Morning News Digest: Thursday, November 20, 2008

With the PolitickerMA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Massachusetts's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Kerry to be named committee chairman

WASHINGTON - More than three decades after he first appeared before the panel as a 27-year-old Vietnam veteran-turned-antiwar protester, Senator John F. Kerry will be named chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, giving him enormous influence over President-elect Barack Obama's foreign policy, according to congressional officials. (Bryan Bender, Boston Globe)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/11/20/kerry_poised_to_cap_long_journey/

Wilkerson quits Senate

State Senator Dianne Wilkerson, facing open scorn from her colleagues and the possibility of a humiliating vote to strip her of her seat, resigned yesterday from the office she held for nearly 16 years, leaving behind a career punctuated by last month's arrest on federal bribery charges. (Matt Viser, Boston Globe)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/20/facing_possible_expulsion_wilkerson_quits_senate/

Murray says 'shadow' over Senate is lifting

BOSTON - Moments after state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's resignation letter was read in the Senate chamber Wednesday, state Senate President Therese Murray said the Senate is emerging from a trying time. (PolitickerMA.com)

http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/1970/murray-says-shadow-over-senate-lifting

Patrick lashes out at critics

Enough with the “cheap shots,” said Gov. Deval Patrick, complaining again about media coverage and blaming criticism of his proposals on “cynicism.” (O'Ryan Johnson, Boston Herald)

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2008_11_20_Deval_Patrick_lashes_out_at_critics__urges_%E2%80%98big__thinking/

Fundraising key for GOP rebuilding, Nassour says

NEWTON -- In order for the Massachusetts GOP to overcome its current woes, the party must focus significant efforts on fundraising, Jennifer Nassour, a candidate for chairman of the Massachusetts GOP, said this week. (PolitickerMA.com)

http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/1966/fundraising-key-gop-rebuilding-nassour-says

DiMasi backs gas tax over toll rise

The debate over how much to tax Massachusetts motorists shifted into overdrive yesterday when House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, speaking against the governor's approach of targeting turnpike and tunnel drivers with higher tolls, said he will push instead for a gas tax increase. (Boston Globe)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/20/dimasi_backs_gas_tax_hike_over_toll_rise/

52 hired since mayor's edict

Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s ballyhooed hiring freeze hasn’t chilled City Hall employment, as his departments recruited 52 new employees at a cost of nearly $2 million in the past month. (Edward Mason, Boston Herald)

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2008_11_20_Critics_roast_freeze:_52_hired_since_mayor_s_edict/

State panel hears advice on immigrant policy

HYANNIS — A diverse crowd of more than 100 people turned out last night at Barnstable High School to tell a state panel what they thought should be done to better integrate immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts. (Patrick Cassidy, Cape Cod Times)

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081120/NEWS/811200311

Jones welcomes Evangelidis challenge

BOSTON - State Rep. Brad Jones said Wednesday that he welcomes state Rep. Lewis Evangelidis' challenge for his post as House minority leader. (PolitickerMA.com)

http://www.politickerma.com/jeremyjacobs/1972/jones-welcomes-evangelidis-challenge

State urged to review fees to elite hospitals

Leaders of some large academic medical centers and community hospitals called for Governor Deval Patrick to examine how Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's Hospital, and a few other institutions are able to obtain higher prices from health insurers even though there is, especially for the most common procedures, often no demonstrated difference in the quality of the care delivered by those hospitals. (Jeffrey Krasner, Boston Globe)

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/20/state_urged_to_review_fees_to_elite_hospitals/

With the PolitickerMA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Massachusetts's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.