Topic: Barack Obama

The IRS Scandal Was First Revealed by an IRS Official Asking to Be Asked About It

Associated Press

The IRS official who revealed the IRS had inappropriately targeted conservative groups on Friday did so on purpose -- by asking a tax lawyer to ask her about it at American Bar Association tax section’s annual meeting.

By Elspeth Reeve

Jan 8, 2013

Chuck Hagel: A Highly Controversial Nominee Almost Certain to Be Confirmed

Chuck Hagel's battlefield experience from the Vietnam war should come in handy as he faces a pitched battle with Republican senators in his confirmation hearings to become the next Secretary of Defense. Just kidding, a Washington war is actually nothing like a real war.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 7, 2013

Even Stanley McChrystal Realizes How Much the World Hates Our Drones

Now that he's teaching at Yale and writing memoirs, Stanley McChrystal is getting brutally honest about the ethically questionable war he helped architect in Afghanistan and environs.

Comments | 4,812 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Jan 7, 2013

You Won't Believe How John Brennan Got His Start at the CIA

A 25-year veteran of the agency, the New Jersey native began his career at Langley in a manner you don't often hear about all that often: answering an ad in the newspaper.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jan 7, 2013

Obama Launches the Untouchable Hagel Defense

In a sign of his full-on awareness of the wave of criticism already trailing former Senator Chuck Hagel, President Obama nominated his next Secretary of Defense with a simple defense Monday afternoon: Hagel's top qualification? He's a Vietnam vet.

Comments | 4,182 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jan 7, 2013

The People Who Are Actually Saying They Oppose Chuck Hagel

There has been a lot of political coverage this morning about the gathering opposition to President Obama's nomination of Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense. But what there hasn't been a lot of is people saying on the record that they oppose his nomination.

Comments | 5,311 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 6, 2013

It's Official: Chuck Hagel Will Be Named Secretary of Defense

After John Kerry was appointed Secretary of State, the worst kept secret surrounding Obama's new cabinet has been Chuck Hagel's appointment to Secretary of Defense. It's coming now, for certain, on Monday. 

Comments | 2,172 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 6, 2013

Michael Bloomberg Has the President's Ear on Gun Reform

Behind the scenes, Vice President Joe Biden has been working diligently to come up with recommendations for gun reform by later this week, and in a move that will make many gun-control advocates happy, he's been listening to the New York mayor.

Comments | 1,207 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Jan 4, 2013

Get Ready for the Great Chuck Hagel Confirmation Fight of 2013

After weeks of speculation and before weeks of heated partisan bickering over his appointee's controversial record, President Obama will nominate former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense "as early as Monday."

Comments | 4,610 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Jan 2, 2013

Obama's Push for Immigration Reform Starts Now

Everybody knew that Obama was going to tackle immigration reform in his second term. We just didn't know how soon. Well, the word is out.

Comments | 12,070 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 1, 2013

Cliff Diving

While You Were Celebrating, the Senate Voted On a Cliff Deal!

While you were out enjoying your New Year's Eve, members of the Senate and some of our top lawmakers rang in the new year working on, and eventually passing, a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. 

Comments | 2,241 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 31, 2012

Cliff Diving

Just How Bad Was Obama's Fiscal Game?

Even as the United States found itself poised to go over the fiscal cliff on New Year's Eve, a deal was emerging — and liberals did not particularly like it. Here's why, exactly, they think he's got no game.

Comments | 10,346 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 31, 2012

Did Obama Just Make an Assassination Reference?

During a statement at the White House Monday, the president said the following: "I'm going to be president for the next four years. I hope." Did Obama let all those comparisons to Lincoln get to him?

Comments | 13,105 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Dec 31, 2012

2012's Most Admired People on Earth

Looks like no one will be questioning President Obama or Hillary Clinton's popularity again anytime soon.

Comments | 4,656 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Dec 30, 2012

Cliff Diving

Seriously: What's the Hold Up on a Fiscal Cliff Deal?

We've been batting around this fiscal cliff debate for months, and now with just hours left until the deadline, Senators say they remain "apart on some pretty big issues." What are they? And what will we learn on Monday morning?

Comments | 6,380 Views

By Connor Simpson

Dec 30, 2012

The Sunday Grind

The President Explains His Fiscal Cliff Frustrations

So, yeah, NBC's Meet the Press had the biggest guest on this weekend. Just a little ol' guy you may know as the President, who came on to talk about his frustrations with the fiscal cliff, and to quickly touch on Chuck Hagel, the looming gun reform fight, and Benghazi. 

Comments | 2,994 Views

By Connor Simpson

Dec 30, 2012

Obama Is Passive-Aggressively Trying to Get Illinois to Legalize Gay Marriage

Illinois is about to take up the gay marriage debate, and the President is using a pretty great strategy for trying to convince lawmakers to take up the cause: passive-aggression. 

Comments | 2,327 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Dec 26, 2012

Obama Talks About the Hug Tweeted 'Round the World

You've all seen the photo, which the Obama campaign tweeted on election night and quickly became the most-retweeted in Twitter history. Now Barbara Walters gets the president to induce a collective national moment of "aww."

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Dec 26, 2012

Cliff Diving

Obama Cancels Vacation to Resume the Fiscal Cliff Fight

After a nice long holiday weekend, President Obama and members of Congress suddenly remembered that they never took care of that fiscal cliff thing that happens in just six days.

Comments | 5,711 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 21, 2012

Cliff Diving

Obama to Congress: Drink Some Eggnog, Then Come Back and Solve Fiscal Cliff

After the markets had closed and elected Washington had headed home for the holidays, President Obama took to the White House podium early Friday evening and suggested Congress cool off over Christmas.

Comments | 14,133 Views

Senate Passes Defense Authorization Bill on to Obama

Many defense-watchers believe President Obama will sign the final version of the fiscal 2013 defense bill, despite the White House's earlier veto threat of the legislation over some of the more controversial provisions

Comments | 944 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 21, 2012

Cliff Diving

What Comes After Plan B?

House Republicans embarrassed "poor, orange man" John Boehner and rejected his backup plan, leaving the negotiations with a complex future. Here's how Obama and the Speaker might move next, if Boehner's even still the Speaker.

Comments | 1,901 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Dec 21, 2012

Obama Replies to Gun Control Petitions with YouTube Address

The "We the People" section of the administration web site has been flooded with 32 separate petitions since the Newtown shootings, and early Friday the president released a video response as another vehicle for pushing new legislation.

Comments | 2,586 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 19, 2012

Cliff Diving

Maybe Boehner's Plan B Stands for 'Backfire'

Instead of putting pressure on Obama and the White House, which immediately rejected and then announced its intention to veto the idea, Plan B has brought more attention to infighting among Republicans.

Comments | 1,207 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Dec 19, 2012

Cliff Diving

How Is the Fiscal Cliff Still a Bigger Deal in Washington Than Gun Violence?

President Obama's highly anticipated press conference — in which he offered his strongest remarks about new gun legislation since the Newtown shootings, and officially announced a commission to be led by Vice President Biden — wasn't very interesting to the White House press pool. They wanted to talk about the fiscal cliff. Here's an anatomy of the insiders' priority shift.

Comments | 1,944 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 19, 2012

Obama Announces First Steps on the American 'Epidemic of Gun Violence'

In a press conference at the White House, the president formally announced a commission led by Vice President Joe Biden to draft a set of "concrete proposals no later than January" — a strong pledge that acknowledged a countrywide debate over the past week.

Comments | 3,792 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 19, 2012

Cliff Diving

Obama Says He'll Veto Boehner's Plan B

If the White House won't buy the House Republicans' backup plan, does that mean it's time for fiscal cliff panic?

Comments | 690 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Dec 19, 2012

Trimming the Times

Disaster in Syria, Obama's Defining Moment on Guns, and Tamales

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 345 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 18, 2012

Obama Backs New Assault-Weapons Ban

White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Obama is "actively supportive" of Sen. Dianne Feinstein's bill to reinstate the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004. Will it be enough?

Comments | 6,552 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 18, 2012

Cliff Diving

White House Rejects Boehner's Plan B

Within hours of its being floated publicly, the White House has already rejected House Speaker John Boehner's backup plan on the fiscal-cliff negotiations.

Comments | 1,504 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 18, 2012

What Obama Can Do On Guns Right Now, Without Congress

Even as reports surface that he has asked his cabinet to look into an assault-weapons ban and that an old Justice Department report may be back on the table, the president could use executive orders to impose some gun restrictions — today.

Comments | 7,759 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Dec 17, 2012

Cliff Diving

Obama's Latest Attempt to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff Is Not His Final Offer

Leaked details of Obama's third attempt to compromise with Republicans on solutions for the fiscal cliff made headlines on Monday night, mainly the bit about increasing the earnings threshold to $400,000 for higher tax rates.

Comments | 2,635 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 17, 2012

Some Uncomfortable Numbers About Guns in America

As the gun debate reaches a fevered pitch, from Washington to Twitter to Newtown and back again, in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shootings, here is some much needed context.

Comments | 32,072 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Dec 17, 2012

Trimming the Times

Newtown's Nationwide Impact, the Rape and the Football Team, Nelson Mandela

A summary of the best reads found behind the paywall of The New York Times.

Comments | 2,272 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 14, 2012

What They're Saying About Gun Control After the Newtown Shooting

Here's a tally of public figures who've called for a change in the wake of the tragedy. Or not.

Comments | 16,017 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 14, 2012

Obama Says Targeting Stoners Not a 'Top Priority'

With more and more states legalizing marijuana, President Obama's administration hasn't said how it will reconcile federal laws against it, but in a new interview with ABC News's Barbara Walters, the president said he has "bigger fish to fry."

Comments | 1,540 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 13, 2012

Meet Chuck Hagel, Your 'Likely' New Secretary of Defense

Former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel is "likely" to be named the next Secretary of Defense by President Obama, Bloomberg is now reporting. Here's what to expect out of him.

Comments | 10,502 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 13, 2012

Cliff Diving

John Boehner's Chart Takes on America

Everyone seemed to ignored one thing that made Boehner's Thursday press conference new and special: a chart — from Paul Ryan, no less.

Comments | 3,835 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Dec 13, 2012

Inauguration Day Is Being Planned on This Gigantic Map of DC

We're still more than a month away from Barack Obama's second inauguration, but the planning is well underway — and apparently includes military personnel playing with this huge toy map of Washington, D.C.

Comments | 2,507 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Dec 12, 2012

Cliff Diving

Pretty Much Everyone Favors Tax Hikes for the Wealthy to Avoid the Fiscal Cliff

The latest poll numbers show that a record number of Americans favor raising taxes on the rich as a solution to our budget problems. With the fiscal cliff just weeks away, one question remains: Who cares?

Comments | 3,074 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 12, 2012

Cliff Diving

The Sliding Scale of Fiscal Cliff Panic

Why is the fiscal cliff so boring? It's not because it's about math. But whether or not you freak out over tax hikes depends on what you think about how many details Republicans have made public. A guide.

Comments | 812 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 10, 2012

Cliff Diving

Can This Man Really Replace Boehner?

SNL's image of a "poor orange man" who needs to be left alone may be funny, but it may not be true: Georgia Rep. Tom Price isn't quite coming for John Boehner's speakership, even if some of the House GOP is coming for his head.

Comments | 2,931 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 7, 2012

Look How Thin Obama Got

The White House has released a photo of President Obama accepting Mitt Romney's concession call on Election Night, which is cool for historical purposes, but the thing you can't help but notice is how skinny the president has gotten.

Comments | 9,327 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 6, 2012

Cliff Diving

Here's the Best Fiscal Cliff News So Far

Even though we don't know what's going on behind closed doors in the fiscal cliff negotiations — or on the phone lines (they talked!) — we can measure progress on the fight in a couple clear ways.

Comments | 4,103 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Dec 6, 2012

What Exactly Is Obama's 'Red Line' In Syria?

President Obama said that the use of chemical weapons would bring "consequences" to Syria, but with nerve gas bombs already being filled, would the United States act before Bashar al-Assad unleashes them? Can they act?

Comments | 1,984 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 5, 2012

Here's Your First Look at Barack Obama Using Twitter and How He Uses the Web

Let's evaluate the new evidence from a White House video for the president's keyboard prowess... with GIFs!

Comments | 2,573 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Dec 5, 2012

Cliff Diving

Obama Just Gave Boehner a Taste of His Own Fiscal Medicine on McConnell Idea

The president's latest attempt to portray congressional Republicans as unreasonable now boils down to something like this: What? What did I say? It was y'all's idea all along.

Comments | 10,195 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Dec 3, 2012

Cliff Diving

Obama Is Taking Himself and #My2K to Twitter This Afternoon

What a day for Twitter! First the Pope, then the Royal Baby, and now President Obama will come online to answer questions about the fiscal cliff.

Comments | 1,278 Views

By David Wagner

Dec 3, 2012

Today's Best

Five Best Monday Columns

Paul Krugman on the post-cliff trouble, Hendrik Hertzberg on the House, Amy Butte on the stock market's opacity, Doyle McManus on drones, and Nathan Brown on Morsi. 

Comments | 2,759 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Nov 30, 2012

Cliff Diving

What the Fiscal-Cliff Zingers Really Mean

For now, all the "negotiating" amounts to little more than House Republicans and President Obama giving press conferences full of catchy phrases. Here are some of the best from Friday's back-and-forth, and a look into the subtext therein.

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Nov 30, 2012

Evidence That the GOP Doesn't Love John Kerry as Much as They're Saying They Do

As Republican senators suddenly break out the effusive praise for Democratic Senator John Kerry as the right choice over Susan Rice for Secretary of State, well, there's a whole lot of flip-flopping on the not-so-fast track to Foggy Bottom.

Comments | 6,233 Views

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