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Tea Party Congressman Chews Out IRS Official Who Pleaded The Fifth Watch the video.
IRS Misses Filing Deadline: Fails to Comply With Congressional Demand for All Communications With WH About Targeting Conservatives Crucial evidence needed to develop an accurate answer to that question would include the records of any communications that went back and forth between the IRS and the White House on the topic.
Democrat raises prospect of special prosecutor for IRS A Democrat on the House’s investigative committee raised the specter of a special prosecutor on Wednesday to investigate political targeting of conservative groups at the IRS from 2010 to 2012.
Democrats Turn on IRS; Compare IRS Scandal to Totalitarian Regimes In a fiery statement, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), cited the State Department's annual human rights report, and the practice of tyrannical regimes that enact human rights on paper but fail to honor them in practice. He compared the conduct of the IRS in singling out Tea Party and conservative groups to those regimes
Report: No IRS Workers Have Been Disciplined & Union Says It Hasn’t Been Contacted on Personnel Despite the Obama administration’s repeated promises to get to the bottom of the Internal Revenue Service’s political targeting scandal, nothing has been done.
Giant octopus: IRS has 8 offices to enforce Obamacare The Internal Revenue Service, charged with implementing the biggest change in tax laws in 20 years due to Obamacare, has created eight offices and special "teams" to handle the chore, way more than initially revealed.
Meet the Man Who Set Off the IRS Firestorm...and Dated Michelle Obama in Law School? J. Russell George once stalked the halls of the Capitol for senators’ autographs. Now he’s there to testify in a scandal gripping Washington.
IRS Scandal: Who Knew What and When?
Armed DHS Guards Protect IRS From Tea Party Protesters At a Tea Party protest outside an IRS building in St. Louis there were no regular police – only armed Homeland Security guards.
IRS's own internal probe ended in May 2012, six months before election, but was hidden from legislators The new details surfaced in a Congressional hearing.
Report: IRS Decisions Not Linked to Low-Level Employees Only The claim that the ongoing IRS scandal is limited to low level employees is falling apart.
Accused Fort Hood Shooter Paid $278,000 While Awaiting Trial The Army said under the Military Code of Justice, his salary cannot be suspended unless he is proven guilty.
Dept. of Justice Tracked a FOX Reporter's Activities When the Justice Department began investigating possible leaks of classified information about North Korea in 2009, investigators did more than obtain telephone records of a working journalist suspected of receiving the secret material.
Labor union chief calls immigration bill dangerous, sees agency as ‘approval machine’ The Senate’s immigration bill will raise national security risks and the Obama administration will do little more than “rubber-stamp” illegal immigrants into the program, endangering Americans, says the labor union representing the 12,000 employees who will have to approve the applications.
How the IRS seeded the clouds in 2010 for a political deluge three years later In early 2010, an Internal Revenue Service team in Cincinnati began noticing a stream of applications from groups with political-sounding names, setting in motion a dragnet aimed at separating legitimate tax-exempt groups from those working to get candidates elected.
White House aide: Obama’s whereabouts night of Benghazi attack ‘a largely irrelevant fact’ [VIDEO] White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer made the talk show rounds in the wake of three scandals involving the Obama administration, but seemed to have the same message: that the details were “irrelevant” and Obama wants to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Top IRS Official Admits Question That Revealed Tea Party Targeting Was Planted The origins of the IRS scandal over its targeting of tea party groups aroused curiosity and suspicion from the beginning.
Congressman accuses White House of ‘cover-up’ in IRS scandal The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee on Friday said the IRS scandal shows a “culture of cover-ups” and “political intimidation” within the Obama administration.
Who’s who in the IRS scandal: 7 to know Here’s a who is who in the unfolding controversy.
Inside the Cincinnati IRS office Every day, 2,000 employees go to work at various federal agencies in this John F. Kennedy-era structure, whose chief tenant is the Internal Revenue Service — which is having just about the worst week an agency can have.
IRS doled out $92 million in employee bonuses More than $92 million in bonuses averaging $5,500 per employee have been handed out by IRS executives to thousands of the tax agency’s employees since 2009, according to data obtained by The Washington Examiner.
IRS Official in Charge During Tea Party Targeting Now Runs Health Care Office The Internal Revenue Service official in charge of the tax-exempt organizations at the time when the unit targeted tea party groups now runs the IRS office responsible for the health care legilsation.
Congresswoman Talks About Impeaching the President Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) told a crowd at a tea party rally that she's asked every weekend why Congress isn't working to impeach President Barack Obama.
Obama evades question on White House knowledge of IRS targeting President Barack Obama dismissed calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the IRS scandal, and evaded a question asking if White House officials knew of the IRS targeting of conservative political groups.
IRS Exec at Heart of Targeting Scandal Collected Big Bonuses The IRS, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from The Washington Examiner, provided data showing that Lois Lerner, who is director of the agency's exempt organizations division, collected $17,220 in 2010, $14,691 in 2011, and $10,620 in 2012.
Congressman Concerned AP Phone Records Reveal Conversations with Member Congressman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Wednesday during an interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show that the Justice Department’s investigation of the Associated Press involved seizing phone records from the United States Capitol.
Document: IRS ordered conservative educational group to turn over a list of high school and college students it trained When a Tennessee lawyer asked the IRS for tax-exempt status for a mentoring group that trained high school and college students about conservative political philosophy, the agency responded with a list of 95 questions in 31 parts, including an ultimatum for a list of everyone the group had trained, or planned to train.
IRS Employees Disproportionately Donate to Obama Barack Obama received more than twice as much in campaign donations from IRS employees in 2012 as did his opponent, Mitt Romney, records show.
Did the IRS give Mitt Romney’s tax returns to Harry Reid? During the 2012 presidential campaign, Harry Reid claimed to have intimate knowledge of what was secretly inside Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s tax returns.
IRS Asks for Reading List, Tea Party Group Sends Constitution When Marion Bower decided to start her tea party organization in 2010, she didn’t know that it would take nearly two years for the Internal Revenue Service to approve her request for tax-exempt status.
VIDEO: Conan O'Brien Jokes About IRS Audit after Jokes About Obama Late-night host Conan O'Brien at the 2013 White House Correspondents dinner in April: "Now I've made some jokes about the President this evening, [turns to Obama] and I'm looking forward to my audit."
Liberal Group ProPublica Says IRS Leaked It Documents The Internal Revenue Service gave confidential documents from conservative groups to the investigative website ProPublica, the website reports.
‘Very Frightening’: Prominent Catholic Prof. Claims IRS Audited Her After Speaking Out Against Obama and Demanded to Know Who Was Paying Her Dr. Anne Hendershott, a devout Catholic and a noted sociologist, professor and author, she believes she may have been one of the IRS’s targets.
House speaker on IRS targeting: 'Who is going to jail?' House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Wednesday that the Internal Revenue Service broke the law when it decided to target conservative groups for extra scrutiny when they applied for tax exempt status.
Justice Department subpoena of AP phone records unites left, right in opposition to ‘Big Brother’ The revelation that the U.S. government used secret subpoenas to pry into Associated Press reporters’ phone records triggered two contradictory reactions in the political world.
Even Jon Stewart blasts Obama over AP, IRS scandals The longtime “Daily Show” host tore into the White House and specifically bashed the president for repeatedly claiming he learned of major events at the same time as the American public.
Report: IRS Tax-Exempt Process "A Mess" Federal authorities have opened a criminal investigation of whether Internal Revenue Service employees broke the law when they targeted conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status — the latest setback for an agency that is the subject of withering bipartisan criticism and multiple congressional inquiries.
Bipartisan Congressional Demand: Provide All Communications Between IRS and WH About Targeting Conservatives; Warns: Don't Destroy, Modify or Remove Any Documents Rep. Sander Levin (D.-Mich.), the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, has joined Rep. Dave Camp (R.-Mich.), the committee chairman, in demanding that the Internal Revenue Service answer by next Tuesday thirteen questions posed by the committee relating to IRS discrimination against conservative and pro-Israel groups and, where relevant, provide all internal agency documents and communications substantiating the answers.
Obama: ‘I Bear Responsibility for Everything--To Some Degree’ President Barack Obama said on 60 Minutes on Sunday that he bears responsibility “for everything--to some degree."
The IRS wants YOU — to share everything A POLITICO review of documents from 11 tea party and conservative groups that the IRS scrutinized in 2012 shows the agency wanted to know everything — in some cases, it even seemed curious what members were thinking.
White House: No Comparison Between Obama and Nixon “I can tell you, people who make those kinds of comparisons need to check their history,” spokesman Jay Carney said. “Because what we have here with one issue, Benghazi, clearly we’re learning more and more is a political sideshow, a deliberate effort to politicize a tragedy. The president feels very strongly about that. You heard him address that yesterday.”
In IRS scandal, echoes of Watergate Jay Carney, whose unenviable job is not to explain but to explain away what his employers say, calls the IRS’s behavior “inappropriate.” No, using the salad fork for the entree is inappropriate. Using the Internal Revenue Service for political purposes is a criminal offense.
Claim: Obama Campaign Co-Chair Attacked Romney with Leaked IRS Docs One of President Barack Obama's re-election campaign co-chairmen used a leaked document from the IRS to attack GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney during the 2012 election, according to the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).
Benghazi, IRS: Son of Watergate? In his defense of President Obama, Press Secretary Jay Carney is beginning to sound a lot like Ronald Zeigler, Richard Nixon's spokesman. Carney only has to use the word "inoperative," as Ziegler did when incriminating evidence surfaced that proved his previous statements untrue.
"Jobs" Creation
Sen. Marco Rubio demands resignation of IRS commissioner Sen. Marco Rubio has asked Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to demand the resignation of the IRS commissioner, after news surfaced that the agency had targeted Tea Party organizations. The agency has reportedly targeted other conservative groups that focus on government spending and the federal debt.
Obama denounces reported IRS targeting of conservative groups President Obama on Monday described the reported targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service as “outrageous” and intolerable, and he called for those responsible to be held “fully accountable.”
IRS scrutiny went beyond Tea Party, targeting of conservative groups broader than thought An IRS campaign to apply additional scrutiny to conservative groups went beyond targeting "Tea Party" and "patriot" groups to include those focused on government spending, the Constitution and several other broad areas.
Investigation expands to others who criticize government At various points over the past two years, Internal Revenue Service officials targeted nonprofit groups that criticized the government and sought to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution, according to documents in an audit conducted by the agency’s inspector general.
Rumsfeld: IRS also retaliates against outspoken business leaders In "Rumsfeld's Rules, Leadership lessons in Business, Politics, War and Life," the former chairman of G.D. Searle & Co. said that business leaders often bite their tongue rather than criticize presidents out of fear the administration will retaliate.
U.S. House will investigate IRS matter House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) confirmed Friday afternoon that the Republican-led House will investigate the IRS’s inappropriate targeting of conservative groups.
‘I’m not good at math’: The IRS’ public relations disaster About a half-hour into a conference call with reporters Friday afternoon, senior Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner said something she will regret.
Tea Party Rejects IRS Apology Conservative groups have rejected an Internal Revenue Service apology for unjustifiably scrutinizing tax-exempt conservative groups during the 2012 election cycle. The IRS apology has seemingly validated conservatives' fears of politically motivated regulation.
Mitch McConnell Demands White House Investigate IRS for Targeting Conservative Groups Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is calling on the Obama administration to conduct a government-wide probe in the wake of an admission by the Internal Revenue Service that it targeted conservative groups.
IRS apologizes for targeting conservative groups The Internal Revenue Service inappropriately flagged conservative political groups for additional reviews during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status, a top IRS official said Friday.
FLASHBACK: Mark Levin Asks IG to Probe Possible IRS Misconduct in Dealing with Tea Party
Politico: IRS "Mistakes Were Made" Roughly 75 groups were singled out using words like “tea party” or “patriot” in tax documents, Lois Lerner, who is responsible for overseeing tax-exempt groups, said on a hastily arranged conference call Friday afternoon.
Suspension for boy who held pencil like gun A Suffolk, Virginia elementary school suspended a boy for holding his pencil like a gun and pretending he was a Marine, just like his father.
Schoen: Benghazi Is Likely to Follow Hillary’s 2016 Presidential Bid Democratic pollster and author Doug Schoen tells Newsmax TV that the attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi is likely to follow former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton into the 2016 presidential race should she decide to make another run for the White House.
Administration aids immigration advocates with $310 billion claim President Barack Obama’s Social Security Administration has given the Senate’s immigration bill a boost by writing a letter saying the bill would help the Social Security trust fund.
Number of names on U.S. counter-terrorism database jumps The number of names on a highly classified U.S. central database used to track suspected terrorists has jumped to 875,000 from 540,000 only five years ago, a U.S. official familiar with the matter said.
Police say liberal student activist threatened herself with rape in Facebook hoax, framed conservatives A well-known female liberal blogger and radio host at the University of Wyoming (UW) is being accused by police of fabricating a rape threat against herself to appear as if it came from a conservative.
New immigration bill has more waivers and exceptions per page than Obamacare The Senate’s “Gang of Eight” has released a new version of the immigration bill that contains 999 references to waivers, exemptions and political discretion.
Study: Obama spends more time on vacation than in economic meetings Using the official White House calendar and media reports, a new report from the Government Accountability Institute says Obama has spent 474.4 hours in economic meetings. That would be 3.6 percent of his presidency, they estimated.
Background Checks Bill Could Come Up Again in the Senate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who sponsored the expanded background checks measure that was recently defeated in upper chamber, told Chris Wallace that the measure will “absolutely” come up for a vote again
Immigration bill grants amnesty to employers of illegals; no prosecution for bogus IDs The debate is raging over whether the latest immigration bill is an amnesty for illegal immigrants, but one part is clear: The legislation would forgive businesses that have employed those immigrants illegally.
Gun bill’s failure may help immigration legislation Here’s an odd political reality: The collapse of the gun bill in the Senate last week may well make the passage of immigration reform legislation slightly easier.
Gun Store Running AR-15 Giveaways on Facebook Sees Page Shut Down Without any notice from Facebook, Erik Lowry said his page was shut down
Immigration bill contains 400 waivers, exceptions and exemptions The Senate’s pending immigration bill includes roughly 400 exemptions, exceptions, waivers, determinations and grants of discretion.
Phillies pitcher Jonathan Papelbon: Obama out for guns The pitcher, who came to prominence during his run with the Boston Red Sox (including as the team’s closer during their victorious 2007 World Series run), spoke with CSN Philadelphia and said, “Today’s day and age has gotten so crazy. Shoot man, Obama wants to take our guns from us and everything. You got all this stuff going on; it’s just a little bit insane for me, man. I’m not sure how to take it.”
Sen.Says Background Check Measure Doesn't Have The Votes, Accuses NRA Of Lying Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) admitted Wednesday that his background check amendment did not have the votes for passage, and said in a television appearance that the National Rifle Association was lying about his bill.
Four reasons the Senate gun control bill may be kaput Even pro-gun control lawmakers determined to put on a good face are conceding that things are looking grim.
Actor blames Boston attack on gun culture: ’2nd amendment must go’
New York Police Confiscating Firearms from People Taking Anti-anxiety Medication The New York State Police are suspending the handgun permits of people in the state who are prescribed anti-anxiety medication, according to Jim Tresmond of the Tresmond Law Firm in Hamburg, New York. Tresmond Law specializes in firearm litigation.
New Watergate?; Accusations of Parties Bugging Offices Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday accused a Kentucky Democratic super-PAC of bugging his campaign office and asked the FBI to investigate.
N.Y. Dad Who Had Pistol License Suspended Over Comments Made by 10-Year-Old Son Will Likely Take Legal Action Against Police The New York father who had his pistol license suspended indefinitely over a perceived threat made by his 10-year-old son and two other students will likely pursue legal action against the Suffolk County Police Department and possibly the Happauge Public School District, the father’s attorney told TheBlaze Tuesday.
Govt. Takes 11 Years to Respond to Records Request The U.S. government, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, is renowned for violating federal transparency laws and blowing off or unscrupulously delaying records requests, but this is a bit much.
Prof at public univ under investigation for allegedly forcing students to make anti-gun posters A professor at a public university in Texas is under investigation from school administrators for allegedly forcing students in her graphic design class to create anti-gun posters for a personal anti-gun campaign she had launched.
Obama running short of time to burnish legacy in second term The next 10 weeks are a make-or-break period for President Obama’s second-term agenda.
Associated Press: Obama IOUs Coming Due Presidential campaigns are long in the making, quick to be forgotten. But one part of them lives on for years: the victor's promises.
Hundreds of Texas educators take free concealed handgun class A concealed handgun training class envisioned by former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle before his death drew hundreds of educators to a Texas school auditorium Saturday.
Unemployment rate falls; What's the real story though? The number of people not in the labor force which in March soared by a massive 663,000 to a record 90 million Americans who are no longer even looking for work.
Armed Grandmother of 10 Gives Burglar Way More Than He Could Handle: ‘Did I Hit You?’ An armed grandmother proved too much to handle for one home intruder in Spokane, Wash. Police say the gun-toting granny held the suspected burglar at gunpoint until officers arrived.
Video of 15-Year-Old Girl Lecturing Maryland Lawmakers on Gun Control Goes Viral We don’t know much about her, but this 15-year-old girl from Maryland sure knows her facts when it comes to firearms.
Obama Budget to Include Cuts to Programs in Hopes of Deal President Obama next week will take the political risk of formally proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare in his annual budget in an effort to demonstrate his willingness to compromise with Republicans and revive prospects for a long-term deficit-reduction deal, administration officials say.
What Are States Doing About Gun Control? With gun legislation in jeopardy in a closely-divided Congress, several states have been moving ahead in recent weeks to pass — or reject — stricter gun laws that restrict the size and sale of certain weapons, require registration of other weapons and parts, and generally make it more difficult to own and use larger, semi-automatic weapons.
Reporter Battles WH Spokesperson in Tense Exchange Over Sequester’s Impact on Border Patrol Things got testy between Fox News reporter Ed Henry and White House Press Secretary Jay Carney during a daily press briefing Tuesday as the two debated the impact of the sequester.
Sandy Hook Dad Backs NRA's School-Safety Plan Mark Mattioli, whose 6-year-old-son James was killed last year during the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, said politics should not interfere with finding solutions to making America’s schools safer.
70,291,049 Background Checks for Gun Purchases Under Obama Over the same time period, the number of background checks completed under President George W. Bush was 36,090,415, or about half the number conducted under Obama.
Pastor at Obama’s Easter Church Service: ‘Captains of the Religious Right’ Want Blacks ‘in the Back of the Bus,’ Women ‘Back in the Kitchen’ The pastor at the Washington, D.C. church where the Obama family celebrated Easter on Sunday said members of the religious right want blacks “in the back of the bus,” women “back in the kitchen” and immigrants “back on their side of the border.”
Senators have doubts about universal background checks for gun transfers Senators from both parties signaled Sunday that universal background checks could be the next gun measure to get shoved toward the legislative scrap heap or significantly watered down.
Illegal Border Crossings Have Doubled During Recent ‘Amnesty’ Talks As America’s elected officials and the “Gang of Eight” hammer out a deal on immigration reform, the number of illegal border crossings has exploded, according to a report from Townhall.
FL Sen. Rubio demands some immigration hearings, may delay amnesty bill Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio has demanded public hearings on the pending immigration bill, complicating Democrats’ plans to rush the high-stakes measure through the Senate’s judiciary committee by the end of April.
Hunters across country say they are boycotting Colorado over new gun control laws Colorado last week became the first Western state to ratchet back gun rights in response to mass shootings at a suburban Denver movie theater and an elementary school in Connecticut. Opponents warned that the gun controls would hurt hunters, especially an expansion of background-check requirements to apply to personal and online gun sales.
Poll: 80 percent of Americans unhappy with Washington; 30 percent angry Eighty percent of Americans are dissatisfied with Washington — including 30 percent who are angry, the highest level of anger recorded since polling on that question began in 2010. A new CBS News poll shows rapidly slipping approval of President Barack Obama and very low ratings for the Republican Party.
Law would fire sheriffs for defying gun control measures Supporters of the 380 sheriffs in 15 states who so far have vowed to defy new state and federal gun control laws claim that legislation is starting to pop up around the nation to fire any state elected or appointed law enforcement official who doesn't obey federal orders
DHS To Buy 360,000 More Rounds of Hollow Point Ammunition Why the ammo build-up? The government isn't answering.
U.S. Border Patrol Uniforms Manufactured in Mexico U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has granted uniform contracts to VF Imagewear, Inc., an apparel company that relies on manufacturing sites in Mexico for a “significant percentage” of its occupational garments.
Jim Carrey’s Wild Anti-Gun Music Video ‘Cold Dead Hand’ Is Out and It Insults Gun-Owners And…Charlton Heston? Hollywood funnyman Jim Carrey released a slew of controversial tweets branding those opposed to stricter gun control “heartless motherf%ckers unwilling 2 Bend 4 the safety of our kids.”
NYC Mayor says he will spend millions more to defeat the National Rifle Association and pro-gun pols The $12 million ad blitz targeting senators wavering on gun control will be just the beginning, Mayor Bloomberg warned Sunday.
NY Offers $500 to Report Illegal Gun Owners Citizens can call a special hotline to report illegal gun owners.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's Gas Tax Bill The O'Malley Administration and Michael E. Busch, House Speaker, is sponsoring the bill. To contact O'Malley visit - http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/ To contact Michael Busch visit - michael.busch@house.state.md.us
Family Says Investigators Overreacted To Boy’s Gun Photo On Facebook The family and an attorney say father Shawn Moore’s Second Amendment rights to bear arms were threatened in a state that already has some of the nation’s strictest gun laws.
Military ‘drone command center’ coming to Pennsylvania A U.S. military drone command center is coming to Horsham, Penn., on Oct. 1, according to reports
Dinesh D’Souza making follow-up to ’2016: Obama’s America’ Dinesh D’Souza, the conservative author behind the surprising box office hit “2016: Obama’s America,” is planning a follow-up to his 2012 documentary. The new film will posit that America is undergoing a terrifying transformation during President Barack Obama’s second term.
VIRAL VIDEO: Virtual State of the Union...about Gun Control In this segment of his Virtual State of the Union, the Virtual President talks about why politicians want to talk about gun control rather than crime control, and delivers the factual evidence and historical truths that make the case for the Second Amendment self-evident.
Poll: Government dissatisfaction highest since Watergate More Americans cite dissatisfaction with government as the biggest problem facing the country than at any other time since the months leading up to the Watergate scandal, a new poll finds.
Census: Record 1 in 3 US counties are now dying A record number of U.S. counties - more than 1 in 3 - are now dying off, hit by an aging population and weakened local economies that are spurring young adults to seek jobs and build families elsewhere.
U.S. to let spy agencies scour Americans' finances The Obama administration is drawing up plans to give all U.S. spy agencies full access to a massive database that contains financial data on American citizens and others who bank in the country, according to a Treasury Department document seen by Reuters.
Associated Press Fact-Checks Obama, Biden and Bloomberg on Key Gun Claim: ‘Grasping at Tatters of Moldy Data’ Some of the numbers being hurled around in the gun control debate passed their freshness date eons ago. Perhaps none is more prominent than the claim that 40 percent of gun sales take place without background checks.
Florida Democrat pushes to criminalize ammo purchases without anger management course A Florida Democratic lawmaker is working to make it a crime to sell ammunition to people who have not completed an anger management course.
How the White House silenced gun control groups President Barack Obama’s gun control agenda is looking more doomed by the day, but gun control advocates still haven’t said a word to complain.
Senate committee starting votes on curbing guns President Barack Obama's prospects for winning near-universal background checks for gun purchases seemed shaky as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepared for Congress' first votes on curbing firearms since December's horrific shootings at a Connecticut elementary school.
ICE Plans to Release More Jailed Illegal Immigrants House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte on Tuesday released an internal U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) document showing that the agency planned to release thousands of illegal aliens from detention centers in response to cuts resulting from sequestration.
White House Email: Make Sequester As Painful as We Promised An administration email seemed to show at least one agency has been instructed to make sure the cuts are as painful as President Obama promised they would be.
Not Sequester Cut for Calligraphers Making $97k a Year With the White House closing its doors to public tour groups in order to save money for the sequester, it's worth remembering some of the other costs the White House incurs annually.
Sequester Spin: Just How Much Do Capitol Janitors Make? Fact check: White House has kept up its spin offensive, claiming that a cut in “overtime” was a de facto pay cut and thus the president was right — or at least not wrong.
Capitol Sequester Effects: A Little More Dust and More of a Mess Staffers, lawmakers and others working at the House and Senate soon will have fewer ways to enter the Capitol.
What Sequester?: Feds Post 400 New Jobs Monday The sequester cuts are now officially in place, but many government agencies appear to be hiring freely anyway.
What Sequester? Pt 2: TSA Rushes $50 Million For New Uniforms Before Sequester Hit The impending sequester did not prevent the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from acting in late February to seal a $50-million deal to purchase new uniforms for its agents--uniforms that will be partly manufactured in Mexico.
What Sequester? Pt. 3: No Cuts for Obama Secret Service Despite the sequester, the Secret Service isn't going to skimp when it comes to protecting President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday.
$253.5B—U.S. Borrowed Nearly 6x as Much in February as Sequester Cuts All Year During the month of February--as President Barack Obama was warning Americans they would see dramatic effects in their lives if “sequestration” of some planned federal spending kicked in--the federal government’s debt climbed by $253.5 billion.
The Sequester in -- One Word See the cloud created by a Gallup poll after sequester hits.
Pentagon’s carrier cancellation heats up sequester fight as cuts take effect The Pentagon’s decision to cancel a carrier group’s deployment to the Middle East has become a political flashpoint in the growing fight over how and what the Obama administration is cutting under sequestration.
Sequester: Delays at the Airport? “Now that we are having to reduce or eliminate basically overtime both for TSA and for customs, now that we have instituted a hiring freeze…we will begin today sending out furlough notices,” DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said.
Fliers fear 'hellacious' fallout from 'sequester' With government agencies required to give workers advance notice, furloughs and front-line staffing changes weren't expected to kick in for at least a month.
The Age of Austerity? President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans are dug in on the sequester, and there are no signs of a quick fix to the $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts that both sides say they disdain.
Will the Government Shutdown? The sequester is in effect, but now House Speaker John Boehner tackles whether the government will shutdown.
White House: President Did Propose the Sequester White House economic adviser Gene Sperling admits that, yes, in fact, the sequestration was President Obama's plan.
Obama Approval Rating Drops into the 40s Dip comes just as sequester cuts start.
President Looks Passed 2013 Sequester to Help Dems in 2014 President Obama, now facing the consequences of automatic spending cuts and the complications they raise for his broader domestic agenda, is taking the most specific steps of his administration in an attempt to ensure the election of a Democratic-controlled Congress in two years.
U.S. to Give Quarter Billion Dollars to Egypt U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday rewarded Egypt for President Mohammed Morsi's pledges of political and economic reforms by releasing $250 million in American aid to support the country's "future as a democracy."
Sequester Solution May Take Months To say that the meeting between congressional leaders and President Barack Obama was unproductive might be an understatement.
Spending cuts due to ground Navy's Blue Angels flying team Blue Angels pilot Dave Tickle said he is focused on practicing maneuvers for an upcoming show in California instead of worrying about how federal spending cuts will threaten performances this year by the U.S. Navy's renowned flight demonstration squadron.
Obama's Sequester Math: $300 Billion In New Revenues Called 'Spending Cuts' When President Obama put out his "balanced" plan to avoid the automatic sequester cuts, no one noticed. Which is probably just as well for Obama, given how embarrassingly unbalanced it is.
Are There Sequester Silver Linings? Despite the dire warnings from policymakers and economists, could the impact of sequestration be less harmful than meets the eye, or perhaps even beneficial in some ways?
Obamacare Rollout Not Affected By Sequester Sequester or no sequester, the administration is trying to keep work on the core elements of Obamacare full steam ahead.
Politico: Now What After Sequestration Hits Polls show Americans aren’t paying close attention to the fight even though a slight majority says sequestration will hurt the economy.
Why Sequester cuts are here to stay...for a while Lawmakers and aides say they do not expect Congress to turn off budget sequestration before April and that negotiations to freeze the automatic spending cuts could drag into May or beyond.
Lawmaker Scare Tactic?: 170 MILLION Jobs Could Be Lost Due to Sequestration Cuts If Congress allows sequestration cuts to take effect, more than 170 million Americans could lose their jobs, according to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).
IRS Furloughs to Begin After Tax Season. The Internal Revenue Service plans to require five to seven days of unpaid leave for many of it employees through September, but it won’t begin the furloughs until the summer in an effort to avoid disruptions in the April tax filing deadline.
Obama chides GOP for killing plan to address cuts President Barack Obama is chiding Senate Republicans for blocking a Democratic plan to replace automatic spending cuts that are set to kick in Friday.
CBO: Dem Sequester Bill Adds Billions to Deficit The sequester replacement bill proposed by Senate Democrats, and endorsed by the White House, would add $7.2 billion to the federal deficit over ten years, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Sen. Harry Reid's Sequester Solution: You Pay More Taxes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said there is no chance of striking a deal to avert the deep budget cuts set to take effect unless the final compromise includes a tax hike.
Where's the Urgency to Prevent Sequester? President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner haven’t spoken since Thursday. Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid haven’t met since Jan. 21.
House May Cancel Overseas Travel for Members after Sequester House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) is ready to cancel congressional trips abroad as part of the belt-tightening prompted by automatic spending cuts that begin Friday, according to Republicans.
Detained immigrants released; officials cite sequester cuts Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have released “several hundred” immigrants from deportation centers across the country, saying the move is an effort to cut costs ahead of budget cuts due to hit later this week.
Who Is Exemot from the Sequester? Report identifies certain programs that are exempt from sequestration and lays out special rules that govern the sequestration of others
NY Democrat calls gun rights advocates ‘gun toting tea party psychotards’ A local lawmaker in Hudson, NY is catching some flak after he accused gun rights advocates of being “gun toting Tea Party psychotards” in an email.
Vietnam Vet Barred From Owning a Gun Because of a Teenage Misdemeanor 45 Years Ago A 19-year-old sailor stationed in Annapolis, Md., in 1968 was arrested for getting into a fight with an alleged member of a street gang. Now, more than four decades later, the 64-year-old U.S. Navy veteran has been stripped of his right to own a gun.
Why is Wal-Mart worried? Payroll tax could cut consumer spending Recent reports forecast lower spending for this year, anticipating that the restored payroll tax will impact consumers' wallets, especially low-income earners. Wal-Mart is adjusting its strategy.
What Are the Best And Worst States for Second Amendment Fans? Do you live in a state that still holds high regard for the Second Amendment?
Ammo Prices Have Doubled Since December At 'America's Largest Gun Shop' The price of his store's ammunition has more than doubled since mid-December, says Larry Hyatt, owner of Hyatt Gun Shop in Charlotte, N.C., which bills itself "America's Largest Gun Shop."
Teacher Reportedly Threatens to Give Students Zeros on Homework Assignment for Writing About Guns The teacher, Mr. Dewey Christian, reportedly told the students that the topic was unacceptable.
Group Giving Away Shotguns In High-Crime Neighborhoods To Test If Crime Is Reduced A University of Houston graduate student says he’s conducting a study to hopefully answer the question being asked across the country, “Do more guns reduce crime or not?”
Sheriff Warns Of “Second American Revolution” If Gun Grabbers Get Their Way A Milwaukee County Sheriff has warned that a second American Revolution may be sparked if unconstitutional gun laws are enforced by police and sheriff’s department officials.
Mo. House Bill Makes Proposing Gun Control Illegal A Missouri lawmaker is proposing to send colleagues to prison for introducing gun control legislation — a plan that even its sponsor acknowledges has no chance of passage but nonetheless highlights the increasingly strident tone of gun measures in Missouri’s generally pro-gun Legislature.
(VIDEO) Sen. Ted Cruz Takes on Obama Gun Initiatives "No amount of stripping the rights of the men and women here to defend ourselves and our families will do anything to prevent violent criminals from carrying out horrific acts," Cruz said.
(VIDEO) VP BIden: "Buy a Shotgun!" Vice President Joe Biden recommended that "if you want to protect yourself, get a double barrel shotgun":
New Interactive Map Shows the Number of Times Guns Have Saved Americans Proponents of stricter gun control measures regularly call attention to the number of people who have killed in gun-related-crimes: However, what these people often neglect to mention is the number of people who have been saved by firearms.
Caught on Tape: USDA Workers Chant Pilgrims Were Illegal Aliens The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is coming under fire for hosting a compulsory “Cultural Sensitivity Training” program that required some intriguing participation of those in attendance. In addition to being implored to bang on tables, everyone in the room was instructed to chant, in unison, “The pilgrims were illegal aliens.”
Missouri Democrats Introduce Legislation to Confiscate Firearms – Gives Gun Owners 90 Days to Turn in Weapons Missouri Democrats introduced an anti-gun bill which would turn law-abiding firearm owners into criminals. They will have 90 days to turn in their guns if the legislation is passed.
Watchdog: Claims backlog grows despite parade of VA 'solutions'; Hereos Forced to Wait A billion-dollar "glitch" was discovered two years ago in the Department of Veterans Affairs computers. A simple fix was needed to create what amounted to an e-mail alert when veterans receiving temporary disability payments were due for a new medical exam
Illegal immigrant tells Congress not to call him illegal Jose Antonio Vargas, an illegal immigrant and former reporter, scolded a congressional panel, saying that he should not be called illegal, and saying it is an insult to his family who brought him here.
Dr. Ben Carson Talks About Entitlement Struggles in the U.S. Dr. Ben Carson spoke against entitlements and about how great our nation is when it's rooted in self-reliance and personal responsibility for 30 minutes in front of President Obama.
"Obama Phones": Millions Improperly Claimed U.S. Phone Subsidies The U.S. government spent about $2.2 billion last year to provide phones to low-income Americans, but a Wall Street Journal review of the program shows that a large number of those who received the phones haven't proved they are eligible to receive them.
The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Doesn't Get Health Benefits Now “I left SEALs on Friday,” the unnamed SEAL told author Phil Bronstein. He exited a little over three years short of the 20-year retirement requirement. “My health care for me and my family stopped at midnight Friday night.”
Dept. of Defense Extends Benefits to Same Sex Couples Departing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta extended a list of benefits — all previously denied by the Pentagon — to the same-sex spouses of service members as well as to the unmarried partners of gay troops.
Homeland prepares budget cuts, up to 1,000 furloughs at Secret Service Bracing for the possibility of budget sequestration next month, the Homeland Security Department is making plans to furlough as many as 1,000 Secret Service agents, officers and others employees, officials say.
Obamacare co-ops being created behind closed doors Secrecy shrouds President Obama's $2 billion program to launch 24 new co-ops designed to compete with private insurance companies under the chief executive's landmark health care reform.
Restored Payroll Tax Pinches Those Who Earn the Least Jack Andrews and his wife no longer enjoy what they call date night, their once-a-month outing to the movies and a steak dinner.
VIRAL VIDEO: Gun Control ForDummies This video gives an explanation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution in the context of the why the Bill of Rights was included along with the establishment of the federal government.
Homeland Only Fully Approves 10% of Freedom of Information Requests According to an annual report for 2012 just released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS processed a total of 205,895 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests during the year.
Obamacare red tape burden: 127,602,371 hours yearly Complying with the raging tsunami of new Obamacare rules and regulations will cost American businesses and families 127 million hours annually, enough time to carve out another 1,039 Mount Rushmores which took 14 years complete, according to a new House report.
Seven million will lose insurance under Obama health law President Obama's health care law will push 7 million people out of their job-based insurance coverage — nearly twice the previous estimate, according to the latest estimates from the Congressional Budget Office released Tuesday.
Court: NYTimes's Request for New York City Gun Owners Violates Law A New York appellate court has ruled that the New York Times's request for a list of gun owners in New York City, under the Freedom of Information Law, violates the state's statute. The ruling overturns in part a lower court's ruling.
VIRAL VIDEO: William Shatner's Gun Control Video This 2008 clip from "Boston Legal" has gone viral again.
An inconvenient truth: More polar bears alive today than 40 years ago Author Zac Unger was originally drawn to the arctic circle to write a “mournful elegy” about how global warming was decimating the polar bear populations. He was surprised to find that the polar bears were not in such dire straits after all.
Gallup: 61% of Small Business ‘Worried’ Over Healthcare Costs -- 30% Not Hiring, Fear Going Out of Business Sixty-one percent of U.S. small business owners said they were “worried about the potential cost of healthcare” and 56 percent said they were “worried about new government regulations,” according to the Wells Fargo/Gallup small business index released on Jan. 31, which also showed that 30 percent of small business owners are not hiring and fear going out of business within a year.
IRS: Parents Must Pay Federal Fine for Uninsured Kids In new, final regulations issued Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said that parents must pay a federal fine under Obamacare if their children or dependent spouses are uninsured for any part of the year.
Homeland Security has advice for confronting mass murders: scissors That’s some of the helpful advice in a new instructional video from the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS revamping immigrant welcome materials, set to include Obamacare The welcome materials the federal government directs new immigrants to read — which detail, among other facets of American life, how and where to get government benefits — are in the process of getting a bit of a makeover to increase accessibility for newcomers.
Mission Accomplished?: Obama's Jobs Council Shutting Down The unemployment rate has improved to 7.8 percent, but is that still too high?
Read the Letter 1,100 Green Berets Signed for Protection of the 2nd Amendment The Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP) called our attention to a 2,929-word letter signed by more than 1,000 Green Berets in support of protecting the Second Amendment and explaining why “all Americans should be concerned” about doing so themselves.
Reagan's home could become a parking lot for Obama's library The apartment building was once the Chicago home of a boy who would become a President.
Feds Shut Down Coal Plants...But Heat Capitol WIth Coal
New Drone-Mounted Camera Can Tell What You’re Wearing From 17,500 Feet A new camera developed by the Pentagon’s research arm was highlighted in a recent special on PBS’ “Nova” in an episode called “Rise of the Drones.” It’s a camera system so detailed it can discern specific movements and even what a subject is wearing.
Study: 37 percent of employed college graduates didn’t even need their education With record numbers of college graduates underemployed in jobs that don’t actually require degrees, economists are joking that even aspiring janitors may soon have to get master’s degrees to compete for jobs.
Amnesty for 11 Million People? Obama plan will include a potentially quicker path to citizenship than the bipartisan plan a group of senators unveiled earlier this week.
The Most Ridiculous Law of 2013 (So Far): It Is Now a Crime to Unlock Your Smartphone
Woman Tries to Show How Easy it Is To Commit Voter Fraud; Gets Arrested for Voter Fraud Roxanne Rubin, 56, a casino worker in Las Vegas, was arrested after trying to vote twice.
Sandy relief bill eats up taxes on the rich Congress is poised to clear the final $50 billion chunk of emergency aid for Superstorm Sandy -- and in one vote, it will have used up all the new tax money President Obama won by raising rates on the wealthy in the “fiscal cliff” deal.
Should Welfare Recipients Be Tested For Drugs? If you can't pass a drug test, you won't receive benefits in some states.
Financial Times: Tax Hell: New Laws, Do You Need an Expert? The average taxpayer will spend 18 hours filling out a personal return, which is not surprise since Congress has made nearly 5,000 changes to the tax code since 2001 -- an average of more than one a day.
Worst. Recovery. EVER? (GRAPH) GDP "growth" just dipped below the heretofore lowest on record.
Tensions Explode; Fight Erupts at Food Stamp Office (VIDEO) The video shows four women shouting and punching each other as security guards attempt to separate them.
Beltway Panics Over Looming Defense Cuts Looking ahead to the automatic across-the-board spending cuts that threaten slash defense and domestic programs on March 1.
Size of U.S. Government Equal to Population in 1776 According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the current civilian federal workforce, excluding postal service employees, was 2.15 million in 2011. The Census Bureau estimates that in 1776, the entire population of the United States was just a bit higher, at about 2.5 million.
Survey: 82 percent of small businesses think economy is on wrong track What’s more, over half of small businesses. 54 percent, expect business climate for small business to worsen in the next two years.
The Real Story Of How 'Untouchable' Wall Street Execs Avoided Prosecution Numerous documents prove that executives at leading banks, credit agencies, and mortgage brokers were falsely touting assets as sound that they knew were junk — the very definition of fraud.
Poll: Only 1 in 5 believe the deficit will go down New poll also includes reaction about gun controls.
House votes to allow government borrowing through May The House overwhelmingly passed a bill Wednesday to permit the government to borrow enough money to avoid a first-time default for at least four months, defusing a looming crisis and setting the stage for a springtime debate over taxes, spending and the deficit.
In Philadelphia and Ohio voting districts, Romney receives zero votes In 59 voting districts in Philadelphia and nine districts in Cleveland, not a single person voted for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Election Day.
Obama Won Dozens of Cleveland Districts with 100% of the Vote For example, in Cleveland's Fifth Ward, Mr. Obama won districts E, F, and G 1,337 to Mitt Romney's... 0. And in case you're wondering, Gary Johnson received more votes than Mr. Romney
Voter fraud, illegal activities reported in several states As a result of last Tuesday's presidential election, several reports are coming in of voter fraud by the Democratic Party, particularly in key states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, and Florida where in St. Lucie County, the unofficial vote count showed 175,554 registered voters but 247,713 vote cards were cast coming to 141.10%
Florida Election results
The Divided States of American (NY Times) The Obama victory was far narrower than his historic election four years ago, but it was no less dramatic.
Obama Wins Re-Election A sharply divided America awarded President Barack Obama a second term Tuesday, choosing him over Republican Mitt Romney to lead the repair of an economy that by far remains the country’s biggest concern.
Politico: 5 Things To Watch For Tonight After 18 months of political combat, $2 billion in combined campaign spending and a skull-softening barrage of campaign ads that left toddler and reporter alike weeping for relief, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney await judgment from the only polls that matter.
Expect a Long Night, But Clues Could Come Early (NY Times) The most expensive presidential race in American history now becomes the biggest show on television, a night with enough uncertainty that it could become a telethon lasting well into morning.
Foreign election officials amazed by trust-based U.S. voting system For the head of Libya's national election commission, the method by which Americans vote is startling in that it depends so much on trust and the good faith of election officials and voters alike.
Exit poll data will be examined in ‘quarantine room’ At 11 a.m. today, representatives from the consortium of news organizations that sponsor the National Election Pool entered a “quarantine room,” where they’ll look at data gathered via exit polls, Michael Calderone reports.
Florida Amendments League of Women's Voters
Romney Landslide: Here Are the Biggest Names Predicting It & How It Will Happen More and more pundits on both political sides are taking the electoral leap and predicting a landslide for Mitt Romney. Here are some notable ones:
An Obama Landslide? Here Are the Expert Predictions That Point to a Decisive Obama Victory Read what 5 "experts" say.
46 newspapers abandon 2008 Obama endorsements to support Romney Forty-six newspaper editorial boards that endorsed then-Senator Barack Obama in 2008 have decided instead to endorse Republican nominee Mitt Romney this year, according to a tally from the Republican National Committee.
Politico: If Obama Loses... A defeat for Barack Obama would be no ordinary loss for Democrats.
Politico: If Romney Loses... For Republicans, the only thing harder than losing to Barack Obama might be explaining it.
Final Swing States Poll: Fired-up voters split, 48%-48% USA TODAY and Gallup have conducted 11 surveys over the past year or so in the nation's dozen top battlegrounds. Here is a rundown on how the contest has changed over that time and where it stands now.
Mitt Romney's Foreign Police - Spoof BarackObama.com released a spoof video of Mitt Romney's foreign policy plans.
The Mystery Behind Mitt Romney A man posted a YouTube video questioning what Americans really know about Mitt Romney
Questioning President Obama's Record A man edited his own YouTube video to highlight what he believes are failures of the Obama administration.
Biden Debates Himself The New Tampa Republican Club released a video spoofing a debate between Joe Biden and Joe Biden.
Hope Depot President - YouTube Video The president of Home Depot shares his thoughts on President Obama's policies
Have You Heard About ‘Spigot Cities’ That May Pump Votes to Obama? President Barack Obama’s campaign team could have more control over the outcome of the 2012 election than you think, according to a report by TheBlaze documentary team that reveals the potential for highly targeted voter fraud in key cities that could determine who gets the electoral votes from many swing states.
Ohio Voting Count 'Nightmare' Looms With the presidential election expected to hinge on Ohio, the state’s former secretary of state, GOP stalwart Kenneth Blackwell, is warning that a little-known change in the Buckeye State’s absentee-ballot process could lead to a “nightmare scenario.”
Will early voters cannibalize Nov. 6 turnout? That’s a major unknown as Democrats and Republicans tout and trash each other’s advantages and try to build enthusiasm going into the final days of the 2012 campaign.
Viral Video: Conservative is Calling A YouTube user creates a video about his thoughts after 2008 and now.
Obama: I'd Appoint Secretary of Biz Mitt: I'd Be President Who Gets Biz The Romney campaign is ripping President Obama for calling for the creation of a secretary of business to handle the nation's economic ills -- running a TV ad saying that solution would only add more bureaucracy to a cluttered system.
Woman Blocked From Voting Over 'Bible' T-Shirt A woman was blocked from early voting near Austin, Texas, last week after wearing a T-shirt that said "Vote the Bible."
More Electronic Voting Machines Changing Romney Votes to Obama: What's Happening? TheBlaze decided to look into who was responsible for making sure the machines was calibrated in the first place; how calibration issues occur; and how the problems are fixed.
Shift in white, minority vote could decide Obama-Romney race The ethnic mix of this year’s electorate could decide the winner of the race between President Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
Iowa Follows Texas, May Arrest UN Observers Iowa has joined Texas in warning international election observers of possible criminal prosecution if they violate state laws and get near polling places on Election Day.
Romney, Obama camps war over 'state of the race' Who has the momentum in the race for the White House, President Barack Obama or GOP challenger Mitt Romney?
Michael Moore and MoveOn.org Ad on Voting for Republicans
In New Hampshire, Obamacare to Cause 20% of Doctors to Stop Accepting Medicare Patients With the Presidential election one week away, it’s worth reviewing how Obamacare will impact the residents of key swing states. A new survey of physicians has found that 25 percent of doctors in New Hampshire intend to place new or additional limits on accepting Medicare patients, with 20 percent altogether refusing to accept new Medicare patients, because of Obamacare’s impact on the fees that Medicare pays to providers of health-care services.
Debunked: Here’s the Explanation for the ‘Made in China’ Romney Hat You’re Seeing on Facebook A viral photo showing a Romney hat with “Made in China” stamped on the tag has led some to criticize and others to find the facts.
Washington Examiner: Lack of white support could cost Obama his presidency AMES, Iowa -- If President Obama doesn't win a second term next Tuesday, he won't have trouble finding the root problem. As the president likes to say, it's simple math: Waning support among white voters could torpedo his re-election bid.
Michael Moore, Moveon.org video features dirty-mouthed old people lambasting Republicans, Romney Liberal film producer Michael Moore is out with a new “NSFW” (not safe for work) Moveon.org campaign ad featuring elderly nursing home residents cursing and describing the dirty things they will do if the Republican Party and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney win the election
G.O.P. Turns Fire on Obama Pillar, the Auto Bailout e ad from Mitt Romney showed up on televisions without the usual public announcement that both campaigns typically use to herald their latest commercials: Chrysler, a bailout recipient, is going to begin producing Jeeps in China, an announcer says, leaving the misleading impression that the move would come at the expense of jobs here.
Romney embraces executive authority The Republican presidential nominee has reserved the right to deploy U.S. military power to world hot spots, as Mr. Obama did in Libya, and to greenlight unilateral action against Iran.
Gallup suspends daily tracking poll Gallup will not conduct its daily tracking survey for the second night in a row as a result of superstorm Sandy, the polling firm announced Tuesday.
Hurricane Sandy: Could it push back the election? The Federal Emergency Management Agency is preparing for Hurricane Sandy to disrupt next week’s elections, agency Administrator Craig Fugate said.
Newspapers abandon 2008 Obama endorsements, choose Romney Republicans are touting a list of newspapers that have switched their endorsements from then-Sen. Barack Obama in 2008 to Gov Mitt Romney in 2012.
Romney or Obama: List of Newspaper Endorsements The Des Moines Register in Iowa surprised Obama supporters by endorsing Romney. See who other newspapers are endorsing.
5 Things to Look Out for in the Home Stretch of the 2012 Presidential Campaign With just days left until the 2012 presidential campaign comes to a close, both candidates are working feverishly to convince voters, particularly in swing states, to support them. As we enter the final week of the electoral battle between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, here are five things to watch for:
After Bush v. Gore, Obama, Clinton wanted Electoral College scrapped President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are among the politicians whose past criticisms of the Electoral College system would draw new scrutiny if there is a split verdict in this year’s presidential election.
Obama avoids question on whether Americans in Libya were denied requests for help President Obama declined to answer directly whether a CIA annex was denied urgent requests for military assistance during the deadly attacks last month on U.S. outposts in Libya.
Washington Post: Romney, Obama could split popular and electoral college vote Most polls at this moment suggest GOP nominee Mitt Romney is in the lead nationally, but surveys in the nine or so swing states are registering a narrow advantage for President Obama.
White House considering new tax cut; Is it a campaign ploy? The White House is weighing the idea of a tax cut that it believes would lift Americans’ take-home pay and boost a still-struggling economy, according to people familiar with the administration’s thinking, as the presidential candidates continue battling over whose tax policies would do more for the country.
Absentee ballots sent to military may have been destroyed in crash ral officials say that absentee ballots being sent to U.S. military serving in Afghanistan may have been burned in a plane crash.
Does "Children of the future" ad go too far in using kids in politics? (VIDEO) The children, who stare blankly at the camera throughout the video, even take pains to explicitly mention that they blame “mom and dad” for all those horrors.
Campaigns Brace for ‘Frankenstorm There is no escaping the 2012 presidential campaign, which is entering its final, all-consuming 10 days. But what if something came along and diverted everyone’s attention? What if the candidate rallies and speeches were but a sideshow? What if all the cable TV chatter was about something else?
Washington Examiner: Spending on White House dinners soars under Obama President Obama has spent far more lavishly on White House state dinners than previous chief executives, including nearly $1 million on a 2010 dinner for Mexico's president, according to documents obtained by The Washington Examiner.
Controversial ad?: Obama ad: President wants your electoral virginity Voting is sexy and voting for the first time is — well, like losing your virginity. Or something. At least according to a new Barack Obama campaign ad.
Is Obama's 'firewall' crumbling? Romney draws level with President in 'safe state' of Wisconsin Mitt Romney is now tied with Barack Obama in Wisconsin, one of the 'firewall' states the president hoped would protect him against defeats in Florida and Virginia, according to a new poll.
Gallup Gives Edge to Romney See the latest daily tracking poll.
Washington Post: Is Mitt Romney’s momentum real or fake? There’s been an active debate over the last few days in the political class about whether former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is genuinely the momentum candidate in the race, or whether he and his campaign are simply pulling the wool over gullible reporters’ eyes when it comes to the state of the race.
Obama supporters worry a Romney victory will endanger healthcare law The prospect of a Romney presidency is making some supporters of President Obama’s healthcare law increasingly nervous.
NY Times: Who is Still Deciding? Emmakate Paris was a one-woman tornado the other day, whipping through the racks at the thrift shop here, hunting for clothes for her children and one special item for herself: a green suit. For Halloween, she wants to dress up as Tippi Hedren in the Hitchcock movie “The Birds.”
Politico: How Mitt Romney would govern Mitt Romney’s transition team — dubbed the “Readiness Project” — has stepped up its activities as the nominee has surged in the polls, planning a series of modest but quick accomplishments should he win and bracing for the likelihood Romney would butt heads with House Republicans as he seeks a fiscal “grand bargain.”
A Visual Representation of the "Food Stamp Nation" Graphic attempts to illustrate the dramatic rise in reliance on food stamps from SNAP.
VP Biden: ‘I do have a bad habit of saying what I think’ Vice President Joe Biden, during an event in Las Vegas with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., admitted to voters that he has “a bad habit” of speaking his mind in public.
How Bill Clinton May Have Hurt the Obama Campaign When the histories of the 2012 campaign are written, much will be made of Bill Clinton’s re-emergence. His convention speech may well have marked the finest moment of President Obama’s re-election campaign, and his ads on the president’s behalf were memorable.
White House: No Sequester talks after election President Barack Obama wants to get into negotiations to resolve sequestration and the fiscal cliff “right after the election,” a senior White House adviser told reporters on Wednesday, following up on the president’s assertion that Washington could reach a “grand bargain” in “six months.”
Trump offers $5 million for Obama college, passport records Donald Trump is offering to give $5 million to charity if President Obama releases his college and passport records before the election.
Ohio Has 50-50 Chance of Deciding Election The supposition that Ohio is the most important state in presidential elections is not always true. The decisive state in the 2000 election, of course, was Florida. (Al Gore also could have won by carrying New Hampshire or Missouri, both of which were slightly closer than Ohio that year.)
After irking Obama in debate, Romney continues pushing ‘Apology Tour’ notion Mitt Romney’s campaign is using a new television ad to double down on the one argument from Monday night’s debate that seemed to irk President Obama more than anything else.
New Daily Tracking Poll: Romney Edge The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows Mitt Romney attracting support from 50% of voters nationwide, while President Obama earns the vote from 46%.
Huffington Post: Obama-Romney Debate - Why The Timing Favors Romney After walking all over the president in the first debate and counter-punching his way to survival in the second, Republican nominee Mitt Romney has matched Obama in popularity polls and on projected Electoral College maps.
Ahead of Election, Obama Stops Releasing ‘Stimulus’ Reports The administration is now four reports behind schedule and has so far not released any reports whatsoever in 2012. Its most recent quarterly report is for the quarter than ended on June 30, 2011.
Lee Iacocca endorses Romney for president After a lifetime of voting for and supporting Democrats — and even declining appointment to the U.S. Senate from a Democratic governor — Lee Iacocca endorsed Republican Mitt Romney for president.
Presidential debate: 5 things to watch Monday President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have had two of the most memorable debates in modern presidential history, and they get together for the last one in Boca Raton, Fla. tonight.
Politico: 6 questions that will settle the election Mitt Romney’s hopes have long hinged on the notion of a tipping point. He would clear some psychic threshold necessary to be embraced as an acceptable alternative to Barack Obama in the minds of persuadable voters, then see national public opinion swing swiftly in his favor.
Pres. Obama Campaign Borrows $15M from Bank of America Obama For America took out a $15 million loan from Bank of America last month, according to the campaign’s October monthly FEC report.
Ohio doctor running newspaper ads criticizing Obamacare ahead of election A medical doctor in the crucial swing state of Ohio is publishing a 2,000-word letter slamming President Barack Obama’s health care law as full-page ads in local newspapers ahead of the presidential election.
"My son is not very optimal - he is very dead': Mother of diplomat killed in Benghazi attack slams Obama's comment on raid President told Jon Stewart, 'If four Americans get killed, it's not optimal'
Home Deport CEO Pleads the Case for Good Business Decisions Home Depot Founder Bernie Marcus shares his concerns for our nation and how frightened he is by what Pres. Obama's policies mean for America, especially for our children and future generations.
Special Ops Forces Weigh in on Election with New Ad See this 30 sec political ad from Special Operations for America Foundation
Gallup Poll of Livekly Voters: Romney 51% Obama 45% All registered voters are asked: "Suppose the presidential election were held today, and it included Barack Obama and Joe Biden as the Democratic Party's candidates and Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as the Republican Party's candidates. Who would you vote for?"
Instant Reaction Polls Show Narrow Obama Advantage in Second Debate Polling data is often very noisy — so it makes my job easier on those rare occasions when there is some agreement. Scientific polls conducted after Tuesday night’s presidential debate in New York give a modest edge to President Obama.
Politico: 6 takeaways from the debate President Barack Obama stopped the bleeding, Mitt Romney stayed in the game, and the 2012 race remains very competitive after the second presidential debate.
Washington Post Debate Fact ChecK; Taxes, Pipeline and more Obama says he has cut taxes by $3,600. But he makes it sound like it is one big tax cut.
ABC News: Biden Seemed to Overstate His Role in Social Security Reform During the vice presidential debate last week, Vice President Joe Biden seemed to significantly overstate his role in the 1983 negotiations over Social Security.
Amendments to the Florida ballot The Florida Division of Elections has developed a 36-page booklet that contains the full text of all the proposed constitutional amendments that will be on the ballot in November. You can read it online or print your own copy.
NY Times: Most Crucial Time for Candidates May Be After the Debate If the debate is seen to be more of a draw, then the winner will be decided in the hours and days after — with perceptions shaped by whichever campaign manages the post-debate time more effectively.
Moderator Role Under Scrutiny — Before the Debate In a rare example of political unity, both the Romney and Obama campaigns have expressed concern to the Commission on Presidential Debates about how the moderator of the Tuesday town hall has publicly described her role, TIME has learned.
Washington Examiner: Obama funder gets insider deal at NASA Space X is one of three well-publicized Musk firms, the others being electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors and SolarCity Corp., a rooftop solar power panel manufacturer. Collectively, the three Musk firms have received more than $1.5 billion in government funding since President Obama took office in 2009.
Washington Post: Win or lose, Paul Ryan is likely to have a big role in GOP’s future As GOP vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan stumps across battleground states, conservatives flock to see him — and not just because they believe that he and his running mate are on the verge of booting Barack Obama out of the White House.
What to Watch For in Second Pres. Debate When President Obama and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney take the stage at Hofstra University on Tuesday night for the second presidential debate, the pressure to perform will be squarely on the incumbent.
US Conference of Catholic Bishops criticizes Biden on contraception The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops says that Vice President Joe Biden’s characterization of the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception mandate at Thursday night’s vice presidential debate is incorrect.
Obama crams for debate President Barack Obama headed to a Virginia hotel for debate camp Saturday on a mission to transform his re-election pitch after his tame first clash with Mitt Romney hammered his poll ratings.
Gallup Poll: Romney Ahead by 2% New poll of likely voters in November.
Rasmussen Poll: Romney Ahead by 2% The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows Mitt Romney attracting support from 49% of voters nationwide, while President Obama earns the vote from 47%.
Who Won VP Debate? (CBS News) Biden 50%, Ryan 31%, Undecided 19% Both Biden and Ryan gained ground on relatability and knowledge.
Who Won VP Debate? (CNN) Ryan 48%, Biden 44% Half of all debate watchers questioned in the poll said the showdown didn't make them more likely to vote for either of the candidates' bosses.
PolitiFact: Fact-checking the vice presidential debate The vice presidential debate Thursday night began on a somber note, then quickly turned to lively attacks — with both candidates stretching the truth.
NY Times Vice-Presidential Debate Fact-Checks and Updates Check out fact checks of four big claims in the debate.
Washington Post Fact Check of the VP Debate See which claims were fact and which were fiction.
Twitter frowns on Joe Biden's laugh Vice President Joe Biden and Rep. Paul Ryan were the two candidates on stage at Thursday’s vice presidential debate, but a third character emerged: Joe Biden’s laugh, which didn’t escape the notice of tweeting politicos.
The Story Behind Google's "Completely Wrong" Romney Search The truth is, the search results aren’t a case of digital trickery. Here's why you get the results you do?
Who Will Catholics Choose This November — Obama or Romney? This year, the Catholic Church made its issues with the Obama administration’s policies more than clear — particularly on the contraception mandate, which requires faith-based organizations and colleges to violate conscience.
Should TIME Have Published These Pictures of Ryan? Paul Ryan has a body by P90X, and he agreed to show it off to TIME Magazine. But not everyone’s pumped up about the pics.
5 Things To Watch for in the VP Debate Paul Ryan will look to win for the Republican ticket tonight when he takes the debate stage at Centre College here against Joe Biden in the first national face-off in which he’s participated.
Chris Christie predicts ‘a mean and angry’ Obama in next two debates New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the man who correctly predicted that Mitt Romney would win big at the last presidential debate, told radio talker Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday that expects see a “mean and angry” President Obama at the next two debates.
ABC News scrambles to cover up Barack Obama’s attendance at VP debate moderator’s wedding President Barack Obama was a guest at the 1991 wedding of ABC senior foreign correspondent and vice presidential debate moderator Martha Raddatz, The Daily Caller has learned. Obama and groom Julius Genachowski, whom Obama would later tap to head the Federal Communications Commission, were Harvard Law School classmates at the time and members of the Harvard Law Review.
Angst grows among Obama supporters After months of watching Mitt Romney twist in the media glare, a growing number of President Barack Obama’s supporters — though confined for now to a noisy minority of liberals — are peering into the Obama-might-actually-lose abyss for the first time after last week’s disastrous first debate.
Sesame Workshop Wants Obama Big Bird Ad Pulled Read the statement about why.
Obama’s $40,000 middle-class tax hike Read the report from the American Enterprise Institute.
Report: Shake-Up in Works at Obama Campaign Headquarters "I'm hearing chatter that there's maybe some people from the last campaign that's maybe going to get a little more involved," said NBC's Chuck Todd.
VIDEO: Absolutely Uncertain A new, 18-minute mini-documentary follows the journey of Irina, a 23-year-old liberal, Jewish New Yorker who voted for Obama in 2008. Yet as her connection to Israel has grown, and she has learned more about the President's policies across the Middle East and towards Israel in particular, Irina has come to realize that "when the chips are down," the President may not "have Israel's back" as he says.
GOLDMAN: A Significant Tax Hike Is Coming, And Neither Party Is Even Talking About Stopping It Goldman's Jan Hatzius takes the pulse of the economy, and mostly thinks things are getting a little better.
VIDEO: Why Did Reporter Ask Such Odd Question of Ryan? Paul Ryan sat down for an interview on Monday with ABC 12 in Flint, Michigan, and things didn't go quite as planned.
Polls, ballot requests suggest Romney overtaking Obama in Ohio A new Rasmussen poll and early absentee ballot requests both suggest that President Barack Obama is losing his lead in Ohio after Mitt Romney’s performance in Wednesday night’s presidential debate
Source: Romney to pull resources out of Pennsylvania, focus on Ohio Field staff for the campaign were told about the decision during a conference call late Monday, the source said. Instructions were not sent via email to avoid leaks to the media.
Military Times Poll: Romney bests Obama, 2-1 The professional core of the U.S. military overwhelmingly favors Mitt Romney over President Obama in the upcoming election — but not because of any particular military issues, according to a new poll of more than 3,100 active and reserve troops.
Obama’s Plan for Ohio; Shift Tax Dollars President Obama aims to help Ohio’s Democrats bail out your state’s struggling cities by forcibly transferring suburban tax money to urban treasuries
NBC Anchor Doesn't Want to be in Obama Ad NBC News sent a letter to Obama campaign manager Jim Messina last week asking the campaign to stop using network footage in a new 30-second spot, released shortly after Wednesday’s debate, in which Andrea Mitchell is shown on air citing an independent analysis that Mitt Romney’s tax plan would cost $4.8 trillion over 10 years.
How it costs taxpayers $1.4 billion a year to fund the White House A book about presidential perks recently revealed that taxpayers spend about $1.4 billion paying for the staffing, housing, transportation and entertaining.
Romney’s Strong Debate Performance Erases Obama’s Lead Mitt Romney no longer trails Barack Obama in the Pew Research Center’s presidential election polling. By about three-to-one, voters say Romney did a better job than Obama in the Oct. 3 debate, and the Republican is now better regarded on most personal dimensions and on most issues than he was in September.
‘Unfair’: Obama Supporters Explain Why Teleprompters Should Be Allowed During Debates Apparently, some consider it “unfair” that President Obama wasn’t able to use his now-infamous teleprompter. As one man stated, “How’s he going to memorize an hour and a half debate?”
National Geographic denies politics influenced release of pro-Obama film before election National Geographic Channel President Howard Owens denied Thursday that the network’s decision to air a pro-Obama video just two days before the November election was motivated in any way by political considerations.
The Hill: Obama administration payouts to defense firms likely unneeded The Obama administration is unlikely to make payments to defense contractors to cover severance costs caused by across-the-board Pentagon cuts, according to defense analysts.
NBC's Chuck Todd Admits Big Problem For Democrats Republicans have an "across the board" enthusiasm advantage over Democrats in NBC's polls that is the opposite of how the electorate looked four years ago
Robert Gibbs: Mitt Romney's Budget Math Is 'Absolutely Crazy' (VIDEO) Former White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Sunday lit into Mitt Romney's recent debate performance, calling the Republican presidential nominee's claims "fundamentally dishonest" and "absolutely crazy."
An Ohio Court Ruling Could Deliver A Massive Blow To Romney The Obama administration scored another voting rights win on Friday when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit said the key swing state of Ohio can’t single out military voters for special treatment – a ruling that will re-open a three-day weekend voting period that’s become known to black voters as the “souls to the polls” program.
Biden Takes 6 Days Off Campaign Trail With just about a month until Election Day, Vice President Joe Biden is in the middle of taking nearly a week off the campaign trail. He will return to doing campaign events on Thursday, when he will debate Rep. Paul Ryan in the vice presidential debate.
Fact Check: Dueling studies in new ads by Romney and Obama Politicians love nothing more than to point to an “independent” study that backs up their political position.
Obama-Romney Polls Start To See Romney Debate Bounce Political junkies have been watching for any signs that the perceptions of a lackluster performance by President Barack Obama in Wednesday night's debate have translated into polling gains for Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
Obama and Democrats Raise $181 Million in September President Obama and the Democrats shattered the election cycle’s fund-raising record with a $181 million haul for September, the campaign announced on Saturday morning.
Obama Campaign Does Debate Cleanup On Social Security Answer The Obama campaign played a bit of debate cleanup on Friday night with a blog post clarifying that there are, indeed, differences between the president's and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's approaches to Social Security.
Big Super PAC Donor on Obama: 'Looks Like He Took My Million and Spent it All on Weed' Bill Maher, a major donor to Barack Obama's super PAC, blasted the president's debate performance on his HBO show.
The New Yorker Cover This Week: Was Clint Right? Here’s a sneak preview of next week’s cover, “One on One".
Gas prices set a record in California California’s average gasoline price set a record Saturday of $4.614 for a gallon of regular, up 12.8 cents overnight – but anyone who filled up in the last few days probably isn’t surprised.
Are Members of Media Offering Advice to Help Obama Campaign? Surrounded by whooping Republicans and suddenly unfavorable data, chief Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod called in the media cavalry.
Non-profit wants to know if Obama asked IRS for anybody's tax returns An independent non-profit group has asked a federal court to order the IRS to release documents concerning any requests the agency received from President Obama for the tax returns of any individual or business
AARP to Obama: Don’t mention us again President Obama invoked AARP to defend his health care law last night, prompting the influential group to release a statement telling him not to do that again.
Has the Middle Class Been Buried? Michael Kinsley once defined “gaffe” as the accidental telling of a political truth. That definition aptly describes the jaw-dropping admission from Joe Biden on the campaign trail this week.
NY Times: In Fallout After Debate, Obama Asks, Which Mitt Was That? President Obama and his team woke up here on Thursday morning confronted by the realization that he lost his first debate by passively letting Mitt Romney control the conversation. Then the president and his advisers resolved to do what he himself did not the night before.
Washington Post: Why Was Pres. Obama So Bad? The Barack Obama who stood on the debate stage in Denver Wednesday night was virtually unrecognizable to the person who swept to victory in 2008 or even the man who had built a narrow-but-clear edge in the 2012 race.
Michael Moore slams Obama’s debate performance: “This is what happens when u pick John Kerry as your debate coach” Left-wing filmmaker and activist Michael Moore was among the chorus of liberal pundits panning President Obama’s debate performance against Republican candidate Mitt Romney tonight. He added in a jab against the Democratic Party’s 2004 nominee while he was at it.
After the Debate Obama campaign relaunches character attack on Romney: ‘Devoid of honesty’ The Obama campaign is returning to attacking Gov. Mitt Romney’s character — and calling for support from the established media — after a surprising debate defeat in Denver.
AP Fact Check: Here Are Obama & Romney’s Biggest Missteps & Mistruths During Last Night’s Debate President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney spun one-sided stories in their first presidential debate, not necessarily bogus, but not the whole truth.
Gore Blames Altitude for Obama's Debate Woes (VIDEO) Gore: "Romney did his debate prep in Denver. When you go to 5,000 feet, and you only have a few hours to adjust, I don't know..."
Biden gaffe before presidential debate Vice President Joe Biden inadvertently tossed raw meat to Republican rivals Tuesday barely 24 hours ahead of the first presidential debate, saying the middle class has been "buried" during the last four years.
Daily Caller: Exclusive: In heated ’07 speech, Obama lavishes praise on Wright, says feds ‘don’t care’ about New Orleans [VIDEO] In a video obtained exclusively by The Daily Caller, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama tells an audience of black ministers, including the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, that the U.S. government shortchanged Hurricane Katrina victims because of racism.
Obama campaign: ‘Lady parts’ e-card promotion was not properly reviewed, has been removed urging women to vote based on their reproductive organs has been removed from the Obama-Biden campaign web page.
New Polls Raise Chance of Electoral College Tie As of Monday’s FiveThirtyEight forecast, there were 21 states that Barack Obama was projected to have at least an 85 percent chance of winning on Nov. 6.
Survey: Doctors choose Romney over Obama A new survey shows Mitt Romney with a commanding lead over President Barack Obama among doctors, with Obamacare helping to sway their votes.
Poll: Obama leads 18 points among women A new poll gives President Obama the edge over Mitt Romney, with the president building a commanding lead among female voters.
Politico: 10 quotes that haunt Barack Obama Ahead in the polls, looking strong in key swing states: This must be exactly what Barack Obama dreamed his reelection campaign would look like, five weeks from Election Day and on the eve of the first debate.
U.S. News: Obama Supporters' Dirty Tricks to Win the Catholic Vote In most every presidential contest since the end of World War II, the candidate who carried the Catholic vote won the election.
Washington Post: Welcome to the most important week of the campaign There are 36 days left until Election Day, and that means that every day matters. But the next five days matter more than most when it comes to the race’s final outcome.
Economic signs point both ways for presidential election result At first glance, it looked like the elections might be a slam-dunk for Republicans this year, given the way presidents in recent history have fared in the face of poorly performing economies. But as the GOP is finding out, today’s economy is a double-edged sword that is cutting both for and against President Obama. Read more: Economic signs point both ways for presidential election result.
Christie to NBC’s David Gregory: ‘I wish you guys were as tough on the president’ On Sunday’s broadcast of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took a jab at moderator David Gregory and the media for being tougher on Mitt Romney than President Barack Obama ahead of this week’s presidential debate.
Chavez to Obama: I'd vote for you, and you for me With both presidents facing tight re-election fights, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez gave a surprise endorsement to Barack Obama on Sunday - and said the U.S. leader no doubt felt the same.
Quips, gaffes and stumbles: Debates have history of memorable moments Voters, pundits and political junkies will be glued to Wednesday night’s presidential debate to see more than just a back-and-forth on national defense, the economy and other issues.
New York Times: Memorable Debate Moments (VIDEO) Sam Tanenhaus, Book Review editor, talks about some of the most memorable presidential debate moments of the televised era.
What to expect in Wednesday’s first presidential debate Think of it like the Super Bowl, but for politics; even if you don’t like the game all that much, you tune in because it’s a cultural happening. (And yes, we are aware that we just called a presidential debate a “cultural happening”.)
Do the Debates Matter? Everywhere you look these days in the political world, you see stories touting just how important next Wednesday’s debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney will be to the final outcome of the race.
Report: 1 million Ohioans using free phone program A program that provides subsidized phone service to low-income individuals has nearly doubled in size in Ohio in the past year — now covering more than a million people. At the same time, federal officials say they’re reining in waste, fraud and abuse in the program.
Romney Falls Behind in Key States Before First Debate Five weeks to Election Day, President Barack Obama is within reach of the 270 electoral votes needed to win a second term. Republican Mitt Romney’s path to victory is narrowing.
Democratic National Committee predicts Romney will win first debate vs. Obama It's a further lowering of expectations ahead of the first debate in Denver next week. Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse tells Fox News he thinks Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will win.
Follow the Money; See Where Campaign Cash is being Spent With less than seven weeks until Nov. 6, it's likely the candidates will look to their top fundraising states for some extra cash.
Poll: Heading Into Election, Record Number of Americans Prefer One-Party Government A record 38 percent of Americans would like the same party to control the presidency and Congress, while a record low 23 percent prefer that the White House and Congress be controlled by different parties.
Obama up five over Romney in latest Fox News poll With less than six weeks to go before the election, a Fox News poll released Thursday has President Barack Obama leading Republican contender Mitt Romney by five points.
Tea party leader: Movement’s role ‘more important and more difficult’ if Romney wins If Mitt Romney becomes president, don’t expect the tea party movement to just fade away without Barack Obama in the White House.
Voter registration problems widening in Florida What first appeared to be an isolated problem in one Florida county has now spread statewide, with election officials in at least seven counties informing prosecutors or state election officials about questionable voter registration forms filled out on behalf of the Republican Party of Florida.
Petition delivered to debate commission urging nonpartisan ‘fact checkers’ With only days left before the first presidential debate, retired Florida college professor Vicki Meyer is petitioning for nonpartisan “fact checkers” to be present at the debate.
VIDEO: SEIU paid anti-Romney protesters $11/hour in Ohio An amateur filmmaker has released video revealing that the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) paid protestors during a recent rally for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney .
VIDEO: Obama Voter Says Vote for Obama because he gives a free Phone Protester outside of Romney rally explains how Obama gives all minorities free phones and that is why they should vote for him. Cleveland Ohio, September 26, 2012
With Start of Early Voting, Election Day Becomes Election Month As eight bells rang from the clock tower of the Polk County Courthouse, the doors to the election office opened on Thursday morning and voters began casting the first ballots of the presidential race in this battleground state.
Business Insider: These Eight Counties Will Decide The Presidential Election Ad spending indicates that President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are seriously competing in eight states, which together will absorb the bulk of the campaign's manpower and cash, including the roughly $600 million in ads that are expected to run between now and November 6.
Politico: 10 debate questions for President Obama and Mitt Romney Here is POLITICO’s list of the 10 questions they would love to see Lehrer put to Obama and Romney.
Madonna: Vote for the 'Black Muslim in the White House' VIDEO: Here's footage of Madonna's "endorsement" (her Obama comments come around the 1:50 mark)
Military Voters in Wisconsin Told to Submit Ballots a Week After Deadline The Federal Voting Assistance Program website published an incorrect deadline for the return of returning military ballots in Wisconsin. Had this error not been corrected, thousands of Wisconsin servicemen and women could have been disenfranchised in this key swing state this November.
Stimulus-Funded Housing Project Installs Anti-Bedbug Sauna A Portland, Oregon public housing complex – partially funded by federal stimulus dollars – is using a specially built "bedbug sauna" to combat infestation of the tiny parasites.
Pew: Republicans see Obama bias increase Many pundits say President Barack Obama's star has faded since the 2008 campaign, but don't tell that to Republicans.
Obama claim on renewable energy doesn't add up President Obama claims he has doubled America's use of renewable energy, but government stats don't back him up
Flurry of Romney ad buys targets D.C. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has made a slew of major ad purchases in the Washington market — a spurt of activity for a campaign that trails badly in the advertising wars, and one that will reach not only voters in the swing state of Virginia but also potentially help shape the national political and media impressions of the race.
Washington Post polls: Obama lead in Ohio, edge in Fla. hamper Romney path to victory President Obama has grabbed a significant lead over Mitt Romney in Ohio and holds a slender edge in Florida, according to two new polls by the Washington Post that indicate there are fresh hurdles in the way of the Republican nominee’s best route to victory in the Electoral College.
Health Premiums Up $3,000; Obama Vowed $2,500 Cut During his first run for president, Barack Obama made one very specific promise to voters: He would cut health insurance premiums for families by $2,500, and do so in his first term.
USDA offering women, Hispanic farmers over $1.3 billion in discrimination payouts As part of “a new era of civil rights” at the Department of Agriculture, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced Monday that Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who believe USDA discriminated against them can file claims to get a piece of at least $1.33 billion in cash awards and tax relief payments and up to $160 million in farm debt relief, beginning this week
Both Candidates Claim "Underdog" Status in First Debate With nine days until the first presidential debate and candidates vying for the prized bloc of undecided voters, surrogates are playing a game of lowering expectations over which candidate holds the advantage going into the face offs.
Romney Already Planning D.C. Transition Politico: Mitt Romney’s campaign may be struggling, but his transition operation is moving full steam ahead.
Spokesperson Dodges on Why No Meetings with Leaders for Obama (VIDEO) hite House press secretary dodged repeated questions Monday about President Obama’s decision not to schedule any meetings with foreign leaders while at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Critics: Obama heads for taping of 'The View,' as UN summit begins President Obama will be among the world leaders arriving in New York on Monday for the U.N. General Assembly, but unlike other presidents or prime ministers Obama plans to head straight for a daytime TV interview.
New York Times: Obama and Romney Offer a Possible Preview of Their First Debate Mitt Romney criticized President Obama in remarks broadcast on Sunday for refusing to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, during this week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting, saying it sends a message that the administration is distancing itself from an important Middle East ally.
OpenSecrets.org: Liberal Super PACs Outraise Conservative Groups Super PACs that spent on behalf of Democratic candidates took in $19,686,276 in donations over $200 in August, more than conservative super PACs, which raised $18,295,272, according to Center for Responsive Politics research.
The new focus: Early voting By the end of September, voters in 30 states will start casting early or absentee ballots in the presidential race — a fact that both poses challenges for the campaigns seeking to make their final pitches as well as raises the stakes between now and Nov. 6.
New Web Site Launches to "Unskew" Polls There is a new website, called unskewedpolls.com, that basically reweights the data. Their results are quite different, giving Romney somewhere between a five and eleven point lead.
CBS Doesn't Air Obama Admitting Mistakes in Campaign Ads CBS did not air a clip of Obama admitting to interviewer Steve Kroft that some of his campaign ads contain mistakes and that some even "go overboard."
Mitt Romney releases tax return for 2011, showing he paid 14.1 percent tax rate Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney earned $13.69 million in 2011, mostly income from his investments, and paid $1.9 million in taxes for an effective tax rate of 14.1 percent, his campaign announced Friday.
Coming Sunday: 100 Days Until The Biggest Tax Increase in History Sunday will mark the start of the 100-day countdown to “Taxmageddon” – the date the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect. They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves on January 1, 2013:
NY Times: Before Debates, Romney Faces a Daunting Path There are seven days until early voting begins in Iowa, less than two weeks until the first debate and 46 days left in the race for Mitt Romney to change the dynamic of a campaign that by many indicators is tilting against him.
Washington Examiner: The Obama you don't know Few if any of his predecessors took the oath of office with higher public hopes for his success than President Obama on Jan. 20, 2009.
CBC Chairman on Blacks Who Don’t Vote: ‘They Ought to Give Us Their Color Back’ Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver: “That’s why I become so angry at any African-American who refuses to vote. They are not worth the color if they don’t vote. They ought to give us their color back."
Politico:World's Obama fever cools When presidential candidate Barack Obama swept into Europe in 2008, television screens showed massive, adoring crowds. But the latest TV images from abroad are far more ominous: mobs in the Muslim world besieging U.S. embassies, torching American flags and even burning Obama himself in effigy.
Univision Challenges Pres. Obama in Forum President Barack Obama faced some of the toughest questioning of his reelection campaign to date, pressed repeatedly on his failure to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and other unmet promises from his 2008 run.
TX Man Hangs Chair from Tree; Neighbors Call It Racist The fold-up chair, with an American flag attached to it, was hung from a tree in front of Bud Johnson’s home and some neighbors complained that it was racist.
Gallup: Obama - Romney Tied at 47% These are the results when registered voters are asked: "Suppose the presidential election were held today. If Barack Obama were the Democratic Party's candidate and Mitt Romney were the Republican Party's candidate, who would you vote for Barack Obama, the Democrat or Mitt Romney, the Republican?"
"Real Romney" Letter Goes Viral The authors say they got an intimate look at the "real" Mitt Romney when they bought his Park City, Utah home three years ago.
Boy Scout Troop In Trouble For Greeting Romney Plane The Boy Scout headquarters were not happy about the troop meeting with the presidential hopeful.
CBS News: In ad wars, it's "redistribution" vs. the "47 percent" Amid ongoing uproar over a leaked video of controversial comments Mitt Romney made at a fundraiser this year, pro-Romney forces are going on the offensive in an aggressive new ad campaign, targeting President Obama for his record on jobs, coal, and a 1998 comment he made about the "redistribution" of wealth.
Watch the Obama "I Believe in Redistribution" of Wealth Video 1998: "I think the trick is figuring out how do we structure government systems that pool resources and hence facilitate some redistribution because I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure that everybody's got a shot. How do we pool resources at the same time as we decentralize delivery systems in ways that both foster competition, can work in the marketplace, and can foster innovation at the local level and can be tailored to particular communities."
CBS News Fact Checks Romney "47%" Video So is it true that 47 percent of Americans don't pay income tax? Essentially, yes, according to the the Tax Policy Center, which provides data showing that in 2011,
Mother Jones: The Full Romney "47%" Video Editors explain why one to two minutes of video is missing.
Here Are The First Presidential Debate Topics The first three segments will focus on the economy. The last three segments will focus on health care, the role of government, and governing.
Secret retirement plans: Does Obama expect to lose? Are Obama insiders secretly making retirement plans for the Obamas with the expectation the president will lose his bid for re-election in November?
Politico:Romney rescue plan: More Mitt After taking a beating for comments he privately wishes he never made and from conservative critics he wishes he could muzzle, Mitt Romney and his campaign are settling on a rescue plan to show more of him — in ads, speeches and campaign appearances.
Missing Minutes? :That Romney video missing 'one to two minutes' The videos of Mitt Romney's remarks at a May fundraiser, released in full by Mother Jones yesterday, omit "one to two minutes" of the candidates remarks, the journalist who obtained the video told POLITICO.
Huffington Post: "Hell Week" For Romney Mitt Romney's recent troubles have created a sense of gloom, and a good dose of doom, in the Grand Old Party.
Conservatives warning Mitt he will lose if he doesn’t change campaign A growing chorus of conservatives are telling Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney that he must immediately make changes to his campaign or he will lose.
Poll: Obama’s Foreign Policy Approval Rating Drops After Mideast Turmoil The first opinion poll to be conducted after last week’s deadly attack on a U.S. consulate in Libya and a spate of anti-American protests across the Muslim world has recorded a five-point drop in approval for President Obama’s handling of foreign policy.
Mother Jones Releases Tape From Romney Fundraiser Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was put on the defensive after liberal magazine Mother Jones released a secretly recorded video from a private fundraising event. In it, Romney says 47% of Americans won't vote for him because the don't pay federal income tax and rely too much on the government.
Wall Street Journal: General Motors pushing U.S. to sell stake; Government Says No The Treasury Department is resisting General Motors' push for the government to sell off its stake in the auto maker, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Bachmann to Obama: Cancel Letterman and Jay-Z, Meet with Netanyahu Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), speaking at the Values Voter Summit last week in Washington, D.C., said that President Barack Obama needs to cancel his upcoming interview with David Letterman and instead meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Married Moms Seen as Key Target for Both Parties In their quests for November victory, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both target a critical subset of the female vote: married women with children.
Wall Street Walks as Defense, Tech Back Obama’s Campaign Health care, telecommunications and defense industry workers are fueling President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, even as Wall Street walks away from his candidacy.
Romney Seeks to Blunt Obama Edge With Swing-State Latinos With 50 days left before election day, Republican candidate Mitt Romney will attempt to reset his campaign this week by trying to cut into the support President Barack Obama has among Hispanic voters and maintaining financial parity with the incumbent by holding fundraisers from California to Florida.
Politico: Romney Campaign Infighting This article is based on accounts from Romney aides, advisers and friends, most of whom refused to speak on the record because they were recounting private discussions and offering direct criticism of the candidate and his staff.
Citizens United Obama film to air on TV This movie — set to start airing on Tuesday and run through Nov. 6 on six cable and six broadcast networks — features forty Democratic and independent voters who backed Obama in 2008 and have since become disillusioned.
Washington Examiner: Congress set to leave a pile of problems behind The House and Senate will work just a few days this week then leave town until after the November election, abandoning work on legislation that's needed to avert looming tax hikes and more than $1 trillion in mandatory federal spending cuts so they can spend their days campaigning for re-election.
Ohio students open to someone new in White House President Obama is losing his edge among young voters in crucial Ohio, where an increasing number of his 2008 college-age supporters, now entering one of the toughest job markets in a generation, say the last four years have changed their view of the president.
Politico: Obama ‘fear’ driving social conservatives Fear of President Barack Obama — not enthusiasm for Mitt Romney — is driving religious conservatives to pull the lever for the GOP nominee this November
Washington Examiner: Obama’s No. 3 bundler profits from light-bulb regs, individual mandate President Obama’s third most important fundraiser, Michael Kempner, founded a lobbying firm and was in 2010 named to the board of a high-tech lighting company that directly profits from Obama’s green-energy policies.
Liberal Super PAC: Calling Republicans racist more effective than criticizing Democrats policy A top official at a liberal super PAC with the goal of eradicating tea partiers from Congress is telling activists that it’s more effective to label Republicans as racists than criticize their policies.
Pres., U.S.Government Deny Knowing of Warnings of Libya Attack A British newspaper claims the administration received credible warnings 48 hours in advance.
New YorkTimes: Obama Grows More Reliant on Big-Money Contributors In the race for cash, Mr. Obama often praises his millions of grass-roots donors, those die-hards whose $3 or $10 or $75 contributions are as much a symbol of the president’s political identity as they are a source of ready cash. But his campaign’s big-dollar fund-raising has become more dependent than it was four years ago on a smaller number of large-dollar donors and fund-raisers.
Crisis poses test for Obama The sudden crisis in the Middle East poses a major challenge for President Obama, who will have to defend his foreign policies and respond to partisan attacks less than two months before the election.
Swing-state ads bill: $575M -- so far Mitt Romney and Barack Obama pulled campaign ads from television Tuesday, in deference to the 11th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, but that is likely to be the last day of quiet before the election.
Web pioneer providing voter database for free "This is data that is owned by the American people but has never been accessible and affordable before," said the CEO of NationBuilder, a software company that makes online tools for political and community organizing. "For so long, it's been controlled and locked up by the political parties."
Pro-Obama speech ruled Hatch Act violation; Sebelius repays travel costs The White House stood by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius after federal investigators reported Wednesday that she unlawfully stumped for President Obama while delivering a speech earlier this year. Read more: Pro-Obama speech ruled Hatch Act violation; Sebelius repays travel costs
Obama caves to Romney, embraces free speech for critics of Islam President Barack Obama used Air Force One to conduct a policy loop-de-loop Wednesday, asserting in a CBS interview that he supports Americans’ right to criticize Islam, following almost 18 hours of determined condemnation from Team Romney and damaging news from Egypt and Libya.
US median income lowest since 1995 High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ed14fc70-fc51-11e1-aef9-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1TFdSLSkg The median income of American households dropped to its lowest level since 1995 last year, extending its decline during President Barack Obama’s tenure and highlighting the depth of the damage to the middle class inflicted by the recession and weak recovery.
Obama, Romney campaigns tangle over attacks on diplomats The Obama and Romney campaigns are trading barbs over two attacks on U.S. diplomatic posts in Libya and Egypt.
Navy Times: Russian ships displayed at DNC tribute to vets On the last night of the Democratic National Convention, a retired Navy four-star took the stage to pay tribute to veterans. Behind him, on a giant screen, the image of four hulking warships reinforced his patriotic message.
Defense industry planning pre-sequestration layoff warnings Several of the nation’s largest defense contractors have threatened to issue layoff notices ahead of planned budget cuts despite Obama administration guidance to the contrary, according to correspondence released by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Look-Alike Sites Funnel Big Money to Mystery PAC The websites have the trappings of official campaign pages: smiling candidate photos and videos, issue pages, and a large, red “donate” button at the top. Except that proceeds from the shadow sites go not to the candidates pictured, but to an obscure conservative group run by an Arizona
President Obama's Campaign Trashes '2016: Obama's America' Filmmakers call it "the movie the White House doesn't want you to see." Apparently, they're right.
White House to outline defense cuts by Friday...After Missing Deadline Last Week After missing last week’s deadline to produce plans on how it would implement deep, automatic across-the-board cuts to defense spending early next year, the White House now says it will produce the report by Friday.
One-on-One with Mitt Romney About Defense Spending GOP candidate says Republicans made mistakes of the past. Promises increase in military spending.
Romney Struggles with Repeal or "Replace" Obamacare By the time Mitt Romney faces President Barack Obama for their first debate next month, he’ll have to figure out a sharper way to explain what he would do to replace “Obamacare.”
Politico: The Kerry-ization of Mitt Romney Romney — whose convention speech didn’t include a salute to the troops or a reference to Afghanistan, where about 75,000 Americans are still at war — is getting hit almost daily now by Democratic attacks that he is wobbly and therefore untrustworthy on national security.
When Gallup Polls Go Wrong: Remember this? "Mondale Leads Reagan" Proof that polls can be misleading.
WH takes a shot at WaPo over story about Obama skipping intel briefings “The President of the United States gets the presidential daily briefing every day,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters today during the press briefing. “He always reads it, every day, because he’s a voracious consumer of all of his briefing material.”
Politico: 9 states where the race will be won The presidential race has narrowed to a core of nine states, a collection of margin-of-error battlegrounds spread across nearly every region.
Does Raising Taxes Lead to More Gov’t Revenue? Will raising taxes on America’s wealthy actually bring in more revenue? While liberals would argue — and, quite definitively — that it does, UCLA professor and author of “Left Turn” Dr. Tim Groseclose makes a very different case. I
Politico: Scott Van Duzer, the Obama hugger: Shop facing boycott The owner of a Florida pizza shop says people are boycotting his business because he bear-hugged President Barack Obama on Sunday.
Inside story of Obama’s struggle to keep Congress from controlling outcome of debt ceiling crisis President Obama summoned the top four congressional leaders to the White House on Saturday morning, July 23, 2011. The night before, House Speaker John A. Boehner had withdrawn from negotiations to raise the $14 trillion federal debt limit and save the government from a catastrophic default. “Nobody wanted to be there,” Boehner later recalled. “The president’s still pissed.”
Politico: Advantage Obama President Barack Obama heads out of the national political conventions with a much clearer path to winning, top advisers to Mitt Romney privately concede. Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80949.html#ixzz1SvhTKvrl
Dick Morris: Advantage Romney The result of these two conventions is a decided advantage for Romney.
Want to see how the bailout money was spent...or not spent as the case is with some money? We heard a lot about GM during the DNC. Take a look at how all of the bailout money was spent.
Reporters Using ‘Fake Names’ to Buy Obama Campaign Merchandise at the DNC “Have you ever thought of making up a fake name? That’s what the other guys do,” she said
God Gets The Last Word: Cardinal's Pro-Life Benediction Cardinal Dolan gave a fiercely pro-life prayer to the Democratic Convention after President Obama's nomination speech.
Gallup: Obama Enjoys Massive Lead Among Those With No Religion President Barack Obama enjoys a massive lead over Mitt Romney among registered voters who say they have no religion, according to the Gallup tracking poll of the presidential race.
'Occupy Unmasked' Screens At DNC Filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon, executive producer Larry Solov and cast members Brandon Darby, Anita MonCrief and Lee Stranahan took the Occupy movement expos�, "Occupy Unmasked," to the Democratical National Convention in Charlotte. The film was produced by the leading conservative organization Citizens United.
