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Watch the First Campaign Ad to Invoke the Newtown Shootings

Alex Roarty | May 17, 2013

Locked in a close Massachusetts Senate race, Ed Markey goes negative against Gabriel Gomez.

Connecticut Lawmakers Back 'Coltsville' Park at Firearms Site Near Newtown

Billy House | April 28, 2013

Members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation are supporting a plan to create a national park out of the historic Colt firearms manufacturing plant in Hartford, just 50 miles from the site of the Newtown shooting.

Round Two for Gun Control May Take a ‘Next Newtown’

Shane Goldmacher | April 24, 2013

A week after gun legislation suffered a stinging defeat in the Senate, an uncomfortable realization has settled over the Capitol that it will likely take another mass shooting or similar tragedy to reignite momentum for gun control.

House Opens Monday with Prayer for Newtown Families

Michael Catalini | December 17, 2012

The House of Representatives started its work today, as it usually does, with a prayer. Today, though, House Chaplain the Rev. Pat Conroy asked God to bless the families of the victims of the Newtown, Conn., shooting.

Newtown Shooting Provides Perspective Amid Fiscal Cliff

Nancy Cook and Catherine Hollander | December 17, 2012

Two days after the Newtown school massacre, Congress returned to Washington with a more subdued attitude toward partisan bickering and with a newfound focus on finding a compromise on the fiscal cliff.

After Newtown, 4 Ways the NRA Could Change

Matthew Cooper | December 17, 2012

When thinking about the Newtown massacre and the NRA, it's worth remembering a few things.

Obama Will Travel to Newtown, Conn., To Attend Vigil

Jim O'Sullivan | December 14, 2012

President Obama will travel to Newtown, Conn., Sunday to thank first responders and meet with families of the victims of Friday's school shooting.

For 9/11 Relatives, Newtown Brings Grim Sense of Deja Vu

Jill Lawrence | January 18, 2013

Three relatives of people killed on 9/11 describe their reactions to the Sandy Hook shootings.

Newtown Rampage Proves a Turning Point for Obama

Jill Lawrence | December 16, 2012

The latest slaughter of innocents and those who tried to protect them may not turn out to be a tipping point for the country. But President Obama has left no doubt that it was a tipping point for him.

Press Secretary Jay Carney Responds To Newtown, Conn., Shooting -- VIDEO

National Journal Staff | December 14, 2012

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney responds to a question concerning the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., during his White House press briefing. {{ BIZOBJ (video: 4195) }}...

VIDEO: Emotional Obama Cries During Statement on Newtown Shooting

Barrett Holmes Pitner | December 14, 2012

President Obama speaks on the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

Full Text of President Obama's Statement on Newtown School Shooting

National Journal Staff | December 14, 2012

The White House released a transcript of President Obama's statement on the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. Read the full text.

What Officials Are Saying About Gun Control After the Newtown Shooting

Elspeth Reeve, The Atlantic Wire | December 16, 2012

Here's a tally of public figures who've called for a change — or not— in the wake of the tragedy. We've included the parts that explicitly or implicitly address gun policy.

Don't Stigmatize Asperger's Syndrome in Wake of Newtown Massacre

Ron Fournier | December 16, 2012

My son cradled the iPad and scanned The New York Times article I had downloaded: "A Gunman, Recalled as Intelligent and Shy, Who Left Few Footprints in Life." It said child-killer Adam Lanza may have had Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.

President Obama: Mourner-in-Chief

George E. Condon Jr. | May 22, 2013

The president's most memorable speeches have come in the wake of tragedy.

Don't Hold Your Breath Waiting for Public Opinion to Turn Against Obama

Jill Lawrence | May 21, 2013

The president has a base of loyalists that won't quit and, at least for now, there's no evidence he was involved in any scandals.

The Most Bogus Argument Against New Gun Laws

Jill Lawrence | May 6, 2013

As Congress prepares for a possible round two on guns, it's time to retire a talking point that misses the point.

Senate Sets Wednesday Gun Vote

Shane Goldmacher | April 16, 2013

The Senate showdown on new gun-control legislation is officially set for Wednesday afternoon.

Don't Jump to Conclusions About Boston Marathon Explosions

Matthew Cooper | April 15, 2013

We don't know what happened. We don't know if they were bombs. We don't know if someone was angry at Boston in particular or at tax day or at anything else.

Democrats Search for Next Move After Major Gun Defeat

Shane Goldmacher | April 17, 2013

After the Senate dealt a blow to one of President Obama’s top second-term priorities, voting down a bipartisan measure to expand background checks on gun purchases, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pledged that, “This was just the beginning.”

Poll: Malloy Approval Ticks Up, But He's Still Vulnerable

Steven Shepard | March 12, 2013

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy scores his highest approval rating of his term in a new Quinnipiac University poll released on Tuesday, a significant improvement over the Democrat's job rating in the previous poll, conducted just last week. The poll comes as the state legislature debates new laws bac...

