Stephen Dinan

Illegal immigrant population down

Illegal immigration appears to have fallen last year, marking the first drop in years and coinciding with Congress' failure to pass a legalization bill and the Bush administration's stepped-up raids and enforcement.

October 2, 2008

‘Bailout’ by another name sounds sweeter

Washington struggled Tuesday for a solution for the Wall Street mess but settled on what to blame for the failure of a $700 billion package - the word "bailout."

October 1, 2008

Legislators factor in re-election with vote

If you want a reason as to why the financial bailout bill failed Monday, look no further than the upcoming elections:

October 1, 2008

Bailout backers gambled on arm-twisting

Democrats and Republicans knew they didn't have the votes Monday morning to pass the Wall Street bailout bill but went ahead anyway, risking the markets on the hope that reluctant lawmakers could be steamrolled.

September 30, 2008

Negative ads everywhere, nowhere

A lot of the nastiest, harshest ads are released to the press but aren't airing that much on regular television.

September 30, 2008

Candidate mistakes muddy the race

While Henry A. Kissinger traveled to China twice before President Nixon's famous visit in 1972, it's tough to argue that represents the "many times" Sen. John McCain claimed during Friday night's presidential debate that the then-national security adviser visited the communist state.

September 28, 2008

Obama, McCain spar in 1st debate

The two presidential candidates clashed Friday as Barack Obama painted his rival as a loyal supporter of failed Republican policies, while John McCain charged that Obama "doesn't understand" the world's most grave challenges.

September 27, 2008

It’s on: McCain attends debate

UPDATED -- Republican candidate Sen. John McCain will attend the first debate at 9 p.m. EDT Friday in Oxford, Miss.

September 26, 2008

Democrats add billions to stopgap bill

Even as Congress moves to bail out Wall Street, congressional Democrats called Thursday for billions more in taxpayer dollars to be spent on private shipyards, a new Department of Homeland Security headquarters and hybrid car batteries - all to get the economy going.

September 26, 2008

McCain ad links Obama to corruption

John McCain lashed out at Barack Obama's political pedigree, tying his rival to notorious Chicago machine politics as McCain struggled to reclaim the advantage that slipped to Obama as the Wall Street mess has unfolded.

September 23, 2008

House GOP ready for drilling battle

House Republicans say they have the votes to force opening up the outer continental shelf to more drilling, setting up a potential showdown with Democrats who are conflicted over how to handle the issue.

September 23, 2008

McCain tries anti-Chavez ad to lure Hispanics

Sen. John McCain released a commercial linking Sen. Barack Obama to anti-American rants by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in the hope that Hispanics' disdain for the divisive Latin American leader will pay off at the polls.

September 20, 2008

Market creates political turmoil

Sen. John McCain blames the current economic crisis on Washington's failure to combat greed and excess on Wall Street while Sen. Barack Obama views it as the inevitable consequences of failed Republican policies.

September 18, 2008

Records show McCain more bipartisan

ANALYSIS -- Sen. John McCain's record of working with Democrats easily outstrips Sen. Barack Obama's efforts with Republicans, according to an analysis by The Washington Times of their legislative records.

September 15, 2008

Sen. says Palin sank ‘Bridge to Nowhere’

Sen. Tom Coburn, the chief foe of the "Bridge to Nowhere," said Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin deserves credit for killing the project, which became the symbol of Washington pork-barrel spending.

September 13, 2008

Palin touts readiness in 1st interview

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Thursday she is ready to be vice president and warned the U.S. needs to be vigilant in the face of Russian aggression, including being ready for war if it means defending NATO allies.

September 12, 2008

Palin takes tough stand on Russia

On the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, Gov. Sarah Palin took a hard-line approach on national security and told ABC News that war with Russia may be necessary if that nation invades another country.

September 11, 2008

GOP bandwagon runs on ‘Palin Power’

Volunteers have skyrocketed, fundraising has picked up and even the polling shows closer races in some down-ticket congressional contests as Republicans say the effects of "Palin Power" are being felt across the country.

September 10, 2008

McCain vows to end ‘rancor’

John McCain tells the nation Thursday night that the scars he earned in war and during years of Washington's policy battles left him better-equipped than Democrat Barack Obama.

September 5, 2008

‘Black hats’ keep lookout for troublemakers

Fearing demonstrations from Ron Paul delegates at the Republican National Convention, the party has created a "black-hat" squad to track the Paulites and other potential disrupters.