WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• GOP demands more despite Benghazi email release

  May 16, 2013 8:46 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House's release of nearly 100 pages of emails and notes about the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, has failed to satisfy congressional Republicans demanding more information. A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner says that Republicans hoped the limited release of... more »

• White House releases Benghazi emails

  May 15, 2013 6:54 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House has released 99 pages of emails and a single page of hand-written notes documenting how the administration crafted its public talking points immediately following September's deadly assault on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya. Among the details, the documents show that then-CIA Director David... more »

• White House 'horrified' hearing of Syria killings

  May 5, 2013 2:04 PM

  COLUMBUS, Ohio - The White House says it is "horrified" by reports that more than 100 people were executed Thursday in a western Syrian town. White House spokesman Josh Earnest says those responsible for serious human rights and international law violations must be held accountable. The State Department has cited... 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 »

• White House: No military moves seen in N. Korea

  April 1, 2013 12:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says that despite bellicose rhetoric from North Korea the Obama administration has not seen changes in the regime's military posture. White House press secretary Jay Carney said Mondays the U.S. has not detected any military mobilization or repositioning of forces from Pyongyang to back up... 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 »

• White House calls immigration proposal a backup

  February 18, 2013 9:39 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is downplaying its immigration proposal as merely a backup plan if lawmakers don't come up with an overhaul of their own. Republican and Democratic lawmakers tell President Barack Obama that it won't be necessary. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough says that Obama wants... more »

• White House: 'Grave concern' on delayed nominees

  February 17, 2013 12:43 PM

  WASHINGTON - The new White House chief of staff says there's "a grave concern" about delays in assembling President Barack Obama's second-term national security team. Senate Republicans have stalled the nominations of Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary and John Brennan to be CIA director. GOP lawmakers want more answers... 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 »

• 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 »

• White House: Sandy to blame for lack of growth

  January 30, 2013 10:37 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says Superstorm Sandy is partially to blame for the unexpected contraction of the U.S. economy. Top White House economist Alan Krueger says the storm, which battered the East Coast, disrupted economic activity and destroyed $44 billion in fixed capital. Krueger also says federal defense spending... 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 »

• White House calls NRA video repugnant, cowardly

  January 16, 2013 10:56 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says a National Rifle Association video referencing President Barack Obama's daughters is "repugnant and cowardly." Obama spokesman Jay Carney says most Americans agree that a president's children should not be used as "pawns in a political fight." Carney was referring to an online video from... 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 »

• NRA vows to defend gun rights after WH meeting

  January 10, 2013 3:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - The nation's largest gun-rights lobby says some participants at its White House meeting seemed more interested in demonizing the Second Amendment than keeping students safe. The National Rifle Association met with Vice President Joe Biden's school safety study group on Thursday and afterward said the participants spent most... 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 »

• Obama, Karzai to meet in Washington on Friday

  January 7, 2013 6:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will host Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House on Friday. It's the first in-person meeting for the two leaders since Obama won re-election. His victory meant the continuation of his administration's plans to bring the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan to a close by... more »

• House gives final passage to fiscal cliff bill

  January 1, 2013 10:52 PM

  WASHINGTON - Legislation to block the "fiscal cliff" is headed to the White House for President Barack Obama's signature. The bill will avoid, for now, the major tax increases and government spending cuts that had been scheduled to take effect with the new year. Final approval came in the House... more »

• Congress gets a raise as country goes over cliff

  December 31, 2012 10:28 PM

  Washington DC - While the country braces for the fiscal cliff, congress will prepare of pay raises. On Thursday the President signed an executive order ending long time pay freezes for federal employees. It ushers in raises for the Vice President, congress, and circuit and district court judges. The VP... more »

• McConnell: 2 sides close on 'fiscal cliff' deal

  December 31, 2012 2:06 PM

  WASHINGTON- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says he and the White House have agreed on preventing tax hikes that the "fiscal cliff" will trigger after midnight. And he says they are very close to an overall deal that would also prevent budget-wide spending cuts. The Kentucky Republican did not provide... more »

• House to return to session Sunday evening

  December 27, 2012 2:37 PM

  WASHINGTON- The House will be back in session Sunday evening as the "fiscal cliff" looms, threatening across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts with the new year. Officials said the Republican leadership informed the GOP rank and file of the plan to meet during a conference call Thursday. It is unclear... more »

