In this April 29, 2009 file photo, Veteran GOP Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania discusses his conversion to the Democratic Party at the White House with President Barack Obama, left, in Washington. The Federal Election Commission said Thursday a conservative political group can use Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter's campaign donor list to inform givers of the senator's promise to return money to those upset by his switch. AP Photo logo AP Photo 3 months ago

In this April 29, 2009 file photo, Veteran GOP Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania discusses his conversion to the Democratic Party at the White House with President Barack Obama, left, in Washington. The Federal Election Commission said Thursday a conservative political group can use Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter's campaign donor list to inform givers of the senator's promise to return money to those upset by his switch.

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  1. Indonesian activists wear masks featuring US President Barrack Obama (L), Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2nd L), President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso(2nd R) and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during a protest against biodiversity offset programs, in Jakarta on November 18, 2009. Scores of environment activists held a protest against the program of biodiversity offset as they believed that biodiversity offsets are conservation activities intended to compensate for the residual, unavoidable harm to biodiversity caused by development projects, and is not the real solution and will ruin ecological dignity of developing countries.
  2. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: In this photo illustration, a copy of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' sits on end on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  3. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) open boxes of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' as other books sit on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  4. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Matt Cross (R) puts copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  5. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  6. OREM, UT - NOVEMBER 16: Gary Haynes (R) and Matt Cross (L) put copies of Sarah Palin's book 'Going Rogue' on a display in the back room of a Costco November 16, 2009 in Orem, Utah. The Orem Costco received between 800-900 copies of the book which will go on sale tomorrow.
  7. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  8. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has a microphone attached to his tie before addressing a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  9. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  10. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  11. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  12. WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 21: Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney addresses a forum of the Foreign Policy Initiative at the W Hotel September 21, 2009 in Washington, DC. Romney said the Obama Administration's foreign policy has alienated allies like Poland and encouraged autocrats like Vladamir Putin in Russia.
  13. U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L) greets U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ)(2nd L), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)(2nd R) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after a meeting between Congressional leadership and President Barack Obama on Afghanistan and Pakistan at the White House in Washington, October 6, 2009.
  14. L-R: House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-OH, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member John McCain walk on a path on the North Lawn of the White House following a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with US President Barack Obama October 6, 2009 in Washington, DC.
  15. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, speaks to reporters as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, looks on in front of the West Wing after a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with US President Barack Obama October 6, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. Obama Tuesday sat down with senior lawmakers driving a raging debate on US Afghan strategy, as he works towards a decision on whether to send thousands more troops to war. Democratic and Republican leaders plus top members of key congressional committees met the president at the White House touting sharply conflicting visions of the next steps in the unpopular eight-year US military operation. Obama is methodically working through an internal policy review after US commander General Stanley McChrystal warned the war could be lost within a year without more troops, and reportedly asked for 40,000 more men.
  16. House Minority Leader John Boehner (C), R-OH, chats with Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member John McCain (L), R-AZ, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, near the West Wing after a meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with US President Barack Obama October 6, 2009 at the White House in Washington, DC. Obama Tuesday sat down with senior lawmakers driving a raging debate on US Afghan strategy, as he works towards a decision on whether to send thousands more troops to war. Democratic and Republican leaders plus top members of key congressional committees met the president at the White House touting sharply conflicting visions of the next steps in the unpopular eight-year US military operation. Obama is methodically working through an internal policy review after US commander General Stanley McChrystal warned the war could be lost within a year without more troops, and reportedly asked for 40,000 more men.

Recent Photos From The Wire

  1. Italy's second placed Wilfried Huber, winner Armin Zoeggeler from Italy andRussia's third placed Victor Kneib, from left, celebrates on the podium after their race at the Men's luge World Cup race in Innsbruck Igls, Austria, on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009.
  2. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, right, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso shake hands before their meeting Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009 in Nanjing, China. China should allow its currency to strengthen against the euro and other major currencies, for its own sake as well as that of the global economy, top finance officials of the single-currency euro zone said Sunday.
  3. Former guerrilla fighter and presidential candidate Jose Mujica casts his vote in a polling station in Montevideo November 29, 2009. Mujica, who was jailed for 14 years, is poised on Sunday to become Uruguay's next president in a runoff vote seen as a referendum on the economic success of the country's ruling leftist coalition.
  4. Chinese premier Wen Jiabao (R) and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso speak during a meeting ahead of the China-EU summit, in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, November 29, 2009.
  5. A picture has been recovered along with other possessions of passengers by the bank of river Tetulia, near Lalmohon town of Bhola district November 29, 2009. The death toll from an overcrowded ferry that sank in Bangladesh two days ago rose to 49, officials said on Sunday, with rescuers saying many more victims were still trapped trapped inside the vessel.
  6. Relatives of passengers from the crashed Nevsky express train smoke as they arrive to take part in corpse identification at a local hospital in Tver, 167 km (104 miles) northwest of Moscow, November 29, 2009. A bomb caused a Russian train crash that killed dozens of people and injured 100 more, officials said on Saturday, stoking fears of an upsurge in attacks in Russia's heartland.
  7. Italy's Armin Zoeggeler celebrates his victory after his race at the Men's luge World Cup race in Innsbruck Igls, Austria, on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009.
  8. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 29: Josh McCloughan of the Roar gets above Paul Ifill of the Phoenix during the round 16 A-League match between the Queensland Roar and the Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp Stadium on November 29, 2009 in Brisbane, Australia.
  9. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 29: Craig Moore of the Roar gets above Chris Greenacre of the Phoenix during the round 16 A-League match between the Queensland Roar and the Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp Stadium on November 29, 2009 in Brisbane, Australia.
  10. SHENZHEN, CHINA - NOVEMBER 29: Edoardo Molinari of Italy in action during the Foursome's on the second day of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on the Olazabal course on November 29, 2009 in Shenzhen, China.
  11. SHENZHEN, CHINA - NOVEMBER 29: Francesco Molinari and Edoardo Molinari of Italy look on during the Foursome's on the second day of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on the Olazabal course on November 29, 2009 in Shenzhen, China.
  12. SHENZHEN, CHINA - NOVEMBER 29: Graeme McDowell of Ireland in action during the Foursome's on the second day of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on the Olazabal course on November 29, 2009 in Shenzhen, China.
  13. SHENZHEN, CHINA - NOVEMBER 29: Francesco Molinari and Edoardo Molinari of Italy celebrate during the Foursome's on the second day of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on the Olazabal course on November 29, 2009 in Shenzhen, China.
  14. Italy's Armin Zoeggeler celebrates his victory after hs race at the Men's luge World Cup race in Innsbruck Igls, Austria, on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009.
  15. One of 64 Santa Clauses from toy store Kiddy Land's Santa Claus Academy tries to attract the attention of a boy during a march on a Tokyo street, Japan, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009.
  16. Costa Rica's President Oscar Arias is seen during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009. Arias is on an official visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories.