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Thursday, Jan 28
A Crisis of Confidence over a Bickering Washington
In perhaps the most memorable line from his State of the Union address Wednesday, President Barack Obama told the assembled members of Congress that Washington suffers from a “deficit of trust” with voters. Americans seem fed up with a bickering Washington that seems ever-resistant to...
Wednesday, Jan 27
The State of the Union Is…
George W. Bush: Bill Clinton 1974: “Tonight, for the first time in 12 years, a President of the United States can report to the Congress on the state of a Union at peace with every nation of the world.” Source: The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Obama Looks to Pump $3 Billion More Into Education
Obama will also call for Congress to reauthorize the federal education law, which President George W. Bush revamped with his 2002 No Child Left Behind Act. The administration is expected to propose a range of changes to the Bush law to promote higher standards and to hold schools and teache...
Thursday, Jan 21
WIRE WATCH: Obama to Ohio; Roe v. Wade Anniversary; Holder to Address Mayors; Hutchison Gets Bush Backing
41: Former President George H.W. Bush will weigh in on the Texas Republican gubernatorial race today when he endorses Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in her bid against incumbent Gov. Rick Perry at a Houston rally. Former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker has already endorsed Hutchison, as well as f...
Sunday, Jan 17
Haitian Relief Puts Clinton and Bush Back in Spotlight
President Barack Obama walks out of the Oval Office of the White House with former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush, right, Saturday. Obama asked the former presidents to help with U.S. relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Georg...
Friday, Jan 15
Quinnipiac Poll: Democrats’ Odds Improve in Conn. Without Dodd
Associated PressConnecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has an 84% (!) job approval rating from Connecticut voters—the second highest job approval rating by Quinnipiac ever measured for a politician after former President George W. Bu...
Thursday, Jan 14
WIRE WATCH: Homestretch in Mass.; Biden Travels South; Funeral Services for Boehner Aide; John Yoo on His New Book
In the Bay State: Senior Democrats will campaign for Massachusetts Senate Democratic candidate, state Attorney General Martha Coakley today ahead of the Tuesday special election against Republican Scott Brown—who has turned what should have been a landslide Democratic victory in...
Obama to Pen Cover Story on Haiti and the Earthquake for Newsweek
The list of contributors on many weeks reads like a who’s who of political operatives and academics weighing in on hot-button issues. The most recent cover story, “The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage,” was written by Theodore Olson, who also represented George W. Bush in the Supreme Co...
Former Presidents to Team Up on Haiti
President George W. Bush did it after the tsunami struck in Asia in 2004, calling on his dad, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton to lead a drive to bring aid to countries around the Indian Ocean. And now President Barack Obama plans to do the same, picking his predecessor, George W. Bush, and Clint...
Obama Tells Haitians: ‘You Will Not Be Forgotten’
According to reports earlier today, Obama has also asked former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to help lead the U.S. relief effort. On Saturday, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, will travel to South Florida to meet with members of the Haitian-American community...
Tuesday, Jan 12
Americans Give Obama a Mixed Report Card for His First Year
A year into his presidency, Barack Obama gets a decidedly mixed report card from the American people. His ratings are trending lower and for the first time as many Americans rate his job performance negatively as positively. Comparison With Bush
Monday, Jan 11
Holder, Schapiro and Bair to Testify on Financial Crisis
A commission created by Congress to look into causes of the financial crisis filled out the witness list for its two-day hearing this week with Attorney General Eric Holder, SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro and FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair.
Wednesday, Dec 30
A Guide to the Blame Game Following Failed Terror Attack
But Republicans have given Democrats fodder to accuse the GOP of unfairly politicizing the attempted attack. The Democratic National Committee pounced on a fund-raising solicitation by Michigan GOP Rep. Peter Hoekstra, who is running for governor, that accused “weak-kneed liberals...
Monday, Dec 14
Troubling Retirements Pile up for House Democrats
Gordon’s middle Tennessee district has conservative roots and presents a very strong possibility of a Republican pick-up next year. John McCain won the district 62%-37% over Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. Republican state Sen. Jim Tracy is expected to run for the seat.
Thursday, Dec 10
Palin on Obama’s Nobel Speech: ‘I Liked What He Said’
But while blowing a kiss, Palin also took a jab, suggesting Obama study the actions of his predecessor as he navigates two wars abroad. “By the way, I’d like to see President Obama follow more closely in the footsteps of George Bush and his passion for keeping the homeland safe,” she said.
Reactions to Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize Lecture
Victor Davis Hanson, National Review: “In short, Obama, in a mere 4,000 words, was trying to explain that even Noble Laureates like himself have to use force, but that they will do so in a way unlike that of George Bush.” A roundup of analysis and comments on President Barack Obama’s Nobel Pe...
Wednesday, Dec 9
WIRE WATCH: Obama in Oslo; Geithner, Stiglitz, Zoellick on Economy; Protesting KSM Trial; Clinton Gets Award, Too
How Do You Solve a Problem Like KSM?: Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King will lead a group of Republican lawmakers along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy at a press conference on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court this morning to discuss the Obama administration’s decision to...