• Obama, Boehner meeting at the White House

  December 17, 2012 10:46 AM

  WASHINGTON - A White House official says President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner are meeting at the White House to discuss the pending fiscal cliff and deficit reduction. The meeting comes as Boehner is offering $1 trillion in higher tax revenue over 10 years and an increase in... more »

• Obama to address nation about school shooting

  December 14, 2012 2:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will speak from the White House briefing room about the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. The president's comments will be at 3:15 EST Friday. They will be his first on the incident, which has left at least 27 people dead, including 18 children.... more »

• Obama briefed on Connecticut shooting

  December 14, 2012 12:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama has been briefed on a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school Friday morning. Press Secretary Jay Carney says the president was first informed about the incident by his counterterrorism adviser John Brennan. Carney says Obama will continue to receive regular updates... more »

• Obama, Boehner to meet on 'fiscal cliff'

  December 13, 2012 3:14 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will meet with House Speaker John Boehner later Thursday at the White House amid negotiations on the "fiscal cliff." The meeting comes as Boehner has accused Obama of dragging out negotiations on any agreement to avoid a series of wide-ranging tax... more »

• Boehner: Differences remain in fiscal cliff talks

  December 12, 2012 1:41 PM

  WASHINGTON - Talks between the White House and House Speaker John Boehner on a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" continue out of the public eye. But public statements from lawmakers suggest a deal is not close. Boehner himself says "serious differences" remain between him and President Barack Obama. The... more »

• White House asks agencies to plan for fiscal cliff

  December 5, 2012 4:06 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House budget office has asked federal agencies to calculate more than $100 billion in spending cuts that would go into effect in January if Congress and the Obama administration fail to reach agreement to avert the looming fiscal cliff. White House press secretary Jay Carney said... more »

• White House rejects GOP fiscal cliff counteroffer

  December 3, 2012 4:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is rejecting a Republican counteroffer aimed at averting the "fiscal cliff," saying it does not meet what the White House calls "the test of balance." White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer says the GOP proposal would lower tax rates for the wealthy and stick the... more »

• GOP proposes new 'fiscal cliff' offer to Obama

  December 3, 2012 2:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Republicans negotiating with President Barack Obama on avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff are proposing to increase the eligibility age for Medicare and to lower cost-of-living hikes in Social Security benefits. The proposal is a response to Obama's offer last week to hike taxes by $1.6 trillion over... more »

• WH: Syrian use chem weapons would cross 'red line'

  December 3, 2012 2:15 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says it is increasingly concerned that the beleaguered regime in Syria might be considering use of chemical weapons against its own people and warned that doing so would "cross a red line." White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday that U.S. officials are closely... more »

• Obama to meet with Romney tomorrow

  November 28, 2012 10:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - A private lunch at the White House tomorrow will be the first meeting between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney since their last debate. Obama had promised in his victory speech earlier this month that he would engage with Romney following their bitter campaign, and that he would... more »

• Stocks open lower on new fiscal cliff warning

  November 26, 2012 10:29 AM

  NEW YORK - Stocks are opening lower after a warning from White House economists dampened what had been a huge weekend for retailers. Shoppers flooded stores in record numbers over the weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. The organization said 247 million shoppers visited stores and shopping websites during... more »

• Obama: US can't afford across-the-board tax hike

  November 14, 2012 12:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the economy cannot afford a tax increase on all Americans and is calling on congressional Republicans to support an extension of existing tax rates for households earning $250,000 or less. Obama says he is confident that he and Congress can reach an agreement that... more »

• Liberal group outlines substantial Medicare cuts

  November 14, 2012 12:11 PM

  WASHINGTON - A think-tank with ties to the White House is looking to prevent a raid on health care programs during upcoming budget talks. It's released a plan today for some significant savings -- mostly from Medicare. The blueprint from the Center for American Progress spares Medicaid and the new... more »

• Obama: Wealthy must see higher taxes under plan

  November 9, 2012 12:33 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says raising taxes on wealthiest Americans must be part of deficit reduction plan but says he is "open to compromise" and "new ideas." Obama says he will refuse to accept any approach that "isn't balanced." Obama says in his first public comments since the 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 »

• 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 »

• AP: Obama re-elected to 2nd term

  November 6, 2012 10:48 PM

  WASHINGTON - Barack Obama has won re-election to a second term as president, beating back a fierce challenge from Republican Mitt Romney. Obama prevailed despite a weak economy and high unemployment. Democrats have also retained control of the Senate, according to election results in so far. Republicans look... 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• Campaigns invade other sides' turf

