Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Obama ducks promise to delay bill signings
It seemed among the easiest of his transparency pledges and is entirely under his control, but President Obama is finagling his promise to post bills on the White House Web site for comment for five days before he signs them. Published May 26, 2009
Liberty drops Democrats as official club
Liberty University says the school's College Democrats chapter can no longer be recognized as an official club because its principles are anathema to the Lynchburg, Va., school's Christian doctrine and because club officials misled the school. Published May 23, 2009
Obama, Cheney clash over terrorism
President Obama vigorously defended his decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detention site but said some terrorist suspects would be held indefinitely, setting up a possible fight with Congress over their relocation. Published May 22, 2009
GOP call for Pelosi probe stymied
House Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican attempt to force Speaker Nancy Pelosi to document her charge that the CIA lied to Congress about interrogation methods used by the Bush administration against terror suspects and other matters. Published May 22, 2009
Republicans blocked in Pelosi inquiry bid
House Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican attempt to force House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to document her charge that the CIA lied to Congress about the Bush administrations interrogations policies. Published May 21, 2009
Cheney: Pelosi knew of interrogations
Accusing President Obama of giving Americans "less than half the truth," former Vice President Dick Cheney said Thursday tough interrogation tactics worked, and said the tactics had the approval of members of Congress including current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Published May 21, 2009
GOP seeks investigation of Pelosi claims
House Republicans on Thursday will call for a bipartisan investigation of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's charge that the CIA lied to her about the Bush administration's interrogation policies of terror suspects. Published May 21, 2009
Green-job backers seek economic incentive
U.S. business leaders told President Obama Wednesday that the nation lags in developing good jobs out of clean energy and said the government must get involved to push the country further. Published May 21, 2009
Schumer pushes immigration reform
A top Democratic senator said Wednesday that the nation's borders are secure enough to begin working on a legalization bill for current illegal immigrants. Published May 21, 2009
Business leaders press Obama on energy
U.S. business leaders told President Obama Wednesday the country is behind on developing good jobs out of clean energy and said the government must get involved to push the country further. Published May 20, 2009
Pelosi taking ‘wrecking ball’ to CIA morale, Hoekstra says
In disparaging the CIA and accusing the agency of lying last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has become a "wrecking ball" to the morale of officers risking their lives in the field, the top Republican on the House intelligence committee said Tuesday. Published May 20, 2009
House Democrats challenge CIA records
UPDATED: House Democrats on Tuesday challenged the accuracy of CIA records showing who was briefed on enhanced interrogation techniques, with Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey saying they have discovered an inaccuracy in the records. Published May 19, 2009
Climate-bill foes likely to seize on CBO’s scoring
Congress' chief scorekeeper says the global warming bill moving through Congress will either be scored as a major tax increase or a massive expansion of the federal government - and either one could give opponents substantial ammunition to complicate Democrats' efforts to pass a bill. Published May 19, 2009
Notre Dame cheers, jeers Obama
Engaging the culture war directly, President Obama made a plea Sunday at the University of Notre Dame for both sides to talk to each other with "open hearts, open minds, fair-minded words" on abortion and other fiery issues. Published May 18, 2009
Obama calls for ‘open minds’ in Notre Dame speech
Engaging the culture war directly at the University of Notre Dame, President Obama made a plea for both sides to talk to each other on abortion and other fiery debates with "open hearts, open minds, fair-minded words." Published May 17, 2009
Notre Dame address to touch on abortion
Protesting pro-life leaders have been arrested, Catholic bishops have objected and some students have promised a boycott when President Obama gives a commencement address today at the University of Notre Dame. Published May 17, 2009
Republicans salute Obama’s military tack
Even as congressional Democrats feuded last week with the CIA in what at times seemed to be a throwback to the 1970s, President Obama was headed in the other direction in what may have been his most active week yet as commander in chief. Published May 17, 2009
Panetta: ‘Not our policy to mislead Congress’
UPDATED: CIA Director Leon Panetta said Friday that agency officials gave a truthful account to Capitol Hill lawmakers in 2002 about harsh interrogation techniques on suspected terrorists. Published May 15, 2009
Obama: Not enough votes for labor’s ‘card check’ bill
President Obama on Thursday acknowledged there aren't the votes to pass the union-sought bill to make it easier to form labor unions, and said congressional backers will have to rewrite the bill to find common ground. Published May 14, 2009
Stimulus spending’s goal now 5% less
The White House on Wednesday moved the goalposts for judging the success of President Obama's stimulus spending bill, saying it now wants to have 70 percent of the money spent before the end of fiscal 2010 -- 5 percent less than the goal set during the congressional debate over the stimulus bill. Published May 14, 2009
