NJ Topics President

capitol

The Cabal That Quietly Took Over the House

For 40 years, the Republican Study Committee has prized ideological purity over partisan loyalty. That mindset now dominates the GOP. 
Obama

Obama Distances Himself From Bush Foreign Policy Legacy

Even though he followed many of his predecessor's counterterrorism policies, Obama wants to move on.
Guantanamo detention facility at dawn

Obama’s 20 Steps to Counterterrorism

Unpacking the president's hour-long (with heckling) speech on drones, Gitmo, and everything in between. 
IRS

State of Play: Where the IRS Case Stands After 3 Hearings

Three IRS hearings are in the books. Two senior IRS officials are on their way out. And one key witness has invoked the Fifth Amendment. Here are the story lines to follow next.
Iraq

Can Obama End the 'Forever War'?

Ahead of Thursday's speech, the president is trying to narrow the use of drones.
Reagan and Clinton

Wait About Two Months, Then Check the President's Approval Rating

President Obama's approval rating in several recently released polls suggests that the three controversies his administration is navigating have not begun to sting him.
J. Russell George

Meet the Man Who Set Off the IRS Firestorm

All the attention this scandal has brought is new for him, but this inspector general has operated in the halls of power his entire career. He worked for Bob Dole and in President George H.W. Bush’s White House, and in between, he attended Harvard Law School alongside a young Michelle—soon-to-be Obama—Robinson.
Obama School

President Obama: Mourner-in-Chief

The president's most memorable speeches have come in the wake of tragedy.
Obama talks about Oklahoma tornado

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

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.
President Barack Obama chats with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during the start of a dinner at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 28, 2010.

Which Is More Corrupt: Afghanistan or America?

Karzai cash payments highlight a growing friction as Afghans blame NATO for their poor reputation.
Devastation in Moore, Okla.

After the Oklahoma Tornado, Obama Needs to Make FEMA Work

In the wake of the tornado that cut through Moore, Okla., on Monday, it's worth remembering, for a moment, how wrong things went after Hurricane Andrew. 
Denis McDonough

Top White House Aides Informed of IRS Troubles, but Didn't Tell Obama

Top White House aides, including chief of staff Denis McDonough, were informed of the forthcoming report on the IRS' targeting of tea party group but decided not to inform President Obama in advance, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday.
Obama Sein

Human-Rights Groups Criticize Obama's Meeting With Myanmar Leader

After months of praising Myanmar for its political reforms, President Obama welcomed the country's president to the White House for the first time in nearly 50 years. But human-rights groups are not happy about the invitation.
Tense Obama

5 Ways Obama Can Restore the Public's Trust and Rescue His Presidency

Painful choices include a special prosecutor on the IRS and an apology for The Associated Press.    
Gabriel Gomez

Obama's Troubles Could Put Massachusetts Senate Seat In Play -- Again

In 2010, Republicans won a special election during a low point of Obama's presidency. Will it happen again?
Don't Tread on Me Flag

Tea Party Victims Detail Intimidation, Claim Vindication

The tax collector's actions confirm the worst fears of conservatives.

Inside the Cover: Why You Won’t Own Your Road

In this week's National Journal cover story, a look at how private companies are stepping in to fill the gaps in public projects, like highways, ports — even space-flight facilities.  
Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, I-64

Why You Won’t Own Your Road

Cash-strapped states such as Virginia are turning to the private sector to help finance large infrastructure projects.
Watergate Committee hearings

Watergate: When Congress Worked

The back-stabbing, press-leaking, hyper-partisan members of the committee investigating Nixon, which began hearings 40 years ago, still made history. Here’s how. 
Barack Obama

How the Scandals Turned Obama Into a Dour Scold

The Benghazi and IRS affairs have robbed the president of his trademark optimism. 
IRS building

Congressional Republicans Are Milking the Scandals for Everything

GOP members in both chambers finally feel like they have something to hang around the president’s neck. 
Kevin MaCarthy

The GOP Energy Tent Is Slowly Getting Bigger

House members like Rep. Kevin McCarthy are still avid fossil-fuel proponents, but they’ve begun to advocate for renewables, too. 

Poll: How Damaging Is the IRS Controversy to Obama?

Most Republicans and half of Democrats say the issue will haunt the president.
Moniz_confirmation

Senate Confirms Energy Secretary, Stalls on EPA and Labor Nominees

The Senate unanimously confirmed Obama’s choice for Energy but nominees for EPA administrator and Labor secretary are still on hold.
John Hamre

Former U.S. National Security Leaders Object to ‘More Restrictive’ Nuclear Trade Policies

A half-dozen former U.S. national security leaders last month implored President Obama to avoid tightening restrictions on foreign nuclear cooperation in the interest of nonproliferation.
nixon ob

Play of the Day: Is Obama Nixonian?

