WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• House backs big budget compromise Play Video

  May 10, 2013 6:19 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $25 billion budget today which sways from spending plans recommended by Gov. Bobby Jindal. The House stripped $500 million from Jindal's plan which was either one-time money, or not guaranteed. They instead opted for cuts to state... more »

• Trina Edwards hospitalized

  April 5, 2013 10:13 PM

  GONZALES- Trina Edwards, the wife of infamous former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards, was recently in the hospital. She's pregnant, and posted on her Facebook page the baby is doing okay. "The baby is fine and completely healthy," she wrote. She was having kidney problems, according to a post... more »

• Cassidy announces Senate bid in online video

  April 3, 2013 7:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Rep. Bill Cassidy officially announced his plans to run for the U.S. Senate this morning. Cassidy made the announcement in a video posting to his website, along with his wife, Laura. He will challenge Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, who will be running for her fourth... more »

• Mayor calls arrests "political," employees still working

  April 2, 2013 9:56 PM

  INDEPENDENCE- Four city employees, arrested Tuesday, returned to work after getting out of jail. John Henson, Reginald Jefferson, Jeffers Cook, and Charles Garafola are charged with unauthorized use of an access card. Henson is also charged with theft under $500. The arrests are related to an investigation by... more »

• Four city workers accused of illegal fuel-ups

  April 2, 2013 3:35 PM

  INDEPENDENCE- Four town employees were arrested Tuesday, accused of using a city credit card to put fuel in personal vehicles. John Henson, Reginald Jefferson, Jeffers Cook, and Charles Garafola are charged with unauthorized use of an access card. Henson is also charged with theft under $500. All work... more »

• Israel faces geopolitical tangle with natural gas

  March 29, 2013 12:32 PM

  JERUSALEM - Recent discoveries of massive offshore natural gas deposits, set to begin flowing in the coming days, are turning into a mixed blessing for Israel. The deposits are expected to provide Israel enough natural gas for decades and transform the country, famously empty of natural resources, into an energy... more »

• The Next Pope: Modern twists to ancient rites

  March 11, 2013 5:34 PM

  VATICAN CITY - Ritual words, uttered in Latin, open and close the secret selection process of the new pope. It starts with "Extra omnes" - or "Everyone out" - expelling all but voting cardinals from the Sistine Chapel where conclave balloting takes place. It ends with "Accepto" - "I... more »

• Jindal not visiting sinkhole, will meet with officials

  March 8, 2013 11:27 AM

  BAYOU CORNE - Gov. Jindal will not visit the Bayou Corne sinkhole next week, according to his press secretary. Sean Lansing said Friday that Jindal is scheduled to meet with officials from Assumption Parish and state agency directors on Monday to see what more can be done for people... more »

• JUST IN: Hugo Chavez dead at 58

  March 5, 2013 4:14 PM

  VENEZUELA- Hugo Chavez, the country's president has died. The vice-president announced his death late Tuesday afternoon. Chavez had been undergoing cancer treatment, and had surgery as recently as December. Chavez was 58-years-old. Check back HERE for more on this developing story and watch WBRZ News 2... more »

• Boustany won't challenge Landrieu in '14 Senate race

  March 5, 2013 2:57 PM

  LAFAYETTE- Count at least one person out of the race for Senate next year. Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, who represents a large section of South and Southwestern Louisiana, said he would not challenge Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Landrieu will run for re-election. A spokesperson for Boustany... more »

• Obama: may take weeks, months to fix budget mess

  March 1, 2013 11:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says it may take a couple of weeks or a couple of months to reach a deal to end Washington's battle over spending cuts. The president spoke after meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on $85 billion in automatic spending cuts that go... more »

• Landrieu: Jindal an obstructionist on Medicaid

  February 26, 2013 11:53 AM

  BATON ROUGE- U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu says Gov. Bobby Jindal's refusal to expand Louisiana's Medicaid program is tied to his presidential ambitions at the expense of benefits for Louisiana. The Democratic senator accused the Republican governor of obstructionism. Landrieu said Jindal seems adamant about putting his political future ahead of... more »

• Voters, area lawmakers react to State of the Union Play Video

  February 12, 2013 10:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The president urged Congress to strengthen the middle class, boost job creation and promised to cut the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan in half within a year. "It is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country - the idea that... more »

