.”

 Prime Minister Theresa May reproached Trump for his rhetoric in the wake of what police are investigating as a terrorist attack that injured at least 29 people.

 Story Continued Below

 “I never think it’s helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation,” she said. “As I’ve just said, the police and security services are working to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify all those responsible.”

 Trump earlier on Friday had used the latest attack to offer tough talk on terrorism, and implied that Scotland Yard officials had fallen down on the job — although it’s unclear what non-public information, if any, the president based the comment on.

 “Another attack in London by a loser terrorist,” Trump tweeted early Friday morning. “These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!”

 He wrote in a follow-up post that “loser terrorists” should “be dealt with in a much tougher manner” and urged the U.S. to curb their internet access, which serves as a recruiting tool for terrorists.

 Breaking News Alerts Get breaking news when it happens — in your inbox. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time.

 “We must cut off & use better!” Trump said.

 National security adviser H.R. McMaster appeared to try to clean up Trump's comment, telling reporters later on Friday afternoon that Trump was speaking generally about Scotland Yard, and that he was trying to broadly convey that law enforcement is focused on the threat of terrorism.

 “For years, Scotland Yard has been a leader, as our FBI has been a leader. So I think if there was a terrorist attack here, God forbid, that we would say that they were in the sights of the FBI,” McMaster said. “So I think he didn’t mean anything beyond that.”

 Trump and his administration have stoked the ire of British officials before. The U.K. earlier this year temporarily ceased intelligence sharing with the U.S. after images from an attack in Manchester were leaked to and published in U.S. media, infuriating British officials. May had said she would "make clear to President Trump that intelligence that is shared between our law enforcement agencies must remain secure" when the two met at a NATO summit in May.

 Speaking in Brussels that month, Trump condemned the "deeply troubling" leaks and said he would ask the Justice Department to review the matter and prosecute the culprit, if appropriate.

 A White House official said on Friday that chief of staff John Kelly wasn’t with the president when he fired off his tweets about “loser terrorists” before 7 a.m. Kelly has tried to bring structure to the West Wing and contain some of the president’s impulses by serving as a gatekeeper to what people and what information make it into the Oval Office.

 The official said it’s unclear whether Kelly has spoken with the president about his tweets, but Trump was scheduled to receive an intelligence briefing later Friday morning.

 London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who clashed with Trump after an attack on the London Bridge area in June, said on Friday he been too busy working with police, security services and first responders to pay attention to Trump’s tweets.

 “I haven’t had a chance to look at Twitter, let alone tweet,” he said.

 A Metropolitan Police spokesperson dismissed Trump’s tweet in an interview with the Independent as “speculation.”

 “We don’t even know who the suspects are so it’s a bit difficult to say,” the spokesperson said.

 Nick Timothy, a former aide to May, echoed the prime minister’s sentiment. He said the tweet is “so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner.”

 Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden later Friday morning that the attack is “a terrible thing” and reiterated his calls for America to “be very smart” and get “very, very tough.”

 “We’re not nearly tough enough,” said Trump, who added that he would call May on Friday. “That is just an absolutely terrible thing.”

 May offered her thoughts to “those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident” in her initial statement.

 As of late Friday morning, Trump hadn’t publicly offered his thoughts and prayers or pledged America’s support to London, but the White House said he did so privately in a call with May.

 Trump conveyed “his sympathies and prayers for those injured in the terrorist attack today in London,” the administration said in a statement. “The president pledged to continue close collaboration with the United Kingdom to stop attacks worldwide targeting innocent civilians and to combat extremism.”

 Trump later said during a speech at Joint Base Andrews that he expressed "America’s deepest sympathy as well as our absolute commitment to eradicating the terrorists from our planet" to the British prime minister during the call. The president then vowed to eradicate "radical Islamic terrorism." The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks just prior to Trump's appearance.

 Trump also touted that the U.S. military's capability could be "both effective and overwhelming" in responding to the threat of terrorism and that of North Korea, which Thursday launched yet another ballistic missile over Japan, inflaming tensions in the region.

