Oldest member of Congress loses in Texas runoff
(CNN) – Rep. Ralph Hall, the oldest elected official in Washington, lost a tough runoff battle in Texas Tuesday, making the 91-year-old Republican the first incumbent member of Congress to go down in defeat this primary season.
CNN projects former U.S. Attorney John Ratcliffe, an anti-establishment candidate, will beat Hall in the GOP contest for Texas’ 4th Congressional District, which is located in the northeastern portion of the state.
CNN's GUT CHECK for May 27, 2014
CNN’s POLITICAL GUT CHECK | for May 27, 2014 | 5 p.m.
— n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle
OBAMA: COMBAT IN AFGHANISTAN TO END IN 2014 … President Barack Obama said Tuesday that he wants more than 9,800 U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan after the end of 2014, with the number cut roughly in half by the end of 2015. By the end of 2016, he said, the military "will draw down to a normal embassy presence in Kabul, with a security assistance component."
Obama said this is a "pivotal year" in Afghanistan, noting that 2014 will mark the conclusion of the U.S. combat mission there. "We will bring America's longest war to a responsible end," he said. – Tom Cohen
White House orders review of accidental CIA leak
(CNN) - White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough has ordered a review of how the name of the CIA station chief in Afghanistan was inadvertently released to reporters, Deputy National Security Advisor Antony Blinken told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
"It shouldn't have happened. We're trying to figure out why it happened. In fact, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough asked the White House consel to look into it, to figure out what happened and to make sure it won't happen again," Blinken said in an interview that will air Tuesday on "The Situation Room" at 5 p.m. ET.
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Rand Paul: I want to return to medicine 'at some point'
(CNN) – Sen. Rand Paul, who practiced as an ophthalmologist for 17 years before entering Congress, is back at home performing free eye surgery for patients Tuesday.
The Kentucky Republican said it's "an amazing thing to see someone sit up and be able to see better," but he's also keeping up his skills so he can eventually return to the medical field.
New ads in nasty Mississippi GOP primary battle
Bixoli, Mississippi (CNN) - The Republican Senate primary race in Mississippi grew more intense Tuesday with the release of a new political ad, one week before voters head to the polls.
State Sen. Chris McDaniel, who's challenging longtime incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran, put out a new spot responding to the senator's own negative ad last week.
Michelle Obama to Congress: 'This is unacceptable'
(CNN) - First Lady Michelle Obama argued Tuesday that it's "unacceptable" for House Republicans to consider making major changes to the 2010 child nutrition law - a hallmark of her "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity.
"The last thing we can afford to do right now is play politics with our kids' health," she said. "Now is not the time to roll back everything that we have worked for. Our kids deserve so much better than that."
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Biden to Cuban media: Alan Gross detention a key obstacle in diplomatic relations
(CNN) - Vice President Joe Biden sat down with a Cuban media outlet - a significant move given the decades-long tension between the United States and Cuba since the countries ended diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago.
In the interview published Tuesday, Biden cited the detention of Alan Gross, an American jailed in Cuba, as a key obstacle in improving relations.
Tea party cleans up in Texas runoffs
Updated 7:30 a.m. ET, 5/28/2014
(CNN) – They've been few and far between this primary season, but the tea party racked up some high-profile victories on Tuesday in runoff elections in Texas.
And among those doing down to defeat was the oldest member of Congress.
George W. Bush has knee replacement surgery
(CNN) - Former President George W. Bush is back at home in Dallas, following partial knee replacement surgery Saturday in Chicago.
Bush spokesman Freddy Ford told CNN that the former president "had a successful partial knee replacement Saturday and came back to Dallas Monday."
Karl Rove: Hillary Clinton is 'old and stale'
Washington (CNN) – Karl Rove, the Republican strategist who just weeks ago ignited a fire about Hillary Clinton's health, now says the former secretary of state is at risk of being seen as "old and stale."
After Rove was asked about Clinton's "inevitability" as the Democratic nominee in 2016 on Fox News, the former George W. Bush aide said "people don't like people who seem to already have it made."
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