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Susan Crabtree

scrabtree@washingtontimes.com

Susan Crabtree was a reporter for The Washington Times.

Articles by Susan Crabtree

"The commitment that the president has to closing Guantanamo Bay is as firm today as it was during the campaign ... I think this is a process that faces obstacles that we're all aware of and we will continue to work through them." - Jay Carney, White House press secretary. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Call rises again to close Guantanamo lockup

A decade after the first terrorism suspects arrived at Guantanamo Bay and three years after President Obama pledged to close the facility, the prison remains a lightning rod for politicians and human-rights advocates, as well as a thorn in the side of the administration.

January 10, 2012
White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley (AP Photo)

Daley stepping down as White House chief of staff

White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley will step down from his position at the end of this month, with Jack Lew, director of the Office of Management and Budget, taking his place to lead the president's team heading into a difficult re-election year.

January 9, 2012
President Obama visits the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray (right) on Jan. 6, 2012, at the CFPB's offices in Washington. (Associated Press)

Obama touts job numbers, banking pick

President Obama hailed Friday's positive economic report showing a burst of hiring and lower unemployment figures than expected as evidence that his administration's policies are getting the country back on track.

January 6, 2012
A member of Rep. Michele Bachmann's team wipes tears from his eyes as the former Republican presidential hopeful hugs family and staff members after announcing in West Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday that she would end her campaign. She finished sixth in Tuesday's Iowa Republican caucuses. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Iowa takes toll: Bachmann out

Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota ended her presidential bid Wednesday, a day after voters in Iowa, the state in which she was born, left her in sixth place — last of all the major Republican candidates who competed there.

January 4, 2012
Art Joens helps Rosalia Brandt sign in during an Iowa caucus meeting Tuesday at his home in Manilla. The Joenses host one of the few remaining caucus meetings at a private residence in the state. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Candidates, surrogates ‘speechify’ at Iowa caucuses

At 7 p.m., the final voters were ushered into the sanctuary of Point of Grace Church, a high-tech, stadium-style room, and the 2012 Iowa Republican caucuses were under way in the Iowa town of Waukee, just west of Des Moines.

January 3, 2012
Sheri Meredith (third from right) of Des Moines, Iowa, listens to Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich speak at a campaign stop Sunday at the Junction Sports Bar & Grill in Marshalltown. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

In Iowa, 40 years at starting line of presidential race

Iowa is whiter, more rural and older than much of the rest of the U.S., but the small, middle-America state has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep a firm hold on its special claim as the first state to vote in presidential contests.

January 2, 2012
Juniors and seniors from Taylor High School in Cincinnati pose for a photo amid strong, cold winds with Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich and wife Callista outside of the West Towne Pub in Ames, Iowa, where he was meeting Sunday with supporters. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Gingrich fires back at Romney’s attack ads

As Newt Gingrich struggles for a third-place finish in Tuesday's Iowa caucus, he unleashed his harshest criticism of front-runner Mitt Romney yet, accusing the former Massachusetts governor of trying to buy the election.

January 1, 2012
FRONT-RUNNER: Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney took the lead in the final pre-caucus Des Moines Register poll, garnering 24 percent of the vote. "I can't tell you who's going to win this thing, but I do believe I'm going to have a great deal of support," Mr. Romney said. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Romney, Santorum gain momentum down stretch in Iowa

Mitt Romney was all business, Rick Santorum was all smiles and Newt Gingrich pleaded for Iowans to punish negative ads as they fanned out across Iowa on Sunday searching for late momentum ahead of Tuesday's caucuses.

January 1, 2012
Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney prepares to sign a newspaper with the headline "Obama's History!" during a campaign stop at Old Salt Restaurant in Hampton, N.H. Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Romney looking to solidify lead in N.H., Iowa

Working to solidify his frontrunner status, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spent his morning campaigning in New Hampshire then swung back through northwestern Iowa, a winning area for him in the 2008 race.

December 31, 2011
Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry speaks with supporters in the parking lot outside the Fainting Goat Restaurant where he spoke to a full room, Waverly, IA, Friday, December 30, 2011. (Andrew Harnik / The Washington Times)

Perry criticizes Santorum, Paul as Iowa caucuses near

Struggling to regain his footing after a virtual free fall in the polls in recent months, Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Friday doubled down on his attacks on former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and opened fire on Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

December 30, 2011
Mitt Romney, shown with his wife, Ann, says he would back any Republican nominee challenging President Obama - including Texas Rep. Ron Paul. Fellow Republican challenger Newt Gingrich said he felt he could not support Mr. Paul. Mrs. Romney confirmed reports that she was the one who had to talk her husband into running for president again. (Associated Press)

Romney could back Paul, objects to Gingrich debate

Drawing a sharp contrast between himself and GOP presidential rival Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney said Wednesday he would back any Republican candidate challenging President Barack Obama — including Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

December 28, 2011
 Joe Manchin III

Recruiting tightens race for control of Senate

Just six months ago, Senate Republicans seemed poised to march to victory in 2012 and easily retake control of the upper chamber of Congress, but some successful Democratic recruiting and some unintentional help from the tea party in recent months have made next year's overall contest more competitive.

December 26, 2011
** FILE ** Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks to the Values Voter Summit, sponsored by the Family Research Council, on Friday, Sept. 17, 2010, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Huckabee: Paul has no shot at GOP nomination

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who surprised voters with a win in Iowa in 2008, said Rep. Ron Paul could win the Iowa caucus but has no chance of going on to be the Republican nominee.

December 25, 2011
** FILE ** President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Obama: Washington can learn a lot from the troops

President Obama used his weekly radio address to cap a week of events devoted to ending the war in Iraq and thanking U.S. troops — and their families — for their service and sacrifice.

December 17, 2011
**FILE** Sen. John McCain (Associated Press)

U.S. hands over alleged terrorist to Iraq

Several prominent Republican senators are decrying President Obama's decision to hand over to the Iraqi government a Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist believed to be responsible for the deaths of at least five U.S. servicemen in Iraq.

December 16, 2011
First lady Michelle Obama welcomes a servicewoman in a maintenance hangar at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Wednesday. She told returnees that the president kept his promise "to responsibly bring you home from Iraq." (Associated Press)

Obama welcomes troops from Iraq

President Obama welcomed home some of the last U.S. troops from Iraq on Wednesday, thanking them and their families for their years of sacrifice and service and pledging to help them transition to life after combat.

December 14, 2011
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Despite the continued violence and political uncertainty in Iraq, President Obama thinks the Iraqis are ready to deal with their own national security, a spokesman for the president said Tuesday.

Obamas set to welcome troops home from Iraq

As thousands of troops stream out of Iraq and return home this week from their final deployment, President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will honor them at a ceremony Wednesday at Fort Bragg, N.C., home to the U.S. Army Airborne, special forces and more than 50,000 troops.

December 13, 2011
President Barack Obama meets with Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Obama, al-Maliki mark end of Iraq war

President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met at the White House Monday to mark the end of the war in Iraq and reaffirm their commitment to working together to help the country maintain security and establish economic stability in the years ahead.

December 12, 2011