 Trump and May also spoke of the recent North Korean nuclear test, according to a U.K. readout of the conversation, "agreeing it was a reckless provocation and that China must now use all its leverage to bring pressure to bear on the North Korean regime to ensure they change course and end these illegal tests.”

 Earlier on Friday Trump had followed up his tweets on the London incident with one criticizing the administration of former President Barack Obama while claiming success against fighting terrorists.

 “We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years,” he said in the tweet. “Must be proactive & nasty!”

 Tara Palmeri and Cristiano Lima contributed to this report. ||||| Theresa May rebuked Donald Trump over the Parsons Green Tube attack after he suggested those responsible had been “in the sights of Scotland Yard”.

 Mrs May called the intervention by the US president “unhelpful”, as he appeared to claim Britain needed to be “tougher” and more “proactive” in the fight against terrorism.

 The diplomatic row threatened to undermine the special relationship and intelligence sharing arrangements between the UK and US.

 Mr Trump, not for the first time, also used the attack to justify his controversial proposed travel ban on people from some predominantly Muslim countries entering the US.

 Following a backlash against his comments the president said he would be telephoning Mrs May “right now”. ||||| Tweet with a location

 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more |||||


The Kansas City Zoo's names for three baby otters have fans joining the light side, including one well-known "Star Wars" alumnus. ||||| The 2-year-old boy brought to a Wichita hospital Tuesday night with a small octopus stuck in his throat has shown significant improvement, police said Thursday.

 He has been upgraded to good condition and so far doesn’t show signs of long-term injury caused by oxygen deprivation to the brain, Wichita police Lt. James Espinoza said.

 “There will be some more tests today” to assess the toddler’s responses, he said.

 The boy’s 21-year-old mother told investigators she returned home from work Tuesday night to find her 36-year-old boyfriend performing CPR on her son, police have said. The child was not breathing when he was brought to the hospital from their house in the 4900 block of East Waterman.

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 In the course of assessing the child’s conditions, doctors extricated the small octopus from the child’s throat. The head of the dead octopus measured about 2 inches in diameter.

 Police were notified by the hospital when the boyfriend’s stories about how the boy swallowed the octopus and sustained minor injuries to his face were not consistent with the evidence, Espinoza said.

 The boyfriend was taken to Exploited and Missing Child Unit offices for questioning and arrested shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion of child abuse. He has since bonded out of the Sedgwick County Jail.

 The investigation into the incident is continuing, Espinoza said. He called the 2-year-old condition “a very delicate situation.”

 At some point soon, a detective specially trained to interview young children will visit with the boy.

 “That’s an interview that will need to take place,” Espinoza said.

 Police have said the octopus was not a pet. It was likely intended to be used as sushi. ||||| WICHITA, Kansas – Wichita police say a 2-year-old boy is now in good condition after an octopus was found lodged in his throat.

 The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 4900 block of East Waterman.

 Police say a 21-year-old mother returned home from work and found her 36-year-old boyfriend trying to do CPR on the 2-year-old boy. The boy wasn’t breathing.

 EMS responded and transferred the boy in critical condition.

 At the hospital, doctors found a small octopus has been lodged in the boy’s throat. The octopus appeared to be for sushi according to police. The boy also had facial injuries.

 The Wichita Police Department’s Exploited and Missing Child Unit interviewed the mother’s boyfriend. He was identified by police arrest records as Matthew Gallagher. Police say he was not able to explain why the boy had ended up that way. He is facing child abuse charges. |||||

Write a summary.

– Doctors must have been shocked when they pulled a small octopus from the throat of a 2-year-old boy who arrived at the hospital not breathing. The boy's 21-year-old mother arrived home from work Tuesday night to find her 36-year-old boyfriend, Matthew Gallagher, giving CPR to her son, according to KSNW. The boy was rushed to a hospital in Wichita, Kansas, where doctors removed the octopus from his throat. The AP reports the octopus's head was about 2 inches across. It was likely meant to be used in sushi. The boy, who also showed evidence of facial injuries, was upgraded from critical to good condition on Wednesday. The Wichita Eagle reports he's showing no signs of permanent damage from oxygen deprivation. Gallagher was arrested on suspicion of child abuse when his explanation for the octopus and facial injuries didn't match up with what doctors observed. An expert will interview the boy when he's ready, and an investigation into the incident is continuing. Police say it's a "very delicate situation."


