msnbc.com: The White House

Landmark health insurance bill passes House

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 04:30:06 GMT

Triumphant Democrats pass landmark health care legislation in the House, spurred by a summons from President Barack Obama to "answer the call of history."

Obama praises bravery after base attack

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 13:19:07 GMT

President Barack Obama said that the training designed to keep U.S. forces safe abroad prevented further deaths and ended a shooting rampage at Fort Hood.

Cheney blasts probe of CIA interrogations

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:24:32 GMT

Former Vice President Dick Cheney held back no criticism Thursday of President Barack Obama, strongly questioning the administration's policy in Afghanistan and its approach to combating terrorism.

Many young voters skip election

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 01:06:20 GMT

Many of the young voters who propelled Obama to the presidency stayed home this year, a glaring absence that helped Republicans win governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey.

Republican wins deal blow to Obama

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:19:42 GMT

Republicans inflicted a double blow on President Barack Obama's Democratic Party, winning gubernatorial races in two states that had backed him last year.

White House distances itself from losses

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 01:11:01 GMT

The White House distanced itself Wednesday from Democratic losses in two states, saying the races for governor hinged on local issues and were not a referendum on the president.

Obama budget chief pledges deficit cuts

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:37:55 GMT

President Barack Obama's top budget official promises the administration will try next year to wrestle the skyrocketing budget deficit under control to avoid damage to the economy.

Clinton: Israel must stop building settlements

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 12:17:37 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton defended the U.S. stance toward Israeli settlements to worried Arab allies on Wednesday.

Obama uses money to urge school changes

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:48:41 GMT

Using stimulus dollars as bait, President Barack Obama is coaxing states to rewrite education laws and cut deals with unions as they compete for $5 billion in school reform grants.

Newsweek: Obama echoes Bush on state secrets

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 22:47:31 GMT

When Eric Holder invoked the "state secrets" privilege to quash a lawsuit, his department's lawyers sounded a lot like those who worked for President Bush. In fact, they justified the action by filing an affidavit that is nearly identical to one filed by President Bush's intelligence director two years ago.

First lady launches mentoring program

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:52:19 GMT

First lady Michelle Obama launched a mentoring program Monday to give local high school girls access to women at the White House.

He’s the presidential pooches’ right-hand man

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:15:05 GMT

Dale Haney has kept the White House grass green and the flowers blooming for 40 years, but he's cultivated something else just as important: relationships with the presidents' pooches. Haney has tended to all of them from Richard Nixon's King Timahoe to Barack Obama’s Bo.

Tapes: JFK conflicted over Saigon coup

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 20:40:05 GMT

Newly released tapes from the Vietnam War era portray President John F. Kennedy wrestling over the fate of South Vietnam's strongman, similar to Obama's Afghan quandary today.

White House: No flu shots for Gitmo detainees

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:11:31 GMT

The White House says detainees at Guantanamo Bay are not receiving vaccinations against the swine flu vaccine, despite an earlier report that doses were on the way.

Obama’s half brother: Our father was abusive

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:51:12 GMT

President Barack Obama's half brother has broken his media silence to discuss his new novel — the semi-autobiographical story of an abusive parent patterned on their late father, the mostly absent figure Obama wrote about in his own memoir.

HBO filmmakers get inside Obama campaign

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 20:23:18 GMT

Pivotal presidential campaigns are frequently defined in retrospect by documentaries.

Clinton eases off praise for Israeli offer

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 13:41:03 GMT

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday moderated her praise for Israel's offer to restrain, but not stop, its building of settlements in Palestinian areas.

Obama says N.J. governor is key to his agenda

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 02:01:54 GMT

On behalf of the only governor seeking re-election this fall, President Obama pitched Gov. Jon Corzine's bid as a key component for the White House to make good on its political promises.

Obama names 110 White House visitors

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 02:19:54 GMT

The White House releases a partial list of visitors to the White House since President Barack Obama took office in January. Most names from the early months of the administration will remain hidden.

No trick! Obamas dole out treats to 2,000 kids

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:33:46 GMT

More than 2,000 kids are getting the ultimate trick-or-treating treasure: Candy from President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at the White House.

