Topic: The White House
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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15 best books of 2012 – nonfiction
Here are the Monitor's picks for the 15 best nonfiction books of 2012.
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Focus
Republican Party 2.0: 4 GOP leaders share ideas for political upgrade
In the aftermath of election 2012, four prominent Republicans share their visions for how the GOP can adapt its messaging to reflect a diversifying US electorate.
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Briefing
Petraeus scandal: Did anything illegal happen? Five questions so far.
An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation has now called into question the private lives and careers of two of the nation’s top national-security officials. Here is an accounting of what is known so far.
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War with Iran? 5 ways events overseas could shape Obama's second term.
The threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program is the most urgent example of the foreign-policy challenges that face President Obama in his second term. Here are four others.
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Election 2012: 12 reasons Obama won and Romney lost
President Obama went into his reelection fight facing significant head winds – most important, high unemployment and slow economic growth. But for a multitude of reasons, including Obama’s positives and Republican challenger Mitt Romney’s negatives, Obama succeeded. Here’s our list.
All Content
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School shooting in Connecticut casts somber mood across nation
School shooting in Connecticut kills 27 people, including 20 children, marking the deadliest and most shocking primary-school shooting in recent US history.
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Connecticut school massacre leaves 27 dead, according to reports
Law enforcement officials are unofficially saying that the gunman was a 24-year old man, whose mother was a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. It was reported that the gunman went to the principal's office first, then to his mother's kindergarten classroom.
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Decoder Wire
Susan Rice: Was she pushed to end secretary of State bid?With the 'fiscal cliff' unresolved and other big issues still on the table, President Obama didn't need a confirmation battle. Realistically, Susan Rice had little choice but to take her name out of the mix.
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Global News Blog
Good Reads: American manufacturing, Apple's new CEO, and a father-son journey to meet two presidentsA round-up of this week's long-form good reads include takes on America's manufacturing power, how religion is faring in the US, and the power of seeing a son in a new light.
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John Kerry, Chuck Hagel: Vietnam vets to lead US foreign and defense policies?
Sen. John Kerry is the leading contender to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. Former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel could be Obama's next Defense Secretary.
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Hail to the neologizers in chief
US presidents – and one president in particular – seem to have a knack for coining new terms.
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Fiscal cliff: Obama, Boehner speak frankly (+video)
As the battle over the United States' 'fiscal cliff' continues, President Obama and Representative Boehner spoke directly at the White House on Thursday.
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Susan Rice's surprise withdrawal saves Obama a fight (+video)
UN ambassador Susan Rice, once perceived as a natural replacement for Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, has withdrawn her name from the nomination process. It now seems likely that President Obama will pick Senator John Kerry for the role.
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With wide gap, Obama and Boehner meet for 'fiscal cliff' talks
With an end-of-year deadline looming, the two leaders came together at the White House on Thursday in an attempt to rejuvenate negotiations as frustration mounted over the lack of progress on averting the 'fiscal cliff.'
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Why Susan Rice withdrew her name as secretary of State (+video)
Republican senators had vowed a fight if Obama nominated Susan Rice to be his next secretary of State. Their opposition centered on her erroneous public statements about the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
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Stocks lower as Wall Street eyes Washington
Stocks closed down Thursday despite the fourth straight weekly drop in applications for unemployment benefits. Energy and technology stocks fell the most on Wall Street.
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US: Syria fires Scud missiles at rebels in 'desperate' military escalation
Speaking on condition of anonymity, two officials said forces of President Bashar Assad have fired the missiles from the Damascus area into northern Syria.
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North Korea rocket test shows long road to credible missiles
Experts say Pyongyang is years from even having a shot at developing reliable missiles that could bombard distant targets, though it did gain attention and the outrage of world leaders with its first successful launch of a three-stage, long-range rocket.
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US hesitates to forcefully condemn North Korean rocket launch
The Obama administration has made it clear the US will not tolerate Iran or Syria's acquisition of nuclear weapons, but North Korea's missile program is a tricker situation diplomatically.
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Raising Medicare's eligibility age: How much money would it save?
A full account of the impact of raising Medicare's eligibility age to 67 must also include the added costs to other expensive programs, as some seniors switch to Medicaid or seek government subsidies for private insurance.
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Would a 'fiscal cliff' deal imperil John Boehner's tenure as House speaker?
Resolving the fiscal cliff this year may require Speaker John Boehner to take to the House floor a deal that a majority of Republicans will reject – a move that could risk his speakership in the next Congress, says the Democrats' Rep. Chris Van Hollen.
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Boehner: Don't make Christmas plans, 'serious differences' remain in 'fiscal cliff' talks
Boehner's comments came as top Democrats pushed back on GOP demands for tough steps like raising the Medicare eligibility age and curbing the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security.
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North Korea rocket launch: Why China only 'expresses regret' (+video)
Beijing's restrained response to a widely condemned rocket launch is based on its concern about North Korea's stability – and its view that a tough UN resolution could worsen regional security.
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Syrian opposition receives U.S. recognition
In an effort to isolate the Assad regime, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the Syrian opposition coalition is now inclusive enough to warrant formal recognition as being representative of the Syrian people. This status could qualify the group for further U.S. assistance moving forward.
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Stocks gain on budget talk optimism, Fed stimulus
Stocks rose Tuesday in light of progress in budget talks being held in Washington. Stocks have edged up since the start of the month as investors watch for developments in the budget talks.
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The Monitor's View: Shaping the world of 2030
A US intelligence report to the president on global trends to the year 2030 is generally upbeat. But like any futuristic study, its foresight needs hindsight in the reading.
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Economic optimism falls. Are 'fiscal cliff' worries to blame?
A new Monitor/TIPP poll shows Americans' outlook on the economy soured in December, across the board – coinciding with the 'fiscal cliff' standoff. For Republicans, economic optimism has hit rock bottom.
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Focus
Which world hot spots will clamor for Obama's attention?Obama is unequivocal about his intent to refocus on US domestic issues during his second term. But the world is not likely to cooperate. Here are seven foreign-policy challenges already bearing down on him.
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Stocks edge higher; Dow boosted by McDonald's
Stocks rose Monday despite concerns about the surprise resignation of Italy's prime minister. A strong sales report from McDonald's pushed stocks higher on Wall Street.
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Decoder Wire
Are Republicans really 'incapable' of beating Hillary Clinton in 2016?Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said over the weekend that his party could not rise to Mrs. Clinton's level. But she might not be as formidable as it appears.
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