Media caption "James said a medical condition made it hard for him to work, but God had always looked after him", reports Pia Harold

 Donations of more than $110,000 (£67,000) have poured in from across the US for a Boston homeless man who returned a lost bag with $42,000 in it.

 Glen James alerted police after he found the backpack containing cash and traveller's cheques last weekend, and the bag's owner was then tracked down.

 A complete stranger later started an online fund for Mr James after reading media reports about his honesty.

 The man, Ethan Whittington, now plans to meet Mr James to give him the money.

 This isn't only about rewarding a great guy. I think it's a statement to everyone in America Ethan Whittington, Fund starter

 Mr Whittington, who lives in Midlothian, Virginia, said he was so overwhelmed by Mr James' honesty that he decided to start the fund.

 "The fact that he's in the situation he is, being homeless, it blew my mind that he would do this,'' Mr Whittington was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

 He said his idea of starting donations on a crowdfunding website for Mr James "caught on like wildfire ever since".

 "It's brought me a lot of hope. This isn't only about rewarding a great guy. I think it's a statement to everyone in America.

 "If we come together and work toward one thing and work together, then we can make it happen."

 Meanwhile, Mr James, a former Boston courthouse employee, said that he would not have kept "even a penny" of the money he had found in the backpack - even if he were desperate. ||||| Glen James / CBS Boston

 (CBS) BOSTON - First, Boston homeless man Glen James found a bag containing a passport, cash and travelers checks worth more than $42,000, and returned it - all of it - to police.

 Monday, the city's police department honored James for his honesty.

 Now, a Virginia man has helped raised nearly $100,000 for the homeless hero, according to CBS Boston.

 Ethan Withington heard James' story and set up a fund on the internet fundraising website Go Fund Me.

 CBS Boston reports his goal is to raise $250,000 so James can buy a house.

 "When you hear stories like that it's something positive compared to the negative stories we're inundated with on a constant basis," Withington said. "It's hard to not want to help somebody. I want to make a positive impact on his life, not just hand him a $50,000 check."

 The goal was to raise $50,000 but in one day, the site exceeded that goal and so a new goal was set.

 The fundraising drive has so far garnered at least $88, 000 in contributions.

 "I had no idea it would get as big as it has," Withington told CBS Boston.

 "After all the stuff you hear on the news, you wonder about people," Withington said. "If we can get more people to do this we could completely change the world one person at a time."

 Complete coverage of "homeless hero" Glen James on Crimesider ||||| A fund set up for a Boston homeless man who turned in a backpack he found filled with more than $40,000 in cash and traveler's checks has raised more than twice that much.

 Glen James flagged down a police officer Saturday after he found a backpack containing $2,400 in cash and nearly $40,000 in traveler's checks at the South Bay Mall.

 The man who lost the backpack told workers at a nearby store at the mall and they called police, who later returned the backpack to him.

 Midlothian, Va., resident Ethan Whittington read media accounts of James' honesty and started a fund for him on the crowd-funding website gofundme.com. By late Thursday afternoon donations were at nearly $111,000 and growing.

 THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

 A fund for a homeless man who turned in a backpack with more than $40,000 inside has collected nearly $98,000 _ an overwhelming response that is a "statement to everyone in America," according to the man who started the donation drive.

 Glen James flagged down a police officer Saturday after he found the backpack containing $2,400 in cash and almost $40,000 in traveler's checks at the South Bay Mall in Boston. The man who lost it told workers at a nearby store and they called police, who later returned the backpack to him.

 Boston police honored James with a special citation Monday. After reading media accounts of James' honesty, a stranger, Ethan Whittington, started a fund for James on the crowdfunding site gofundme.com. By Thursday morning, $97,889 in donations had been made.

 Whittington, a 27-year-old from Midlothian, Va., who is an accounts manager for a marketing firm, said he decided to try to raise money for James after reading about his honesty. Now Whittington says he's overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers.