On the anniversary of the Watergate hearings, late-night comedy examines the triumvirate of White House scandals.  
Obama and the umbrella

Here's Friday's Front-Page Photo of Obama

President asks Marines to hold umbrella over him and Turkish prime minister as they address the press.
obama targeted

How the White House Scandals Could Hurt Republicans, Too

By enraging the base and strengthening the faction least willing to compromise with Obama, the IRS and Benghazi affairs could hurt a GOP shot at the presidency.
Eric Cantor

Eric Cantor’s Caucus Thwarts His Push for an Alternative Agenda

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has learned, to his chagrin, that solving problems, much less finding compromises, is not on the agenda of a majority of his House Republican colleagues.
Obama Holder

Scandals Tailor-Made For GOP Base

George W. Bush lost control of Congress when voters lost trust of his ability to manage government. Obama faces the same threat in 2014.
Obama announcement on IRS

You Want Angry? I'll Show You Angry, Obama Says on IRS Scandal

Facing criticism from Republicans, the president reasserts his authority by pushing out the IRS's acting commissioner.
U.S. Consulate in Benghazi

Under Pressure, the White House Releases More Than 100 Pages of Benghazi E-Mails

The White House, in an effort to calm the swirl of controversy about the reaction to last year’s attacks on U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, late Wednesday released more than 100 pages of e-mails leading to the development of talking points that attempted to explain the violence that left four Americans dead. The e-mails had earlier been shown to members of Congress but the White House had resisted releasing them, citing the precedent of protecting internal discussions within an administration.
Cantor

Eric Cantor’s Caucus Thwarts His Push for an Alternative Agenda

Readers of It’s Even Worse Than It Looks know that I have not always treated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor kindly. I have excoriated him for engineering the debt-ceiling crisis in 2011 as a hostage-taking exercise, and then blowing up the talks between President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner that could have led to a grand bargain. Cantor himself recently took credit for the latter in a profile written by Ryan Lizza in The New Yorker. He told Lizza “that it was a ‘fair assessment’ that he talked Boehner out of accepting Obama’s deal. He said he told Boehner that it would be better, instead, to take the issues of taxes and spending to the voters and ‘have it out’ with the Democrats in the election. Why give Obama an enormous political victory, and potentially help him win reelection, when they might be able to negotiate a more favorable deal with a new Republican president? Boehner told Obama there was no deal. Instead of a grand bargain, Cantor and the House Republicans made a grand bet.”

Bush-Era EPA Chief Calls Republicans ‘Sore Losers’

Republicans’ decision to boycott a planned committee vote of President Obama’s nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency makes them look like “sore losers,” says Christine Todd Whitman, EPA administrator under President George W. Bush.
Obama and Clinton

Hillary Clinton Has the Most to Lose From Obama's Scandals

It's not just Benghazi. By tying herself closely to Obama, she'll have trouble distancing herself if scandal worsens.
pelosi-carney

Democrats See the IRS Scandal as the Most Toxic

In triage mode, Congressional Democrats want to treat (and separate themselves from) the trio of this week's scandals one-by-one.
tea party protest

As Washington Is Scandalized, The Tea Party Salivates

The swirl of Washington scandal offers the movement a kind of “I-told-you-so” bragging rights.
Democrats in Triage Mode

Democrats in Triage Mode on White House Scandals

Congressional Democrats – knowing the fate of a progressive agenda and their own priorities lie with the continued political strength of the White House – hope to treat the emerging scandals independently. 
Russia

What Moscow's Arrest Says About U.S.-Russia Relationship

As the U.S. and Russia go through the motions of expelling each other’s “diplomats” in the coming days, it’s likely they will only be pawns in a much bigger game.
goodbye

Does Obama Need Staff Shakeup to Manage Scandals?

Experienced crises managers would 'stop spinning' and restore trust.
Stephane Herseth Sandlin

Obama's Struggles Hampering Democratic Recruitment

It's tough to persuade Democrats to run in a challenging political environment.
obama cameron

Obama's Outrage Focused on Republicans More Than IRS

At press briefing with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Obama slams Benghazi investigation as partisan.
afghan

NATO’s Plan for Afghanistan Post-2014: A ‘Stable Instability’

U.S., allies are talking about commitments through 2018 and beyond, says top commander.
Obama Speaks about Economy

Blacks and Hispanics More Optimistic About Economy Than Whites

Despite significant wealth and income gaps, and higher than average unemployment rates, Hispanics and African-Americans are more optimistic about their economic prospects and the direction of the country than whites, recent polls show.
Jay Carney on IRS and Benghazi

What Jay Carney Could Have Said About Benghazi and Those IRS Probes

It is never a good week for a president when twice in seven days the political opposition is trying to liken your administration to that of Richard M. Nixon.
Peter Wehner, Yuval Levin, and James Capretta

Some Republicans Don’t Believe Austerity Is Enough

Strategists and wonks are urging House leaders to refocus their economic message on ideas that the middle class actually care about. 
Chris Christie

