Obama would OK health bill minus items he pursued
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Signaling he'd meet critics part way on health care, President Barack Obama said Tuesday he's willing to sign a bill even if it doesn't deliver everything he pursued through a year of grinding effort at risk of going down as a dismal failure....

Despite all the nice talk, partisanship reigns
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Partisanship is reaching new heights in Washington, even as President Barack Obama makes almost daily pleas to get along. He's scheduled a bipartisan health care summit, and just Tuesday he hosted GOP leaders at the White House for the first time in two months....

Lawmaker's death a reminder of surgery risks
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Gallbladder surgery is usually a very safe operation, but a powerful congressman's death is a reminder of the known risks....

Obama says music fueled civil rights movement
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Crediting civil rights-era protest songs and their spiritual predecessors for his election, President Barack Obama on Tuesday sat in the East Room of his White House and listened to an all-star lineup of performers pay tribute to the music that he said fueled freedom marches and civil disobedience....

Former Va. governor urges DNC chairman's firing
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Democratic former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder is urging President Barack Obama to fire Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, another former Virginia governor....

Senate Democrats unveil jobs package
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Democrats circulated a jobs bill Tuesday that's light on new initiatives on boosting hiring and heavy with provisions sought by lobbyists for business groups, doctors and the satellite broadcasting industry....

Obama speaks hopefully of movement on jobs bill
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says he doesn't think it's necessary to get an ideal jobs package out of Congress, but that passing something quickly could build momentum toward greater achievements....

Murtha's death sets stage for marquee House race
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- Democrats have long dominated the late Rep. John Murtha's district in western Pennsylvania, but Republicans have made inroads in recent years that could help them win back the seat - and some longtime Murtha supporters say they're open to voting for a GOP candidate....

GOP blocks Obama labor board nominee
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Democrats on Tuesday failed to push through President Barack Obama's choice of a union lawyer to serve on the National Labor Relations Board after two of their own joined Republicans to block the nomination....

Obama says US developing new sanctions for Iran
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Tuesday that Iran remains on an "unacceptable" path to nuclear weapons, despite its denials, and that the U.S. and like-minded countries will soon produce a set of punishing sanctions against the Islamic republic....