WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Seat belt campaign begins Tuesday

  May 20, 2013 10:23 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Tuesday, expect to see area police officers checking for seat belts. The annual Click It or Ticket campaign begins. People not wearing the required safety device can expect a citation. According to crash data, half of the people killed in wrecks were not buckled-up. Louisiana... more »

• The Hoff lends star power to Berlin Wall campaign

  March 17, 2013 10:08 AM

  BERLIN - David Hasselhoff has put his name behind a campaign to preserve one of the few remaining sections of the Berlin Wall. And in Germany, The Hoff's name carries weight. The American actor best known for starring in "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch" is fondly remembered by many Germans for... more »

• Jindal's trips for Romney cost La. taxpayers

  February 18, 2013 12:09 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Taxpayers spent more than $18,000 to cover Gov. Bobby Jindal's security detail during his trips to stump for former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The other costs of Jindal's trips for non-state business, such as flights, meals and hotels, are paid for by his own campaign,... more »

• Sen. Landrieu reports $2.5M in campaign account

  February 1, 2013 11:24 AM

  BATON ROUGE- U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu is heading to her 2014 re-election bid with $2.5 million in her campaign account, more than twice what she had at this point in her last campaign. The figure was disclosed in campaign documents filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission detailing money raised... more »

• Biden to promote gun control in pro-gun Virginia

  January 23, 2013 3:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden is launching a White House campaign of road trips to promote gun control with a visit to the heart of avidly pro-gun Virginia. The White House announced Wednesday that Biden would travel to Richmond on Friday along with other Obama administration officials and Democratic... more »

• Biden meets with Democrats, stoking 2016 chatter

  January 22, 2013 12:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - Joe Biden in 2016? The vice president is stoking speculation that he may be laying groundwork for a presidential campaign with a series of meetings with Democratic supporters throughout the long weekend of inauguration festivities. Biden was meeting with delegates from the Democratic National Committee during a private... more »

• Obama '08 campaign fined $375,000 by FEC

  January 4, 2013 4:32 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign has been fined $375,000 by the Federal Election Commission for reporting violations related to a set of donations received during the final days of the campaign. The fines are among the largest ever levied on a presidential campaign by the FEC and stem... more »

• Appeals court to hear Baton Rouge mayor's case

  December 27, 2012 2:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE- A state appeals court will hear a dispute over allegations that Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden violated campaign spending laws in 2010. The Advocate reports that the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal scheduled a Jan. 11 hearing to review a district judge's ruling that Holden didn't violate the... more »

• Recall organizers fined $500 each by ethics board

  November 16, 2012 12:23 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Two Calcasieu Parish teachers who led failed recall efforts against Gov. Bobby Jindal and House Speaker Chuck Kleckley have been fined $500 each for failing to file campaign finance reports on time. Angie Bonvillian and Brenda Romero missed a deadline to file a report 45 days after... more »

• Pres. Barack Obama's victory speech Play Video

  November 7, 2012 12:34 PM

  CHICAGO - Here is the full text and video of Pres. Barack Obama's victory speech after securing a second term in the 2012 race for the White House. ----- Thank you so much. Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its... more »

• Obama says in victory speech he wants to work with GOP

  November 7, 2012 1:12 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is sounding a conciliatory tone after his re-election victory, saying he has learned from those who supported him and those who opposed him. And he says he returns to Washington "more determined" and "more inspired." He said he's hoping to work with Republicans to solve... more »

• No surprises so far in presidential race

  November 6, 2012 7:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney has won in Indiana, a state won by President Barack Obama four years ago. Romney is also the winner in South Carolina, a state where Obama is deeply unpopular. Those states have 20 electoral votes between them. Obama has won his home state of Illinois, as... more »

• Romney wins in West Virginia, Kentucky

  November 6, 2012 7:06 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney has captured West Virginia and its five electoral votes. President Barack Obama is unpopular in the state, and West Virginia GOP officials have been hoping that would lead to victories for other Republicans on the ballot. Romney earlier won in Kentucky, giving him 13 electoral votes... more »

