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Poll: Public Wants Congress To Keep Working On Health Care
A new CNN poll has mixed news for the health care bill, with a total of 59% saying that Congress should continue to work on it. However, only 26% said the current bills should be passed with only minor changes, with 33% saying major changes should be made. Only 24% said to start over on new bills, and only 15% said to pass no bill at all.

Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will sign at 11 a.m. ET the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009, extending unemployment benefits and other aid in the recession. He will depart the White House at 2:20 p.m. ET, and will visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center at 2:35 p.m. ET. He will arrive back at the White House at 4:15 p.m. ET. He will meet at 4:25 p.m. ET with Congressman-elect Bill Owens (D-NY), and will meet at 5:10 p.m. ET with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will spend the day in Wilmington, Delaware. In the morning, he will participate in a national security meeting via videoconference. In the afternoon, he will speak by phone with members of the House of Representatives, about health insurance reform. He will also receive briefings on the developments at Fort Hood.

Unemployment Rate Tops 10 Percent
The unemployment rate has reached 10.2%, according to the new Labor Department statistics, the first time it has reached double-digits since 1983. The economy lost 190,000 jobs in October, less than the 219,000 loss in September, but more than the 154,000 lost in August.

Will Cornyn’s ‘Big Tent’ Strategy Collapse?
CQ reports that NRSC chairman John Cornyn (R-TX) faces challenges from the right in his efforts to pursue a “big tent” strategy and recruit moderate candidates. “He’s trying to find candidates who can win. I’m trying to find people who can help me change the Senate,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC). “To think we can grow the party by picking people who are more liberal and don’t share our core values doesn’t make any sense.”

Poll: Economic Concerns On The Rise
The new CNN poll also finds an increased concern among Americans about the economy, with 47% of respondents saying the economy is the most important issue, up six points from August. Health care is second place with 17%, followed by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

DeMint Drops Holds Against Obama Nominees, After White House Shifts Course On Honduras
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) has released his holds on two White House nominees to deal with foreign policy in South America, following White House assurances that it would respect the upcoming elections in Honduras, which are being held in the shadow of the recent coup against leftist President Manuel Zelaya. “Thanks to the Obama administration’s welcome reversal, the new government sworn into office next January can expect the full support of the United States and I hope the entire international community,” said DeMint.

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