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After Kennedy Electrifies Crowd, the Would-Be First Lady Calls on Democrats to 'Stop Doubting' and 'Start Dreaming'

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 26, 2008; A01

DENVER Aug. 25 -- After an emotional speech by an ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the face of the Democratic Party shifted on Monday night to a new generation of leaders, as Michelle Obama opened the Democratic National Convention with a tribute to her husband and a call to the country to listen "to our hopes instead of our fears," and "to stop doubting and to start dreaming."

Seeking to ground Sen. Barack Obama in the experience of America's working class while recapturing the lofty ideals that propelled him toward his party's presidential nomination, Michelle Obama's family-themed speech was the climax of a dramatic opening day for a political party confident of its chances of capturing the White House but still struggling to lay aside its own divisions. A weak economy and a war in Iraq now in its sixth year have offered Democrats and their young candidate an ideal political environment in which to push for widespread change. But Obama has yet to close the deal with the electorate, or even some of the Democrats who backed his primary opponent, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.).

Barack Obama's selection of Joseph Biden as his vice presidential running mate is being analyzed for whether it will unite the Democratic Party or help the ticket win in November.

But the larger question is, what will Mr. Biden bring to the job if elected? We've seen over the past eight years with Richard Cheney how a smart, aggressive and experienced vice president who is respected by the president can have a major impact on our lives. Mr. Biden is clearly all of those things. So if the Democrats win the White House, how would Mr. Biden approach the job?

Tuesday, August 26, 2008; D04

Freddie Mac Sells $2 Billion in Notes

Freddie Mac sold $2 billion of short-term notes in a weekly auction, generating better demand compared with last week as the second-largest U.S. mortgage-finance company paid higher yields compared with benchmarks.

Freddie Mac sold $1 billion of three-month notes at a yield of 2.58 percent, about 90 basis points more than similar-maturity U.S. Treasurys. The company also sold $1 billion of six-month debt at a yield of 2.858 percent, a spread of about 92 basis points above Treasurys.

Recent findings show that face transplants, which may still be considered medical oddities by some, are quite difficult to accomplish, but have really goods odds to be succesful. The cases of successful face transplants of a Chinese man whose face was tore off by a bear and of a French-Caribbean man who was defaced by a rare disease give much hope to several people who find themselves in a similar situation.

Researchers said Thursday that the facts gathered from the recent cases show that face transplants can be a long-lasting medical intervention for those suffering from facial disfigurement. The two research teams, which revealed their findings in The Lancet medical journal, said that facial transplants are reliable and those who undergo the procedure aren’t facing a high risk of complications after the surgery and treatment.

It isn't 18, whatever some college officials think.

Sunday, August 24, 2008; B06

COLLEGE OFFICIALS who have signed on to the provocative proposition that the legal drinking age of 21 isn't working say that they just want to start a debate. Perhaps when they get done with that, they can move on to whether Earth really orbits the sun. Any suggestion that the current drinking age hasn't saved lives runs counter to the facts.

More than 100 presidents and chancellors from such top universities as Duke and Johns Hopkins say it's time to rethink the drinking age, contending it has caused "a culture of dangerous, clandestine 'binge-drinking.' " The statement does not specifically advocate reducing the drinking age, but many who signed it say they thought legal drinking should begin at 18.

Sunday, August 24, 2008; F06

U.S. stocks fell, sending the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index to its first weekly decline since July, as oil prices climbed and concern grew that the government may bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The steepest one-day drop in oil since December 2004 and speculation that Lehman Brothers will be taken over helped equity indexes pare losses Friday. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lost more than a third of their value last week on concern that a rescue would wipe out shareholders. Ford, Coach and Darden Restaurants drove consumer stocks to their first decline in three weeks.

Recent findings show that face transplants, which may still be considered medical oddities by some, are quite difficult to accomplish, but have really goods odds to be succesful. The cases of successful face transplants of a Chinese man whose face was tore off by a bear and of a French-Caribbean man who was defaced by a rare disease give much hope to several people who find themselves in a similar situation.

Researchers said Thursday that the facts gathered from the recent cases show that face transplants can be a long-lasting medical intervention for those suffering from facial disfigurement. The two research teams, which revealed their findings in The Lancet medical journal, said that facial transplants are reliable and those who undergo the procedure aren’t facing a high risk of complications after the surgery and treatment.

Reuters
Saturday, August 23, 2008; 9:16 AM

Moody's ratings cut latest blow to Fannie, Freddie

Saturday, August 23, 2008; B09

Below is an excerpt from "On Faith," an Internet feature sponsored by The Washington Post and Newsweek. Each week, more than 50 figures from the world of faith engage in a conversation about an aspect of religion. This week's question : At the Saddleback Church forum, pastor Rick Warren began his interviews with John McCain and Barack Obama by saying: "We believe in separation of church and state, but not faith and politics." What's your response to that and to the forum?

And lo it is a few days after the Saddleback Civil Forum and the republic is still safe. Extremists on both sides of religion and government issues are deeply disappointed.

By Sally Jenkins
Saturday, August 23, 2008; E01

BEIJING