• Voters deciding more than the next president

  November 6, 2012 12:32 PM

  UNDATED - Americans are lining up at voting places around the country to give their verdict on a long and bruising campaign for the White House and other matters. In addition to the contest between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, every House seat, a third of the Senate and... more »

• Romney casts ballot, campaigns as people vote

  November 6, 2012 9:11 AM

  BELMONT, Mass. - Mitt Romney has cast his ballot in the presidential election. After all the flights, all the speeches, the debates, hand-shakes, nods, gestures and smiles, it was time for him to vote and then hold curtain-closing campaign rallies in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Then, he had to contemplate... more »

• Obama turns re-election prospects over to voters

  November 6, 2012 8:45 AM

  CHICAGO - President Barack Obama is extending congratulations to rival Mitt Romney "on a spirited campaign." Obama says he's "confident we've got the votes to win." Obama says he knows Romney supporters are "just as engaged, just as enthusiastic." Obama spoke to reporters briefly after making calls to Wisconsin campaign... more »

• Poll challenges, phony instructions could mar vote

  November 5, 2012 3:57 PM

  WASHINGTON - Voting rights advocates say persistent reports of robocalls incorrectly telling voters they can cast ballots over the phone and fears of aggressive challenges by monitors at polling places threaten to mar Election Day in many key states. Advocates say the fake phone calls continued to crop up in... more »

• Obama, Romney pursue last votes in stubbornly close race

  November 5, 2012 12:03 PM

  UNDATED - Today's campaign schedules show where President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney believe the race for the White House will be decided. On the eve of Election Day, Romney is hitting Florida, Virginia and New Hampshire, while Obama is targeting Wisconsin and Iowa. And both men plan to be... more »

• AP source: Romney considers Ohio visit on Tuesday

  November 5, 2012 10:34 AM

  SANFORD, Fla. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is considering visiting Ohio on Election Day. GOP officials familiar with the plan say the Republican nominee may make a final visit Tuesday to the critical battleground state, where 18 electoral votes are up for grabs. Such a visit would... more »

• Candidates urge supporters to vote

  November 5, 2012 10:33 AM

  UNDATED - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney agree on one thing: Both say the winner of tomorrow's election will be determined by which of their operations get the most supporters to the polls. In a radio interview airing this morning, Obama said "this is going to be a... more »

• Obama's strategy: Grind it out, get out the vote

  November 2, 2012 2:59 PM

  WASHINGTON - For President Barack Obama, winning re-election rests on a workman-like, get-out-the-vote strategy aimed at protecting key territory in the Midwest, ramping up minority turnout and building early voting leads that could protect against a late surge by Republican challenger Mitt Romney. It's a far cry from the lofty... more »

• Romney's path: Win indies, stoke base, no errors

  November 2, 2012 2:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney's plan for victory boils down to this: Convince independent voters he'll change Washington, stoke Republican enthusiasm and avoid unforced errors. The Republican nominee's path to reaching the necessary 270 electoral votes cuts straight through Rust Belt states. The Republican has to stop President Barack Obama from... more »

• Obama: New jobs growth part of 'real progress'; Romney calls it 'stagnation'

  November 2, 2012 12:22 PM

  HILLIARD, Ohio - President Barack Obama is hailing another month of job growth but declaring "we've got more work to do." Falling just four days before Tuesday's election, the government's latest employment snapshot shows U.S. employers added 171,000 jobs in October. It also shows hiring was stronger in August and... more »

• Obama blasts Romney ad on auto industry in Ohio

  November 2, 2012 10:22 AM

  HILLIARD, Ohio - President Barack Obama is accusing Republican rival Mitt Romney of running dishonest ads on the auto industry to scare voters in Ohio, saying: "This isn't a game. These are people's jobs." The Romney ads, which have been airing in Toledo, the home of a Jeep plant, suggest... more »

• Romney seizes on uptick in unemployment rate

  November 2, 2012 9:21 AM

  NORFOLK, Va. - Mitt Romney says the one-tenth-of-a-point increase in the unemployment rate to 7.9 percent is, quote, "a sad reminder that the economy is at a virtual standstill." The Republican presidential nominee says voters will decide Tuesday between what he calls stagnation and prosperity. He made the... more »

