2012 Elections

Budget Battles

  • The Great Debate

    Five Debate Moments that Changed Elections

    By Robert Speel, The Conversation

    Every presidential election year in my American Political Campaigns and Elections course, I get an opportunity to spend a full lecture discussing with students some of the famous moments from...

  • House panel says IRS official waived rights, contempt possible

    Lois Lerner Is Cleared, Sparking Conservative Fury

    By Rob Garver

    Concluding that “poor management is not a crime,” the Justice Department on Friday informed members of Congress that it would not be filing criminal charges against anyone in what has become known as...

  • GOP Leaders Take on Far Right Pressure Groups

    By Eric Pianin

    There have been plenty of theories about why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) strode onstage at a conservative gathering late last week carrying a rifle. Ostensibly, McConnell, the 72-...

  • Romney: If Hillary Runs, She Won’t Need Bill

    By Thomas Ferraro, Reuters

    Failed 2012 U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said on Sunday he expects Hillary Clinton to win or lose the White House on her record, not that of her husband, former Democratic...

  • Joint Session of Congress

    Voters Give a Thumbs-Down to Their Own Lawmakers

    By Eric Pianin

    In another sign of public outrage over a dysfunctional and politically divided Congress, a record low percentage of registered voters now say their own House member deserves another chance while even...

  • Gingrich: I Didn’t Need to Lobby

    By PHILIP ELLIOTT

    Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich says he didn't need to be a lobbyist after his congressional career because he was paid so handsomely merely to give speeches.

  • Obama Recruits Volunteers

    By KEN THOMAS, Associated Press

    With an eye on recruiting volunteers, President Barack Obama is launching the first TV ads of his re-election campaign. Campaign officials said Tuesday the ad buy is "tiny" on national satellite TV...

  • The Anybody-But-Mitt Movement Gains Strength

    By Ciro Scotti

    Threats to Romney in New Hampshire After a gazillion GOP debates, after dozens of gaffes by the candidates, after trunks of revelations unearthed from the attics of their careers, and after gallons...

  • 2012 Race: GOP Candidates Rely Less on Fill-ins

    By HOLLY RAMER, Associated Press

    At Mitt Romney's New Hampshire headquarters, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie played a time-worn shtick for the cameras, picking up a telephone alongside volunteers who were dialing undecided voters on...

  • New Hampshire's Largest Paper Endorses Gingrich

    By PHILIP ELLIOTT

    New Hampshire's largest newspaper on Sunday endorsed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the 2012 GOP presidential race, signaling that rival Mitt Romney isn't the universal favorite and...