Topic: The White House
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Chemical weapons 101: Six facts about sarin and Syria’s stockpile
Word from the White House that Syria probably resorted to small-scale use of chemical weapons against rebel forces in the country's civil war draws new attention to the internationally-banned nerve agent sarin.Perhaps the best-known recent use of sarin previously was in the 1995 Tokyo subway attack, in which at least 13 people died. But sarin’s legacy is about to get an update and henceforth seems likely to be associated with Syria and its besieged president, Bashar al-Assad.
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Who handled Major League Baseball’s ceremonial first-pitch honors in 2013?
One of the most anticipated moments of any baseball season occurs when ceremonial first pitches are thrown at each of 30 major-league ballparks. Often the identity of the persons or persons doing the honors is kept a secret until the last minute. Here’s the lineup of the 2013 VIPs:
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Think you know the White House? Take our quiz.
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is one of the most famous addresses in the world, but how much do you really know about America's executive mansion and its presidential inhabitants?
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George H. W. Bush in his own words: 10 stories from the updated 'All the Best, George Bush'
"All the Best, George Bush" is a collection of the personal correspondence of George H. W. Bush from his first years in the Navy in 1942 all the way to 2011. Here are 10 excerpts from the book.
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Briefing
After the 'sequester,' now what?
$85 billion in across-the-board cuts to defense and social programs took effect March 1. The cuts must occur this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Here's how things look.
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USA Update Are your taxes fair? Increasingly, Americans say no.
On Monday, both sides in the ideological battle over spending and taxes are seeking to reinforce the divide – with a 'red tape tower' and a federal taxpayer receipt.
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Rebel Wilson of 'Perfect Pitch' hosts MTV Movie Awards (+video)
Rebel Wilson was the comedic host of the MTV Movie Awards Sunday. Rebel Wilson also won two awards for her performance in 'Perfect Pitch.'
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The Monitor's View: Looking for Obama's agenda in Syria
As killings in Syria worsen, more people look to Obama for action. But the mental preparation for action doesn't start with the White House.
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Obama budget 'compromise?' No way, says the GOP (+video)
In the Republican radio address Saturday, Rep. Jackie Walorski (R) of Indiana called President Obama's proposed budget for 2014 'a blank check for more spending and more debt.'
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Voices of Newtown: How gun violence victims became effective lobbyists (+video)
The testimony of Newtown parents and others who have lost loved ones to gun violence has become a potent political force on Capitol Hill as lawmakers debate stronger gun safety measures.
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USA Update Obama, like everyone, must face the tax man. Here are his numbers.
President Obama is wealthy, but his income has been dropping in recent years, mainly due to a decline in book revenues. In releasing his 2012 return, the White House again pushed for tax reform.
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Tax VOX Obama budget: the plan to cap retirement savings benefits
President Obama's 2014 budget would limit tax benefits for workers with high-balance retirement saving accounts. The plan is a smart way to roll back the billions in tax breaks that go to investors who don’t need tax incentives to save for retirement, Harris writes.
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How liberal anger at Obama budget helps the president, Democrats
The president's budget, with its cost-saving measures in Social Security and Medicare, has infuriated the left. That positions Obama more to the center and could help him achieve other goals – and save some Democratic seats in 2014.
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For former Iranian 'terrorists,' a warm Washington welcome
With Washington luminaries in attendance, the Iranian dissident group NCRI and its formerly armed wing MEK inaugurated their sleek new offices Thursday, within sight of the White House.
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Social Security proposal from Obama: How would it affect you?
'Chained CPI,' a leading idea for how to keep Social Security solvent for the decades ahead, is part of President Obama's budget proposal. Here's what it would mean for benefits.
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Who handled Major League Baseball’s ceremonial first-pitch honors in 2013?
One of the most anticipated moments of any baseball season occurs when ceremonial first pitches are thrown at each of 30 major-league ballparks. Often the identity of the persons or persons doing the honors is kept a secret until the last minute. Here’s the lineup of the 2013 VIPs:
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Friend or frenemy? For China, key issue is how US really views it
Both the US and China want to tamp down the North Korea crisis. But as Secretary of State John Kerry visits Beijing this weekend, an underlying issue is mutual suspicion over strategic aims in the Pacific.
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Robert Reich Obama budget: Why entitlement cuts are a 'grand bargain' we don't need
President Obama's willingness to negotiate on Social Security – which Democrats have protected from Republican assaults for almost eighty years – doesn’t bode well, Reich writes.
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Obama budget changes Social Security: Are Republicans on board?
President Obama proposed changes to entitlements including Social Security in his new budget, prompting hopes of a 'grand bargain.' Republicans mixed qualified approval with skepticism.
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New cybersecurity bill: Privacy threat or crucial band-aid?
The cybersecurity bill was a flash point for privacy advocates a year ago. Now, changes have been made to the bill, which was the focus of a closed hearing Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee.
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Obama’s budget gambit: Return of the 'grand bargain'?
President Obama is for the first time proposing a budget that includes changes to Social Security and Medicare. This infuriates the left but could open the door to compromise with Republicans.
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Opinion: Senate deal on background checks aside, outdated tracing system hurts gun control
Though Sens. Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey have reached a deal on background checks, a key piece of the White House’s gun control plan is still at risk of failure. The federal government is using 1960s era technology to trace guns used in crimes. The system must be updated.
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Chapter & Verse David Axelrod will publish a memoir in 2014
David Axelrod, former Obama advisor and strategist, will release his memoir through Penguin Press. Bids for the book went as high as $1.5 million.
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Joan Baez returns to Vietnam after 41 years. Why? (+video)
Joan Baez is back in Hanoi for the first time since December 1972, when American B-52s were raining bombs on Vietnam. Joan Baez visited a bunker in Hanoi and sang "Oh Freedom," a song she often sung during civil rights rallies in the 1960s.
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Lindsey Graham: The senator who revels in the 'ugly' issues
If there's a particularly partisan issue, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is likely to be in the middle trying to find a solution – in a conservative way.
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Deals that changed history
A look back at three major pieces of historical federal legislation, started and finished by small groups of men intent on statesmanship.
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Tax VOX Now is the time to fix Social Security
Most Social Security experts, no matter their political persuasion, know that Social Security must be redesigned, Gleckman writes. With President Obama proposing to change the way government adjusts Social Security benefits, why not redesign it now?
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What hope for diplomacy to defuse North Korea crisis?
Any diplomatic resolution to the North Korea crisis depends upon China's priorities and Kim Jong-un himself. Here's why both are difficult to gauge as Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to travel to the region.
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Amid crisis, influential South Korean politician wants to deploy US nukes
A member of the South Korean National Assembly called for US tactical nuclear weapons on the peninsula. He also suggested that Seoul consider developing its own deterrent.
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Entitlement reform takes step toward reality in new Obama budget
President Obama will unveil a budget Wednesday that includes reforms to entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare. The budget probably won't pass, but it points to a shift in the debate.
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