Politics

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Former President George H.W. Bush, who was the subject of a recent HBO documentary, remains hospitalized in Houston. Wife Barbara and other family members will spend Christmas with him there. (Associated Press)

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Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II is the all-but-certain GOP nominee for governor in the 2013 election. (Associated Press)

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Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling was maneuvered out of the Republican gubernatorial nomination, but he could split the GOP vote with an independent campaign, sinking the likely party nominee, Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, in the process. (Associated Press)

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Businessman and Clinton confidant Terry McAuliffe is unopposed for the Democratic nomination for governor of Virginia. (Associated Press)

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Lakhdar Brahimi (left), an envoy of the United Nations and Arab League, visits Monday with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus in an effort to find a way out of the civil war that activists say has killed more than 40,000 people. (Associated Press)

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Afghan police stand guard at Kabul police headquarters, where a U.S. civilian adviser was killed by an Afghan policewoman who shot him once in the chest. (Associated Press)

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President Obama gestures as he speaks about "fiscal cliff" negotiations on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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President Obama speaks at the Diplomatic Corps Holiday Reception at the State Department, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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Associated press photography From left, the late Democratic Sens. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii all served about a half-century in the Senate. Mr. Inouye’s death leaves Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, New Jersey Democrat, who turns 89 in January, as the oldest senator, though with nowhere near their length of service.

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The death of Democratic Sen. Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii — and those of Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts before him — leaves Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, New Jersey Democrat, who turns 89 in January, as the oldest senator, though with nowhere near their length of service. (Associated Press)

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** FILE ** In this Nov. 2, 2010 photo, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, Idaho Republican, gives his victory speech at the Republican Party election headquarters held at the Doubletree Riverside Hotel in Boise, Idaho. Authorities say Crapo has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012 in a Washington, D.C. suburb. (AP Photo/Matt Cilley, File)