 "The fact that he's in the situation he is, being homeless, it blew my mind that he would do this (turn in the backpack)," Whittington said Wednesday.

 "It's caught on like wildfire ever since," he said. "It's brought me a lot of hope. ... This isn't only about rewarding a great guy. I think it's a statement to everyone in America. If we come together and work toward one thing and work together, then we can make it happen."

 Whittington said he's also encountered some skeptics who question whether his efforts to raise money for James could be a scam.

 "It's almost kind of depressing, to do something for a great cause, and you've got the naysayers out there," he said.

 "I just wish there was some way I could 100 percent reassure everyone. I would be publicly humiliated if I scammed people now."

 Whittington said he has spoken with James on the phone and hopes to come to Boston soon to work out how the money will be distributed to James. He said his new fundraising goal for James is $250,000, up from the $50,000 he originally hoped to raise. ||||| A homeless man by the name of Glen James found $40,000 yesterday and promptly returned the backpack with all of its contents. Lets all chip in and help this man change his life. Every little donation helps. Lets be reassured that there is still hope and humanity in our great nation. See article below: BOSTON (CBS) "” A homeless man turned in a backpack with $2,400 in cash, $39,500 in travelers checks and a passport that he found at South Bay Mall in Dorchester. Boston Police officers at South Bay Mall were flagged down by the man in front of the TJ Maxx Store. The man said he found a black backpack that contained a large sum of money and a passport in the front of the store. Officers took the backpack and its contents. The Good Samaritan could only provide officers with his name and the address of the shelter where he currently lives, Boston Police said. Officers notified store security at the South Bay Mall about the backpack. Later Saturday night, police were contacted by an employee of Best Buy who said a customer lost his backpack. The passport matched the customer's identity and his backpack was returned to him. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Whoever said no good deed goes unpunished probably never got six figures out of the act. But turning in a lost backpack with $42,000 in cash and traveler's checks inside has paid off for Glen James, who's raked in more than $130,000 in donations from across the country as of this writing. It all comes from an online fund, set up by a stranger touched by the Good Samaritan and homeless Bostonian, the BBC reports. "The fact that he's in the situation he is, being homeless, it blew my mind that he would do this,'' Ethan Whittington tells the AP. Whittington, 27, says the crowdfunding campaign on gofundme.com "caught on like wildfire" and he's talked with James on the phone about visiting Boston to hand over the money. Since hitting his $50,000 goal, the marketing accounts manager has bumped that number up to $250,000—so James can buy a house, CBS Boston reports. "After all the stuff you hear on the news, you wonder about people," Withington says. "If we can get more people to do this we could completely change the world, one person at a time."


An archive of the public statements deleted by U.S. politicians. Explore the tweets they would prefer you couldn't see.

 If you aren't an elected official or running for office and feel your account is being tracked by mistake then please contact us. ||||| An archive of the public statements deleted by U.S. politicians. Explore the tweets they would prefer you couldn't see.

 If you aren't an elected official or running for office and feel your account is being tracked by mistake then please contact us. ||||| An archive of the public statements deleted by U.S. politicians. Explore the tweets they would prefer you couldn't see.

 If you aren't an elected official or running for office and feel your account is being tracked by mistake then please contact us. ||||| An archive of the public statements deleted by U.S. politicians. Explore the tweets they would prefer you couldn't see.

 If you aren't an elected official or running for office and feel your account is being tracked by mistake then please contact us. ||||| An archive of the public statements deleted by U.S. politicians. Explore the tweets they would prefer you couldn't see.

 If you aren't an elected official or running for office and feel your account is being tracked by mistake then please contact us. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Note to tweeting politicians: Watch what you post, because Politwoops will remember it forever. The transparency-minded website is safeguarding politicians' deleted tweets, enabling the rest of us to giggle or ponder over them at our leisure, The Atlantic reports. The site's current 6-month stash includes a few doozey deletions, including John McCain mocking Vladimir Putin's tears and Rep. Jeff Miller posting a link to a poll that asked, "Was Obama born in the United States?" A few deletions are more odd than obvious, begging us to ask what politicians were thinking. Why, for example, did Rep. Tom Graves remove a tweet about going out one night with his wife? Or Rep. Kathy Hochul delete one about her visit to a cancer institute? Perhaps Rep. Stephen Fincher's tweet comparing The Bachelor to The Hunger Games is a more obvious case, but the online avenues of a politician's mind can be dimly lit indeed.