• Shaw Founder: "I am under consideration" for Energy Secretary Post

  February 1, 2013 2:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Shaw Group Founder Jim Bernhard told News 2 today he is up for consideration to replace Stephen Chu as the Secretary of the Department of Energy. He also said there are other names out there to become the country's next Secretary of Energy. Bernhard recently... more »

• Obama picks Mary Jo White to lead SEC

  January 24, 2013 11:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will nominate Mary Jo White as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission this afternoon. White served for nearly a decade as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, building a reputation as a tough prosecutor with an... more »

• GOP moves to delay debt-ceiling showdown 3 months

  January 22, 2013 4:08 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republicans controlling the House are moving quickly to try to defuse a potential debt crisis. They're offering legislation to prevent a first-ever default on U.S. obligations for three months or more. The Republicans are giving up for now on trying to extract spending cuts from Democrats in return... 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 »

• Reports: Edwin to be 85-year-old dad

  January 8, 2013 9:40 PM

  GONZALES- Edwin Edwards and his new wife Trina Scott Edwards are expecting a child, Lafayette-based IND Monthly is reporting . The magazine reported Tuesday the 34-year-old is pregnant. The couple had announced they were attempting to conceive a child via artificial insemination. Edwards is 85-years-old. The couple... more »

• Farm bill extension is evidence of lost clout

  January 3, 2013 5:13 PM

  WASHINGTON - A patchwork extension of federal farm programs passed as part of a larger "fiscal cliff" bill keeps the price of milk from rising but doesn't include many of the goodies that farm-state lawmakers are used to getting for their rural districts. House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders who... more »

• Senate Dems offer Sandy disaster aid package

  December 12, 2012 3:56 PM

  WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats have quickly cobbled together a $60.4 billion disaster aid package for New York, New Jersey and other states hit by Superstorm Sandy in late October. Working from the emergency spending request President Barack Obama made five days ago, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday released draft... more »

• Metro Council to meet for the last time with current members tonight

  December 12, 2012 2:49 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Four of the twelve elected members of Metro Council will be making their last decisions of their council career tonight. Wednesday's meeting is also the last regular council meeting of the year. "Bones" Addison, Mike Walker, Alison Gary, and "Smokie" Bourgeois won't return to the council next... more »

• RNC looking into what went wrong in 2012

  December 10, 2012 3:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Republican National Committee is launching an independent inquiry into what worked in 2012's elections - and, perhaps more importantly, what did not. RNC chairman Reince Priebus on Monday rolled out his effort, called the Growth and Opportunity Project, to look at how GOP nominee Mitt Romney came... more »

• Corporate money to help pay for Obama inauguration

  December 7, 2012 12:44 PM

  WASHINGTON - In a reversal from four years ago, President Barack Obama will accept unlimited sums of corporate money to pay for his inauguration. A spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee said Friday that it will accept cash from companies and individuals to underwrite the costs of a weekend of... more »

• Senate passes $631 billion defense bill

  December 4, 2012 4:51 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate has voted for a sweeping, $631 billion defense bill that calls for accelerating the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and tightens sanctions on Iran. The vote was 98-0. The legislation would authorize money for weapons, aircraft and ships and provide a 1.7 percent pay raise... more »

• Ex-Slaughter alderman facing ethics charges

  November 29, 2012 7:52 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Former Slaughter Alderman Thomas Boothe faces state ethics charges related to his alleged misuse of public office. The Louisiana Board of Ethics posted the charges on its website Wednesday and asked the Ethics Adjudicatory Board to conduct a hearing on the allegations. The counts stem... more »

• Clinton Mayoral race turning nasty in final weeks Play Video

  November 27, 2012 3:39 PM

  CLINTON- Shocking allegations of wrongdoing surfaced today in East Feliciana Parish surrounding the Mayor's race. However, many of those allegations are just pranksters getting on telephones and causing trouble, according to Police Chief Eddie Stewart. "This morning, I was at work and got a call saying I would... more »

• Congress returns, effort to avert tax hikes and spending cuts resumes

  November 26, 2012 5:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Efforts to avoid the "fiscal cliff" have resumed in Washington following the long holiday weekend. Congress and President Barack Obama have until the end of the year to avoid tax increases and automatic spending cuts. White House and congressional aides say Obama spoke separately over the weekend with... more »

• NJ Gov. Christie announces re-election bid

  November 26, 2012 2:51 PM

  MIDDLETOWN, N.J. - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has announced he will seek re-election to a second term. Christie says he want New Jersey residents to know that he's "in this for the long haul" as he leads the state's recovery from Superstorm Sandy. The governor confirms he... more »

