All Politics
- Inauguration 2013: what to see and when. (Don’t wait ‘til Monday.)
There is plenty to see and hear in Inauguration 2013's public ceremonies Monday, but the real action, constitutionally speaking, takes place the day before.
Cover StoryObama's second term: What history says to expectThe myths and realities of second-term presidents – and what they portend for Obama.
Inauguration 2013: 10 highlights from previous second-term addresses Barack Obama will be the 17th American president to deliver two inaugural addresses. Here are 10 highlights from such speeches by previous two-term presidents, including the shortest one ever.
Gun control 101: Why is Obama pushing for new gun research?A key part of President Obama's plan to rein in gun violence is his push to kick-start fresh gun-control-related research by federal agencies. Republicans have blocked such research in the past.
Lessons from Lance Armstrong: Comebacks are easier for politiciansLance Armstrong, who admitted to doping, may or may not hope to mount a comeback in sports. But here's one profession that seems to provide a relatively easy path to redemption: politics.
House GOP floats new debt-ceiling deal, with strings attachedHouse Republicans said they would agree to raise the debt ceiling, but only for three months and only if Senate Democrats promise to pass a budget (which they haven't done for three years).
Why does Michelle Obama need two Twitter accounts?Now she's got @FLOTUS, as well as @MichelleObama. How many Twitter accounts does one first lady need? Well, there's a reason for Michelle Obama's double-tweeting, and it has to do with the law.
New York's new gun law: How might the NRA challenge it in court?Since a key US Supreme Court decision in 2008, challenges to gun laws have flooded the courts. One part of New York's law that is likely to be hotly debated: restrictions on high-capacity magazines.
So if the US really hits the debt ceiling, then what?The negative effects of hitting the debt ceiling could be mitigated by setting priorities for bill-paying, conservatives argue, but financial markets could still consider the US to have defaulted.
In rural America, some sheriffs vow to defy Obama on gun controlSome rural lawmen say they will refuse to enforce the president's gun-control proposals if they become law. The comments highlight why gun control is such a thorny topic.
Could gun control be the new gay marriage?The public's views on gay marriage have moved decidedly to the left, spurred by demographic and generational changes in the electorate. But that same electorate has shifted to the right on gun control. Why the politics of the two issues are different, for now.
NRA defends ad with Obama daughters. Right or wrong?Washington has been roiled by an NRA ad that makes a point about President Obama's daughters. On Thursday, the organization's CEO argued the ad wasn't really about them.
- Presidential quotations: Test your knowledge of second inaugural speeches
Here are quotes taken from the Inaugural Addresses of second-term presidents. Not all are famous but each reveals an idea, something about the times -- or just a bit of characteristic eloquence -- that might make you guess right. HINT: They're not in chronological order.
Obama's gun-control proposals: Will Republicans get on board?President Obama's push for universal background checks appears to have broad support in Congress, but not his other gun-control priorities – including an assault-weapons ban.
Gun debate 101: How would this assault-weapons ban be different?President Obama's gun plan calls for a tougher version of a 1994 ban on assault weapons. Here's a primer on how it might work and what effects it might have.
Gun debate 101: Time to ban high-capacity magazines?President Obama proposes banning high-capacity magazines in a bid to make mass shootings less likely. But gun rights advocates worry that the ammo ban is a sleeper provision that will, ultimately, make many handguns illegal, as well.
Unveiling gun control initiative, Obama cites 'common-sense measures'President Obama shared the stage with schoolchildren as he announced a gun control plan to combat violence. Top of the list: banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, making schools safer, and improving mental health services.
Why Washington and its debt woes eclipse 'jobs' as public's top concernsThe mood shift, which showed up in a new Gallup poll, doesn't coincide with marked improvement in the jobs outlook. Rather, it indicates that Americans are becoming more worried about Washington's management of debt and other fiscal matters.
More conservatives plead with GOP to abandon debt-ceiling ultimatumCongressional Republicans are still threatening to refuse to raise the debt ceiling – but the stance is causing growing anxiety for many within the GOP.
Is it wrong for NRA to drag Obama's daughters into gun-control fight?Amid discussion in Washington of new gun-control measures, the NRA releases an online ad that cites the Secret Service protection of Sasha and Malia Obama as an example of how President Obama is a 'hypocrite' on guns.