Who's More Conservative, Ted Cruz or Rand Paul?

Michael Catalini | May 7, 2013

They vote alike more often than not, but there are differences between the possible 2016 contenders.

News Conference With Conn., State Officials -- VIDEO

National Journal Staff | December 14, 2012

Connecticut state officials provide an update and information regarding the developments of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Explaining the Gender Gap On Gun Control

Elahe Izadi | April 12, 2013

Most women support strengthening gun laws, compared with fewer than half of men.

The Silver Lining in the Gun-Control Defeat

Fawn Johnson | April 18, 2013

Advocates believe that, even though background checks failed in the Senate debate, public sentiment will eventually vindicate them.

After the Gun-Control Defeat, How to Counter the Passion Gap

Jill Lawrence | April 18, 2013

There was certainly no lack of angst or passion among gun-control advocates in the wake of their devastating defeat in the Senate. The problem, as President Obama correctly diagnosed, will be to summon that level of intensity on Election Days of the future–and stoke some of it among the massive numbers of rank-and-file voters who agree with them.

The Gun Control Targets: States Where Laws Have Passed

Elahe Izadi | April 3, 2013

Even though Congress hasn't moved any legislation, the states are taking action.

Pray for Our President

Ron Fournier | April 19, 2013

Terrible moments like this past week tested Obama and his predecessor.

5 House Republicans to Watch in the Gun-Control Debate

Michael Catalini | April 12, 2013

To get legislation passed, President Obama needs to win over the conservative members in competitive districts.

Poll: What Impact Will the Boston Bombings Have on Immigration Reform?

Michael Catalini and Naureen Khan and Peter Bell | May 2, 2013

Neither party’s Insiders expect much of an effect.

Gun Legislation Rejected in the Senate

Fawn Johnson | April 17, 2013

The Senate on Wednesday rejected every single gun-related proposal put before it, even the bipartisan proposal to expand background checks to Internet and gun show sales.

House GOP Shrugs Off Senate Progress on Guns

Tim Alberta | April 11, 2013

In the four months since Newtown, conservative House Republicans have made a consistent case against passing any new gun-related laws.

In the Aftermath of Gun-Bill Loss in Senate, Liberals Put Incumbent Democrats on Notice

Alex Roarty | April 25, 2013

After last week’s failed gun-control vote in the Senate, in which a handful of moderate Democrats defected from their party, a coalition of progressive groups is warning those at-risk incumbents to start avoiding votes that make them look too conservative.

Obama's Army Outmaneuvered by the NRA

Beth Reinhard | April 9, 2013

If Obama can't get background checks through Congress after his campaign-style blitz this week, it doesn't bode well for the president's advocacy shop.

Brian Schweitzer, the Great Progressive Hope?

Elahe Izadi | April 24, 2013

Montana's former Democratic governor is liberal on health care, but more conservative on guns.

Democrats Need Working-Class Heroes to Keep Control of Senate

Josh Kraushaar | April 24, 2013

For Republicans, the Senate won't be won in the deep South. They'll need to pick off blue-collar Democratic states like Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan.

The Gun Debate Isn't Over Yet

Chris Frates | April 4, 2013

Even as Republicans threaten a filibuster, there’s fresh hope for compromise.

Gun-Control Advocates Began 2013 With Plenty of Momentum. Is It Fading?

Matt Vasilogambros | February 28, 2013

For weeks, lawmakers have been consumed by debates over massive spending cuts and nomination fights. This is the last thing that gun-control advocates needed.

The Way to Combat Terrorism

Ronald Brownstein | April 18, 2013

America can persevere by embracing diversity.

Obama Honors Victims, Heroes of Sandy Hook Shooting

National Journal Staff | December 16, 2012

Don't Give Up on Guns, Immigration, or a Debt Deal

Jill Lawrence | April 2, 2013

It's unfair to accuse Obama and Congress of foot-dragging, and too soon to assume failure.

Boston Suspects Demonstrate the Thin Line Between Amateurism and Terrorism

Michael Hirsh | April 19, 2013

U.S. Muslims fear a backlash. ‘It can’t get worse than this,’ says one community organizer.

Previewing the Sunday Shows

Sarah Mimms | December 15, 2012

The Sunday shows this week will be dedicated to the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut that left 28 dead, including 20 children. Many of the shows, which had originally planned to focus largely on U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice's decision to withdraw from consideration for secretary of state, as well as t...

In Boston as in Baghdad, Tragedy Cannot Be Ignored

Lara Jakes | April 18, 2013

Friends and colleagues ask why, and how, this was possible. Perhaps this is the way the world already is, and has been for some time.

Gun-Control Groups Take Pragmatic Approach, Focus on Background Checks

Matt Vasilogambros | March 7, 2013

Facing strong resistance to an assault-rifle ban, advocates say universal background checks now stand a greater chance of passage.