The Coming GOP Civil War Over Climate Change

Science, storms, and demographics are starting to change minds among the rank and file. 
Rikers Island Penal Complex

How Goldman Sachs Can Help Save the Safety Net

A novel idea would make private investors in charge of funding social services. Will it catch on? 
Barack Obama,  Laura Chinchilla

Why Mexico Will Always Play Second Fiddle

Like all presidents, Barack Obama says he wants a better relationship with his neighbors to the south. Then events get in the way. 
Barack Obama and Bob Corker

Why Obama Can Ignore the House of Representatives

By courting senators and shaping public opinion, the president thinks he can pressure lower-chamber Republicans to accept bipartisan compromises. 
Gina McCarthy

GOP Forces Gridlock Over Obama’s Nominees for EPA, Labor

Senate Republicans are forcing partisan debates about the role of the executive branch and its commitment to transparency by blocking the confirmation of two of President Obama’s nominees to top positions within his administration.
Obama and Clinton

Why Benghazi is a Blow to Obama and Clinton

Both parties are wrong about the scandal: It’s not Watergate and it’s not nothing.
*TEST*

Inside The American Crossroads And Koch Post-Mortems

Conservatives identify what went wrong in 2012 -- and how to fix their problems.
Obama

The Myth of Presidential Leadership

It is past time to abandon selective history and wishful thinking, and realize the inherent limits of presidential power.
Benghazi

Benghazi: Incompetence, But No Cover-up

The hearings deepen the tragedy, but not the scandal.
Obama in Austin

The Myth of Presidential Leadership

It is past time to abandon selective history and wishful thinking, and realize the inherent limits of presidential power.
Barack Obama

Play of the Day: Golfing With Obama

Fast forward to 2:15  to see Fallon show off new ad slogans for the National Park Service.
Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Obama to Host Dinner for Top House Democrats

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Rand Paul and Ted Cruz

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

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

Play of the Day: A Look at 2016

Fast forward to 3:10 to see Fallon compare the two on important issues.
Barack Obama

Insiders: Syrian Chemical Weapons Use Does Not Yet Justify U.S. Military Intervention

Even though President Obama acknowledged chemical weapons use in Syria, nearly two-thirds of National Journal's National Security Insiders believe the American military should not yet intervene in the bloody fight against Bashar al-Assad.
Guns

The Most Bogus Argument Against New Gun Laws

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

What People Close to Obama Think About the Keystone XL Pipeline

To environmentalists throughout the country, denying the Keystone XL oil pipeline would be the most important sign President Obama is committed to combating global warming.
stephen lynch

Previewing the Sunday Shows

This week the Sunday shows are focusing on Syria and the continuing investigation on the Boston Marathon Bombing. The specter of immigration reform will also have a role in the programming. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who hasn't ruled out a bid against Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., in 2014, will be on Meet...
Joe Biden

5 Reasons Not To Take Joe Biden's Presidential Ambitions Seriously

Even though Biden's acting like a 2016 contender, with a weekend visit to South Carolina, don't buy the buzz. 
Obama in Mexico

Play of the Day: Obama in Mexico

President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico this week had Jay Leno ruminating on two of his favorite political topics: Obama’s lack of skill in economics and the immigration issue. The president is traveling to Mexico to talk about the North American economy and immigration with Mexican leadership, which promoted the Tonight Show host to say that Obama “actually has to leave the country” to tout any economic successes. Leno also compared talking immigration in Mexico to touting same-sex marriage in San Francisco. 
Hillary Clinton

Abortion Rights Activists Looking to Hillary Clinton As 2016 Champion

Abortion rights activists fuming over President Obama’s opposition to making emergency contraception accessible to women of all ages could have an ally campaigning for the Oval Office in 2016: Hillary Clinton.
Islamic Center of Murfreesboro

Stopping Terrorism at the Source

Two years ago, the Obama administration launched a plan to use American Muslims as an early-detection system to spot radicals. So why hasn’t it worked?
Reconcile Restaurant

The Cajun Comeback

Eight years after Katrina, New Orleans is finding new ways to address old problems. Scenes from a turnaround. 
Barack Obama

What Is a ‘Red Line’ Worth?

Syria is testing the idea that nations can’t cross the United States. What happens if other countries copy it?
Syria

Iraq and Libya Haunt Obama's Syria Policy

Weighed down by memories of Iraq and Libya, the president stands his ground.
Kathleen Sebelius

After the Obama Administration's Morning-After Pill Decision

President Obama has made a series of speeches in recent weeks, delighting scientists who work on controversial areas of research and advocates for reproductive and abortion rights.
Barack Obama, Enrique Pena Nieto

Immigration Will Be Hot Topic During President Obama's Trip to Mexico

President heads south of the border on Thursday.
Mike Froman

What You Need to Know About Obama's Trade Pick Mike Froman

President Obama nominated one of his top national security advisers, Mike Froman, as the next U.S. trade representative on Thursday. Froman would replace Ron Kirk, who stepped down last month.
Tense Obama