Five NC Delegates Ditch Obama Nomination Vote In a sign of how unpopular President Barack Obama is becoming in North Carolina, five North Carolina delegates did not show up to the Democratic National Convention to cast votes for Obama's nomination.
Washington Post: Fact checking Obama’s and Biden’s speeches at the Democratic convention In their defense of the administration’s policies, President Obama and Vice President Biden sometimes took license with the facts or left out important information. Here are some highlights.
‘Word cloud’ shows priorities of Obama convention speech (GRAPHIC) President Barack Obama’s address Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention will be the subject of endless punditry and political gamesmanship. But if you missed the big event, you can still hold court at the water cooler by knowing which words he used most.
Giant American Flag Left Laying on the Ground Before Upcoming Obama Event (PHOTO) President Obama is slated to travel to the University of Iowa to campaign in the crucial battleground state. The Obama campaign’s “advance team” has been making preparations for the president’s appearance since Monday, sources at the university tell TheBlaz
'Honey Boo Boo' and Bill Clinton's DNC Speech Tie in Ratings After trumping individual cable and network coverage of the Republican National Convention in the key demographic, the TLC series takes its first hit and only ties the night's strongest news coverage (CNN) among adults 18-49.
Democrats’ platform illustration shows six-fingered hands The image shows two hands stretching toward a U.S. flag icon. Each hand has six fingers.
Politico Asks Who is the Great Communicator? Obama or Reagan Barack Obama’s light Christmas reading back in 2010 was Lou Cannon’s biography of Ronald Reagan — 920 pages on the political storyteller Obama admired most, to the profound annoyance of his Maddow-loving base. Obama’s aides can’t quite remember whether the boss ever finished it.
When Will Joe Biden Speak? Not In Prime Time Bumped out of his own night in the spotlight by former President Bill Clinton, Mr. Biden will introduce Mr. Obama before all of the broadcast networks tune in (NBC will show it; CBS and ABC will not).
White House Retweets: 'WORKING PEEPS SLAVES 2 WALL ST!' According to the Sunlight Foundation, the White House retweeted a message that stated, "@HildaSolisDOL WE NEED NATIONAL WORKERS UNION! LABOR LAWS 2 FEW 2 WEAK! WORKING PEEPS SLAVES 2 WALL ST! #HappyLaborDay #un ..."
Unions Not Getting the VIP Treatment at DNC It wasn't a pretty sight last night when security shut down the entrance to the Time-Warner Cable Arena, trapping a couple hundred delegates, donors and journalists who had been just about to go thorugh the metal detectors. Among those in the crowd: Lee Saunders, newly elected president of AFSCME.
Rahm Emanuel Leaves Obama For Priorities USA. What Is It? Former White House Chief of Staff and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has left his honorary chairmanship of President Obama's re-election campaign, in order to offer substantial help to the pro-Obama super PAC,
The Hill: Lobbyists to help nominate Obama for reelection in Charlotte Despite President Obama’s harsh rhetoric toward K Street, lobbyists will be on the convention floor as delegates in Charlotte Wednesday when he is nominated for a second term.
The Hill: White House goes all in on gay rights The White House and elected officials are offering highly visible support for gay marriage at the Democratic convention, electrifying activists and signaling that President Obama’s campaign views the position as a political winner.
Politico: 5 tax questions for Barack Obama Politico: If he wins in November and wants to make deficit reduction or overhauling the tax code a priority, he will, like his opponent Mitt Romney, have to compromise on some of what he’s promising on the campaign trail.
Wall Street Journal: Obama’s Thursday Night Secret About Jobs When President Barack Obama takes the stage Thursday night at the Democratic convention, he’ll probably know a secret about the economy that you don’t: the contents of Friday’s employment report. But don’t expect easy clues in his big speech.
Race in the Race: Vote Black Buttons Appear on DNC Floor Reuters photo: A convention-goer stands on the convention floor on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina,
Local reporter takes Obama to the woodshed on constitutionality of ‘kill list’ [VIDEO] Ben Swann, a reporter for Cincinnati’s FOX 19, asked the president, “How do you as president utilize that power [of the presidential kill list] to assassinate … U.S. citizens?”
VP Biden in a Word: ‘Good,’ ‘Idiot’ When asked for a one-word description of Vice President Joe Biden, more people use negative words like “idiot” and “buffoon” than positive words, according to a new Pew Research Center and the Washington Post poll.
Palm Beach County Democratic Party chairman: Christians ‘want Jews to die and convert’ [VIDEO] Palm Beach County Democratic Party chairman Mark Alan Siegel, a Boca Raton attorney and former eight-term New York state assemblyman, told Patriot Update video reporter Scottie Hughes that Christians who profess support for Israel are “the worst possible allies with the Jewish state.”
"God" Returns to the DNC Platform; Chaos Erupts in Vote (VIDEO) Democratic party heads rammed through the revised platform, which includes updated pro-Israel language and the mention of God, against the clear wishes of those voting at the convention in Charlotte. See the video of the chaos:
Charlotte Observer: Democrats Blow It Editorial: Not that the whole "most open and accessible convention in history" had a leg to stand on anyway, but now that claim is officially dead. The Democrats just yanked credentials from some 50,000-plus potential voters who had planned to cheer on President Obama's acceptance speech in person Thursday night.
Washington Post: Fact checking the opening night of the Democratic convention The Democrats launched their convention with a series of speeches that put the best possible gloss on the president’s economic record and took various shots at GOP nominee Mitt Romney. First Lady Michelle Obama, who like Ann Romney gave a mostly personal testimonial about her husband, did not give us much material to fact-check. But here’s a round-up of other notable claims Tuesday evening.
Huffington Post: 14 Things Obama Doesn't Want You To Know About The Last Four Years Interactive: How is the U.S. economy doing nearly four years into President Obama’s presidency? Not so great by some measures.
Sen. Rand Paul Speaks Out Against Senators Voting without Reading the Bills The KY Senator explains how members of Congress fail to actually read most bills before voting.
What do you think: “Government Is The Only Thing We All Belong To” (VIDEO) A video that showed on the convention floor Tuesday night offered an unusually direct embrace of the role of government in American life: "Government," says the narrator, "is the only thing that we all belong to."
Abortion issue sets tone  for attracting women at DNC Inside the convention hall, Democrats affirmed themselves as the pro-choice party, delivering the most detailed discussion of contraceptives and reproductive health in major-party political history and adopting a platform that defends abortion, including taxpayer funding for the procedure.
Washington Guardian: Despite ban, Democrats get wooed by special interests in style Democrats flocking to their national convention will spend this week hobnobbing in Charlotte, N.C., with lobbyists, special interest groups and wealthy donors, just days after Republicans hosted their own party of all political parties in Tampa, Fla.
Pentagon fails to comply with law to help overseas soldiers vote, watchdog says Washington Guardian: The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act was passed by Congress in 2009 and signed into law by President Barack Obama and was supposed to make it easier for both soldiers deployed overseas and U.S. citizens living abroad to cast ballots back in their home states.
Center for Responsive Politics Delivers Citizen Petition Calling for Bundler Disclosure We didn't expect it to be easy to hand the Mitt Romney campaign a thick stack of paper bearing the signatures of thousands of people asking the candidate to be more transparent. And it wasn't.
Democrats focus on equal pay issue while Obama White House pays women less Government records show that despite the Democratic National Convention’s early focus on salary equality for women, President Barack Obama has consistently paid his own female staffers less than men who perform similar or identical duties.
Red Carpet for Solyndra Figure at Democratic Convention The Obama campaign rolled out the red carpet this week for a former top Energy Department official who was at the center of the ill-fated government loan to Solyndra, a California solar panel firm that wound up in bankruptcy.
Pres. Obama or Pres. Bush: Who's Responsible For The Explosion In Government Spending? Read more about how the answer may actually be BOTH.
Kept or Broken: A scorecard on President Obama's campaign promises PolitiFact has been tracking all 508 promises and keeping tally on the Obameter throughout his presidency.
Unions VS. Super PACS in Major Battleground State of Ohio New York Times: As unions around the nation plunge in earnest into another election season of phone banks, door-to-door canvasses and leafleting, they find themselves confronting a political landscape that is more daunting than any they have faced in decades.
Organized Labor Brings Its Frustrations To Charlotte; One Leader Attacks Empty Chair Beforehand The newly-elected president of the giant public workers’ union AFSCME, Lee Saunders, took a page out of Clint Eastwood's book at an Ohio delegation Labor Day breakfast, speaking to an empty chair that he pretended was occupied by Eastwood. .
Charlotte Observer: Fight for female voters will continue at DNC; reopening 'old wounds'? Judging by the women-in-the-news invited to speak in Charlotte, the Obama campaign will pitch female voters by casting the president as an advocate for women – and his opponents as defenders of a benighted past.
New York Times; Spirit of ’08 Gone, Democrats Reunite Against G.O.P. Threat Their unity at this point is defined less by faith in Mr. Obama or a robust vision for what the party should stand for than by the prospect that Republicans could control the White House and Congress next year and enact a conservative agenda that would unravel much of what Democrats have stood for since Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society.
November thaw for Bill Clinton, President Obama Politico: BFFs they are not and probably never will be. But after a troubled beginning, the collaboration seems to be working. The two presidents have spoken a few times in the past few months, sources said.
Obama Gives Himself an 'Incomplete' Grade on Fixing the Economy (VIDEO) Reporter: "You’ve had three and a half years to fix it. What grade would you give yourself so far for doing that?" "You know I would say incomplete," Obama replies.
Blast from the past: Dukakis to attack Romney’s gubernatorial record at DNC The 1988 Democratic presidential nominee is back.
Washington Post: Obama facing mounting questions over ‘you didn’t build that’ remark After being pummeled for days at the Republican National Convention for his remark that business owners “didn’t build that,” President Obama heads to the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina this week facing mounting questions about how he will respond to charges that he is hostile to free enterprise.
Are we watching the last national conventions? The Democratic National Convention opening Tuesday in Charlotte will be the 86th national convention of our two major parties. Republicans have an unbroken chain of conventions going back to 1856; the Democrats’ unbroken chain goes back to 1832, when Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving (and only Catholic) signer of the Declaration of Independence was still alive.
Debt to reach $16 trillion as the DNC starts in Charlotte Just as Democrats are gaveling in their convention Tuesday, the federal government likely will announce another dubious milestone — $16 trillion in total federal debt.
Obama: Republican voters ‘often agree with me’ President Barack Obama said Republican voters “often agree with me,” insisting that his “approach” at governing has been “consistent” from the start of his term.
With landmark lawsuit, Barack Obama pushed banks to give subprime loans to Chicago’s African-Americans President Barack Obama was a pioneering contributor to the national subprime real estate bubble, and roughly half of the 186 African-American clients in his landmark 1995 mortgage discrimination lawsuit against Citibank have since gone bankrupt or received foreclosure notices.
Gallup: Obama Job Approval Ratings Drops to 43% Track the approval rating since Feb. 2009.
Maryland Gov. O’Malley: We’re Not Better Off Now Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland, who is considered a possible contender for president in 2016, bucked other Obama surrogates on Sunday, saying that the country was not better off now than it was four years ago.
Bill Clinton on Obama: 'A Few Years Ago, This Guy Would Have Been Carrying Our Bags' Former President Bill Clinton tried to get former senator Ted Kennedy to endorse Hillary Clinton for president in the 2008 election by describing Barack Obama this way: "A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags."
Washington Post Fact Checker: Mitt Romney’s acceptance speech at the GOP convention In his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination, former Gov. Mitt Romney focused more on his biography than his policy positions. But there were moments when his facts went arwy or were missing important context.
Michael Moore: Mitt Romney Will Win In November, Unless... (VIDEO) Filmmaker Michael Moore predicted that the influence of money in politics would lift Mitt Romney to victory over President Barack Obama in November.
Poll: Romney gets convention bounce, takes national lead Mitt Romney has taken the lead over President Obama with a bounce in the polls from the Republican National Convention.
Not in Romney speech: Afghanistan, Social Security They're all costly to taxpayers and the next president presumably will have to address them to one degree or another. Yet GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney made no mention of those issues Thursday in his wide-ranging acceptance speech that closed the Republican National Convention.
Al Gore calls to end Electoral College In the 2000 presidential election, Gore won the popular vote but lost the electoral to George W. Bush.
Which Presidential Candidate Plans a Visit to Louisiana First? Heavy rains and flooding have contributed to at least five deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi this week after the slow-moving storm knocked out power in whole neighborhoods
NY Times: ‘I Will,’ He Said: Romney’s Campaign Promises Even before Mitt Romney stepped on stage at the Republican National Convention, he had promised a lot to voters.
Fact Checking the "Fact Checkers" Bitter campaign and its rhetoric bring fact checkers to the center of debate
Romney to turn to Reagan playbook for stretch run Carrying a post-convention glow from his coronation as the Republican Party’s standard-bearer, Mitt Romney now turns to the final leg of the campaign — the more than two-month sprint that will determine whether his six-year quest to become commander in chief comes to fruition.
Ryan Speech: See How Many Tweets Were Happening Every Minute Paul Ryan delivered a message of urgency at the Republican National Convention: Now is the time to tackle America’s most pressing challenges. Watch the speech, read what the Post's writers had to say about it and see how people reacted on Twitter.
Shocker?: What May Make Arianna Huffington Vote For Mitt Romney? Arianna Huffington currently plans to vote for President Barack Obama in November. Huffington told The Daily Caller, however, that she has been disappointed by Obama’s first term and would consider voting for Mitt Romney if....
Where Will Hillary Clinton Be Next Week During the Dem Convention? Clinton’s high-profile exit from the country and from party politics forcefully underlines her effort to distance herself from Obama’s waning political fortunes.
OpenSecrets.org: Outside Spending Through August Nearly Triples 2008 Pace In the campaign finance arena this year that theme has clearly been the role of outside spending, and some have suggested that we're making too much of something that has been happening in different forms for many years. But a quick look at the numbers overall, and just in the month of August, drive home why this has been such an important story.
Romney Bundlers Enjoy Yacht Party At Convention While Hurricane Isaac slammed other parts of the Gulf Coast, the weather at the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina was just fine. That meant this morning's donor-maintenance event for Mitt Romney's $1 million-plus bundlers, on board a 150-foot yacht called the Cracker Bay, could go forward as planned.
Washington Post: As Republican convention emphasizes diversity, racial incidents intrude From the convention stage here, the Republican Party has tried to highlight its diversity, giving prime speaking slots to Latinos and blacks who have emphasized their party’s economic appeal to all Americans.
Sarah Palin Claim: FOX Canceled My Interviews Fox News appears to have canceled scheduled interviews with Sarah Palin, per the former vice presidential candidate's latest post to Facebook:
Artur Davis rips MSNBC, CNN’s Roland Martin The left’s disdain for former Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis’ embrace of the Republican Party has been obvious, particularly when the Congressional Black Caucus condemned his endorsement of Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
Obama tells voters to watch Republicans, but he's not The White House says President Barack Obama is not monitoring the Republican national convention this week. But the president told several thousand mostly college-age voters on Wednesday that they should be watching the event to help them decide how to vote in the November elections.
Yahoo editor fired over anti-Romney joke David Chalian, the Yahoo News Washington Bureau chief, has been fired after getting caught on a hot mike telling a fellow host on an live ABC News web show to “feel free to say” that “they” — Mitt Romney and his fellow Republicans — “are happy to have a party with black people drowning.”
Convention Season Means Party Time For Presidential Bundlers OpenSecrets.org tracks who';s bundling for Romney and Obama.
Washington Post: Most Used Words at GOP Convention A look at how often speakers at the Republican National Convention have used certain words and phrases so far, based on an analysis of transcripts from the Federal News Service.
‘2016: Obama‘s America’ Producer Claims CNN Rejected Film‘s Ad Because It’s ‘Too Political’ The documentary “2016: Obama’s America” has been dominating headlines over the past week after it broke records at the American box office. But now, at the height of interest surrounding the movie, there seems to be a bit of controversy brewing. John Sullivan, executive producer and co-director (author and academic Dinesh D‘Souza also directed and narrated the film), is claiming that CNN rejected an ad for the documentary because it is simply “too political.”
MSNBC abandons GOP convention during every speech by a minority If you were watching MSNBC’s coverage of the Republican National Convention in Tampa on Tuesday night, you might believe those assertions, since missing from the coverage was nearly every ethnic minority that spoke during Tuesday’s festivities
Utah's Mia Love: A Rising Star in the GOP? Enter Mia Love, the 36-year-old daughter of Haitian immigrants and a Republican congressional candidate in Utah. Should she win, she would be the first-ever black Republican woman to win a seat in Congress.
LA Times: Republican National Convention puts a brown face on a white party Until Ann Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stepped into the prime-time spotlight Tuesday night, the stage at the Republican National Convention was dominated by a parade of racial and ethnic minorities. The same could not be said about the delegates in the hall. As the United States has become an increasingly more diverse country, the Republican Party has maintained a distinctly pale hue.
Obama sneezes while defending Obamacare; blames it on Republicans (VIDEO) During a campaign stop in Colorado today, President Obama sneezed as he defended his health care plan. “It gives me a cold just thinking about what they might do,” Obama joked.
Convention Contributions Down and More Discreet When the 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee pledged to raise $55 million to cover the cost of staging the Republican National Convention, organizers expected much of the money to come from companies hoping to capitalize on five days of almost unfettered access to America’s political elite.
For GOP, former Democrat Artur Davis is key to independents’ hearts Four years after seconding Barack Obama’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention and four months after leaving the Democratic Party, former Alabama Rep. Artur Davis will walk back into the national spotlight on Tuesday to vouch for Mitt Romney at the Republicans’ convention in Tampa, Fla.
Will Tim Tebow Speak at RNC?
Samuel L. Jackson asks why GOP 'spared' by tropical storm Samuel L. Jackson tweeted it was "unfair" that Tropical Storm Isaac had spared the GOP convention in Tampa and appeared to be heading for New Orleans
The Hill: DNC ad in Tampa newspaper ties Akin to Romney-Ryan ticket The DNC ad adds the name Akin to the Republican presidential ticket logo so it reads Romney-Ryan-Akin, along with the tagline: "Taking away a woman’s decision— any way they ‘kin."
Poll: GOP majority calls Romney better nominee than Sen. McCain Three-quarters of Republican voters believe Mitt Romney is a stronger presidential candidate than John McCain was four years ago — and a sizable majority said the party is more closely aligned with their personal views than in 2008, according to a new poll for The Hill.
NY Times: With Five Romney Sons, Five More Spokesmen When Tagg Romney, the eldest of Mitt and Ann Romney’s five sons, was not quite 12, he decided, in a fit of adolescent rebellion, that his father was a nerd.
GOP platform through the years shows party’s shift from moderate to conservative. Is this the most Conservative ever? The word “abortion” does not appear in a Republican Party platform until 1976, when the party concedes it is deeply split between those who believe in “abortion on demand” and those who seek to protect the lives of the unborn.
Rejection: GOP features three Obama 'switchers' (VIDEO) They knew it was coming, the eventual Romney ad featuring former Obama supporters who just can't pull the voting booth lever for the Democrat again.
Meet the Youngest Delegate at the RNC in Tampa Evan Draim has his own assistant to manage his schedule. He has an entourage. He's done as many interviews in the past two weeks as some of Mitt Romney's top surrogates, maybe more
Paul Ryan makes plea to Ron Paul and his supporters Texas Rep. Ron Paul stopped short of endorsing the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan presidential ticket during an event, but Ryan has a message for Paul and his libertarian supporters.
Gov. McDonnell: Obama, Democrats focusing on abortion to distract from ‘failed’ record Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell told The Daily Caller he thinks President Barack Obama‘s re-election campaign is trying to use things like the recent national focus on abortion issues to distract from his “failed” record as presiden
Is Tampa Really the Tea Party Convention? This is a very different Republican National Convention than the one of four years ago, when infighting plagued the conservative base and the nominee conspicuously refused to speak the language of the party faithful. Now the GOP has thrown itself gleefully into the role of the morally righteous opposition. It is buoyed in that endeavor by a message that drove the largest shift in Congressional power since 1994 and a disciplined Presidential and Vice Presidential nominee.
DNC Proceeds With 2-Hour Islamic ‘Jumah’ Prayers After Rejecting Cardinal’s Blessing The Democratic National Committee is raising a number of eyebrows after choosing to proceed with hosting Islamic “Jumah” prayers for two hours on the Friday of its convention, though it denied a Catholic cardinal’s request to say a prayer at the same event.
Who’s on the inside track for a Romney Cabinet Mitt Romney said his Cabinet and White House staff will be stacked with men and women from the business world, but his top advisers sketched out for POLITICO a team composed of many familiar faces in Washington.
Which Super PACs Are Spending the Most Money to Influence Your Vote? One PAC has raised more than three times its nearest competitor...all in a fight for your vote.
Obama or Romney: To Which Candidate Are Floridians Contributing the Most Money? President Barack Obama has so far collected about $8 million from the state during the same time period. That's a marked difference from 2008. During that election cycle, Obama collected about $15 million total from Florida residents giving $200 or more, besting his rival, Sen. John McCain, by more than $1 million.
Obama, Romney Pick Up Big Money From Overseas Donors According to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, based on the latest Federal Election Commission filings, Obama has raised at least $779,000 from donors outside of the United States, while Romney has picked up $383,368.
Dems or GOP: Who's Winning the Social Media Battle? Social media is taking over both political conventions this year, and Democrats and Republicans are battling to prove which party can best take advantage of the new technologies.
Viral Video: ‘When I grow up, I want to be a crony!’ The video highlights the election-season clashes of the GOP’s anti-regulation, free market tea party faction against groups of both Democrats and Republicans.
NY Times: A Party of Factions Gathers, Seeking Consensus Mitt Romney arrives this week to accept his nomination from the increasingly disparate coalition of factions known as the Republican Party, confronting the challenge of unifying them behind him and — should he win — exerting his own authority over a party that is in many ways still forging a post-Bush identity.
Anti-Obama doc's big weekend When POLITICO spoke with conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza last week, he said he was looking at a “big weekend” as his documentary on Barack Obama, “2016: Obama’s America,” got boost by appearing on over 1,000 screens nationwide.
Poll: Obama, Romney Neck-and-Neck As Conventions Start RNC opens on Tampa Monday with DNC starting after Labor Day.
Famous Drill Instructor Says GEICO Fired Him for Criticizing Obama Admin. Famous drill instructor Lee Ermey — best known for his appearance in the movie “Full Metal Jacket” — says he was fired from his gig as a GEICO insurance personality because he criticized President Obama.
Poll: GOP winning national Medicare debate two weeks after Romney picked lightning rod Ryan A poll released last week shows seniors nationwide back the GOP proposals on Medicare overall, with tight battles in some key swing states.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper takes on DNC Chief Debbie Wasserman Schultz Debbie Wasserman Schultz and CNN’s Anderson Cooper engaged in a heated exchange when Cooper charged that the Florida congresswoman “misquoted” the Los Angeles Times in a letter that the anchor also said misrepresented Mitt Romney’s stance on the Republican Party’s abortion platform plank.
USA Today:: Fake Twitter followers? President Obama's Twitter account has 18.8 million followers -- but more than half of them really don't exist, according to reports.
Obama to focus on youth vote during GOP's convention While the GOP prepares to officially embrace Mitt Romney as its presidential nominee next week, President Obama is focusing his attention on courting young voters that the campaign believes can help push him over the top in three battleground states.
New York Times: It’s the President’s Message, With President Clinton Former President Bill Clinton is not only campaigning for President Obama in his re-election bid. In a new 30-second commercial released on by the Obama campaign, he is practically channeling him.
D’souza: Why the President‘s Impoverished Brother Is ’Ashamed‘ of the Name ’Obama’ In an exclusive interview with the Blaze, author Dinesh D’souza (”Obama’s America: Unmaking The American Dream”) spoke about the shame felt by The President’s impoverished relatives and how hypocritical the tense situation is for the left.
TSA Says It‘s Providing Some Backup Security for Presidential Campaign Events at the Secret Service’s Request Your next Transportation Security Administration screening experience might not be limited to the airport: Attending a presidential campaign event could mean the TSA taking a peek at your belongings.
DNC Web video attacks Artur Davis [VIDEO] A new Web video from the Democratic National Committee targets Democrat-turned-Republican Artur Davis, suggesting that his switch of parties was a purely self-interested move, not one based on political principle.
Obama endorses Biden, quiets replacement rumors President Barack Obama tweeted out a personal endorsement for his gaffe-plagued, smear-spewing, “unchained” attack-dog of a veep at the 9:14 p.m. on Aug. 23.
Prediction Model Predicts Big Romney Win A presidential election prediction model developed by two University of Colorado professors points to a big win for GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney in November.
Senator Famous for Joking About Rape Campaigns for Obama, Biden Senator Al Franken of Minnesota joined Vice President Joe Biden for a campaign event in Minnesota.
Marital, personal ties link Obama administration to Commission on Presidential Debates The moderator of the lone October vice presidential debate was previously married to a top Obama official, an association both ABC News and the left-leaning Commission on Presidential Debates do not view as a conflict of interest.
Is There a Secret Plan Supporting 9% Unemployment? The Congressional Budget Office released its Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2012 to 2022 today, showing that if Congress and President Obama do nothing to stop Taxmageddon and the sequester unemployment will rise to 9.1 percent next year.
How Do You Spell O-H-I-O? An embarrassing photo of President Obama trying to spell Ohio with a group of students was snagged by Buzzfeed, as Zeke Miller posted two different photos of the incident on their website.
Sen. Barbara Boxer: Maybe Republicans ‘just don’t like their moms or their first wives’ At a Planned Parenthood luncheon in San Jose California, Sen. Barbara Boxer launched a full bore attack on Republicans, after Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin made his comments about “legitimate rape.”
Texas Judge Preparing For ‘Civil War’ If Obama Re-Elected A Texas leader is warning of what he calls a ‘civil war’ and possible invasion of United Nations troops if President Barack Obama is re-elected.
Democrats plan women-heavy slate of speakers for convention Democrats unveiled a slew of female speakers for their convention next month, an indication that they will continue to press Republicans on women’s issues as GOP leaders furiously try to distance themselves from Missouri Senate candidate W. Todd Akin’s recent comments on pregnancy and rape.
Washington Post: Democrats won’t disclose donors to Charlotte convention until after the event Democratic Party officials say they will not release the names of donors to next month’s political convention before the event, despite an earlier pledge that they would regularly disclose the contributors.
The Politics Behind Who Will Moderate Debates Complaining about the moderators of the presidential debates is a time-honored tradition of the election season. Usually, the complaints wait until the moderators have actually asked a question. Not this year.
AP: The Once ‘Solid South’ Not All-Red or All-Blue Anymore The “Solid South” was a political fact, benefiting Democrats for generations and then Republicans, with Bible Belt and racial politics ruling the day.
As always, Florida in the middle of the voting wars Stick a pin almost anywhere on a map of Florida and you’ll find a legal battle over who will be eligible to vote in the coming presidential election — and when, and how, and where.
Obama team revives ‘birther’ claim to fend off veterans’ criticism President Barack Obama‘s aides and allies are trying to undermine an emerging campaign by former soldiers who are slamming the White House for what they see as a willingness to betray the nation’s secrets in exchange for publicity.
Poll: Obama could lose Illinois President Barack Obama could lose his home state of Illinois in November, a new poll shows.
Newsweek: "Hit the Road, Barack" Why does Paul Ryan scare the president so much? Because Obama has broken his promises, and it’s clear that the GOP ticket’s path to prosperity is our only hope.
Swing-State Voters Say They Are No Better Off Than in 2008 A majority of voters in key 2012 election swing states say they are not better off than they were four years ago; 40% say they are better off. Swing-state voters' assessments of their situation compared with 2008 have varied little since last fall.
Peggy Noonan: If Biden Were Republican Meet the Press's Topic Would Be 'How Stupid Is This Person? Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, Noonan said, "If it had been a Republican vice presidential candidate who had made those gaffes...the subject today of the panel would be how stupid is this person, can this person possibly govern?" (video follows with transcript and commentary).
Nation's First Black Gov. Takes Issue With Biden's "Chains" Comment President Obama defended Vice President Biden’s “chains” remarks in an interview with People magazine Wednesday, while Douglas Wilder, the country’s first elected African-American governor since Reconstruction, has accused Biden of making a race-based appeal.
Did an MSNBC Host go to Far with an N-Word Variation? MSNBC’s The Cycle group discussed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney‘s assertion that President Obama should “take [his] campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago.” Co-host Touré saw what he believes to be explicit racial connotations beneath what Romney was saying, calling it the “niggerization” of the campaign
Secret Service Buys Cupcakes, Says "Thanks" to Baker Who Refused Biden Secret Service officers associated with Vice President Joe Biden bought a pile of cupcakes from the baker who refused to host Biden at his shop — and they did so out of gratitude.
Obama campaign offers Romney 5-year tax disclosure Barack Obama's re-election campaign kept up pressure against Republican rival Mitt Romney on two fronts, launching a new ad defending the president's record on Medicare while challenging Romney to release at least five years of tax returns.
Jay Leno's Take on the Role of Duct Tape in the Election Host gets a chuckle over Joe Biden.
Ex-Military Accuse President of Using Bin Laden Death for Political Gain - Watch Full OPSEC Video
Ex-Officers Attack Obama Over Leaks on Bin Laden Raid In a direct attack on one of President Obama’s political strengths, a group of former special operations and C.I.A. officers started a campaign on Tuesday night accusing Mr. Obama of recklessly leaking information about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and other security matters to gain political advantage.
White House says Obama will stick with Biden as running mate President Obama has no intention of getting rid of Vice President Biden as his running mate, the White House said Thursday.
Poll: Voter ID laws have support of a majority of Americans Almost three-quarters of all Americans support the idea that people should have to show photo identification to vote, even though they are nearly as concerned about voter suppression as they are about fraud in presidential elections, according to a new Washington Post poll.
Palin calls on Obama to dump Biden in favor of Hillary Clinton Sarah Palin has said that Joe Biden’s controversial ‘put y’all back in chains’ comment should be the ‘nail in the coffin’ for his career and suggested Barack Obama replace him on the 2012 ticket with Hillary Clinton.
VIDEO: Clinton Chief of Staff on Ryan: ‘This Guy is Amazing.’ The quote: “Have any of you all met Paul Ryan? We should get him to come to the university. I’m telling you this guy is amazing. ..."
Donald Trump's 'big surprise' at convention? @realDonaldTrump: Today I am working on my 'big surprise' for the @RNC convention. Everyone will love it.
.Joseph Rago: The Forgotten History of Ryan's Medicare Reform (Wall Street Journal) How the House budget chairman developed his premium-support concept, which was originally supported by Democrats. It's the only plan that won't send grandma over a cliff..
What does Paul Ryan’s budget really cut? Here is a chart comparing the 2016 federal spending levels, as estimated by the Congressional Budget Office and the White House, of both the Obama and Ryan budgets.
Dems: "Bring it On" Paul Ryan! When Mitt Romney chose Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan to be his running mate Saturday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had one message for Republican congressional hopefuls: “Bring it on.”
Democrats use Ryan pick to raise cash, but president's backers are confident Democrats were already using the Romney campaign's vice presidential pick of Rep. Paul Ryan to rally donors.
Democrats slam Ryan as threat to social safety net Democrats said that Mitt Romney, by picking Rep. Paul Ryan to fill out his presidential ticket, has set up this year’s election as a referendum on the deep cuts to the social safety net that the GOP’s top budget man says are needed to fix federal finances.
President Obama, Paul Ryan to overlap in Iowa President Barack Obama will have company when he hits the campaign trail in Iowa, as Rep. Paul Ryan also will be traveling to the Hawkeye State.
Gingrich: Romney should run as the ‘paycheck president’ to Obama’s ‘food stamp president’ Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich drew criticism in January when he accused President Barack Obama of being the “food stamp president,” and eight months later Gingrich continues to stand by his assertion, feeling validated by recent reports about the ballooning food stamp rolls.
POLITICO-GW Battleground Poll: Tied up The poll was taken before Romney announced his running mate.
Obama Campaign Defends President's $700 Billion Cuts to Medicare "On top of the savings we’ve already achieved. You know I heard Mitt Romney deride the $700 billion cuts in Medicare that the president achieved through health care reform," a spokesperson said.
Politico: From the Obama camp: 1,000 attended 'half-full' fundraiser Oppoents quickly jumped on a report that President Obama’s largest fundraiser here Sunday was only “half full,” but the crowd for the event was larger than the Obama campaign had initially anticipated.
Palin Won't Speak at GOP Convention She has not confirmed whether she will attend the convention in Tampa.
Paul Ryan's Homecoming Rally Speech In Wisconsin An emotional Rep. Paul Ryan gives a speech at his homecoming rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin on August 12, 2012.
Union Prez Boasts That 400,000 Union Volunteers Will Campaign Door-to-Door for Obama Labor unions plan to send out roughly 400,000 volunteers later this month to canvass voters to support President Barack Obama’s re-election.
Judge: Tea Party Nation must pay $748k Las Vegas hotel bill A judge has ordered Tea Party Nation* to pay a six-figure hotel bill for a large number of rooms he booked for a tea party rally, which he later cancelled when the event failed to draw enough attendees.
Obama campaign ramps up use of celebrity surrogates Elizabeth Banks appears in a new Obama campaign web video talking about the value of Planned Parenthood for “working-class ladies.”
Newt Gingrich: Barack Obama a “direct threat” to my grandchildren’s future In a call hosted by the Republican National Committee, the former House Speaker said he would work extensively to defeat President Obama because he regarded him as a threat to economic future of his family:
Obama: Romney Will Take Us Back to The 1950's President Obama was speaking in Colorado
Book: Blagojevich said he believed Rezko channeled $25,000 to Obama But....federal authorities did not think the claim was credible, authors say
Voter ID lawsuits could delay election results again Partisan legal showdowns in battleground states over a spate of new voting laws could turn the 2012 elections into a repeat of the 2000 presidential vote recount saga, political experts say.
Election 2012: The myth of the small donor From Politico: Like never before, big dollars are having a big impact on politics and governance. This series examines how the new wide-open fundraising landscape will affect the 2012 campaigns.
Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke to Intro Obama at Event Fluke is the Georgetown Law Student who testified before Congress earlier this year in favor of insurance coverage of contraception, and gained national attention when conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” and a “prostitute.”
Washington Post: Priorities ad ties Mitt Romney to cancer death? Going too far? A new ad from a super PAC supporting President Obama ties former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney to a family’s loss of health insurance and a woman’s subsequent death from cancer.
Washington Post: Candidates hold more fundraisers than voter events Mitt Romney continued his fundraising dominance over President Obama for a third straight month in July, with both campaigns shaping their schedules to pursue a steady stream of donations as the race heads into its final 90 days.
President's Aide Takes Speaking Fees from Company Working with Iran The White House defended President Obama’s senior adviser for taking $100,000 in speaking fees before joining the government from a subsidiary of a company working with the Iranian government.
Obama taps Hollywood for campaign cash to match Romney’s haul Beaten in the money chase by Republican challenger Mitt Romney for the third straight month, President Obama turned again to one of the Democratic Party’s most lucrative and reliable sources of campaign cash — Hollywood.
Obama’s College Classmate: ‘The Obama Scandal Is at Columbia’ From Wayne Allyn Root: "I am President Obama’s classmate at Columbia University..."
Charlie Daniels... On Pres. Obama Daniels told WND in an exclusive interview that he expects 2012, with the nation’s very identity on the line, will be “the biggest election we have ever had.”
After defeat of Senate cybersecurity bill, Obama weighs executive-order option Senate Republicans recently blocked cybersecurity legislation, but the issue might not be dead after all.
RNC Sends the DNC a ‘You Didn’t Bake This‘ Cake in Honor of Obama’s Birthday…and the DNC Sends it Back The RNC on Friday sent the Democratic National Committee a birthday cake in the president’s honor, but the DNC sent it back.
NY Times: Record Spending by Obama’s Camp Shrinks Coffers President Obama has spent more campaign cash more quickly than any incumbent in recent history, betting that heavy early investments in personnel, field offices and a high-tech campaign infrastructure will propel him to victory in November.
‘An Implicit Insult’: Why Are Some Turks Angry About This Photo of Obama? An official White House photo of President Barack Obama generated some buzz last week, mostly because it invited more questions than answers.
Ohio ‘concerned with the premise’ of Obama campaign military voting suit The Obama for America campaign, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Ohio Democratic Party filed a lawsuit in late July to strike down part of an Ohio law concerning voting by members of the military.
Union leader strives to ease Obama's "white guy problem" Polls show support for Obama from white males without college degrees at under 30 percent, well below the 39 percent he had when he defeated Republican John McCain four years ago.
White House to defense contractors: Don’t warn employees before election they may get laid off Pres. Obama’s Labor Department is trying to spare the president the embarrassment of having hundreds of thousands of layoff notices arrive in the mail just before Election Day, including in the crucial swing state of Virginia.
Black pastors group launches anti-Obama campaign around gay marriage A group of conservative black pastors are responding to President Barack Obama’s support of same-sex marriage with what they say will be a national campaign aimed at rallying black Americans to rethink their overwhelming support of the President, though the group’s leader is offering few specifics about the effort.
Wall Street Betting on a Romney Win With just 100 days left until the U.S. presidential election, investors are beginning to make bigger bets on which candidate will carry the day.
Obama Budget Forecast Predicts $8 Trillion Deficit Over Next Decade Details came from a budget plan submitted to Congress.
Taxing the Wealthy Not a Top Priority for Either Obama or Romney Supporters, Poll Finds Americans say job creation, eliminating government corruption, and reducing the federal budget deficit should be the top priorities for the next president.
In Obama era, have race relations improved? Ask Americans how race relations have changed under their first black president and they are ready with answers.
James Carville: 'We’re Gonna Have to Go Through Hell and High-Water to Win this Damn Thing' In a fundraising email sent out by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic strategist James Carville has a serious warning: "We’re gonna have to go through hell and high-water to win this damn thing." The remedy, according to Carville, is to donate more money to the Democratic group.
Rasmussen Poll: Romney Pulls Ahead by 5 Points The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows Mitt Romney attracting 49% of the vote, while President Obama earns support from 44%.
'USA! USA!' Congressman's Anti-Big Government Rant Gets Standing Ovation On House Floor Congressman gets a standing ovation after a passionate speech about how big government is killing jobs in his district.
Who’s Sponsoring That Political Ad? There’s a Cool App That Can Tell You Government Technology points to two new apps that can help you glean more information about just who produced the ad that could be influencing your vote.
Telegraph:Mitt Romney would restore 'Anglo-Saxon' relations between Britain and America Mitt Romney would restore "Anglo-Saxon" understanding to the special relationship between the US and Britain, and return Sir Winston Churchill's bust to the White House, according to advisers.
Biden Responds, goes on the attack over anonymous ‘Anglo-Saxon’ comment Even before Mitt Romney left for a six-day overseas trip, the White House was deploying Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to try to knock down any incoming attacks on President Obama’s foreign policy.
The Dark Side Of The White House In "Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power," New York Times reporter David E. Sanger describes in quite extraordinary detail the Obama administration’s hitherto secret cyberwar campaign against Iran.
Obama Says His Daughters' 'Choices' May Depend on Funding Planned Parenthood President Barack Obama told campaign contributors that he favored taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood in part so his two daughters could “control their own health care choices.”
Democratic Voting Enthusiasm Down Sharply From 2004, 2008 Democrats are significantly less likely now (39%) than they were in the summers of 2004 and 2008 to say they are "more enthusiastic about voting than usual" in the coming presidential election. Republicans are more enthusiastic now than in 2008, and the same as in 2004
Romney and First Lady May Cross Paths in London With the first presidential debate still a few months away, President Obama won’t have to meet his Republican challenger face-to-face for a while — but his wife may not have to wait.
To arouse his base, Obama goes left, left and left The usual strategy for presidential candidates is to appeal to the political center in hopes of broadening their support. President Obama isn't doing that. He is tilting sharply to the left on issue after issue: immigration, religious liberty, welfare, gay marriage, the environment, race, the role of government. Why?
Solyndra figures attend swank Obama fundraiser President Obama rubbed elbows with two men at the center of the Solyndra loan scandal at an exclusive fundraiser in California.
Obama: GOP ‘playing politics’ with military Speaking to an audience of veterans, President Obama accused Republican lawmakers of “playing politics with our military” in the administration’s budget standoff with the GOP over looming cuts for defense and other programs.
Editorial: Lawmakers, do your job – you're lucky to have one Most Americans get two or, perhaps, three weeks’ vacation each year. This is worth remembering as Aug. 3 approaches.
Obama administration announces solar energy project The Obama administration will open public lands in six western states to more solar projects as part of a solar energy road map.
President Obama will visit Israel...If He Gets A Second Term President Obama will make his first trip to Israel as president if he wins a second term, his campaign said.
Poll: Which Group Dislikes Pres. Obama the Most? See the results of a recent Quinnipiac poll.
Pres. Obama Will Count on Black Voters Turnout among blacks increased at a far greater pace in 2008 than it did among white voters in key states like Colorado, Florida and Nevada, and almost all of that black support -- 95 percent -- went to Obama.
Some Small Business Owners Still Upset with Obama; Create Video Messages (Watch) Following President Barack Obama’s highly criticized “you didn’t build that” remark about business owners last week, some owners have submitted photos of their businesses for a two-minute “I built this” video take down of Obama’s comments.
Unions Target Hotel Chain Owned by Obama Supporters with a "Global Boycott" Hyatt will be a target of the union boycott starting Monday.
Watchdog: Study finds Obama spent little time on economy President Obama has spent less than 4 percent of his total time in economic meetings or briefings of any kind (assuming a six day, 10-hour workweek).
Obama wasn’t using teleprompter where he made controversial comments on business According to the video footage posted below, Obama pulled a folded sheet of paper out of his front shirt pocket at the beginning of his speech, and slowly unfolded it.
Did Michelle Obama Praise Bain Capital-backed Child Care Copany in 2011? The website, Daily Caller, claims yes after reviewing video.
For the First Time, Canadians Now Richer Than Americans For the first time in recent history, the average Canadian is richer than the average American, according to a report cited in Toronto's Globe and Mail.
Democrats Propose Plan to Sidestep Anti-Tax Pledge Senate Democrats — holding firm against extending tax cuts for the rich — are proposing a novel way to circumvent the Republican pledge not to vote for any tax increase: Allow all the tax cuts to expire Jan. 1, then vote on a tax cut for the middle class shortly thereafter.
Obama: Texas will be a battleground state soon “(Y)ou know, you’re not considered one of the battleground states,” he said, speaking in front of the Texas state flag. “Although that’s going to be changing soon.”
Arpaio calls Congress to move on Obama eligibility Maricopa County (AZ) Sheriff Joe Arpaio said it's time for a higher authority to investigate the issue.
Van Jones Calls Obama‘s ’You Didn‘t Build Your Business’ Comments the ‘Deepest Form of Patriotism’ Former White House advisor Van Jones slammed conservatives for unfairly attacking President Obama over his “you didn’t build” your business comments, saying the president’s remarks represented “the deepest form of patriotism.”
Democrat Loses It On Tea Partiers It happened during a public event at the Reform Congregation - Keneseth Israel in Jenkintown, Pa.
Democrats threaten to go over ‘fiscal cliff’ if GOP fails to raise taxes Democrats are making increasingly explicit threats about their willingness to let nearly $600 billion worth of tax hikes and spending cuts take effect in January unless Republicans drop their opposition to higher taxes for the nation’s wealthiest households.
Some Conservatives worry about state strategy for Romney Some state Republican Party leaders and influential conservatives say they are worried that the early stages of Mitt Romney’s campaign have been marked by missteps and missed opportunities in the bid to unseat President Obama in November.
Dem. Sen. Schumer tells Bernanke to stimulate economy before November Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., exhorted Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to stimulate the economy before November through some form of quantitative easing or other monetary policy, which Bernanke said could create jobs.
Email shows ICE delayed deporting Obama’s illegal immigrant uncle Emails exchanged by top U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials confirm that ICE delayed the deportation of President Obama’s uncle, an illegal immigrant, and that they had a close eye on Mitt Romney’s view of the issue.
North Carolina losing favor of Democrats With the Democratic National Convention roughly seven weeks away, many are beginning to wonder if the party’s choice of Charlotte, N.C., was the best idea after all.
Obama, Romney Take Fundraising International Barack Obama and his presumptive Republican rival Mitt Romney are aggressively seeking donations from Americans living abroad, with fundraisers in countries next week for influential bundlers of the respective campaigns.
Romney retired from Bain Capital ‘retroactively,’ Adviser Says Romney campaign senior adviser Ed Gillespie defended his candidate from attacks over the timing of his departure from Bain Capital during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, saying Romney retired “retroactively” from the firm.
Obama - 'If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen' President Obama dismissed any credit business owners give themselves for their success:
Is Romney Good for Mormons? Most Mormons in Utah believe that Mitt Romney’s rise to become the likely GOP presidential nominee is a good thing for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But many do not trust the media to cover the church fairly
Buying an election?: Political Spending by Unions Far Exceeds Direct Donations Organized labor spends about four times as much on politics and lobbying as generally thought, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis, a finding that shines a light on an aspect of labor's political activity that has often been overlooked.
What Happens if the Election Is a Tie? Early this spring, as the new electoral map began to take shape, an intriguing scenario began circulating in political circles: the very real possibility that the 2012 presidential election could result in an Electoral College tie.
WATCH: Top Dems Who Are Moving Away From Pres. Obama Whether voting to repeal the health care law or skipping their party's convention, some Democrats are distancing themselves from President Obama.
RNC, DNC in Twitter War The DNC and RNC went to war on Twitter in an aggressive back-and-forth notable even by national committee standards.
High-powered lesbians create PAC; Who Will They Support? As a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, her politically active family’s sole Democrat, and a sister with three brothers, Laura Ricketts is comfortable being the odd woman out.
Obama cuts taxes for White House millionaires President Obama’s latest proposal to raise taxes on high-income earners would effectively cut taxes for a number of senior White House advisers whose net worth exceeds $1 million.
LISTEN: Feds Help City Pay $50-per-hour to Youths for Clean Up Poughkeepsie, New York is paying the equivalent hourly rate of a $100,000 a year salary to unemployed youths to clean up old hurricane damage - worse, it will actually hinder productivity.
Former DNC Chair: Wait, Why Are we Attacking Romney for Being Wealthy? During a discussion on the president’s proposed extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for people earning less than $250,000 a year, former Democratic National Committee chair Ed Rendell characterized Team Obama’s attacks on Mitt Romney’s wealth as misguided.
Fair or Stalking?: GOP unnerved by Democrats' candid camera techniques Dems recording video of GOP members homes and posting online. SEE A VIDEO EXAMPLE
Washington Post: Obama’s record on outsourcing draws criticism from the left Barack Obama promised voters four years ago that he would work to slow the outflow of American jobs to other countries, proposing to revamp a federal tax code that encourages companies to maintain overseas operations.
Can Romney win with Afridan Americans? Mitt Romney, not President Obama, will speak Wednesday in Houston at the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, seeking to make inroads with the president’s most loyal supporters.
Poll: 83% of doctors have considered quitting over 'Obamacare' The survey was released by the Doctor Patient Medical Association.
The Hill Poll: Majority of voters believe Obama has changed country for worse A new poll for The Hill found 56 percent of likely voters believe Obama’s first term has transformed the nation in a negative way, compared to 35 percent who believe the country has changed for the better under his leadership.
Obama four years ago: ‘raising the debt is unpatriotic’ [VIDEO] The Republican National Committee released a web video showing Senator Barack Obama calling $4 trillion in new debt “unpatriotic” in 2008.
Conservatives to Mitt: Quit Now If You Won't Fight Obamatax! Conservatives--who had just coalesced around opposition to what many now call "Obamatax"--exhort: Mitt, start fighting, or give up and let someone else do it.
Obama campaign launches new Romney outsourcing ad President Obama’s re-election campaign launched a new attack on Republican rival Mitt Romney’s business record.
Obama campaign rejects Factcheck.org report defending Romney President Barack Obama’s campaign staffers are pushing back against the FactCheck.org site after it concluded that Gov. Mitt Romney had not exported any U.S. jobs before he left Bain Capital in 1999 to run the Winter Olympics.
Obama campaign call affirms money anxiety Leaked details of a plaintive phone call from President Obama to some of his biggest donors offered a rare and revealing look into the typically private rituals of big-dollar campaign fundraising.
Romney adviser: Health care not a tax While Congressional Republicans have seized on the Supreme Court’s ruling that President Obama’s health care overhaul is constitutional as a tax, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s top campaign strategist undercut that line of argument, saying that the governor agrees with Mr. Obama that the law is not a tax.
Illegal Immigratnts Excluded from Obama Fundraising Dinners Contests are only open to "legal" U.S. citizens/
Whopper: White House adviser David Plouffe on Romney’s jobs record and GOP strategy In terms of the “amazing article” David Plouffe referred to, we found no reports quoting Republicans talking openly about sitting idle on the economy to improve Romney’s election chances.
Romney campaign raises $1 million in three hours after Obamacare decision The Romney campaign raised $1 million dollars in the three hours immediately following the Supreme Court decision to uphold President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, according to a campaign spokesperson’s tweet.
WashPost will not retract 'outsourcing' story The Washington Post will not retract their June 21 report about Bain Capital's investments in firms that specialized in outsourcing American jobs, POLITICO has learned.
Obama Highlights Tax-Evader Marc Anthony As Example Of Rich Who Can Pay More Anthony, who was the featured performer at Obama's Miami fundraiser, is a frequent tax evader, owing $3.4 million to the Internal Revenue Service in 2010 after paying off $2.5 million in back taxes in 2007, NBC reported in 2010.
VP Biden: "It's A Depression For Millions And Millions Of Americans" "The unemployed are really in trouble," Biden said in a campaign stop in Iowa.
Obama Admin Envisions Life Without Congress In the ongoing merger between the Obama campaign and the Obama administration, the White House just sent out an e-mail to its supporters championing a new website that will tell you if you qualify for refinancing under President Obama’s new plan.
Obama Campaign Refuses To Pay Costs For Campaign Stop In NH Who should pay up?
Obama donor got $3.5M FDIC discount in failed-bank settlement A billionaire Chicago family that donated and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for President Obama got a $3.5 million discount last year for paying off early a $460 million settlement deal it agreed to in the 2001 failure of a Chicago-area bank it owned.
President Obama Booed After Thanking Boston For Kevin Youkilis eing booed was probably the last thing President Barack Obama expected from the crowd at a Symphony Hall fundraiser.
DId Pres. Obama knew about Gun Walking in March 2009 ? Watch this video from 2009.
POLITICO reporter suspended for saying Romney only comfortable with white people POLITICO reporter Joe Williams has been suspended pending review of recent controversial comments he made on television and Twitter, POLITICO editors informed staff.
Romney stirs up challenge on unions’ own turf Mitt Romney has pushed the 2012 electoral battleground into union-friendly territory — putting organized labor on the defensive in states it typically has little trouble holding.
Whopper: White House adviser David Plouffe on Romney’s jobs record and GOP strategy "The Fact Checker" from the Washington Post
Washington Post: 4 Pinocchios for Obama’s newest anti-Romney ad The Obama campaign apparently loves to ding former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney with the charge of “outsourcing.” On several occasions, we have faulted the campaign for its claims, apparently to little avail.
Obama campaign spent $33K at trendy Hollywood club last year Last year, President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign spent much more money at a trendy Hollywood club known for throwing parties like its annual Playmates Of Hollywood Lingerie Fashion Show.
Romney Campaign Billed Meeting Expense At Nightclub The Romney campaign held a meeting at a racy Arizona night club that boasts a "specialty champagne bar in the co-ed bathroom," according to the campaigns latest filing with the Federal Elections Commission.
Michelle: "Barack's Your Husband, Too"; Now Donate Again Michelle Obama sent an email to the entire campaign list, titled “Being married to Barack”...and asking for more donations.
VP Biden's Wife Takes Secret Service Lingerie Shopping In Chicago Chicago’s summer violence spree didn’t stop Vice President Biden’s wife, Jill, from lingerie shopping on the tony Michigan Avenue shopping district with full Secret Service detail and Chicago police escort.
Obama Campaign E-Mail: 'Hell No' To First Amendment The Barack Obama re-election campaign is once again targeting conservative donors – and this time, they’re calling for restrictions on the First Amendment to do it.
Democrats In Coal Country Run Away From Obama's 'War on Coal' Democrats in West Virginia -- Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, Sen. Joe Manchin and Rep. Nick Rahall -- announced they would not be attending the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina.
Obama Campaign Sends ‘Dreamers’ Fundraising Email Hours after Amnesty Announcement Seven hours after President Barack Obama announced that some illegal aliens would be allowed to stay in the United States and could be allowed to work here, Katherine Archuleta, Obama’s national campaign director, e-mailed a fundraising letter seeking donations to his re-election effort.
MSNBC mischaracterizes Romney remarks MSNBC aired footage that inaccurately portrayed Mitt Romney's remarks at a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.
Solyndranomics 101; Why Obama Policies Are Failing The fundamental problem is: Obama implemented his vision virtually unchecked during his first two years in the Oval Office.
Lawmakers see financial fortunes sink, But Many Are Still Super Rich Top lawmakers in both parties — from the mega-rich House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to the comfortably wealthy Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) — saw their fortunes shrink, according to financial disclosures released by the House and Senate.
Top Dem: Reduce Pot Penalities (Get Out The Vote Strategy?) Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is backing a plan to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, according to a report.
The U.S. Is Racking up Debt Faster Than the EU For all the bad things that can be said about the eurozone, at least the 17-nation union doesn’t rack up debt as quickly as the U.S. Yes, you read that right.
AFL-CIO shifts resources away from Obama, Democrats The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the U.S., announced in the middle of election season that it will redistribute funds away from supporting political candidates.
Dems Worries About Obama's Big Hollywood Ties Photo: AP The pollsters’ alarms are flashing for President Barack Obama, but he’s wrapping himself tighter in the glamorous embrace of Hollywood and the nation’s entertainment industry, despite growing alienation among middle class swing-voters.
Harvard ‘racism’ researcher neglected to disclose White House ties The Harvard researcher behind a recent study correlating 2008 election results with racially charged Google searches neglected to disclose ties to a former senior member of the Obama administration.
Campaigner-in-chief: Obama jets out of New York on Air Force One after an evening of star-studded fundraisers Tthe President's re-election campaign will not have to pay the full cost of his jaunt to the Big Apple, because he combined the trip with an official event which will be charged to the taxpayer.
Teacher Says He Was Fired After Writing a Song About the President A Tennessee middle school football coach said he got fired after he wrote a song that criticized President Obama. Bryan Glover, an assistant coach at Grassland Middle School near Nashville, co-wrote the country music song, “When You’re Holding a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail.”
Non-Citizens, Convicted Felons Could Swing the Election for Obama Mitt Romney's lead over President Barack Obama in the states most likely to decide the presidential election could diminish over the next few weeks if left wing pressure groups work successfully to block ballot integrity efforts.
Labor Dept. counts oil lobbyists, garbage men, bus drivers as ‘green jobs’ Under questioning by House oversight committee chairman Darrell Issa, senior U.S. Labor Department officials revealed that the Obama administration counts oil lobbyists, bus drivers, garbage men, bicycle shop employees and used-record store clerks as “green jobs.”
Contingency plans set on US healthcare for post-SUPCO ruling High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. EThe Obama administration has prepared contingency plans in case the Supreme Court strikes down part or all of its signature healthcare reform law later this month, Kathleen Sebelius, health secretary, said on Thursday.
Obama’s Third-Party History Recently obtained evidence from the updated records of Illinois ACORN at the Wisconsin Historical Society now definitively establishes that Obama was a member of the New Party.
Green Public Equity Ventures: The Bain Of Obama's Campaign Message Forbes: 71% of Energy Department green energy grants and loans went to projects involving his major money bundlers, members of his National Finance Committee, or those who contributed as large Democratic Party donors.
Romney Visits Failed Energy Giant Solyndra Mitt Romney visits the now defunct solar manufacturer Solyndra.
White House Defends Obama's Wall Street fundraisers The White House defended President Obama's New York City fundraisers with Wall Street financiers, amid his campaign's attacks on Mitt Romney's time in private equity
Pres. Clinton: Romney Has Sterling Business Record “I think he had a good business career,” Clinton said of Romney on CNN's 'Piers Morgan Tonight'.
George Soros: Godfather of the Left The world’s 22nd richest man, according to Forbes, is now worth $20 billion. But Soros isn’t just noteworthy for the money he has – he’s notable for the money he has given away.
Obamacare Pushes Insurance Costs Up, Not Down Obamacare Has 'Bent the Insurance Cost-Curve North, Not South,' Insurance Executive Tells House Panel
Harvard Law classmate, law review colleague remembered Obama as ‘a pretty cold fish’ While details from President Barack Obama’s college years are scant, with the exception of a few acquaintances’ recollections, in 2008 one of his Harvard Law classmates offered a few seldom-heard remembrances of the president’s time at Harvard.
EPA Official Admits Obama Killing Coal Sen. James Inhofe plans to highlight a little-known speech by an EPA regional administrator who admitted on video that the Obama administration’s air regulations will kill the coal industry.
Test of Fire: Election 2012 A new video from Catholic church organizations: Will you vote the values that will stand the test of fire? Some things are more important than high gas prices or a faltering economy. They are life, marriage and freedom. This November, Catholics must stand up and protect their sacred rights and duties.
Sen. Reid Blocks Ban on $4 Billion Illegal Immigrant Tax Credit Loophole A bill that would close an IRS tax credit loophole that allows the IRS to funnel over $4 billion to illegal immigrants is being held up by Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV).
President Obama Won’t Be Returning His Donations From Bain Capital Though the Obama campaign has repeatedly attacked Mitt Romney for his career at Bain Capital, President Obama still accepted $7,500 in campaign contributions from three Bain executives.
Believe it. Obama’s A Big Spender There are some things that are so apparent that they’re not even worth mentioning. What goes up must come down. The earth is round. President Barack Obama is a big spender.
Will Obama Pull an LBJ and Drop Out? Are his numbers so bad that the President Obama could just walk away from a re-election?
'Joe The Plumber' Slams Biden During Contentious Al Sharpton Interview 'Joe the Plumber' takes on the Vice President.
NBC Massages Poll Results to Show Obama Leading in Key Swing States The NBC/Marist poll is the first bit of good news the Obama campaign has had in a few weeks. Too bad NBC had to massage the numbers a bit to get there.
Barack Obama, the First Tea Partier? In 2009, President Barack Obama reportedly called members of the Tea Party "teabaggers." It turns he may have been the first "teabagger" himself.
Public School Mandates Arabic Language Studies for All 2nd Through 5th Graders A public elementary school in Manhattan, New York, has implemented a school-wide mandate that is capturing headlines.
‘He (Obama) Sat At The Knee of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright’: Ed Klein, Author of ‘The Amateur Ed Klein tells several fairly shocking tales about the social circles surrounding the Obamas.
Democrat running to replace Giffords won’t say if he’s voting for Obama Another Democrat running for office won’t commit to voting for President Barack Obama in the presidential election. Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/05/24/democrat-running-to-replace-giffords-wont-say-if-hes-voting-for-obama/#ixzz1vsmYWuln
Tea Party Senator Talks About Reducing Big Government in Washington In the 2010 mid-term elections, Ron Johnson sent three-term liberal Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold packing. Johnson explained the significance of the battle between the private and public sector in Wisconsin’s June 5 recall election of Republican Gov. Scott Walker, why he went to Washington, where he stands on corporate welfare and much more.
Teacher Yells At Student For Asking Challenging Question About Obama From NC, Sarah Campbell wrote at the Salisbury Post that the heated exchange began "with a classroom conversation about a recent news story detailing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney allegedly bullying a classmate in prep school. It turns into a heated, sometimes confrontational debate."
New O’Keefe video exposes non-citizens on voter rolls in NC, voter fraud comfort at UNC Conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas released a new video that contains several stabs at voter fraud in North Carolina.
Romney Donor Believes He Is On Obama "Enemies List" CEO says he was targeted by the president's re-election campaign
America at Risk: Importance of Military Readiness Dark shadows and superheroes may be all the rage in theaters, but the real heroes are on freedom’s frontier, and what’s really scary are schemes in Washington that will leave our men and women in uniform without what they need to defend us.
New RNC Ad Attacks Obama for Saying ‘Sometimes I Forget’ How Bad the Economy Was The Republican National Committee has seized on President Barack Obama’s remarks that he sometimes forgets how bad the recession was.
Pres. Obama: "Sometimes I Forget" About The Recession During a campaign event pres. Pres. Obama admitted that he sometimes forgets the impact of the recession (May 10, 2012).
Should You Need the Government's Permission to Work? License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing is the first national study to measure how burdensome occupational licensing laws are for lower-income workers and aspiring entrepreneurs
United States Budget Dilemma Soaring debt and a budget Congress can't balance! This video's author tries to explain WHY.
'If I Wanted America to Fail' This FreeMarketAmerica.org video "If I wanted America to fail" has topped 1 million views on YouTube.com.
Alexandra Pelosi's Take on Why Some Welfare Recipients Refuse to Work Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, interviews welfare recipients to find out why they won't work. Pelosi is a documentary film maker in NYC.
Government Workers Mock Wasteful Spending of Your Money UNCOVERED: Federal Government Worker "American Idle"? - Long Version and GSA Awards
Gas Prices Explained From Professor Mark J. Perry's Blog for Economics and Finance.
Why Are Gas Prices So High? MRCTV takes you to a Washington, D.C. station where gas is well above $5 a gallon.
Vets angry Obama Flag replaced American Flag An American flag with President Obama's image in place of the stars flew over a Florida county's Democrat headquarters long enough to enrage local veterans who called the altered banner "a disgrace."
Year After Oil Spill, Obama Energy Policy Endangers Economy The Heritage Foundation and the Institute for Energy Research traveled to Harvey, LA, to film Leslie Bertucci, owner of R and D Enterprises, for this oil spill anniversary video
Hot Video: Marine Stuns Crowd at Tea Party A Marine stuns the crowd at a Tea Party with the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner.
Leaked Footage From the New Obama Ad Featuring Tom Hanks Footage of the Obama campaign's new 17 minute ad narrated by Tom Hanks has been leaked to MRCTV. Gives new meaning to the old saying "the Simpsons did it".
Dan Danner Speaks about Healthcare Legislation Dan Danner, president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Business, speaks to The Washington Times about Healthcare Legislation.
Mitt Romney Responds to Brokered Convention Prospects