6 Tragedies That Sparked Legislation

Matt Vasilogambros | April 17, 2013

When tragedy strikes this country, Americans react with grief, anger, hope, and sometimes legislation.

Focus on Gun Control and Immigration Reform Diverted After Boston Bombings

Beth Reinhard | April 16, 2013

As the investigation into the perpetrators is underway, President Obama still working on his domestic agenda.

Experts Skeptical Homegrown Terrorists Were Behind Boston Bombings

Matt Vasilogambros | April 16, 2013

While officials are still investigating who was behind the deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon, President Obama made it clear on Tuesday that authorities are still unclear whether domestic or foreign actors are responsible for the attack.

Here's Who You Think Should Sit With the First Lady for Obama's Speech

Matt Vasilogambros | February 11, 2013

We asked National Journal readers who they thought would get the coveted invite to the State of the Union address this year. Here are their suggestions.

Democrats Hope Gun Task Force Can Attract Republicans

Fawn Johnson | December 19, 2012

More than two dozen House Democrats stood on a podium platform inside the Capitol Wednesday begging their colleagues and their constituents not to forget the tragedies in Newtown, Conn., Aurora, Colo., and Tucson, Ariz., when Congress convenes next year.

Political Figures' About-Face on Gun Control in Wake of Sandy Hook

Barrett Holmes Pitner | December 18, 2012

Politicians and political pundits have quickly revised their views on gun control in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.

News Roundup: Boehner Puts Debt Ceiling on the Table

Michael Catalini | December 17, 2012

House Speaker John Boehner offered to put off a possible fight over raising the debt limit for a year, The Washington Post reports.

Capitol Flags Flown At Half-Staff After School Shooting

Elahe Izadi | December 14, 2012

Flags at the U.S. Capitol will be flown at half staff to honor the victims of today's Connecticut shooting.

Gun Issue Propels Kelly to Frontrunner Status in Ill. House Primary

Christopher Peleo-Lazar | February 23, 2013

Former Democratic state Rep. Robin Kelly is an unlikely frontrunner in the special election in Illinois' Second Congressional District. Kelly's opponents a couple months ago included a former member of the House, Debbie Halvorson, Halvorson's former chief of staff and state Sen. Toi Hutchinson,...

Tough Gun Votes Could End Careers on Capitol Hill

Jill Lawrence | April 11, 2013

TARP, taxes, Obamacare, and guns have been blamed for scores of defeats in the last 20 years.

In Senate, Assault Weapons Are Complicated

Fawn Johnson | March 14, 2013

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s vote Thursday approving an assault-weapons ban was a sham—if you think the purpose was to ban assault weapons. If you think the committee’s vote offered an opportunity for lawmakers to parse and deliberate complicated and unresolved questions about the Constitution, guns, and violence, then it was a highly productive 90 minutes.

Michigan Republicans Say Rick Snyder Won’t Face Competitive Primary

Alex Brown | February 7, 2013

When Gov. Rick Snyder, R-Mich., announced his support of a federal Medicaid expansion Wednesday, it signified a move to the middle after a divisive 2012 fight over right-to-work legislation. Meanwhile, legislative Republicans showed they still have a healthy appetite for partisan battles, introducin...

Gun-Buyer Background Checks Both Effective and Politically Achievable

Fawn Johnson | January 10, 2013

Lawmakers are too focused on banning assault weapons. Improved access to information about potential gun owners could be more effective.

The Two Most Liberal Members of the Senate

February 20, 2013

Sens. Tom Udall and Richard Blumenthal rank as the most liberal senators, according to new National Journal rankings.

Explosions at the Boston Marathon

Adam Clark Estes and Alexander Abad-Santos and Matt Sullivan - The Atlantic Wire | April 15, 2013

What we know.

Hunters, Guns, and Money: Firearms Boom Sparks a Boon for Wildlife

Ben Schreckinger | March 20, 2013

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. And, it seems, what’s good for the gun industry is good for the goose. Through a federal excise tax on guns and ammunition, the booming industry is providing a nine-figure windfall to state conservation programs, according to a Congressional Research Service report issued this month.

Why Gay Marriage Is Getting Political Traction (And Why Gun Control Isn't)

Jill Lawrence | April 7, 2013

The generation gap that's driving same-sex marriage doesn't exist in the debate over guns.

Why the NRA Is Keeping a Low Profile

Michael Catalini | December 18, 2012

After the shootings in Aurora, Colo., this year, the National Rifle Association’s spokesman issued a statement telling the family and friends of the victims that they were in the organization’s thoughts and prayers.

Democrats' New Playbook Against Scott Brown: Gun Control

Elahe Izadi | January 22, 2013

Democratic operatives believe that the former Republican senator’s past support from pro-gun interests could be a significant vulnerability in a state where President Obama won 61 percent of the vote.

The Myth of the Bully Pulpit

George E. Condon Jr. | April 4, 2013

Presidents can talk all they want (and they do), but it won’t get results.

Gun-Control Success Is in Sight for the Brady Campaign

Jill Lawrence | February 7, 2013

The group has waited a long time for gun reform. Its moment is finally here. Brady Campaign President Dan Gross talks with National Journal.

Crist, Brown Change Stances on Assault Weapons Band

Julie Sobel | December 20, 2012

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, both eyeing upcoming races, have something else in common: Both men just flip-flopped on an assault weapons ban. The Massachusetts Republican, who said as recently as this summer -- after the shootings in Aurora, Colorado -- that...

There Will Be a Fiscal-Cliff Deal But No Gun Deal Anytime Soon

Major Garrett | December 18, 2012

There will be a fiscal-cliff deal.

Obama Plays Cat and Mouse With GOP on Gay Rights, Guns, Immigration, and Climate

Ron Fournier | March 1, 2013

The president is torturing his prey on issues that divide the GOP from the mainstream.

Has the NRA Finally Gone Too Far?

Ron Fournier | January 16, 2013

After skirting the lines of decency for years, gun lobby pulls President Obama's daughters into the debate.

Gun Control Petition Is Most Popular Ever Posted to White House

Joseph Marks, NextGov.com | December 17, 2012

A petition asking the White House to immediately press Congress for tighter restrictions on gun ownership became the most popular ever posted to the White House’s We the People website after less than 48 hours online on Sunday.

Protect Our Kids

Fawn Johnson | December 17, 2012

Last Friday, I was all set to put up a blog post about preparing toddlers for kindergarten, but the events at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., made kids sounding out words seem a little less relevant. (Stay tuned, pre-K conversation will be coming up in a future post.)

Gun Owners’ ‘List’ Slows Background-Check Bill in Senate

Fawn Johnson | March 12, 2013

If you expand background checks on gun purchases to private sales and Internet sales, what happens to “the list” of gun buyers? It could create a paper trail for every lawful gun owner in America.

What the Sandy Hook Families Can Learn From 9/11 Families

Jill Lawrence | January 17, 2013

Speed, urgency, and persistence: The keys to turning national tragedy into good public policy.

Bloomberg Rocks, NRA Rolled in Chicago

Ron Fournier | February 27, 2013

Results of Chicago Democratic primary carry significant national implications for the New York mayor and gun debate.

The Truth of Gun Politics: No One Has Good Answers

Gwen Ifill | December 21, 2012

I think it's fair to say we have all been crying for a week.

Poll: Even Democrats Say the NRA Is Beating the White House on the Gun Debate

Michael Catalini and Naureen Khan and Peter Bell | April 4, 2013

Insiders from both parties see Obama struggling on the issue.

Hutchinson Intends to Run for Arkansas Governor

Jordain Carney | January 4, 2013

Former GOP Rep. Asa Hutchinson intends to run in the 2014 Arkansas governor's election, he told the Arkansas News Bureau Friday. "My wife Susan and I are very excited about that opportunity to once again serve this great state," said Hutchinson. Hutchinson's name has been swirling around the race f...

White House Avoids Specifics on Gun-Control Questions

Jim O'Sullivan | December 17, 2012

A day after President Obama pledged to put his office’s full weight behind preventing incidents such as Friday’s schoolhouse massacre in Connecticut, the White House avoided committing to specific measures that could alleviate what it called the “scourge of gun violence.”

Will Martin O’Malley Be the Howard Dean of 2016?

Elahe Izadi | March 20, 2013

The Maryland governor's progressive legislative accomplishments would enable him to make a play from the left in 2016.

Who Will Get the Coveted Seats in Michelle Obama's Box at the State of the Union?

Matt Vasilogambros | February 7, 2013

National Journal is asking for your help in guessing which guests will be invited to sit in the first lady's box for President Obama's State of the Union speech.

Why Michael Bloomberg Won't Be Able to Reshape Congress

Alex Brown | February 27, 2013

Why Michael Bloomberg's ability to elect a gun control-supporting Democrat in Chicago is unlikely to translate for the 2014 midterms.

Nothing Big or Bold About Obama's State of the Union Address

Ron Fournier | February 12, 2013

For all his swagger and political capital, the president subtly acknowledged the limits of what he can accomplish--even while promising in his State of the Union address to create “a rising, thriving middle class.”

Meet Todd Jones, Obama's Nominee for A.T.F. Director

J.K. Trotter and Atlantic Wire | January 16, 2013

President Obama announced Wednesday that he will nominate B. Todd Jones as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. No nominee for the position has been confirmed in almost seven years. So who is Todd Jones?

