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National

What's Ahead In The Year In Politics?

December 31, 2010 • The health care debate and President Obama's political fortunes dominated the year in politics. How will these and other issues play out in the coming year. E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Reihan Salam, a blogger at National Review and policy advisor at Economics 21, offer their insight.

Year In Politics Reviewed

December 31, 2010 • President Obama's self-described "shellacking" and Republican House leader John Boehner's emotions getting the better of him were some of the more memorable moments of the year in politics. We hear these and a sampling of others.

'Tell Me' Awards Honor Year's Political Stars, Gaffes

December 31, 2010 • In this week's Political Chat roundtable, host Michel Martin looks back on the year that was, in politics. She reviews the highlights of 2010 in the form of a "political awards show" with Mary Kate Cary, columnist and blogger for the US News and World Report and Cynthia Tucker, columnist and blogger with the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

House Republicans To Read Constitution Aloud

December 31, 2010 • With a nod to the Tea Party, the Republicans taking over the House of Representatives next week will read the Constitution aloud, in its entirety. It's something that has never been done in the chamber's 221-year history. Many in the Tea Party feel Congress has strayed far from the country's founding principles.

National

Decade In Sound: Voices In The News 2000-2010

December 31, 2010 • Remember Y2K? That's beginning to seem like a long time ago, now. Morning Edition takes some time to remember how much has happened since the turn of the century. Listen for a decade of history in this audio montage.

The Two-Way

Alaska Sen. Murkowski's Victory Certified

December 30, 2010 • Whether Tea Party Republican Joe Miller will continue his legal challenges isn't known yet, however.

World

Obama Appoints Four New Ambassadors

December 30, 2010 • Using his power to make appointments when the Senate is in recess, President Obama has appointed four new ambassadors -- to Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic. The four nominees have been waiting an average of five months for Senate confirmation; Robert Stephen Ford, named ambassador to Syria, had been waiting since February. His nomination was blocked by Republicans who didn't want to "reward" Syria as it provides support to Hezbollah and Hamas.

Obama Bypasses Senate For Key Justice Post

December 30, 2010 • President Obama has named six people to executive jobs, circumventing the Senate confirmation process. Notable among them is James Cole, whose nomination as deputy attorney general has been pending in the Senate since May.

An Exit Interview With Ohio Sen. George Voinovich

December 30, 2010 • All Things Considered has been conducting exit interviews with some members of Congress who'll be leaving when the new House and Senate are sworn in next week. Today, host Robert Siegel speaks to Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, who served two terms in the Senate after having been governor of Ohio and mayor of Cleveland.

National

Earmark Vital To Keeping Fort Drum Area Healthy

NCPR

December 30, 2010 • A $400,000 earmark funds an organization that helps connect soldiers and their families at Fort Drum with private-practice doctors. The service was necessary because Fort Drum lacks its own hospital, but it has also helped bolster the region's health care assets as a whole.

Even Snow Has Politics

December 30, 2010 • Some major East Coast cities are still struggling to recover from snowstorms that battered the region on Sunday and Monday. In New York, many streets remain unplowed and angry residents have criticized Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the city's slow response. Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker has, meanwhile, been praised nationally for his personal handling of the blizzard. Host Michel Martin speaks with NPR Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving about the politics of snow.

Political Lessons From Old Chicago Blizzard Still Linger

December 30, 2010 • Snowstorms and the response to them have had political implications for city mayors in the past. In 1979, Chicago Mayor Michael Bilandic was voted out of office amid public outrage at his handling of a massive blizzard. Host Michel Martin speaks with Bilandic's successor, former Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne, about lessons learned from the historic storm.

Delaware's O'Donnell Fires Back At 'Thug Politic Tactic'

Christine O'Donnell, during an appearance on ABC's 'Good Morning America,' Dec. 30, 2010. ABCNews.go.com/GMA hide caption

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ABCNews.go.com/GMA

The Two-Way

Delaware's O'Donnell Fires Back At 'Thug Politic Tactic'

December 30, 2010 • There was "no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever," the Tea Party/Republican candidate for Senate said this morning, as she responded to allegations about improper use of campaign money for personal expenses.

Reports: Feds Probing Christine O'Donnell's Use Of Campaign Funds

Delaware Republican Christine O'Donnell. Rob Carr/AP Photo hide caption

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Rob Carr/AP Photo

The Two-Way

Reports: Feds Probing Christine O'Donnell's Use Of Campaign Funds

December 29, 2010 • The Associated Press and Wilmington's News Journal say authorities are looking at whether the Tea Party Republican spent some of the money given to her Senate campaign for personal expenses. She says she has nothing to hide.

The Two-Way

Obama Taps Key Justice Nominee For Recess Appointment

December 29, 2010 • Jim Cole, who's been waiting for the Senate to act on his nomination to be deputy attorney general longer than anyone else who's been nominated to that position in the past 30 years, is being put into the job via a "recess appointment."

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