Politics

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** FILE ** President Obama pauses while speaking in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 7, 2013. The president defended his government's secret surveillance, saying Congress repeatedly has authorized the collection of America's phone records and Internet use. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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President Obama pauses while speaking in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, June 7, 2013. Mr. Obama defended his administration's secret surveillance, saying Congress repeatedly has authorized the collection of Americans' phone and Internet records. (Associated Press)

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, and the Senate GOP leadership answer questions following a Republican strategy session on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 4, 2013. (Associated Press)

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** FILE ** Samantha Power, President Barack Obama's nominee to be the next U.N. Ambassador, listens to Obama speak in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 5, 2013, where he made the announcement. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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Acting IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel (right) talks with House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell E. Issa, California Republican, prior to testifying before the committee on Thursday. (Associated Press)

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Rep. Steve Cohen said if Russian authorities had known Tamerlan Tsarnaev had traveled to Dagestan last year they might have tried to kill him. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

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Matt Birk, the Baltimore Ravens' center who retired after the team's Super Bowl win, didn't join the team this week at the White House. He said it was because of President Obama's support for Planned Parenthood. "I am Catholic, I am active in the pro-life movement, and I just felt like I couldn't deal with that," he said. (Associated Press)