Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Young face put on illegal migration at DNC
Democrats broke yet another barrier Wednesday when they invited an illegal immigrant young adult onto the stage at their nominating convention in Charlotte — part of a historic Hispanic outreach program that the party hopes will cement ties to the fast-growing ethnic voting bloc in the country. Published September 5, 2012
Democrats scramble to restore Jerusalem plank to platform
The White House scrambled Wednesday to alter the Democratic Party platform after they adopted a version that left out references to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and made no mention of God. Published September 5, 2012
First lady Michelle Obama hails husband at DNC
First lady Michelle Obama pleaded with voters Tuesday to reward her husband with re-election, telling delegates at the Democrats' convention that President Obama comes from humble beginnings and was able to reach the White House by taking advantage of the same kind of government assistance he is defending on the campaign trail. Published September 4, 2012
Abortion issue sets tone for attracting women at DNC
Inside the convention hall Tuesday, Democrats affirmed themselves as the pro-choice party, delivering the most detailed discussion of contraceptives and reproductive health in major-party political history and adopting a platform that defends abortion, including taxpayer funding for the procedure. Published September 4, 2012
Debt to hit $16T in time to crash Democratic convention
Just as Democrats are gaveling in their convention Tuesday, the federal government likely will announce another dubious milestone — $16 trillion in total federal debt. Published September 2, 2012
Immigration agency’s chief of staff resigns amid misconduct probe
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's chief of staff has resigned amid allegations of inappropriate behavior and potential sexual harassment, and congressional Republicans have vowed to conduct their own review of the Obama administration. Published September 1, 2012
Spanish-language media ‘obsessed’ on immigration issue
For most voters, the Republicans' nominating convention has been filled with speeches about jobs, the economy, federal spending and President Obama's record. But for Hispanic voters getting their news from the Spanish-language press, the view is very different — and decidedly unsympathetic to the Republican Party. Published August 30, 2012
Zingers, one-liners punch up speeches
Hitting the right comedic note in a convention speech can be tough, but Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee, had delegates laughing Wednesday night at his string of one-liners poking fun at both President Obama and Mitt Romney. Published August 30, 2012
Romney accepts GOP nomination at RNC, vows leadership, ‘lots of jobs’
Mitt Romney on Thursday accepted the nod to lead an ever-more conservative Republican Party against a powerful but politically vulnerable incumbent, telling a national audience that this year’s election comes down to jobs and President Obama’s failure to create enough of them. Published August 30, 2012
Ryan says ticket won’t ‘duck the tough issues,’ will repeal Obamacare
Capping his meteoric rise to the heights of the Republican Party, Paul Ryan accepted the party's vice presidential nomination Wednesday, saying he considered it "a calling" at a time when the country needs to make tough decisions — and pledging that he and Mitt Romney won't shirk from them. Published August 29, 2012
Republican convention seeks a break from Bush’s years
The Republican convention may occasionally dip into the weeds this week, but it will do its best to stay away from the Bushes — as in former President George W. Bush, who still casts a long shadow over the party he led for a rocky eight-year tenure. Published August 28, 2012
Christie vouches for Romney: ‘Solutions will not be painless’
Kicking off Republicans' 2012 nominating convention with a piercing critique of American political life, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday politicians and voters alike have "become paralyzed" by an inability to live within limits, and he challenged both groups to accept that there are some promises government should not make, and cannot meet. Published August 28, 2012
Embracers of the Constitution are baffled by what’s really in it
They say they stand for a return to constitutional principles, but it turns out tea party supporters are just as confused as to what rights and powers are in the federal government's founding document, according to the latest The Washington Times/JZ Analytics poll. Published August 27, 2012
Obama, Romney in dead heat as voter bases stick
Heading into their nominating conventions, President Obama and Mitt Romney are dead even — down to a tenth of a percent — in the latest The Washington Times/JZ Analytics Poll, which also shows independents, the critical swing group, beginning to pick sides. Published August 26, 2012
Seniors boost Obama over fears of GOP Medicare cuts
Voters believe Mitt Romney and other Republicans are more likely to cut Medicare than President Obama and congressional Democrats, according to the latest The Washington Times/JZ Analytics survey, released Sunday. Published August 26, 2012
GOP packs events into three days
It's not as if Republicans didn't see this storm coming. In fact, Tampa, where the GOP is preparing to gather for its quadrennial nominating convention, previously was rejected for exactly this reason. Published August 26, 2012
GOP cancels first day of convention as storm Isaac approaches
With a hurricane poised to creep along the Florida coast over the next few days, Republicans on Saturday canceled the first night of their nominating convention, slated for Monday, and said they'll pick up on Tuesday. Published August 25, 2012
Deportation statistics said to be inflated
The Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee is charging that the Obama administration has "falsified" deportation records to artificially boost numbers — a move critics of the Homeland Security Department have long suspected. Published August 23, 2012
In Paul they trust as he leaves political stage
One way to measure Rep. Ron Paul's ascendance as a political player is to compare the cold shoulder he got from rival Republican presidential candidate John McCain in 2008 with the cozier embrace he has received from 2012 presumptive nominee Mitt Romney. Published August 23, 2012
Immigration agents sue to stop Obama’s non-deportation policy
Saying they are fed up with being told that they can't do their jobs, 10 immigration agents on Thursday sued the Obama administration to try to overturn the president's new non-deportation policy. Published August 23, 2012