• For some, politics can bring an uneasy Thanksgiving

  November 20, 2012 3:14 PM

  UNDATED - Lots of extended families are getting together for Thanksgiving this week. And amid all the turkey and pie, the football on TV, the catching up on family doings, there are bound to be plenty of political disagreements. Andrew Marshall of Quincy, Mass., says his family members across... more »

• Obama hopes to meet with Romney before year's out

  November 14, 2012 2:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he hasn't yet scheduled a meeting with Republican Mitt Romney. At a news conference Wednesday, Obama said he hopes to have the chance to talk with Romney before the end of the year. Obama said the election was only a week ago, and that... more »

• Ryan: Shocked at loss, Obama won fair and square

  November 13, 2012 5:41 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan acknowledges that he was shocked when he and presidential nominee Mitt Romney lost last week's election. The Wisconsin congressman says President Barack Obama won fair and square. In an interview with ABC News being aired Tuesday, Ryan says he and Romney thought... more »

• Senate GOP leader: Obama should offer deficit plan

  November 13, 2012 3:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says it's up to President Barack Obama to present a deficit reduction plan rather than a campaign slogan to Congress. The Kentucky Republican said that like House Speaker John Boehner, he is ready to support new revenue as part of a deal that... more »

• House speaker says he'll consider tax increase

  November 7, 2012 6:02 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner is offering to pursue a deal with a victorious President Barack Obama that will include higher taxes "under the right conditions" to help reduce the nation's staggering debt and put its finances in order. Boehner tells reporters a day after the president's clear re-election... 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 »

• La. voters on both sides lament political divide

  November 6, 2012 5:08 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Turnout has been brisk across Louisiana as voters decide the presidential race, a half-dozen seats in the U.S. House and proposed amendments to the state constitution. Secretary of State spokeswoman Med Casper said Tuesday that there had been reports of occasional, routine problems with machines and long... more »

• Biden stops in Cleveland en route to Chicago

  November 6, 2012 11:20 AM

  CLEVELAND- Vice President Joe Biden is making an unannounced stop in Cleveland. Biden voted Tuesday morning in his home state of Delaware and then boarded a plane for Chicago, where he's joining President Barack Obama to await the election returns. An hour after takeoff, the small group of reporters traveling... 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 »

• 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 »

• Mayor Kip Holden fires back against political ad Play Video

  October 24, 2012 5:05 PM

  BATON ROUGE- East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor President held a news conference this afternoon refuting claims that began airing on television from his campaign opponent, Mike Walker. The ad paid for by the Mike Walker campaign, shows Louis Farrakahn speaking at Southern University. In the ad, Farrakahn thanks Mayor... more »

• Ryan says Obama misleading on Libya questions

  October 19, 2012 2:27 PM

  WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney's running mate is again slamming President Barack Obama for his response to questions about the attack in Libya that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans last month. Paul Ryan told a Milwaukee radio station (WTMJ) that Obama's answers have been "inconsistent" and "misleading." Ryan... more »

• Obama accuses Romney of suffering from 'Romnesia'

  October 19, 2012 2:22 PM

  FAIRFAX, Va. - President Barack Obama is making a direct gender pitch in hotly contested Virginia, telling a college crowd that when it comes to issues important to women's health and jobs, Mitt Romney is distancing himself from past stances and suffers from a case of "Romnesia." He says Romney... 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 »

• New revenue secretary starts as executive counsel

  October 9, 2012 5:25 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal's new revenue secretary Tim Barfield is on the job - but not officially as the secretary. Barfield has started working as executive counsel at the Louisiana Department of Revenue until the state Senate confirms his appointment as secretary, a move that won't happen until... 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 »

• NRA begins new ad campaign in battleground states

  October 8, 2012 11:05 AM

  NEW YORK - The National Rifle Association is airing a new television ad in four battleground states urging voters to defeat President Barack Obama. The pro-gun-rights group is spending $1.3 million to air the ad in Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. A spokesman said the group will be on the... more »

• Romney: US should be more assertive on world stage

  October 8, 2012 10:53 AM

  LEXINGTON, Va. - Mitt Romney says the risk of conflict in the Middle East has grown under President Barack Obama's leadership. The Republican presidential contender is calling for a "change of course" in the region. Romney assailed Obama's foreign policy in a speech Monday at the Virginia Military Institute in... more »

