Topic: John McCain

Making Immigration Reform All About Rubio

Associated Press

The Gang of Eight that's working on passing an immigration reform law seems more like a gang of seven people who are managing one guy: Marco Rubio. The Florida senator and budding Republican star appears to be both critical to passing the bill and always within inches of blowing it up.

By Connor Simpson

Jun 9, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Feinstein 'Open' to Public NSA Hearings

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein revealed she's open to holding public hearing about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs during an appearance on ABC's This Week, while everyone else gave their initial opinions on the blockbuster scoops. 

Comments | 871 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

Jun 6, 2013

Chinese Hackers Spied on the 2008 Elections, Too

Chinese hackers backed by the People’s Republic of China accessed internal data from both the McCain and Obama campaigns in the lead-up to the 2008 elections, according to a report from NBC News. 

Comments | 2,167 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Jun 4, 2013

Jon Stewart Explains How John McCain Got Photobombed by Terrorists

The Daily Show returned from a week off last night, and Jon Stewart decided to tackle John McCain's trip to Syria, where the senator may have taken a picture with two men who may have kidnapped Shiite Muslims last year.

Comments | 4,095 Views

By Richard Lawson

Jun 3, 2013

The Smart Set

It's a Girl for Kim and Kanye

Today in celebrity news: The Kimye baby's sex is revealed, Sean Parker had his fabulous faerie wedding, and Channing Tatum is a dad. 

Comments | 4,949 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jun 2, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Issa Says IRS Scrutiny Was Directed By Washington

Everyone was talking about Attorney General Eric Holder and the IRS scandal on this week's Sunday talk shows. Issa made the biggest statement with a transcript that might show direction for Tea Party scrutiny came from Washington while also calling Jay Carney a "paid liar." Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer says immigration reform will pass the Senate on July 4!

Comments | 3,010 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 29, 2013

John McCain Knows Who the 'Good Guys' Are In Syria, Wants to Arm Them

John McCain is pretty sure we can identify the "good guys" in the Syrian conflict after his secret visit to the country this week.

Comments | 3,622 Views

By Abby Ohlheiser

May 27, 2013

Meghan McCain Found Out About Her Dad's Syria Trip on Twitter

Senator John McCain secretly crossed the border to meet with Syrian rebels on Monday.

Comments | 1,914 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 27, 2013

Syrian Rebels Told John McCain About Assad's Chemical Weapons Use

John McCain recently visited with Syrian rebel leaders inside the civil war torn country where he was told about alleged chemical weapons attacks from the Assad regime. These allegations seem to be supported by evidence presented in a lengthy and detailed report from the French magazine Le Monde accusing the Assad regime of using chemical weapons frequently in the fight around Damascus, the country's capital, over the last two months.

Comments | 5,273 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 22, 2013

John McCain Is the Latest Senior Senator to Have Had Enough of Junior Ted Cruz

For two days John McCain and Ted Cruz have been fighting on the Senate floor over the rules for negotiating a budget, but, like so many fights, it's also about so much more. Cruz is being annoying about the budget, but worse, he just doesn't get the Senate. 

Comments | 10,596 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 12, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Durbin: You're All Scared of Hillary 2016

Sen. Dick Durbin blamed Republicans fear of Hillary Clinton dominating the 2016 Presidential election on the obsession with turning Benghazi into a major scandal. He called the whole thing part of the "political show" in the election's build up. 

Comments | 1,637 Views

By Connor Simpson

May 5, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Dick Durbin Brings Boston into the Immigration Debate

Everyone talks about the upcoming immigration bill debate while Peter King thinks arming the Syrian rebels may not be the best idea for the U.S. 

Comments | 201 Views

By Philip Bump

May 3, 2013

Public Opinion May Finally Be an Enemy the NRA Actually Fears

There will be an aspect of the NRA's convention — which opens today with an all-star list of speakers — that feels like a victory celebration. But after steamrolling over an ineffectual Organizing For Action, the NRA may have met its toughest opponent: Public Policy Polling.

