It's All Politics http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/ Political news and analysis from NPR in the nation's capital. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Mon, 20 May 2013 03:07:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/thumbnail/npr_generic_image_75.jpg It's All Politics http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/ yes Is There Really A Second-Term Curse? Whether it's Richard Nixon's resignation or Bill Clinton's impeachment, presidents tend to have a tough time during the back half of an eight-year presidency. Mon, 20 May 2013 03:07:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/20/184237349/is-there-really-a-second-term-curse?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/20/184237349/is-there-really-a-second-term-curse?ft=1&f=129828651 Whether it's Richard Nixon's resignation or Bill Clinton's impeachment, presidents tend to have a tough time during the back half of an eight-year presidency. 279 no Whether it's Richard Nixon's resignation or Bill Clinton's impeachment, presidents tend to have a tough time during the back half of an eight-year presidency.

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]]> Immigration Bill Chugs Along, But Some See Deal-Breakers The bipartisan immigration overhaul proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight has been the target of scores of amendments. So far, the bill has largely held its own, but its prospects for getting through Congress are uncertain. Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:54 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/18/184868535/immigration-bill-chugs-along-but-some-see-deal-breakers?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/18/184868535/immigration-bill-chugs-along-but-some-see-deal-breakers?ft=1&f=129828651 The bipartisan immigration overhaul proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight has been the target of scores of amendments. So far, the bill has largely held its own, but its prospects for getting through Congress are uncertain. 257 no The bipartisan immigration overhaul proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight has been the target of scores of amendments. So far, the bill has largely held its own, but its prospects for getting through Congress are uncertain.

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]]> Why The IRS Scandal Is Built To Last Of all the current Washington scandals, the one involving the IRS appears to have the most staying power. It rolls into one package an agency many love to hate, partisan suspicions and the American appetite for conspiracies. Fri, 17 May 2013 19:31:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184857776/why-the-irs-scandal-is-built-to-last?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184857776/why-the-irs-scandal-is-built-to-last?ft=1&f=129828651 Of all the current Washington scandals, the one involving the IRS appears to have the most staying power. It rolls into one package an agency many love to hate, partisan suspicions and the American appetite for conspiracies. no Of all the current Washington scandals, the one involving the IRS appears to have the most staying power. It rolls into one package an agency many love to hate, partisan suspicions and the American appetite for conspiracies.

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]]> A Field Guide To Democratic Responses To Scandals A long week of scandal has been tough on more than just the White House. President Obama's allies are struggling with how to respond to their first taste of really bad news within the administration. Fri, 17 May 2013 15:36:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184770181/a-field-guide-to-democratic-responses-to-scandals?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184770181/a-field-guide-to-democratic-responses-to-scandals?ft=1&f=129828651 A long week of scandal has been tough on more than just the White House. President Obama's allies are struggling with how to respond to their first taste of really bad news within the administration. no A long week of scandal has been tough on more than just the White House. President Obama's allies are struggling with how to respond to their first taste of really bad news within the administration.

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]]> Obama U: What Graduation Speeches Say About The President President Obama's commencement speeches often seem more about the big-picture state of the union than do his State of the Union addresses, which read like to-do lists. And his assessment of where the country stands and where it's going has changed over the past four years. Fri, 17 May 2013 16:56:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184597932/obama-u-what-graduation-speeches-say-about-the-president?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184597932/obama-u-what-graduation-speeches-say-about-the-president?ft=1&f=129828651 President Obama's commencement speeches often seem more about the big-picture state of the union than do his State of the Union addresses, which read like to-do lists. And his assessment of where the country stands and where it's going has changed over the past four years. 314 no President Obama's commencement speeches often seem more about the big-picture state of the union than do his State of the Union addresses, which read like to-do lists. And his assessment of where the country stands and where it's going has changed over the past four years.

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]]> Conservative Advice To GOP: Don't Legislate, Focus On Scandals The political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation wants GOP leaders to set aside legislation like the farm bill that might turn attention away from questions about the IRS and Benghazi. Fri, 17 May 2013 14:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184824660/advice-to-gop-dont-legislate-focus-on-scandals?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/17/184824660/advice-to-gop-dont-legislate-focus-on-scandals?ft=1&f=129828651 The political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation wants GOP leaders to set aside legislation like the farm bill that might turn attention away from questions about the IRS and Benghazi. no The political arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation wants GOP leaders to set aside legislation like the farm bill that might turn attention away from questions about the IRS and Benghazi.

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]]> A New Front In The War On Obamacare: Twitter Republicans slammed Obamacare with a barrage of three-word tweets. But the White House trolled them in response. Thu, 16 May 2013 18:25:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/16/184574065/a-new-front-in-the-war-on-obamacare-twitter?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/16/184574065/a-new-front-in-the-war-on-obamacare-twitter?ft=1&f=129828651 Republicans slammed Obamacare with a barrage of three-word tweets. But the White House trolled them in response. no Republicans slammed Obamacare with a barrage of three-word tweets. But the White House trolled them in response.

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]]> Some Lawmakers Want Big-Budget Groups Included In IRS Debate The Justice Department is investigating the IRS's flagging of grass-roots conservative groups that sought nonprofit status. But some lawmakers want the debate extended to look at the well-financed activities of existing 501(c)(4) groups that spent millions in the 2012 elections. Thu, 16 May 2013 17:44:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/16/184545892/some-lawmakers-want-big-budget-groups-included-in-irs-debate?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/16/184545892/some-lawmakers-want-big-budget-groups-included-in-irs-debate?ft=1&f=129828651 The Justice Department is investigating the IRS's flagging of grass-roots conservative groups that sought nonprofit status. But some lawmakers want the debate extended to look at the well-financed activities of existing 501(c)(4) groups that spent millions in the 2012 elections. 252 no The Justice Department is investigating the IRS's flagging of grass-roots conservative groups that sought nonprofit status. But some lawmakers want the debate extended to look at the well-financed activities of existing 501(c)(4) groups that spent millions in the 2012 elections.

