President Obama

Obama’s Charm Offensive: Time-Tested Strategy

Posted on 03/11/2013 by Tamara Lytle | Washington Watch | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsMaybe the most surprising thing about President Obama’s wining and dining of GOP lawmakers is the fact that it’s surprising. Socializing that crossed party boundaries once was the lubricant that greased political compromise in Washington. In recent years, though, lawmakers have been spending much more time back in their home districts, which means they have less time to get to know their colleagues in Washington. And the polarization of politics has led to less two-party partying. Obama drew lots of …

Obama Says He Can’t ‘Jedi Mind Meld’ a Budget Deal

Posted on 03/1/2013 by Associated Press | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsBy Jim Kuhnhenn of The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A combative President Barack Obama blamed Republican lawmakers Friday for failing to stop automatic spending cuts from beginning to kick in late in the day, arguing he can’t perform a “Jedi mind meld” to get Republicans to agree on a deal. But he and GOP leaders displayed no appetite for letting the fight shut the government down later this month. Meeting on the day that $85 billion in federal spending …

Obama Presses GOP to Halt Automatic Spending Cuts

Posted on 02/19/2013 by Associated Press | General News | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsBy Jim Kuhnhenn and Julie Pace, White House Correspondents, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Staking out his ground ahead of a fiscal deadline, President Barack Obama lashed out against Republicans, saying they are unwilling to raise taxes to reduce deficits and warning that the jobs of essential government workers, from teachers to emergency responders, are on the line. Obama spoke as a March 1 deadline for automatic across-the-board spending cuts approached and with Republicans and Democrats in an apparent …

Obama Frames Voting Reform Around 102-Year-Old Hero

Posted on 02/13/2013 by Tamara Lytle | Washington Watch | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsThe sheer determination of a 102-year-old Miami woman brought the U.S. government to its feet Tuesday night. In his State of the Union address, President Obama recognized Desiline Victor, a retired farmworker who voted last fall after enduring a wait that would have discouraged most voters. Lawmakers and other Washington VIPs rose to their feet and craned their necks to see Victor, sitting in the back row of the First Lady’s box. “When Desiline arrived at her polling place, she …

Rubio, in GOP Rebuttal, Says Obama Plan ‘Will Hurt Seniors’

Posted on 02/13/2013 by Tamara Lytle | Washington Watch | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsSen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a rising star in the Republican Party, used his platform as the rebuttal speaker to the State of the Union Tuesday to talk about his personal connection to programs like Social Security and Medicare. “Mr. President, I still live in the same working class neighborhood I grew up in,” said Rubio, whose parents came from Cuba. “My neighbors aren’t millionaires. They’re retirees who depend on Social Security and Medicare. They’re workers who have to get …

Obama: Don’t Break Promises for Secure Retirement

Posted on 02/12/2013 by Tamara Lytle | Washington Watch | Comments

Bulletin Today | PoliticsPresident Obama told the nation Tuesday that programs aimed at retirement security need reforming but don’t offer the solution to the nation’s deficit woes. In his 2013 State of the Union speech, Obama said across-the-board budget cuts scheduled to go into effect to tackle the deficit are difficult, but cutting Medicare and Social Security benefits instead would be a worse idea. “Yes, the biggest driver of our long-term debt is the rising cost of health care for an aging population. …