National Debt Links

Track the National Debt Live (CLOCK)
It’s Official: Federal Debt Will Never Be Paid
Why Your Taxes Won't Cut the National Debt for Long
Is the Debt Problem Solved?
Will the Government Actually Pay DOWN Some of the National Debt?
For the first time since 2007 " before the recession " the US Treasury is planning to make a down payment on the federal debt.
Government Borrowed More Per Household ($53,616) Than Median Household Earns ($50,502)
Under President Barack Obama, the federal government's debt has increased by an amount per household that exceeds the annual median household income.
The Next Debt Ceiling Deadline
In just a few months, another fiscal fight could steal the spotlight.
5 Things You Need to Know About the National Debt
"Neither experience nor economic theory clearly indicates the threshold at which government debt begins to endanger prosperity and economic stability, Fed Chariman Ben Bernanke said.
Who Really Owns the U.S. National Debt?
The U.S. Treasury Department has revised its estimates of the foreign ownership through the end of Fiscal Year 2012, which means that we can now finalize our picture of just who the major holders of the 16.027 trillion dollars of the outstanding U.S. government debt issued through 30 September 2012 are:
Your New Share of the National Debt
You might not realize this but you, as American taxpayers, are deeply in debt, maybe even more deeply than your indebtedness on your mortgage.
PolitiFact: The national debt is “larger than our entire annual economy.”
From PolitiFact: If you count debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings, the debt is roughly 105 percent of the economy, which makes his statement accurate. But the debt held by the public is more relevant to discussions about federal spending and the economy.
Fastest Growing Contributor to National Debt is…Interest on National Debt
Entitlement programs are indeed huge contributors to the U.S. governments national debt. But worries about them could become eclipsed by the interest on the debt itself in future years.
Another Debt Ceiling Battle Coming?

Theres likely to be a lull in the political trench warfare over tax and spending now that Congress has approved a bill to fund the federal government through the end of its fiscal year in September.
Mr. Penny vs. a Dragon: Hey Kids, It's the National Debt!
This childrens book by Lucile McConnell seeks to raise awareness of fiscal irresponsibility and the national debt for those just barely out of diapers.
Poll reveals most Americans worried about national debt
Fifty-four percent of self-identified Democrats said it was a problem and eighty-three percent of Republicans also said so. Those with college degrees were also more likely to claim it was a problem.
Politico: Mr. Penny vs. a Dragon -- Hey Kids, It's the National Debt!
Reducing Our Debt by Reducing Government Duplication
VIRAL VIDEO: The 2012 National Debt Road Trip
Federal Spending Up, Not Down, in First 5 Months of FY13
White House Delays Budget Until April
The White House announced it would not release its budget request until early April, and unloaded on the GOPs 10-year budget plan, which was designed by House budget chief Rep. Paul Ryan.
Washington's walking dead: From sequester to debt ceiling
The White House has begun to walk back its predictions of disaster for the sequester. Gene Sperling, President Obamas top economic advisor, said on Sunday that the cuts wont hurt much immediately, but they will hurt over the long run.
Study: Debt-limit votes colored by personal bottom lines
Voters trying to predict how candidates will vote on the economy may want to look beyond party ID or interest-group scorecards. The real tell may be their investment portfolios, according to a just-released analysis of one of the key votes of President Obamas first term.
Paul Ryan hints at another debt ceiling showdown
As the country prepares for the sequester cuts to go into effect and Congress works to strike a deal to avert a government shutdown, Rep. Paul Ryan is promising another budget fight: over whether or not to raise the debt ceiling again.
What's Your Share of the National Debt
According to the chart, if the $16 trillion national debt were divided among every man, woman and child, each person would receive $52,000"an amount Republicans are highlighting on Wednesday, the 1,400th day since the Democrat-controlled Senate passed a budget.
Democrats complain about presence of debt clock on Capitol Hill [VIDEO]
Some members of Congress apparently dont like to be reminded about how much debt the country continues to rack up.
Coburn: Sequestration Effects ‘Exaggerated’
Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn believes that the effects of the sequestration that will kick in Friday have been exaggerated on governmental agencies and the American people.
Bob Woodward Gives Republicans Some Major Ammunition On The Sequester
Republican offices are passing around a new column from Washington Post columnist Bob Woodward, in which he reiterates past reporting from his book last summer and blames President Barack Obama and White House chief of staff Jack Lew for the implementation of the sequester.
Real Federal Spending Up $822.90 Per American Since 2008
Inflation-adjusted per capita federal spending went up $822.90 from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2012, according to official data from the U.S. Treasury and the Census Bureau.
The sequester and the debt ceiling, explained
Debt History: Congress and Continued Spending
The U.S. Senate hasnt passed a budget in four years. Congress sidesteps fiscal responsibilities by passing continuing resolutions that provide temporary and emergency funding for Uncle Sam
$1,728,477,000,000: Fed’s Holdings of U.S. Debt Hit Another Record; Owns 15% of All Publicly Held U.S. Treasury Securities
The Federal Reserve's holdings of U.S. government debt climbed to yet another record, hitting $1,728,477,000,000.00 by the close of business Wednesday, Feb. 13, according to data released late Thursday by the Fed.
Pres. Won't Talk About Lowering Debt in State of the Union
One thing you wont hear when President Obama delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday: An ambitious new plan to rein in the debt.
Is there a new reality for National Debt Forever?
Welcome to the next chapter of the endless debt debate. The release of a Congressional Budget Office report on the next 10 years of the U.S. economy ends a brief lull in Washington. As we return once again to our regularly scheduled program of Crisis and Impasse, lets take a moment to consider the following heretical idea: We have no debt problem.
CBO: Debt will be $7 trillion larger by 2023
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released an estimate saying that by 2023, the federal debt will be $7 trillion larger
Treasury Surpasses Debt Limit on First Day of Ceiling’s Suspension.
That didnt take long. The U.S. Treasury quickly surpassed the old debt ceiling as it unwound measures it had used to stay under the legal limit.
"Slugs" and the Debt Ceiling; What You Should Know
The U.S. Treasury Department said it was resuming issuance of State and Local Government Series securities, or "slugs", which was halted to preserve borrowing capacity as the nation neared the legal limit on its debt.
Debt Limit Increase Approved In Senate Vote
The bill contains one caveat, a provision introduced by the House GOP that would force the Senate to write a budget by withholding lawmakers' pay if they fail to pass a spending resolution. Senate Budget Chairman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said her committee planned to draft a budget this year anyway.
Will Immigration Plan Add More to the National Debt?
Erskine Bowles: National Debt Threatens U. S. Innovation
The US Debt is the single biggest threat I see to innovation in American business. " Erskine Bowles
Really?: Don't Repay the National Debt
Interest Payments on National Debt Will Partly Go to Senior Entitlements
Even f you believe the U.S. should be running big deficits right now to stimulate growth, as I do, it is easy to grow deeply disturbed by projections of rising interest payments on the national debt in the coming years.
Why the Founding Fathers Loved the National Debt
Its a fact so little-understood as to remain startling that the Constitution, far from trying to limit federal borrowing and shrink government, was specifically intended to create a large and mighty government capable of taxing all Americans for the purpose of funding a large federal debt.
Our National Debt: An Odyssey that Speaks Volumes (Fiscal Times)
The drivers of our huge national debt and escalating deficits began with the escalation of entitlement and other individual payment programs in the later 1960s
Track the Growing U.S. Debt Live (CLOCK)
The debt is growing faster than any time in history. It's already passed $16.4 trillion.
Who Has Driven Up the Debt Most?
Fact check: Where does the debt come from?
Should You Eliminate the Debt Ceiling Entirely?
Prior to 1917, Congress had to approve every issuance of debt.
House votes to suspend debt ceiling until May
The U.S. House overwhelmingly passed a bill Wednesday to permit the government to borrow enough money to avoid a first avoid default for at least four months, defusing a crisis looming next month and setting the stage for a springtime debate over taxes, spending and the deficit.

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Your Voice, Your Future Stories

The IRS and Sarah Hall Ingram
The IRS and Sarah Hall Ingram
Will Congress force Ingram out of office?

Ingram headed up the IRS office that targeted conservative groups and now she leads the agency's Obamacare office.
Growing Concerns of IRS Competency
Growing Concerns of IRS Competency
How much trust should we put into the IRS to safeguard our medical records?
Scrapping the IRS
Scrapping the IRS
Even before the IRS scandal, there have been calls to restructure the IRS.
Losing Control
Losing Control
There are now four scandals confronting the Obama administration.

Is Washington spinning out of control?
Scandals that Bring Back Memories
Scandals that Bring Back Memories
Jogging memories to another time, a time when President Richard Nixon was impeached.
Networking in the White House
Networking in the White House
Did family ties to the White House influence how news events were covered following the deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya?
IRS Targets Conservative Groups
IRS Targets Conservative Groups
How long has the IRS been singling out certain groups for scrutiny?
The Cost of Insurance Under Obamacare
The Cost of Insurance Under Obamacare
The cost of new, individual health care policies is expected to increase by double digits starting in 2014.
What's Next for Benghazi?
What's Next for Benghazi?
More hearings and perhpas more whistleblowers. Pressure is also on the White House to release more emails releated to the deadly attack on the diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya.
Will Benghazi Impact the 2016 Presidential Election?
Will Benghazi Impact the 2016 Presidential Election?
Some people say the attack in Benghazi will
Who's in Charge at the State Department?
Who's in Charge at the State Department?
The U.S. State Department has not had a permanent inspector general in more than five years.
Regulating Coal
Regulating Coal
Clean Coal Technology
Clean Coal Technology
Developing clean coal technology has been on the back-burner for a long time, why?
Terror Watch List
Terror Watch List
Nearly a million names appear on a U.S. terror watch list. How effective is the list?
A Reasonable Search?
A Reasonable Search?
Did law enforcement trample on the Constitution during the search for a suspected terrorist in Boston?
Grounded in Politics
Grounded in Politics
Sequestration is hitting the flying public with delays and cancellations.

Is it all about political gamesmanship in Washington?
Missed Signs
Missed Signs
Did the FBI miss the opportunity to prevent the attack in Boston?
What's the Chechen Connection?
What's the Chechen Connection?
Investigators are looking at ties between the Tsrnaev's and Chechen terrorist organizations.
April Brings Tragedy
April Brings Tragedy
Why is it that so many horrible events occur in April?
A New Era of Terrorism?
A New Era of Terrorism?
Security experts have long feared the type of bombings detonated earlier this week in Boston.
Is the IRS Reading Your Email?
Is the IRS Reading Your Email?
The ACLU Says the IRS is snooping on you without a warrant.
NRA Will Not Sit Idle
NRA Will Not Sit Idle
The NRA says it will file court challenges to state's that have passed new gun laws.
The Money Behind Immigration Reform
The Money Behind Immigration Reform
Immigration reform has become a billion dollar industry.
President Obama's Budget
President Obama's Budget
President Obama's spending plan, is it a trick or treat?
America's Budget
America's Budget
How does Rep. Paul Ryan's budget blueprint compare to the one penned by Sen. Patty Murray?
Illegal Immigrants Pay Taxes
Illegal Immigrants Pay Taxes
Illegal immigrants pay taxes, but studies show they cost the U.S. economy three times as much as they put into it.
ICE Move Under Review
ICE Move Under Review
Immigration Customs Enforcement's release of about 2,000 illegal immigrants earlier this month has come under scrutiny.
How Taxes Mold a State's Future
How Taxes Mold a State's Future
Raise the taxes in a state and it's not only the rich that flee.
Tracking Federal Money
Tracking Federal Money
New app for smart phone users gives them an easy way to track how your tax dollars are spent --state by state.
Plotting Presidential Candidates for 2016
Plotting Presidential Candidates for 2016
The future of the Republican party is carved out with new leaders at CPAC.
Is the Republican Party Broken?
Is the Republican Party Broken?
A survey in Esquire found that one in four think the party is 'terrible' or 'shaky' at best right now.
Congressional Perks
Congressional Perks
In the months leading up to squestration lawmakers had no intention of practicing fiscal restraint when it came to their own perks.
Medicaid Gift Cards
Medicaid Gift Cards
Medical provider has been given permission to hand out grocery gift cards as an incentive to consumers.