• Campaigns hit 7 swing states today

  November 1, 2012 2:36 PM

  ROANOKE, Va. - It's the busiest day of the campaign for the two presidential candidates, their running mates and their wives, who are visiting seven of the swing states that will help determine Tuesday which man will occupy the White House for the next four years. Mitt Romney is continuing... more »

• Romney claims Obama doesn't understand business

  November 1, 2012 10:22 AM

  ROANOKE, Va. - Mitt Romney says President Barack Obama doesn't have a clue about how business works. The Republican presidential nominee also is taking aim at Obama for suggesting the creation of a secretary of business. Romney says "we don't need a secretary of business to understand business. We need... more »

• Obama making up for lost time after storm hiatus

  November 1, 2012 10:21 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama dives back into campaigning after three days immersed in managing the federal response to the storm that battered the East Coast. The contours of the presidential race remain much the same, with Obama and Republican Mitt Romney locked in a tight contest and both campaigns... more »

• Obama goes to FEMA before visit to storm-racked NJ

  October 31, 2012 12:34 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama is paying a visit to Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters ahead of his trip to New Jersey to see the damage done by superstorm Sandy. Obama took a motorcade to FEMA's offices to meet with agency chiefs before a planned flight to Atlantic City, N.J., to... more »

• Romney campaign challenges criticism by automakers

  October 31, 2012 12:31 PM

  TAMPA, Fla. - Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is challenging criticism from U.S. automakers over campaign ads that claim General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of Ohio. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said Wednesday, quote: "Their comments don't refute anything in our ad." Romney ads on... more »

• Biden calls Romney auto ad an 'outrageous lie'

  October 31, 2012 12:29 PM

  SARASOTA, Fla. - Vice President Joe Biden is calling advertising released by Republican Mitt Romney "an outrageous lie" for asserting that automakers General Motors and Chrysler are adding jobs in China at the expense of workers in Ohio. Biden says in Florida that Romney is "trying to scare the living... more »

• Romney now is supportive of FEMA, despite earlier suggestion that it be scrapped

  October 31, 2012 12:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney is making it clear that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a role to play in dealing with events like Hurricane Sandy. In a statement released by his campaign today, he says FEMA "plays a key role in working with states and localities to prepare for... more »

• Romney moves to reframe debate on abortion, autos

  October 30, 2012 5:09 PM

  KETTERING, Ohio - Republican Mitt Romney seems determined to soften his emphasis on abortion and ignore facts critical to the auto industry as he seeks support from key voting groups in the waning days of a close presidential race. That's the message in ads, his own remarks and most... more »

• Obama cancels more events, Romney changes tone

  October 30, 2012 11:40 AM

  KETTERING, Ohio - For a third day tomorrow, President Barack Obama will be off the campaign trail. Instead of holding campaign events in Ohio, he'll be at the White House to monitor recovery efforts from the storm that practically shut down New York City and left more than 30 people... more »

• Sandy forces political pause with 7 days left

  October 30, 2012 10:39 AM

  WASHINGTON - The havoc unleashed by Superstorm Sandy is bringing an unnerving pause to the presidential campaigning as President Barack Obama and rival Mitt Romney adjust the breakneck pace of the contest's final days to the anxieties and emergency demands sweeping the Eastern Seaboard. Both men and their running mates... more »

• Romney sketches campaign contingencies

  October 29, 2012 10:58 AM

  AVON LAKE, Ohio - Mitt Romney is sketching out political contingency plans that include temporarily suspending campaigning altogether if Hurricane Sandy turns deadly. The Republican presidential candidate plans to go ahead with three rallies in three states on Monday, including a midday event in Avon Lake, Ohio. But, given... more »

• Obama cancels Tuesday trip to Wisconsin

  October 29, 2012 10:37 AM

  ORLANDO, Fla. - President Barack Obama is cancelling more campaign events to monitor Hurricane Sandy back in Washington. The latest political event to get scrapped as the storm heads to the East Coast is the president's trip to Green Bay, Wis., Tuesday. The White House announced Obama was... more »

• Economy in focus as Romney faces new questions

  October 26, 2012 7:27 AM

  DEFIANCE, Ohio - Republican Mitt Romney is renewing his focus on the economy as Democrats question his silence on a Senate candidate's controversial abortion comments. Romney is also trying to ignore new questions about a prominent supporter's divorce case. The GOP presidential nominee is scheduled to deliver an economic... more »

• Group of major CEOs urges tax hikes, spending cuts

  October 25, 2012 1:55 PM

  WASHINGTON - CEOs from more than 80 major U.S. companies are pressing Congress to reduce the federal deficit by raising taxes and cutting spending. With a sea of red ink confronting the nation, the deficit and how to tame it has become a looming theme in the presidential campaign. The... more »

• Obama vows to protect women's health care rights

  October 25, 2012 1:32 PM

  TAMPA, Fla. - A new Associated Press-GfK poll suggests Mitt Romney has erased President Barack Obama's advantage among women. Obama has been renewing his pitch to female voters today. In the midst of a marathon, cross-country campaign trip, he made a veiled reference to Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock's comment... more »

• Powell standing by Obama in 2012 presidential race

  October 25, 2012 10:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a longtime Republican, is sticking with President Barack Obama in this year's election. He tells "CBS This Morning" he respects Mitt Romney but thinks he's been vague on many issues. Speaking of Obama, Powell said the president got the United States out... more »

• Jindal on the road in Iowa, Florida for GOP events

  October 24, 2012 5:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is on the road again for Republican candidates and groups. Jindal's office said the Louisiana governor traveled to Iowa on Wednesday for a Mitt Romney presidential campaign event, followed by a speech to the Scott County Republican Party's Ronald Reagan Dinner. A day later,... more »

• Obama launches 2-day blitz; Romney ups pace, too

  October 24, 2012 7:38 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney are showing the urgency of the campaign's final stretch. Both men are claiming a growing advantage even as voters show little give. Obama has centered on a closing theme that voters simply cannot trust Romney, while the challenger warns... more »

• Obama, Romney tour debate site

  October 22, 2012 5:07 PM

  BOCA RATON, Fla. - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have toured the site of tonight's debate in the battleground state of Florida. The 90-minute faceoff at Lynn University in Boca Raton will focus on foreign policy. Moderator Bob Schieffer of CBS says the questions he'll put before the candidates... more »

• Obama: Romney's economic plan a 'sketchy deal'

  October 17, 2012 3:17 PM

  MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - President Barack Obama is ridiculing rival Mitt Romney's five-point plan for the economy as a "sketchy deal" that boils down to helping the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. Obama told a political rally at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, that Romney won't... more »

• Romney: Obama has failed America's women

  October 17, 2012 3:16 PM

  CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Mitt Romney says President Barack Obama has failed America's women. The Republican nominee told supporters in Virginia on Wednesday that women have suffered through high unemployment and high poverty rates during Obama's term. Romney says he has a better plan to help them. Romney's push to broaden... more »

• Romney campaign predicts Ohio win; McCain not so sure

  October 16, 2012 5:22 PM

  COLUMBUS, Ohio - Although polls show President Barack Obama running strong in Ohio, Mitt Romney's campaign is predicting victory in the all-important state. No Republican has ever won the presidency without carrying Ohio. Romney political director Rich Beeson, in a memo written with the campaign's Ohio director, argues that several... more »

• High court won't block early voting in Ohio

  October 16, 2012 11:48 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is siding with Democrats in refusing to block early voting in the battleground state of Ohio. The court on Tuesday refused a Republican request to get involved in a dispute over early voting in the state on the three days before Election Day. The campaign... more »

• Clinton, Ryan continue campaign effort as Obama, Romney prepare for debate

  October 16, 2012 11:47 AM

  WASHINGTON - As President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prepare for tonight's debate, the Obama campaign is turning to Bill Clinton to make the case against what it says is Romney's $5 trillion tax cut plan. Clinton, in a web video, says Romney's approach "hasn't worked before and it won't... more »

• Obama out to seize momentum from Romney in debate

  October 16, 2012 10:24 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney will have a chance to persuade at least 80 undecided voters in a debate tonight. That's how many voters will be in the audience at New York's Hofstra University. They'll have the chance to ask questions on domestic issues and... more »

• Romney: Biden contradicted sworn Libya testimony

  October 12, 2012 4:18 PM

  RICHMOND, Va. - Last month's deadly attack in Libya has become the focus of the presidential campaign today. Mitt Romney is accusing Vice President Joe Biden of "doubling down on denial" in last night's debate when he said "we weren't told" about requests for more security at the U.S. consulate... more »

• Obama to appear on 'The Daily Show' on Thursday

  October 12, 2012 4:16 PM

  NEW YORK - President Barack Obama will appear on "The Daily Show" on Thursday. Comedy Central announced the booking Friday. It will be Obama's sixth guest visit to Jon Stewart's program, and his second since taking office as president. He also appeared on "The Daily Show" days before the election... more »

• VP debate tees up closing issues for Romney, Obama

  October 12, 2012 10:36 AM

  DANVILLE, Ky. - Joe Biden and Paul Ryan teed up pointed arguments on the economy, social policy and America's place in the world that President Barack Obama and GOP rival Mitt Romney now will drive forward into the campaign's final stretch. With throngs of people already voting, Obama and Romney... more »

• Obama mocks Romney, says rival is hiding his views

  October 11, 2012 5:28 PM

  CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Mocking his Republican rival, President Barack Obama says Mitt Romney once described himself as "severely conservative." But these days, Obama says Romney is trying to convince voters he was, in Obama's words, "severely kidding." Obama says Romney is trying to mask his past stances on tax... more »

• Mitt Romney meets with Rev. Billy Graham

  October 11, 2012 5:25 PM

  MONTREAT, N.C. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney met Thursday with Rev. Billy Graham, and the aging evangelist pledged to do "all I can" to help the GOP nominee win the presidency. Romney went to see Graham and his son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, at the elderly evangelist's mountaintop home... more »

• Watch tonight's VP debate LIVE here

  October 11, 2012 2:31 PM

  DANVILLE, Ky. - Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Paul Ryan pull up a couple of chairs tonight for a vice presidential debate that has mushroomed in importance since Mitt Romney's strong showing in the first presidential faceoff. This time, it's the Obama team looking to put the brakes on the... more »

• Debate canceled in 3rd District congressional race

  October 11, 2012 2:18 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The only debate planned between the two Louisiana congressmen running against each other for re-election has been canceled. Republican U.S. Reps. Charles Boustany and Jeff Landry were scheduled to debate each other Monday on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus. But ULL officials announced the event... more »

• Obama: Romney trying 'to cloud' abortion stance

  October 10, 2012 5:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says Mitt Romney's recent remark about not having abortion on his agenda is an attempt "to cloud" his rival's position on the issue. Obama says he had a "bad night" in last week's debate with Romney but says the fundamentals of the election did not... more »

• One Direction, Drew Brees join Pepsi for ad

  October 10, 2012 9:54 AM

  NEW YORK - One Direction is Pepsi's newest pop star. The soda company is partnering with the boy band and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees for an ad that will debut this week. It's part of Pepsi's "Live for Now" campaign, which has also featured Nicki Minaj and... more »

• Jindal to campaign for Romney in Virginia

  October 10, 2012 9:34 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is spending Wednesday in Virginia, campaigning for Republican Mitt Romney's presidential bid. A schedule put out by the Romney campaign says Jindal will join Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell for three campaign stops throughout the day, to rally Romney supporters. The Louisiana governor's... more »

• Sesame Workshop asks Obama campaign to take down Big Bird ad

  October 9, 2012 5:06 PM

  NEW YORK - The producers of "Sesame Street" have asked President Barack Obama's re-election campaign to take down an ad it's produced using Big Bird. The ad mocks Mitt Romney's vow to end federal funding for public broadcasting. It says the Republican hopeful believes "it isn't Wall Street you need... more »

