(CNN) – Soon to be Massachusetts Sen. Paul Kirk arrived on Capitol Hill Friday to cheers from staffers and friends of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.
As he entered Kennedy's office, an emotional Kirk told CNN it was "exciting and sobering" to take the place of his longtime friend in the Senate.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick appointed Kirk to the post Thursday. He will serve in the Senate until a special election is held in January to fill the seat.
Kirk is will be sworn in later Friday.
(CNN) - A Massachusetts judge Friday rejected a request from state Republicans to delay the appointment of Paul Kirk as the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's interim replacement.
Kirk was formally appointed to the post Thursday, a day after the Massachusetts legislature approved a measure allowing for Gov. Deval Patrick to name an interim replacement until a special election is held in January.
But the legislation was not set take effect until 90 days, and Republicans argued Patrick exceeded his power by formally declaring an 'emergency' and appointing Kirk immediately. Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Peter Sacks argued on behalf of the governor, saying previous rulings have made clear Patrick has broad authority to declare an emergency as he see fits.
Judge Thomas Connolly dismissed the case after hearing arguments from both sides Friday morning.
Kirk will be sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden Friday afternoon.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke has become the third Cabinet Member in the Obama administration to join Twitter, the microblogging social network. He joined yesterday to help promote Commerce and also keep in touch with American entrepreneurs.
"It's important that the Department of Commerce regularly communicates with American businesses and entrepreneurs to help them translate new ideas into economic growth," Locke told CNN. "Innovation is going to be the key to our long-term economic growth, and we need to embrace new ways of communicating with small businesses and entrepreneurs."
Locke announced his intentions to join Twitter yesterday in a speech delivered at the Inc. 500 / 5000 Conference, geared towards small business owners and entrepreneurs. The secretary noted he recently met with technology entrepreneurs at the White House and wanted to keep connected.
"I will start Tweeting regularly on innovation and entrepreneurship issues and look forward to hearing your thoughts on them," he said.
While the White House keeps a regularly updated Twitter account, the other two cabinet members on Twitter are Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (@raylahood) and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis (@hildasolisdol).
You can follow Sec. Locke on Twitter @seclocke.
(CNN) - CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has been named Journalist of the Year by Essence Magazine.
The magazine will formally bestow the honor at an event Friday night in Washington.
Malveaux, a seven-year veteran of CNN, won wide praise for her coverage of the 2008 presidential election cycle from the campaign trail and for her sitdown interview with then-candidate Barack Obama and wife Michelle for the CNN documentary Obama Revealed.
As White House correspondent, Malveaux has interviewed former presidents George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton and former first ladies Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush. Her coverage of presidential trips overseas has taken her to Europe, the Balkans, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East.
WASHINGTON (CNN)– The man made famous for shouting 'you lie!' at President Obama is now making his pitch to Republican voters in a new e-mail accusing Democrats of being secretive and misleading the public to advance their health care agenda.
"Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have continually rushed major legislation to a vote to ensure little to no public scrutiny," Wilson writes in the e-mail sent out by the National Republican Congressional Committee Friday.
According to Wilson, Republicans have asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to post 'major legislation' online for a minimum of 72 hours before votes are tallied so citizens have the opportunity to read the legislation.
"If we succeed, Americans can finally separate fact from fiction," He added.
On Thursday, Rep. John Boehner, the House minority leader, also criticized Democrats for continuing what he characterized as hurried efforts to force through their legislative proposals.
The American people "know that this majority, especially on major bills this year, haven't given lawmakers much of any time to actually read the bill," said Boehner, R-Ohio. "Each time this happens, the trust the American people have in their Congress is undermined."
LOS ANGELES (CNN) - Meg Whitman says she was wrong.
The Republican candidate for governor of California Thursday night issued a statement on her failure to vote in multiple elections in California. Whitman, the former eBay CEO and former adviser and surrogate for John McCain's presidential campaign, calls her own record "inexcusable" and "simply wrong."
Whitman, who officially announced her bid for governor at the beginning of the week, issued her statement after GOP gubernatorial challenger Steve Poizner criticized her for her lack of votes, and after an investigation by the Sacramento Bee newspaper that pointed to her failure to vote over several decades in five states where Whitman has lived since 1979.
(CNN) - Joe Biden has campaigned for a lot of Democrats during his lifetime in politics - including a few who are "turkeys," the vice president joked at a Thursday night fundraiser in Virginia.
Attending the fundraising event on behalf of three Democratic House members from Virginia - Reps. Glenn Nye, Gerry Connolly and Tom Perriello - at the home of former Virginia Sen. Chuck Robb, an off-script Biden suggested competence doesn't stretch across the entire Democratic Party.
"These guys are smart, "Biden said of the three Virginia congressmen. "Some of the guys Chuck [Robb] and I have campaigned for are turkeys. Not all Democrats are created equal, while most Republicans are."
Biden went on to say the candidates are "independent minded" and "damn competent," and all share the party's core principles of health care and energy reform.
Nye and Perriello, hailing from the more conservative regions of the once solidly Republican-voting state, are expected to face especially difficult re-election races.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - About 50,000 Muslims are expected to attend a day of prayer Friday on Capitol Hill, organizers said.
"Islam on Capitol Hill" is intended to "express and illustrate the wonderful diversity of Islam," organizers said on their Web site.
We intend to manifest Islam's majestic spiritual principals as revealed by Allah to our beloved prophet," it said.
"Likewise, we intend to inspire a new generation of Muslims to work for the greater good of all people. We shall serve all people, regardless of race, religion or national origin."
The Washington Post reported that Hassen Abdellah, the president of the Dar-ul-Islam mosque in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is the the lead organizer of the event.
WASHINGTON (CNN)– Making a direct appeal to Hispanic voters in New Jersey, Gov. Jon Corzine's campaign released it's first spanish language TV ad Friday featuring Sen. Bob Menendez touting the governor's steadfast nature while condemning opponents for unwarranted attacks.
"In this economic crisis, New Jersey is one of the states that has suffered the least because of the stewardship of Jon Corzine," Menendez says in the 30-second spot. "He has made difficult, but necessary measures which is why he has been attacked unfairly."
"...New Jersey has the best high school graduation percentage in the country," Menendez continues, citing Corzine's $4 billion investment in new schools.
Nearly 14 percent of New Jersey's population is made up of spanish speaking households, with 15.6 percent identifying themselves as hispanic.
The ad called, "Nuestro Gobernador y la Educación" which translates as 'Our Governor and Education,' is airing on broadcast television throughout New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. John McCain is co-hosting a fundraiser for his former 2008 Republican primary rival Mitt Romney next Wednesday in Phoenix.
McCain and his fellow Arizona senator Jon Kyl will headline the event at Chase Bank Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The fundraiser will benefit Romney's Free and Strong America PAC, and features a $3,000 per person VIP reception along with a $300 per person luncheon.
From CNN Politics
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