Obama will seek big emissions cuts

The United States would invest $150 billion and adopt strict pollution caps aimed at curbing carbon emissions by 80 percent under an energy and environment plan that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama outlined Monday.

“I’m confident that as we make these adjustments, technology will catch up, and over time you will actually see net benefits and savings for the economy as a whole and for U.S. consumers,” Obama said in an interview with the Des Moines Register after releasing the proposal in New Hampshire.

Obama acknowledged in New Hampshire that “there is no doubt” his plan “will be costly in the short term.” He vowed to provide assistance to poor families who may struggle with changes.

Obama unveiled the plan at the University of New Hampshire. Earlier this year, he outlined goals in Detroit that would require improved energy efficiency for vehicles made in the United States.

DES MOINES, Iowa

Romney leads in Iowa polls

Mitt Romney is still the Republican to beat in Iowa, maintaining a lead he’s held over other presidential candidates for months.

A poll released Sunday by the Des Moines Register shows the former Massachusetts governor with support from 29 percent of Iowa Republicans. Fred Thompson, the actor and former Tennessee senator, is in second place with 18 percent.

Although Rudy Giuliani leads in national polls, he hasn’t fared as well in Iowa and now is about even with Mike Huckabee in third place. The poll gave Huckabee 12 percent, up markedly since earlier in the summer. Giuliani had 11 percent and John McCain 7 percent.

The telephone poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.

Washington

Union won’t endorse candidate

None of the Democratic presidential primary contenders will get the endorsement they’ve been fervently seeking from the Service Employees International Union, an especially painful blow to John Edwards.

The union said Monday it won’t choose a national candidate for the primary elections, underscoring divisions that had been apparent among SEIU supporters of Edwards and the Democrats he trails in national polls: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

“Any one of these candidates would help create a new American dream for workers and their families,” SEIU Secretary Treasurer Anna Burger said.

Instead of making a national endorsement, the union will let its locals make decisions state by state.

Edwards had hoped a national SEIU endorsement would energize his campaign in the crucial early primary states.

From wire reports