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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news
As Senators Quiz Kerry on ISIS, House OKs Obama Request to Arm, Train Syrian Rebels
After lengthy debate that aligned Democrats and Republicans on both sides of the argument, the House today passed an amendment allowing the Obama administration to help Syrian rebels in the fight against the terrorist group ISIS. Lawmakers voted 273 to 156 this afternoon to authorize the Pentagon to arm and train “moderate” rebels to combat… -
opinion
Jindal: Obama Is ‘Incompetent,’ ‘Ideologically Extreme’
Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., spoke to The Daily Signal’s Genevieve Wood about immigration and energy policy in an exclusive interview Tuesday. He also weighed in on President Obama, saying, “I think this president is both the most incompetent and the most ideologically extreme president I’ve ever seen.” >>> Read More: Gov. Bobby Jindal Says Americans… -
news
Flashback: Obama Promises ‘No Federal Dollars Will Be Used to Fund Abortions’
In a 2009 address to Congress, President Obama said the government would not use taxpayer dollars to fund elective abortions as part of the Affordable Care Act. “Under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place,” Obama said. But according to a long-awaited report on Obamacare this… -
news
‘We’re Not There Anymore’: Former Secretary of State Wary of Obama’s ISIS Strategy
James A. Baker III, who served as secretary of state under President George H.W. Bush, took issue this morning with President Obama’s strategy for “defeating and ultimately destroying” ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Baker said that when the United States built a coalition in 1991 to push Iraqi… -
opinion
Michelle Obama Shouldn’t Decide What Your Child Eats
The primary focus of the federal school meal programs should be meeting students’ needs. But for that to happen, there must be recognition that parents — not the first lady or Congress — know what’s best for their children. Unfortunately, the school meal standards that started to go into effect two years ago under the… -
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news
How 17 Candid Americans Reacted to Obama’s ISIS Speech
Last night, Obama addressed the nation vowing to “destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL.” The speech, focusing on a four-point counterterrorism plan for Iraq and Syria, was met with mixed reactions. >>> Commentary: What Obama Got Right—and Wrong—in Obama’s ISIS Speech Commenters took to social media to voice their opinions on the president’s remarks,… -
opinion
The Unintended Consequences of Obama’s ISIS Strategy
President Obama has a discomfort with foreign policy and using American power. He doesn’t feel comfortable doing it and wishes the problems away. Unfortunately, in the case of ISIS, the problems didn’t go away. They got worse. >>> Read More: What Obama Got Right—and Wrong—in His ISIS Speech -
news
What Obama Got Right—and Wrong—in His ISIS Speech
On Wednesday, President Obama addressed the nation concerning an uptick of action against the Islamic State, otherwise known as ISIS or ISIL. It was a short address that also was short on surprises. Never tell your enemies what you will not do, Mr. President. Obama began with an apt description of ISIS and the threat… -
news
Obama’s 4-Point ISIS Strategy Explained in 3 Minutes
President Obama addressed the nation Wednesday night in hopes to lay out a strategy to “destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL”—a much anticipated speech after his comments Aug. 28 confirming “we don’t have a strategy yet” to counter the brutal jihadists also called the Islamic State or ISIS. Watch the video above for a full… -
news
A Primer for Obama’s ISIS Speech: No Easy Answers for a Long Fight
In a prime-time address tonight, President Obama hoped to explain to Americans his strategy for defeating the Islamic State, the terrorist group whose rush of mass killings, rapes, videotaped beheadings and ethnic cleansing has outraged the world. The president was expected to announce an escalated military campaign against the brutal Islamist jihadists also known as… -
opinion
Advice for Obama: What He Should Say About ISIS Tonight
President Obama “has to avoid the risk of talking about what he will not do and what America will not do,” says Steve Bucci, a former top Pentagon official and a director at The Heritage Foundation. “We have to get the message across that we are going to stand firm against ISIS, that it is… -
news
Senate, Obama Renew Push for Broad Internet Sales Tax
Before the August recess, the House easily passed a bill to renew, without limit, a longstanding ban on taxing access to the Internet. Now some Senate leaders wants to add on a sales tax. Dubbed the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, the legislation would prohibit state and local governments from charging residents fees to browse… -
news
Obama Administration ‘Doubles Down’ on Fight Against Nuns
The Obama administration has decided to continue its legal battle against Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic charity that objects to Obamacare’s mandate that employee health plans cover contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs. The order of Catholic nuns argues that the rule fashioned by the Department of Health and Human Services requires them to violate… -
news
‘This Is Not the Equivalent of the Iraq War’: Obama Won’t Use Ground Troops to Combat ISIS
In a wide-ranging interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” today, President Obama said he will not deploy U.S. ground troops to Iraq or Syria to confront terrorists capturing large swaths of territory in that region. “This is not the equivalent of the Iraq War”—Obama talks ISIS on @meetthepress Obama, in describing his strategy to beat… -
opinion
Obama Has Made Enough Mistakes Already. He Shouldn’t Make Another Trying to Work With Iran.
One of the lessons of statecraft is that mistakes tend to compound themselves. Good options disappear and bad ones proliferate. The hole is dug deeper because desperation convinces you to contemplate options that would never have been considered in better times. This is what I fear may happen next in Iraq. Because we have so… -
opinion
Does Obama Have to Notify Congress Before Taking Military Action Against ISIS?
The beheading of another American journalist this week sparked many members of Congress to urge President Obama to amp up U.S. military action against the Islamic State, otherwise known as ISIS. But before he does so, many of those same lawmakers are demanding that the president first seek congressional authorization, pursuant to the War Powers… -
opinion
Obama Took Time Out From Vacation to Talk About … This?!?
Two weeks ago, President Obama took time out from his vacation to speak to the American people. Oddly, he didn’t talk about ISIS, Ukraine, the Islamist takeover of Tripoli or even border security here at home. No, what lured the president from the links of Martha’s Vineyard to a radio microphone was the opportunity to publicly… -
opinion
Obama Should Talk About ISIS the Way David Cameron Does
The contrast between last week’s press conference in London by British Prime Minister David Cameron and the White House remarks by President Obama could not have been starker. Cameron delivered a robust assessment of the scale of the Islamist threat to Great Britain and to the free world. He told journalists assembled at Downing Street… -
news
Has President Obama Watched the Islamic State’s ‘Message to America’ Videos?
Yesterday, ABC News’ Jonathan Karl asked White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes whether President Obama has watched the two videos of the Islamic State’s beheading of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff. Watch the clip to hear his response. >>> Islamic State Beheads a Second American Journalist, Warns of More Executions >>> Parents of Fallen…