Is Obama's Legacy Great Leadership or Bad Breaks? Check the Sports Pages

An old baseball adage applies to the president: 'The great ones play above the breaks.'
Obama

Obama Appears at a Loss to Define the Way Forward in Syria

The fuzzy red lines and rhetoric blur what comes next.
Obama press conference

The New Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy on Jobs

President Obama walked into the White House press room on the 100th day of his second term and said, in effect, “have at me.” If there was an overall message he wanted to communicate, other than “See? I’m accessible,” it was hard to discern.
Tense Obama

Obama Channels Clinton’s Worst Day in Office, Raises Doubts About Relevancy

Like Clinton in April 1995, Obama struggles against forces out of his control.
President Barack Obama

Obama Is Still Fighting Bush's National Security Legacy

The president's hesitance to intervene in Syria and eagerness to close Guantanamo Bay underscore how different he is from his predecessor.
Landrieu 2012 photo

What the Energy Panel Would Look Like Under Chairwoman Landrieu

If Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., takes over the gavel of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee next Congress, she is in a prime spot to lead on an issue that’s critically important to her state.
Anthony Foxx

What You Need to Know About Obama Transportation Pick Anthony Foxx

The White House made a smart political move choosing the young up-and-coming political star from North Carolina.
Obama WHCA

Obama's Amazing Speech (and Why You Probably Missed It)

Lost amid the laughter, Obama's closing remarks at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner indict failed elites.
Colbert Busch

Black Voters Are Key to a Colbert Busch Win in South Carolina

The Democrat is airing a radio ad accusing Mark Sanford of voter suppression.
John Larson

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

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.
Senate Immigration

Asylum and Entry/Exit Systems Get Another Look in Congress After Boston

The impact of the bombings on the immigration debate has narrowed in on just two isolated policy arenas.
Mary Landrieu

Landrieu Primed to Lead Energy Panel – If She Wins Reelection

A domino effect prompted by Max Baucus’s coming retirement leaves her poised to chair what is arguably the most important committee to energy-rich Louisiana.
Obama at White House Correspondent's Dinner

Obama and O'Brien Cast Their Versions of D.C. White House Correspondents' Dinner

Both President Barack Obama and Conan O'Brien decided to cast Hollywood versions of D.C. at the White House Correspondents' Dinner this year. Obama's version was directed by Steven Spielberg, O'Brien's starred "Tan Mom" as John Boehner.
Presidents and first ladies

Play of the Day: Let’s Party Like It’s 2006!

Fast forward to 4:35 to see how Bush could rehabilitate his image even more.
American dream

The American Dream, Downsized

The middle class now worries more about holding on for dear life than about climbing the ladder to riches. 
Youth unemployment

Millennials Are the Unluckiest Generation

Entering the workforce during a recession puts young people behind from the start. 
Syria

Obama Is Looking for Reasons to Delay Response to Syria's Chemical-Weapons Use

The White House is not eager to engage militarily in the Middle East again.
Oil refineries

What If Oil Lasts Forever?

New technology and a little-known energy source suggest that fossil fuels may not be finite. This would be a miracle—and a nightmare.
Michigan jobs

Being In the Middle Class Means Worrying About Falling Behind

After years of economic turmoil, most families now believe the most valuable—and elusive—possession in American life is economic security.
Bush family

When Presidents Gather, Let the Healing Begin

Obama joins the 4 living ex-presidents today at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
Marco Rubio

How Republicans Can Win Over Their Party on Immigration

It’s a combination of charm and fear tactics. Republican defenders of an immigration overhaul are talking up their ability to write into law a tough enforcement strategy.
ap

Mark Pryor May Soon Have A Bloomberg Problem

Mayors Against Illegal Guns mulls months-long campaign against Democratic senator.
Pressure cooker used in Boston bombings

How Pressure Cookers Get Classified as a WMD

WASHINGTON -- Accusing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of carrying out a WMD strike at the Boston Marathon could offer prosecutors a clear route to a conviction, even though the two pressure-cooker devices used in last week's attack do not fit the accepted definition of a "weapon of mass destruction," academics and former federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.
bush

Go Ahead, Admit It: George W. Bush Is a Good Man

In the rush to mythologize and demonize our presidents, we forget they're human.
George W. Bush at National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast

George W. Bush's Reluctant Re-Emergence on the Political Scene

The ex-president is preparing to dedicate his library this week, but these days he's more interested in painting, golfing, and enjoying a life away from politics.
Boston bomber search

Boston Lockdown Reflected WMD Response Plans

The Friday lockdown of Boston and surrounding communities was a highly rare response in the United States to a terrorism threat, reminiscent of security plans typically contemplated in response to attacks involving weapons of mass destruction.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

After Boston Marathon Bombings, What Next For Immigration Reform?

“We screwed up. We can’t afford to screw up again,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said on Friday. 

