All DC Decoder
Why James Comey could be an astute choice for new FBI directorPresident Obama reportedly is set to name James Comey as FBI director. Mr. Comey is a Republican who served in the Bush administration 鈥� but resisted the White House on warrantless wiretaps.
What's next for Michele Bachmann?Rep. Michele Bachmann, head of the House Tea Party Caucus, isn't a mainstream GOP favorite 鈥� but she can still make money with lectures and media. She also has legal battles ahead.聽
Obama-Christie bromance, Part 2: A win-win for bothPresident Obama and Gov. Chris Christie came together after Sandy to help New Jersey rebuild. Now, the bipartisan odd couple is at it again 鈥� with political benefits for both sides.
Bob Dole says Reagan couldn't make it in today's GOP. Is he right?Former Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole said Ronald Reagan wouldn't have been accepted in today's GOP. Maybe, like Dole, he just wouldn't have understood today's D.C.
Obama鈥檚 struggle: How free should the press be?President Obama says he's trying to strike a balance between national security and essential freedoms.聽Now, after his own Justice Department accessed reporters' phone records, he wants to protect against 'overreach.' Some say he's trying to have it both ways.聽
Would a US 'drone court' to authorize drone strikes be a good idea?President Obama this week tentatively opened the door to the establishment of a drone court, to provide greater accountability for drone strikes on Al Qaeda affiliates abroad. The idea is drawing mixed reviews.
Has Obama tightened US drone strike policy, or not?Administration officials had said Thursday's address by President Obama would contain big changes on drone attacks. But some sections were so carefully worded as to be 'opaque,' according to one expert.
Rand Paul's beef with immigration reform bill: the E-Verify systemA photo-based E-Verify system for checking workers' legal status 鈥� a key part of the Senate immigration reform bill 鈥� does not mesh well with the libertarian leanings of Sen. Rand Paul (R). His worry: a 'national ID.'
IRS scandal: Will House throw Lois Lerner in slammer?Lois Lerner declined to testify at a House hearing on the IRS scandal, but not before making an opening statement asserting her innocence. Did that undermine her Fifth Amendment rights?
Obamas hosting Carole King: What's the special occasion?When the Beatles got off the plane for the first time in the US, the first person they wanted to meet was Carole King. So, winning the Library of Congress's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and a White House gig were events just waiting to happen.
Anthony Weiner for N.Y.C. mayor? Why he is no Mark Sanford.Disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner announced his candidacy Wednesday for mayor of New York City. But he will have a harder time than Rep. Mark Sanford did in staging a comeback.聽
Senate panel passes immigration reform bill: how Republicans helped shape itThe immigration reform bill, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 13-to-5 vote Tuesday night, received some tweaks aimed at attracting more GOP support during its next key vote on the Senate floor.
Obama administration targets Fox News reporter in 'chilling' echo of AP probeLast week, news broke that the Justice Department obtained records from AP for its investigation into an internal leak. Now, details are emerging about an investigation of a Fox News reporter that some experts say could harm investigative journalism even more.
Why IRS investigation is already Obama's Watergate 鈥� and Benghazi, tooSince Watergate, every two-term president has had a second-term scandal. First-term mistakes and hyperpartisanship make probes 鈥� like those into Benghazi and the IRS 鈥� almost inevitable.
The good news 鈥� and the bad news 鈥� for Obama in scandal-tinged pollsPresident Obama's approval rating has not slipped in public opinion polls despite a trio of political scandals.聽But most Americans don't think much of the way the administration has handled the issues, and they believe further investigation is justified.
Did the Associated Press blow an Al Qaeda informant's cover?Some officials say the Associated Press scoop on a thwarted terrorist plot by an Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen harmed the effort to neutralize a master bomb-builder. Does that excuse the Obama administration's aggressive crackdown on national security leaks?
'Obamagate' danger for the GOP: political overreachRepublicans are jumping all over what they see as major scandals in the Obama administration, including Benghazi, the IRS, and checking journalists鈥� phone records. But some in the GOP are warning against the perception of overreach for partisan purposes.
Playing the IRS card: Six presidents who used the IRS to bash political foes Since the advent of the federal income tax about a century ago, several presidents 鈥� or their zealous underlings 鈥� have directed the IRS to use its formidable police powers to harass or punish enemies, political rivals, and administration critics. Here are six infamous episodes.
House Republicans repeal Obamacare again. Why do they keep doing it?House Republicans repealed Obamacare for the fourth time Thursday, and like their other efforts, it will go nowhere in the Senate. Yet for the party's base, it's hardly a pointless vote.
Federal deficit falling fast: Is that a good thing ... or a bad thing?New estimates show the US federal budget deficit falling faster than forecast. To some, that's a sign that fiscal policy is becoming too austere, valuing quick cuts over more-needed reforms.