Comments | 3,975 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 30, 2013

Obama Is Maybe Kind of Thinking About Deciding to Arm the Syrian Rebels

The Obama administration is getting ready to send arms to Syrian rebels, The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung reports, by way of very convoluted descriptions from anonymous senior administration officials attempting to describe the Obama administration's thinking. Got that? Didn't think so. Here's a guide to where we're at — almost.

Comments | 591 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 30, 2013

Lindsey Graham Is a Terrible Expert on Everything

Of the Senator's latest expert suggestions — that the Boston bombings and Benghazi showed a national security weakness — President Obama said, "No, Mr. Graham is not right on this issue, although I'm sure it generated some headlines." Wrong. What it generated was cable news hits for Graham. And the No. 1 thing Lindsey Graham is an expert on... is getting on TV.

Comments | 3,548 Views

By Connor Simpson

Apr 28, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Joe Manchin Wants to Bring Gun Reform Back to the Senate

Sen. Joe Manchin wants to bring that ol' background check bill back to the Senate floor, he revealed on Fox News Sunday.

Comments | 981 Views

Senators Say Chemical Weapons in Syria Cross Obama's 'Red Line'

John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and Bob Corker told reporters they believe the presence of the chemical weapons signals that the Assad regime has crossed the so-called "red line" the administration laid out previously that should dictate increased action by the U.S.

Comments | 586 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 22, 2013

There's Nothing Wrong with Prosecuting Tsarnaev as the American He Already Is

When the U.S. served Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with federal charges and announced that it would be trying him in civilian court — not as an enemy combatant — it was a moment when rationality beat emotion. What the brothers Tsarnaev allegedly did was really awful. But the Constitution still covers people who committed really awful crimes.

Comments | 2,524 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 16, 2013

The Weird Math of the Immigration Bill

The Senate immigration bill has some weird math. While pundits and politicians of both parties are nearly unanimous in agreeing we need immigration reform, the bill seems crafted more to send a statement than to actually make the economy or human lives better.

Comments | 2,876 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Apr 14, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Marco Rubio Wants the World to Know He's the Face of Immigration Reform

After weeks of secrecy about his approval of a plan set to be introduced this week, Rubio appeared on basically every Sunday morning talk show known to man to back the plan.

Comments | 1,686 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 10, 2013

The Bipartisan Immigration Plan Is 20 Years of Torture

An analysis on the early details of the "gang of eight" proposal shows a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants that is an intentionally arduous bureaucratic labyrinth that will take two decades years to crawl through.

Comments | 736 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 9, 2013

Why is Immigration Reform So Hard If It Looks So Unanimous?

The Senate will release a bipartisan immigration reform bill by the end of the week — maybe. The "gang of eight" can't even agree on whether they'll come to an agreement in time. But you wouldn't know that, watching the kook-free coverage of the immigration debate.

Comments | 4,405 Views

GOP Filibuster of Gun Bill Begins to Fizzle

The planned GOP filibuster of gun-control legislation was losing steam on Tuesday, as more than half a dozen GOP lawmakers abandoned their conservative colleagues' effort to block consideration of the bill.

Comments | 713 Views

By Connor Simpson

Apr 7, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Graham Isn't Afraid of Hillary; Malloy Calls LaPierre a Clown

This week on the Sunday talk shows, Lindsay Graham isn't afraid of big, bad Hillary Clinton running for President; Dan Malloy thinks the face of the NRA is more a circus act than anything; and everyone else gabs about North Korea. 

Comments | 1,079 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 25, 2013

McCain May Hold the Key Vote on Universal Background Checks for Guns

As is usually the case in DC, we can predict the outcome of the Senate's vote on gun measures a few weeks before the vote happens. One of the only question marks — universal background checks — may also be resolved, thanks to a big name. Not Bloomberg. McCain.

Comments | 2,087 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 7, 2013

Drones Are More Important Than Benghazi to Lindsey Graham

Sen. Lindsey Graham cares more about Benghazi than John Brennan, but more about drones than Benghazi.

Comments | 172 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Mar 6, 2013

Don't Worry About Who Paid the Bill at Obama's Dinner with GOP Senators

President Obama descended upon the Jefferson Hotel, "a neutral gathering place," Wednesday night for a secretive dinner date with a group of GOP senators. Encouragingly, a food fight did not ensue.

Comments | 4,011 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 5, 2013

Will Jack Johnson Finally Get Pardoned for Racial Injustice?

Republican lawmakers have tried and failed for years to urge presidents to pardon the legendary boxer. Today it looks like some key Democrats might help nudge President Obama once again.

Comments | 172 Views

By Elspeth Reeve and Philip Bump

Mar 4, 2013

Look Who's Feuding Now: A Map of Conservative Fingerpointing

Republicans have been going through a civil war since they fared much worse than they expected in the 2012 elections. Actually, it's a lot of civil wars. So many that it's hard to keep them all straight. We've created a chart of GOP infighting to help you sort them out.

Comments | 14,838 Views

By Connor Simpson

Feb 24, 2013

The Sunday Grind

LaHood Cries Sequester; McCain's Benghazi Appetite In Insatiable

Ray LaHood plays sequester town criar; John McCain warns that John Brennan's confirmation could be held up until more Benghazi secrets are handed over. 

Comments | 862 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Feb 22, 2013

Senate Republicans Finally Get Their Hands on Benghazi Emails

Multiple outlets are reporting that the White House will provide to the Senate Intelligence Committee emails in which Obama officials discuss how to describe the attacks. Could the GOP's Benghazi fever finally be over?

Comments | 4,138 Views

By Connor Simpson

Feb 17, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Lindsey Graham and Hagel Make Nice (For Now)

Lindsey Graham and John McCain seem ready to move on from the whole Chuck Hagel debacle; Rand Paul and Paul Ryan talk about the potential of their respective 2016 runs; and there's some chatter over the President's leaked immigration plan.

Comments | 1,855 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Feb 14, 2013

Don't Call It a Filibuster: Why Hagel Stalled in the Senate

Republican senators filibustered Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel on Thursday (though they'd rather you didn't call it that) for one reason, but they're hoping the delay gives them enough time to find another reason to block his nomination.

Comments | 2,759 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 14, 2013

Hagel Cloture Vote Fails to Move Confirmation Forward

The cloture vote failed, 58-40-1, to move Hagel's confirmation forward and end the filibuster. A new vote will be set for after Senate recess, likely either on February 25 or 26.

Comments | 1,625 Views

Republicans Still Clamoring for Chuck Hagel Fight Over McCain's Objections

Growing unease about Chuck Hagel as Pentagon chief could lead Republicans to force the nomination to clear a 60-vote threshold on the Senate floor, lawmakers said Tuesday.

Comments | 786 Views

By Connor Simpson

Feb 10, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Graham Threatens Hagel Confirmation Over Benghazi

Rand Paul defended his Tea Party response to the President's State of the Union address from criticism that it shows division in the Republican party, and Lindsay Graham has a new problem with confirming the nominations of Chuck Hagel and John Brennan: he wants more info on Benghazi. 

Comments | 1,149 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Feb 7, 2013

John McCain Takes Out His Benghazi Anger on America's Top General

The two newest targets of John McCain's barbs over the attack on the Benghazi are the outgoing Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who McCain essentially called a liar.

Comments | 819 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Feb 4, 2013

John McCain Called 'Racist' for Referring to Ahmadinejad as Space 'Monkey'

Iran's president wants to be the first Iranian in space, which might be open to jokes considering his country's mostly debunked claim about sending a monkey into orbit. But actually referring to Ahmadinejad as a "monkey" is a terrible idea, which McCain found out today as he went on the defensive on Twitter.

