All DC Decoder
Obama faces major challenges in dealing with Libya attackWhether or not there were lapses in his administration, the attack on the US consulate in Libya happened on President Obama's watch. How he responds could impact the presidential election.
Judge tosses Wisconsin union reform: Why judges are dismantling the GOP agendaA judge has ruled against Wisconsin鈥檚 controversial collective bargaining law. Across the country, state and federal judges are weighing whether the 2010 Republican surge led to legislative overreach.
Libya attack political fallout: Obama as Carter? Romney as Nixon?In the hardball politics of this presidential campaign, President Obama is being likened to Jimmy Carter and Mitt Romney to Richard Nixon聽鈥� former presidents their parties keep out of sight.
Everything you need to know about budget 'sequestration' 鈥� except the consequencesThe White House has reported on the $1.2 trillion in聽automatic budget cuts that are part of last year's debt ceiling deal. But how the cuts will impact individual programs remains unclear.
Obama's record on job creation: How good or bad?The question of jobs is central to Election 2012. Mitt Romney claims President Obama has been a failure, while Obama says he's presided over steady growth. Decoder sweeps aside the spin.
Why do Election 2012 swing states matter? 5 resources to explain. Looking for better analysis on swing states? D.C. Decoder has compiled a list of excellent resources to help you understand the impact swing states really have.
Iran redux? Could killing of US ambassador sway presidential race?The killing of Chris Stevens, the US ambassador to Libya, is a stark reminder of the difficulties of US policy in a troubled region 鈥� and how events can intrude on a presidential campaign.
Why Obama wants Chicago teachers strike to go away 鈥� fastThe Chicago teachers strike, which exposes a Democratic Party rift between support for unions and for the education reforms backed by Obama, could hardly come at a worse time for the president.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on debt and deficits President Obama and Mitt Romney offer sharply different views on how to get the nation back on a sustainable fiscal path. Here are five ways they differ on policies to cope with a soaring debt.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 4 ways they compare on gun control A spate of gun violence has beset the United States ahead of the November election, raising the perennial question about how effectively America regulates its 300 million-plus guns. Yet neither presidential candidate is likely to hoist his own complicated record as a rallying cry.
Did the CIA just mess up on Iraq's 'weapons of mass destruction'?Recently-declassified CIA documents blame 'analyst liabilities' for mistakenly concluding that Saddam Hussein had chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons programs 鈥� the rationale for invading Iraq. But some say the situation was more sinister.
Obama gets bigger 'bounce' than Romney did, but it鈥檚 more like a 'blip'Post-convention polling shows a modest 'bounce' for President Obama, which is better than Mitt Romney did last week.聽 But the race is way too close to call, and many voters remain undecided.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on immigration President Obama has staked out positions favored by Latino voters on immigration issues. Mitt Romney has tried to cast himself somewhere between the staunchest anti-illegal immigration activist of his party and Obama. Here are the two candidates' positions on five issues:
Why Democratic platform uproar points to deeper challenge for partyDemocrats restored the words 'God' and 'Jerusalem' to their platform Wednesday, saying the omission was an 'oversight.' But with a growing share of Democrats turning away from organized religion, 'God talk' can cause some tension.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on military issues Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has not been expansive regarding his views of the war in Afghanistan 鈥� perhaps because both he and President Obama do not have significantly different plans. But here are five areas where the candidates differ on military issues.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 4 ways they differ on climate change As recently as 2008, presidential candidates openly sparred over their own plans for dealing with climate change. This year it's such a touchy topic that both sides prefer instead to talk about energy policy 鈥� a kind of proxy. Here are four ways the candidates differ.
Julian Castro targets minority voters. Could they swing election for Dems? Julian Castro became the first-ever Latino keynote speaker at the Democratic convention. President Obama enjoys a huge advantage over Mitt Romney in support from minority voters. But to win, he needs to get them to the polls. Here鈥檚 a breakdown of the data on minority voters.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on taxes President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney agree on the need to overhaul the federal tax code to produce a simpler tax system with lower rates. But they disagree on whether tax reform should also increase government revenues. Here are five tax issues on which they differ.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 3 ways they differ on Iran For his pursuit of diplomacy with Iran, President Obama has reaped a sputtering international diplomatic effort to curtail Tehran鈥檚 nuclear program. Rival MItt Romney says a weak Iran policy gave Tehran 3-1/2 years to progress toward 鈥渘uclear weapons capability,鈥� but his specifics often don't sound different from Obama's. Here are three areas on Iran where the two do differ.
Obama vs. Romney 101: 4 ways they differ on gay issues Barack Obama made history on May 9 when he became the first sitting US president to declare support for same-sex marriage. Mitt Romney has said he is against it. But gay issues extend beyond same-sex marriage.