Inside the Cover: Who Wants To Run For Congress?

In this week's National Journal cover story, Shane Goldmacher looks at why anyone would want to run for Congress. In the video above, go inside the story with the author himself.
Boston Marathon bomings

The Boston Bombs Remind Us That We’re Not Safe

Just because law enforcement officials learned how to track terrorists doesn’t mean we’re not at risk. 
Barack Obama, John McCain

Why John McCain Is Barack Obama’s New Best Friend

The two have their eyes on history as they transcend years of friction. The upshot could be good for the country.
 Lake Borgne Barrier

Let’s Not Talk About Climate Change

Louisiana’s two senators worry more about oil than the rising water level.
Amy Smith

Saved From Boston's Bombs by a Text Message

Veteran Capitol Hill staffer Amy Smith starts a new job on Friday, feeling lucky to be alive after narrowly escaping Monday's devastation near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
Harry Potter

What Books Do Gitmo Detainees Read?

What do a suspected terrorist and a 10-year-old child have in common? They might be reading the Harry Potter books.
Barack Obama

In Boston, Obama Finds His Voice and the Nation's: 'We Will Run Again'

Standing ovations greet Obama at interfaith service where he vows: "We will run again."
Obama

How Obama Misread the Politics of Gun Control

Reality check: Gun-control opponents hold the upper hand politically in 2014.
Phil Barnett

Phil Barnett, Minority Staff Director, Full Committee

It’s no surprise that Democratic Staff Director Phil Barnett counts climate change among his very top issues. His boss, Energy and Commerce ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., does, too.
Greg Dotson

Greg Dotson, Minority Staff Director, Energy and Environment Subcommittee

After wrapping up a three-week sea-kayaking trip in Mexico in 1996, Greg Dotson got a call about working for Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif. He flew to Washington, bought a suit when he landed, and soon had a job.
Karen Nelson

Karen Nelson, Deputy Minority Staff Director on Health, Full Committee

For more than 30 years, Karen Nelson has been the Democrats’ go-to health aide on Rep. Henry Waxman’s staff.
Henry Waxman_Betty Sutton_Ed Markey_Bart Stupak

A Polarized Committee Reflects a Gridlocked Congress

Shortly after Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., won the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in December 2010, he invited all the former committee chairmen and their wives to dinner at Carmine’s in downtown Washington.
418Keystone-protest_AP

Keystone XL Pipeline Channels Partisan Attacks

Congressional Republicans see the Keystone XL pipeline as the perfect lightning rod through which to channel attacks on President Obama’s energy policy.
Lisa Jackson

Waiting for a Clash on Climate Change

In 2011, congressional Republicans put a bull’s-eye on the Environmental Protection Agency.
Boston marathon explosion

6 Tragedies That Sparked Legislation

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

At Pivotal Point in Presidency, Obama Routed on Gun Control

But GOP victory could backfire if voters revolt.
Suspicious letters

Letter Addressed to White House Tests Positive for Ricin

Law enforcement authorities said Wednesday morning that they have intercepted a second letter containing a substance testing positive for the poison ricin – this one addressed to the White House.
Rep. Henry Waxman

The ‘Liberal Bulldog’ Takes on His Biggest Challenge

Rep. Henry Waxman, the California liberal who has spent decades battling the tobacco, coal, and pharmaceutical industries, is taking on what appears to be the most insurmountable challenge of his long career.
Capitol Police

Who's Playing Politics With the Boston Bombing?

A few ill-advised Democrats and Republicans edge toward the inexcusable.
Obama Boston Marathon Bombing Briefing Photo

Who Is Lisa Monaco, the White House's Counterterrorism Adviser?

President Obama's homeland-security point person deals with the Boston Marathon bombings in her first weeks on the job.
White House after Boston

Without a Suspect in Boston Marathon Bombing, Obama Has a Heavy Burden

We knew who bombed Oklahoma City and who killed Kennedy within hours. What a president goes through when there is no culprit.
Immigration rally

Deportees Can Come Back Under Draft Immigration Bill

Immigrants who were in the United States before Dec. 31, 2011 and were deported for noncriminal reasons could return to the country in a provisional legal status if they a legal spouse or child in the country or if they qualify for the Dream Act, according to a summary of the immigration bill slated to be unveiled this week in the Senate.
Barack Obama and Jeffrey Zients

‘Chained CPI’ Could Hit Middle-Class Retirees Hardest

Which programs are exempt from chained CPI? And do proposed protections go far enough to protect low-income people?
Capitol Police

Boston Blasts Bring a Chill to Washington

Tax day in Washington turned into a tension-filled reminder that there are far worse problems to deal with than the federal budget, immigration reform, or even gun control, as bombings at the Boston Marathon brought the horrors of terrorism front and center into the national consciousness.
Obama statement on Boston

Obama on Boston Marathon Bombings Reads From Grimly Familiar Script

Remarks echo Clinton, Bush, and other presidents in early stages of crises.
Gina Raimondo

In Rhode Island, A Battle for the Democratic Party's Future

A budget-balancing Democrat could be the state's first female governor. But she's drawing opposition from unions, who prefer the Hispanic mayor of Providence.
Patty Murray

Slow-Motion Gun Battle Plays Out in Senate

Lawmakers will stage some slow-going drama this week as the Senate proceeds in its deliberations on gun-control legislation with a series of votes on amendments—many of them likely to usher in their own mini-floor fights, or even filibusters.
Moneyball

Can a 'Moneyball' Approach Turn Around New Orleans Schools?

