Mara Liasson http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1930401&ft=1&f=1930401 Mara Liasson is the national political correspondent for NPR. Her reports can be heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines All Things Considered and Morning Edition. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Mara Liasson http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1930401&ft=1&f=1930401 Surveillance Revelations Spark Lackluster Public Discord In all the noise and shouting over the NSA data gathering, the unspoken assumption is that the public must be outraged. But in fact, much of the public seems indifferent, and the political fallout may be less predictable than it seems. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/190904135/wheres-the-public-discord-over-surveillance-revelations?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/12/190904135/wheres-the-public-discord-over-surveillance-revelations?ft=1&f=1930401 In all the noise and shouting over the NSA data gathering, the unspoken assumption is that the public must be outraged. But in fact, much of the public seems indifferent, and the political fallout may be less predictable than it seems.

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]]> Obama To Push Jobs, Education At N.C. Middle School As part of his Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour, President Obama travels to Mooresville, N.C., Thursday. He'll highlight Mooresville Middle School's focus on technology and digital learning. Young voters cite the economy and education as top concerns. Neither political party has been adept at addressing these issues for young people. Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/06/189113954/obama-to-push-jobs-education-at-n-c-middle-school?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/06/06/189113954/obama-to-push-jobs-education-at-n-c-middle-school?ft=1&f=1930401 As part of his Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour, President Obama travels to Mooresville, N.C., Thursday. He'll highlight Mooresville Middle School's focus on technology and digital learning. Young voters cite the economy and education as top concerns. Neither political party has been adept at addressing these issues for young people.

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]]> Obama And Chris Christie Tour Rebuilding On Jersey Shore Seven months ago, President Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie surveyed the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy. On Tuesday, the two reunited for a tour of the Jersey Shore to see how it has recovered. Tue, 28 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/28/186948392/obama-and-chris-christie-tour-rebuilding-on-jersey-shore?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/28/186948392/obama-and-chris-christie-tour-rebuilding-on-jersey-shore?ft=1&f=1930401 Seven months ago, President Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie surveyed the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy. On Tuesday, the two reunited for a tour of the Jersey Shore to see how it has recovered.

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]]> Political Takeaways: Headaches For The White House Controversies dominated this past week's political headlines, leaving the Obama White House on the defensive, trying to contain any lasting damage. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson. Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=185247349&ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=185247349&ft=1&f=1930401 Controversies dominated this past week's political headlines, leaving the Obama White House on the defensive, trying to contain any lasting damage. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson.

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]]> Obama Moves Aggressively Into Damage Control Mode President Obama is in the middle of a series of scandals. But are they serious enough to undermine his second term? Veterans of past Washington scandals assess the potential for political peril, and what the president can do about it. Fri, 17 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184700646/obama-moves-aggressively-into-damage-control-mode?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/17/184700646/obama-moves-aggressively-into-damage-control-mode?ft=1&f=1930401 President Obama is in the middle of a series of scandals. But are they serious enough to undermine his second term? Veterans of past Washington scandals assess the potential for political peril, and what the president can do about it.

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]]> Does Obama Administration Have The Second Term Curse? The second term curse has plagued the last five two-term presidents, but President Obama's administration had been confident they'd be the ones to break the streak. But instead the administration finds itself on the defensive about the Benghazi and now IRS questions targeted at Tea Party groups. Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=183700356&ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=183700356&ft=1&f=1930401 The second term curse has plagued the last five two-term presidents, but President Obama's administration had been confident they'd be the ones to break the streak. But instead the administration finds itself on the defensive about the Benghazi and now IRS questions targeted at Tea Party groups.

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]]> With Texas Trip, Obama Tries To Steer Focus Back To Economy It has been a difficult spring for the president. He couldn't get Congress to work with him on the sequester or gun control legislation. Now he appears to be making an effort to get back to the issues Americans say they care most about. Wed, 08 May 2013 17:54:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/08/182259258/with-texas-trip-obama-tries-to-steer-focus-back-to-economy?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/08/182259258/with-texas-trip-obama-tries-to-steer-focus-back-to-economy?ft=1&f=1930401 It has been a difficult spring for the president. He couldn't get Congress to work with him on the sequester or gun control legislation. Now he appears to be making an effort to get back to the issues Americans say they care most about.

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]]> Political Battle Over Health Law Starts Next Chapter In the three years since the Affordable Care Act became law, public opinion has remained deeply divided with as many Americans opposing the law as supporting it. When Americans begin signing up for health insurance under the act, opinion may finally begin to shake loose. Some people without access to insurance gain it and others encounter new bureaucracies. Fri, 03 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/03/180755026/political-battle-over-health-law-starts-next-chapter?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/03/180755026/political-battle-over-health-law-starts-next-chapter?ft=1&f=1930401 In the three years since the Affordable Care Act became law, public opinion has remained deeply divided with as many Americans opposing the law as supporting it. When Americans begin signing up for health insurance under the act, opinion may finally begin to shake loose. Some people without access to insurance gain it and others encounter new bureaucracies.

