U.S. Politics
Around-the-clock political news and analysis from Reuters. Follow @ReutersPolitics for more.
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"In all my years involved in the issues, there is nothing that has pricked the consciousness of the American people, there is nothing that has gone to the heart of the matter more than the image people have of little six year old kids riddled, not shot, but riddled, riddled, with bullet holes in their classroom."
-Vice President Joe Biden, delivering remarks about the newly-formed Newtown task force on Thursday (remarks from transcription delivered by White House pool reporter) -
U.S. President Barack Obama listens as his Chief of Staff Jack Lew speaks after Obama nominated him to replace Timothy Geithner as U.S. Treasury Secretary, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, January 10, 2013. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting on curbing gun violence at the White House in Washington January 10, 2013. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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PHOTO: VP met with gun owner groups today at the White House to discuss efforts to curb gun violence. (WH Photo) pbs.twimg.com/media/BARyYJRCIAAJ7z7.jpg
by Vice President Biden via twitter 1/10/2013 9:47:16 PM -
Video: Vice President Biden meets with gun rights groups (White House)
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Video: President Obama nominates Jack Lew for treasury secretary
(White House) -
Video: Secretary of State Clinton meets with reporters
(U.S. State Department, recorded January 8, 2013) -
U.S. Sen. Rockefeller to announce retirement-Senate source
WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia will announce later on Friday that he will not seek a sixth term in the Senate in 2014, according to a Senate Democratic source.
Rockefeller, 75, is chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. He is scheduled to make an announcement at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) in Charleston, West Virginia, about his future plans, according to his office. -
Afghan President Karzai just arrived at the White House. His 1st meeting supposed to start at 10 am - got here a few minutes late.
— Ali Weinberg (@AliNBCNews) January 11, 2013 -
Video: Afghan President Karzai meets Secy of Defense Panetta
(The Pentagon Channel) -
Boehner sets Feb 12 for Obama's state of the union speech
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Friday formally invited President Barack Obama to deliver the annual state of the union address to Congress on Feb. 12.
In a letter inviting Obama to address a joint session of Congress, Boehner, a Republican, said Americans expected Congress and the White House to work together to find solutions.
The speech from the Democratic president will come days before the U.S. Treasury is expected to run out of funds to pay government bills. -
U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, January 11, 2013. REUTERS/Jason Reed
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Senior official tells me assault weapons ban and background checks will be in final gun proposal that goes to Congress
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) January 11, 2013 -
The word "Pakistan" is absent from joint Obama/Karzai statement on their meeting. Instead it's "regional environment."by Olivier Knox via twitter 1/11/2013 6:20:58 PM -
Obama/Karzai statement says they discussed "sustainable" post-2014 force. Eyeing security accord "as soon as possible."by Olivier Knox via twitter 1/11/2013 6:20:58 PM
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Obama: “By the end of next year — 2014 — the transition will be complete…this war will come to a responsible end.”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) January 11, 2013 -
"Coalition forces will move to a support role (in Afghanistan) this spring."
-President Barack Obama, speaking at a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday -
Karzai on Afghan sovereignty: We agreed on the complete retain of detention centers and this will be implemented soon.
— Shreeya Sinha (@shreeyasinha) January 11, 2013 -
U.S. President Barack Obama welcomes Afghan President Hamid Karzai prior to a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, January 11, 2013. REUTERS/Larry Downing
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Reuters: White House says it supports opening of a Doha office for negotiations between High Peace Council and authorized representative of Taliban
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Obama: “We went into Afghanistan because 3,000 Americans were viciously murdered”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) January 11, 2013 -
Audio: President Obama, Afghan President Karzai hold press conference
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U.S. President Barack Obama addresses a joint news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the East Room of the White House in Washington, January 11, 2013. REUTERS/Larry Downing
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Supreme Court to review free speech of HIV/AIDS groups
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether the government violates the free speech rights of groups that receive federal funding for overseas HIV/AIDS programs by requiring them to have explicit policies that oppose prostitution and sex trafficking.
A divided 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York had in July 2011 struck down the requirement contained in the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, saying it violated the First Amendment.
