Senator John F. Kerry said yesterday he’s doing his best to make sure a dispute between
The Massachusetts Democrat’s office released a letter from
Glenn Britt, chairman and CEO of Time Warner, said the company will agree to “whatever interim steps are necessary’’ - including binding arbitration - to make sure coverage is not interrupted when the current contract expires today.
In his Dec. 22 letter, Kerry warned that if Fox programming were removed from Time Warner cable systems, millions of viewers “could lose access to the Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Orange Bowl, as well as NFL playoff games.’’
“Fox and Time Warner need to strike a deal - millions of football fans are depending on it,’’ said Kerry, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee’s subcommittee on communication, technology, and the Internet. “Having screens go dark because two parties couldn’t come together in time is no solution. New Year’s Day and football are synonymous in households across the nation. Private industry negotiations cannot disrupt a fundamental American tradition.’’ -- GLOBE STAFF
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee said yesterday it is making 10,000 automated phone calls a day to Vermont voters urging them to call Sanders. The calls feature AJ Van Tassel-Sweet of Northfield, Vt., who says he “supported Senator Bernie Sanders in the past because I thought he would fight for us. But now the Senate is planning to pass a health care bill without the public health insurance option that most Americans support. Instead, it just mandates that people buy insurance from big insurance companies. That’s not reform; that’s a corporate giveaway.’’
The committee also said it is running online ads in Vermont and other states and has collected more than 40,000 signatures since last week on an online “we need a hero’’ petition to Sanders.
Sanders, an independent, was one of the 60 votes that Democrats needed to move through the Senate health care bill, which, unlike the House bill, does not include a public option.
But he still supports a full public option as a step toward a single-payer system that the political left wants. -- GLOBE STAFF
An advisory commission recommended yesterday that 2012’s earliest voting, such as the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary, not occur before Feb. 1. All but a handful of party primaries would take place after the second Tuesday in March under the recommendations by the Democratic Change Commission. Last year, the Iowa caucus was held on Jan. 3, and the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 8.
The recommendations will be reviewed by the Democratic National Committee. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