A move that could cost taxpayers more money.
Federal Workers & Taxes
Federal Workers & Taxes
A new IRS report shows Federal workers owe more than 3.5 billion dollars in back taxes.
The Horror Show that is Sequestration
The Horror Show that is Sequestration
President Obama painted a picture of dire gloom and doom over budget cuts. But now even Democrats criticize Obama's scare tactics.
Ammo is in Short Supply for Consumers but not the Feds
Ammo is in Short Supply for Consumers but not the Feds
Why is the Department of Homeland Security buying an extreme quanity of bullets?
Small Business Owners Size up Sequestration
Small Business Owners Size up Sequestration
Business owners can do what the federal government can't. Keep their operations going under difficult circumstances.
Washington is Broken
Washington is Broken
Members of Congress are getting less productive. The failure to reach a deal on sequestration is the latest example of a growing trend.
Sequestration has Settled in
Sequestration has Settled in
Solutions to end the budget stalemate have been few, but the rhetoric - well, there's plenty to pass around.
How will Sequestration Impact Us?
How will Sequestration Impact Us?
Some lawmakers don't think sequestration goes far enough. But economists believe it will damage the economy.
Can People Buy the Support of the President?
Can People Buy the Support of the President?
President Obama spoke out against the power of money and influence in 2008,but that was then and now he has a new grassroots group trying to raise $50 million dollars.
The Consumer Side of Sequestration
The Consumer Side of Sequestration
Furloughs are set to begin for thousands of Federal employees. Expect longer lines at airports and the price of beef and chicken to rise.
The Pain of Sequestration
The Pain of Sequestration
Everyone is bound to feel the sting of sequestration. Who should take the blame?
The Military Will Bear the Brunt of Sequestration
The Military Will Bear the Brunt of Sequestration
Sequestration will knock the feet from under America's military. Hundreds of thousands of civilian workers will be furloughed.
Universal Cost Burden
Universal Cost Burden
The universal service fee pays for free cell phones. Who pays for the fee? You do, if you own a cell phone.
Entitlement Nation
Entitlement Nation
Does the federal government owe you? A social security check, medicare or food stamps?
Where's the Money Coming From?
Where's the Money Coming From?
President Obama proposes to rebuild bridges and roads, bring a quality education to every four year old in America in his second term, and he promises to do it by not raising the deficit.
Obamacare Waivers
Obamacare Waivers
Nearly 2000 businesses have received special health care waivers from the Obama administration. Many of those companies have close ties to the White House.
The Keystone XL Oil Pipeline
The Keystone XL Oil Pipeline
Proponents of the pipeline believe there's no way anyone can stop the Canadian oil from flowing into the U.S. Either with or without the pipeline.
Congressional Pay
Congressional Pay
One lawmaker has proposed cutting the pay of every member of the U.S. Congress.
A Navy Seal Thought to Have Killed Osama Bin Laden has Fallen on Hard Times
A Navy Seal Thought to Have Killed Osama Bin Laden has Fallen on Hard Times
The man is not receiving medical benefits, is not eligible for a pension and is having a difficult time finding work.
Challenging President Obama
Challenging President Obama
Did Dr. Ben Carson cross a politcal line when he challenged President Obama on taxes, healthcare and more?
Cost of Immigration
Cost of Immigration
What are the unexepected costs that could come with immigration reform?
The VA Computer
The VA Computer
The VA spent nearly $300 million dollars to speed up the time it takes to process claims. But it has not worked out that way.
Transparency in the Obama Administration
Transparency in the Obama Administration
Watchdog groups and journalists have long complained about how difficult it is to get legal documents from federal agencies. Now some members of Congress are joining that chorus, and demanding answers as to why so many requests are denied.
The Cost of Gasoline is Hitting Hard
The Cost of Gasoline is Hitting Hard
The average household spent nearly $3,000 dollars on gas in 2012.
Congress Makes the Laws
Congress Makes the Laws
Congress passes lots of laws, but they often don't adhere to them.
Government Jobs Training Programs
Government Jobs Training Programs
There are dozens of jobs training programs in the U.S. They cost taxpayers billions of dollars every year. What are we getting for our money?
America's Debt
America's Debt
Will America always be in debt?
Confronting a Gunman
Confronting a Gunman
The Departhment of Homeland Security, in a new video, suggests grabbing a pair of scissors to overpower an active shooter.
Gun Control
Gun Control
What are some states doing to enact gun control?
No Hot Breakfast for You
No Hot Breakfast for You
Some soldiers serving in Afghanistan will no longer be served a hot breakfast. The military says it's not a cost cutting measure.
Three Minutes to Prevent America From Falling off the Cliff
Three Minutes to Prevent America From Falling off the Cliff
Lawmakers were given mere minutes to consume a 154 page bill.
Soaking the Rich
Soaking the Rich
How much good will come of raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
What's Next For the Economy?
What's Next For the Economy?
How will Obama speed up the economic recovery and create jobs in his second term?
The Libya Attack Day by Day & The Politics
The Libya Attack Day by Day & The Politics
The Libyan Consulate timeline of events in the aftermath of the attack.
Congress and the President Will Have to Find Common Ground to Avert the Fiscal Cliff
Congress and the President Will Have to Find Common Ground to Avert the Fiscal Cliff
Seems almost inevitable that taxes will have to go up as lawmakers look to work out a deal -- a deal that could well beyond keeping America from falling off the cliff.
A Rising Republican Star Defeated by $200
A Rising Republican Star Defeated by $200
Mia Love was considered a shoe-in for the House. She would have become the first African American to serve in the U.S. House.
Florida vote too close to call
Florida vote too close to call
Snowy Election Day
Snowy Election Day
It was a snowy Election Day in parts of Haywood County. Many folks woke up to a winter wonderland, with several inches of snow in parts of Maggie Valley and Cataloochee.

However, that didn't keep voters away from the polls. People in snow-covered vehicles arrived at Maggie Valley Town Hall to cast their ballots.

Workers there say the turnout has been steady.
Election Day Gives S. Asheville Mom Teachable Moment
Election Day Gives S. Asheville Mom Teachable Moment
Melissa Murray of South Asheville had a supporting cast on Election Day. She brought her three children and their two friends to vote with her. Murray says she just wanted to walk them through the voting process so they know what to expect when they eventually get to vote some day. She stressed to kids the importance of doing research and not believing political ads. One of the girls says it's exciting to tag along on election day. Now they know it just takes a little patience in line to cast a ballot.
Voter Turnout
Voter Turnout
Despite record numbers for early voting, there was still a steady stream of voters at the precincts in Buncombe County Tuesday.

Voters bit the bullet and slogged through wet driveways and parking lots to be a part of Election Day. Elections officials say the crowds came out in predictable patterns. A big crowd showed up in the morning and a moderate crowd at lunch.

Elections officials say there's no doubt early voting has reduced the lines on Election Day.
Changes to Ohio's Ballot Process Could Create an Election Mess
Changes to Ohio's Ballot Process Could Create an Election Mess
A change in the way Ohio counts provisional ballots could take ten days after the election to sort out.
Obama and Romney Traveled to Ohio a combined 80 Times During the Campaign
Obama and Romney Traveled to Ohio a combined 80 Times During the Campaign
The international spotligt is on Ohio as people around the world wait to find out who will lead America.
Election Overkill
Election Overkill
The polls open at 6:30 Tuesday morning for Election Day. It's been a long campaign with a daily barrage of attack ads and campaign promises.

Along with the excitement and anticipation, there's also plenty of voter fatigue. Just one day before Americans decide who will be the next president, some voters are saying enough is enough.

Voter frustration could drag out even longer. In this extremely tight race, some experts believe there is a good chance of possible recounts or other problems at the polls that could delay the final results.
"Nobody For President" Signs Turning Heads
"Nobody For President" Signs Turning Heads
Several political signs in Transylvania County are causing some voters to stop and think about this year's presidential race.

"Nobody For President" signs are along Highway 280 in Brevard. Who put the homemade creations in ground is unknown at this time. But the signs are creating voters to think about this year's election.

Voters News 13 talked with say they are hoping no one takes the message seriously.
Campaign Mail Controversy
Campaign Mail Controversy
With the election just days away, candidates are peppering voters with ads and campaign material. But one mailing is causing controversy across the state.

The letter lists the names and addresses of registered voters and if they've voted in the last two elections. Whether you voted or not is public record. But people in the mountains tell News 13 it's an invasion of privacy.

Neither the phone number of email address on the letter for the Political Consulting Group is valid. WRAL-TV in Raleigh traced the letter back to a left-leaning political think tank in Chapel Hill. A spokesperson for the group says they sent the letter to assist in a research project conducted by UNC Chapel Hill.
Jill Biden Visit
Jill Biden Visit
The final days of the presidential campaign are bringing more of the candidates' surrogates to North Carolina.
Today, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden and her daughter made a trip to the Obama Campaign Office in Asheville.
Their message, get out and vote.
Although many polls show Mitt Romney leading in North Carolina, the Obama team isn't throwing in the towel.
Dr. Jill Biden and her son, Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, rallied supporters this morning at the Obama for America Headquarters on Hilliard Avenue.
She's telling workers and volunteers it's important they vote, but it's also important they go out and organize their communities to support Barack Obama and her husband.
They were originally scheduled to make an appearance here Sunday, but that was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy.
From here, they head to another campaign event near Charlotte.
One More Day To Early Vote In NC
One More Day To Early Vote In NC
As early voting comes to an end in North Carolina, more than 2.2 million votes have already been cast. Still, poll workers are bracing for long lines come election day November 6th. Buncombe County elections manager Trena Parker says she doesn't expect the lines to be "unmanageable." To make voting flow smoother, Parker is reminding voters you don't need to show a photo ID to vote. The same is true in South Carolina. NC early voting ends Saturday at 1 p.m. That's also the last day you can register and vote at the same time.
A Romney-Biden Ticket
A Romney-Biden Ticket
Under an extremely rare scenario Mitt Romney and Joe Biden could end up on the same ticket.
How much is Obama and Romney Spending on Voters?
How much is Obama and Romney Spending on Voters?
Combine the cost of both campaigns and they've spent the cost of a dinner trying to attract each one of us.
Voter Turnout High But Allegations of Wrongdoing and Bad Behavior
Voter Turnout High But Allegations of Wrongdoing and Bad Behavior
Despite a drop due to weather in the past few days more than 2 million people in North Carolina have early voted. More than 300,000 thousand more Democrats have voted than Republicans. However, the GOP has cast more ballots than they did last election. What that means for the election is up to interpretation.

Voters at polling places across the state say some campaign volunteers have been too aggressive. There are also allegations of phone calls to voters saying Republicans vote Tuesday and Democrats on Wednesday. Election officials say to use common sense when voting and that everyone who's registered can vote on election day.

Follow Russ on Twitter @RussBowenNews13
Focus On The Candidates For NC Lt. Governor
Focus On The Candidates For NC Lt. Governor
As voters continue to head to the polls during early voting, they're choosing North Carolina's next Lt. Governor. Neither candidate is an incumbent.

Linda Coleman knows there's a problem with our education system and believes funding is part of what can make it or break it. That includes the rising cost of college tuition in the state college system.

Coleman's competitor, Dan Forest, says we need to take the best examples from from public and private schools. With unemployment the fifth highest in the country, Coleman sees better educating the workforce for the new job market as part of the solution. Forest believes a tax overhaul is the answer.

Both agree the political climate in Raleigh needs serious attention.
Walter Dalton Candidate Profile For NC Governor
Walter Dalton Candidate Profile For NC Governor
Early voting is well underway and the numbers are exceeding those of 2008. The gubernatorial race is one of the decisions voters are making.

Democratic Governor Bev Perdue is not running in the election. Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory is competing against Lt. Governor Walter Dalton.

With state unemployment near 10 percent, Dalton says he has a plan to bring industry back to North Carolina. While the Lt. Governor has released his tax records, McCrory has not. Dalton takes issue with that.
Fact or Fiction: Who will be a better friend to the auto industry
Fact or Fiction: Who will be a better friend to the auto industry
Romney ad touting why he will be a better choice for the auto industry than Barack Obama has been.
With Election Neck And Neck Former Congressional Leader Gives Insight
With Election Neck And Neck Former Congressional Leader Gives Insight
For 18 years Republican Dick Armey was a member of the House of Representatives and served as House Majority Leader during much of his career.

Armey served a portion of North Texas from Ft. Worth to Denton in Congress. In 2003, a year after leaving office, Armey joined a conservative organization where he serves as chairman and keeps a very close eye on Washington.

In an interview with KEYE TV’s Jason Wheeler, Armey gives insight on the presidential election – which at the moment appears to be a tossup.
Winter Storm Hurts Early Voting Turnout
Winter Storm Hurts Early Voting Turnout
An early winter storm is slowing traffic on the roads and in the polling places. In Mitchell County, early voting numbers are just a fraction of what they normally are.

Main roads have stayed mostly clear throughout the day Tuesday. But slick conditions on secondary roads and falling snow has kept voters away from the polls. In Bakersville, some days there's a line of eager voters. But today, it's an hours time between voters.

Many other counties reported their lowest turnout since early voting began. That includes Buncombe and Haywood counties where half as many voters cast their ballot than a typical day.

Election officials expect a surge of voters Thursday and Friday as the weather improves.
Dr. Jill Biden Visit and What It May Mean
Dr. Jill Biden Visit and What It May Mean
The Vice President's wife and son will be in Asheville campaigning for President Obama this Sunday. Democrats continue to hope for a visit from the president himself but, political experts believe this may be a sign of where the campaign sees North Carolina leaning.

The state has been seen as a battleground state that's up for grabs. Now some political analysts and networks believe it's leaning Mitt Romney. However polls based on early voting are giving Obama the advantage.

Political experts say the Jill Biden visit indicates what the Obama campaign is thinking. The Dr. Jill Biden and Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden event will be Sunday at around 3:50 p.m. at the Obama for America field office on Hilliard Street in Asheville.
Political Sign Vandalism
Political Sign Vandalism
You can see Rutherford County resident Tara Wright's big, white Obama sign from way down the road. It's huge, it's homemade and this year it's been vandalized twice.

"The second one, I was shocked. I really didn't expect it to happen a second time," said Wright. "We're so close to the election, it was like they made their point."

Wright began this election season with small plastic campaign signs in her yard. When those were stolen, she made one huge Obama sign out of canvas.

Then one day, Wright says she walked outside and saw that "somebody just took a knife and ripped it to shreds."

It wasn't able to be salvaged and so the ardent Obama supporter made a new sign out of ply wood. "It can't be ripped," Wright said she reasoned.

But now this one has been painted with a big graffiti "X". "It lasted from Saturday until Monday night."

Wright says just the presence of the huge democratic sign - in what's widely considered to be republican country - has made it a target. "You can see there's garbage in the yard ... there are certain people who drive by and scream out obscenities when they drive by."

County Democratic leaders say vandalism of their signs in this election is up from 2008. But their Republican counterparts say they've had markedly fewer reports of vandalism this year.

"I have to say that sometimes it feels like I'm behind enemy lines," said Wright. "But really, like I said, the community has really been supportive, so I know it's not a Republican, Democrat issue."
The Minds Behind the most Watched Political Ads
The Minds Behind the most Watched Political Ads
What makes for a good political ad?
Missing Absentee Ballots
Missing Absentee Ballots
Absentee ballots go missing in the mail. Now concerns are being raised about whether someone could steal them and cast illegal votes. 20 Buncombe County voters requested those ballots, but voters say they never received them. Elections officials say it appears those 20 ballots were taken to the post office, but there’s no explanation about why they weren't delivered.

Voter Michael Heninger and his wife requested the absentee ballots early this month and received a request form in the mail. They filled out those forms and sent them back to the board of elections. They waited several weeks, but didn’t receive anything back from the board. That leaves them wondering if someone had stolen the ballots from their mailbox and was trying to use them to cast votes illegally. But elections workers told Heninger that was unlikely.

Elections director Trena Parker tells News 13 absentee ballots have numbers on every page. She says the ballots were canceled, and that no one can re-submit a ballot once it’s canceled. She says the 20 voters should receive new ballots in the mail within a few days.
Political Sign Vandalism
Political Sign Vandalism
You can see Rutherford County resident Tara Wright's big, white Obama sign from way down the road. It's huge, it's homemade and this year it's been vandalized twice.

"The second one, I was shocked. I really didn't expect it to happen a second time," said Wright. "We're so close to the election, it was like they made their point."

Wright began this election season with small plastic campaign signs in her yard. When those were stolen, she made one huge Obama sign out of canvas.

Then one day, Wright says she walked outside and saw that "somebody just took a knife and ripped it to shreds."

It wasn't able to be salvaged and so the ardent Obama supporter made a new sign out of ply wood. "It can't be ripped," Wright said she reasoned.

But now this one has been painted with a big graffiti "X". "It lasted from Saturday until Monday night."

Wright says just the presence of the huge democratic sign - in what's widely considered to be republican country - has made it a target. "You can see there's garbage in the yard ... there are certain people who drive by and scream out obscenities when they drive by."

County Democratic leaders say vandalism of their signs in this election is up from 2008. But their Republican counterparts say they've had markedly fewer reports of vandalism this year.

"I have to say that sometimes it feels like I'm behind enemy lines," said Wright. "But really, like I said, the community has really been supportive, so I know it's not a Republican, Democrat issue."
Former Congressional Leader Offers Perspective On Presidential Politics
Former Congressional Leader Offers Perspective On Presidential Politics
For nearly two decades, Republican Dick Armey served a portion of North Texas from Ft. Worth to Denton in Congress. In 2003, a year after leaving office, Armey joined a conservative organization where he serves as chairman and keeps a very close eye on Washington.

For 18 years he was a member of the House of Representatives and served as House Majority Leader. Upon leaving the political life in Washington he joined a group called FreedomWorks.

He joined KEYE TV in Austin, Texas via satellite to give his perspective on the November general election.
Fact or Fiction: Obama Ad on Medicare
Fact or Fiction: Obama Ad on Medicare
How factual is President Obama's ad about Mitt Romney's plan to overhaul Medicare?
Fact or Fiction: Romney Ad on the Economy
Fact or Fiction: Romney Ad on the Economy
The latest ad from the Romney campaign is called "Find a way." And its focus is on the economy.
Small Businesses Weigh in on Last Four Years
Small Businesses Weigh in on Last Four Years
Bernie Marcus has been a staunch critic of President Obama's policies. So, when the Home Depot CEO recently released a video urging people to vote for Mitt Romney we thought we'd ask small business owners like Chris Sawyer and Kelly Prime how the last few years have treated them.

Prime bought her massage therapy business just two years ago and credits Obama's doubling the Small Business Administration's budget with being able to do that after the big banks turned her away.

Sawyer adds though that he does have frustration with Washington. "The best proposals seem like they can't get any agreement or consensus to make anything happen the farm bill still hasn't passed."

Both business owners agree on one major issue involving small business owners. "They don't want to feel like they're part of the problem they want to feel like they're part of solution for helping America" says Prime.
Has Coverage of the Presidential Race Been Fair and Balanced?
Has Coverage of the Presidential Race Been Fair and Balanced?
Critics say coverage of the presidential race has favored President Obama and one need not look further than the pictures showing up on front pages across America.
Courting Undecided Voters Two Weeks Out
Courting Undecided Voters Two Weeks Out
The average of all non-partisan polls this week shows a virtual tie between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.
Do Campaign Signs Really Help?
Do Campaign Signs Really Help?
As election day approaches, there are more and more campaign signs popping up. But in this day of television ads, robo-calls and mass-mailings, some doubt they're even worth it anymore. All across the country, candidates of all parties are spending millions of dollars in a collective effort to win elections. They line the landscape along roads, in front of houses, and outside early voting locations. More than one voter complained about taking down the signs once the election is over. Taking votes away certainly can't happen, but there are fines for candidates who don't clean-up after election day. The advice if you have a sign of your own to get rid of, recycle it.
North Carolina's 11th District Congression Front-Runners Face Off
North Carolina's 11th District Congression Front-Runners Face Off
The two frontrunners for the 11th District Congressional seat met face to face Tuesday night at Western Carolina University. Republican Mark Meadows and Democrat Hayden Rogers called it their most spirited debate.

The debate got heated when Hayden Rogers brought up the fact that Mark Meadows was not born in Western North Carolina. He mentioned Meadows going home to Tampa, FL for the Republican National Convention. Meadows said he's been here for 28 years and the issues are much greater than that. He also mentioned if that's all the election is about, then it's over.

The candidates disagreed on the Affordable Care Act. Rogers would work to improve it, but Meadows would repeal it, while working on new legislation for children on their parents' insurance and pre-existing conditions. Both candidates endorsed military action if needed.
Key Romney Staffers Leave NC
Key Romney Staffers Leave NC
The Romney camp makes a major move by shifting shifted its key campaign staffers out of North Carolina and into Ohio. Some political experts wonder whether it's a good move or an opening for President Obama, Governor Romney is currently ahead in North Carolina according to most polls and is looking to close the gap and pull ahead in Ohio. North Carolina is seen as a must win for Romney and Ohio has been considered a firewall for Obama.
First Day Early Voting Count
First Day Early Voting Count
Record numbers of voters got out to vote on the first day of Early Voting across North Carolina. More than 150,000 people cast their ballots at one stop voting, up 28% from the 2008 presidential race.

Some voters found challenges at early voting sites in Buncombe and Henderson counties. Directional signs were never put up at entrances to the Asheville Mall early voting site because of a snag with the printer. Election officials say the signs went up Friday. Other voters complained about lengthy delays at curbside voting in Henderson county. Election officials say offices were extremely busy and they've added more voting machines as a result.

State election officials estimate about 70 percent of voters will cast their ballots early. Early voting ends November 3rd.
Early Voting Kicks Off In North Carolina
Early Voting Kicks Off In North Carolina
Early voting began Thursday across North Carolina. There are 18 early voting sites in Buncombe County, but some people had to wait an hour to cast their vote. Early and one stop voting continue in North Carolina until November 3rd. Most polling places are open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A few are open on Sundays as well.
Fact or Fiction: Obama ad Claims Romney Forced Coal Workers to Show up for a Rally.
Fact or Fiction: Obama ad Claims Romney Forced Coal Workers to Show up for a Rally.
Fact or Fiction: Romney Ad on Wages and the Economy
Fact or Fiction: Romney Ad on Wages and the Economy
Fact or Fiction: Obama Ad on Accomplishments
Fact or Fiction: Obama Ad on Accomplishments
Fact or Fiction: Romney Ad on Religion
Fact or Fiction: Romney Ad on Religion
Political Veteran Dick Armey's Observations of the Second Presidential Debate.
Political Veteran Dick Armey's Observations of the Second Presidential Debate.
Longtime Congressman Armey talks about what he gleaned from the debate at Hofstra.
Mormon Cult Reference Removed From Graham Website After Romney Visit
Mormon Cult Reference Removed From Graham Website After Romney Visit
The man who has prayed with and counseled every president since Truman agreed last Thursday to meet with Mitt Romney at the Graham home in Montreat.

A section on the Billy Graham Evangelical Association website defined Mormonism, as well as Jehovah's Witness, Unitarian and Scientology as cults.

Since the meeting between Romney and Reverend Graham the reference has been removed. After meeting with Graham Romney went on to speak to thousands of supporters in Asheville. The blessing of the Reverend was a needed confirmation for anyone questioning Romney's Mormon faith.

For decades Billy Graham has stayed away from getting involved in the political process. But, this time said he would do anything he could to help Romney's candidacy. Recently there's been a shift that some experts believe is driven by his son Franklin.

The Graham Association has so far declined to comment on the removal of the cult reference.

Follow Russ on Twitter @RussBowenNews13
Does a Candidate's Facial Expressions Impact the way a Person will Vote?
Does a Candidate's Facial Expressions Impact the way a Person will Vote?

Do voters get turned on or turned off by smiles, smirks and eye rolling?
Fact or Fiction: Obama Ad on Mitt Romney's Tax Cut
Fact or Fiction: Obama Ad on Mitt Romney's Tax Cut
Obama campaign ad claims Mitt Romney wants $5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy. Fact or Fiction?
One of President Obama's Biggest Critics is a Former Classmate.
One of President Obama's Biggest Critics is a Former Classmate.
We wanted to find out what makes Wayne Allyn Root tick.
Romney Crowds
Romney Crowds
Hundreds of people lined up with passion and lots of patience outside the US Cellular Center, just to get a glimpse of Mitt Romney.
The line started at nine with a handful of diehard supporters.
By early afternoon, they had a lot of company.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Talks About the Presidential Race
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Talks About the Presidential Race
Chris Christie's outlook on the presidential race going forward.
FACT OR FICTION: Romney Ad on Obama as Commander-in-Chief
FACT OR FICTION: Romney Ad on Obama as Commander-in-Chief
An ad for Mitt Romney asks if the American Public can trust President Obama on National Defense. Fact or Fiction?
FACT OR FICTION: Romney Ad on Taxes and Middle Class
FACT OR FICTION: Romney Ad on Taxes and Middle Class
Mitt Romney's ad says Obama will raise taxes by $4,000. Fact or fiction?
FACT OR FICTION: Obama Ad on Green Energy
FACT OR FICTION: Obama Ad on Green Energy
Obama campaign is using a new ad to push back on statemenets made by Governor Romney during the first debate.
Utah Congressman Says Obama Administration Misled Public About Libya Attack
Utah Congressman Says Obama Administration Misled Public About Libya Attack
Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz traveled to Libya to investigate the attack on the American embassy. He says the Obama administration misled the public about the cause of the attack. Chaffetz says it was clear that the attack was an act of terrorism, but the Obama administration blamed the violence on an anti-muslim video produced in America.
Barack Obama is Losing Jewish Voters
Barack Obama is Losing Jewish Voters
Jewish voters who supported Barack Obama in 2008 say they have lost confidence in the president to back up his security pledge for Israel
Big Bird Ad Continues to Ruffle Feathers
Big Bird Ad Continues to Ruffle Feathers
President Barack Obama's commercial featuring Big Bird has drawn praise and scorn. But even Democratic strategists don't believe it will have much impact unless Obama connects it to a core difference in ideology.
North Carolina 10th Congressional District Candidate Forum
North Carolina 10th Congressional District Candidate Forum
Election day is just four weeks away and one of the biggest races in the mountains is the 10th Congressional District. Incumbent Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry and his challenger, Democratic State Representative Patsy Keever answered viewer's questions in the News 13's candidate forum Tuesday.
Promoter Says Sesame St. Live Cancellation Not Connected To Romney
Promoter Says Sesame St. Live Cancellation Not Connected To Romney
The promoter cancelled two Sesame Street Live shows set for October 9th and 10th. But Romney was not on their radar when they made the move.

The U.S. Cellular Center director says ticket sales were low. The promoter says the Sesame Street tour was re-routed before Romney announced his visit to the mountains.

Still, many find it to be an interesting coincidence. Romney famously said he'd fire Big Bird and cut funding of PBS during the first presidential debate.
Mitt Romney Ticket Problems Fixed
Mitt Romney Ticket Problems Fixed
Mitt Romney supporters stand in long lines for tickets, only to be told they’d have to get them online. The presidential candidate is scheduled to appear at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville Thursday.

Campaign officials say they had trouble getting the ticket delivery from the printer. Some supporters were frustrated that there were no real tickets. They stood in line to register for a ticket and gave their information to campaign workers logged into a website. They could have done the same thing at home themselves, but since they were there, they went ahead and followed the process.

Both Asheville and Hendersonville Victory Offices began handing out real tickets Tuesday afternoon after the problem was fixed.
AARP Wants to Stay Out of the Health Care Debate
AARP Wants to Stay Out of the Health Care Debate
AARP Objects to President Barack Obama using the Nonpartisan Organization as a way to bolster support for his re election.
What does an Undecided Voter Look Like?
What does an Undecided Voter Look Like?
Both the Obama and Romney Campaigns are fighting over the elusive undecided voters. Here's what some of them look like.
A new Survey finds the Majority of Doctors Support Mitt Romney
A new Survey finds the Majority of Doctors Support Mitt Romney
Among the findings: 15 percent of the doctors polled said they voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Most cited the health care reform as the primary reason for switching parties.
Why did President Obama Stumble During the First Debate?
Why did President Obama Stumble During the First Debate?
A thorough look at Obama's performance.
How Mitt Romney Won the First Presidential Debate
How Mitt Romney Won the First Presidential Debate
By most accounts Mitt Romney won the debate in Denver, but did he connect with voters?
FACT OR FICTION: Obama Ad on the Economy
FACT OR FICTION: Obama Ad on the Economy
We examined an Obama Ad about Romney's proposed plan to heal the economy.
FACT OR FICTION: Romney Ad on Jobs
FACT OR FICTION: Romney Ad on Jobs
We took a hard look at a Romney ad that blast President Obama about jobs and more.
Vice President Joe Biden Visits UNC Asheville
Vice President Joe Biden Visits UNC Asheville
Vice President Joe Biden campaigns to a crowd at UNC Asheville to try to get the pivotal state of North Carolina to swing the Democrats way. Biden touched on a variety of topics and focused on why this election is so important to college students.
What does Body Language Tell us About a Presidential Candidate?
What does Body Language Tell us About a Presidential Candidate?
What can we learn from watching a canidates hand gestures and head turns?
Controversial 2007 Video of President Obama Surfaces
Controversial 2007 Video of President Obama Surfaces
A video from 2007 is causing controversy after segments were aired on Fox News' Hannity show.