Comments | 2,939 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Feb 1, 2013

If McCain Sinks Hagel, It Will Definitely Be Personal

Chuck Hagel's confirmation hearing to become the next Secretary of Defense did not go well, but if he fails to get the job, it won't be because of some deeply held foreign-policy principle. And the best evidence rests with one man: John McCain.

Comments | 5,390 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jan 31, 2013

The Reason Why McCain Got So Mad at His Ex-Friend Hagel

Sen. John McCain wanted one thing from his aggressive questioning of his former friend Chuck Hagel at his confirmation hearing Thursday: for Hagel to admit that McCain had been right about the Iraq surge. He did not get what he wanted.

Comments | 10,841 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jan 28, 2013

Red Tape Finds Bipartisan Support in Immigration Reform

A bipartisan group of senators is releasing a new immigration plan today, the core selling point of which is a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants that is a maze of apparently punitive bureaucratic red tape.

Comments | 461 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 27, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Ryan Doesn't Know About 2016; Feinstein Believes in Assault Ban

Paul Ryan mades his return to the Sunday talk shows on Meet the Press this morning; Dianne Feinstein spoke on the "uphill climb" her assault weapons ban bill faces; and Republicans and Democrats teased the upcoming immigration reform package.

Comments | 611 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

Jan 24, 2013

John McCain Isn't Giving Up on Benghazi That Easily

Susan Rice may be defeated, and Hillary Clinton may be leaving Foggy Bottom, but John McCain isn't giving up on the idea that someone, someday is going to answer is questions about Benghazi.

Comments | 1,446 Views

By Dashiell Bennett and J.K. Trotter

Jan 23, 2013

Re-Live Hillary Clinton's Long, Dramatic Benghazi Day on Capitol Hill

Here's our full breakdown of the Secretary of State's two-part testimony, featuring all the back-and-forth, important quotes now on the congressional record, video clips of the most heated moments, and some reactions from the chattering class.

Comments | 25,347 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 13, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Colin Powell Approves of Chuck Hagel

Colin Powell tells David Gregory why he thinks Hagel should be confirmed for Secretary of State, what he thinks of problems within the GOP, then gives a vague endorsement for gun reform. Elsewhere on the Sunday shows: Cory Booker dodges confirming a Senate run and more Hagel talk. 

Comments | 1,973 Views

By Connor Simpson

Jan 3, 2013

Senators Have Some 'Zero Dark' Questions for the CIA Director Now

The number of strongly-worded letters inspired by the scenes depicting torture in Zero Dark Thirty grows by the day. Today, a group of Senators directed their ire towards acting-CIA director Michael Morell about comments he made about torture in his own strongly worded letter. 

Comments | 3,534 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Dec 28, 2012

Russian Adoption Ban Already Affecting Hundreds of American Families

As Vladimir Putin signed the bill, heartbreaking mid-adoption stories began to emerge, from New York to Ohio to California, of would-be parents to many of the approximately 1,000 Russian children taken in by U.S. families each year.

Comments | 690 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Dec 20, 2012

Susan Rice's Tormentors Turn Gaze to Chuck Hagel

The trio of senators who led the months-long wave of criticism against U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice are suddenly focusing their attention on Obama's potential pick for Secretary of Defense.

Comments | 2,340 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Dec 19, 2012

'Zero Dark Thirty' Is Now Officially Wrong About Torture

We already knew that Zero Dark Thirty messed up a couple of details about the bin Laden raid, but now, some senators would like the filmmakers to know they're straight up "incorrect."

Comments | 5,461 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Dec 18, 2012

Hillary Springs to Action After Inquiry Scolds Her Over Benghazi Attack

Less than an hour after an accountability review lambasted the State Department for its response to the Benghazi consulate attack, Hillary Clinton started doling out security guards to missions around the world.

Comments | 4,427 Views

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