WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• Obama's drone rules leave unanswered questions

  May 24, 2013 3:07 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama left plenty of ambiguity in new policy guidelines that he says will restrict how and when the U.S. can launch targeted drone strikes, leaving himself significant power over how and when the weapons can be deployed. National security experts say it's imperative to leave some... more »

• Obama cites new framework for terror war

  May 23, 2013 2:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he has established a new framework to govern U.S. force against terrorists. He says it includes clear guidelines as well as oversight and accountability. Obama says in a speech Thursday he put this framework into a single document by signing on Wednesday what is... more »

• Obama: New guidelines in place for drone strikes

  May 23, 2013 2:02 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he has signed new policy guidelines to oversee when the U.S. can use drone strikes against suspected terrorists. Obama says clear guidelines, oversight and accountability are spelled out in "policy guidance" he signed Wednesday. He says Thursday in a national security speech that the... more »

• Obama to visit tornado-ravaged Oklahoma town

  May 22, 2013 12:35 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will travel to tornado-ravaged Moore, Okla., on Sunday. White House spokesman Jay Carney says the president will view the tornado damage first-hand. He also plans to meet with victims and first responders. The monstrous tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburb Monday afternoon, demolishing an... more »

• Obama offers help for Okla. tornado victims

  May 21, 2013 9:30 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama says he is instructing his disaster response team to get tornado victims in Oklahoma everything they need "right away." Obama calls the devastation that tore through the Oklahoma City suburbs, quote, "one of the most destructive tornados in history," even though he said the extent... more »

• Obama: Congress must 'fully fund' embassy security

  May 16, 2013 12:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to "fully fund" his administration's budget request for embassy security. The request comes as Obama seeks to get ahead of the controversy over his administration's response to the attack last September in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Obama said he... more »

• Obama: IRS acting commissioner has resigned

  May 15, 2013 4:37 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, Steven Miller, has submitted his resignation in the aftermath of an investigation that found the agency improperly targeted conservative groups. Obama says Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew requested Miller's resignation. Obama says he also insists that safeguards... more »

• Obama to meet with Treasury officials over IRS

  May 15, 2013 1:21 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will meet with Treasury officials Wednesday to discuss the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for special review. White House press secretary Jay Carney says Obama expects people to be held accountable. The meeting comes in the aftermath of an... more »

• President calls IRS targeting of conservative groups "outrageous"

  May 13, 2013 11:28 AM

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Obama is calling the IRS focus on conservative groups 'outrageous,' and says people are 'properly concerned' The IRS apologized Friday for scrutininzing the tax-exempt status of groups with conservative titles such as "Tea Party" or "Patriot" in their applications. The Democratic chairman of the... more »

• GOP boycotts health care advisory board

  May 9, 2013 3:15 PM

  WASHINGTON - The battle over President Barack Obama's health care law continues to play out today -- with congressional Republicans saying they won't nominate candidates for an advisory board that's supposed to play a role in holding down Medicare costs. The board would have the power to force payment cuts... more »

• Obama: Sexual assault in military is a 'betrayal'

  May 7, 2013 1:37 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says military personnel who engage in sexual assault are betraying the uniform they are wearing. He says he has directed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to "step up our game exponentially" to halt such assaults. In a tough statement, Obama said he wanted members of the... more »

• Obama defends FBI handling of Boston investigation

  May 4, 2013 10:35 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is defending the FBI's handling of the Boston Marathon bombing investigation as Republicans ready for oversight hearings on the attack. Obama tells the Spanish-language television network Univision he doesn't think it's fair to say law enforcement "dropped the ball" The president says "there are going... more »

• Obama "comfortable" with FDA approach on Plan B

  May 2, 2013 5:36 PM

  MEXICO CITY - President Barack Obama says he's comfortable with his administration's decision to allow over-the-counter purchases of a morning-after pill for anyone 15 and older. The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday had lowered the age at which people can buy the Plan B One-Step morning-after pill without a... more »

• Obama: Boston review designed to prevent attacks

  April 30, 2013 10:48 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says a national security review following the Boston Marathon bombings will look at whether there is more the government can do to stop people within the United States who might become radicalized and plan terror attacks. One of the dangers the U.S. faces now, Obama... more »

• Miss. man in ricin case: 'I love my country'

  April 23, 2013 5:45 PM

  TUPELO, Miss. - A Mississippi man is speaking out now that charges have been dropped against him in an investigation of ricin-laced letters. Paul Kevin Curtis says he respects President Barack Obama, loves his country and that he "would never do anything to pose a threat." Curtis says this week... more »

• Family of man accused of sending ricin letters speaks

  April 19, 2013 11:38 AM

  OXFORD - The family of a man accused of mailing ricin-tainted letters to the president and a U.S. senator says they have tried for years to get him help for his mental illness. Jack Curtis issued a statement on behalf of the family of his brother, Paul Kevin Curtis, on... more »

• Attorney: Miss. man denies mailing suspected ricin

  April 18, 2013 1:23 PM

  OXFORD, Miss. - The man charged with mailing letters with suspected ricin to the president and others was surprised by his arrest and maintains he is innocent, according to his attorney. Paul Kevin Curtis appeared in a federal courtroom Thursday in Oxford, Miss., wearing shackles and a Johnny Cash T-shirt.... more »

• Obama slams senators who opposed gun measure

  April 17, 2013 4:59 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the Senate's opposition to a bill that would have expanded background checks for gun buyers marks a "shameful day" in Washington. He says a minority of senators decided "it wasn't worth it" to protect the nation's children. Obama spoke in the Rose Garden shortly... more »

• FBI: Early test shows ricin in Obama letter

  April 17, 2013 10:23 AM

  WASHINGTON - The FBI says the letters sent to President Barack Obama and Sen. Roger Wicker are related and are both postmarked out of Memphis, Tenn., dated April 8. In an intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press, the FBI says the letters both say: "To see a wrong and... more »

• Obama to visit Boston on Thursday

  April 16, 2013 4:27 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will visit Boston on Thursday, three days after a pair of deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick says Obama will be attending an interfaith service. Three people were killed at the marathon's finish line, including an 8-year-old boy. More than 170... more »

• Obama: Boston explosions investigated as terrorism

  April 16, 2013 10:41 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the explosions at the Boston Marathon are being investigated as an act of terror, although authorities still don't know who is responsible. He called the bombing "a heinous and cowardly act" used to target innocent civilians. Obama spoke to reporters at the White House... more »

• Obama expects more provocations from North Korea

  April 16, 2013 8:48 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he expects North Korea to make "more provocative moves" over the next several weeks. However, he says his administration does not believe Pyongyang has the capacity to put a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile. His says his conclusion is based on current intelligence... more »

• President to address nation after Boston explosions

  April 15, 2013 4:52 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama scheduled a press conference to address the nation after a pair of explosions killed two and injured dozens at the Boston Marathon today. The president is scheduled to speak at 5:10 Central Time, according to the White House. Obama was briefed on Monday's explosions... more »

• Obama pays $112k in 2012 taxes on $609k of income

  April 12, 2013 1:12 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's 2012 tax returns show he and first lady Michelle Obama paid $112,214 in taxes last year on $608,611 in adjusted gross income. They paid an effective rate of 18.4 percent for their federal income taxes. The adjusted gross income figure is down from 2011, when... more »

• Obama: Budget shrinks deficits and expands economy

  April 10, 2013 10:18 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is sending Congress a $3.8 trillion spending blueprint that strives to achieve a "grand bargain" to tame runaway deficits. It would raise taxes on the wealthy and trim popular benefit programs including as Social Security and Medicare. The president's budget projects deficit reductions of $1.8... more »

• Moniz backs natural gas 'revolution'

  April 9, 2013 12:07 PM

  WASHINGTON- Ernest Moniz, chosen by President Barack Obama to lead the Energy Department, says he will push to increase use of natural gas as a way to combat climate change even as the nation seeks to boost domestic energy production. Moniz, a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,... more »