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]]> 10 Things We Learned From the IRS Inspector General Report Among the things we learned about the IRS from the inspector general's report was that their boss told the group of employees at the controversy's heart to stop their dubious practices. Which they did, for a little while at least. Wed, 15 May 2013 17:19:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/15/184246228/ten-things-we-learned-from-the-irs-inspector-general-report?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/15/184246228/ten-things-we-learned-from-the-irs-inspector-general-report?ft=1&f=129828651 Among the things we learned about the IRS from the inspector general's report was that their boss told the group of employees at the controversy's heart to stop their dubious practices. Which they did, for a little while at least. no Among the things we learned about the IRS from the inspector general's report was that their boss told the group of employees at the controversy's heart to stop their dubious practices. Which they did, for a little while at least.

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]]> Goodbye, Again, To Obama's Most Audacious Hope The sudden eruption of second-term scandals in his administration will have many costs for President Obama, but surely the most grievous will be the lost opportunity to transcend the partisan wars of Washington, his fondest dream for his second term, much as it was for his first. Now it seems destined to be dashed once again. Tue, 14 May 2013 19:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/14/184018942/goodbye-again-to-obamas-most-audacious-hope?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/14/184018942/goodbye-again-to-obamas-most-audacious-hope?ft=1&f=129828651 The sudden eruption of second-term scandals in his administration will have many costs for President Obama, but surely the most grievous will be the lost opportunity to transcend the partisan wars of Washington, his fondest dream for his second term, much as it was for his first. Now it seems destined to be dashed once again. no The sudden eruption of second-term scandals in his administration will have many costs for President Obama, but surely the most grievous will be the lost opportunity to transcend the partisan wars of Washington, his fondest dream for his second term, much as it was for his first. Now it seems destined to be dashed once again.

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]]> Controversies Risk Starving Obama's Agenda Of Air This was the critical moment, the brief time between his inaugural and when the nation's collective focus turns to whom his successor will be, when President Obama had to make real progress on his second-term agenda. Instead, controversies have intruded, eating up precious time. Tue, 14 May 2013 15:53:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/14/183912123/controversies-risk-starving-obamas-agenda-of-air?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/14/183912123/controversies-risk-starving-obamas-agenda-of-air?ft=1&f=129828651 This was the critical moment, the brief time between his inaugural and when the nation's collective focus turns to whom his successor will be, when President Obama had to make real progress on his second-term agenda. Instead, controversies have intruded, eating up precious time. no This was the critical moment, the brief time between his inaugural and when the nation's collective focus turns to whom his successor will be, when President Obama had to make real progress on his second-term agenda. Instead, controversies have intruded, eating up precious time.

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]]> Clinton White House Crisis Manager Dings Obama's Message Team Lanny J. Davis, a onetime crisis manager in former President Clinton's White House operation, doesn't give President Obama's communications team high marks. Mon, 13 May 2013 18:55:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/13/183724425/clinton-white-house-crisis-manager-dings-obamas-message-team?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/13/183724425/clinton-white-house-crisis-manager-dings-obamas-message-team?ft=1&f=129828651 Lanny J. Davis, a onetime crisis manager in former President Clinton's White House operation, doesn't give President Obama's communications team high marks. no Lanny J. Davis, a onetime crisis manager in former President Clinton's White House operation, doesn't give President Obama's communications team high marks.

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]]> Exactly What Did The IRS Want To Know? As part of its inappropriate scrutiny of conservative applicants for tax-exempt status, the IRS wanted copies of tweets and personal information about board members. Mon, 13 May 2013 18:18:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/13/183680027/exactly-what-did-the-irs-want-to-know?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/13/183680027/exactly-what-did-the-irs-want-to-know?ft=1&f=129828651 As part of its inappropriate scrutiny of conservative applicants for tax-exempt status, the IRS wanted copies of tweets and personal information about board members. no As part of its inappropriate scrutiny of conservative applicants for tax-exempt status, the IRS wanted copies of tweets and personal information about board members.

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]]> IRS's Tea Party Scrutiny Adds To Conservatives' Case Against Obama The targeting by IRS workers in Cincinnati of the filings of conservative groups for added scrutiny was an innocent mistake, said an agency official who apologized. But President Obama's critics see more nefarious motives in the action. Fri, 10 May 2013 19:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/10/182940489/irss-tea-party-scrutiny-adds-to-conservatives-case-against-obama?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/10/182940489/irss-tea-party-scrutiny-adds-to-conservatives-case-against-obama?ft=1&f=129828651 The targeting by IRS workers in Cincinnati of the filings of conservative groups for added scrutiny was an innocent mistake, said an agency official who apologized. But President Obama's critics see more nefarious motives in the action. no The targeting by IRS workers in Cincinnati of the filings of conservative groups for added scrutiny was an innocent mistake, said an agency official who apologized. But President Obama's critics see more nefarious motives in the action.

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]]> On Military Sexual Assault Issue, A New Era for An Old Committee Women on the Senate and House Armed Services committees are leveraging their clout in response to the problem of sexual assaults in the military. Fri, 10 May 2013 18:28:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/09/182656966/on-military-sexual-assault-issue-a-new-era-for-an-old-committee?ft=1&f=129828651 http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/05/09/182656966/on-military-sexual-assault-issue-a-new-era-for-an-old-committee?ft=1&f=129828651 Women on the Senate and House Armed Services committees are leveraging their clout in response to the problem of sexual assaults in the military. no Women on the Senate and House Armed Services committees are leveraging their clout in response to the problem of sexual assaults in the military.

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