Topic: Peter Hart

As Republican candidates pummel each other, Obama can only smile

As the Republican presidential candidates continue to battle and improvement in the US economy is seen, President Obama is getting better public reviews – good news for his re-election bid.

As GOP presidential contenders dogfight, how's Obama doing?

It’s way too early in the presidential campaign to make predictions about the 2012 outcome. But at this point, President Obama might confidently say, “I’ve got ‘em right where I want ‘em.”

Mitt Romney gaffes: 9 times the button-down candidate should have buttoned up

In politics, a gaffe is often described as a "truth told by accident." Mitt Romney has had relatively few of them during his time in politics, but when the former governor of Massachusetts commits one, it can be a doozy. Here’s a list of the most memorable.

If Herman Cain or Mitt Romney were a sixth grader ...

A focus group in Cincinnati, Ohio, was asked how elementary school classmates would describe the GOP candidates. Herman Cain was described as "Respected Friend." How did they describe Mitt Romney, and the rest?

Some now see Obama as the 'comeback kid'

For a guy who took a 'shellacking' in the midterm elections six weeks ago, President Obama is doing pretty well during this lame-duck political period. Still, his approval rating keeps dropping.

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.'

Will Obama's rift with the left matter?

The left is hopping mad, not just that Obama cut a tax-cut deal with Republicans, but that he didn't put up much of a fight. But the breach may help him woo back independent voters in time for the 2012 election.

Why GOP's predicted gains in midterm elections might be short-lived

A new poll suggests that the Republican Party is actually viewed less positively than the Democratic Party. That doesn't mean the GOP won't make gains in midterm elections. But it does mean Americans will likely give Republicans little time to make an impact.

Best books of 2009: nonfiction

The nonfiction books we liked best in 2009.

Polls show Obama’s honeymoon drawing to a close

The Somme: The Darkest Hour on the Western Front

Personal accounts add a new dimension to a history of the Great War’s bloodiest battle.

Pollster: Voters like Obama, hate economy, will ignore Blagojevich

Swing voters give Obama flexibility to solve US economic crisis

Another poll shows same result: Obama, McCain tied