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]]> White House Undecided On Action For Syria Crossing 'Red Line' President Obama has said repeatedly that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government against its own people was a red line, and crossing it would bring U.S. action. On Thursday, the administration said that the intelligence community "does assess with vary degrees of confidence" that the regime has used such weapons "on a small scale." Yet the administration also contends that these findings fall short of the red line. Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/179067426/white-house-undecided-on-action-for-syria-crossing-red-line?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/25/179067426/white-house-undecided-on-action-for-syria-crossing-red-line?ft=1&f=1930401 President Obama has said repeatedly that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government against its own people was a red line, and crossing it would bring U.S. action. On Thursday, the administration said that the intelligence community "does assess with vary degrees of confidence" that the regime has used such weapons "on a small scale." Yet the administration also contends that these findings fall short of the red line.

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]]> What's Next In The Gun Control Debate? Gun-control groups are regrouping after a bill to tighten background checks for gun sales failed to overcome a filibuster last week in the Senate. The failure was not only a stinging defeat for President Obama, it was also a setback for the new players in the debate. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/24/178753573/whats-next-in-the-gun-control-debate?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/24/178753573/whats-next-in-the-gun-control-debate?ft=1&f=1930401 Gun-control groups are regrouping after a bill to tighten background checks for gun sales failed to overcome a filibuster last week in the Senate. The failure was not only a stinging defeat for President Obama, it was also a setback for the new players in the debate.

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]]> Immigration Proves A 'Rubik's Cube' For Many Republicans They don't want to offend Hispanic voters, but they don't want to turn off the GOP base either, says Ron Bonjean, a former Republican leadership aide. And competing for Hispanic votes is not a top priority for the sizable number of Republican rank and file who still see the bill as amnesty. Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/17/177640184/immigration-proves-a-rubiks-cube-for-many-republicans?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/17/177640184/immigration-proves-a-rubiks-cube-for-many-republicans?ft=1&f=1930401 They don't want to offend Hispanic voters, but they don't want to turn off the GOP base either, says Ron Bonjean, a former Republican leadership aide. And competing for Hispanic votes is not a top priority for the sizable number of Republican rank and file who still see the bill as amnesty.

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]]> Sen. Rand Paul Tries To Repair GOP's Image With Minorities Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky gave a speech Wednesday at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He began by posing this question to the audience at the historically black school: How did the party that elected the first black U.S. senator, the party that elected the first 20 African-American Congressmen become a party that now loses 95 percent of the black vote? Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/11/176880563/sen-rand-paul-tries-to-repair-gops-image-with-minorities?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/11/176880563/sen-rand-paul-tries-to-repair-gops-image-with-minorities?ft=1&f=1930401 Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky gave a speech Wednesday at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He began by posing this question to the audience at the historically black school: How did the party that elected the first black U.S. senator, the party that elected the first 20 African-American Congressmen become a party that now loses 95 percent of the black vote?

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]]> Obama's Late Budget Submission A Strategic Move President Obama submits his budget on Wednesday and he's more than two months late. But there's a political strategy behind his tardiness — he waited until after both House Republicans and Senate Democrats passed their budget plans. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/09/176713146/obamas-late-budget-submission-a-strategic-move?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/09/176713146/obamas-late-budget-submission-a-strategic-move?ft=1&f=1930401 President Obama submits his budget on Wednesday and he's more than two months late. But there's a political strategy behind his tardiness — he waited until after both House Republicans and Senate Democrats passed their budget plans.

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]]> Is Caroline Kennedy Qualified To Be U.S. Ambassador To Japan? President Obama is expected to name Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, ambassador to Japan. The job has been critical to U.S. trade and business interests with the world's third largest economy. But Kennedy has no prior experience in government or business. Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/03/176104570/is-caroline-kennedy-qualified-to-be-ambassador-to-japan?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/03/176104570/is-caroline-kennedy-qualified-to-be-ambassador-to-japan?ft=1&f=1930401 President Obama is expected to name Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, ambassador to Japan. The job has been critical to U.S. trade and business interests with the world's third largest economy. But Kennedy has no prior experience in government or business.

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]]> Brain Mapping Project Could Help Find Cures For Alzheimer's, Epilepsy President Obama calls the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Neurotechnologies) Initiative a 'bold effort.' Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/02/176054090/brain-mapping-project-could-help-find-cures-for-alzheimers-epilepsy?ft=1&f=1930401 http://www.npr.org/2013/04/02/176054090/brain-mapping-project-could-help-find-cures-for-alzheimers-epilepsy?ft=1&f=1930401 President Obama calls the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Neurotechnologies) Initiative a 'bold effort.'

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