• Official: Obama proposes cuts to Social Security

  April 5, 2013 9:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama is proposing cuts to Social Security as an attempt to compromise with Republicans on the budget. A senior administration official says the budget Obama will offer to Congress next Wednesday would reduce the deficit by $1.8 trillion over 10 years. It includes a revised inflation... more »

• Following Obama, Kerry to donate part of salary

  April 4, 2013 1:12 PM

  WASHINGTON - The richest member of President Barack Obama's Cabinet is giving back some salary too, in the spirit of government-wide spending cuts. A day after Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said they'd return 5 percent of their paycheck to the Treasury, Secretary of State John Kerry followed in... more »

• Some Colo. sheriffs oppose more gun control

  April 3, 2013 10:21 AM

  DENVER - Some Colorado sheriffs are speaking out against any more gun control measures as President Barack Obama visits the state. Sixteen sheriffs, including Larimer County's Justin Smith and John Cooke of Weld County, plan to hold a news conference Wednesday in Denver. They'll gather in a park near where... more »

• Obamas welcome children to annual Easter Egg Roll

  April 1, 2013 9:04 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and his family are welcoming thousands of children to the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll. Speaking from the White House's Truman Balcony, the president noted the sunny springtime day for the crowd below. On a day that kids devote to chocolate and... more »

• EPA taking aim at auto emissions, sulfur in gas

  March 29, 2013 9:00 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is proposing a reduction in sulfur in gasoline and tightened emissions standards on cars beginning in 2017. The new rule would come with costs as well as rewards. The cost at the pump for cleaner air across the country could be less than a... more »

• Obama to release his budget outline April 10

  March 28, 2013 12:34 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will release his federal budget outline on April 10 - two months late. Under the law, the president was supposed to submit a budget on Feb. 4. But White House aides said deliberations over spending in the past few months delayed... more »

• Obama signs bill to avoid government shutdown

  March 26, 2013 3:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running through the end of September. The measure leaves in place $85 billion in automatic budget cuts known as the sequester. But it takes steps to ease the impact of the cuts to food inspection... more »

• Obama health law anniversary finds two Americas

  March 21, 2013 12:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - Three years, two elections, and one Supreme Court decision after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, its promise of health care for the uninsured may be delayed or undercut in much of the country because of entrenched opposition from many Republican state leaders. In half the... more »

• Obama: Israeli settlements not constructive

  March 21, 2013 9:41 AM

  RAMALLAH, West Bank - President Barack Obama says he's told Israel's leaders the U.S. does not consider settlement activity in the West Bank to be constructive or appropriate. He says the activity does not advance the cause of peace. Obama spoke at a news conference with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud... more »

• Obama says mideast peace "really hard problem"

  March 20, 2013 2:31 PM

  JERUSALEM- President Barack Obama says he's certain he could have done things differently when it comes to the Mideast. But he says bringing peace to the region is "a really hard problem" to solve - one that's lingered for more than 60 years. The president also suggests that failure to... more »

• Obama nominates Walmart's Burwell as budget chief

  March 4, 2013 7:39 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has tapped Walmart's Sylvia Mathews Burwell as his next budget chief, thrusting her into the center of Washington's heated partisan budget battles. Obama will announce Burwell's nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget during a White House ceremony Monday morning. If confirmed by... more »

• Obama signs order to begin spending cuts

  March 1, 2013 9:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed an order authorizing the government to begin cutting $85 billion from federal accounts, officially enacting across-the-board reductions that he opposed but failed to avert. Obama acted Friday, the deadline for the president and Congress to avoid the steep, one-year cuts. Obama has insisted... more »

• Obama: We will get through cuts

  March 1, 2013 10:52 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says Americans will get through the automatic spending cuts kicking in Friday. Obama says the nation shouldn't be making "dumb and arbitrary" cuts. He says Republicans have allowed the cuts to happen. Obama stays he still believes the cuts can be replaced, but he wants... more »

• Automatic cuts will have to wait until midnight

  March 1, 2013 7:53 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says automatic spending reductions set to kick in will be put off until as close to midnight Friday as possible. Congress passed the law in January. It says that "on March 1, 2013, the president shall order a sequestration for fiscal year 2013."... more »

• President Obama signs disaster declaration for La.

