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
Will Obama Be More Harmful to Democrats Than Nixon Was to Republicans?
There was something missing from a campaign event where President Obama spoke on Sunday–a crowd. Even in Pennsylvania where there is a hotly contested governor’s race, the president couldn’t fill half the arena at Temple University–and that was all he had to do because organizers, likely fearing empty seats, had already put up curtains to… -
news
BioShield: Obama Diverted Funds From Its Fight Against Ebola, Other Threats
Seeking a more robust defense in the event of a bioterrorist attack on the United States, the Bush administration created a $6 billion fund to prepare the nation for such threats, including the deadly Ebola virus. The Obama administration, however, has not used the range of tools and budget provided by the post-9/11 project, focusing instead… -
news
This Senate Incumbent Touts ‘Most Moderate’ Status, With Obama Nowhere in Sight
In North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race, characterized by seemingly ubiquitous and accusatory ads, incumbent Democrat Kay Hagan touts herself as a moderate lawmaker willing to compromise. She’s the “most moderate,” in fact, and she’s not afraid to say it. Hagan, who surprised Republican stalwart Elizabeth Dole in 2008, faces state House speaker Thom Tillis as… -
news
Journalist: Obama Administration More ‘Restrictive’ and ‘Dangerous’ Than Any In History
USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page is the latest in a series of journalists to criticize the White House on transparency. At a White House Correspondents’ Association seminar on Saturday, Page described the Obama administration as “more restrictive” and “more dangerous” to the press than any other administration in history. The Washington Post reports… -
opinion
The ‘Saturday Night Live’ Skit on Obama and Ebola That You’ll Want to Watch
“Now some people want to criticize the way the administration has handled this [ebola] crisis. And it’s true we made a few mistakes early on. But I assure you, it was nowhere near as bad as how we handled the ISIS situation.” -
opinion
The Obama Administration Is Great at Talking Big–And Not Following Up
The Obama administration has responded to the Ebola epidemic by talking big. It does that well. From the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti to Syria’s use of chemical weapons in 2013, the administration has made a lot of splashy responses. But making a splash isn’t the same as being serious. Take the Haitian earthquake, which… -
news
Obama’s 2014 Fundraising Tour in One Infographic
When President Obama canceled two political fundraisers last week amid concerns over the Ebola crisis, it was big news. The commander in chief has attended 426 fundraisers since taking office in January 2009, including 67 so far this year. His predecessor, George W. Bush, attended a total of 318 fundraisers during his entire eight years… -
opinion
From Solyndra to Hanging Chads, Obama’s Ebola Czar Has Helped Cause More Crises Than He’s Solved
In response to public outcry and overwhelmingly negative poll numbers regarding his handling of the Ebola outbreak, President Obama appointed an Ebola czar to coordinate America’s response to the crisis. The problem is, the president’s new czar has caused more crises than he has solved. As chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, Ron… -
opinion
Obama Tax Hikes Drive Federal Tax Revenue Above $3 Trillion for First Time Ever
The Treasury Department released this month figures showing that federal tax revenue exceeded $3 trillion in fiscal year 2014—the first time revenue surpassed that mark. Yet the deficit was still almost $500 billion. Clearly, the government continues to spend too much. We should tax enough to fund the legitimate functions of government, like national defense,… -
opinion
President Obama Evolves on Marriage. And He Wants the Constitution to ‘Evolve’ With Him.
President Obama has evolved on marriage. Again. After supporting marriage as the union of a man and a woman until just before the elections of 2012, Obama announced back then that he supported democratic efforts to redefine marriage—but he didn’t think judges should redefine marriage. Now, just before the elections of 2014, Obama has announced… -
news
At Campaign Stop, Members of Crowd Leave While Obama Speaks
At a Maryland campaign stop Sunday, members of the crowd at a Democratic campaign rally left as President Obama was still speaking. Obama attended a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown in Upper Marlboro, Md. Brown is currently the lieutenant governor of Maryland and a former law school classmate of Obama’s. During the president’s… -
opinion
What Did President Obama Fail to Mention to Millennials?
Last week in Santa Monica, California, President Obama spoke of the achievements of the millennial generation—those of us born after 1980 and before the mid-2000s. He praised millennials for being the most educated, energetic, and tech-savvy generation ever, but he left out one important distinction: We are the most indebted generation in American history. And… -
opinion
Obama Must Lead on Ebola Crisis
The first rule for managing a crisis? Act like a grown-up. Looking and really acting like an effective leader in tough times is job one. That can be a tough task–particularly, in responding to a public health crisis with a deadly disease like Ebola. Distant wars and tax inversions are one thing: some care, some… -
opinion
Why does Obama Hit GOP for Not Caring About Hispanics When His Actions Show He Doesn’t Care?
President Obama once again has warned Republicans they will be committing political “suicide” if they do not legalize millions of illegal immigrants. “If they were thinking long-term politically, it is suicide for them not to do this,” Obama said in a town hall Thursday in Santa Monica, Calif. “Because the demographics of the country are… -
opinion
On Ebola, Obama Gets an F
A second case of Ebola has Americans rightly scratching their heads. Does our government really know what it’s doing? From the way the U.S. government communicates “risks” sometimes, it’s hard to tell. The single most important tool the government has for responding to a public health threat such as Ebola is “legitimacy.” When Americans believe… -
news
Woodward: Obama Must Respond to ISIS ‘Wake-Up Call’
The Washington Post’s Bob Woodward, who has chronicled U.S. military action in Iraq for years, said today that America and the world are in “a mess” in the fight against the Islamic State, the brutal terrorist group also called ISIS or ISIL. President Obama “has clearly gone through a wake-up call,” Woodward told host Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday,” adding: “He’s… -
news
Leon Panetta: Isolated Obama Should Shake Up His Staff
Leon Panetta, who served as both CIA director and defense secretary under President Obama, today said his former boss is too isolated in the White House. Continuing media interviews to promote his new memoir, which is critical of the president on ISIS and other national security matters, Panetta said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that a staff shakeup after the midterm elections… -
opinion
Why Have So Many Americans Dropped Out of the Workforce in the Obama Years?
President Obama declared during a recent speech at Northwestern University that he has turned the economy around and that while he might not be on the ballot in November midterm elections, his “agenda will be.” Democrats across the country cringed when they heard that one. Right now Michelle is a lot more popular than he… -
news
This Senate Candidate Was Asked If She Voted for Obama. She Refused to Answer.
In trying to convince voters to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, his Democratic challenger has worked to distance herself from President Obama. In a meeting yesterday with the Louisville Courier-Journal’s editorial board, Alison Lundergan Grimes persistently declined to tell Kentucky voters whether she voted for the president in 2008 and 2012. Grimes previously released an… -
news
This Famous Actress Wants to Give Obama ‘All The Power That He Needs’
Gwyneth Paltrow would like President Obama’s life to be easier. The Oscar-winning actress held a fundraiser Thursday for the Democratic National Committee at her home in Los Angeles, during which she extolled Obama. “It would be wonderful if we were able to give this man all of the power that he needs to pass the…