Thursday, Dec 3
Biden Appeals to Left on Afghan Policy: ‘Clean Break’ from Bush
Liberals are angry over President Barack Obama’s new Afghanistan strategy. But the White House apparently feels it can soften the blow of its 30,000-troop surge with the one sentiment that can still unite the left: dislike of George W. Bush.
Wednesday, Dec 2
Iraq Deadline Helped Elect Obama; On Afghanistan, It Could Hurt His Chances for Re-Election
President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee against Mr. Obama last year, said Mr. Obama’s plan for a hard deadline for leaving Iraq was bad policy because the enemy would just wait until after the deadline to make their move. But Mr. Obama’s election was at...
A Thumbs Up for Obama’s Afghan Policy from the Right
Here’s one good initial sign for the White House. Writing for Commentary, Peter Wehner, former speechwriter and political aide to President George W. Bush, gives the Obama policy (if not the speech that unveiled it) a thumbs up: One conservatives gives the Obama decision on Afghanistan a...
Tuesday, Nov 17
Awaiting a White House Invitation
They are the hottest tickets in town: invitations to the first official dinner at the White House. The first official dinner at the White House on Nov. 24 will be in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Some invites already have gone out, but many wannabe attendees are still waiting...
Tuesday, Nov 10
The Republican Shift on Abortion Is Dramatic, Too
The ban was first imposed by President Ronald Reagan, and then reversed in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. Bush’s move was essentially to overturn Clinton’s overturning of the Reagan ban. Thirty-two House Democrats voted in favor—exactly half the number of Democrats who supported the b...
Friday, Nov 6
Bush to Unveil Vision for Bush Institute
John D. McKinnon reports on former President George W. Bush. Former President George W. Bush on Thursday will make his highest-profile appearance since leaving office in January, delivering a “keynote address” in Dallas to outline his vision for a new institute bearing his name.
Tuesday, Nov 3
Public Opinion on Key Obama Policies Sinks
Over half – 57% – agree that he’s been a better president than George W. Bush so far. One third (34%) say Bush was better. The popularity contest between Vice President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Dick Cheney, is slightly tighter – 54% say Biden has been a better veep, while 38% pick Cheney.
Friday, Oct 16
WIRE WATCH: Obama and Bush Meet in Texas, Cell Service Expands for D.C. Residents, The State of U.S. Women
Burying the Hatchet: President Barack Obama spent his presidential campaign railing against the George W. Bush legacy, but today he’ll partner with Bush’s dad, former President George H.W. Bush, at an event in Texas to discuss the merits of volunteering and community service at the Point...
Friday, Oct 2
Political Wisdom: Rep. Grayson Everhwhere, but Where is Rumsfeld?
Here’s a quick Internet spin through some of the names in the news: Rep. Alan Grayson; Matt Latimer, the much-maligned former George W. Bush speechwriter; Donald Rumsfeld, who may or may not currently employ Latimer; and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Wednesday, Sep 23
Missile Shield Decision Is Exception to Obama’s Moderate Foreign Policy
Defining the ‘Liberal View’ The president still gets 60% approval for his handling Afghanistan in a Washington Post-ABC News poll last month, but majorities of liberals and Democrats for the first time now oppose the war and want a reduction of American forces there.
Tuesday, Jun 23
Political Wisdom: The Health Care Plan We’ve Ignored
Also, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s disappearance was weird. There’s really no other word for it (but good news, he’s returning tomorrow). Here’s Jim Geraghty’s take on National Review Online: “For now, this is a p.r. disaster; imagine if the equivalent of yesterday’s train crash had o...
Friday, May 22
Political Wisdom: Gauging Obama vs. Cheney as the Dust Settles
The reviews are rolling in after the great Barack Obama-Dick Cheney speech standoff over terrrism. First, though, Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin of Politico look at why the president gave the speech in the first place, and they say he did so because of pressure from Democrats in Congress. “I...
Wednesday, May 6
Political Wisdom: Stand Up for Obama–Or Not?
But here’s the nub of the matter for Dickerson: “It’s a distorted picture, though. We stood all the time for President Bush. Reporters customarily do so to show respect for the office of the presidency. In the East Room of the White House, we stood not only when the president came in but to ask qu...
Friday, Apr 3
Political Wisdom: Obama Diverges from American Exceptionalism
The G20 turned out to be a good indicator of how different President Barack Obama’s perceptions of the world are different from George W. Bush and John McCain’s visions of it. The G20 turned out to be a good indicator of how different President Barack Obama’s perceptions of the world are diff...
Friday, Mar 13
Risks Lurk in Obama’s Poll Numbers
Right now, President Obama enjoys a healthy public approval rating. Poll tracking done by the RealClearPolitics Web site shows the average job approval for Mr. Obama in recent polls is 61%. That’s high by historic standards, above the 37% average approval Congress gets, and a good distanc...
