National Journal Online


EU Oks Comcast-NBCU Merger The European Commission Wednesday approved Comcast's merger with NBC Universal, saying it would not thwart effective competition in the European Union's member states. In a statement, the commission noted that Comcast owns no cable assets in the EU. Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 11:11am
Brown Against DISCLOSE Act, May Seal Bill's Fate Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) has provided Dems with some key votes in recent months, but he won't help them pass sweeping campaign finance reform legislation despite pressure from pro-reform groups, he said on Wednesday. In a letter to groups that urged him to back the legislation, Brown said the DISCLOSE Act did not go far enough in requiring "transparency, accountability and fair play." Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 10:09am
Sestak, Toomey Tied In PA Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) has made up ground after a contentious primary battle and finds himself tied with ex-Rep. Pat Toomey (R), according to a new Quinnipiac Univ. survey. The poll shows Sestak and Toomey tied at 43%. It's the first Quinnipiac poll in which Sestak has not trailed Toomey. The last poll, released May 13, just before the Dem primary, showed Toomey ahead by a 42%-40% margin. Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 9:16am
Wednesday's Starting Lineup Good Wednesday morning. Now's the time for Dems to truly panic: The last 9 times the GOP has picked up 20 or more seats, the National League has won the All Star game. Last night, for the first time since '96, the NL beat the AL. Here's today's Starting Lineup, previewing the people who will make a difference in politics today: Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 6:51am
New Coalition To Battle Broadcasters On Transmission Rules A coalition of 31 cable operators, consumer groups, independent broadcasters, satellite providers, and telecommunications firms on Wednesday launched a lobbying effort to battle broadcasters over the issue of retransmission consent rules. The group, which dubs itself the American Television Alliance, aims to prod Congress and the FCC to begin a process to reform rules that require cable companies to get permission from broadcasters to distribute their programs. Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 12:04am
GOP Fave Advances In AL-02; Sewell Easily Wins AL-07 AL voters tonight picked an NRCC "Young Gun" to advance in the race against Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL 02), and Dems selected atty Terri Sewell (D) in the heavily Dem Seventh CD, where the Dem is almost automatically assured of the seat in the fall. Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 10:19pm
Bentley Dispatches Byrne, GOP Establishment In AL-GOV Runoff State Rep. Robert Bentley (R) beat back a push from the entire AL GOP power structure in defeating ex-state Community College chancellor/ex-state Sen. Bradley Byrne (R) tonight, keeping alive the narrative that voters are not in the mood this year to take voting instructions from party bosses. Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 10:08pm
Brewer Clearing GOP Field In AZ GOV Four days after Treas. Dean Martin (R) suspended his campaign, NRA board member/firearms training center owner Owen 'Buz' Mills (R) has announced he is suspending his own bid, leaving the GOP race firmly in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer (R). Initially, Mills was seen by observers as a potential threat to Brewer because of his personal wealth and ability to advertise on TV. But the momentum Brewer seized after signing SB 1070 made it difficult for either Mills or Martin to gain any traction in the race. Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 8:28pm
Critics Dominate Latest Hearing On Comcast-NBC Merger Most panelists expressed serious concern, if not outright objection, to the proposed $30 billion merger of Comcast and NBC Universal at a public hearing the FCC held in Chicago Tuesday. "Broadband and the Internet must not become the province of gatekeepers and toll booth collectors," Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps said in his opening remarks at the seventh forum held by the FCC or Congress to evaluate the risks and benefits of the potential union. Copps was the only commissioner to attend the field hearing. Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 7:09pm
Why The "Choice" May Not Work It is becoming a tired refrain: Dems want to make the midterm elections a choice between the 2 parties, fearing ugly consequences if voters view the contests as a chance to pass judgement on Pres. Obama's first years in office. But the sheer volume of the majority's own successes makes it improbable that Dems will succeed in making the midterms a choice on a national level. Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 3:44pm

EU Oks Comcast-NBCU Merger

The European Commission Wednesday approved Comcast's merger with NBC Universal, saying it would not thwart effective competition in the European Union's member states. In a statement, the commission noted that Comcast owns no cable assets in the EU.

Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 11:11am

Brown Against DISCLOSE Act, May Seal Bill's Fate

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) has provided Dems with some key votes in recent months, but he won't help them pass sweeping campaign finance reform legislation despite pressure from pro-reform groups, he said on Wednesday.

In a letter to groups that urged him to back the legislation, Brown said the DISCLOSE Act did not go far enough in requiring "transparency, accountability and fair play."

Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 10:09am

Sestak, Toomey Tied In PA

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) has made up ground after a contentious primary battle and finds himself tied with ex-Rep. Pat Toomey (R), according to a new Quinnipiac Univ. survey.

The poll shows Sestak and Toomey tied at 43%. It's the first Quinnipiac poll in which Sestak has not trailed Toomey. The last poll, released May 13, just before the Dem primary, showed Toomey ahead by a 42%-40% margin.

Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 9:16am

Wednesday's Starting Lineup

Good Wednesday morning. Now's the time for Dems to truly panic: The last 9 times the GOP has picked up 20 or more seats, the National League has won the All Star game. Last night, for the first time since '96, the NL beat the AL.

Here's today's Starting Lineup, previewing the people who will make a difference in politics today:

Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 6:51am

New Coalition To Battle Broadcasters On Transmission Rules

A coalition of 31 cable operators, consumer groups, independent broadcasters, satellite providers, and telecommunications firms on Wednesday launched a lobbying effort to battle broadcasters over the issue of retransmission consent rules. The group, which dubs itself the American Television Alliance, aims to prod Congress and the FCC to begin a process to reform rules that require cable companies to get permission from broadcasters to distribute their programs.

Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 - 12:04am

GOP Fave Advances In AL-02; Sewell Easily Wins AL-07

AL voters tonight picked an NRCC "Young Gun" to advance in the race against Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL 02), and Dems selected atty Terri Sewell (D) in the heavily Dem Seventh CD, where the Dem is almost automatically assured of the seat in the fall.

Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 10:19pm

Bentley Dispatches Byrne, GOP Establishment In AL-GOV Runoff

State Rep. Robert Bentley (R) beat back a push from the entire AL GOP power structure in defeating ex-state Community College chancellor/ex-state Sen. Bradley Byrne (R) tonight, keeping alive the narrative that voters are not in the mood this year to take voting instructions from party bosses.

Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 10:08pm

Brewer Clearing GOP Field In AZ GOV

Four days after Treas. Dean Martin (R) suspended his campaign, NRA board member/firearms training center owner Owen 'Buz' Mills (R) has announced he is suspending his own bid, leaving the GOP race firmly in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer (R).

Initially, Mills was seen by observers as a potential threat to Brewer because of his personal wealth and ability to advertise on TV. But the momentum Brewer seized after signing SB 1070 made it difficult for either Mills or Martin to gain any traction in the race.

Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 8:28pm

Critics Dominate Latest Hearing On Comcast-NBC Merger

Most panelists expressed serious concern, if not outright objection, to the proposed $30 billion merger of Comcast and NBC Universal at a public hearing the FCC held in Chicago Tuesday. "Broadband and the Internet must not become the province of gatekeepers and toll booth collectors," Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps said in his opening remarks at the seventh forum held by the FCC or Congress to evaluate the risks and benefits of the potential union. Copps was the only commissioner to attend the field hearing.

Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 7:09pm

Why The "Choice" May Not Work

It is becoming a tired refrain: Dems want to make the midterm elections a choice between the 2 parties, fearing ugly consequences if voters view the contests as a chance to pass judgement on Pres. Obama's first years in office.

But the sheer volume of the majority's own successes makes it improbable that Dems will succeed in making the midterms a choice on a national level.

Posted: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 - 3:44pm

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