Stephen Dinan

McCain rallies supporters to oppose Obama spending

Sen. John McCain on Tuesday went head-to-head with President Obama by mobilizing his network of campaign supporters against the president's economic recovery package, saying Republicans have not been given enough input.

February 3, 2009

Obama wields pen at historic pace

Looking to move quickly on his campaign promises, President Obama has turned to the one tool that he has to ignore Congress and take unilateral action - he signed eight executive orders in his first 11 days in office, making him by far the most activist new president in modern history on that score.

February 3, 2009

Obama reversing Bush on unions

After eight years in political exile, leaders of labor unions were brought into the White House on Friday to see President Obama sign executive orders that will curb union-busting and preserve workers' jobs on federal contracts.

January 31, 2009

Bill allots millions to Filipino vets abroad

Senators say their goal is to stimulate the U.S. economy, but the Senate's economic recovery package spends up to $198 million in lump-sum payments to aging Filipino veterans of World War II -- two-thirds of whom don't live in the U.S. and are unlikely to be pumping much money into the economy.

January 30, 2009

Database targets jailed immigrants

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano pledged Thursday to create a database network aimed at deporting immigrant criminals after their jail time rather then releasing them onto U.S. streets, though the administration also put off implementing a Bush-era effort to crack down on illegal-immigrant workers.

January 30, 2009

EXCLUSIVE: Stimulus has plum for lawmaker’s son

EXCLUSIVE: A top House Republican is demanding an investigation into whether the more than $2 billion for national parks in the House economic recovery package is proper in light of the fact that the chief lobbyist for the National Parks Conservation Association is the son of House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey.

January 29, 2009

Stimulus bills include STD prevention

The two sides of Capitol Hill appear to be engaging in a bidding war to see who can put more money toward the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in its version of the economic stimulus bill.

January 29, 2009

Obama urges bipartisan stimulus package

With his pledges of bipartisanship hanging in the balance, President Obama visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to pressure both Republicans and Democrats to support his economic recovery plan.

January 28, 2009

Obama fails to sway Hill Republicans

UPDATED: President Obama tried to put the "bi" back in bipartisanship Tuesday in separate meetings with House and Senate Republicans, but failed to sway votes on the economic recovery bill.

January 27, 2009

Obama tackles Mideast, climate

UPDATED: President Obama on Monday deployed a special envoy to the Middle East to work on the peace process and sought to claim to leadership on global warming by erasing Bush-era rules.

January 27, 2009

Obama wants stronger fuel-efficiency rules

President Obama on Monday took the first step to reverse Bush energy and global warming policies, saying his administration will pay attention to science and paving the way for California, Maryland and other states to set their own tough car fuel efficiency standards.

January 26, 2009

Obama lifts Bush’s veil of secrecy

President Obama on Wednesday repealed a 2001 executive order granting former presidents, and even vice presidents, the ability to keep documents secret long past the 12 years allowed by law.

January 22, 2009

Obama’s historic day, minute by minute

UPDATED: Barack Obama began Tuesday as a husband, father and man whose election lifted up the hopes of millions. At noon, he made history for the nation, and for the world.

January 21, 2009

Obama takes charge

Barack Hussein Obama became the nation's first black president on Tuesday, beckoning Americans to move beyond divisive politics and a "collective failure to make hard choices." Now Wednesday, the real work begins.

January 20, 2009

Kennedy suffers seizure at luncheon

DEVELOPING: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy fell ill with what one lawmaker described as a "lengthy seizure" and was removed from the luncheon honoring President Obama.

January 20, 2009

Obama urges Americans to pitch in

UPDATED: President-elect Barack Obama, on the eve of his inauguration, previewed his highly anticipated speech by challenging everyday Americans to take responsibility for their communities.

January 19, 2009

Obama dinners salute McCain, Powell, Biden

The night before taking the oath of office, President-elect Barack Obama said he would make bipartisanship "a new way of doing business in this city" as he feted his Republican presidential rival, Sen. John McCain, former Bush administration Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.

January 19, 2009

Obama visits Tomb of Unknowns

President-elect Barack Obama continued to explore his new home city Sunday, pausing amid the inaugural bustle to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and to attend religious services at the city's oldest black church as he searches for a spiritual home in town.

January 19, 2009

Obama begins search for church

President-elect Barack Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns Sunday morning then headed with his family for church services as he began his search for a spiritual home in Washington.

January 18, 2009

Bush v. Clinton: Bush does OK

Two wars, soaring deficits and a stock market collapse have left many Americans nostalgic for the Clinton years, but judging by President Clinton's own international yardsticks, President Bush measures up pretty well.

January 18, 2009