NRA's First Statement Since Shooting Pledges 'Meaningful Contributions'

Cory Bennett | December 18, 2012

The National Rifle Association ended its four-day silence, saying it would offer "meaningful contributions" to the ongoing discussion about how to prevent another massacre.

Obama's New Frame: Gun Rights Vs. The Right to Life

Jill Lawrence | January 16, 2013

President Obama turned the gun rights argument away from the Second Amendment and toward other rights in our founding documents.

Previewing the Sunday Shows

Christopher Peleo-Lazar | February 22, 2013

With one week before budget sequestration takes effect, the nation's governors are converging on D.C. for the winter meetings of the National Governors Association, and several of them will be on the Sunday shows. Meet the Press will have Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Pat...

Gun Control: Cuomo's 2016 Presidential Play

Michael Catalini | January 10, 2013

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's newfound gun control activism is heightening speculation that he's already preparing for a presidential campaign in 2016.

State of the Union Stakes: Guns, Debt, and Climate Change Give Obama Shot at Immortality

Ron Fournier | January 9, 2013

The only thing Obama could do worse than failing on the big issues is failing to try on a big way.

Biden: Buy a Shotgun If You Want To Feel Safe

George E. Condon Jr. | January 24, 2013

Vice President Joe Biden took his fight against gun violence to a video “hangout” Thursday, but ended up recommending the best gun to buy for anyone hoping to protect themselves after a natural disaster. “If you want to keep people away during an earthquake,” he said, “buy some shotgun shells.”

Previewing the Sunday Shows

Christopher Peleo-Lazar | December 21, 2012

The Sunday shows will focus heavily on the fiscal cliff and on the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre heads to Meet the Press, and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Lindsey Graham, S.C., and Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, will be on the show analyzing the gun control debate. N...

America's Greatest Economic Weakness in 2012 Was Its Government

David Rohde for The Atlantic | December 31, 2012

Barack Obama said it himself in his first post-election press conference. Speaking at the White House on November 14, Obama said conversations with families, workers and small business owners along the campaign trail had left him convinced that average Americans deserved more from Washington.

Grading Obama: High Marks for Style but Low Ones on Civil Liberties

Ron Fournier | February 13, 2013

The president's "College Scorecard" inspires "Obama Scorecard" and so-so State of the Union scores.

Obama Wants Recommendations from Gun Task Force Next Month

Sophie Quinton | December 19, 2012

President Obama, in announcing a task force on gun control headed by Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday, urged Congress to move quickly next year on legislation to tighten restrictions in response to the horrific mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. He said he assigned Biden to lead the interagency effort “to come up with a set of concrete proposals, no later than January, which I intend to push without delay.”

Magazine Clips, Background Checks Lead Gun Talk

Fawn Johnson and Rebecca Kaplan and Jim O'Sullivan contributed | December 19, 2012

All of a sudden a dam broke, and now it’s OK for members of Congress to talk about guns. The discussion is pretty civil, and everyone hopes that means sanity will prevail when it comes to regulating firearms.

Opinion: Obama’s Electoral Coalition Is Now His Policy Coalition

Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais | January 24, 2013

As demonstrated in the exit polls and rehashed in countless articles since the election, Barack Obama’s decisive reelection victory was a triumph for a still-emerging, majority Democratic Obama coalition, which we said in a pair of preelection Next America articles would define a new civic ethos, or consensus on the role of government, for the nation.

As Sad as It Is, Don't Expect Today's Shooting to Change Minds on Gun Control

Brian Resnick | December 14, 2012

Public perception of guns and gun control doesn't change much after mass tragedies.

Using People as Props: Cantor Channels Clinton and Reagan

Ron Fournier | February 5, 2013

As Washington becomes increasingly staged-managed, 'real people' land roles in political scripts.

Opinion: Addressing Gun Violence and Its Effects on Our Communities of Color

Vanessa Cárdenas | January 18, 2013

While certainly an incident of the magnitude of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy is very unusual, violence in communities marked by poverty and the lack of resources are common and affect people of color in profound ways.

Poll Finds That Obama’s Base Overlaps With Gun-Control Coalition

Shane Goldmacher | January 14, 2013

As President Obama readies a new push for gun-control legislation, he will rely on the support of the same political coalition that thrust him into a second term last November: young people, minorities, and college-educated women.

How the Hill’s Biggest Gun-Control Advocates Have Been Scarred by Tragedy

Shane Goldmacher | January 10, 2013

Dianne Feinstein and Carolyn McCarthy are among the loudest voices in Congress for new measures to restrict bullets and firearms.

The ' Scrooge-tivity' On the Hill

Elahe Izadi | December 26, 2012

While it’s not clear exactly when lawmakers will return to Washington, one thing’s for sure: Working the week between Christmas and New Year's sure does mess with the qi of this place.

