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SUPPLEMENT INSIDE
SOCIAL JUSTICE,
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 Volume 126, No. 24 Price 75¢ President Obama, who insisted he would succeed where other presidents failed to fix the nation?s costly health-care system, conceded the effort may die in Congress.
GOP input sought on health care
President considers options to revive bill
Across America Health Commentary Op-Ed Business
INSIDE
3A 8-9A 10A 11A 1B Charles Babington WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama says it?s time for Republicans who have attacked his health-care proposals from the sidelines to step before the cameras and present their own ideas. In the first major move to revive his health-care agenda after his party?s loss of a filibuster-proof Senate majority, Obama on Sunday invited GOP and Democratic leaders to discuss possible compromises in a televised gathering later this month. It comes amid widespread complaints that Democrats? efforts so far have been too partisan and secretive. The Feb. 25 meeting?s prospects for success are far from clear. GOP leaders demanded Sunday that Democrats start from scratch, and White House aides said Obama had no plans to do so. ?If we are to reach a bipartisan consensus, the White House can start by shelving the current health spending bill,? said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Obama ? Page 4A Verna Cox is shown with U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, who has been instrumental in helping citizens struggling with health concerns. ?SUBMITTED PHOTO
Her cancer targeted
Ayana Jones Tribune Staff Writer Sports Entertainment Lifestyles Classifieds Obituaries ?AP PHOTO/CHARLES DHARAPAK, FILE
?I?M ON THIS MISSION?
Survivor leads fight
As a colon cancer survivor, Verna Cox is on a mission to help others. Cox, who is the outreach coordinator for the local chapter of the Colon Cancer Alliance, is working to encourage African Americans to be screened for the condition. ?Our platform is to bring awareness to screening,? said Cox, a 60-year old resident of West Philadelphia. ?Colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable. I?m on this mission because I believe that if I can help somebody as I travel on, then my living will not have been in vain.? Cancer ? Page 6A 4-5B 6-7B 8-9B 10B 12B BUSINESS
Getting Piece of the Pie
Summit aids small firms with city, federal projects. 1B ENTERTAINMENT
From Dee Dee to Billie Holiday
Bridgewater pays homage to jazz icon. 4B
INSIDE ENTERTAINMENT 6B
SADE POWERFUL
AS EVER ON
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More On The Way
Region braces for 2nd storm in a week
If Philadelphia declares another snow emergency on Tuesday night or Wednesday, parking along snow emergency routes will be prohibited until snow removal is complete. Vehicles parked on those routes will be towed to other locations. ?PHOTO BY ABDUL SULAYMAN / TRIBUNE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Poll: If race was today, Obama would top Palin
Eric Mayes Tribune Staff Writer If another presidential election were held tomorrow President Barack Obama would beat former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a poll released on Monday found. According to the results of a poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Obama would get about 44 percent of the vote compared to Palin?s 29 percent. The numbers might come as a surprise to Palin, the featured speaker at the weekend?s National Tea Party Convention, who predicted Obama could not win in an imaginary contest. ?I think if the election were today, I do not think Obama would be re-elected,? the former candidate told Fox News over the weekend. The results of the poll, which asked voters to choose between Obama, Palin and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, seemed to indicate that despite faltering support for Obama, Palin has even less support among voters. In a breakdown by party affiliation, the poll suggested that Palin would get 57 percent of the Republican vote but just 8 percent of Democratic support and 27 percent of independents. That compared to 84 percent support for Obama among Democrats, 11 percent among Republicans and 31 percent among independents. Ayana Jones Tribune Staff Writer On the heels of the major blizzard this past weekend, a new snowstorm is brewing for Philadelphia. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch from Tuesday through Wednesday evening for most of the Delaware Valley. AccuWeather meteorologist Heather Buchman said they are predicting a snowfall of 12 to 18 inches. ?It does look like the heaviest and the worst of the storm is going to be shifted a little bit farther North than the last one, but we do include Philadelphia in an area where we think it will be the worst,? she said. Buchman said that snowfall is expected to begin late Tuesday afternoon and continue into Wednesday. Due to the impending storm, some events have been postponed. The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce is postponing the 27th annual mayoral luncheon scheduled Feb. 16 at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Philadelphia residents are still digging out from the weekend?s major storm that accounted for more than 28 inches of snow. The snow led Though the poll was based on a hypothetical election, Palin seemed to indi-
Nutter plan to expand diversity in contracts
Eric Mayes Tribune Staff Writer Taking a first step toward ?creating an economy of inclusion,? Mayor Michael Nutter on Monday unveiled his administration?s long anticipated Economic Opportunity Strategic Plan. ?Issues of inclusion are now first and foremost a critical part of our economic decision-making process at all levels,? he told a group of city officials and busi-
ANOTHER SNOWSTORM IN FORECAST
Former Alaska governor takes jabs at the president
Economic strategy widens opportunities
ness owners who packed the mayor?s reception room for the announcement. ?Poverty and unemployment disproportionately impact minorities in Philadelphia. That?s a fact. Therefore, growing more and larger minority-, women- and disabled-owned businesses, which generate jobs in neighborhoods, is absolutely critical to our future.? The plan included new goals for disadvantaged business participation in President Barack Obama would beat former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin if an election were held today, according to a poll released on Monday. ? AP PHOTO/PAT SULLIVAN Michael Nutter city contracts and a radical restructuring of the Office of Economic Opportunity giving it greater oversight over the contracting process and eliminating its role in certifying disadvantaged businesses. By July 2011, the mayor said, he would like to see 25 percent of the city?s spending on contracts going to disadvantaged businesses. That rep- Snow ? Page 6A Palin ? Page 6A resented a 7.5 percent increase over 2009. Included in that goal was a 15 percent participation goal for minorityowned businesses ? which broke down to a range that hit highs of 14 percent participation for African Americans, 6 percent for Hispanics, 4 percent for Asians and 1 percent for American Indians ? 9 percent for women-owned businesses and 1 percent for disabledowned businesses. Those figures in 2009 were 11.05 percent for minorityowned businesses, 6.44 percent for OEO ? Page 5A The Philadelphia Tribune, a reflection of you. The Philadelphia Tribune
