Stephen Dinan

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore mayor, opens Democrats’ convention

Democrats' dissension showed from the very start of their convention Monday, with supporters of Sen. Bernard Sanders jeering even overtop of the invocation prayer.

July 25, 2016

Debbie Wasserman Schultz tells Florida newspaper she will not gavel in party’s convention

She was ousted from her job as party chief, shouted down by enraged delegates -- and now Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has given up the gavel at the convention, which kicks off Monday afternoon.

July 25, 2016

Bernie Sanders delegates having trouble recruiting VP alternative to Kaine

A group of Sen. Bernard Sanders' supporters said Monday they're trying to recruit a challenger to Sen. Tim Kaine's selection to be Democrats' vice presidential nominee, but said they're having trouble finding anyone willing to buck the Clinton campaign.

July 25, 2016

Donald Trump surges to lead after GOP convention

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has surged to a lead in the polls after his party's national convention last week, powered by a newly unified GOP behind him and independent voters giving him a second look.

July 25, 2016

Democratic convention speaker list heavy on political insiders, power brokers

Pundits have dubbed it the year of the political outsider, but judging by the lineup of speakers at their national convention this week, Democrats aren't worried about being insiders.

July 24, 2016

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC chief, to step down amid anti-Sanders controversy

Faced with a near-mutiny on the left, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz abruptly announced her resignation Sunday, injecting a new round of unwelcome drama for Hillary Clinton just as her presidential-coronation convention kicks off.

July 24, 2016

Donald Trump, Republicans move toward embrace of gays in convention’s final night

The Republican Party under Donald Trump took strides toward greater acceptance of gay Americans on Thursday, welcoming a gay businessman to the stage and recognizing the community's suffering at the hands of an Islamic State-inspired shooter in Florida weeks ago.

July 21, 2016

Donald Trump promises ‘the truth, and nothing else,’ releases speech transcript with 282 footnotes

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump promised an end to lies Thursday night -- and as if to prove his point, he posted a transcript of his speech meticulously annotated with 282 footnotes.

July 21, 2016

Donald Trump completes takeover of Republican Party, declares ‘I am your voice’

Donald Trump completed his takeover of the Republican Party on Thursday, claiming the presidential nomination, calling for unity within the party and holding himself out as the real agent of change all voters have been waiting for.

July 21, 2016

Early Trump backers bask in glory at convention

Amid all the holdouts and lukewarm backers at the convention here, there are a handful of prominent Republicans who bought early tickets on the Trump Train, and they are now collecting their due.

July 21, 2016

Ted Cruz banking on Donald Trump loss, 2020 front-runner status, strategists say

Ted Cruz rolled the dice on his political future Wednesday night by refusing to endorse Donald Trump, firmly planting himself in a camp with other establishment GOP holdouts and setting himself up for a 2020 run at the White House — but the early betting is that his risk won't pay off.

July 21, 2016

Donald Trump hijacks Obama’s ‘change’ slogan for acceptance speech

Americans are less safe today than when they elected President Obama and he chose Hillary Clinton as his top diplomat, Donald Trump will say Thursday, and he will promise to bring a steadier hand to the White House in dealing with unrest at home and the threat of terrorism across the globe, according to excerpts of his convention speech.

July 21, 2016

Top GOP donor: Donald Trump ‘has not as of yet reached out to us’

One of the GOP's top financial backers said Thursday that Donald Trump has not yet made overtures to woo the party's big donors, but she said there's plenty of interest in helping down-ticket Republicans win their races.

July 21, 2016

Donald Trump tests the mic: ‘I love the media. They’re so honest’

Donald Trump took a spin through the GOP's convention hall and did a microphone check Thursday afternoon, jokingly pronouncing himself a fan of the press.

July 21, 2016

Meredith McIver role as Melania Trump speechwriter prompts campaign finance complaint

An anti-Trump political action committee filed a complaint against Donald Trump with the Federal Election Commission Thursday, accusing him of breaking the law by using personal staffers for campaign business.

July 21, 2016

Ted Cruz fundraises off his GOP convention speech

Despite being booed from the stage Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz is fundraising off his speech at the GOP convention, asking for donations to continue his political fight.

July 21, 2016

Mike Pence accepts V.P. nomination, debuts as ticket attack dog

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence accepted Republicans' vice presidential nomination Wednesday night, introducing himself to the GOP convention and trying to project a party unity that's remains elusive.

July 20, 2016

Ted Cruz withholds Donald Trump endorsement in convention speech

Conservatives continued to battle for the soul of the Republican Party at its national convention Wednesday, with Sen. Ted Cruz refusing to endorse nominee Donald Trump and instead delivering a speech that many in the crowd saw as the kickoff of the 2020 presidential campaign.

July 20, 2016

Spanish-language media’s ‘immigration-centric’ coverage casts Republicans in negative light

Voters watching coverage of the Republican National Convention's first night saw Melania Trump's speech, a fight over party rules and withering attacks against Hillary Clinton. But those who got their news from Spanish-language newspapers and television saw a party equating illegal immigrants to criminals and terrorists.

July 20, 2016

Sajid Tarar’s closing prayer marred by ‘No Islam’ chant at Republican convention

The closing prayer at Republicans' convention session Tuesday, delivered by a Muslim, was marred by a Trump supporter repeatedly chanting "No Islam," exposing a still raw nerve within the GOP over how big the party's tent should be.

July 19, 2016