Tommy Guns, FDR, the NRA, and the Supreme Court: Gun Control's Origins, Future

Cory Bennett | December 21, 2012

On this week's episode, we explore the progression of federal gun control from bipartisan issue to verboten topic in Congress. Adam Winkler, a professor at UCLA School of Law, constitutional law expert, and the author of Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America, will join us to explain how President Franklin D. Roosevelt was more concerned than the NRA about violating the Second Amendment and how an NRA leadership coup in 1977 changed all of that.

NRA’s Social Media Strategy: Go Dark

Elahe Izadi | December 18, 2012

When a mass shooting occurs, the National Rifle Association’s communications shop typically goes dark, particularly its highly visible social media channels.

The First Political Battleground Over Gun Control Is Between Democrats

Naureen Khan | February 16, 2013

As President Obama made his pitch for gun-control legislation Friday in his hometown of Chicago, the death toll in the Windy City continued its ceaseless climb. Chicago had the ignominious distinction of surpassing 500 homicides in 2012, and is on pace to exceed that number in 2013, with at least 50 committed so far in the first two months of the year. On Friday night, four people were shot -- one fatally -- within a 90-minute period in the city.

Will 'Obamacare' Fill the Gaps in Our Mental Health System?

Erin Mershon | December 28, 2012

Tragedies like the recent school shooting in Newtown, Conn., initiate conversations about access to mental health services nearly as consistently as they do discussions of gun control. And though it is not known whether the shooter, Adam Lanza, was mentally ill, public officials jumped on the opportunity to promote better and increased access to behavioral care as one effort to address the massacre.

When Are Kids Political Props?

Matthew Cooper | January 16, 2013

That NRA ad. Kids for gun control. What's too much?

Full Text: President Obama and Joe Biden's Statements on Gun Violence Proposals

January 16, 2013

The White House released the following transcript of the statements President Obama and Vice President Biden made on the gun control proposals announced Wednesday.

What Are Obama's Gun Control Proposals? An Easy Guide

Matt Vasilogambros | January 16, 2013

The sweeping package that the president unveiled Wednesday includes proposals to ban assault weapons, limit high-capacity magazines, and improve mental-health care.

Live Blogging the State of the Union Address

Niraj Chokshi and Brian Fung | February 12, 2013

10:40.Florida Senator Marco Rubio takes a break from delivering the Republican response to take a drink of water… 10:38. Rubio said that the economy shrank during the last three months of 2012. And, according to the government’s first read, it did. But first reads are almost always revised, a...

From Guns to Immigration, Obama Circumventing GOP

Ron Fournier | January 15, 2013

New White House strategy reflects the President's inability to work with House Republicans

How Washington Ruined Governors

Ronald Brownstein and Stephanie Czekalinski | April 11, 2013

They used to care more about problem-solving than ideology. Now state capitals increasingly imitate the national parties.

Obama Now Has Freedom to Push on Gun Control

Fawn Johnson | December 17, 2012

President Obama offered his boldest statements to date on gun control on Sunday evening in Newtown, Conn. Always a supporter, never a doer on this particular topic, Obama has the freedom now to push a little bit harder on an issue that evenly divides the country.

Much Grief, but Little Action From Congress on Guns

Fawn Johnson | December 14, 2012

Thoughts and prayers. That’s what you get from members of Congress. They said it after the Aurora, Colo., shooting in July. They said it after the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida, the assassination attempt on former Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, and the massacre of 32 people at Virginia Tech in 2007.

Stopping Gun Violence Starts With Obama

Reid Wilson | December 14, 2012

This morning, children – young children – were killed in their elementary school by a gunman in quiet, suburban Connecticut. Three days ago, holiday shoppers were killed in a mall in suburban Portland. Two weeks ago, an NFL linebacker murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself at his team’s stadium. Each of these tragedies has spurred calls for a national conversation on America’s culture of guns and violence. A conversation only President Obama can make happen.

Why Improving Mental Health Would Do Little to End Gun Violence

Margot Sanger-Katz | January 24, 2013

Screening gun purchasers for mental illness may not do much to reduce violent crimes.

NRA Offers Free Advice on Arming Schools

Fawn Johnson | December 21, 2012

Any hope of the NRA negotiating with President Obama or members of Congress on gun legislation were dashed with the remarks of NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.

Has Obama Done Enough for Black Americans?

George E. Condon Jr. and Jim O’Sullivan | April 4, 2013

For many, this is still a land of unequal opportunity. A history-making president may not be enough.

There’s No Such Thing as Political Capital

Michael Hirsh | February 7, 2013

The idea of political capital—or mandates, or momentum—is so poorly defined that presidents and pundits often get it wrong. With Obama’s State of the Union upon us, it’s time to rethink the term.

Fiscal Cliff Talks Devolve Into Day of Dueling Press Conferences

Nancy Cook | December 19, 2012

In an effort to resurrect a fiscal cliff deal before Christmas, President Obama tried to paint Republicans as unreasonable protectors of the wealthy preoccupied with their own party orthodoxy rather than the wellbeing of the country.