• Romney scratching his head over Obama, Big Bird

  October 9, 2012 5:01 PM

  VAN METER, Iowa - Mitt Romney says he's scratching his head over President Barack Obama's focus on Big Bird. The president is featuring the "Sesame Street" star in a new campaign ad mocking Romney's vow to end federal funding for public broadcasting. Campaigning in Iowa Tuesday, Romney said "you have... more »

• Obama: 'Today we celebrate Cesar Chavez'

  October 8, 2012 2:56 PM

  KEENE, Calif. - President Barack Obama has designated the home of Latino labor leader Cesar Chavez as a national monument. The 187-acre site, known as Nuestra Senora Reina de la Paz (Our Lady Queen of Peace), or simply La Paz, served as the planning and coordination center of the United... more »

• Romney to attack Obama on foreign policy

  October 8, 2012 10:45 AM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney plans to put the focus on foreign policy today, accusing President Barack Obama of "passivity." In remarks prepared for delivery later this morning at the Virginia Military Institute today, Romney says the U.S. should help arm rebels in Syria, put conditions on aid to Egypt and... more »

• Lehrer's philosophy on moderator's role tested

  October 4, 2012 3:15 PM

  NEW YORK - Former PBS anchor Jim Lehrer says a debate moderator should be like a baseball umpire - get out of the way and let the candidates play. That philosophy may have compounded his troubles during the first presidential debate between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney as... more »

• Obama, Romney clash in first debate

  October 4, 2012 10:50 AM

  DENVER - President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney have sparred aggressively in their first campaign debate over taxes, deficits and strong steps needed to create jobs in a sputtering national economy. Obama accused Romney of seeking to "double down" on the same economic policies that created the economic downturn... more »

• Obama launches new criticism of Romney and China

  October 1, 2012 3:27 PM

  HENDERSON, Nev. - President Barack Obama's campaign is stepping up criticism of rival Mitt Romney's past investments in China. In a new television ad, the campaign accuses the Republican nominee of investing in a company that maximized profits by paying Chinese workers "next to nothing" to manufacture appliances. The ad... more »

• Republicans keep up focus on foreign policy

  October 1, 2012 3:12 PM

  DENVER - As the two presidential candidates focus on preparing for Wednesday night's debate in Denver, Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan is keeping up the GOP attacks on President Barack Obama's foreign policy. Ryan told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham that the Obama administration has been inconsistent on... more »

• Ryan wants Romney to beat Obama 'by acclamation'

  September 27, 2012 4:24 PM

  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan says he wants the Republican campaign message to be so detailed and compelling that Mitt Romney will be elected "by acclamation." The Wisconsin congressman said at a $1,000-per-plate fundraiser at a Knoxville hotel on Thursday that the GOP message contrasts with what... more »

• Obama makes a pitch to veterans, military families

  September 27, 2012 3:19 PM

  VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - President Barack Obama has appealed to veterans and military families in defense-focused southeast Virginia, casting himself as a president who is ending foreign entanglements and aiding returning soldiers with educational opportunities. Obama chided rival Mitt Romney for saying, in secretly taped remarks months ago, that nearly... more »

• Romney decries impending defense spending cuts

  September 27, 2012 3:17 PM

  SPRINGFIELD, Va. - Mitt Romney is calling the across-the-board defense spending cuts scheduled to take effect in January "a gun-to-your-head kind of approach." He says the deal President Barack Obama made with Congress "was a strange proposal in the first place," and he says "it's even stranger that we're seeing... more »

• Obama, Romney campaign in Virginia

  September 27, 2012 9:09 AM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney's campaign is keeping up its focus on the national debt -- saying that in the two minutes that it takes to view the Obama campaign's new TV ad, the debt grows by at least $5 million. In the new ad, President Barack Obama promotes what... more »

• New polls suggest Romney behind in Ohio, Florida

  September 25, 2012 3:13 PM

  DAYTON, Ohio - As Mitt Romney joins running mate Paul Ryan in Ohio for two days of campaigning, a new poll suggests the Republican ticket has some ground to make up. A Washington Post poll out today shows President Barack Obama leading Romney 52 to 44 percent among likely Ohio... more »

