Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: i-node who wrote (177864)	11/10/2003 10:57:36 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1578029

forbes.com US Democratic leader stages one-man Senate protest Reuters, 11.10.03, 8:39 PM ET WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Assistant U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada waged a one-man marathon protest on Monday over what he denounced as callous treatment of his Democratic colleagues by the Republican majority. Reid took the Senate floor just after 1 p.m. EST and about seven hours later was still on his feet, carefully rationing sips of water to stave off the need for bathroom breaks. "You can only be slapped around so many times," said Reid, particularly upset by plans by Republicans to clear the chamber's schedule for a 30-hour Senate debate later this week on stalled conservative judicial nominees. "Around here, we have to work together." The Republican plan has strained already frayed relations with Democrats, who earlier complained of being largely shut out of talks on pending energy and health care legislation. Under Senate rules, members may maintain control of the floor as long as they like, provided they do not sit down or stop talking except to field questions from colleagues. A number of Democrats asked an occasional question to give Reid a chance to catch his breath. Reid offered no indication how long his protest may last, and by nightfall turned to reading from a book he wrote about his Nevada hometown, "Searchlight: The Camp That Didn't Fail." "I'm a soldier with a mission, and that mission is to tell people about Searchlight," the 63-year-old Senate veteran said, tongue firmly in cheek. Republicans riled Democrats last week when they announced they would conduct a talkathon of their own on the chamber floor beginning on Wednesday on stalled judicial nominees.

To: i-node who wrote (177864)	11/10/2003 11:10:40 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1578029

Row over Bush security as Blair defends visit Ewen MacAskill, Hugh Muir and Julian Borger in Washington Tuesday November 11, 2003 The Guardian Tony Blair last night launched an impassioned defence of George Bush's visit to London next week and pleaded with anti-war protesters to put the arguments about war behind them and focus on Iraq's future. With a week to go before the US president arrives, the promise of the three-day visit is already acting as a magnet for protesters and anarchists from all over Europe. The Guardian learned last night of tension between US security agents, who want an exclusion zone round the president, and the London mayor, Ken Livingstone, who wants the demonstrators to be guaranteed as much freedom as possible. The Metropolitan police are caught in the middle. Mr Blair devoted the bulk of his annual foreign policy speech at the Guildhall in London to Mr Bush's state visit. Confronting critics who say political embarrassment lies ahead and that he must regret having issued the invitation, Mr Blair insisted he was not nervous: "I believe this is exactly the right time for him to come." He adopted an apocalyptic tone to justify Mr Bush's visit, saying the battle for Iraq was more important than most people realised. "It is a battle of seminal importance for the early 21st century. It will define relations between the Muslim world and the west. It will influence profoundly the development of Arab states and the Middle East," he said. <font color=red>The Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain hope that 100,000 protesters will take to the streets. Scotland Yard has cancelled all leave for the three days Mr Bush will be in London. About 3,800 British police will be involved in the £4m security operation, in addition to up to 250 armed US secret service agents. Sir John Stevens, commissioner of the Metropolitan police, is in a position of acute sensitivity. While the White House is insisting on maximum security, Mr Livingstone's office has made clear to Scotland Yard its insistence that those who want to are left free to demonstrate. One source said: "The view was expressed that a legitimate protest must be facilitated." <font color=black> He said comparisons were being drawn to the visit of President Jiang Zemin of China in 1999. When he rode up The Mall, police stopped protesters from holding up banners and Tibetan flags. "There must be no repeat of that fiasco," said the source. Members of London's Police Authority have also expressed concern, insisting that the bill for the police operation not be paid by local ratepayers. Eric Ollerenshaw, who is also leader of the Conservative group on the London assembly, said: "We must be sure that the government pays and we must look at where all these police officers are going to be coming from." Mr Bush will arrive on Tuesday and is scheduled to make a speech the following day. Much of his time will be spent with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, a useful photo opportunity for next year's presidential election and one he will not want marred by huge demonstrations. Mr Blair, in his speech at the lord mayor's banquet, said: "For many, the script of the visit has already been written. There will be demonstrations. His friends wonder at the timing. His enemies rub their hands at the potential embar rassment." Mr Blair said they were all wrong. The visit comes at a bad time for the prime minister, with his advisers anxious to get the agenda back to domestic issues after almost a year consumed by Iraq. Mr Bush's presence in London will reignite the arguments over the war. According to a Populus/ Times poll released today, more than half of British voters (60%) believe the close personal relationship between Mr Bush and Mr Blair is bad for Britain. politics.guardian.co.uk