  February 22, 2013 10:43 AM

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barak Obama signed a major disaster declaration today for the state of Louisiana, freeing up federal funds to help pay for damage caused by flooding and storms last month. The funding will be available to state and eligible local governments, as well as certain nonprofit... more »

• Obama considers weighing in on gay marriage case

  February 20, 2013 4:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is quietly considering urging the Supreme Court to overturn California's ban on gay marriage, a step that would mark a political victory for advocates of same-sex unions. President Barack Obama raised expectations among opponents of the Proposition 8 ban when he declared last month in... more »

• Ohio woman claims she was fired for Obama vote

  February 20, 2013 8:51 AM

  DAYTON, Ohio- A southwest Ohio woman says she was fired three days after the November election because she voted for President Barack Obama. The woman has filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court seeking damages starting at $25,000 against Q-Mark Inc. and its president. The Dayton-based company is... more »

• White House seeks 'balanced way' to budget fix

  February 17, 2013 10:15 AM

  WASHINGTON - The new White House chief of staff says President Barack Obama is concerned about the effect the automatic budget cuts scheduled for next month will have on America's middle class. Denis McDonough tells ABC's "This Week" that the economy has been getting stronger over the past few months.... more »

• Fallen Sandy Hook educators honored

  February 15, 2013 7:31 PM

  The Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest for a civilian, was awarded to six adults killed in the Sandy Hook school massacre in Connecticut. Each of the victims were represented by family members as President Obama recognized the educators' sacrifices. He read their names one-by-one, saying they gave their lives... more »

• Obama says gun violence killing too many children

  February 15, 2013 5:25 PM

  CHICAGO - President Barack Obama says that every four months, his hometown of Chicago suffers the loss of as many children as were killed in the Connecticut elementary school shooting. Obama says gun violence is taking too many children's lives, not just in mass shootings like the one in Newtown,... more »

• Obama minimum wage plan renews economic debate

  February 14, 2013 7:06 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says increasing the minimum wage to $9 an hour and tying future increases to inflation will raise the incomes of millions living in poverty and spur job growth. Business groups are not so sure. They complain that boosting the federal rate from $7.25 an hour... more »

• La. workers excited about minimum wage proposal Play Video

  February 13, 2013 5:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE - President Obama's proposal to raise the federal minimum wage $9 has many workers excited. "It would be nice, it would definitely help a lot of people out," said Jonathan Meyers in Baton Rouge. "It's not surprising to me, because I know he's trying to put... more »

• Growth in budget deficit slows

  February 12, 2013 7:13 PM

  The federal government reports a rare surplus for January and the Treasury Department says its on track for the smallest budget deficit since President Obama took office. The surplus was almost $3 billion dollars. It lowered the deficit through the first four months of the budget year to $290 billion,... more »

• Obama to promote his agenda to House Democrats

  February 7, 2013 2:50 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is promoting his second-term agenda to House Democrats, eager to keep them unified as a bulwark against a Republican majority on issues ranging from the economy to immigration to guns. Obama is meeting with Democratic lawmakers Thursday during their retreat in Lansdowne, Va., one day... more »

• Obama tries to unify Senate Democrats

  February 6, 2013 7:24 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is working to sell Senate Democrats on his strategy for tackling immigration, gun control and a host of fiscal dilemmas. The president meets with senators Wednesday at a closed-door retreat in Annapolis, Md. Obama's prospects for enacting his ambitious second-term agenda depend partly on Senate... more »

• US: Obama peace agenda 'urgent' on Israel visit

  February 6, 2013 6:30 AM

  JERUSALEM - The U.S. ambassador to Israel says President Barack Obama will bring an "urgent" peacemaking agenda to Israel on his upcoming visit, focusing on the region and the resumption of talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Dan Shapiro spoke to Israeli media Wednesday, a day after the White House... more »

• Obama signs bill averting government default

  February 5, 2013 7:30 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill raising the government's borrowing limit, averting a default and delaying the next clash over the nation's debt until later this year. The legislation temporarily suspends the $16.4 trillion limit on federal borrowing. Experts say that will allow the government... more »

