Topic: John McCain

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Can immigration reform pass? Five senators to watch.

Immigration reform will pass the Senate before the Fourth of July, Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada has vowed. Here are five key senators (or groups of senators) that will be pivotal during the two weeks of debate.

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Why does John McCain have a problem with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs?

Sen. John McCain said he’d put a hold on the confirmation of Gen. Martin Dempsey for a second term after a testy exchange about Syria. Is the senator's real aim to engage with the White House on Syria policy?
Decoder Wire Hillary who? Joe Biden says he still dreams of becoming president.

Everyone knows Hillary Clinton would be the presumptive Democratic front-runner for president in 2016. But Joe Biden, in a new interview, doesn't sound like he's ready to concede.
Senate averts 'nuclear option,' but leaves deeper questions unanswered

After a rare, closed meeting senators agreed to confirm several controversial Obama nominees. The deal avoided a 'nuclear option' that would have changed Senate rules on filibusters.
Decoder Wire On immigration reform, more Americans hew to the Democrats' stance

Forty-eight percent of Americans say their views on immigration reform align best with the Democratic Party, compared with 36 percent whose views are closer to the Republican Party, a new poll shows. The gap is much wider for blacks and Hispanics.
Bullied bus monitor says a year later she's still the same 'regular old lady' (+video)

Bullied bus monitor Karen Klein, a year since she was bullied by teens on a bus, says she hasn't changed much despite the occasional stranger asking for a photo and the $700,000 donated to her by supporters.
Can immigration reform pass? Five senators to watch.

Immigration reform will pass the Senate before the Fourth of July, Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D) of Nevada has vowed. Here are five key senators (or groups of senators) that will be pivotal during the two weeks of debate.
US to start arming Syrian rebels, but will it make much difference?

Some senior US military officials question the strategic value of sending small arms and ammunition to the Syrian rebels. But other options – including a no-fly zone – also carry concerns.
Did Bill Clinton goad Obama into stepping up in Syria?

Former President Clinton told a private forum this week that President Obama would look like 'a total fool' if he followed public opinion too closely on Syria. Now the US is sending small arms to the rebels.
How Syria's conflict became more complicated as US debated arms for rebels

The Syrian rebels have long begged for the US to give them military assistance. Now some argue it may be too little, too late.
USA Update Syria crosses 'red line' on chemical weapons. How will Obama respond? (+video)

US officials say the regime of President Bashar al-Assad has used chemical weapons 'multiple times' to kill at least 100 rebel fighters and civilians. Obama had warned Syria of 'enormous consequences' if it crossed that 'red line.'
Monitor Breakfast Immigration reform: Two Senate bill authors see pathway to ... passage

Sens. Michael Bennet (D) and Jeff Flake (R), two of the Gang of Eight immigration reformers, said Wednesday there's room to amend the immigration reform bill to include some things conservatives want without sacrificing Democratic votes. Other 'gang' members are more worried.
Military brass, senators united against sexual assault but at odds on remedy (+video)

Top military leaders received a dressing down from lawmakers Tuesday for failing to curb sexual assault within the ranks. The brass, however, opposed changes to the military justice system.
Backchannels An Egyptian preacher and a US senator compete over Syria's future

Both Yusuf al-Qaradawi and John McCain want Bashar al-Assad to fall. But in their competing visions you'll find reasons for the White House's reticence over deeper military involvement.
Apple 'tax gimmicks': rotten to the core or sensible business? (+video)

Two senators on Tuesday plan to grill Apple CEO Tim Cook about the company's tax practices, which they say cheat the US out of billions of dollars. Apple says it's playing within the rules.
Why it's John McCain, maverick, stumping for Gomez in Massachusetts

In the Massachusetts Senate race, underdog Gabriel Gomez enlisted the help Monday of GOP maverick-in-chief John McCain. There's a reason he called on McCain and not, say, Newt Gingrich.
Can Democrats find moderate candidates in time for midterms?

Democrats may struggle to recruit moderate and conservative-leaning candidates for the 2014 midterm elections in states with the most competitive Senate races.
Why Obama agenda group faces pushback from some Democrats

Organizing for Action, an issue-advocacy group that spun off from President Obama's reelection campaign, is going after some Democrats and competing for fundraising dollars.
US and Britain cling to diplomacy as way forward on Syria (+video)

At the White House, the US and British leaders called talks with Russia 'very constructive,' but Obama cautioned that given 'what we’re seeing in Syria, it’s very hard to put things back together.'
IRS tea party scandal is 'un-American' and a 'travesty,' lawmakers fume

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are vowing to hold people accountable and explore legislative changes to ensure the IRS mends its ways after singling out tea party and other conservative groups.
Robert Gates: Obama made right decisions night of Benghazi attack

Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates says those urging a military response the night of the Benghazi attack have 'a cartoonish impression of military capabilities.' Republicans in Congress want to grill former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of a special inquiry.
Monitor Breakfast Immigration reformers McCain, Schumer agree on need to halt 'future wave'

Sens. John McCain (R) and Charles Schumer (D) help craft the immigration reform bill the Senate is now weighing. Americans will support it if they trust that enforcement is robust enough to prevent a 'future wave' of illegal entries, the senators say.
Decoder Wire Why does Prince Harry make Washington swoon? (+video)

Prince Harry, making a visit to the US, interrupted a congressional hearing without attending it. Even Michelle Obama sounded a tad breathless announcing his appearance at a White House Mother’s Day tea.
Prince Harry begins US visit with Michelle, McCain, and moms

Prince Harry's first day in the US included a visit with McCain to a charity supported by his late mother, Princess Diana, as well as events honoring military moms hosted by Michelle Obama.
Syria civil war: This week could be decisive for US involvement

Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Moscow to discuss international pressure on Syria, following Israel’s targeted airstrikes on Damascus over the weekend.
Decoder Wire Immigration reform: 3 reasons it's got its best chance yet

Immigration reform has been snarled in partisan gridlock for years. But after losing 7 in 10 Hispanic votes in 2012, not all Republicans – in Congress and on talk radio – are mounting an all-out war on reform legislation.