The video is from a speech then presidential candidate Barack Obama made at Hampton University.

Senator Obama referred to the government's response to Hurricane Katrina and implied that it wasn't given complete federal aid because minorities aren't considered as important in America.
Vice President Joe Biden Campaigns At UNC Asheville
Vice President Joe Biden Campaigns At UNC Asheville
Vice President Joe Biden campaigns to a crowd at UNC Asheville to try to get the pivotal state of North Carolina to swing the Democrats way. Biden touched on a variety of topics and focused on why this election is so important to college students.

Biden spoke Tuesday morning in Charlotte before jetting the mountains to speak in front of hundreds in Asheville.
Audience Members Call Biden's Speech A Historical Moment
Audience Members Call Biden's Speech A Historical Moment
Many of the audience members at Tuesday's event at UNC Asheville consider the chance to see Vice President Joe Biden a historic moment. The line to see the Vice President spilled out onto the UNCA track. Some said this was more than just a campaign speech. It was a chance to get energized about the election and witness something they'll never forget.
Mining for Voters Online
Mining for Voters Online
What is Obama and Romney doing to win the hearts, souls and votes in cyberspace?
What Kind of Impact do Debates Have on Voters?
What Kind of Impact do Debates Have on Voters?
How much influence do debates have on undecided voters?
FACT or FICTION: Romney Ad on Debt
FACT or FICTION: Romney Ad on Debt
We took a hard look at ads for the national debt and poverty.
What Methodology is used for Presidential Polls?
What Methodology is used for Presidential Polls?
Polls can vary just by the nature of whether someone is reach on a cell phone or a landline.
Celebrities in a Political Age
Celebrities in a Political Age
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are both hitching their campaigns to stars.
FACT or FICTION: Obama Health Care Ad
FACT or FICTION: Obama Health Care Ad
We parsed a Barack Obama campaign ad on health care to find out whether it's fact or fiction.
Democrats Motivated by Biden Visit
Democrats Motivated by Biden Visit
Vice President Joe Biden will campaign in Asheville next Tuesday. The Obama campaign confirmed with the Buncombe County Democratic Party that the Vice President will make a political stop in the mountains.

President Obama won North Carolina by just 14,000 votes in the last election and won Buncombe County by 17,000 votes. Democrats say the visit proves the importance of the county in the election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney and that Buncombe can make the difference in whether North Carolina remains blue or turns red.

The campaign has not said where the event will be yet or how folks can get in to see the Vice President's speech.
Tagg Romney Campaigns In WNC
Tagg Romney Campaigns In WNC
Mitt Romney's son, Tagg Romney, made a stop in the mountains Wednesday. Tagg is campaigning for his father, the Republican presidential nominee.

North Carolina is going to be a critical swing state in November. Tagg Romney says every handshake counts.

Thursday, he will head to Greensboro and High Point to campaign. Then he will fly to Wisconsin.
Vice President Biden to Visit Asheville Tuesday
Vice President Biden to Visit Asheville Tuesday
Obama for America confirms with the Buncombe County Democratic Party that Vice President Biden will be in Asheville on Tuesday, October 2.

North Carolina is considered a "battle ground" state in the Presidential election, and the visit comes on the eve of the first Presidential debate.
The Most Important Voting State
The Most Important Voting State
Mitt Romeny & Paul Ryan Return to Ohio
Mitt Romeny & Paul Ryan Return to Ohio
ManagingCampaign Images in the Era of Citizen Reporter
ManagingCampaign Images in the Era of Citizen Reporter
Company Banks on "NObama Brew"
Company Banks on "NObama Brew"
The Most Important Counties in the Presidential Election?
The Most Important Counties in the Presidential Election?
Is There Ever a Time When Presidential Candidates Can Be Candid?
Is There Ever a Time When Presidential Candidates Can Be Candid?
Talking off the cuff can do plenty of damage to a campaign. Just ask President Obama or his Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
Candidate Obama Criticizes National Debt Growth; Debt Skyrockets in His Presidency
Candidate Obama Criticizes National Debt Growth; Debt Skyrockets in His Presidency
Under President Obama, the national debt has grown by more than $5 trillion dollars.
Preps Are well Underway For The Presidential Debates.
Preps Are well Underway For The Presidential Debates.
Students are seeing what happens to a venue in the weeks leading up to a presidental debate.
FreedomWorks Prepares For Ohio Rally
FreedomWorks Prepares For Ohio Rally
A National Organization is Pushing for a Two Hour Voting Window for Workers
A National Organization is Pushing for a Two Hour Voting Window for Workers
One organization believes employers should give employees ample time to vote on election day.
President Obama And The Jewish Vote
President Obama And The Jewish Vote
Have Jewish voters had enough of President Obama?
Question The Costs Of Political Conventions
Question The Costs Of Political Conventions
Over the past two weeks, Democrats and Republicans have put on incredible shows. But the conventions are now more public relations than politics. It costs nearly quarter of a billion dollars it cost to put them on.

This year, the Federal Election Commission gave each party more than $18 million for their conventions. Congress then set aside $50 million each for security. That’s $136 million of the tax payer's money.

As the Democratic National Convention comes to a close, the question some are now asking is should big political conventions continue given the incredible costs involved?

To many, the conventions are worth every penny. But to others, they can't justify spending that kind of money in these tough economic times.
DNC Speech Frustrations
DNC Speech Frustrations
More than 5,000 delegates at the Time Warner Cable arena tonight to hear the President's speech, but they say they want to hear specifics and want President Obama to hit Republicans hard.

Joseph McGimpsey comes from as far northwest as you can get in the continental US. The Native American delegate, from Washington, says President Obama has a record that he needs to hammer hard, “He is going to put those no good obstructionist republicans in their place where they belong and he is going to set the record straight”.

Delegates are giddy with excitement today. They want the President to remind voters the he got the country out of Iraq, is doing the same in Afghanastan, and that he saved the auto industry.

Massachusetts delegate, Melody Adams says, “He saved this country from what could have been a great travesty. We were headed for what could have been the greatest depression of our time and he rescued us from that.”

Supporters believe, there's more work to do in the next 4 years for President Obama, “One of the issues that keeps coming up in addition to the women’s issue that I’m hoping he talks a little bit about tonight than we keep hering about is student loan reform”, said Asheville delegate Sarah Zambon.

One big issue, the move tonight from the Bank of America Stadium to Time Warner Cable Arena. That means 65,000 people are now without tickets. There's been a lot of confusion as people have driven from all over for the opportunity to hear the President speak live. Linda Jenkins says, “When November the 3rd comes I’ll be at home resting I won’t bother to get up.”

Durham resident, Jo Ann King agrees, “I’m here because I love my president but I don’t know about this no more I don’t know about the president because he’s supposed to know the people that’s working under him who he got out there working because those people can either make him or break him and if he don’t have good people out there working then I don’t know how he’s going to be voted in.”
Thursday DNC Protests Include a Civil Rights Pioneer
Thursday DNC Protests Include a Civil Rights Pioneer
In Charlotte today, aside from the preprations for President Obama's speech, security has been busy keeping daily protests in check.

The city has a designated protest route that, with the exception of the Occupy movement, people have stuck to.

There have been dozens of groups in various sizes, but none as large as the protest last Sunday.

This morning, a group called "Patients Over Politics" marched. It's a group of more than 50 doctors on a 12 day bus tour that also went to the Republican convention in Tampa last week.

“Instead of using political rhetoric we should be supporting the Affordable Care Act because we’ve seen in our clinics and our hospitals how this has helped our patients we’re not asking for peoples vote we don’t care if you’re democrat or republican all that we want people to recognize is the affordable care act has saved lives and it will continue to save lives.”

Right behind them was another group asking for the legalization of marijuana.

One person everyone seemed to want to meet today was 101 year old Amelia Boynton, the Civil Rights pioneer who stood with her mother protesting for women's right to vote.“I just feel that this is why I’m living see most people are dead my age but God has extended my life in order that I could go tell it on the mountains over the hills and everywhere.”

Ms. Boynton was a key figure in what was known as bloody Sunday in Selma Alabama and was nearly beaten to death that day.

Almost 50 years later, she's still fighting.
Preview to President Obama's DNC Speech
Preview to President Obama's DNC Speech
Former President Bill Clinton went to bat for President Barack Obama last night. Tuesday night, First Lady Michelle took to the stage.

Today, the First Lady attended the women's caucus, where she was told 81 million women are connected through social media.

The last election, women decided the outcome with 51% of married moms and 74% of single moms voting for President Obama.

“Our ability to fact check politicians of us to be engaged of us to be voting and making a difference has increased and we expect that every women out there will hopefully go vote this November and will make a huge difference”, said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner of MomsRising.org.

Tonight, the Commander in Chief will try to sell voters his plan for the next 4 years, while accepting the democratic nomination.
Asheville Teens Perform At DNC
Asheville Teens Perform At DNC
Two recent Asheville High School graduates, Emma Stoneberg and Allijah Motika, performed at the DNC as part of the gospel choir backing up Jessica Sanchez of American Idol. Also singing was Shaun Cammack, a 2012 graduate of Rosman High School. All three teens are currently Popular Music/Music Business students at Catawba College in Salisbury.
DNC Propels 10th District Race Forward
DNC Propels 10th District Race Forward
The Democratic National Convention comes as candidates have two months to plead their case to the voters. Most of Asheville now sits in the newly drawn 10th Congressional District. News 13 spoke with incumbent Patrick McHenry and his challenger Patsy Keever about how the convention moves things forward for their campaigns.
"God" Added To Democratic Party Platform
"God" Added To Democratic Party Platform
A Democratic party divided. At least that’s the way it seemed Wednesday afternoon on the floor at the Democratic National Convention. An Ohio delegate introduced an amendment that would put God back in the Democratic Party platform. Sparks flew when the amendment was approved. A chorus of boos and objections when the convention chairman announced it passed, although some contend it didn’t receive the necessary two-thirds majority. Some delegates feel God shouldn’t be in the platform because the party is all-inclusive, including people of all faiths or no faith. Others feel it’s a knee-jerk reaction to Republican criticism when the platform was unveiled Tuesday. Another controversial amendment added to the Democratic Party platform was recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
50K Ticket-holders Won't Hear President's Speech Live
50K Ticket-holders Won't Hear President's Speech Live
Tens of thousands of people lose their front row seats for history at the Democratic National Convention. A threat for storms forced convention organizers to move President Obama’s acceptance speech from the Bank of America Stadium to the smaller Time Warner Cable Arena. With fewer seats available, 50,000 ticket-holders are not going to see the President's Speech live. Many say they’re disappointed, but understanding. There is also talk that the president will return to Charlotte to speak at the stadium before the election. The DNC Press Secretary is not will not confirm a return trip at this point.
Media Reacts To Change Of Venue of President's Speech
Media Reacts To Change Of Venue of President's Speech
The threat of strong thunderstorms Thursday night forces the Democratic National Convention to move President Obama's acceptance speech indoors. It's a big change for the delegates, ticket holders and the media. The move from Bank of America Stadium to Time Warner Cable Arena also presents fewer distractions for media and convention organizers. There are over 15,000 credentialed media covering the DNC and most of them are happy with this decision. Republicans are also in Charlotte this week giving daily news conferences at 1 p.m. That includes Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and former Governor, White House Chief of Staff and Senator John Sununu. Haley responded to Tuesday night's Democratic speeches commenting that they were well delivered, but disagreed with the content. She said Democrats made it clear they want government to be a central part of our lives.
President Obama's DNC Speech Moved
President Obama's DNC Speech Moved
The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced Wednesday that convention programming, originally planned for Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, September 6, would be moved to Time Warner Cable Arena, the site of the first two days of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, due to severe weather forecasts.

The DNCC also announced that President Barack Obama will address community credential holders in a conference call on Thursday. Call information will be emailed directly to community credential-holders.

“We have been monitoring weather forecasts closely and several reports predict thunderstorms in the area, therefore we have decided to move Thursday’s proceedings to Time Warner Cable Arena to ensure the safety and security of our delegates and convention guests,” said DNCC CEO Steve Kerrigan.

"The energy and enthusiasm for the convention in Charlotte has been overwhelming and we share the disappointment of over 65,000 people who signed up for community credentials to be there with the President in person. We encourage our community credential holders and Americans across the country to continue to come together with their friends and neighbors to watch and participate in history. The President will speak to these credential holders on a national conference call tomorrow afternoon, and we will work with the campaign to ensure that those unable to attend tomorrow’s event will be invited to see the President between now and election day.”

Some Republicans are saying that the president can’t match his speech in 2008 and that’s the real reason the speech in being moved. Democrats say that’s ridiculous. There is also talk that the president will return to Charlotte to speak at the stadium before the election.
New Documentary Questions Voter Loyalty for President
New Documentary Questions Voter Loyalty for President
With the Democratic National Convention Underway, there's also an onslaught of political films being released this month. One produced by a Washington D.C. based filmmaking team features interviews with some of President Obama's past supporters. Their opinions may surprise you.

The film is called "The Hope and The Change" and it's based on interviews with 40 voters who supported candidate Obama back in 2008.

Writer Stephen Bannon says "We actually went out and retained the services of top Democratic strategists and they really organized focus groups." What the filmmakers found is that over the last three and a half years, many of the Democrats and Independents became increasingly frustrated with the president's policies and action, particularly on the economy.

Bannon says "They felt he did not focus on the economy and the financial crisis like he says he would."
The writer and producer say they started this project with no agenda in mind and it is not meant to be an attack on Obama. "Our film is not to go after President Obama. We don't call him a Muslin, a communist, or a socialist, or anybody who's trying to destroy the country."

They say they simply sought to give a voice to the moderate voter. David Bossie produced the film and is also president of the group of "Citizens United," which successfully fought a campaign finance bill in the Supreme Court. The bill had limited the rights of independent filmmakers to advertise political documentaries on national TV.

Bossie says, "We did that because we wanted to make movies and show them at the time that the American people are paying attention." This campaign season, there are several political films being released in theaters, on DVD and TV. But do they have the ability to influence voters, or even, an election?

Dr. Richard Vatz, a professor of political rhetoric at Towson University says 'maybe.' "They don't over many. They merely reinforce what people already believe, but in an election as close as this one appears to be, sometimes, and particularly in swing states, all you have to do is win over a few people."

That's why many new documentaries, inclduing this one, tend to target key battleground states.

"We went to Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa and Colorado," says Bannon.
While the film is critical of the president in some ways, producers say it's a true reflection of the perception on his performance thus far, according to those interviewed.
"They believe the country is more divided than ever," says Bannon. "And for people who voted for him, it's almost as though it's a permission slip to feel that you're not the only one," added Bossie.

The film will be make its television debut on September 17, but it is also available for preorder purchase online.

Bossie and Bannon have also teamed up for another documentary that will be released at the end of the month. It's called "Occupy Unmasked" and it will examine the impact and the troubles that resulted from the Occupy Wall Street movement and its members.
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley Addresses DNC
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley Addresses DNC
Delegates Discuss Debt Crisis At This Week's DNC
Delegates Discuss Debt Crisis At This Week's DNC
The national debt hits a major milestone and shows no signs of slowing down. Both parties blame each other for the rising debt, now topping $16 trillion. A key question for delegates at the Democratic National Convention this week is how to stop it. When President Clinton took office in 1993, the national debt stood at just over $4 trillion. The debt was nearly $5 trillion when President Bush was sworn in and climbed another $5 million during his term. In Charlotte this week, Democrats push their solutions to the debt dilemma and admit it has skyrocketed another $5 trillion in President Obama’s first three years in office. Both Republicans and Democrats realize the debt cannot continue at this pace. Whether both parties can come together to do something about it, remains to be seen.
DNC's Oldest Delegate Dedicated To Helping Vets In Need
DNC's Oldest Delegate Dedicated To Helping Vets In Need
There are more than 5,000 delegates in Charlotte this week for the Democratic National Convention. But one delegate stands out among the rest. Not just for his longevity and service to his country, but for his dedication to a new mission. 91-years-old Staff Sergeant Stephen Sherman of California was wounded in World War II nearly 70 years ago. As the oldest delegate in Charlotte, Sergeant Sherman is on a new mission to help veterans in need. A life that began in service to his country is now a life spent serving those who served. Sergeant Sherman also defies his age with his social media skills.
Protests Tie Up Uptown Charlotte Tuesday During DNC
Protests Tie Up Uptown Charlotte Tuesday During DNC
Several protests tied up Uptown Charlotte Tuesday. Police set up multiple checkpoints and barricades around the city. No one was allowed through, including the media. Security was tighter because of a Planned Parenthood protest. An impromptu Occupy march the broke out and caught police and the media off guard. An Asheville man was arrested during the Occupy protest. Local workers and volunteers for the convention could not get to where they needed to go because of all the blockades.
The Politics Of Food
The Politics Of Food
Hot topics at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte include Wall Street and unemployment. But one North Carolina delegate is pushing another issue. An issue that could impact everyone. Vani Hari is a delegate from Charlotte and an expert on local cuisine. She is on a mission that focuses on a food policy regarding genetically modified ingredients. Hari believes the United States is behind on food policy. According to a recent article in North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, supporters of genetically modified foods say studies show they are as safe as traditional crops. But Hari, and other opponents, believe there are health risks and everyone is entitled to know exactly what's in their food. Hari plans to use the Democratic National Convention as a world stage to fight for what she believes.
What The DNC Means To North Carolina
What The DNC Means To North Carolina
It's among the biggest events North Carolina has ever hosted. Tens of thousands of people are now in Charlotte, including the First Lady. The Democratic convention officially kicks off Tuesday. Lt. Governor Walter Dalton believes this convention will bring the state long lasting benefits.
DNC State Of Labor
DNC State Of Labor
Labor day is about family and friends, backyard barbecues and the beach. But with rising unemployment, it's also a day to reflect on the American worker. That was the message in Charlotte Monday on the eve of the Democratic National Convention. Thousands of people took this historic opportunity to talk about jobs at a downtown street festival. Just two months from the election, jobs are on the minds of voters. National unemployment sits at nearly 10 percent. Too many laboring to find work.
Occupy Movement Camped Out at DNC
Occupy Movement Camped Out at DNC
Political enthusiasts aren't the only ones in Charlotte for the Democratic National Convention. The Occupy Movement is camped out at Marshall Park, which is just across the street from the court house and on the edge of uptown Charlotte. Dozens of tents have been erected. There haven't been any real problems at this point as law enforcement and park personnel have been keeping an eye on things. Protesters started putting up their tents in the few days leading up to Sunday's march. That march was not nearly as large as many had feared. The group camping out says it's arguing against the big banks, many of which are headquartered here in Charlotte. They're also in favor of neither Democrats nor Republicans. They say both parties are owned by large corporations.
DNC's Economic Impact
DNC's Economic Impact
Thousands turned out for the big street party leading up to Tuesday night's official convention start in Charlotte. Hotel rooms here have been booked for months leaving many people commuting from hotels as far as an hour away. Monday, the streets were jammed with people spending. Despite budgets being tight, many people see this as an opportunity to spend during a chance of a lifetime.
Clint "Eastwooding" In Downtown Asheville
Clint "Eastwooding" In Downtown Asheville
Clint Eastwood's speech at the Republican National Convention has people on both sides of the aisle talking about an empty chair. Thursday night, the Hollywood legend referred to President Obama as he spoke to the chair. On social media, people are posting pictures of themselves talking to an empty seat as Eastwood did, which is now called "Eastwooding." We planted a seat in Downtown Asheville to spark even more conversation. Some though Eastwood's rant was ridiculous while others thought it was a creative way to get his message across.
Jeb Bush speaks at RNC
Jeb Bush speaks at RNC
Romney takes the stage at RNC, introduced by Rubio
Romney takes the stage at RNC, introduced by Rubio
Fact Checking Paul Ryan's Speech
Fact Checking Paul Ryan's Speech
Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan is taking heat Thursday for arguably the most important speech of his political career. As News 13's Frank Fraboni reports, several media outlets and self proclaimed fact checkers say the speech was filled with what some are calling falsehoods.

Follow Frank Fraboni on Twitter @Frabonz
Romney prepares for his big speech
Romney prepares for his big speech
Struggling businesses eager for GOP convention to leave town
Struggling businesses eager for GOP convention to leave town
Newt Gingrich says Obama's like a teen with a credit card
Newt Gingrich says Obama's like a teen with a credit card
RNC kicks off on first full day
RNC kicks off on first full day
Representative Marsha Blackburn at the RNC Talks About the Platform and Weather
Representative Marsha Blackburn at the RNC Talks About the Platform and Weather
Small Group of Protestors Turn Up at the RNC on Day One
Small Group of Protestors Turn Up at the RNC on Day One
Looking Back Four Years Ago
Looking Back Four Years Ago
Who's Funding Mitt Romney's Campaign
Who's Funding Mitt Romney's Campaign
Searching for Swing Voters
Searching for Swing Voters
Senator Tom Coburn Reacts to Todd Akin's Decision to Remain in the Senatorial Race
Senator Tom Coburn Reacts to Todd Akin's Decision to Remain in the Senatorial Race
Romney and Ryan Ohio Interview - RAW
Romney and Ryan Ohio Interview - RAW
Romney and Ryan Give 1 On 1 Interview in Ohio
Romney and Ryan Give 1 On 1 Interview in Ohio
Romney, Ryan in Michigan, Obama campaign responds
Romney, Ryan in Michigan, Obama campaign responds
Michigan returned to the political spotlight again Friday, as it will likely be with several other battleground states for the next three months until Election Day.

Ahead of next week's Republican National Convention in Tampa, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan spent much of their day in Michigan trying to cut into President Obama's lead in the polls.

Romney and Ryan spoke to a crowd in Commerce Township, a rural area in Oakland County near Detroit.

Friday marked the first appearance in Michigan by the two men at the top of the ticket, and listeners got a preview of what we will likely hear at the convention next week--lots of economic chatter about jobs, building small businesses and limiting government.

Polls show a tight race with ten weeks to go as Republicans fight history.

The GOP nominee hasn't taken Michigan since 1988. The last Democratic winner that didn't take Michigan was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Observers say it's essential for Romney and Ryan to win their native states; most projections currently show Michigan as an Obama lean and Wisconsin as a Romney lean.

With Romney visiting Michigan so close to the convention, it's a clear sign that the Republicans feel Michigan is in play.

President Obama, meanwhile, did not have an event scheduled Friday, but next week should feature an extensive campaign schedule for the President, during the Republican National Convention.

Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is already condemning Romney for a statement Romney made during his Commerce Township speech Friday, saying that no one has ever asked for his birth certificate.

A spokesperson is also firing back at Romney's assertion that the President has failed to fix the economy.

The White House says it continues sending proposals to Congress that will help turn the economy around, including an extension of middle class tax cuts.

The President wants an extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, but only for households making less than $250,000 per year.

Republicans, including Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney, want to extend the tax cuts to everyone, including those making over $250,000.
Former Congressman Artur Davis Will Speak at the Republican National Convention
Former Congressman Artur Davis Will Speak at the Republican National Convention
Fomer Democratic Congressman Artur Davis Supported President Obama four years ago. Davis is now a Republican and solidly backing Mitt Romney
President Obama Campaign Goes Higher Ed
President Obama Campaign Goes Higher Ed
Obama takes his message that he's the candidate to secure future college opportunities for the masses.
The Presidential Candidate That Can Best Energize Their Respective Bases Will Win In November
The Presidential Candidate That Can Best Energize Their Respective Bases Will Win In November
Voters are talking about the election and the problems that are facing the country. They want less rhetoric and more solutions.
Special Forces Accuse President of Putting Politics Before National Security
Special Forces Accuse President of Putting Politics Before National Security
Critics compare a recently released film that scolds President Obama to the 2004 Swiftboat ads.

In the 22 minute film titled "Dishonorable Disclosures", former members of the military take aim at the President for not only taking credit for the Bin Laden raid but also allowing classified information to become public.

Political analyst John Dedie says in the case of the Swiftboat ad it was John Kerry's character under attack. He says in the case of this film, the issue is national security. Texas Congressman Michael McCaul tells Fox45 he receives weekly briefs and wouldn't think of disclosing the information for political gain.

While the Obama administration denies leaking any information, there is a chance the President will eventually need to address the film. "Dishonorable Disclosures". It's already been viewed almost a million times online.
Mitt Romney Speaks Exclusively with WSYX in Columbus, OH
Mitt Romney Speaks Exclusively with WSYX in Columbus, OH
Ex-Military Accuse President of Using Bin Laden Death for Political Gain - Watch Full OPSEC Video
Ex-Military Accuse President of Using Bin Laden Death for Political Gain - Watch Full OPSEC Video
In a direct attack on one of President Obama’s political strengths, a group of former special operations and C.I.A. officers started a campaign accusing Mr. Obama of recklessly leaking information about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and other security matters to gain political advantage.
Vice President's "Chains" Comment Creates Claims of Racism
Vice President's "Chains" Comment Creates Claims of Racism
Vice President Joe Biden has landed in some hot water after his most recent comments during a public appearance.

Critics call it a calculated case of race-baiting. On Tuesday in Virgina, before a largely African-American audience VP Biden characterized Mitt Romney's budget plan comparing it to a return to slavery. He said, "Romney, he said in the first hundred days he's gonna let the big banks write their own rules, unchain wall street. They're gonna put y'all back in chains."

Dr. Richard Vatz, professor of rhetoric, reacted to the public comments saying "The point that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are racially discriminatory without giving any evidence is a cardinal example of using the race card."

The President's campaign is standing behind Biden, saying the comments were similar to those delivered by the President about the need to "un-shackle" the middle class.
PA Judge Refused to Block Voter ID Law
PA Judge Refused to Block Voter ID Law
A state judge has refused to block a new "voter ID Law" in Pennsylvania. The law ignited a firestorm with the ACLU and the groups that filed the suit.

The ACLU and others say it will disenfranchise minorities and the elderly.

Judge Robert Simpson ruled that photo ID is reasonable to vote. If people do not have one, he said they can always vote by provisional or absentee ballot.

Opponents plan to take it to the state Supreme Court.
Romney Chooses Running Mate
Romney Chooses Running Mate
In his first three days as Romney's running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan has warmed to his new role as expert on fiscal policy and Republican chief attack dog.
The Not so Scientific Basis Behind Presidential Tracking Polls
The Not so Scientific Basis Behind Presidential Tracking Polls
Richard Vatz has analyzed election polls for years. He tells us most polls are contaminated.
Richard Vatz on Things Voters Should Know About Presidential Tracking Polls
Richard Vatz on Things Voters Should Know About Presidential Tracking Polls
In this raw interview, Richard Vatz talks about what voters should know about polls.
Deceptive Political Advertising
Deceptive Political Advertising
The largest amount of money spent on negative political ads is now hitting the airwaves.
Obama's Run for a Second Term, Yes, There's Now an App for that
Obama's Run for a Second Term, Yes, There's Now an App for that
The Obama election campaign has created a new mobile app that lets readers know how many Democrats are living in the neighborhood and more.
Senator Rob Portman, Does He Have What it Takes to Become Mitt Romney's Running Mate?
Senator Rob Portman, Does He Have What it Takes to Become Mitt Romney's Running Mate?
Rob Portman likes a good workout on and off the street.
Lawsuit Over Early Voting Filed
Lawsuit Over Early Voting Filed
A law to eliminate early voting for everyone except on-duty military has drawn fire in a battleground state.
The Tea Party Claims a Big Victory in Texas
The Tea Party Claims a Big Victory in Texas
The Tea Party delivered a big message on this week to critics that thought it was a movement of the past.

Tea Party backed candidate Ted Cruz, cruised to victory in a primary Senate election on Tuesday.