Scores are rising as teachers track data and look for patterns to improve classroom learning.
Marie Arrasate, left, and Joan McGarr

It's Easy to Fix Social Security

Unlike Medicare and Medicaid, it's simple arithmetic. If only the politics added up. 
Jacob Lew, left, and  Herman Van Rompuy

Obama's Mixed Message on Austerity

His Treasury secretary lectures Europe on the perils of thriftiness while his own budget agenda is driven by cuts. 

Poll: Is It Politically Advantageous for Obama to Cut Medicare and Social Security?

Insiders from both parties say it is, though more Democrats are skeptical. 
White House FY2014 Budget

Obama's Budget Garners Anger From All Sides

Roughly 24 hours after the White House released its budget, liberal Democrats were furious about its so-called chained CPI provision, which would change the cost-of-living calculation for federal benefits like Social Security. Meanwhile, Republicans were criticizing President Obama's fiscal 2014 blueprint for not going far enough on its tweaks to Medicare and other cuts.
cigarette

Proposed 'Sin Tax' on Cigarettes Sparks Hope for Preschools

But given the partisan climate and belt-tightening rhetoric in Washington, not to mention tobacco lobbyists, implementation will be a slog.
President Obama's budget

A New Budget for a New Party

Obama's fiscal proposal aligns him with the politics of minority, millennial, and college-educated voters.
Gina McCarthy

Why Obama's Environmental Pick Drives Some Republicans Crazy

At her confirmation hearing, Gina McCarthy gets grilled on climate change, regulations, and even instant messaging.
John F. Kennedy

The Upside of Obama's Tobacco Tax Hike

Obama's proposed tobacco tax hike could do even more good than his budget gives it credit for. Here’s how.
George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush

George W. Bush Underwent Back Surgery, Spent January Recuperating

43rd president now in good health as he prepares for library dedication.
Landrieu and Pryor

Tough Gun Votes Could End Careers on Capitol Hill

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

Progressives Fight Obama on Entitlements with Eye on 2014

For progressive Democrats in Congress, a fight with President Obama over the inclusion of cuts to Social Security in his budget proposal may be just a warm-up for the real looming battle: the 2014 midterms.
Gina McCarthy EPA Chief

Republicans to Begin New Assault on Obama’s Climate Plans at Hearing for EPA Nominee

The Obama administration and Senate Republicans face off in a high-drama clash over global warming on Thursday, as the president’s choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency undergoes questioning by the committee considering her nomination.
Rep. Greg Walden R.-Ore.

Is the GOP Preparing to Attack Dems on Social Security?

Are Republicans preparing to cudgel Democrats with, of all things, Social Security? That was the explicit impression left by Greg Walden, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, during a Wednesday interview on CNN. The Oregon congressman said President Obama's budget – which...
Rand Paul

Why Rand Paul Was Right to Reach Out to Black Voters

It's political malpractice for the GOP to ignore the constituency that is critical to its long-term success.
Obama Budget

7 Things to Know About Obama's Budget

You’ll see a lot about the aggregate budget size of $3.8 trillion. But here are the things that are really worth knowing.
Obama

Newly Engaged Obama Makes Slow, Uncertain Progress on Agenda

Deals are within reach on guns, immigration, and even deficit reduction.
Sen. Mike Johanns

Is Obama’s Budget Gamble Thawing the GOP?

President Obama’s decision to include in his budget proposal cuts to Social Security and Medicare—two entitlement programs central to the Democratic base—has set off a fierce debate in Washington about whether the White House strategy will prove to be shrewd or a giant mistake.
potd49

Play of the Day: Obama’s Budget and Biden’s Salary

Fast forward to 2:30 to see Fallon’s impression of Biden trying to calculate his voluntary salary cut.
Café Reconcile in New Orleans

The New Orleans Restaurant That Offers a Life-Changing Experience

Café Reconcile brings at-risk teens into the workforce—and serves the best red jambalaya in town. 
Budget

What to Expect in Obama’s Budget

Apart from the president’s plan to formalize cuts that he has already proposed, what else can Americans expect from a budget that’s roughly two months late and that follows both parties’ congressional budget proposals?
Sen. Murray

