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take an active, wide-ranging role in ensuring every American has a "ladder of opportunity" into the middle class. In a spectacular fall from political prominence, former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., and his wife, Sandra, agreed to plead guilty to federal charges growing out of what prosecutors said was a scheme to use $750,000 in campaign funds for lavish personal expenses. (Jackson is serving a 2½-year prison term; because of the couple's young children, Jackson's wife will serve a yearlong sentence after her husband completes his.)
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• Today's Birthdays: Former Illinois Congressman John Anderson is 92. Former Defense and Energy Secretary James Schlesinger is 85. Actress Claire Bloom is 83. Author Susan Brownmiller is 79. Songwriter Brian Holland is 73. Rock musician Mick Avory (The Kinks) is 70. Jazz musician Henry Threadgill is 70. Actress-model Marisa Berenson is 67. Actress Jane Seymour is 63. Singer Melissa Manchester is 63. Actress Lynn Whitfield is 61. "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening (GREE'-ning) is 60. Model Janice Dickinson is 59. Actor Christopher McDonald is 59. Reggae singer Ali Campbell is 55. Actor Joseph R. Gannascoli is 55. Musician Mikey Craig (Culture Club) is 54. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green is 54. Country singer Michael Reynolds (Pinmonkey) is 50. Actor Michael Easton is 47. Rock musician Stevie Benton (Drowning Pool) is 43. Actress Renee O'Connor is 43. Actress Sarah Wynter is 41. Olympic gold medal swimmer Amy Van Dyken is 41. Actor-director Miranda July is 40. Rock singer Brandon Boyd (Incubus) is 38. Rock musician Ronnie Vannucci (The Killers) is 38. Actress Ashley Lyn Cafagna is 31. Blues-rock musician Gary Clark Jr. is 30. Actress Natalie Morales is 29. Actress Amber Riley (TV: "Glee") is 28.
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• Thought for Today: "We live by encouragement and die without it - slowly, sadly and angrily." - Celeste Holm, American actress (1917-2012).
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