Article:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s (R) exchange with a few hecklers turned into something of a shouting match while he was stumping Thursday in Iowa.

 Romney faced aggressive inquiries with a liberal bent at the top of the question-and-answer segment of his soapbox speech, which was organized by the The Des Moines Register and broadcast on C-SPAN.

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 He also waged a defense of low taxes for corporations with a response — “Corporations are people, my friend” — on which Democrats quickly seized.

 The first two questioners pointedly asked Romney why he wouldn’t raise the cap on Social Security taxes, or promise not to cut Medicare benefits.

 “If you want to speak, you can speak. But right now, it’s my turn,” Romney said, raising his voice toward the questioners, who bantered back-and-forth with him.

 But it was his last line in response to a heckler that might stick with Romney the longest.

 Democrats giddily circulated coverage of the comment; Democratic National Committee (DNC) communications director Brad Woodhouse emailed reporters an article about the remark with the subject line “BRUTAL.”

 More news from The Hill:

 ♦ Gov. Perry says Bush prodded him into running

 ♦ Federal probe of Google zeroes in on Android

 ♦ House Dem says AT&T, T-Mobile merger won't create jobs

 ♦ Donations sought for FAA furlough relief fund

 ♦ Newspapers back Issa's NLRB Boeing case subpoena

 Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom, who’s traveling in Iowa with the candidate, doubled down on the candidate’s remarks.

 “Do folks think corporations are buildings?” he quipped. “They're people who incorporate to conduct business. They create jobs and hire more people.”

 For the Romney campaign, the fear about such a remark is that it threatens to underscore perceptions about Romney that he's out of touch. The former Massachusetts governor appeared to have a tin ear earlier this summer when he joked with Florida supporters that he's “also unemployed.”

 The tentative front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination accused the hecklers of wanting to raise taxes. The back-and-forth persisted throughout the Q-and-A period, which took place at the Register’s booth at the Iowa State Fair.

 “If you don’t like my answer, you can go vote for someone else,” he said. “If you want someone who will raise taxes, you can vote for Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaWebb: President Trump is the elephant in the room Overnight Defense: Trump pulls US out of Iran nuke deal | Reaction and fallout | Obama calls decision a 'serious mistake' | Show of force for CIA pick | New questions after briefing on Niger Overnight Finance: Deal on Dodd-Frank rollback | Trump pulls US out of Iran nuke deal | House votes to repeal auto-loan guidance, setting new precedent MORE.”

 This story was posted at 12:02 p.m. and updated at 1:30. ||||| WASHINGTON -- Speaking to an occasionally rowdy crowd two days before the Ames Straw poll, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney made what seems likely to become a much-discussed flub, declaring to a group of Iowans that "corporations are people."

 Pressed by an attendee at the Iowa State Fair on Thursday as to why he was focusing on entitlement reforms as a means of deficit reduction over asking corporations to share part of the burden, the GOP frontrunner shot back:

 "Corporations are people, my friend... of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think it goes? Whose pockets? Whose pockets? People's pockets. Human beings my friend."

 The comment was immediately pounced on by Democrats, who saw it as another example of Romney being uncomfortable on the stump and inartful in his attempts to come off as an everyday pol.

 "This is what Mitt Romney is going to run on? Corporations are people? Really?" said Democratic National Committee Communications Director Brad Woodhouse. "There's a great message for people struggling to get by and trying to make ends meet. Don't complain -- corporations are people too!"

 Speaking at the Des Moines Register soapbox, Romney was also interrupted by a heckler who asked if if he supported "scrapping the Social Security payroll cap so that rich people pay their fair share into the trust fund?"