• Romney says he won't gut teachers' power to strike

  September 25, 2012 2:15 PM

  NEW YORK - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says he wouldn't stop teachers from being able to strike. The issue came to a head this month when thousands of teachers went on strike in Chicago, hometown to President Barack Obama. Romney blasted the unions while Obama stayed neutral. Romney says... more »

• Ryan: Obama weak on defense in battleground Ohio

  September 24, 2012 4:21 PM

  LIMA, Ohio - Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan says President Barack Obama's attempt to cut military spending is putting Americans at risk overseas. Ryan on Monday kicked off three days of campaigning in battleground Ohio by the GOP presidential ticket. Ryan campaigned in the town of Lima (LY'-muh) that's... more »

• Romney says no more fundraising in San Diego

  September 22, 2012 5:57 PM

  DEL MAR, Calif. - Mitt Romney says he's done raising money in San Diego. The Republican presidential nominee told donors gathered in the San Diego area that Saturday's fundraiser there is his last one. Romney is expected to launch a more aggressive campaign schedule targeting swing states in the coming... more »

• Ethics board hears appeals for fines Play Video

  September 21, 2012 6:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A state ethics board denied several lawmakers' appeals to have ethics fines against them waived today. The fines in dispute ranged from a few hundred dollars to $8,000, and mostly dealt with campaign finance reports which were filed late or improperly. State Senator Elbert Guillory,... more »

• New player in presidential politics to run ads

  September 21, 2012 10:50 AM

  NEW YORK - A new player in the presidential TV advertising campaign is set to go on the air next week in competitive states, according to several media trackers. The Republican-leaning Americans for Job Security will spend nearly $8.7 million across six states - Colorado, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio... more »

• Half avoid taxes, get fed help but many not poor

  September 18, 2012 4:54 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney got the math about right when he said 47 percent of Americans pay no incomes taxes and are "dependent on government" for support. But he blurred together half or more of the entire country with his comment, from the neediest Americans to some of the richest.... more »

• Obama responds to Romney's 'victims' comments

  September 18, 2012 4:52 PM

  NEW YORK - President Barack Obama is chiding Republican Mitt Romney for referring to supporters of the president as victims who depend on the government. Obama says anyone who wants to be president has to "work for everyone, not just for some." Appearing on the "Late Show" with David Letterman,... more »

• Romney: 'Great divide' exists over tax philosophy

  September 18, 2012 4:51 PM

  SALT LAKE CITY - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says there's a "great divide" in the country between those who want to take wealth and pass it around and those who want to earn money for themselves. In an interview Tuesday with Fox News Channel, Romney said redistributing wealth is... more »

• Romney: Sept. 11 time to renew resolve

  September 11, 2012 2:03 PM

  RENO, Nev. - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says Sept. 11 is a time to renew the resolve of protecting Americans against "evil" attacks. Romney spoke in Reno, Nev., to a gathering of the National Guard on a day when both presidential campaigns halted, however briefly, their overt politics in... more »

• 9/11 attacks play little role in presidential race

  September 10, 2012 4:33 PM

  WASHINGTON - For the first time in a decade, the Sept. 11 attacks and the wars that resulted are not the focus of the presidential election. President Barack Obama, who leads Republican rival Mitt Romney in polling on national security issues, may try to change that this fall as he... more »

• Obama, Romney to address Clinton Global Initiative

  September 10, 2012 1:10 PM

  NEW YORK - President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney are set to address a major gathering of world leaders in government, business and other fields held annually by Bill Clinton. The former president announced Monday that Obama and Romney would participate in the annual meeting of the Clinton Global... more »

• Obama: I've cut taxes for small business 18 times

  September 10, 2012 12:08 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says his administration has cut taxes on small business 18 times over the past four years. In an interview broadcast Monday on WPYO-FM in Orlando, Fla., the president says the Small Business Administration has expanded its lending capacity and lowered fees during the recent recession.... more »

• Romney: Chicago teachers turning backs on students

  September 10, 2012 12:07 PM

  CHICAGO - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says Chicago teachers are turning their backs on thousands of students and President Barack Obama is siding with the striking teachers. Romney, in a statement released Monday hours before he was set to land in Chicago for fundraisers, says he is disappointed by... more »

