Topic: Peter Fenn

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Inauguration 2013: How Obama is different from four years ago (+video)

Inauguration 2013 is different from the 2009 version in many ways – not least the president himself. He's learned some tough political lessons, but he still seems to have ambitious plans.
Why Obama insists on higher tax rates for the wealthy

As the 'fiscal cliff' looms closer, President Obama says higher tax rates for the wealthy – not just revenue from limiting deductions and other sources – is his nonnegotiable demand.
Cover Story Election 2012: How another Obama term might be different

Would four more years of Obama change the Washington dynamic? A two-part election 2012 report profiles the stark differences and interesting similarities of a second-term Obama White House vs. a Romney White House – either of which would have to deal with a highly polarized Congress.
Biden-Ryan debate: why it doesn’t matter, and why it does (+video)

Vice presidential debates have no history of swinging presidential races. But after President Obama's subpar performance last week, Vice President Joe Biden faces pressure Thursday night.
Romney tax returns: Could Reid’s unsubstantiated attack hurt Democrats?

Harry Reid, the Senate's top Democrat, says Mitt Romney paid no income tax for 10 years. His source, he says, is a Bain Capital investor. But he won't say who. The tactic could backfire.
Obama's cool factor: what Romney can do to counter it (+video)

Instead of just ignoring Obama cool, the Republicans are taking it on and arguing why he should be voted out. A 'super PAC' supporting the Romney campaign has produced a new video for this purpose.
Mitt Romney's Mormon dilemma: To reach voters, should he discuss his faith?

Mitt Romney trails President Obama in polls on likability, and Republican strategists say his campaign is debating whether he should more openly discuss his Mormon faith.
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.
Bruising battle over the debt limit: Where did it leave Obama?

The debt-limit battle left Obama battered, with his job approval rating near its lowest point. The poor economy is a persistent threat. The good news for him is Election Day is still a long way off.
Obama aide's comment on unemployment a gift to Republicans

Americans will base their votes not on the unemployment rate, but on their own economic situation, says top political adviser David Plouffe. The GOP jumps all over the comment.
Can Jon Huntsman really carve out a path to the GOP nomination?

Jon Huntsman, set to announce his presidential bid on Tuesday, will skip the Iowa caucuses and is little-known in New Hampshire, the first primary state. His biggest hurdle: Mitt Romney.
Obama maintains trademark calm amid rising shutdown storm

As the government shutdown deadline approaches, President Obama has remained calm and on-message.
Japan. Libya. The deficit. Did Obama have time to go on ESPN?

After Obama announced his 'bracket' choices on live TV, he drew fire from Republicans for not focusing more on world crises and the deficit. Was his ESPN appearance a bit of March Madness?
By keeping his distance, has Obama played Wisconsin right?

With the battle of Wisconsin reverberating in union halls across the country, Obama has refrained from weighing in forcefully on a core Democratic issue. Analysts say he has played it right.
Joe Lieberman announces the end of his complex political career

Sen. Joseph 'Joe' Lieberman will not seek re-election. His retirement makes life easier for Democrats, who now have a better chance of hanging onto his seat.
How tax cut revolt helps Obama: It's a page from Clinton playbook

Perhaps President Obama's tax-cut deal with the GOP was astute, after all. While he angered liberals, he also won back some independent support – an example of Clintonian 'triangulation.'
Could Democrats give Obama trouble in 2012? War in Afghanistan is key.

Most Democrats oppose the war in Afghanistan. Amid talk of a longer US presence there, Obama runs the risk of alienating his base. A damaging primary challenge from the left is not unthinkable.
Will Obama face a primary challenger in 2012?

President Obama has to worry both about the newly empowered Republicans and about the possibility of a primary challenger from his left. Sen. Russ Feingold is one name that has come up, although a spokesman has denied such plans currently.
An Election 2010 GOP takeover: How bad for Obama?

As Election 2010 nears, Republicans are confident of dominating the House as Democrats shape strategies for either outcome. How will Obama deal with Republican gains?
Is the Senate becoming riper for a Republican takeover?

Surging challenges to two Democratic incumbents – Patty Murray in Washington and Russ Feingold in Wisconsin – are a reason that chances for Republican takeover of the US Senate may be rising in Election 2010.
Charles Rangel ethics mess: another thing Democrats don't need before election

Rep. Charles Rangel of New York says he won't resign his seat or drop out of his reelection race. A House trial on ethics violations may remind voters that Democrats haven't ended the 'culture of corruption' in Washington.
Why the White House wants Dems to keep the House – for the most part

Democratic leaders have been furious over White House spokesman Robert Gibbs’s comment about the possibility that the GOP will take control of the House in the fall.
Gulf oil spill: Is Obama really mad now?

Democrats have been desperate for President Obama to find his inner Bill Clinton – to convey to people that he really gets their anguish and trauma. Did he do it in Louisiana Friday?
After health-care reform, is immigration reform achievable?

Many say Arizona's stringent new law demands immigration reform from Washington. But Congress may not be ready for another political showdown so soon after health-care reform.
Obama to appear on Fox News, with healthcare reform down to the wire

Obama will sit for an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, to be broadcast Wednesday at 6 p.m., Eastern time.