Cliffs Notes on Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address

Michael Catalini | February 12, 2013

The first State of the Union address since President Obama's second inauguration focused overwhelmingly on domestic policy. He devoted roughly one paragraph each to Afghanistan, North Korea--which reportedly tested a nuclear weapon on Monday--and Iran. For comparison's sake, that's the roughly the same amount of time he spent on cybersecurity in the address.

Senate Candidates React To Obama's Gun Agenda

Hotline Staff | January 17, 2013

President Obama's proposals to curb gun violence are bound to play a contentious role in the slate of 2014 Senate races. Here is a look at how various Senate incumbents and potential challengers reacted to the White House's Wednesday announcement: Democratic Incumbents Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska:...

Is Obama Trying to Destroy the GOP?

Jill Lawrence | January 21, 2013

The president pokes at the GOP and asks citizens to put the pressure on. Is he trying to destroy the opposition party?

What Obama Wants and What Congress Will Give Him

Stacy Kaper and Rebecca Kaplan and Coral Davenport and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Amy Harder contributed | January 21, 2013

How the president's vision fits with what Congress is likely to do.

Why Liberals Should Thank Justice Scalia for Gun Control

Matthew Cooper | January 19, 2013

His ruling in a key Supreme Court case will let President Obama push his proposals

How Mini-Cliffs Could Ruin Obama's Second Term

Jim O'Sullivan | January 17, 2013

The GOP strategy to keep the focus on budget issues might thwart action on energy, immigration, and guns.

Obama's Gun-Control Package Polls Well, With One Big Caveat

Steven Shepard | January 17, 2013

Two different pollsters can get wildly different results because of how the questions are worded.

Cuomo, O’Malley: Ready for Prime Time?

Josh Kraushaar | January 16, 2013

By focusing on gun control as their issue du jour, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley look more like White House pretenders than contenders.

Full Text: President Obama's 2013 State of the Union Speech

National Journal Staff | February 12, 2013

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:

Obama's Lobby-Busting Second Term

Beth Reinhard | January 8, 2013

Emboldened by reelection and a fiscal-cliff deal, President Obama is picking fights with two of the most powerful special interests in Washington: the pro-gun and pro-Israel lobbies.

What Does It Even Mean to Be a Republican These Days?

Jill Lawrence | January 4, 2013

The GOP has been fretting about changing demographics, bad messaging, lagging technology, and an inferior ground game in the wake of Mitt Romney’s loss. But in reality, it’s time for a whole new level of soul-searching. What is the Republican Party if it does not embody never-surrender defiance on tax rates, illegal immigrants, gun rights, and traditional marriage?

The Evolution of the NRA's Defense of Guns

Cory Bennett | December 21, 2012

Since 1934, when the first major federal weapons regulation was enacted, the National Rifle Association has significantly shifted its rhetoric and tactics regarding federal gun control.

Even Experts Can't Spot the Next Violent Shooter

Sophie Quinton | December 18, 2012

President Obama has sworn to use “whatever power this office holds” to try to prevent massacres like the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary from ever happening again. The national discussion has focused on two policy prescriptions: tighter restrictions on firearm sales and improving mental-health services. But it’s unclear whether assigning more federal money and attention to mental-health programs would have prevented Lanza’s rampage -- or whether Lanza's actions were in any way connected with his mental health.

4 Problems Obama Will Face In Gun Control Push

Fawn Johnson | January 15, 2013

Washington is on edge over gun violence and possible new gun laws, which means there will be a lot of talk over the next few months about the business of selling and owning firearms, violent images in the media, the influence of the National Rifle Association, gun culture, hunting ducks--you name it.

Don't Wait for Washington

Matthew Dowd and M. Denise Dowd | December 17, 2012

“Of all the human heart endures, how small the part laws or kings cause or cure” --Samuel Johnson

The NRA Is No Match for the Parent Lobby

Andrew Cohen, The Atlantic | December 17, 2012

The National Rifle Association is a mighty thing. But it is still no match for the political power of parents in America.

Opinion: Beyond Race Relations in Thought-Provoking 'Django Unchained'

Sam Fulwood III | January 10, 2013

If it hadn’t have been for Spike Lee, I might have blissfully ignored Django Unchained, the much-talked-about Quentin Tarantino movie about a revenge-minded slave set in pre-Civil War America.

Gun-Control Converts Could Pave Way to New Laws

Fawn Johnson and Alex Roarty and Elahe Izadi contributed | January 2, 2013

Members of Congress are reexamining their opinions on gun laws and some traditionally anti-gun-control lawmakers — Democrats and Republicans alike — will be central to any effort to ban assault weapons and limit high-capacity ammunition.

