Who says politics and diplomacy aren't contact sports? Secretary of State Hillary Clinton returned to work Monday and was gifted the proper equipment for her final plays on the job.
POL-Poll-Fiscal-Cliff
For all the last-minute wrangling to avoid the potentially damaging consequences of the fiscal cliff, Americans aren't impressed with the solution, according to a new poll. The Pew Research Center poll out Monday showed 38% of adults approved of the scaled-back deal congressional leaders passed as the calendar rolled into 2013 -- after the country, technically, had gone over the cliff.
POL-Court-Lobbying-Antiabortion
An anti-abortion group will not get a hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court on its appeal of federal law designating it as a political nonprofit that must disclose information about its financial donors.
POL-Bloomberg-Biden-Guns
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a vocal proponent of tighter gun laws, confirmed Monday he was advising Vice President Joe Biden's task force to help curb gun violence. Bloomberg detailed his recommendations, saying he's pushing for criminal background checks on all gun sales, not just at gun dealers. He's also calling for better enforcement of current checks and criticized the system for being too simplistic.
POL-George-HW-Bush-Condition
Former President George H.W. Bush continues to recover from his maladies after over a month in a Houston hospital, his office said Monday. The latest statement on the 41st president's health contained no details about his condition or treatment, but did allow he had recently been watching football.
POL-Reid-Superstorm-Sandy-Comparison
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid acknowledged Monday he "simply misspoke" when comparing the devastation left behind Hurricane Katrina, the 2005 storm which pounded the Gulf Coast, and Superstorm Sandy. On Friday -- the first full day of the new Congress -- Reid said on the Senate floor that "it's too bad that it's taking so long" to approve an aid package for the East Coast states impacted by the storm. "When we had that devastating Katrina, we were there within days taking care of Mississippi, Alabama, and especially Louisiana. Within days," Reid said. "We are now past two months with the people of New York. And the people of New Orleans and that area -- they were hurt, but nothing in comparison to what has happened to the people of New England." Katrina was responsible for 1,833 deaths and Sandy claimed at least 113 lives in the U.S.
POL-Poll-New-Jersey-Christie
The first New Jersey poll in 2013, the year that Chris Christie's up for re-election, indicates that nearly three-quarters of the state's voters give the tough talking Republican governor the thumbs up. According to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind survey, 73% of registered voters say they approve of the job Christie's doing as governor. The poll's Monday release comes a day before Christie delivers the annual state of the state address for New Jersey.
POL-Christie-2016
Asked recently if Gov. Chris Christie would be more prepared for a presidential run in 2016 than he was last cycle, the New Jersey governor gave, as usual, a very frank answer. "Yeah, you're damn right I'd be more ready," Christie said in an interview published Sunday with the Star-Ledger.
POL-Booker-Senate-Race
Democratic Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, who announced intentions to explore a U.S. Senate bid in 2014, said he hasn't yet spoken with Sen. Frank Lautenberg about whether the longtime Democratic senator plans to run for re-election next year.
MONEY
MONEY-fannie-bank-of-america
Bank of America has reached a $10.3 billion settlement with Fannie Mae to deal with questionable home loans it sold to the government-backed mortgage financer during the housing bubble.
MONEY-new-foreclosure-settlement
Federal regulators announced an $8.5 billion settlement on Monday involving 10 banks over alleged foreclosure abuses.
MONEY-Stocks-Markets
U.S. stocks tumbled Monday as investors shift their focus from the nation's fiscal woes to the outlook for corporate earnings.
MONEY-debt-ceiling
