WASHINGTON - Former U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig, an adviser to three presidents, has died at the age of 85.  General Haig was known for his successful military career, his diplomatic skills, and one controversial comment.
Alexander Haig served a series of Republican presidents as a trusted advisor and an accomplished diplomat, as he rose […]

WASHINGTON - A former U.S. lawmaker who played a key role in the ouster of Soviet forces from Afghanistan has died.
Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson helped funnel millions of dollars to fund Afghan fighters during the 1980s. 
He was known around Washington as “Good Time Charlie” for his love of drinks and women, and his life story […]

WASHINGTON - Former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is emerging as a political force within the Republican Party and among grassroots conservative activists around the country.  Palin recently said she would consider a presidential bid in 2012.
Sarah Palin emerged from national obscurity in 2008 to become Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s vice […]

WASHINGTON - Republican Scott Brown was sworn in Thursday as a U.S. senator from Massachusetts, officially bringing to a close the late Ted Kennedy’s long tenure in the Senate and as a national political figure.  Kennedy died last August, and Brown was elected last month to replace him. 
Republican Scott Brown took his place in the […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama has sent a $3.8 trillion budget request to Congress for the fiscal year that begins on October first.  It is the first step in what is expected to be a long, contentious budget process.
President Obama is walking a fine line in his 2011 budget.  He is seeking $100 billion […]

WASHINGTON - Minority Republicans in Congress say they’re prepared to negotiate with President Obama on major issues, such as health care reform and energy legislation.  The president will meet with House of Representatives Republicans at their issues conference in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, while the Democratic Speaker of the House reiterated her determination to approve […]

WASHINGTON - In the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said the federal government is trying to do too much and is racking up America’s debt in the process.
The newly inaugurated governor said the federal government should not pile on more taxation and litigation that hurts the […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama says he remains determined to tackle the nation’s toughest problems, even if his actions are politically unpopular.  In an interview with ABC television, the president acknowledged he has paid a political price in his first year in office.
 
President Obama sat down with ABC two days before his scheduled State […]

WASHINGTON - The Republican leader in the U.S. House of Representatives says this week’s victory by a Republican in a Massachusetts Senate race should serve as a warning to President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress.
In the weekly Republican address Saturday, House Minority Leader John Boehner says a political rebellion has been brewing in the […]

WASHINGTON - Republican candidate Scott Brown has won an upset victory in the race to fill the Massachusetts seat held for almost five decades by the late Democratic Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy.  Brown defeated Democratic candidate Martha Coakley by a margin of 52 to 47 percent, in what many analysts view as a serious setback […]

WASHINGTON - Two veteran Democratic senators have announced that they will retire instead of running for re-election, in what may be a sign that Democrats could face a tough time at the polls in mid-term elections in November.  It is a shaky political start to 2010 for Democrats, who currently control both houses of Congress.
First […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama’s domestic political challenges appear to grow more complicated each day.  In addition to facing virtually unanimous Republican opposition on issues like health-care reform, the president must now contend with a growing chorus of discontent on his political left, from liberals within his own Democratic Party. 
The prospects for health-care reform […]

CAPITOL HILL - Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress engaged in procedural battles and traded allegations on Wednesday as lawmakers attempted to conclude work on legislative priorities near the end of the congressional session. 
Senate Republicans used procedural tactics to delay Democrat’s efforts to move toward a vote on health care reform, while House lawmakers […]

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would create new regulatory powers to oversee the financial system.  Despite some changes, the House measure would provide more security for investors in the wake of the 2008 financial system and capital markets meltdown and, if approved by Congress and signed by President Barack […]

WASHINGTON - A small group of senators have agreed on a framework for climate change legislation and sent it to President Obama ahead of his trip to the UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen.  The senators say they want to send a message to the world leaders meeting there that the U.S. Senate is […]

WASHINGTON - After dozens of congressional hearings in the wake of the U.S. financial system collapse, the U.S. House of Representatives has begun the debate on major legislation supported by President Barack Obama designed to overhaul the financial system and provide more security for and boost the confidence of investors through tighter regulation.
Called the Wall […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama has charted a complicated political course over the next few months.  Mr. Obama is rallying Democrats to support health-care reform in Congress.  But he is also counting on Republican help for his new strategy on Afghanistan. 
Each day seems to bring new challenges for a president who just marked his […]

WASHINGTON - Obama administration officials testified before Congress on Wednesday, urging lawmakers from both major political parties to support President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan strategy and his decision to send 30,000 more U.S. troops to the conflict. The President is facing resistance to his strategy from Republicans and Democrats.
 
The concerns were expressed as Secretary of Defense […]

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama’s decision to deploy another 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan - and to also ask for more troops from coalition partners - has far-reaching strategic implications for the global effort to defeat violent extremists like the Taliban and al-Qaida.  Our Pentagon correspondent reports on this important turning point in the war […]

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate, by a vote of 60 to 39, has decided to begin debate on legislation crafted by majority Democrats to reform the country’s health care system.
The measure, opposed by all Republican senators, was voted on late Saturday.   It was not clear until earlier in the day whether the Democrats would have […]

WASHINGTON - Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is back in the news this week. Palin’s autobiography, Going Rogue, will be released Tuesday, and publication of the book is already sparking a lot of discussion and speculation about her political future.
Sarah Palin’s book has been at the top of bestseller lists for weeks and […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. Republicans say the country’s health care costs could be lowered by cutting down on lawsuits and allowing people to buy health insurance plans across state lines.
Giving the Republican Party’s weekly Saturday radio and Internet address, Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk said his party’s suggested reforms are “common sense.” He said he regrets their […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. Republicans appear re-energized after winning governor’s races Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey, setting the stage for a major battle for control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections. Tuesday’s results could also have some short term political fallout for President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress.
Republicans swept the two […]

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama is consulting with top military officials Friday as he considers whether to send additional forces to Afghanistan.
Mr. Obama will meet at the White House with the Joint Chiefs of Staff - military leaders from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said the meeting comes as […]