News Cheat Sheet for Oct. 16, 2012
By Madeline Will | October 16, 2012Clinton takes responsibility for attacks in Libya Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CNN that she was responsible for the security of American diplomats — not the president.
Clinton takes responsibility for attacks in Libya Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CNN that she was responsible for the security of American diplomats — not the president.
TOP STORY — Sandusky receives at least 30 years Ex-Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted Tuesday of sexually abusing young boys for more than convicted. From the Washington Post: “Judge John M.
TOP STORY — A veep debate that could really matter The vice presidential debate on Thursday night has new significance after President Barack Obama’s subpar debate performance last week.
N.C. gubernatorial candidates to face off Wednesday before presidential debate Wednesday is what everyone’s been waiting for — the presidential debate.
TOP STORY — US military deaths in Afghanistan hit 2,000 after 11 years of war The Associated Press reports: “The toll has climbed steadily in recent months with a spate of attacks by Afghan army and police — supposed allies — against American and NATO troops. That has raised troubling questions about whether countries in the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan will achieve their aim of helping the government in Kabul and its forces stand on their own after most foreign troops depart in little more than two years.”
Since Democrat Walter Dalton and Republican Pat McCrory raised a total of $9 million between Jan. 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, in their gubernatorial campaigns, The News & Observer launched an interactive map that displays campaign contributions by county. According to the map, McCrory is outfundraising Dalton in about three-fourths of the state.
Superintendent Tata fired from N.C.‘s largest school system Sentiments that Tata further divided the system instead of promoting unity let to a school board decision to fire him with a severance package on Tuesday. http://bit.ly/SljVC0 Duke professor turned romance novelist Duke professor Katharine B.
TOP STORY — Republican poll analysis: Romney winning with middle-class families Politico reports that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney holds a 14-point advantage in the latest Politico-George Washington University Battleground Poll among middle-class families, “which comprise about 54 percent of the total American electorate and usually split in their vote behavior between Republicans and Democrats.”
TOP STORY — Romney campaign hits a financial snag While Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s campaign spent about $67 million last month and had about $50 million cash on hand at the start of September, President Barack Obama’s campaign had nearly $90 million on hand going into September despite spending a higher amount — $83 million — in August.
TOP STORY — Romney’s campaign faces another distraction In a video leaked to the press, Mitt Romney made several “off the cuff” remarks about 47% of the nation’s “dependence” on government.
TOP STORY: Ambassador Susan Rice: Libya Attack Not Premeditated U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said the attack on the American consulate in Libya was a spontaneous response to protests in Cairo, Egypt in an interview with ABC News. Rice’s account directly contradicts that of Libyan President Mohamed Yousef El-Magariaf.
CAIRO — United States ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, was killed along with three of his staff members in a fiery and furious attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi on Tuesday night by an armed mob angry over a short American-made video mocking Islam’s founding prophet, the White House and Libyan officials said on Wednesday.
TOP STORY — The 11th Anniversary of Sept. 11 The national ceremonies of remembrance are more subdued this year, the AP reports. Although the country still remembers, some say the tenth anniversary marked an “emotional turning point” for the country. STATE STORY — Cameron Village homicide victim identified Raleigh police think Kathleen Bertrand was shot and killed by her husband, Christopher Bertrand, who also shot and killed himself.
TOP STORY: Republican strategists now say there’s a 50-50 chance their party will obtain a majority in the U.S. Senate after this November’s elections.
Romney galvanized conservatives with his critical view of Obama’s lackluster economic record; flooding from Isaac reminds citizens of Hurricane Katrina.
While not as powerful as the 2005 cyclone that destroyed New Orleans, Hurricane Isaac has already knocked out power to more than 200,000 homes. According to The New York Times, Louisiana officials ordered an evacuation for about 3,000 people in a parish outside New Orleans.
TOP STORY — Republican National Convention kicks off today Look out for Gov. Chris Christie and House Speaker John Boehner “today”: http://wapo.st/RUYWfI . But the most important speech is said to be Ann Romney’s, as Romney advisers struggle to humanize Mitt Romney for voters, Politico “reports”: http://politi.co/SNjrs9 . President Obama’s Dilemma Obama is kicking off a series of aggressive campaign ads to coincide with the RNC.
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Romney at 47 percent among registered voters and Obama at 46 percent — barely changed from the deadlocked contest in early July. The economy is still likely to be the dominant issue in the 2012 election, as 72 percent of voters say the president’s handling of the economy will be a “major factor” in their vote this November.
Cyclist Lance Armstrong could lose his seven Tour de France titles as soon as today after a protracted and bitter fight with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Though the USADA treated Armstrong’s decision not to pursue arbitration in the drug case against him as an admission of guilt, he called the investigation an “unconstitutional witch hunt.”
A video depicting a masked man encouraging protest at the RNC has gone viral. Although the distorted voice did not directly allude to using violence, the protestor, in a Guy Fawkes mask, calls protestors and militias to descend on Tampa next week.