Sen. Murray Keeps Hanford Nuclear Site Safe From Budget Cuts

She may not attend Tuesday’s confirmation hearing for Ernest Moniz, President Obama’s nominee for Energy secretary, but you can bet Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., will make sure the department has all the money it needs to keep the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in her home state running safely.
Moniz

New Era for Energy Department Expected Under a Secretary Moniz

With stimulus funding for clean energy at an end, climate-change policy dead in Congress, and harsh budget cuts looming over all agencies thanks to the sequestration, the days of President Obama’s vision of the Energy Department as a green juggernaut have probably come to an end.
Margaret Thatcher

How Margaret Thatcher Changed Iraq, the USSR, and the Oil Industry

Thatcher had an exceptionally broad foreign policy impact, on big and smaller topics, as Great Britain’s prime minister. Much could be different were it not for her place on the global stage. 
Margaret Thatcher and Reagan

Margaret Thatcher Was Tougher Than Reagan

She cut budgets and took on unions creating economic strife in England.
Ernest Moniz, Obama's Reported Pick to Head the Energy Department

Sen. Wyden to Grill Obama's Energy Nominee on Nuclear-Waste Site

On Tuesday, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ernest Moniz, President Obama’s nominee for Energy secretary, are going to square off like it’s 1998.
Barack Obama

Obama Budget Vs. March Jobs Report: Timing is No Coincidence

The budget proposal provides stiff competition to the bad news on employment and could turn out to be far more significant to the fate of the nation than the March jobs report.

Video: Inside This Week's Cover Story

In this week’s cover story, National Journal’s George Condon discusses race under the Obama administration.
Unemployment in DC

Has Obama Done Enough for Black Americans?

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

Why Washington and Moscow Still Don't Trust Each Other

I left the USSR in 1991. Going back showed that Cold War stereotypes don’t fade—even with time.
Drone

Vetting the Kill List

Civil libertarians want a judge to oversee the administration’s targeted-killing program. It sounds appealing, but it could do more harm than good.
Denis McDonough

The Man Who Could Put Climate Change on the Agenda

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough has a record against global warming—and the president's ear.
Barack Obama

The Myth of the Bully Pulpit

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

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

Insiders from both parties see Obama struggling on the issue.
Mike Rogers

No Shortage of Headlines for House Intelligence Chair

The Michigan Republican must toe a fine line between his role as a representative and communicator for the public and his advisory role on sensitive national-security issues.
Scott Rigell, R-Va.

One Congressman, Rand Paul, the GOP, and What Ails American Politics

Rep. Scott Rigell stayed true to conservatism but was punished for his moderation and common sense.
Asa Huchinson

Republicans Pushing For More Aggressive Enforcement of Current Gun Laws, Not New Gun Control

Republicans are aiming to shift the media’s focus from the prospects of new gun laws to the failures of current ones.
Brain

Obama's Moonshot—Map the Human Brain

The Apollo Missions and Human Genome Project were hugely beneficial to society. Will a cell-by-cell map of the brain do the same?
Asa Huchinson

Once Again, the NRA Is Winning the Gun-Control Debate

At dueling press conferences, gun-rights supporters sound confident.
Obama, Newtown Shooting

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

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

From Lincoln to Obama, Presidents as Propagandists

President Obama is exploiting new technologies to burnish his image, but the strategy may cause mistrust.
Arkansas Oil Spill

Arkansas' Oil Spill Stirs Opposition to the Keystone Pipeline

The spill, outside Little Rock, Ark., serves as a stark reminder that energy production comes with unavoidable risks.
Rep. Steve Israel

House Democrats See Potential Gains in 2014 Without Obama on the Ticket

DCCC officials say they have found a silver lining amid much pessimism about the 2014 midterm elections.
George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush

George W. Bush Hopes New Library Will Enhance Presidential Legacy

A pregnant Jenna Bush may not attend next month's dedication, but a healthier George H.W. Bush will be there.
Barbara Mikulski

Short-Term Flexibility Won't Help Long-Term Impact of Sequestration

President Obama signed legislation on Tuesday to keep the government funded through the end of September and to give greater flexibility to a handful of agencies as they roll out the mandated across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration.
Michael Bloomberg

Is Michael Bloomberg the Right Person to Lead the Gun-Control Fight?

