President Obama news stories on Newser

Pentagon Wants $200M— for 10-Year Gitmo Upgrade

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:09:14 CDT

If you're already upset about the fact that Guantanamo is still open, your head may actually explode at this next bit: The Pentagon wants Congress to grant it more than $450 million to maintain—and upgrade —the prison, according to a budget request from the Obama administration. Specifically, $200 million...

Obama's Secret Weapon: This Guy?!

Kevin Spak — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:50:00 CDT

Someone send the devil a sweater, because suddenly, John McCain and President Obama are getting along. Last week, McCain sat down with his 2008 rival for a private Oval Office strategy session, the latest in a string of such discussions. "Ever since the election, we've had conversations and phone calls,...

Obama Lawyer Learned of IRS Case Weeks Ago, But...

Matt Cantor — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:34:03 CDT

Several weeks ago, the White House's chief counsel heard that a nearly-finished investigation of the IRS pointed to Tea Party targeting—and apparently kept President Obama in the dark about it, a top administration official tells the Wall Street Journal . The White House hasn't said whether chief counsel Kathryn Ruemmler...

Two Very Different Views on Obama Scandals

John Johnson — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:12:05 CDT

Supporters of President Obama will be glad to read that all three of the scandals that have dominated headlines this week look like they're fizzling. So writes Ezra Klein at the Washington Post . Obama's detractors, though, can take heart to learn that "we are in the midst of the worst...

Yes, Obama Should 'Go Bulworth'

John Johnson — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:38:22 CDT

The political catchphrase of the day: "Going Bulworth." It was tucked in a New York Times piece on President Obama's latest troubles, with Peter Baker writing this of the president: "In private, he has talked longingly of 'going Bulworth,' a reference to a little-remembered 1998 Warren Beatty movie about...

Obama: 'No Apologies' for Investigation of Reporters

John Johnson — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:31:47 CDT

President Obama used a joint news conference today with the Turkish prime minister to try to defuse the recent White House scandals . Some highlights: AP phone records: He said he would make "no apologies" for the Justice Department's subpoena of reporters' phone records because finding the source of leaks was...

Holder-Issa Showdown: White House Is Loving It

John Johnson — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:21:00 CDT

Things got heated on Capitol Hill yesterday as congressman Darrell Issa grilled Eric Holder over the recent White House troubles. At one point, Issa cut off one of the attorney general's answers to laugh about it, and Holder wasn't having it. “No, no, that’s what you typically do,” he said....

Obama's Net Worth Revealed —Kind Of

Matt Cantor — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:59:05 CDT

President Obama's net worth could stand at a hair under $7 million ... or just $1.8 million. That range comes via his financial disclosure reports released yesterday, and USA Today sums it up perfectly: The Obamas "are wealthy, but it's uncertain just how wealthy." Their assets are documented on an...

Can Obama 'Stop the Bleeding'?

John Johnson — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:59:10 CDT

Enter the new narrative from the DC press corps: The White House is shifting from offense to defense on scandals, or as Politico puts it, "President Obama tries to stop the bleeding." Obama fired the IRS chief yesterday, released Benghazi emails , and got a new press-shield law in the works...