Obama's motorcade was stuck in DC traffic on the president's way to playing golf.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — If you think U.S. presidents are immune to traffic jams, think again.

President Barack Obama hit traffic early Sunday afternoon as he headed south on I-95 from the White House to Fort Belvoir, a military base in northern Virginia, where Obama was scheduled to play a round of golf.

According to the pool report, the president's motorcade hit a large traffic jam at the "Sprinfield interchange," where interstates 95, 395 and 495 all intersect. That stretch of road is known for bottlenecks.

After slogging through bumper to bumper conditions for 15 minutes, the motorcade cut across traffic and left the highway at exit 166.

Most Americans think the media is fair on Obama.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A new national poll indicates that a majority of Americans think the media's been fair in its treatment of President Obama.

Fifty-five percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Sunday say they believe the news media's been fair in covering Obama since he was inaugurated as President on January 20. Twenty-six percent suggest that the media's not been critical enough, with 18 percent feeling that the news media's been too critical.

But the poll indicates that there is a partisan divide.

"Democrats and Independents view media coverage of Obama as fair. But 56 percent of Republicans say the media have not been critical enough of Obama," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Wednesday and Thursday, with 1,046 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

Obama will sign his stimulus bill in Denver.

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) – Denver. Why Denver? There are several reasons why President Barack Obama will sign the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the Stimulus Plan, Tuesday in Colorado's capital city.

First of all, signing the bill outside of Washington allows Obama to escape the nation's capital, where the battle over the $787 billion piece of legislation turned into an ugly partisan battle, and to be close to people who the White House hopes will benefit from the massive bill.

The setting, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, is no accident either. Obama boasts that the stimulus will help create up to a half a million so called "green" jobs in the field of alternative energy. Prior to signing the bill into law, the president and Vice President Joe Biden will tour the museum's solar panel installation project.

Colorado has a growing green energy industry.

"Denver would be as good a place as any to highlight investments, putting people to work in energy jobs; investments that will help long-term growth," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

And finally, the Democrats held their convention in Denver last August, where then-Senator Obama officially accepted his party's presidential nomination. Obama ended up winning Colorado in the presidential contest, one of three western states that swung from the Republicans to the Democrats.

Steven turns 85 Tuesday.

(CNN) — It may not be the happiest of birthday's for Ted Stevens. As the longtime Republican Senator from Alaska marks his 85th birthday, he's fighting for his political life.

Stevens was convicted last month of seven felony counts in federal court.

He's locked in a re-election battle with his Democratic challenger, Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. Two weeks after election day, the vote counting in Alaska continues. Begich currently leads Stevens by 1,022 votes in the fight for Steven's seat, which he's held for 40 years. Some 24,000 votes remain to be counted, as well as absentee ballots from overseas. The results may not be made final until the first week of December.

Back in Washington, Senate Republicans today could vote to expel Stevens from their ranks. This after a move by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, to force a vote on ousting Stevens from the GOP conference, which would strip him of his committee assignments if he survives his campaign battle and is re-elected.

Stevens is trying to become the first person awaiting felony sentencing to ever get elected or re-elected to the Senate. A federal jury found him guilty of lying about gifts and work on his Alaska home. Stevens says he's innocent and will appeal.

UPDATE: Moments after the GOP senators' meeting began Tuesday, DeMint announced he would put off the vote until after Alaska announces the final tally of the close election. An unofficial tally could come Tuesday night.

Jarrett is a longtime adviser to Obama.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — A longtime friend of Barack and Michelle Obama has officially been named a senior advisor to the incoming president.

President-elect Obama, in a statement released Saturday morning by his transition staff, announced that Valerie Jarrett will serve as Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison. CNN Contributor Roland Martin reported the offer to Jarrett on Friday evening.

Jarrett is currently co-chair of Obama's transition team and was senior adviser for his presidential campaign. She became the president and CEO of The Habitat Company on January 31, 2007, and was also the company's vice president. The Habitat Company develops and manages residential apartments and condominiums.

Before joining The Habitat Company, Jarrett served for eight years in government for the city of Chicago; first as deputy corporation counsel for finance and development, then as deputy chief of staff for Mayor Richard M. Daley and finally as commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development.

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A new poll out Wednesday shows a virtually tied race between Sens. McCain and Obama in key states.

Florida: Obama 48, McCain 48
Indiana: McCain 51, Obama 45
North Carolina: McCain 48, Obama 47
Ohio: Obama 49, McCain 47
Wisconsin: Obama 50, McCain 47

WASHINGTON (CNN) — New polls in five battleground states that could decide the presidency suggest the battle for the White House between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama remains a dead heat.

The CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corp. polls, out Wednesday, indicate that the race for Florida, and its 27 electoral votes, is tied up.

Florida ultimately decided the 2000 election between then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush and then-Vice President Al Gore. Four years ago President Bush won the Sunshine State by 5 points over Sen. John Kerry.

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Sen. Obama campaigned in Virginia Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – New state polls indicate that the race for the White House remains a dead heat in four crucial battleground states that could determine the outcome of the election.

CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation polls for Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire and Virginia out Wednesday suggest the race between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain is statistically tied.

The survey has Illinois Senator Barack Obama up 4 points, 49 percent to 45 percent, in Michigan and ahead by 6 points, 51 percent to 45 percent, in New Hampshire. Both states voted for Democrat John Kerry in the last presidential election.

The poll has Arizona Senator McCain up 5 points in Missouri, 50 percent to 45 percent, and leading by 4 points in Virginia, 50 percent to 46 percent. President Bush kept both states in the Republican column four years ago.

Virginia hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson took the state 44 years ago. But Obama is working hard to try and turn the red state blue: He's made numerous campaign stops there, including events Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

"The geographic patterns in Virginia are pretty much the same as in 2004, with one exception: In the area around Norfolk, Hampton Roads and Virginia Beach — a region John Kerry lost by four points — Obama appears to have a 13-point advantage. That's surprising for an area with several naval bases, and the headquarters of Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. “Obama's getting about the same support in Northern Virginia that Kerry did four years ago,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. “But that wasn't enough to turn that state blue in 2004, and it's not enough in 2008. Obama needs to do better in Northern Virginia if he hopes to carry the state."

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