• More diversity likely in next Obama job selections

  February 5, 2013 6:28 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is ready to put a diverse face on his administration in his new wave of Cabinet nominees - an image that was missing as he filled the first round of vacancies of his second term with a parade of white men. Obama is said to... more »

• Obama to campaign for gun proposals in Minnesota

  February 4, 2013 7:38 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is seeking to rally support from the public and the law enforcement community for his calls to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks for gun buyers. Obama is pitching his anti-gun violence agenda Monday in Minnesota, a Democratic-leaning state where officials have been... more »

• Obama hoping for close match in Super Bowl

  February 1, 2013 2:04 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is hoping for a close game in this year's Super Bowl. White House spokesman Jay Carney says the president will watch Sunday's game and expects it to be highly entertaining, even though his beloved Chicago Bears aren't playing. Obama hasn't said who he's rooting for... more »

• Goodell says he welcomes Obama's remarks on safety

  February 1, 2013 11:52 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league will look at eliminating certain low blocks and improve the quality of playing fields as part of a program to improve player safety. In his annual message on the state of the league two days before Sunday's Super Bowl, Goodell said... more »

• Energy Secretary Chu to step down

  February 1, 2013 10:58 AM

  WASHINGTON- Energy Secretary Steven Chu is stepping down. The Energy Department said Friday Chu has offered his resignation to President Barack Obama. Chu won a Nobel Prize in physics but came under questioning for his handling of a solar energy loan. Chu is a former director of the Lawrence Berkeley... more »

• Obama signs $50.5B Superstorm Sandy aid bill

  January 29, 2013 8:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed into law a $50.5 billion emergency measure for Superstorm Sandy victims. Congress gave the measure its final approval late Monday. Obama signed it Tuesday night, minutes after returning to the White House from a visit to Nevada. It took Congress three months after... more »

• Police push for background checks on gun purchases

  January 29, 2013 7:06 AM

  WASHINGTON - Law enforcement leaders who met with President Barack Obama are urging him to improve the mental health system and strengthen background checks, but did not unify on more controversial gun control measures. Leaders of the Major County Sheriffs' Association said they told the president Monday to focus on... more »

• Obama launches push for immigration overhaul

  January 29, 2013 6:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is reviving his stalled proposals for overhauling the nation's immigration laws, calling for a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, improvements to the legal immigration system and more effective mechanisms for helping employers verify the status of workers. The president will launch his... more »

• Obama says he'll sign $50.5B Sandy aid bill soon

  January 29, 2013 2:43 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he'll sign a $50.5 billion emergency measure for Superstorm Sandy victims as soon as it lands on his desk. Obama chided lawmakers for taking their time to approve the funding even as he commended them for providing the long-awaited aid. Conservatives concerned about adding... more »

• Chiefs from mass-shooting towns to meet with Obama

  January 28, 2013 7:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will meet with police chiefs from three communities that have experienced mass shootings, part of his administration's push to address gun violence. Obama is drawing attention to the worst shootings of 2012, inviting the police chiefs from: Aurora, Colo., where 12 were killed in July;... more »

• Obama lauds Clinton as she prepares to leave

  January 28, 2013 2:30 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is lavishing praise on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as she prepares to leave his Cabinet. He calls her one of his closest advisers and says their shared vision for America's role in the world persuaded his one-time rival and potential successor to be... more »

• NBA champion Miami Heat to visit Obama Monday

  January 23, 2013 3:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says the Miami Heat will get personal congratulations from the basketball-fan-in-chief on their NBA championship. President Barack Obama plans to host the team at the White House Monday. The White House says he also will recognize their support of the military. The players plan... more »

• Gay activists laud Obama speech, now want action

  January 23, 2013 6:41 AM

  NEW YORK - President Barack Obama's emphatic gay-rights advocacy in his inaugural address thrilled many activists. Yet almost immediately came the questions and suggestions as to what steps should be taken next. Items on the activists' wish list include appointment of America's first openly gay Cabinet member, steps to... more »

