National: January 2009 Archives

A federal judge on Thursday refused to order the words "so help me God" taken out of President-elect Barack Obama's oath of office next week or to prevent ministers from praying at the inauguration celebration.

Where will President Barack Obama attend church in Washington? Thanks to revelations about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, his former pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ (UCC) in Chicago, Mr. Obama's church shopping requires more careful political contemplation than a new president typically needs.

Racine Mayor Gary Becker's plans to attend Tuesday's inauguration have been canceled after he was charged in an Internet sex sting.

Nearly halfway through his victory speech on Election Night in Chicago's Grant Park, Barack Obama reached out to those Americans who had voted for his opponent, John McCain.

Barack Obama's election dealt a blow to abortion opponents, who now have less hope of overturning Roe v. Wade during his term. 

Bishop T.D. Jakes, the Dallas megachurch pastor, will preach at the private church service that President-elect Barack Obama will attend the morning of his inaugural, The Associated Press has learned.

A coalition of prominent evangelical leaders who've partnered with Third Way, a Washington think tank influential in shaping Democratic Party policy and messaging, is presenting policy recommendations to Obama.

Johannes Mehserle, the BART cop who shot and killed an unarmed man in Oakland on New Year's Day, sat behind bars in a Bay Area jail on Wednesday night, charged with murder.

Earl G. Graves Sr., founder and publisher of Black Enterprise magazine, issues the following statement concerning the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America:

As Americans get ready to turn the page on George W. Bush, the president offered his own first draft of history. 

Barack Obama enters the White House with public expectations of his success far higher than for any president in a generation, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll.

The city's former mayor is serving a four-month jail sentence. Its deficit could top $200 million. Hundreds of layoffs are planned. And Detroit's municipal bonds are now at junk status.

President-elect Barack Obama is ready to make a play for Tony Dungy. Indiana Senator Evan Bayh said he wants to recruit the recently retired Colts coach to work on a national program to promote responsible fatherhood.

President-elect Barack Obama's choice to run the Treasury Department and lead the nation's economic rescue failed to pay $34,000 in taxes from 2001 to 2004, but the last-minute disclosure didn't stop Senate Democrats from moving forward with his nomination.

It's true. He motorcaded to a house in Maryland this evening, and if the press pool report is accurate, he is breaking bread with William Kristol and David Brooks. 

It's funny, the nicest guy in a political party of not-very-nice guys is also its most unbending cultural samurai.

As the Bush administration comes to a close, the office created by President George W. Bush to "level [the] playing field" for faith-based organizations seeking federal funding reflected on its strengths and weaknesses over the past eight years.

Twice since 2000, atheists have sued the federal government to keep religion out of the presidential inauguration. Both times they lost. 

The former police officer accused of shooting an unarmed man at a northern California commuter train station was arrested Tuesday in Nevada, authorities told CNN affiliate KGO.

A federal judge has ordered the Santa Rosa County School District to stop promoting religion and prayer in the classroom and at school events.

Three teenage girls who allegedly sent nude or semi-nude cell phone pictures of themselves, and three male classmates in a Greensburg Salem High School who received them, are charged with child pornography.

President Bush has three words for Barack Obama to describe the biggest challenge facing America as they prepare to transfer power: "an enemy attack."

A California man has been arrested for arranging for his 14-year-old daughter to marry a neighbor in exchange for $16,000, 100 cases of beer and several cases of meat, police said.

The state Senate that will decide whether to throw impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich out of office will be sworn in Wednesday by -- who else? -- impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Shopping online can be a way to find bargains while steering clear of crowds -- and sales taxes.