NPR 2010-02-27

From NPR News in Washington, I’m Lakshmi Singh.

White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers is stepping down after coming under fire for her handling of a state dinner where uninvited guests managed to bypass security and gained access to President Obama and other high-profile figures. We have more details now from NPR’s Don Gonyea.

A close friend of First Lady Michelle Obama from their mutual 1 time in Chicago. Desiree Rogers has been an unusually high-profile social secretary, but it was for a social misstep that she attracted the most attention. Her job includes planning state dinners and she played that role in November when the Obama White House hosted its first such affair for the prime minister of India. But when news broke that a couple got in without an invite and even met with president and posed for pictures with the vice 3 president, Rogers came under intense scrutiny 4. She later acknowledged that her staff was not positioned at the right security checkpoints to help identify guests. She’ll leave the job next month. She told the Chicago Tribune that it’s a good time to pursue opportunities in the corporate 5 world. Don Gonyea, NPR News, Washington.

The public will hear this hour from New York Governor David Paterson who was reportedly planning to drop out of the gubernatorial race. Democratic Party's support for Paterson diminished after reports that he and the state police intervened in a domestic violence allegation against a senior aide. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was widely expected to challenge Paterson for the Democratic nomination 6.

People in more than a million homes and businesses across the northeastern US are trying to get through the latest winter storm without electricity. Many school systems are closed; hundreds of flights canceled. Phil Gregory with member station WBGO reports specifically on the icy mess in New Jersey 7.

Brick Township resident Bill Freyer works in the air conditioning and heating business and had to go to work in the storm. He says dealing 8 with more snow is no fun. “I’m tired of it. I can’t wait for springtime to get here. I’m tired of shoveling, tired of my driveway having a lot of ice in it. I just want it to go away.” Not everyone is upset with all the snow this winter. Independent snow plow 9 operator Cory Newton of Point Pleasant says it’s the best season he's had in at least 12 years. “You dream about this. You totally dream about this kind of weather when you go and buy your plow. You think yourself, yeah, this is what I want to do, and then, you know, you get it. I won’t say how much, but I’ll make some good money this year.” Many residents say the snow is just a nuisance and are ready to put away their shovels 10 and get ready for spring. For NPR News, I’m Phil Gregory in Ocean County, New Jersey.

The storm is also bringing the threat of floods to parts of New England. Communities in southern and mid-coastal Maine were expecting as much as seven inches of rain. In the New Hampshire town of Goffstown, residents may have to evacuate 11 because of the threat of floods.

Last check on Wall Street, Dow was up 21 points at 10,342.

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American International Group is posting a nearly nine-billion-dollar loss in the final months of 2009. The insurer says it may need more government aid. AIG has already received more than $180 billion in taxpayer 12 money. The company’s shares fell 14% in pre-market trading.

A Turkish court today charged 11 more military officers for involvement in an alleged 13 plot in 2003 to overthrow 14 the Islamic-rooted government. NPR’s Eric Westervelt has details from Istanbul.

Today’s court move increases the number of jailed officers to 31 including seven admirals and four generals. The additional cases come just hours after the court released from custody 15 the former heads of the Turkish Navy and Air Force and another top general without immediately charging them. It’s the biggest crackdown ever on Turkey’s military which once wielded 16 an extraordinary influence on politics and has overthrown 17 four governments since 1960. The military denies the 2003 coup 2 plot. Supporters call it a political attack on the armed forces which views itself as a guardian 18 of Turkey's secularism 20.The arrests have sharply heightened tensions between the secular 19 establishment here and the ruling Justice and Development Party which has roots in political Islam. Eric Westervelt, NPR News, Istanbul.

At least 16 people are dead from suicide bombings and gunfire in the Afghan capital. Dozens more people were injured in the Kabul strikes. Taliban is claiming responsibility. Afghan President Hamid Karzai says the attacks targeted Indians working in the capital. The strikes come two weeks into a major offensive that NATO and Afghan forces launch against the Taliban in Marjah, southern Afghanistan.

I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.