• Band backs off statement that Beyonce lip synced

  January 22, 2013 4:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. Marine Corps is backing off statements that Beyonce lip-synced the national anthem during her performance at President Barack Obama's inauguration. The Marine Corps issued a statement Tuesday saying it determined that a live performance by the Marine Band was ill advised because there was no opportunity... more »

• Obama stands his ground on fiscal debates

  January 22, 2013 6:56 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama devoted one word - "deficit" - to the issue that brought Washington to the brink of fiscal crises time and again during his first term. But it was the paragraph that followed in his inaugural address that foreshadowed what's to come - more hard bargaining... more »

• Environmentalists hail Obama climate change focus

  January 22, 2013 4:34 AM

  WASHINGTON - Environmental groups are hailing President Barack Obama's warning about climate change but say they'll be watching his decision on the future of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Environmentalists say the pipeline would transport "dirty oil" from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, and produce heat-trapping gases that contribute... more »

• Jailed civil rights activist reflects on King, Obama

  January 21, 2013 6:34 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Rev. Betty Claiborne has lived through the best and worst times of the civil rights movement in America. As a 19-year old girl she was arrested when she and her sister entered a 'whites-only' swimming pool. "What I did, I did it because I love America,... more »

• Obama joins inaugural parade as he begins 2nd term

  January 21, 2013 2:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has joined the inaugural parade from Capitol Hill to the White House celebrating the start of his second term. Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and their families were among more than 8,800 people, floats and marching bands participating in the late-starting parade that passed before... more »

• Civil rights activist reflects on King, Obama Play Video

  January 21, 2013 1:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Rev. Betty Claiborne has lived through the best and worst times of the civil rights movement in America. As a 19-year old girl she was arrested when she and her sister entered a 'whites-only' swimming pool. Claiborne spent two weeks in jail, and was pardoned decades later.... more »

• Clinton, Carter join Obama inaugural gathering

  January 21, 2013 10:31 AM

  WASHINGTON - Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter joined lawmakers and other dignitaries at the Capitol for President Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in Monday to a second term. The two men are the only living Democrats who have occupied the White House. Clinton was accompanied by his wife, Secretary of... more »

• Obama speaks of 'limitless' possibilities for U.S.

  January 21, 2013 10:27 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has begun his second term by declaring that the nation's "possibilities are limitless." Speaking before a flag-waving crowd of hundreds of thousands on the National Mall, Obama said a decade of war is ending, and the nation's economy is recovering. Moments after taking the oath... more »

• Obamas host coffee with congressional leaders

  January 21, 2013 9:05 AM

  WASHINGTON- Could a blend of inaugural excitement and fresh coffee be the stimulant Washington needs to break political gridlock? One could only conjecture as President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and their wives played host Monday to congressional leaders of both parties at the White House. The Joint... more »

• Obama speech sets stage for looming policy fights

  January 21, 2013 6:44 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has prepared a second inaugural address that broadly lays out his vision for the country's future while leaving the details of the policy fights over taxes, guns, immigration and other divisive issues for another day. White House aides say the president will not make a... more »

• Inauguration Day marks rare intersection with King

  January 18, 2013 10:26 AM

  ATLANTA - This year, the memory of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the life of President Barack Obama will overlap significantly for a day. For only the second time, the presidential inauguration falls on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Some King commemorations are being shuffled while... more »

• Will Obama's order lead to surge in gun research?

  January 17, 2013 3:46 PM

  MILWAUKEE - Researchers say that President Barack Obama's order to encourage use of federal money to study gun violence may help lead to more knowledge about how to prevent firearm injuries and deaths. About 30,000 Americans die from gun violence each year, nearly the same number as from car crashes.... more »

• Gun owners react to Obama proposals Play Video

  January 16, 2013 6:15 PM

  DENHAM SPRINGS- After President Obama proposed sweeping changes to gun laws dozens of people flooded BJ Pawn to purchase weapons and accessories they think could be outlawed. Carl Tanner was buying one of the hottest items, high capacity ammunition clips. "I'm picking up some mags for my guns,... more »

