Category: Politics

By Michael A. Memoli, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The Presidential Inaugural Committee, tasked with planning festivities surrounding the second swearing-in of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, announced

By Paul Egan, Kathleen Gray and Lori Higgins, Detroit Free Press – LANSING, Mich. — Michigan, considered the birthplace of the American organized labor movement, was on a fast track to becoming

By Melanie Mason and Joseph Tanfani, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney shattered spending records during their 2012 campaigns, eclipsing $2 billion in fundraising, the campaigns

By Brian Bennett, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Wednesday that he wants to tackle small parts of immigration reform before addressing how to create a pathway to

By David Lightman and Lesley Clark, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Trying to predict the outcome of the “fiscal cliff” negotiations is like trying to predict the final standings for your favorite teams

By Lindsay Wise and Dave Helling, The Kansas City Star – WASHINGTON —Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, his 89-year old body now weakened by age, illness and war injuries, sat quietly in a

By David Lightman, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday asked Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida — who led the Democratic Party in a triumphant election year but

(DES MOINES) – Cass County marks the 99th county visited this year for both Gov. Terry Branstad, who visited Plastic Professionals in Atlantic today, and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, who wraps up her

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced that Mary Vermeer Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer Corporation in Pella, will serve as co-chair of the Governor’s

By David Lightman and Jack Brammer, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Day after day in the last month, Mitch McConnell’s angry words, aimed squarely at Democrats and their “hard left” constituency, pierced the

By William Douglas and Lesley Clark, McClatchy Newspapers – HATFIELD, Pa. — The key players in a looming budget crisis talked to news cameras Friday rather than to each other, each accusing the

By Maria Recio, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Fifty years after the Kennedy administration started a small-scale effort to place American art in embassies overseas, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday celebrated

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced that Adam Gregg will serve as the administration’s new legislative liaison. Gregg will begin his duties on Monday, December

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad today named University of Iowa student Hannah Walsh as the student member to the state Board of Regents. Walsh, 20, is from Spirit Lake and majoring

By Cindy Carcamo, Los Angeles Times – Several civil- and immigrant-rights organizations sued Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Thursday, challenging an executive order that denies driver’s licenses to some young people who recently received

By Anita Kumar, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Fresh off his re-election victory, President Barack Obama has started campaigning again, this time to sell the nation on his solution to avert a series

By Lisa Mascaro and Christi Parsons, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Once-upbeat talks over the nation’s year-end budget crisis stalled Thursday as Republicans rejected the latest White House offer and emboldened Democrats

By Curtis Tate, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from drought-stricken states along the Mississippi River on Thursday asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and President Barack Obama to act quickly to

WASHINGTON — Senator Chuck Grassley today joined Senator Mark Udall of Colorado , Rep. Steve King of Iowa, Rep. Jerry McNerney of California, and 40 veterans – many of whom have found

Rod Boshart, CR Gazette – Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he supports a regional system of fundraising forums and events for GOP presidential candidates in 2015 rather than the traditional Ames straw

Trade mission is part of the administration’s goal to increase trade opportunities by 20 percent. Interested Iowans are encouraged to participate in the trade mission. (DES MOINES) – Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds

By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — A potential casualty of the “fiscal cliff” standoff is the ability of Congress to adjust an outdated tax code provision that could significantly boost

By Bruce Ackerman, Los Angeles Times – For all the brave talk of a fiscal “grand bargain,” President Obama and House Speaker John A. Boehner are playing small ball on a narrow field

By Lisa Mascaro, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — When Republicans in Congress say they are willing to put tax revenues on the table in budget talks with President Barack Obama, that offer

McClatchy-Tribune News Service – The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune: ——— Ohio, the mother of all tossup states, gave its 18 electoral votes — and with them, the White House

By Cindy Carcamo, Los Angeles Times – LOS ANGELES — Two weeks after the election, the ballots are finally counted in Arizona. The delay — more than half a million were uncounted on

By Michael A. Memoli, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — The man who managed Barack Obama’s successful re-election campaign said Tuesday that the Chicago-based operation will carry on in some form to advocate

By Matea Gold, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — Labor unions seeking a fiscal solution that protects entitlement programs and raises taxes on the rich are trying the carrot approach before taking the

By Beth Musgrave, Lexington Herald-Leader – LEXINGTON, Ky. — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., says he is interested in running for president in 2016. “I’m not going to deny that I’m interested,” Paul

By Kim Geiger, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — In an election year that had threatened to produce a deeper deficit for the House Democratic minority, the party instead narrowed the GOP’s majority

By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times – WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke urged President Barack Obama and Congress to shield the fragile economy from the full brunt of the “fiscal

Rod Boshart, CR Gazette – DES MOINES — Iowa Senate Democrats retooled some of their leadership team Sunday by naming Dubuque Sen. Pam Jochum to be the chamber’s next president. “Now the

By Ben Wieder, Stateline.org – WASHINGTON — When an Arizona group called Americans for Responsible Leadership donated $11 million in mid-October to a California political action committee, it aroused the suspicion of California’s

WASHINGTON – Legislation to provide a much needed update to the Whistleblower Protection Act has passed the Senate and is now expected to be signed into law by the President. Sen. Charles

By Lesley Clark and David Lightman, McClatchy Newspapers – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and congressional leaders were optimistic Friday after opening talks aimed at avoiding a tumble over the “fiscal cliff,” offering

By Antje Passenheim and Peter Janssen – WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama left Washington Saturday on his first foreign trip since winning re-election, which will include a historic visit to Myanmar —

By Noam N. Levey, Tribune Washington Bureau – WASHINGTON — More Republican governors announced Friday they would not implement a key part of the new health care law, despite a new attempt by

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds applaud the Federal government’s decision to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and deny pending waiver requests.  Iowa leads the nation