Read on... -
Reuters: U.S. Senate Democratic leaders tell President Obama he must be ready to take "any lawful steps" to ensure no debt default if Congress does not raise the debt ceiling on time.
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A copy of the book 'Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games' sits at one attendee's place at the table as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden convenes a meeting with representatives from the video game industry, in a dialogue about gun violence, in his office in Washington, January 11, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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U.S. Vice President Joe Biden convenes a meeting with representatives from the video game industry, in a dialogue about gun violence, in his office in Washington, January 11, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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Statement by President Obama on Senator Rockefeller
(as released by the White House)
"Jay Rockefeller first arrived in West Virginia as a young volunteer, eager to improve the lives of working families. And for more than four decades, he has continued to fight tirelessly on their behalf.
From his time in the state legislature to the Governor’s office to the Senate floor, Jay has built an impressive legacy, one that can be found in the children who have better schools, the miners who have safer working conditions, the seniors who have retired with greater dignity, and the new industries that he helped bring to West Virginia.
A long-time champion of health care reform, Jay was also instrumental in the fight to make sure that nobody in America has to go broke because they get sick. Michelle and I join the people of West Virginia in thanking Senator Rockefeller for a lifetime of service, and I look forward to continuing to work with him over the next two years." -
Video: U.S. State Department's daily press briefing
(Source: U.S. State Department) -
Video: Demonstrators press Obama to close Guantanamo Bay
(Source: RT) -
ALERT - Speaker Boehner: American people will not tolerate an increase in the debt limit without spending cuts and reforms.
— CNBC (@CNBC) January 11, 2013 -
Video: President Obama, Afghan President Karzai hold press conference
(Source: White House) -
Video: Vice President Biden meets with video game industry reps on gun violence
(Source: White House) -
Spokesman Caley Gray: "The news report that claims Senator Lautenberg has decided to retire is simply not true."
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) January 12, 2013 -
Responding to a petition on its website, the White House says it has no plans to build a "Death Star," adding that the Obama Administration "does not support blowing up planets." (read the full response)
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Video: Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) delivers GOP weekly address
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Video: President Obama delivers weekly address on Afghanistan
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Obama undergoes fitness exam at Pentagon
President Barack Obama had a little personal fitness boot camp at the Pentagon on Saturday.
Obama, 51, participated in what the White House described as a fitness evaluation at a Pentagon clinic, part of the periodic medical examination of him that is coordinated by the president's doctor.
He was at the Fit to Win Clinic inside the Pentagon. The clinic's website says its objective is to enhance "military readiness and civilian wellness through fitness, nutrition, health education and positive lifestyle behavior changes."
The White House provided few details but said "the results of the president's periodic medical exam will be released before the end of the month."
Read on… -
Reuters: The U.S. Treasury Department says it will not produce platinum coins as a way to avoid a debt limit increase.
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Video: Gen. Colin Powell (Ret.) on defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel
(Source: NBC News) -
"…what is his view of America's role in the world? Whether he really believes that the surge was the worst blunder since the Vietnam War. That clearly is not correct; in fact, it's bizarre.
- Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), speaking on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel -
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We don't think there is much likelihood that the Congress is going to move on making gun control laws worse than they are. In fact, already, there are a couple of bills that have been put in, one by Representative Steve Stockman, outside of Houston, that would remove the gun-free zones that have been so much like a magnet to invite mass murderers into zones where they know nobody else will be able to shoot back. And, that, I think, is where the debate is likely to shift.
-Larry Pratt with the group "Gun Owners of America," speaking on the program "FOX News Sunday." -
Video: NRA President David Keene on assault weapons ban
(Source: CNN) -
Illinois Republicans are calling for the resignation of State GOP Chairman after he urged lawmakers to pass gay marriage bill.
— Dan Lopez (@4danlopez) January 13, 2013
Barcelona van attacker may still be alive, on the run: police
BARCELONA The driver of the van that plowed into crowds in Barcelona, killing 13 people, may still be alive and at large, Spanish police said on Friday, denying earlier media reports that he had been shot dead in a Catalan seaside resort. | Video