Monday, Mar 2
For the Allies, It’s Time to Put Up
Those complaints made it easy to do less to help the U.S. in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. America's allies have for years been using their philosophical disagreements with President George W. Bush as an excuse to do less than they could to help the U.S. The excuse is gone; will help incre...
Friday, Feb 13
Whatever You Think of It, the Package is Historic
Now that the economic stimulus bill is on the verge of final passage, you can expect to hear the White House using three words a lot over the weekend: speed, size and scope. Now that the economic stimulus bill is on the verge of final passage, you can expect to hear the White House using three wo...
Tuesday, Feb 3
If U.S. Protectionism Takes Hold, the World May Miss Bush
Since the inauguration, the change in attitude in Washington is palpable. The Bush administration favored free-traders. It didn’t play many trade games and sought free-trade agreements to remove all tariffs with as many other countries and regions as possible. Over the last two preside...
Thursday, Jan 22
Political Wisdom: Caroline Kennedy Bows Out
Meantime on The Daily Beast Mark McKinnon, a former Bush advisor, gives some insight on the transition from one president to the next from George Bush’s plane ride home to Texas. He writes, “while I’m reluctant to quote the president directly from private conversations, I think I can fair...
Tuesday, Jan 20
Bush Jokes About Being a ‘Type A’ Retiree
Outgoing President George W. Bush – and his speechwriters – were having fun with the theme of the hard-charging commander-in-chief going into retirement. Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush greet the crowd before a “Welcome Home” rally Tuesday in Midland, Tex...
Monday, Jan 19
Political Wisdom: Learning from George Bush’s Mistakes
Meantime, Time.com’s Michael Duffy explores Dick Cheney’s legacy, writing, “it is widely believed among those who have studied the Bush White House closely that somewhere along the way the 43rd President ceded too much authority to his number two in the first term and only learned in the...
Friday, Jan 16
Bush Memoirs to Explain How He Made Big Policy Decisions
John D. McKinnon reports on the White House. President George W. Bush will devote his planned memoir to explaining his big post-9/11 policy decisions, an aide said. It’s further evidence of the extent to which the terrorist attacks have dominated his presidency.
Thursday, Jan 15
Bush’s Farewell Focuses on Restoring His Image
With Bush’s approval ratings so low, it can’t hurt for him to turn some of the attention to others. Bush’s approval rating has been below 50% for almost his entire second term, and below 40% since the beginning of 2006. Public frustration with the Iraq war, disillusionment over Hurricane Ka...
Tuesday, Jan 13
Bush Touts Administration’s Successes at Last Cabinet Meeting
At what was likely his final cabinet meeting, President George W. Bush touted his administration’s record of positive achievements this morning, a day after a press conference where he defended its performance in some controversial areas. The White House later released the text of his r...
Bush Hands Out His Last, Heartfelt Medals of Freedom
President George W. Bush handed out his last and perhaps most heartfelt batch of Presidential Medals of Freedom, honoring three of his staunchest allies – former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Australian PM John Howard, and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.
Tuesday, Jan 6
Bush and Obama Consulted on Gaza
President George W. Bush and President-elect Barack Obama discussed the situation in Gaza briefly during a telephone call on New Year’s Day, the White House confirmed. That appeared to suggest that U.S. policy on the Gaza conflict might not be as confused as some analysts fear.
Sunday, Dec 21
The Detroit Rescue Terms, Obama, and the Future of Unions
President George W. Bush, in giving the auto companies a financial reprieve, presented President-elect Barack Obama and the new Congress the choice of putting another nail into organized labor’s coffin, or starting off the Democratic era with a decision that will rile most of the Ameri...
Tuesday, Nov 11
Old Hands Meld Continuity, Change
So he placed a call to Mr. Bolten, the White House chief of staff for Republican President George W. Bush, and delivered a quiet, nonpartisan warning: The administration ought to be prepared for some financial problems requiring action.
Did Religious Conservatives Help or Hurt John McCain?
Well guess what: John McCain, long mistrusted by religious conservatives, actually got two million more votes from evangelicals than Mr. Bush did. Roughly 38.5% of Mr. McCain’s vote came from evangelicals. Weighing Immigration Reform
Sunday, Nov 9
Obama’s Victory: A Realignment Or Stars in Alignment?
Bill Clinton won the White House in 1992 and re-election four years later, but did not fundamentally change the country much ideologically. In fact, he stayed in office the second four years because of his ability to work with a conservative, Republican Congress.
Sunday, Nov 2
A Black Candidate Ends Democrats’ White Problem
Polls suggest Sen. Obama’s strength among whites largely stems from public unhappiness with President George W. Bush and desire to punish his GOP successor, Sen. John McCain. Given the political environment, a white Democratic nominee might do as well.
Thursday, Oct 30
Like It or Not, John McCain Has Another Running Mate
One of the most memorable moments in this year’s presidential debates came in the final face-off Oct. 15, when Republican John McCain looked directly at his Democratic opponent and declared: “Sen. Obama, I am not President Bush. If you want to run against President Bush, you should have run...
