Republican Martinez to resign U.S. Senate seat

Sen. Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican, announced Friday that he will resign his seat as soon as a replacement can be named by the governor.
"My priorities have always been my faith, my family and my country, and, at this stage of my life and after nearly 12 years of public service in Florida and in Washington, it is time to return to Florida and my family," the 62-year-old said in Orlando, Florida.

"So today I am announcing my decision to step down from public office."

Martinez said he is resigning "of my own free will. There is no impending reason; it's only my desire to move on and to get on with the rest of my life."

He added that he is in good health and that he expects the next phase of his life will take place in the private sector.

"However, I do hope that I can have a voice to speak out on issues I think are important," he said.

Martinez added that he has no plans to run for any other public office.

At a news conference at McDill Air Force Base in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist said he will "undertake a very thorough, comprehensive, thoughtful process" to find a replacement for Martinez.

He vowed not to appoint himself to complete Martinez's six-year term, which ends in about 17 months, and predicted that he would reach a decision before the Senate returns from recess September 8.

Crist, a Republican, had announced in May that he would not seek a second term as governor and instead would run for Martinez's seat in the 2010 election.

Martinez was elected in 2004. He announced in December his intention to retire at the end of his term.

Martinez is the only Hispanic Republican in the Senate. He joined eight other Republicans on Thursday in voting to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Democrats hold a tenuous filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, with 60 votes. Martinez is one of six Republicans who have stated they would not seek re-election in 2010. But the Florida senator is the second Republican who has decided to leave before the curtain drops on the 111th Congress next fall.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, recently announced her intention to quit the Senate three years before her term expires, in order to run for governor next year.

The five other Republicans who are retiring are Missouri Sen. Kit Bond, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning and Ohio Sen. George Voinovich.

Two Democrats will not run in 2010: Illinois Sen. Roland Burris and Delaware Sen. Ted Kaufman.

Republicans must defend 19 seats next year, and Democrats must protect 18.

source : www.cnn.com

Tags: politics

mega-Prabowo be sure not attend The presidential election result

The candidates and vice president of series number 1 president, Megawati Soekarnoputri-Prabowo Subianto, is not present in the Presidential Election of 2009, Saturday (25 / 7).

DPP Chairman of the PDI-P said Arif Budimanta, both Prabowo and Mega have the rush that can not be abandoned. However, the more reluctant he mentions what a rush.

"Bu Mega and Prabowo have other duties," said Arif to Kompas.com, Jakarta, Saturday (25 / 7).

According to him, the team Mega-Prabowo was an internal meeting and decided only to send the team a national campaign to attend the determination of this morning. For, Arif added, the side event held by the General Elections Commission (KPU) this morning is not the result of the determination pilpres, but only the announcement.
"It has been discussed in the meeting yesterday. No we did not want to come, but this is not the determination. This announcement is only just. If the determination is after all the legal process is completed presidential election dispute. If the determination of our future," he said. should, the timkamnas who will be present, among Fadli Zon, Arif Wibowo, and Gayus Lumbuun.

Previously, the KPU Member Nurpati Andi said, until Friday (24 / 7) night, the pair of SBY-JK-Boediono and Wiranto have confirmed attendance in this event. "The pair confirmed the ordinal number 2 and number 3 series," said Andi, Thursday (24 / 7) night.

Tags: politics, news

KPU: No Re-Election

Chairman of the General Elections Commission ( "KPU) Abdul Hafiz Anshary assert there is no re-election that might occur.

Although, according to the calculation of "KPU" in some provinces, there are witnesses from the pair of Megawati and Prabowo not sign the certificate.

"The average at the provincial level have been signed. It is (not signature) does not affect the validity of the election," said Hafiz after the determination of the Election and the President and Vice President 2009 "KPU" in Office, Saturday (25 / 7) .
According to Hafiz, he does not find the problems so that means that the data from the area. However, Hafiz said, if the KPU ready Constitutional Court (MK) re-election should be decided after 3 x 24 hour period and 14 days of the trial.

Hafiz had also praised the legislation according to him both for the sake of the nation. Legislation does not set the execution that could cause it does not legitimate the election results. "Because if there must be a signature in there, can there be people who play to counteract," Hafiz go.

Tags: politics

KPU: Bomb incidence, not disturb presidential election

Incidents of bomb explosion JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton, Friday, do not make General Elections Commission (KPU) restless. KPU Chairman Abdul Hafiz Anshary affirm, terror bombing is not at the organization in 2009 Presidential Election as follow strict guarded by police officers.

"There is no (riot), we believe the security awake. I do not have any feelings, insyaallah safe," said Hafiz, in the KPU Office, Jakarta, Selasa (21 / 7).

According to Hafiz, his side still hold pilpres appropriate schedule has been set previously, such as the recapitulation of the national vote manual akan held July 22-24 start tomorrow. After a national summary is complete, the KPU immediately set claon president and vice president elected.

When asked about the strict security at the KPU, Hafiz rate it highly as a form of reasonable precautions. As known, KPU tighten the security of post-bomb incident JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton.

source : www.kompas.com

Tags: politics, Information, news

Obama distances himself from Jackson saga

They were the two most famous African-Americans in the world: President Barack Obama and Michael Jackson.
But when millions of people paused this week to watch Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles, the president was about as far away as he could get.

That President Obama was in Moscow at a summit -- negotiating weapons limits and other agreements -- was obviously no sleight to the late entertainer.

But even before Obama left the country, the White House seemed to be keeping its distance.

There was no public gesture from the president's office when Jackson died, no official tribute to one of the most remarkable Americans of our time.

The White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said Obama had "written to the family and has shared his feelings with the family privately."

When the president was pressed by reporters for a public statement, there was careful nuance in his words.

"He became a core part of our culture," the president said in a July 7 interview with CNN ahead of the Jackson memorial service. "His extraordinary talent and music mixed with big dose of tragedy and difficulty in his private life." Did Barack Obama strike the right tone in his understated response to Michael Jackson's death? Sound Off below
The "big dose of tragedy and difficulty" was a gentle phrase to address unproven allegations of child abuse, the odd changes Jackson made to his appearance and the still unexplained circumstances of his death.

Republican Congressman Peter King wasn't as delicate about the deceased.

"This guy was a pervert, he was a child molester," King said.

"I just think that we're too politically correct, no one wants to stand up and say we don't need Michael Jackson."

But Jackson had his defenders. Democrat Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee praised him at his funeral and alluded to the problems in his past.

"As members of the United States Congress, we understand the Constitution, we understand laws, and we know that people are innocent until proven otherwise."

Obama apparently didn't want to be part of the debate.

He said a few words, offered his sympathies and left Michael Jackson to the people who wanted to mourn