Stephen Dinan

Obama fails to sway Hill Republicans

UPDATED: President Obama tried to put the "bi" back in bipartisanship Tuesday in separate meetings with House and Senate Republicans, but failed to sway votes on the economic recovery bill.

January 27, 2009

Obama tackles Mideast, climate

UPDATED: President Obama on Monday deployed a special envoy to the Middle East to work on the peace process and sought to claim to leadership on global warming by erasing Bush-era rules.

January 27, 2009

Obama wants stronger fuel-efficiency rules

President Obama on Monday took the first step to reverse Bush energy and global warming policies, saying his administration will pay attention to science and paving the way for California, Maryland and other states to set their own tough car fuel efficiency standards.

January 26, 2009

Obama lifts Bush’s veil of secrecy

President Obama on Wednesday repealed a 2001 executive order granting former presidents, and even vice presidents, the ability to keep documents secret long past the 12 years allowed by law.

January 22, 2009

Obama’s historic day, minute by minute

UPDATED: Barack Obama began Tuesday as a husband, father and man whose election lifted up the hopes of millions. At noon, he made history for the nation, and for the world.

January 21, 2009

Obama takes charge

Barack Hussein Obama became the nation's first black president on Tuesday, beckoning Americans to move beyond divisive politics and a "collective failure to make hard choices." Now Wednesday, the real work begins.

January 20, 2009

Kennedy suffers seizure at luncheon

DEVELOPING: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy fell ill with what one lawmaker described as a "lengthy seizure" and was removed from the luncheon honoring President Obama.

January 20, 2009

Obama visits Tomb of Unknowns

President-elect Barack Obama continued to explore his new home city Sunday, pausing amid the inaugural bustle to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and to attend religious services at the city's oldest black church as he searches for a spiritual home in town.

January 19, 2009

Obama urges Americans to pitch in

UPDATED: President-elect Barack Obama, on the eve of his inauguration, previewed his highly anticipated speech by challenging everyday Americans to take responsibility for their communities.

January 19, 2009

Obama dinners salute McCain, Powell, Biden

The night before taking the oath of office, President-elect Barack Obama said he would make bipartisanship "a new way of doing business in this city" as he feted his Republican presidential rival, Sen. John McCain, former Bush administration Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.

January 19, 2009

Obama begins search for church

President-elect Barack Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns Sunday morning then headed with his family for church services as he began his search for a spiritual home in Washington.

January 18, 2009

Bush v. Clinton: Bush does OK

Two wars, soaring deficits and a stock market collapse have left many Americans nostalgic for the Clinton years, but judging by President Clinton's own international yardsticks, President Bush measures up pretty well.

January 18, 2009

By the stats: Measuring Bush against Clinton elusive

Two wars, soaring deficits and a stock market collapse have left many Americans nostalgic for the Clinton years, but judging by President Clinton's own international yardsticks, President Bush measures up pretty well.

January 17, 2009

Obama: Inauguration a new start for U.S.

President-elect Barack Obama said Saturday his inauguration holds "the promise of a new beginning" for America and offers the nation a chance to reaffirm its fundamental values.

January 17, 2009

Treasury pick Geithner owed IRS $35,000

President-elect Barack Obama's Treasury Secretary nominee, who would oversee the Internal Revenue Service, failed to pay nearly $35,000 in federal taxes from 2001 to 2004 and has a history of mistakes and late-filing, senators preparing to vote on the pick said Tuesday.

January 14, 2009

Bush stakes U.S. claim in Arctic

Facing growing competition for the Arctic, President Bush on Monday issued a directive staking the U.S. claim to be an Arctic nation with rights to its resources and travel lanes.

January 13, 2009

Obama climate czar has socialist ties

Carol M. Browner, President-elect Barack Obama's pick as global warming czar, was listed as a leader of a socialist group's Commission for a Sustainable World Society.

January 12, 2009

Obama sees 4 million jobs in plan

With Congress moving more slowly than he'd hoped, President-elect Barack Obama upped the ante on his economic recovery package Saturday, saying his plan could save or create up to 4 million jobs - 1 million more than he had projected earlier.

January 11, 2009

Obama: Recovery plan to net 4M jobs

With Congress moving slower than he'd hoped, President-elect Barack Obama upped the ante on his economic recovery package Saturday, saying he now believes his plan can save or create up to 4 million jobs.

January 10, 2009

Obama: U.S. to weaken without stimulus

President-elect Barack Obama sought to move the economic stimulus debate past broad agreement on the outlines, pushing Congress to overcome squabbles or risk a long recession that threatens America's standing.

January 9, 2009