 Romney responded, "There was a time in this country where we didn't celebrate attacking people based on their success. We didn't go after people because they were successful. I've watched this president go across the country attacking people, and I... and I am... if you want to speak, you can speak. But right now it's my turn, so let me continue."

 The presidential contender went on to underscore his bottom line. "If you don't like my answer, you can vote for someone else," he said.

 The situation that unfolded comes ahead of Thursday night's Republican presidential primary debate in the Hawkeye State. It also comes two days before the Ames Straw Poll, a test of conservative strength and table-setter for next year's Iowa caucuses that will take place on Saturday. While Romney will appear on the ballot, he is not actively campaigning to lock up support ahead of the event.

 "As you know I participated in a major way in a straw poll four years ago," Romney said in addressing his decision to forego the straw poll during an appearance on Fox News' "Hannity" on Wednesday night. "Some of the benefit I already was able to accrue based upon what happened last time around... I want to use my financial resources and my time this time to actually get delegates, not the straw polls -- they are nice but don't get you delegates -- I'm not going to participate in the straw polls anywhere in the country."

 More video of the heckling, from AP: |||||
What is a summary?

– Mitt Romney's appearance at the Iowa State Fair today got lively when he sparred with audience members at a Q&A, reports the Hill. "If you don’t like my answer, you can go vote for someone else," he said at one point. "If you want someone who will raise taxes, you can vote for Barack Obama." One person accused him of not asking corporations to kick in their fair share, prompting this response: "Corporations are people, my friend... of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to the people. Where do you think it goes? Whose pockets? Whose pockets? People's pockets. Human beings my friend." Democrats already are pouncing, notes the Huffington Post. "This is what Mitt Romney is going to run on? Corporations are people? Really?" said party communications chief Brad Woodhouse. During the exchanges, Romney drew applause from supporters with this line: "There was a time in this country where we didn't celebrate attacking people based on their success."


Here is a news article: Bernie Sanders said today he will consider the Democratic Party's convention "contested," unless his opponent Hillary Clinton gets enough pledged delegates to win nomination without super delegates.

 Interested in ? Add as an interest to stay up to date on the latest news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest

 The Vermont senator essentially vowed to fight to win over those coveted party elites -- the super delegates -- until they formally vote in July.

 "She will need super delegates to take her over the top of the convention in Philadelphia. In other words, the convention will be a contested contest," he said during a press conference in Washington, D.C. Sanders' top brass has been arguing this point for weeks, but this was the most direct statement the senator has made about his outlook on the remaining portion of the nominating process.

 While it is unlikely that either candidate will be able to win enough pledged delegates alone to secure the nomination, according to estimates from ABC News, Clinton has the backing of 520 super delegates at this point, bringing her very close to the threshold.

 By comparison, only 39 super delegates have committed to Sanders and the Vermont Senator argued that that fact was unfair considering some of his landslide wins.

 "If I win a state with 70 percent of the votes you know what, I think I'm entitled to those super delegates. I think that the super delegates should reflect what the people in the state want," he said.

 Sanders called on super delegates from states like Washington and Minnesota specifically, where he beat Clinton by double-digit margins, to change their allegiances.

 In some ways Sanders contradicted himself during the press conference. He argued that super delegates should follow the popular vote from the states they represent, but also said they should consider backing him even if he does not win the majority of pledged delegates. His campaign distributed factsheets Sunday showing general election polling in battleground states and nationwide where he outperforms his opponent against Republican candidates.

 "[Super delegates] are going to have to go into their hearts and they are going to have to ask themselves do they want the second strongest candidate running against Trump or the strongest candidate?" Sanders said.

 Before heading to Indiana to campaign before that state’s primary Tuesday, the senator acknowledged that Clinton so far was winning the race by an overwhelming margin. Sanders would need to win 65 percent of the remaining pledged delegates to pull ahead of Clinton on that front. He said that, considering that number, he had a "tough road to climb," but added that it was not "impossible."

 "We intend to fight for every vote in front of us and for every delegate remaining," he continued.

 Asked if the campaign had any internal polling to suggest that they might be able to win the remaining states by the large margins need to pull ahead, Sanders' senior strategist Tad Devine said: "We believe the states ahead represent a real opportunity for Bernie."

 "This belief is based both on data that we have for the upcoming states and on how well Bernie has done in states in the West in particular. We all understand that is a difficult challenge, in light of proportional representation, but we believe he will significantly cut into her delegate lead in the upcoming weeks," Devine added. ||||| The Fix's Philip Bump explains why a contested convention still might not be a realistic path forward for Bernie Sanders. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

 With the Democratic presidential nomination system working the way it does, there are essentially two possible outcomes: A candidate will either win in a blowout, or he or she will need superdelegate votes to gain a majority.

 The reason for this is simple: Fifteen percent of all of the Democratic delegates are unbound superdelegates. So unless you have about an 18 percentage-point lead among delegates by the time the voting wraps up, you'll need some superdelegates to put you over the top. This makes the difference between a close race and a blowout a little murky — which can be advantageous to the underdog.

 Right now, Hillary Clinton has about a 10 percentage-point delegate lead over Bernie Sanders. (For comparison: Barack Obama's pledged delegate lead was only about four percentage points by the end of the 2008 race.) The current margin is not likely to change much between now and the end of the contest, with the two likely to play to a draw in California, Clinton to win big in New Jersey and D.C., and Sanders to triumph in smaller states between now and the end of the race. For it to change significantly in Sanders's favor, he'd need to do very, very well in California and New Jersey in particular, a promise that he has issued often and delivered rarely.

 One of the things that Sanders has been very good at, though, is conveying a convincing depiction of a guy who's going to come from behind and win this thing, even as he has continued to trail badly or dropped further behind. During a news conference in Washington on Sunday marking the first anniversary of his campaign launch, Sanders insisted that the math above means that the Democrats were headed to a "contested convention," leveraging the now-common language of the ferocious (and unsettled) Republican contest to paint his own contest as similarly unsettled.

 "It is virtually impossible for Secretary Clinton to reach the majority of convention delegates by June 14 with pledged delegates alone," he said. "She will need superdelegates to take her over the top at the convention in Philadelphia. In other words, the convention will be a contested contest."

 That's true — mostly because, unlike in 2008, Sanders will contest it. Eight years ago, Clinton conceded the race before the convention, recognizing that trying to fight her way to victory on the convention floor was likely to fail, despite her having a slight lead in the popular vote. But Clinton realized the damage that could be done to the party — and perhaps herself — so she didn't.

 Sanders doesn't share the former sentiment, as he has made clear. He was an independent until he decided to run for president, and his goal during his campaign has been to upend the system, into which a convention floor fight fits neatly.

 But that doesn't mean he has any real shot at winning.

 Sanders, like Clinton, needs superdelegates to win. Even if it were he who led by 10 percentage-points among pledged delegates, he'd need them. So let's consider his arguments for why they should give him their votes.

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 The "momentum" argument

 Back in the halcyon days of Sanders's "momentum," when he'd won seven of eight contests in a row, including a big win in Washington, his argument was that the momentum would propel him through the end of the voting in June, offering a compelling argument to superdelegates that the will of the party now rested with him, and that Clinton's early support was therefore negated. Then he lost five of the last six races — and Clinton's delegate lead returned to about what it was in the middle of March. The momentum was, as many had suspected, a function of several Sanders-favorable races clustered in a short window (as was the recent streak by Clinton). The race hadn't really changed at all.

 Now, it seems, Sanders's argument will be that his strong performances at the tail end of the contest, including a win in California — coupled with close national polling — should provide the same motivation to superdelegates to embrace his candidacy. Sanders is who the party now wants to win.

 There are a few flaws in that argument, including that Sanders's one-point deficit in the national Real Clear Politics polling average — which came right after those seven wins — has now widened to four points. The biggest problem for Sanders, though, is that, unlike on the Republican side, California isn't the last contest. The last contest for the Democrats is the D.C. primary, on June 14. And there is essentially no way that Clinton will lose that contest, given how strongly she has performed in places with large black populations.

 Meaning that the last voting will almost certainly reinforce Clinton's dominance — while reminding superdelegates why Clinton has such a big lead: black voters. It is black voters who helped Clinton run up huge wins in New York and Maryland last week, on March 15 and in southern states before that. D.C. will almost certainly make that point once again, with emphasis.

 The pledged delegate argument

 On CBS on Sunday, Sanders insisted that his campaign might still win the majority of pledged delegates. "We need to win 65 percent of those votes," he said of the remaining total. "The states coming up are favorable to us."

 The problem for Sanders is, as it has always been, that Democratic contests are all proportional. He needs to win every state by a wide margin to hit his goal. The other problem for him is that nearly half of the remaining delegates are in California. If he and Clinton essentially tie there — or even if he wins by five points, which polling suggests won't happen — he needs three-quarters of the delegates everywhere else to make up for it (including New Jersey and D.C.).

 Could he win pledged delegates? Yes, in the sense that he could win the lottery.

 Superdelegates should vote the way their states did

 During the news conference, Sanders suggested that superdelegates had an obligation to reflect the will of the voters in their states.

 "Those superdelegates in states where either Secretary Clinton or myself has won a landslide victory — those superdelegates ought to seriously reflect on whether they should cast their superdelegate vote in line with the wishes of the people of their states," he said. He notes Washington in particular, a state with 17 superdelegates and a state he won by a large margin.

 We looked at this a few weeks ago. Mandating that superdelegates in a state back the candidate who won narrows Clinton's lead, but doesn't erase it. If you mandate that the superdelegates be divvied up proportionally, the margin for Clinton narrows further. But, in the same way that she still has a lead in pledged delegates because of proportional distribution, she has a lead with superdelegates, too.

 So none of those arguments is terribly strong. But even if they were more solid, there's a simple rebuttal to Sanders for which he has offered no real response: He's trailing in actual votes by an insurmountable margin.

 Before Clinton's big wins in New York and the Northeast, our fact-checkers pegged her actual vote lead at 2.4 million. She got nearly 300,000 more votes in New York, 250,000 in Maryland and 200,000 in Pennsylvania. Sanders won Rhode Island, clawing back 14,000 votes. But Clinton now has well over 3 million more votes than Sanders.

 What Sanders is asking superdelegates to do is ignore that lead. His supporters have a surfeit of unsubstantiated explanations for this gap (such as voter fraud), but it's not complicated. Clinton leads because more people voted for her. In 2008, Obama led because of strategic delegate accumulation; that's not why Clinton leads now.

 Sanders asks that superdelegates set aside that the choices of those voters — many or most of them black — because he did well in Washington and maybe is close in national polling. It's impossible to see whom that will convince.

 It's true that Sanders and Clinton are headed to a contested convention, if Sanders wants it. That doesn't mean, as it would on the Republican side, that the outcome is up in the air. Sanders's campaign slashed its staff as it announced that, for the first time this year, it didn't crush Clinton in fundraising. For there to be a contested convention, Sanders would need to convince his base that he can win one — and therefore to keep funding his efforts through California. He's welcome to do that; they're welcome to keep giving.

 But what's going to happen at that convention is not much of a mystery. |||||
A summary of this is?

– Bernie Sanders on Sunday made clear that he has no intention of conceding victory to Hillary Clinton if she fails to reach the number of pledged delegates necessary to clinch the nomination. "She will need super delegates to take her over the top of the convention in Philadelphia," he said, per ABC News. "In other words, the convention will be a contested contest." At the New York Times, Paul Krugman writes that this development is "really depressing." Sanders, he argues, is embarking on "an epic descent into whining." If he were to accept defeat graciously, Sanders could play a big role in shaping the Democratic party's future, but Krugman thinks he's risking that chance—along with his credibility—for a few additional weeks of life in a losing contest. "Can someone tell Bernie that he’s in the process of blowing his own chance for a positive legacy?" Meanwhile, an analysis by Philip Bump at the Washington Post suggests that while Sanders can indeed force a contested convention, he has little if any chance of emerging as the winner: "What's going to happen at that convention is not much of a mystery." Click for the full analysis.