Watching Washington http://www.npr.org Watching Washington en Copyright 2012 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 18 May 2012 15:57:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Watching Washington http://www.npr.org George W. Bush Will Return To The White House, Briefly Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are expected to return to their home of eight years for the unveiling of their official portraits. Fri, 18 May 2012 15:57:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/18/153022769/george-w-bush-will-return-to-the-white-house-briefly?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/05/18/153022769/george-w-bush-will-return-to-the-white-house-briefly?ft=1&f=15724598 Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are expected to return to their home of eight years for the unveiling of their official portraits.

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]]> Does Payroll Tax Stalemate Favor Obama, Democrats Over House GOP? For the present impasse to work to the political advantage of House Republicans, Speaker John Boehner and the members of his Congress would have to convince enough of the public that it's Republicans, not Democrats, who are more concerned about the taxes middle-class Americans pay. That's a major challenge. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:28:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/20/144028509/does-payroll-tax-stalemate-favor-democrats-over-house-gop?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/20/144028509/does-payroll-tax-stalemate-favor-democrats-over-house-gop?ft=1&f=15724598 For the present impasse to work to the political advantage of House Republicans, Speaker John Boehner and the members of his Congress would have to convince enough of the public that it's Republicans, not Democrats, who are more concerned about the taxes middle-class Americans pay. That's a major challenge.

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]]> Not So Fast, Newt: Gingrich As Polling Phenomenon We do know that it's a lot easier to tell a pollster you're for somebody than it is to vote for that somebody. The former is theory, the latter is fact. People know when they are going to vote and they get ready. No one knows when or even whether they're going to be polled. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:56:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/14/143724307/not-so-fast-newt-gingrich-as-polling-phenomenon?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/14/143724307/not-so-fast-newt-gingrich-as-polling-phenomenon?ft=1&f=15724598 We do know that it's a lot easier to tell a pollster you're for somebody than it is to vote for that somebody. The former is theory, the latter is fact. People know when they are going to vote and they get ready. No one knows when or even whether they're going to be polled.

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]]> Washington Partisans Pick Up Right Where They Left Off Job creation may be the biggest issue facing the nation this fall, but it's not what set off the latest test of wills between the White House and Republican leaders of Congress on Wednesday. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:46:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/08/31/140098349/washington-partisans-pick-up-right-where-they-left-off?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/08/31/140098349/washington-partisans-pick-up-right-where-they-left-off?ft=1&f=15724598 Job creation may be the biggest issue facing the nation this fall, but it's not what set off the latest test of wills between the White House and Republican leaders of Congress on Wednesday.

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]]> Reactions to GOP Field Leave Much To Be Desired Only one in four Americans is favorably impressed with the Republican challengers to President Obama. Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/06/07/136899743/reactions-to-gop-field-leave-much-to-be-desired?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/06/07/136899743/reactions-to-gop-field-leave-much-to-be-desired?ft=1&f=15724598 Only one in four Americans is favorably impressed with the Republican challengers to President Obama.

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]]> Obama Gets It: 'Together' ANALYSIS: The seating played into the president's strategy, providing a visual metaphor for crossing the divide. Anger and attitude are now called "vitriol" and are suddenly out of favor. Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:54:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/01/26/133230822/obama-gets-it-together?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/01/26/133230822/obama-gets-it-together?ft=1&f=15724598 ANALYSIS: The seating played into the president's strategy, providing a visual metaphor for crossing the divide. Anger and attitude are now called "vitriol" and are suddenly out of favor.

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]]> Searching For What To Say About The Election? Focus On 60-40 Top problem? Six in 10 voters said the economy. Independents voting Republican? Six in 10 said that's what they did. The numbers that got Democrats in trouble? You guessed it. Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:18:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/11/03/131038808/searching-for-what-to-say-about-the-election-focus-on-60-40?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/11/03/131038808/searching-for-what-to-say-about-the-election-focus-on-60-40?ft=1&f=15724598 Top problem? Six in 10 voters said the economy. Independents voting Republican? Six in 10 said that's what they did. The numbers that got Democrats in trouble? You guessed it.

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]]> Sorensen's Words and Wisdom: Might They Have Helped Obama? Ted Sorensen was John F. Kennedy's intellectual alter ego. He said presidents and their staffs must constantly keep in mind "how far out in front of the country you can move." The current occupants of the White House could learn from him. Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/11/01/130980701/sorensen-s-white-house-words-and-wisdom-might-they-have-helped-obama?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/11/01/130980701/sorensen-s-white-house-words-and-wisdom-might-they-have-helped-obama?ft=1&f=15724598 Ted Sorensen was John F. Kennedy's intellectual alter ego. He said presidents and their staffs must constantly keep in mind "how far out in front of the country you can move." The current occupants of the White House could learn from him.