• New report takes a look at Louisiana tax structure

  October 8, 2012 10:50 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana state agencies have released a 43-page report that provides an overview of the state's tax structure and the $6.8 billion in tax breaks on the books. The report, released Monday, was put out by the Department of Revenue and Department of Economic Development. It is designed... more »

• Romney shifts to center as his confidence grows

  October 4, 2012 4:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is shifting sharply to the political center as he begins to deliver a closing argument aimed at a slice of moderate, undecided voters a month before Election Day. On taxes, immigration and more, the former Massachusetts governor has toned down his heated, campaign... 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 »

• Pastors preach politics: take on IRS Play Video

  October 3, 2012 10:27 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Dozens of local churches are joining a national effort to talk politics from the pulpit. The group called Alliance Defending Freedom is asking preachers to deliver a political sermon this Sunday. The Family of Faith Church of Baton Rouge is one of 32 churches that have already... more »

• Romney aide says debate will show he cares about jobless Americans

  October 3, 2012 2:06 PM

  DENVER - A senior adviser to Mitt Romney says viewers of tonight's debate will see that Romney "really cares about putting Americans back to work." An Obama campaign adviser, meanwhile, says the president plans to "have a conversation with the American people about where we've been over the past four... more »

• Bill Clinton: GOP taking away students' rights

  October 3, 2012 2:01 PM

  DURHAM, N.H. - Former President Bill Clinton is telling college students in the battleground state of New Hampshire that they have the right to vote either where they attend school or at home. Clinton took aim at the state's disputed new voter registration law while campaigning for President Barack Obama... more »

• Watch tonight's debate LIVE online

  October 3, 2012 1:49 PM

  DENVER - They've spent a lot of time talking about each other -- and now, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney will be talking to each other, and to tens of millions of viewers of tonight's first debate between them. You can watch tonight's debate through the... more »

• Landry gets support from GOP leaders

  October 2, 2012 3:56 PM

  BATON ROUGE - U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry has picked up the backing of Republican Party leaders from two-thirds of the parishes in the newly-drawn 3rd Congressional District, as he seeks to oust fellow GOP incumbent congressman, Charles Boustany. Landry announced Tuesday that he's been endorsed by the Republican Party executive... 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 »

• State Dep't rejects call for UN ambassador to quit

  October 1, 2012 12:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is rejecting a demand from a senior Republican lawmaker for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to resign. Rep. Peter King of New York said last week Susan Rice's explanation of the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was a... more »

• Economic recovery likely, benefiting election winner

  October 1, 2012 12:27 PM

  WASHINGTON - Eventually, the economic recovery seems likely to pick up steam - whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is in the White House. That's what many economic outlooks project. And the president - and the party - occupying the Oval Office will reap some of the benefits. But first,... 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 »

• Older voters look beyond Medicare, Social Security

  September 27, 2012 12:45 PM

  WASHINGTON - Get in line, Medicare and Social Security. Seniors, like just about everyone else, have money on their minds. Seniors vote at a higher rate than any other age group, so they'll be a deciding factor in the presidential election. Seniors backed the Republican candidate in the last two... 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• Politics on Facebook, Twitter off limits to state workers

  September 20, 2012 10:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE- There's a social media crackdown in some state government offices. Facebook "Likes" and Twitter "Follows" connected to political candidates are off limits to Civil Service Employees. Leaders say it's an online "bumper sticker" or "yard sign." Many of those are not allowed for workers. "When we... 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 »

• Sen. Vitter labeled "most corrupt" for blocking pay raise after oil spill

  September 12, 2012 9:45 PM

  WASHINGTON, D.C.- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington named Louisiana Senator David Vitter one of the "most corrupt." The organization names 20 members of Congress and says "most members on CREW's list violated the law and all flagrantly ignored the rules. For the majority, there have been few... 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 »

• 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 »

• Romney says America worse off now than in 2009

  September 5, 2012 3:59 PM

  WEST LEBANON, N.H. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is pointing the country's $16 trillion debt and the millions of people who rely on food stamps as proof that Americans aren't better off than they were four years ago. Stopping at a pizza shop Wednesday in West Lebanon, N.H., Romney... 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 »

