http://www.realclearpolitics.com/ en Copyright 2012 Fri, 25 May 2012 19:29:53 -0500 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon blamed the Syrian government Friday for much of the "unacceptable levels of violence and abuses" occurring every day in violation of a U.N.-backed peace plan.In a report to the U.N. Security Council obtained by the Associated Press, Ban cited the government's continuing use of heavy weapons, reports of http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/un_chief_cites_unacceptable_violence_in_syria.html 400595043 Edith M. Lederer The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 19:25:46 -0500 Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his opponent, Democrat Tom Barrett, are locked together in a fiercely fought recall campaign, but that's where the similarity ends. They don't campaign the same way.As his historic recall election nears on June 5, Walker delivers his message to voters from a safe distance. His campaign carefully limits all public http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/campaign_styles_clash_in_wis__recall_race.html 400595034 Scott Bauer The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 18:04:49 -0500 The judge in the John Edwards trial abruptly closed the courtroom Friday to talk to attorneys about an issue with a juror and sent the panel home after six days of deliberations with a stern warning not to talk about the case.U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles did not indicate what the problem was after meeting with prosecutors and defense http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/edwards_juror_issue_arises__case_stops_for_weekend.html 400595032 Michael Biesecker The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 17:55:45 -0500 Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is callling on losing presidential candidates and political groups to take part in a dialogue aimed at "salvaging the nation" ahead of a tight presidential runoff between the group's candidate and a former regime official.Preliminary results indicate Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi will face off against http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/egypt_s_brotherhood_calls_for_national_dialogue.html 400595031 Maggie Michael And Sarah El Deeb The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 17:52:46 -0500 Scores of Maine churches will pass the collection plate a second time at Sunday services on Father's Day to kick off a fundraising campaign for the lead opposition group to November's ballot question asking voters to legalize same-sex marriages.Between 150 and 200 churches are expected to raise money for the Protect Marriage Maine political action http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/maine_churches_raising_money_to_fight_gay_marriage.html 400595024 Clarke Canfield The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 16:52:46 -0500 U.S. House members who are trying to make the step up to the Senate this year are finding themselves on the defensive about Washington experience that traditionally has been a big asset.Even those not under direct attack for being part of Congress are finessing the way they talk about their work in the nation's capital _ evidence that the strong http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/house_experience_a_minus_for_some_senate_hopefuls.html 400595014 Henry C. Jackson The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 15:34:50 -0500 Shortly after sunrise last month in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, police found 14 butchered bodies in a van outside city hall, a salvo in a seesawing battle of horrors between Mexico's two most powerful drug cartels.Soon after, nine people were hanged from a bridge in Nuevo Laredo. Fourteen heads were left in coolers outside city hall. Eighteen http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/mexico_pres_front_runner_promises_to_cut_violence.html 400595013 Michael Weissenstein The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 15:22:46 -0500 The Senate Ethics Committee admonished Republican Sen. Tom Coburn on Friday over his contact with a top aide to former Sen. John Ensign, the Nevada lawmaker who resigned in disgrace last year after lying about his affair with the staffer's wife.In a letter released Friday, the six-member panel said Coburn's communications with Doug Hampton and his http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/senators_admonish_oklahoma_gop_senator.html 400594993 Donna Cassata The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 16:55:46 -0500 The Muslim Brotherhood's candidate and a veteran of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime will face each other in a runoff election for Egypt's president, according to first-round results Friday. The divisive showdown dismayed many Egyptians who fear either one means an end to any democratic gains produced by last year's uprising.More http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/egypt_results_point_to_deeply_divisive_runoff_race.html 400594992 Maggie Michael And Sarah El Deeb The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 19:28:49 -0500 The battle between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney will be the most expensive presidential contest ever _ by a long shot.There are two main reasons. It's the first time both major-party candidates are declining post-Watergate federal campaign financing _ and the spending limits attached. And the proliferation of super PACS is http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/the_race__presidential_race_is_most_costly_ever.html 400594991 Tom Raum The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 13:22:45 -0500 Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi appears to be angling for the role of Italian president _ with enhanced powers.Berlusconi, who has been Italy's prime minister three times, said Friday his party will propose a constitutional amendment to allow Italians to directly elect presidents, as France does. Currently, the Italian presidency is mostly http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/berlusconi_angles_for_italian_presidency.html 400594979 The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 15:31:48 -0500 Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:ABC's "This Week" _ Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.___NBC's "Meet the Press" _ Former GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich; Gov. Martin O'Malley, D-Md.; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.___CBS' "Face the Nation" _ Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; Ed Gillespie, adviser to http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/guest_lineups_for_the_sunday_news_shows.html 400594978 The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 15:27:42 -0500 Opposition lawmakers on Friday blocked the Ukrainian Parliament a day after a brawl in the chamber sent one legislator to the hospital.The melee was sparked by a proposed bill to make Russian an official language in eastern regions of the country with large native Russian-speaking populations. Lawmakers grappled and threw punches. One was http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/fists_fly_in_ukraine_over_use_of_russian.html 400594977 The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 08:51:39 -0500 Opposition lawmakers are blocking the Ukrainian Parliament a day after a brawl in the chamber that sent one legislator to the hospital.The melee was sparked by a proposed bill to make Russian an official language in eastern regions of the country where native Russian-speakers predominate. Lawmakers grappled and threw punches; one was hospitalized http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/opposition_blocks_ukrainian_parliament.html 400594976 The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 07:51:39 -0500 The candidate of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood won a spot in a runoff election, likely against a veteran of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's regime in what would be a deeply divisive battle to become the new president of Egypt, according to partial results Friday from the first round of voting.The runoff will be held on June 16-17, pitting the two top http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/egypt_vote__brotherhood_advances_to_second_round.html 400594975 Maggie Michael The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 11:51:40 -0500 For Egypt's most conservative Islamists, the country's first competitive presidential election has been a test of their political savvy as they try to plant the seeds for turning the country into an Islamic state.The Salafis, known for their no-compromise, literal interpretation of the faith, are political newcomers. They long concentrated on http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/egypt_s_ultraconservatives_planting_seeds_in_vote.html 400594974 Aya Batrawy The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 06:51:39 -0500 The story line on the Republican Senate race in Texas is a now familiar one: A veteran politician supported by the GOP establishment is challenged by a young insurgent backed by national conservative groups.In this distinctly Texas episode in the saga for control of the Senate, David Dewhurst is the reserved, self-made millionaire and lieutenant http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/texas_senate_race_a_new_test_for_gop_establishment.html 400594973 Chris Tomlinson The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 14:22:48 -0500 Scores of Maine churches will pass the collection plate a second time at Sunday services on Father's Day to kick off a fundraising campaign for the lead opposition group to November's ballot question asking voters to legalize same-sex marriages.Between 150 and 200 churches are expected to raise money for the Protect Marriage Maine political action http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/ap__churches_to_raise_money_to_fight_gay_marriage.html 400594972 Clarke Canfield The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 03:21:38 -0500 The Muslim Brotherhood has quickly staked a claim for its candidate to advance to a runoff vote, saying its exit polls showed him leading in Egypt's landmark presidential election to succeed ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.As vote-counting began on Thursday, exit polls by several Arab television stations also suggested the Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics_topics/2012/May/25/brotherhood_claims_lead_as_egypt_vote_count_begins.html 400594965 Hamza Hendawi And Maggie Michael The Associated Press Fri, 25 May 2012 01:57:39 -0500