Stephen Dinan

‘Comeback’ for GOP seen in House races

The top Senate Republican said Thursday the GOP is "on a comeback" politically as Democrats scrambled to bury the hatchet after several days of intraparty squabbling over their chances to hold the House in November's elections. Published July 15, 2010

Summer of sunny skies for stimulus?

Pointing to signs of an economic turnaround, the White House said that stimulus act spending finally has kicked into high gear and, as of June 30, had expanded the economy by up to 3.2 percent and created up to 3.6 million jobs. Published July 14, 2010

Justice: Sanctuary cities safe from law

The Obama administration said this week that there is no reason to sue so-called sanctuary cities for refusing to cooperate with federal authorities, whereas Arizona's new immigration law was singled out because it "actively interferes" with enforcement. Published July 14, 2010

White House says stimulus created 3.6 million jobs

The White House said Wednesday that stimulus-act spending finally has kicked into high gear and as of June 30 had grown the economy by up to 3.2 percent and created up to 3.6 million jobs. Published July 14, 2010

Obama taps Clinton vet as budget office chief

Facing a potentially crippling fight over deficits and debt, President Obama on Tuesday tapped as his new budget director Jacob J. "Jack" Lew, the same man who helped President Clinton negotiate with a Republican Congress to achieve balanced budgets in the late 1990s. Published July 13, 2010

Obama picks Lew as budget director

President Obama on Tuesday tapped as his new budget director Jacob J. "Jack" Lew, the same man who oversaw balanced budgets under President Clinton in the late 1990s. Published July 13, 2010

Salazar puts new ban on deep-water oil drilling

Saying oil companies still are at risk of another catastrophic spill, the Obama administration announced a new moratorium Monday on drilling in the outer continental shelf, three weeks after a judge rejected the first ban. Published July 12, 2010

Arizona warned of 2nd lawsuit

The Obama administration could file yet another lawsuit against Arizona if it decides racial profiling is taking place under that state's new immigration law, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said. Published July 11, 2010

Doctor was appointed to preclude politics spat

President Obama's top political aide said Sunday the White House made a recess appointment of Donald Berwick with an eye to heading off a political fight in the middle of an election campaign, though he denied that the move aimed to keep his views from public airing. Published July 11, 2010

Jobless seek work despite benefits, survey says

A new analysis finds that paying unemployment benefits doesn't deter the jobless from still seeking work - throwing more fuel on the heated debate that has dominated Congress for much of the past several months. Published July 11, 2010

White House: Recess appointment made to avoid election politics

President Obama's top political aide said Sunday the White House made a health care recess appointment last week with an eye to heading off a political fight in the middle of an election campaign, though he denied the charge that they did it to keep the nominee's views from being aired publicly. Published July 11, 2010

Holder: U.S. will watch Ariz. for racial profiling

The Obama administration could file yet another lawsuit against Arizona if it decides racial profiling is taking place under that state's new immigration law, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said. Published July 11, 2010

Investigation clears ‘climategate’ participants

An independent investigation into the British global warming scientists involved in the "climategate" e-mails concluded Wednesday that researchers did not intentionally skew data, though they did violate freedom of information laws and allowed the dissemination of misleading information. Published July 7, 2010

U.S. marks 3rd-largest, single-day debt increase

The nation's debt leapt $166 billion in a single day last week, the third-largest increase in U.S. history, and it comes at a time when Congress is balking over higher spending and debt has become a key policy battleground. Published July 7, 2010

Justice sues to halt Arizona law on illegals

The Obama administration sued Tuesday to stop Arizona's new immigration law, drawing President Obama even deeper into the thorny political issue and stacking him against a majority of Americans who support the law. Published July 6, 2010

Obama alienates GOP over immigration bill

President Obama went into Thursday's major policy speech on immigration hoping to convince Republicans to join him in passing a bill, but walked out facing a bigger divide than ever - including having irked one key lawmaker who had been his major Republican ally on the issue. Published July 1, 2010