  October 31, 2012 10:37 AM

  MASON, Ohio - Some campaign workers in the battleground state of Ohio have a particularly challenging mission: find votes in opposition territory. President Barack Obama's campaign did well with that strategy in 2008, and won Ohio. The campaign has expanded such behind-the-lines efforts this year in places such as the... 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 »

• Park Service to plant new National Christmas Tree

  October 26, 2012 12:57 PM

  WASHINGTON - The National Park Service says a new National Christmas Tree will be planted on the Ellipse near the White House this weekend. The planting is scheduled for Saturday before Hurricane Sandy is expected to strike the Mid-Atlantic region. A 28-foot-tall Colorado blue spruce is being transported to Washington... 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• Romney on '47 percent': I was 'completely wrong'

  October 4, 2012 10:10 PM

  FISHERSVILLE, Va. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has described his disparaging remarks about the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay federal income taxes as "not elegantly stated." Now he's calling them "just completely wrong." Romney had contended that nearly half of Americans consider themselves "victims" and are dependent... more »

• Obama vs Romney on school funding

  October 3, 2012 10:22 PM

  DENVER (AP) - President Barack Obama says Republican rival Mitt Romney favors cutting a fifth of the Education Department's budget while Romney is countering that Obama directed $90 billion to so-called "green jobs" - a sum, he says, that would hire 2 million teachers. The two sparred Wednesday during their... more »

• White House: US, Israel in full agreement on Iran

  September 28, 2012 4:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain in "full agreement" about keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. The Obama administration's account of Friday's phone call offered no mention of Netanyahu's dire declaration to the U.N. General Assembly. The Israeli leader... more »

• Romney arrives in Louisiana for storm visit

  August 31, 2012 12:31 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has arrived in Louisiana to survey damage from the storm Isaac. Friday's trip was his first stop after closing the Republican National Convention in Florida a night earlier. The former Massachusetts governor was expected to visit an emergency command center in Lafitte,... more »

• WH: Obama tells FEMA to closely monitor Isaac

  August 26, 2012 3:27 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama has told the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate closely with officials in states and localities in the path of tropical storm Isaac. Obama also has told the governor of Florida that federal officials are prepared to help ensure the safety... 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 »

• White House: Reaction to Romney comment in Jerusalem shows challenges of diplomacy

  July 30, 2012 5:10 PM

  WHITE HOUSE (AP) - The White House says it appears that Mitt Romney's comments today in Jerusalem left some people "scratching their heads a little bit." Romney told a group of Jewish donors that their culture was part of what allowed them to be more economically successful than the Palestinians... more »

• White House: Obama not seeking new gun laws

  July 26, 2012 2:27 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama is not pushing for new gun control legislation even though he still supports a ban on assault weapons. Spokesman Jay Carney says Obama intends to focus on other ways to combat violence. Carney's comments Thursday are the latest sign that... more »

• Obama: Not just running attacks on Romney

  July 16, 2012 12:14 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says his campaign isn't just based on attacks on Mitt Romney. In an interview that aired this morning on CBS, Obama was asked about the large number of negative ads that have been run against Romney by his campaign in recent weeks. Obama said his... more »

• Romney arrives for Baton Rouge fundraiser

  July 16, 2012 11:45 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is in downtown Baton Rouge today to raise money in his bid for the White House this fall. Streets are blocked off and security heightened downtown as Romney arrived at the City Club for a $50,000 per plate luncheon. ... more »

• White House threatens veto on health care repeal

  July 9, 2012 6:13 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House has issued a veto threat for a House bill to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law. The White House says the repeal would cost millions of American families the security of affordable health coverage. House Republicans are scheduled to vote to overturn the law... more »

• White House: Obama wouldn't sign partial extension

  July 9, 2012 3:07 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says if Congress sends him a bill to extend tax cuts for everyone -- even households making more than $250,000 a year -- President Barack Obama wouldn't sign it. Obama today urged lawmakers to extend the cuts for those making less than that amount, instead... more »

• Obama to celebrate July Fourth at White House

  July 4, 2012 7:13 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will be celebrating the nation's 236th birthday today at the White House. The president returns from Camp David this morning. Then he'll deliver remarks at a naturalization ceremony for active-duty service members in the East Room. In the evening, the president and the... more »

