Politics News

The Obama administration holds a meeting for federal employees about government openness -- and refuses to let the public attend. The meeting is an apt symbol of Obama's mixed record on transparency, which he has touted as a key issue. One transparency advocate suggests the president's earlier pledges were "smoke and mirrors."

A state lawmaker in Kansas tells the NAACP that he's sorry he offended anyone by criticizing President Barack Obama while wearing a cap calling opossum "the other dark meat." The scene is from his online video, "RedNeck Rap." He has reposted the video, along with comments on the controversy.

Senators are expected to focus on the sensitive issue of abortion in their continuing debate of the proposed health care overhaul. Anti-abortion legislators don't want any coverage of abortions in a government-run health care plan, while more liberal senators say the proposals go too far by restricting procedures even if patients paid premiums themselves.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says U.S. troops will likely stay in Afghanistan for two to four more years. He says the United States will bring the number of troops down steadily, similar to what officials have done in Iraq.

President Barack Obama presses Democratic senators to seize a historic opportunity to pass a health care reform bill. But two key issues issues are tripping up Democrats in their effort to lock in 60 votes to pass the bill.

Sarah Palin makes jokes at her own expense during a speech to a group of Washington-based journalists. The former vice presidential candidate announces she "came down from my hotel room and I could see the Russian embassy," to the amusement of the Gridiron Club.