Barack Obama News
Read news, analysis, and commentary on Barack Obama, his administration’s legacy, and his continuing impact on national debates.
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- Opinion
Obama Administration Should Sanction Iran, Not Israel
It is no secret that the Obama administration has a tense relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to sharp differences on key foreign policy issues and clashing world views. But an Israeli press report last Thursday suggested that the White House is considering going beyond the usual criticism and is mulling stronger actions….James Phillips -
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Government Spending Bill Gives EPA More Money Than Obama Requested
Many legislators complain about the Environmental Protection Agency on various matters ranging from their excessive water power grab in their “Waters of the United States” rule to their attempt to go around Congress to regulate greenhouse gases. Now, the omnibus makes many of these complaints about the EPA look hollow—the “CRomnibus” actually would provide about…Daren Bakst -
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Colbert to Obama: ‘Why Did You Burn the Constitution and Become an Emperor?’
Last night, President Barack Obama appeared on the Colbert Report for an interview with Stephen Colbert. They discussed several topics, such as the midterm elections, the jobs report and the Keystone pipeline. On the online “Extended Interview,” Colbert asked a pointed question alluding to Obama’s use of executive power. The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert…Kate Scanlon -
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Retired Reporter Details Obama’s Off-the-Record ‘Profanity-Laced Tirade’ About the Media
President Obama once delivered a “profanity-laced tirade” in an off-the-record session with reporters when he wasn’t happy about media coverage, according to retired ABC News correspondent Ann Compton. In an interview with C-Span, Compton said that in the last year she had seen “Barack Obama really angry twice:” Both were off-the-record times. One, profanity-laced where…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
What Republicans Can Do Now to Fight Back Against Obama’s Amnesty Decision
The lame-duck session presents the first test for Republican leadership in the House and Senate since the American people overwhelmingly spoke on Election Day. As usual, President Obama and congressional Democrats are playing their Washington games. They are trying to scare and intimidate Republicans in Congress into funding their liberal priorities all the way through…Ed Meese -
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Why John McCain Doubts Obama’s Pick for Defense Secretary Will Have Clout
President Obama’s nominee for secretary of defense will need to penetrate the White House’s tight inner circle of national security and foreign policy advisers to influence the president’s decision-making, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said yesterday. In an interview with The Daily Signal within hours of Ashton Carter’s nomination, McCain said he isn’t convinced the veteran…Melissa Quinn -
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What Obama and Holder Should Have Said About Ferguson Grand Jury Verdict
Perhaps the biggest problem with the reaction of President Obama and his attorney general, Eric Holder, to the grand jury verdict in Ferguson is their non-support for the difficult work of the grand jury. That and their support for the mistaken proposition that the administration of justice is unfair, biased, and prejudiced towards “communities of…Hans von Spakovsky -
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Where John McCain Stands on Thwarting Obama’s Amnesty
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., not only supports blocking President Obama’s executive actions on immigration but thinks Republicans could take him all the way to the Supreme Court, he said today in an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal. McCain, interviewed at The Heritage Foundation after speaking about the Jones Act, suggested a “rifle shot” approach…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
The Midterms Don’t Matter to Obama. He Still Controls All the Regulatory Agencies.
The election results were a crushing political blow for the Obama administration, giving Republicans firm control of both houses of Congress for the final two years of his term. But this in no way signals the end of the president’s policy agenda. It simply shifts the action to regulatory agencies. In the days since the…James Gattuso -
- Opinion
States Strike the First Blow Against Obama’s Amnesty Plan
Seventeen states have sued the federal government in federal court in Texas over President Obama’s plan to “unilaterally suspend the immigration laws as applied to 4 million of the 11 million” illegal aliens in the United States. The 29-page suit was filed by a who’s-who of state attorneys general and governors, including Texas Attorney General…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
Since Obama Took Office, the Federal Debt Has Increased by Almost 70 Percent
The federal government hit a new milestone Friday: The total federal debt now tallies more than $18 trillion. Just six years ago when President Obama took office, total debt stood at $10.6 trillion, which means it now has increased by almost $8 trillion—roughly 70 percent—during his tenure as president. The surge in total debt, which…Michael Sargent -
- Opinion
Obama Shouldn’t End Military Equipment Going to Police Departments
In the aftermath of Ferguson, President Obama will issue an executive order designed to improve a federal program that allows local police departments to obtain military surplus equipment, according to reports. Currently, through Section 1033 of the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress has authorized the transfer of excess military equipment to local law enforcement officials…John G. Malcolm -
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Why Did Obama Ever Think Hagel Was Qualified to Be Defense Secretary?
Breaking news from the White House: Chuck Hagel lacks the skills to be defense secretary. Talk about understatement. That’s like the last soldier on the roof of the Saigon embassy saying the Vietnam War might not be going our way. It’s not as if anyone ever really thought Hagel was all that qualified to begin…James Carafano -
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Obama Reverses Presidential Trend of Decreasing Abuse of Executive Power
Presidents in recent decades carefully tried not to overstep their executive authority in domestic policy. They may have pushed the envelope on national security and war-making powers, but they were reluctant to take any executive action perceived to be a blatant rewriting of a law or a unilateral political move. Part of the reason is…Kim Holmes -
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How Much Obamanomics Has Cost Us
What has been the price tag for the audacious Obamanomics experiment? How much has it all cost — the bailouts, the debt, the stimulus plans, the printing of cheap money, Obamacare and all the rest? The answer to that question is just north of $10 trillion. That’s the sum of the $8.3 trillion added to…Stephen Moore -
- News
Obama: ‘No Sympathy’ for Those Resorting to Violence Over Ferguson
President Obama last evening appeared to toughen his stance against rioting and looting in the wake of Monday’s grand jury decision in Ferguson, Mo., saying he has “no sympathy” for such violence. “I’ve never seen a civil rights law or a health care bill or an immigration bill result because a car got burned,” Obama…Melissa Quinn -
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Obama Urges Calm as Grand Jury Decides Not to Charge Ferguson Police Officer in Fatal Shooting
Protesters flooded the streets of Ferguson, Mo., turning violent tonight after a grand jury in St. Louis County announced Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson would not be charged in the shooting death of Michael Brown, 18. >>> VIDEO: Raw Footage of Violence in Ferguson After No Indictment The decision came after months of consideration by…Melissa Quinn -
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Amid Crises, Obama Pushes Out Hagel as Defense Secretary
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigned today after less than two years in the post amid the struggles of President Obama’s national security team to respond to a slew of global crises. Hagel, the only Republican in Obama’s Cabinet, is widely believed to have been pushed out by the president as he seeks a different approach…Josh Siegel -
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Obama Downplays His Role in 2016: Voters Want ‘That New Car Smell’
President Obama doesn’t expect to be heavily involved in the 2016 presidential election because voters will be looking for “that new car smell,” he told George Stephanopoulos on ABC News’ “This Week.” “You know, they want to drive something off the lot that doesn’t have as much mileage as me,” said Obama. The president said…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
Obama’s Next Step: Government Task Force for ‘New Americans’
Fears that President Obama would attempt to assimilate immigrant communities into a new America that entrenches multiculturalism and acceptance of large government—in other words, an America that differs in important ways from the country we once knew—are being sadly confirmed. The White House on Friday quickly followed the president’s controversial executive order by announcing the formation…Mike Gonzalez