• GOP, Holder open to talks before contempt vote

  June 21, 2012 5:02 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Republican officials and Attorney General Eric Holder say they're willing to negotiate an end to a potential constitutional confrontation in a dispute related to the botched "Fast and Furious" gun-tracking operation. But that didn't stop House leaders from both parties from trading barbs over the issue again... more »

• Charges fly after White House invokes privilege

  June 20, 2012 1:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - There are more harsh words from both sides, after today's White House decision to invoke executive privilege, rather than turn over documents sought by a House panel looking into a flawed gun-running investigation. And the panel that sought the documents is nearing a vote on whether to cite... more »

• White House confirms death of al-Qaida No. 2

  June 5, 2012 2:35 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is confirming the death of al-Qaida's second-in-command, calling it a "major blow" to the terror network. White House spokesman Jay Carney would not confirm how Abu Yahya al-Libi was killed. An American official says he was killed in a U.S. drone strike. Carney described... more »

• White House pushes for college cost transparency

  June 5, 2012 9:38 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is partnering with dozens of colleges to provide new students with easier-to-understand information on costs and financial aid. Vice President Joe Biden is announcing the partnership Tuesday along with representatives from several schools, including Syracuse University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.... more »

• Roemer ends presidential bid

  May 31, 2012 10:02 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer has pulled out of the race for the White House. Roemer's team issued a statement Thursday morning through email announcing that he has suspended his campaign after 17 months of campaigning. Roemer was running for president as an Independent after... more »

• White House says bank loss shows need for rules

  May 14, 2012 10:32 AM

  ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - The White House says a $2 billion trading blunder by JPMorgan Chase shows the continued need for rules that protect the taxpayer when Wall Street makes mistakes. White House press secretary Jay Carney says the loss is a reminder of why controls installed after the... more »

• Gingrich calls on GOP to unite behind Romney

  April 25, 2012 11:04 AM

  Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich all but conceded that his White House campaign is over. He said Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina that he expected Mitt Romney to be the GOP nominee. He also called on the party to unite behind the former Massachusetts governor. Gingrich did... more »

• Jindal backs Mitt Romney for president

  April 10, 2012 5:40 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - With Rick Santorum exiting the presidential race, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has announced his support for expected Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Jindal issued a statement Tuesday that congratulated Romney "on winning a hard-fought race." The Republican Louisiana governor said, "I look forward to supporting him... more »

• US urges Israel diplomacy with Iran

  March 5, 2012 11:43 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama and Israel's Prime Minister are showing some unity today on the issue of Iran's nuclear weapons. President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are meeting at the White House. The President said the US and Israel agaree that diplomacy is the best way... more »

• White House helps pay for NYPD Muslim surveillance

  February 27, 2012 7:54 AM

  WASHINGTON - Millions of dollars in White House money is helping pay for New York Police Department programs that put entire American Muslim neighborhoods under surveillance. The money is part of a little-known grant intended to help law enforcement fight drug crimes. Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush... more »

• White House searches for answers after Quran burning

  February 27, 2012 6:03 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and top aides are in damage-control mode after rioting raged in Afghanistan following last week's Quran-burning incident at a U.S. air base. The president has already apologized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. But that hasn't stopped the violence, which has claimed not only Afghan lives... more »

• Jindal to meet with governors, dine at White House

  February 24, 2012 2:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - Gov. Bobby Jindal is meeting with fellow governors from around the country this weekend in Washington and is set to dine at the White House. Jindal's office said the GOP governor traveled to Washington on Friday for events with the Republican Governors' Association and meeting of... more »

• White House typo has Biden heading to 'Road Island'

  February 22, 2012 12:30 PM

  PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The vice president is hitting the road - to what the White House wrote as "Road Island," mistakenly spelled R-O-A-D instead of R-H-O-D-E. A release outlining Joe Biden's plans for the week showed him traveling to Providence in misspelled "Road Island" on Thursday for a campaign event.... more »

• Roemer goes Independent

  February 22, 2012 10:43 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer is giving up his attempt to win the Republican nomination for president. But he's no giving up his bid for the White House. Roemer announced today that he is leaving the GOP after his dismal performances in the states that... more »

• Obama to promote job training at community college

  February 13, 2012 8:43 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama wants community colleges and businesses to work together to train 2 million workers in high-growth industries. On Monday, he will seek $8 billion to create a fund to encourage such partnerships. The White House says the president will spell out his plan at a community... more »