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]]> Why On Earth Is President Obama Going All-In On Tom Perriello? The president is rallying Virginia Democrats not by going to a safe precinct but by going to the least safe. And by appearing with Rep. Perriello, he may be saluting the past -- their victories in 2008 -- more than the likelihood of victory in 2010. Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/28/130885804/we-re-down-to-the-last-days-of-the-campaign-so-wherever-president-obama-goes-is-going-to-be-read-as-a-metaphor-that-s-why-people-are-scratching-their-heads-about-the-first-stop-on-the-president-s-last-itinerary-o?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/28/130885804/we-re-down-to-the-last-days-of-the-campaign-so-wherever-president-obama-goes-is-going-to-be-read-as-a-metaphor-that-s-why-people-are-scratching-their-heads-about-the-first-stop-on-the-president-s-last-itinerary-o?ft=1&f=15724598 The president is rallying Virginia Democrats not by going to a safe precinct but by going to the least safe. And by appearing with Rep. Perriello, he may be saluting the past -- their victories in 2008 -- more than the likelihood of victory in 2010.

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]]> Two People Really Want To Be Calif. Gov.; Let's Let Them ANALYSIS: Some say the campaign has been so negative and nasty that both deserve to lose. Perhaps that's true. But wouldn't it be far more fitting punishment if both won? Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/21/130720705/if-two-people-really-want-to-be-governor-of-california-why-not-let-them?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/21/130720705/if-two-people-really-want-to-be-governor-of-california-why-not-let-them?ft=1&f=15724598 ANALYSIS: Some say the campaign has been so negative and nasty that both deserve to lose. Perhaps that's true. But wouldn't it be far more fitting punishment if both won?

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]]> The Story Never Ends: Bill & Hillary & Barack & America ANALYSIS: The names are Obama and Clinton — three politicians who are monumentally ambitious in different ways, and one ongoing psychodrama for their party and country. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/14/130563325/bill-hillary-barack-america?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/14/130563325/bill-hillary-barack-america?ft=1&f=15724598 ANALYSIS: The names are Obama and Clinton — three politicians who are monumentally ambitious in different ways, and one ongoing psychodrama for their party and country.

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]]> How Can We Have An Election If The World Series Isn't Over Yet? Right now, Games Six and Seven of the Series are scheduled to be played after Election Day. It may not be a constitutional crisis, but it does seem a hazard to the natural order of things. Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:55:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/06/130375017/how-can-we-have-an-election-if-the-world-series-isn-t-over-yet?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/06/130375017/how-can-we-have-an-election-if-the-world-series-isn-t-over-yet?ft=1&f=15724598 Right now, Games Six and Seven of the Series are scheduled to be played after Election Day. It may not be a constitutional crisis, but it does seem a hazard to the natural order of things.

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]]> Good TARP News Doesn't Fit; Media Are Flummoxed ANALYSIS: Most of the news media simply didn't know what to do when word came that the Toxic Asset Relief Program wasn't going to cost $700 billion. That didn't fit with the accepted Election Year narrative. Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:19:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/04/130323666/the-narrative-imperative-a-glimpse-inside-the-media-mind?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/10/04/130323666/the-narrative-imperative-a-glimpse-inside-the-media-mind?ft=1&f=15724598 ANALYSIS: Most of the news media simply didn't know what to do when word came that the Toxic Asset Relief Program wasn't going to cost $700 billion. That didn't fit with the accepted Election Year narrative.

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]]> 'Weary Working Women' May Be Key To Midterms ANALYSIS: The fortunes of Democratic candidates for president, Congress and governor have risen and fallen on the votes of women. But this year, discouraged about the economy and the way things are going in Washington, many women may not vote. Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/09/28/130186841/-weary-working-women-may-be-the-key-to-2010-election-results?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/09/28/130186841/-weary-working-women-may-be-the-key-to-2010-election-results?ft=1&f=15724598 ANALYSIS: The fortunes of Democratic candidates for president, Congress and governor have risen and fallen on the votes of women. But this year, discouraged about the economy and the way things are going in Washington, many women may not vote.

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]]> GOP's 'Pledge' Echoes 'Contract'; But Much Myth Surrounds '94 Plan There is little hard evidence that the 1994 Contract with America contributed much to the wave that carried Republicans into power. But it did give House Republicans a checklist for how they would govern. Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/09/23/130068500/watching-washington-gop-pledge?ft=1&f=15724598 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2010/09/23/130068500/watching-washington-gop-pledge?ft=1&f=15724598 There is little hard evidence that the 1994 Contract with America contributed much to the wave that carried Republicans into power. But it did give House Republicans a checklist for how they would govern.

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