• Romney defends Afghanistan omission

  September 6, 2012 4:10 PM

  CONCORD, N.H. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is defending his decision not to discuss the Afghanistan war in his convention speech. And he says President Barack Obama should use his convention speech to "report on the promises he made." Romney on Thursday visited veterans in New Hampshire. Asked why... more »

• Storm soaks Charlotte hours before Obama's speech

  September 6, 2012 3:51 PM

  WASHINGTON - The jobs outlook in the U.S. brightened a bit Thursday just before President Barack Obama was to make his case for re-election to the American people. Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, the government reported. And companies boosted hiring in August, according to a private survey.... more »

• Obama reaches convention city, shifts speech plan

  September 5, 2012 3:53 PM

  CHARLOTTE, N.C. - President Barack Obama has arrived in Charlotte, N.C., for the Democratic National Convention and a high-stakes chance to make a case for re-election. Air Force One touched down Wednesday afternoon, hours after disappointed Democrats announced they had to abruptly change their plans. Obama will no longer deliver... more »

• National debt hits $16T; GOP critical

  September 4, 2012 4:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The national debt has topped $16 trillion as chronic government deficits have piled more than $50,000 worth of debt onto federal ledgers for every man, woman and child in the United States. Barack Obama's GOP rivals used the grim but expected news to blast the president for the... more »

• Ryan: Obama has had enough time

  September 4, 2012 12:00 PM

  UNDATED - Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan says four years should have been enough time to fix the economy. In a series of TV interviews today, the Wisconsin congressman said with millions struggling to find work, it's too late for President Barack Obama to ask people "just to be... more »

• Democratic platform focuses on fixing the economy

  September 4, 2012 11:57 AM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats unveiled a party platform at their national convention Monday that echoes President Barack Obama's call for higher taxes on wealthier Americans while backing same-sex marriage and abortion rights. Delegates will vote Tuesday to adopt the platform that reflects the president's argument that his work is unfinished and... more »

• Romney visits area flooded by Isaac

  August 31, 2012 6:11 PM

  JEAN LAFITTE - Mitt Romney says he went to Louisiana today to learn, and to draw attention to the plight of residents who've been flooded out of their homes by Hurricane Isaac. On his first trip after the Republican National Convention, Romney met along a highway with Louisiana Gov. Bobby... more »

• Biden: Wall St. reform critics 'squealing pigs'

  August 21, 2012 3:38 PM

  MINNEAPOLIS - Vice President Joe Biden is defending the Obama administration's efforts to reform Wall Street - and comparing Republican critics of the law to "squealing pigs." Biden told a raucous crowd in downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday that Congress had passed a law reining in Wall Street despite objections from... more »

• Ryan called stimulus wasteful, then sought funds

  August 15, 2012 12:41 PM

  WASHINGTON - Paul Ryan has been one of the harshest critics of President Barack Obama's 2009 economic stimulus package. But that hasn't stopped the Wisconsin congressman from trying to help companies in his home state tap into the funds. Ryan's actions in Congress are drawing fresh scrutiny since he was... more »

• Romney: Obama desperate to hang onto power

  August 15, 2012 12:39 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney is leveling some of his harshest accusations against President Barack Obama today, saying Obama is "running just to hang onto power" and that he would "do anything in his power" to remain in office. Obama's campaign says Romney's comments to CBS seem "unhinged." The two campaigns... more »

• Romney blocks media from Ryan's 1st Vegas funder

  August 14, 2012 3:14 PM

  DENVER - Mitt Romney's campaign is blocking reporters from covering GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's first meeting with donors in Las Vegas. Tuesday night's event at The Venetian hotel is expected to draw casino owner and Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. The decision to block access marks an apparent break... more »

• Obama attacks Romney on wind-power in Iowa

  August 14, 2012 3:09 PM

  OSKALOOSA, Iowa - President Barack Obama is blasting Mitt Romney for opposing tax supports for wind power. At a campaign stop in Iowa, Obama accused his Republican challenger of wanting to maintain billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies for oil companies rather than investing in what he describes as promising... more »