• Obama helps woman with Husband's Resume

  February 1, 2012 7:41 PM

  President Obama helped Jennifer Wedel's husband find a job two days after talking with her in an online town hall. He offered to take a look at her unemployed husband's resume and she says the President followed through. Her husband has been contacted by several recruiters and Wedel says she... more »

• White House makes case for rejecting oil pipeline

  January 18, 2012 1:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is presenting its case for rejecting a Canadian company's plan to build an oil pipeline from Canada to Texas. White House spokesman Jay Carney stopped short of saying a decision had been made. But amid a flurry of reports Wednesday that President Barack Obama would... more »

• White House announces summer jobs initiative

  January 5, 2012 6:07 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is looking to boost summer job prospects for youth. The White House says that with help from the private sector it's gotten commitments for nearly 180,000 youth employment opportunities for next summer and is aiming for tens of thousands more. Obama says that with... more »

• White House non-committal on paying for tax cut

  November 29, 2011 3:46 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is refusing to say whether President Barack Obama would sign into law an extension of payroll tax cuts that is not paid for. Spokesman Jay Carney says Obama would prefer that lawmakers find a way to pay for the cuts and not add to... more »

• Lafayette artist designs Louisiana's White House tree ornament

  November 27, 2011 5:01 PM

  LAFAYETTE- A Christmas ornament designed by Lafayette artist Tony Bernard will serve as Louisiana's official ornament for the White House tree. Bernard and students at Copper Mill Elementary School in Zachary decorated ornaments, along with Louisiana First Lady Supriya Jindal last week. This happened at the request of... more »

• Christmas tree arrives at White House

  November 25, 2011 1:33 PM

  WASHINGTON - Michelle Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha, and family dog Bo have witnessed arrival of a 19-foot balsam fir from Wisconsin as the official White House Christmas tree. The fir came from Tom and Sue Schroeder's Forevergreens farm near Neshkoro, Wis. It's the first time one of the... more »

• U.S. Combat Troops to Africa

  October 14, 2011 7:55 PM

  About 100 U.S. troops were sent to central Africa on President Obama's order to help battle the notorious Lord's Resistance Army responsible for a campaign of rape, murder and kidnapping for the last 20 years. The White House says the first U.S. troops went to Uganda and will deploy in... more »

• Palin camp denounces racy bio of former governor

  September 15, 2011 1:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Sarah Palin's husband is calling a book critical of his family "disgusting lies, innuendo and smears." The former Alaska governor's camp on Thursday sought to discredit a racy biography that includes allegations of infidelity and drug use. Todd Palin says author Joe McGinniss has stalked the... more »

• Daryl Hannah arrested in White House oil protest

  August 30, 2011 1:00 PM

  WASHINGTON - Actress Daryl Hannah has been arrested in front of the White House along with other environmental protesters who oppose a planned oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast. The sit-in on Tuesday involved dozens protesting the Keystone XL pipeline. It would go through Montana,... more »

• White House criticizes court's health care ruling

  August 12, 2011 2:03 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is expressing confidence that it's constitutional to require people to have health insurance and believes that President Barack Obama's health care law will be survive all legal challenges in the end. Obama adviser Stephanie Cutter says the White House strongly disagrees with an appeals... more »

• Federal deficit tops $1T for third straight year

  August 10, 2011 1:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - The nation's budget deficit has topped $1 trillion for a third straight year, adding pressure on Congress and the White House to make more progress on a long-term plan to shrink the growing imbalance. The Treasury Department says the deficit through July totals $1.1 trillion. Three... more »

• Secret Service apprehends White House fence jumper

  August 3, 2011 2:52 AM

  WASHINGTON- A homeless man is in custody after climbing over the White House fence Tuesday night. The man was immediately captured by uniformed Secret Service agents. Agency spokesman Ed Donovan says the man had a backpack that's being examined for possible explosive material. Donovan says 41-year-old James Crudup was transferred... more »

• White House, GOP discuss potential debt limit pact

  July 31, 2011 10:01 AM

  WASHINGTON- White House officials and congressional Republicans are discussing a potential agreement that could end their bitter debt limit showdown. The hope is that a deal can be completed by Tuesday to avert a possible government default. Officials speaking on condition of anonymity say the White House and GOP... more »

• Top bankers urge Obama, Congress to reach deal

  July 28, 2011 1:54 PM

  NEW YORK - The chief executives of the nation's largest financial institutions sent a letter to The White House and to members of the U.S. Congress, urging them come to an agreement this week to raise the nation's borrowing limit. A deal must be made by Aug. 2 to... more »