Stephen Dinan

Jeb Bush ends presidential campaign after disastrous showing in South Carolina

His own mother told him not to run, and on Saturday, Jeb Bush finally caved to her political wisdom, suspending his presidential campaign after another disappointing showing in South Carolina's primary.

February 20, 2016

Donald Trump wins South Carolina primary, Jeb Bush drops out

Surmounting new concerns about his temperament and his commitment to conservative values, Donald Trump was projected to win South Carolina's Republican presidential primary Saturday, sealing himself as the frontrunner and proving he can win in moderate and conservative states alike.

February 20, 2016

Trump calls for Apple boycott over San Bernardino terrorist iPhone

Donald Trump demanded Friday that Apple submit to a government request that it break into the iPhone of one of the two people involved in the San Bernardino terrorist attack, saying the company needs to help the country be stronger in fighting terrorism.

February 19, 2016

Marco Rubio warns S.C. voters to watch for Ted Cruz ‘tricks’ on primary day

Sen. Marco Rubio warned South Carolina voters Friday to be on the lookout for campaign "tricks" perpetrated by Sen. Ted Cruz as the hours tick down to the voting here on Saturday in the GOP presidential primary.

February 19, 2016

Rep. Mark Sanford endorses Ted Cruz ahead of South Carolina primary

South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz's presidential bid Friday, saying he felt the Texan was the best defender of the Constitution.

February 19, 2016

Donald Trump says Pope Francis probably misinformed by Mexico

Donald Trump said Thursday that he thinks Pope Francis was likely misinformed about his stance on building a border wall, and said the Mexican government probably egged the pontiff on to criticize the Republican front-runner.

February 18, 2016

Marco Rubio hampered by immigration stance even as GOP becomes more lenient

Sen. Marco Rubio might be running away with the Republican presidential primary, where a number of voters say they like everything the first-term senator has to say -- except for his stance on a crucial flashpoint issue.

February 18, 2016

Donald Trump, Pope Francis butt heads on immigration

GREENVILLE, S.C. | Donald Trump managed to get into a virtual shouting match with Pope Francis on Thursday, as the GOP careened toward one of the most intense, bruising and bizarre showdowns in primary history.

February 18, 2016

Donald Trump slams Pope Francis, predicts terror attack on Vatican

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired back at Pope Francis Thursday, predicting that the Islamic State will attack the Vatican and the pontiff will rue the day that he said Mr. Trump isn't a Christian if he wants to deport illegal immigrants. The real estate mogul also said it was "disgraceful" for a religious leader to level that accusation.

February 18, 2016

DHS adds Somalia, Yemen and Libya to anti-terror travel list

The Obama administration expanded the reach of the new anti-terrorist travel restrictions Thursday, saying that those wanting to visit the U.S. who have recently been to Libya, Somalia or Yemen must go through the regular visa process and cannot use the waiver program.

February 18, 2016

Trey Gowdy probe claims ‘big wins’ in getting Benghazi info

Rep. Trey Gowdy said Thursday that the congressional probe into the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack made "significant breakthroughs" this month in getting access to key figures involved in writing the talking points that misled the country into erroneously blaming a video.

February 18, 2016

Obama Supreme Court pick divides opinion of voters

The country is split on whether the Senate should approve President Obama's pick to the Supreme Court or wait until after the election and a new president, according to a new poll Wednesday afternoon that does little to settle the fight in Washington.

February 17, 2016

Ted Cruz breaks from Republican rivals on draft registration for women

It's one of the more unusual applause lines of the campaign, but Sen. Ted Cruz got a big ovation Tuesday night when he promised supporters that he would try to stop American women from having to register for the draft.

February 17, 2016

Nikki Haley to endorse Marco Rubio in South Carolina GOP primary: Report

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio's presidential bid Wednesday evening, giving him an extra boost as the Republican establishment's embrace of the onetime insurgent grows, and he emerges as the chief alternative to Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz.

February 17, 2016

Ted Cruz dares Donald Trump to sue over abortion ads

Sen. Ted Cruz dared Donald Trump to sue him Wednesday after the billionaire businessman sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding the end to a Cruz campaign ad accusing Mr. Trump of being pro-choice.

February 17, 2016

Bill Clinton makes nice with South Carolina blacks who ditched Hillary for Obama in 2008

If there was offense taken at the time, South Carolina Democrats say they're ready to forgive former President Clinton for his sharp elbows during the 2008 presidential race, welcoming him back to the state Tuesday, where he urged them to pick his wife's pragmatism over the expansive plans of Sen. Bernard Sanders.

February 16, 2016

John Kasich mispronounces Trey Gowdy’s name in South Carolina home state

He's a rock star to many Republicans, particularly in South Carolina, but Rep. Trey Gowdy appears to be a stranger to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who called him "Troy Gowdy" on Tuesday as he campaigned in Mr. Gowdy's congressional district.

February 16, 2016

GOP showing signs of backing down from vow to block Obama’s Supreme Court nominee automatically

President Obama called on Senate Republicans Tuesday to give his eventual Supreme Court nominee a fair hearing in his bid to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, as cracks emerged in the Republican leadership's position of automatically blocking any nominee.

February 16, 2016

Tea party leader jilts Donald Trump for Jeb Bush

The co-founder of Tea Party of America abandoned Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump Tuesday and threw his backing to Jeb Bush in a striking move that suggests some softening in the GOP front-runner's support among conservatives as the campaign shifts to South Carolina.

February 16, 2016

George W. Bush campaigns for Jeb Bush in South Carolina

More than seven years after he left office, President George W. Bush returned to the campaign trail Monday to defend his legacy and try to help his struggling younger brother, Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who wants to extend the family dynasty in the White House.

February 15, 2016