• Democrats open 2012 convention

  September 4, 2012 4:12 PM

  CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Democrats have called their national convention to order and delegates will soon move to adopt a party platform that calls for higher taxes on wealthier Americans while backing same-sex marriage and abortion rights. An estimated 35,000 attendees will be at the convention in Charlotte, N.C. First lady... 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 »

• Republicans gavel open convention

  August 27, 2012 1:17 PM

  TAMPA, Fla. - Republicans have gaveled open their convention that will culminate with the nomination of Mitt Romney to be president. Party Chairman Reince Priebus banged the gavel on an abbreviated Monday session as the threat of Tropical Storm Isaac forced the GOP to cram four days of speeches and... more »

• Conventions play to TV, but with little suspense

  August 20, 2012 3:43 PM

  WASHINGTON - Americans already know that this year's national political conventions will end with a Romney-Ryan ticket for the Republicans and an Obama-Biden ticket for the Democrats. So have modern-day conventions become irrelevant? Not completely. For the parties, conventions are colossally significant events - opportunities to claim precious hours of... 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 »

• Obama cheers 'mind-boggling' Curiosity mission

  August 13, 2012 11:17 AM

  ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE- President Barack Obama says last week's landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars was a "mind-boggling" accomplishment. And he's urging NASA scientists to let him know right away if the craft happens to see any Martians. Obama telephoned the Curiosity team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory... more »

• Moderators announced for presidential debates

  August 13, 2012 10:22 AM

  WASHINGTON - For the first time in two decades, a woman has been tapped to moderate a presidential debate. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that CNN's Candy Crowley will moderate one of three October debates between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Jim Lehrer of PBS... more »

• Romney reportedly announcing Paul Ryan as running mate

  August 11, 2012 12:48 AM

  NORFOLK, Va.- National media are reporting Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has chosen Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate. The Associated Press and other television media site sources close to - or in - the Republican party. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal had been reported to be... more »

• Jindal headed to Colorado for Romney bus tour

  August 9, 2012 7:25 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Gov. Bobby Jindal is again hitting the campaign trail for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, this time in Colorado. Romney's campaign announced that Jindal is among several GOP officials touring Colorado on Thursday with the "Romney Bus." Jindal's scheduled for four events, including a rally and... more »

• House Democrats lose bid to hike taxes on wealthy

  August 1, 2012 4:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats have lost a bid in the Republican-controlled House to increase taxes on high-income earners and on people who inherit million dollar-plus estates. The Democratic plan, which was backed by President Barack Obama, fell to Republicans who insisted that a full package of Bush-era tax cuts be renewed... more »

• Conroy ends bid for EBR mayor-president

  July 30, 2012 1:46 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Business owner John Conroy ended his run for East Baton Rouge mayor-president today. Conroy said the experience had been a "pleasure", and that he had sought to highlight issues he felt needed addressing with his campaign. "Crime is out of control, our District Attorney's office... more »

• Barclays employees boost Romney campaign

  July 26, 2012 10:53 AM

  LONDON - The former chief executive of Barclays dropped out of Mitt Romney's Thursday night fundraiser in London, but Bob Diamond had already sent a check for $2,500. So have 82 others who listed their employer as Barclays or Barclays Capital on U.S. Federal Election Commission records, including two who... more »

• Jeb Bush wants Romney to choose Rubio for VP

  July 25, 2012 5:03 PM

  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he thinks Sen. Marco Rubio is ready to be vice president and that he has shared those thoughts with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Romney has said the first-term senator from Florida is among those he is considering to be his... more »

• Romney distances self from 'Anglo Saxon' remark

  July 25, 2012 4:20 PM

  LONDON - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is distancing himself from an unnamed adviser quoted in British media as suggesting that President Barack Obama doesn't understand the "Anglo-Saxon" heritage shared by Britain and the U.S. Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said Wednesday that if an adviser did say that, the... more »

• Senate OKs Dem tax-cut bill in showdown with GOP

  July 25, 2012 4:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate has voted to approve a Democratic bill renewing tax cuts next year for all but the highest-earning Americans. The partisan 51-48 vote was a victory for Democrats and averted what would have been a campaign-season embarrassment for them and the White House. The bill closely follows... more »

• Movie theater rampage shakes up campaign

  July 20, 2012 10:17 AM

  FORT MYERS, Fla. - President Barack Obama says the tragic movie theater shooting in Colorado that left 12 people dead is a reminder that life is fragile. He says the event "reminds us of all the ways that we are united as one American family." In Florida for a campaign... more »