Topic: Harry S. Truman

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Harry Truman: 7 quotes on his birthday

May 8, 2012, marks Harry S. Truman's 128th birthday. His folksy sense of humor and political grit are exemplified by a selection of aphorisms in 'Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists' by James Geary.
'The Presidents' Club': 10 stories about relationships between American presidents

From Truman to Obama, 10 stories of friendships and feuds between US presidents.
In Pictures: Presidential transport
Six big achievements of a surprisingly 'do something' Congress

The 111th Congress, which adjourned Wednesday, is one of the most productive in US history, its 13 percent approval rating notwithstanding.
In Pictures: Presidential weddings

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Decoder Wire
Obama honors Presidential Medal of Freedom winners: Who's eligible? (+video)

Answer: Anybody who's accomplished anything the president of the United States likes. Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom to Bob Dylan, John Glenn, and 11 other recipients Tuesday.
Why Romney's choice for vice president could determine America's future

Marco Rubio? Nikki Haley? Chris Christie? Mitt Romney's VP choice is not just about ticket-balancing, which the evidence does not show as affecting election outcomes. Historical patterns show that with his pick for 'veep,' Romney will anoint a future presidential front-runner.
Harry Truman: 7 quotes on his birthday

May 8, 2012, marks Harry S. Truman's 128th birthday. His folksy sense of humor and political grit are exemplified by a selection of aphorisms in 'Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists' by James Geary.
On anniversary of Osama bin Laden death, did Obama take too much credit?

Critics of Obama's move to politicize his bold decision to kill Osama bin Laden miss a deeper point about leadership.
'The Presidents' Club': 10 stories about relationships between American presidents

From Truman to Obama, 10 stories of friendships and feuds between US presidents.
The Circle Bastiat
Will health care reform be successful? Capital Hill barbershops show no

President Obama has promised that more government will make health care cheaper and more available. A comparison of two Capitol Hill barbershops sheds some light on whether the president has it right.
Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith

British academic Andrew Preston offers a crisply written account of the historic intersection of religion and US foreign policy.
Cover Story
Does America need a CEO in the Oval Office?

Mitt Romney has been both vaunted and vilified for his business background. Here's how running a corporation really compares to running a country.
Evangelist raises Obama faith issue again, 'has no idea' what president believes

Graham, who has led the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association since his father's retirement, also repeated earlier remarks linking Obama to Islam through his African ancestry and said the Muslim world saw him as a Muslim.
Eisenhower in War and Peace

Jean Edward's Smith's new biography obliterates earlier arguments that Eisenhower’s was a dull, torpid presidency.
State of the Union address: best and worst in history

The State of the Union address is a big moment for a president, but not usually a memorable one for the public. Americans are more likely to remember Gabrielle Giffords at tonight's speech than anything Obama says. Still, the speech has had its high points, and low ones.
'Doomsday Clock' moved forward. What has scientists worried?

Scientists say they moved the 'Doomsday Clock' a minute closer to midnight because nations are failing to sufficiently address nuclear proliferation, climate change, and other global threats.
'Most admired' list: Gingrich up, Palin down; Obama, Clinton still No. 1

For two years running, President Obama is the man Americans most admire, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is again the most-admired woman, a new Gallup survey shows. But the public’s views of other politicians shifted noticeably in 2011.
Thanksgiving turkeys get presidential pardon (video)

Two 45-pound turkeys, named Liberty and Peace, got a presidential Thanksgiving pardon today.
Penn State: College football record one win away for Joe Paterno

Penn State’s head coach Joe Paterno has long been a Nittany Lion in winner’s mode. With a victory over Illinois Saturday, Paterno will have the most wins in the major-college ranks.
Will voters kick out all incumbents in 2012?

Probably not – even though most Americans dislike both political parties. There are three scenarios for 2012. The most likely: If the economy remains weak and the GOP picks an acceptable candidate, voters will kick out both Obama and Democrats from power.
Do little words give big insights?

In a new book, James Pennebaker argues that people reveal vast amounts of information about themselves through their use of pronouns.
Obama can't blame the do-nothing Congress

Presidential criticism of Congress has been fruitful for incumbents in the past, but Obama should be aware that the political climate today is much different from that of 1948, when Harry Truman campaigned against the do-nothing 80th Congress.
What history says about President Obama's approval rating now

President Obama's approval rating hovers around 40 percent. Will he get reelected? It doesn't look good in the light of other presidents (since 1947) at this same point.
Decoder Wire
Jackie Kennedy book: glimpses of White House intimacy, and happiness

Some of the real gems in the book based on interviews Jackie Kennedy gave deal less with famous people and more with the quirks of domestic life at the White House.
Vox News
Rick Perry: unelectable or GOP's best shot? Why public and pundits differ.

Polls show that the public thinks Rick Perry is the GOP presidential candidate with the best chance of beating President Obama. The punditry disagrees. Why the perception gap?
Obama jobs speech: 'Time to stop the political circus'

In his speech to a joint session of Congress, President Obama proposed a $447 billion "American Jobs Act" to help those 14 million Americans out of work. Can he convince Republicans to vote for it, and will it help his own tough re-election bid?
Reader recommendation: Truman

Monitor readers share their favorite book picks.
Is Election 2012 the GOP's to lose? What Obama could do.

President Obama could face reelection at a time of 9 percent unemployment. But Election 2012 is not a slam dunk for the GOP, analysts say. Obama has ways to counter the bad news.
In Pictures: Presidential transport