Biden May Be the Most Influential Vice President Ever

Michael Hirsh | December 31, 2012

But in a sign of just how important a figure the vice president has become in Washington, Biden’s absence until now has been one reason that Republicans doubted Obama’s seriousness about cutting a deal, my colleague Chris Frates reported last week.

Republicans Aren't the Only Gun-Control Obstacle

Beth Reinhard | December 23, 2012

President Obama’s call for Congress to show the “courage” to consider new gun-control laws was aimed at Republicans, but the president’s most pressing political concern is with members of his own party who have a long-standing history of cowering from the gun debate.

What Obama is Going to Say on Meet The Press

Chris Frates | December 30, 2012

On a decisive day in the fiscal cliff talk, President Obama used his appearance on NBC's Meet the Press to remind Republicans that he'll use all the pulpits at his disposal to bully them into accepting a deal and, failing that, blame them for sending the nation over the cliff.

Full Text of President Barack Obama's Second Inaugural Address

January 21, 2013

President Obama's speech given on January 21, 2013, at the U.S. Capitol.

Connecticut, 5th House District

Courtney McBride | November 2, 2012

Democratic lawyer Elizabeth Esty kept the 5th District in her party’s hands by beating Republican Andrew Roraback for the seat vacated by Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy, who ran for the Senate. Echoing one of her friend Murphy’s oft-stated priorities, Esty pushed to reinvigorate manufacturing in the once factory-dominated district.

Expect Obama to Be More Aggressive in His Second Term

Ronald Brownstein | January 16, 2013

Obama's forceful moves on controversial fronts represent a calculated gamble that the evolution of the U.S. electorate has reached a critical tipping point.

Akin Tops Most Conservative Lawmaker List

February 20, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE AKIN TOPS MOST CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKER LIST. Topping National Journal's annual list of the most conservative representatives in the House is former Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., who is perhaps best remembered for h...

White House on Damage Control After Leak

February 19, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE WHITE HOUSE ON DAMAGE CONTROL AFTER LEAK. After the draft of a White House immigration proposal was leaked to USA Today late Saturday, the administration is working to calm down the bipartisan group of law...

Obama Paints Congress as the Obstacle

February 13, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE OBAMA PAINTS CONGRESS AS THE OBSTACLE. President Obama on Tuesday challenged Congress to find a way to dodge the sequester and seize the opportunity for more-enduring deficit reduction, using his fourth St...

Brennan’s Love-Hate Relationship With Drones

February 8, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE JOHN BRENNAN’S LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH DRONES. With President Obama’s CIA nominee, John Brennan, in the spotlight this week, Washington is engaged in a big debate over the ethics of covert drone wa...

Why Obama Is Giving Up on Right-Leaning Whites

Ronald Brownstein | January 31, 2013

For decades, Democrats shaped their policies around fears of losing right-leaning white voters to the GOP. But Obama’s winning coalition has altered that calculus.

With New Support Base, Obama Doesn't Need Right-Leaning Whites Anymore

Ronald Brownstein | February 1, 2013

For decades, Democrats shaped their policies around fears of the culturally conservative white voters to the GOP. But Obama’s winning coalition has altered that calculus.

Obama Won't Issue Ultimatums on Immigration

January 29, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE OBAMA WON’T ISSUE ULTIMATUMS ON IMMIGRATION. President Obama will make no ultimatums when he heads to Las Vegas to unveil his immigration proposal today, other than to insist that any legislation be comp...

Immigration Reform Ramping Up This Week

January 28, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM RAMPING UP THIS WEEK. Concerted immigration reform efforts begin this week, with President Obama unveiling a proposal and a bipartisan group of lawmakers agreeing on a set of principles...

Boehner Has Momentum on Debt Plan

January 23, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE BOEHNER HAS MOMENTUM ON DEBT PLAN. House Speaker John Boehner is gaining momentum ahead of Wednesday’s critical vote to raise the debt limit temporarily, National Journal’s Shane Goldmacher reports. No...

The GOP's Failed 'Plan O': Inside the Fiscal-Cliff Saga

John Aloysius Farrell and Chris Frates and Nancy Cook and Billy House | January 2, 2013

This is the story of Plan O – the congressional Republicans’ failed attempt to meet the challenge of Obama’s victory. It begins in September and ends in the fiasco of the Christmas season, when Speaker John Boehner was repudiated by his own troops and had to pull his last, desperate solution from the House floor, leaving Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to cut the best deal he could with dramatically diminished leverage.

Expected Guests at State Dinner for German Chancellor Merkel

National Journal Staff | June 7, 2011

Google's Marissa Mayer, ABC's Diane Sawyer and U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are among the expected guests at the State Dinner for German Chancellor Merkel.

A Season Of Discontent

Ronald Brownstein | January 15, 2010

In the latest Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor poll, respondents expressed little trust in any institution beyond their own family to help them navigate the financial rapids. They give dismal grades to government, major corporations, and financial institutions.

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