• Obama calls for research on media in gun violence

  January 16, 2013 4:21 PM

  NEW YORK - The sweeping proposals from President Barack Obama today for curbing gun violence put little of the focus on movies, TV and video games. The White House pressed most forcefully for Congress to pass universal background checks and bans on military-style assault weapons like the ones used in... more »

• Obama taking 23 actions aimed at gun violence

  January 16, 2013 11:18 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is taking 23 executive actions aimed at curbing gun violence that don't require congressional action, including measures to encourage schools to hire police officers, increase research on gun violence and improve efforts to prosecute gun crime. The executive actions are part of an overarching... more »

• Bryant: Miss. should resist federal limits on guns

  January 16, 2013 11:09 AM

  JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said Wednesday that he wants the state to resist any presidential order that might restrict gun rights. Republican Bryant made the call shortly before President Barack Obama issued 23 executive orders designed to curb gun violence. "I am asking that you immediately pass... more »

• Obama unveils $500 million gun violence package

  January 16, 2013 11:03 AM

  WASHINGTON - Even as he uses his executive powers to enact 23 measures that don't require the approval of Congress, President Barack Obama says there's only so much he can do to reduce gun violence unless lawmakers act. He says that's what it will take to make a "real and... more »

• Newtown families invited to Obama gun control event

  January 16, 2013 10:20 AM

  WASHINGTON - Families of the victims of last month's shooting attack at a Connecticut elementary school have been invited to the White House today to see President Barack Obama outline an effort aimed at reducing gun violence. Obama's ideas include bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines --... more »

• In letters, children ask Obama to change gun laws

  January 16, 2013 8:02 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will be joined by children who sent letters expressing concern about gun crimes when he announces proposals today to reduce gun violence. The White House shared three of the letters with The Associated Press. Three days after 26 students... more »

• Obama to unveil gun violence measures today

  January 16, 2013 5:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's broad effort to reduce gun violence will include proposed bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as more than a dozen executive orders aimed at circumventing congressional opposition to stricter gun controls. Obama will announce the measures today at a White... more »

• Govt appeals judge's contraceptive mandate ruling

  January 15, 2013 4:30 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is appealing a judge's order that is temporarily preventing the government from forcing a Christian publishing company to provide its employees with certain contraceptives under the new health care law. In November, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton granted a preliminary injunction sought by Tyndale House... more »

• Obama to outline action against gun violence tomorrow

  January 15, 2013 1:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Just a little more than a month since the Connecticut school massacre, President Barack Obama tomorrow will be unveiling his proposals to fight gun violence. The White House says he and Vice President Joe Biden will be joined by children who wrote the president letters after the Newtown... more »

• Obama: Debt limit increase can't be tied to spending cuts

  January 14, 2013 12:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is demanding that Congress quickly raise the nation's $16.4 trillion debt limit, telling reporters, "we are not a deadbeat nation." At a White House news conference less than a week before he takes the oath of office for a second term, Obama warned that if... more »

• Obama: Gun control specifics to come within days

  January 14, 2013 12:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - He's acknowledging an uphill fight in Congress -- so President Barack Obama says he's looking at actions he can take on his own to confront gun violence. He told reporters today that he will present a plan within days. Obama says the ideas that are on the table... more »

• Obama, Karzai agree to speed military transition

  January 11, 2013 4:08 PM

  WASHINGTON - Within a few months, U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be shifting to a support role, letting Afghanistan's own troops take the lead in providing for the security of their country. The accelerated timetable was announced today by President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai after a meeting... more »

• Biden says consensus emerging on gun safety

  January 10, 2013 11:52 AM

  WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden says he will deliver recommendations to President Barack Obama on steps to curb violence by Tuesday. Biden says a consensus is emerging over proposals such as tightening background checks and banning high-capacity ammunition magazines. Biden told a group of sportsmen and wildlife interest groups... more »

• White House official: AG, HHS, VA heads to stay

  January 9, 2013 3:48 PM

  WASHINGTON - A White House official says Attorney General Eric Holder and the secretaries of Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs will remain with the Obama administration as it enters a second term. The official said Holder, who leads the Justice Department, and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and VA... more »