The blunt-spoken billionaire mayor may be popular in Washington and New York, but that popularity might not extend to the rest of the country.
Obama Jordan

Public Show Over, Obama Turns to Private Diplomacy in Middle East

President Obama’s highly visible trip to the Middle East was seen as a timely and badly needed shot of public diplomacy in the world’s most volatile region. But what happens behind the scenes and out of public view now that the president is back in the United States may be even more critical to the decades-old American quest to forge stable peace between Israel and her neighbors.
Wendy Greuel

Clinton Backs Greuel in L.A. Mayor's Race

Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Wendy Greuel on Monday became the latest beneficiary of Bill Clinton's five-year thank-you tour, when the former president endorsed her over another Democrat in the upcoming runoff election. Greuel, the city's controller, served as a senior advisor at the Department of Ho...
Caitlin Halligan

Halligan's Withdrawal Is a Victory for GOP and Gridlock

Obama loses the battle to get his pick onto a court considered an on-ramp to the Supreme Court.
stealth combat drone demonstrator Neuron

When the Whole World Has Drones

The precedents the U.S. has set for robotic warfare may have fearsome consequences as other countries catch up.
Obama

The Jerusalem Gambit

Obama went in with two messages: "We're with you" and "Get real." He may have just pulled it off.
pre-school

What San Antonio Has to Teach Washington

The city is trying a small-scale version of Obama's pre-K plan. If politicians want to send more 4-year-olds to school, they should pay attention.
ARRA sign

The One Word You Can't Say in Washington

Democrats agree on the need for stimulus. Just don't call it that.

Insiders Agree Democrats Will Nominate Clinton in 2016

Repulicans are torn between Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush.

On the Move: March 23, 2013

Kelly Nallen is American Crossroads' new director of digital. Former Hillary Clinton collaborator Kris Balderston is a senior partner at Fleishman-Hillard. Onetime DeLay policy director Juliane Sullivan heads the House Education and the Workforce staff.
Rick Perry

The Man Who Could Turn Texas Blue: Rick Perry

By opposing Medicaid expansion, the governor could hurt the GOP in a must-win state.
Barack Obama

Obama to Israelis: Don’t Listen to Bibi

The president goes over Netanyahu’s head abroad, just as he has with the GOP at home.
Obama - Boehner

Debunking 2 Myths: GOP Won't Raise Taxes and Budget Deal Is Dead

Republicans are open to tax hikes as part of a narrow path to bargain with the White House.
POTD321

Play of the Day: March Madness!

Fast forward to 4:00 to watch Letterman get the scoop on Ryan’s budget proposal from the man himself. Well, kind of.
DACA application

DREAMers in 3 Charts: Rate of Applications and Where They're From

The number of approvals for deferred-action status is approaching a quarter-million undocumented immigrants, but the submission rate for so-called DREAMers to secure the right to remain in the U.S. is slowing.
terror trio

Who Are the American Terrorists?

There are no Americans currently on the "kill list," but there are a few citizens deemed "most-wanted" for terrorism.
Obama Sandy Hook

Cowardly Congress, Ruthless NRA, and an Impotent Obama Conspire Against Assault-Weapons Ban

Washington's approach to stemming gun violence is a ruse.
Capitol Sunrise

Tiny Think Tank a Major Player on Energy Policy

Robbie Diamond has the name of a used-car salesman—and with his slick, shiny coif, ever-present white-toothed smile, and knack for self-promotion—he might even pass for one.
Obama in Israel

Empty-Handed Tourist?

JERUSALEM — President Obama arrives in Israel less burdened than any previous U.S. president by the diplomatic malignancy known as the peace process.
Netanyahu and Obama

Personal Frictions Loom Over Obama's Trip to Israel

It is widely believed that this American president and Israeli prime minister simply don’t like each other. And the personal always has a bearing on the policy.

National Security Insiders: Obama Can't Bring Israelis and Palestinians to Negotiating Table

President Obama is headed to the Holy Land this week, but 72 percent of National Journal's National Security Insiders are not optimistic he can bring Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table anytime soon.
Keystone Pipeline

Approving the Keystone Pipeline Won't Bring Obama Bipartisan Goodwill

If President Obama wants to approve the Keystone XL pipeline as a way of extending an olive branch to congressional Republicans, they are likely to see it as one riddled with thorns.
Hispanic voters

GOP Can't Win Latinos Over Immigration

Earlier this winter, Ann Coulter brought her usual light touch to the question of the Hispanic vote. The author of Godless: The Church of Liberalism argued in a column that Republicans who support immigration reform in an effort to court Latinos are wasting their time. “It’s not clear that amnesty wins any Hispanics,” Coulter wrote, “apart from the ones who can’t vote (because they’re illegal) and their ethnic ‘spokesmen,’ whose power increases as the Hispanic population grows.” Hispanics gravitate toward Democrats, she insisted, because they believe in more government, and no immigration courtship will seduce them.
Obama electric car

Can Obama's Energy Trust Fund Idea Gain Traction in Congress?

With gasoline prices and global temperatures rising, Obama will ask Congress to take action on an idea he first proposed last month in his State of the Union address: the creation of an energy trust fund that would research alternative-technology vehicles. 
Arab Spring in Egypt

The Next Arab Challenge

Two years after the Middle East revolts, the Obama administration has mounted no real effort to understand the dynamics of political Islam.
Barack Obama

The Great Party Paradox

A year of surveys shows that Americans don't line up consistently behind Republicans or Democrats -- but like a little of each.
Paul Ryan

There's New Hope for a Grand Bargain

Amid the hot air in Washington comes the whiff of compromise.
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