Palestinians: Clinton is hurting peace talks

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:01:10 GMT

Palestinians accuse U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of undermining progress toward Mideast peace talks after she praised Israel for offering to curb some settlement construction.

Details on interrogations emerge

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:10:40 GMT

Newly released documents show the FBI interviewed a naked, chained terror suspect back in 2002 as the bureau struggled with the CIA over how to treat high-value prisoners.

Analysis: Obama's mixed messages on recovery

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:05:10 GMT

Tugged in different political directions, the White House is seeking credit for good economic news and trying to escape blame for the bad stuff.

Book: Obama closely considered Clinton for VP

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:09:59 GMT

President Barack Obama seriously considered Hillary Clinton for the vice presidency, even though his top aides were not enthusiastic about it, his presidential campaign manager says in a new memoir.

Politics, ‘dates’ put bumps in Obamas’ marriage

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:31:47 GMT

The political spotlight has added pressure to their marriage at times, the Obamas admit in a revealing new interview — the controversy over their “date nights” being just a recent example. “Everything becomes political,” the president said, but the first lady added, “The bumps happen to everyone.”

NYT: Obamas’ marriage is an ongoing negotiation

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:08:13 GMT

Barack and Michelle Obama mix politics and romance in a way that no first couple quite have before. In a candid interview with The New York Times, they speak out about their date nights and the “bumps” they’ve faced together over the past 17 years. Here is an excerpt.

Obama inks defense, hate crimes bill

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:36:41 GMT

The bill signed by the president kills some costly weapons projects and expands war efforts and includes a provision that makes it a federal hate crime to assault people based on sexual orientation.

Obama calls Dover visit a 'sobering reminder'

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:26:48 GMT

President Barack Obama says the sight of 18 cases holding the remains of Americans killed in Afghanistan can't help but influence his thinking about sending more troops overseas.

Report: States set low bar for student achievement

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:38:21 GMT

Many states set achievement standards so low that they can say their students are reading and doing math at their grade level when they haven't truly mastered the subjects, asserts the Education Department.

U.S. stimulus buoys U.K. factory’s workers

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:24:27 GMT

With some U.S. companies reaching out to foreign partners, some of America's $787 billion stimulus package is trickling beyond its shores. Msnbc.com's F. Brinley Bruton reports.

Congress passes temporary spending bill

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:09:35 GMT

Congress approves a stopgap funding measure to keep the government running through Dec. 18.

Obama keeps his word on hate crimes bill

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:20:15 GMT

Obama has kept a campaign promise to gays and lesbians by putting his signature on a bill to include violence against gays in federal hate crimes law.

Obama putting $3.4B toward 'smart' power grid

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:20:19 GMT

The Obama administration is giving a jolt to the futuristic "smart" electric grid, hoping to more quickly bring America's power transmission system into the digital age.

Obama gives donors special access, report says

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:40:50 GMT

President Barack Obama rewards top Democratic donors with perks, carrying on a practice of past presidents despite his promise to change Washington, a report shows.

NBC/WSJ poll: Support for Afghan surge rises

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:51:30 GMT

The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that a plurality of Americans now backs a troop increase in Afghanistan, and that there is slightly more support for a government-run health insurance option.

Obama administration to reconsider trucker rule

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:34:03 GMT

The Obama administration has agreed to reconsider a rule that allows long-haul truckers to drive for up to 11 hours straight, bowing to safety advocates who say longer hours could lead to greater fatigue and more accidents.

Gibbs: Obama closer to decision on Afghanistan

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:45:05 GMT

The White House said Tuesday that President Barack Obama has nearly finished gathering information and advice on how to proceed in Afghanistan, but he will weigh his options before announcing a plan on U.S. troop strength there.

Obama urges banks to loan to small businesses

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:54:30 GMT

Banks should return the favor they received in their recent taxpayer-financed bailout by lending more money to small businesses, President Barack Obama says.

Engage, criticize: Obama's split media strategy

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:45:29 GMT

The same president who aggressively harnesses the power of the press to promote his agenda has taken to lacing his comments with criticisms of the media, with no bigger target than the gabby culture of cable television.

Obama: Swine flu a national emergency

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:31:20 GMT

President Barack Obama has declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment.