Stephen Dinan

Biden: Dismantle West Bank settlements

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Tuesday called for dismantling Israeli settlements in the West Bank and repeated guarantees that the United States under President Obama will defend Israel's security. Published May 5, 2009

Hatch cites Obama assurance not to appoint ‘radical’ justice

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch on Monday said President Obama promised him he would not nominate a radical liberal to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter. Published May 5, 2009

Obama wants court pick to have ‘empathy’

President Obama said Friday he will look beyond traditional legal experience to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter — to someone who can relate to average Americans. Published May 2, 2009

GOP leaders form group to reconnect with voters

Top Republican leaders seeking to stabilize their battered party said Thursday that they have formed a new national group to try to reconnect Republicans to the voters who have fled from their ranks. Published May 1, 2009

Biden hits panic button on swine flu

Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. went off-script Thursday and said he would advise his family not to take an airplane or even get on a subway to avoid the swine flu -- just a day after his boss, President Obama, told Americans only far more modest measures are needed, such as washing hands and stifling coughs. Published April 30, 2009

Obama: Torture not worth trade-off

President Obama acknowledged that waterboarding may glean information from terrorists but said those techniques constitute "torture" and that the country is made safer by not using them. Published April 30, 2009

Obama: America safer without torture tactics

President Obama on his 100th day in office acknowledged that enhanced interrogation tactics may glean information from terrorists but said those techniques constitute "torture," saying the country is safer without them. Published April 29, 2009

Specter to run as Democrat for 2010

Five-term Republican Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that he is switching parties and will run next year as a Democrat. Published April 29, 2009

Frenetic pace set for Obama’s first 100 days

President Obama ends the first 100 days of his administration as he began - dealing with a major crisis, struggling to find Republican support and working with a Senate in flux. Published April 29, 2009

Specter joins Democrats opposed to key Obama goals

The only immediate effect of Sen. Arlen Specter's switch from Republican to Democrat was to boost the number of Democrats who oppose some of President Obama's chief goals. Published April 29, 2009

Lawmakers cut flu money from stimulus

Congress over the past four years has trimmed spending aimed at fighting a flu pandemic, most recently in this year's stimulus bill, when a key House Democrat tried but failed to get his colleagues to include hundreds of millions of dollars. Published April 28, 2009

Obama fields press, gifts in first 100 days

Though its own author has lamented it as one-dimensional, the book Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez gave to President Obama at the recent Summit of the Americas is rite-of-passage reading for Latin American youths. Published April 28, 2009

Top Dem: Forced to strip flu-fighting funds

A top House Democrat on Monday accused fellow lawmakers of forcing him to strip millions of dollars out of the recovery act he said would have helped prepare to fight the new swine flu outbreak. Published April 27, 2009

States in need not first in line for stimulus

President Obama's stimulus bill was supposed to spend money to create jobs, but four of the top 10 recipients of per capita grant aid to date have the lowest unemployment rates in the country and nearly all are below the national average. Published April 24, 2009

Obama open to torture memo prosecutions

President Obama for the first time Tuesday opened the door to prosecuting former Bush administration officials, saying those who approved harsh interrogation techniques may be subject to criminal charges. Published April 22, 2009

Obama touts Mideast peace

Trying to jump-start the Middle East peace process, President Obama met with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday, hosting his first Middle Eastern leader in the Oval Office, and invited the leaders of Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority for future visits. Published April 22, 2009

Obama doesn’t rule out torture prosecutions

President Obama left the door open Tuesday to prosecuting Bush administration lawyers who wrote the rules allowing tough interrogation techniques to be used on suspected terrorists. Published April 21, 2009

At CIA, Obama defends release of memos

If rank-and-file employees at the nation's top spy agency are angry over President Obama's release of secret memos on sensitive interrogation practices last week, they are keeping their feelings well-hidden. Published April 21, 2009

Obama orders $100 million in office cuts

Acknowledging a "confidence gap" with taxpayers, President Obama ordered his Cabinet on Monday to cut a total of $100 million from office expenses over the next 90 days - but his effort was immediately ridiculed by Republicans who said it was a pittance. Published April 21, 2009

Obama tells Cabinet to cut $100 million more

Acknowledging a "confidence gap" with taxpayers, President Obama on Monday ordered his Cabinet to find $100 million in total spending cuts over the next 90 days as a signal they are serious about spending money wisely. Published April 20, 2009