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• DEA probed in wake of Secret Service investigation

  May 21, 2012 7:37 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department inspector general's office said Monday it is investigating possible misconduct by Drug Enforcement Administration personnel in Colombia unrelated to the Secret Service incident with prostitutes at a Cartagena hotel. The Drug Enforcement Administration said the probe began based on information provided by the Secret... more »

• Obama calls on Congress to help small businesses

  May 16, 2012 11:32 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says Congress could help sustain the economy's "momentum" by passing legislation that would give businesses a 10 percent income tax credit if they create new jobs or increase wages this year. Obama made his pitch during a roundtable discussion with small business leaders in... more »

• Al-Qaida releases video of American hostage

  May 7, 2012 1:06 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Al-Qaida has released a video of American hostage Warren Weinstein in which the 70-year-old humanitarian aid worker says he will be killed unless President Barack Obama agrees to the militant group's demands. In the video, Weinstein appeals to Obama as a father, saying he hopes to... more »

• Biden scoffs at bin Laden view of VP's leadership

  May 6, 2012 11:42 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Joe Biden says he hopes Osama bin Laden was wrong in his assessment that Biden would not be able to lead the nation if the president was killed. Biden says bin Laden was wrong about lots of things. It's an issue raised in some of... more »

• Congressional leaders say Taliban is stronger

  May 6, 2012 11:12 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The heads of the House and Senate intelligence committees say the Taliban has only grown stronger since President Barack Obama deployed 33,000 more troops to Afghanistan in 2010. The remarks by California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers run counter to Obama's declaration... more »

• Obama's secret trip leaked, then the leak stopped

  May 1, 2012 8:11 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House attempt to keep President Barack Obama's trips under wraps for security purposes briefly unraveled Tuesday morning. An Afghanistan-based news organization, TOLOnews, tweeted a report early that Obama was already in Kabul. Others in the United States picked up on the Tweet. The White House... more »

• Obama makes health care appeal to female voters

  April 27, 2012 8:34 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama told hundreds of female supporters Friday that Republicans seem determined to meddle in women's health decisions in ways that are "appalling, offensive and out of touch." A recent fight in Congress over contraception access, Obama said, was like "being in a time machine." "These... more »

• Swing-state unemployment down, Obama's chances up

  April 22, 2012 11:34 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The improving economy is swinging the pendulum in President Barack Obama's favor in the 14 states where the presidential election will likely be decided. Recent polls show Obama gaining an edge over his likely Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, in several so-called swing states - those that are... more »

• Obama: US hasn't given anything away to Iran

  April 15, 2012 11:42 PM

  CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) - President Barack Obama says the U.S. hasn't "given away anything" to Iran in the latest round of talks over the Islamic republic's nuclear program. Obama is responding to criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who says the U.S. and world powers gave Iran a "freebie"... more »

• Issa: Secret Service incident likely not the first

  April 15, 2012 12:55 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A senior House Republican says he doubts that a Secret Service scandal involving prostitutes in Colombia was a one-time incident. Rep. Darrell Issa warns the agency that protects the president that Congress will want to make sure it doesn't happen again. Issa, who leads the House Oversight... more »

• State Democratic Convention Held in Pueblo Play Video

  April 14, 2012 6:36 PM

  It's a big weekend for Colorado Democrats. Party leaders from across the state are gathered in Pueblo for the State Assembly and Convention. Over 1,400 state Democratic delegates converge at the state fairgrounds to prepare for the Democratic National Convention. "Today we will be electing the rest... more »

• Marine critical of Obama to have discharge hearing

  April 4, 2012 9:37 PM

  SAN DIEGO (AP) - A discharge hearing for a Camp Pendleton Marine who publicly criticized President Barack Obama will go forward. City News Service reports a San Diego federal judge on Wednesday rejected 26-year-old Sgt. Gary Stein's request for an emergency temporary restraining order to stop Thursday's planned hearing. Stein... more »

• Congress gets rough treatment at Supreme Court health care debate

  March 31, 2012 10:25 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court left little doubt during last week's marathon arguments over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul that it has scant faith in Congress' ability to get anything done. The views about Congress were evident in the questions from the justices. The justices appear to be... more »

• People line up to watch Court argument over health care reform

  March 25, 2012 12:30 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Much like tailgaters waiting for a football game, there is a line of people outside the Supreme Court. They are waiting for seats inside to watch arguments that start tomorrow over President Barack Obama's health care reform plan. Those braving the wind and rain came equipped with... more »

• Obama: N. Korean rocket test would isolate regime

  March 25, 2012 11:10 AM

  SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - President Barack Obama says that a planned North Korean rocket launch will deepen its isolation in the international community and that Pyongyang will achieve nothing through threats or provocations. Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak both called on North Korea to cancel the rocket... more »

• Obama campaign site draws most traffic

  March 21, 2012 8:41 PM

  NEW YORK (AP) - More adults visited President Barack Obama's campaign website in January than the four Republican hopefuls combined. That's according to Nielsen Co., which analyzed voter-aged traffic to the official presidential campaign websites. About 4.2 million people visited Obama's site, compared to 830,000 for Ron Paul's and 773,000... more »

• Marine says Corps kicking him out for political website

  March 21, 2012 8:34 PM

  SAN DIEGO (AP) - An outspoken Marine critical of President Barack Obama says the Marine Corps is moving to kick him out. Sgt. Gary Stein says he was notified Wednesday that the Marine Corps has charged him with using contemptuous words against the commander in chief and violating the Defense... more »

• Senate moves toward vote on small business bill

  March 20, 2012 5:38 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A popular small business investment bill backed by President Barack Obama appeared headed for passage in the Senate after Democrats fell short in an attempt to rewrite it with stronger investor protections. The legislation makes it easier for small businesses to raise capital and go public. The... more »

• US soldier suspected of Afghan shooting spree

  March 11, 2012 11:21 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. officials say it was an American Army soldier who may have shot as many as 16 Afghans before dawn on Sunday in southern Afghanistan. Officials say the U.S. military there is treating at least five wounded. Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security... more »

• US officials: Syrian regime under stress, but Assad's inner circle and army still loyal

  March 10, 2012 1:19 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Top U.S. officials all the way up to President Barack Obama are predicting the Syrian regime's days are numbered, but recent U.S. intelligence reports suggest that the Syrian leader commands a formidable army that is unlikely to turn on him, an inner circle that has stayed loyal... more »

• Obama, GOP continue sparring over energy

  March 10, 2012 1:06 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama and Republicans traded accusations today in their weekly radio and Internet messages. Obama underscored his administration's work to develop alternative energy sources and increase fuel efficiency. He accused the GOP of using a "bumper sticker" approach to solving the nation's energy problems. He says... more »

• Union leaders seek to mend divisions over pipeline

  March 10, 2012 10:34 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Unions may be united in working to re-elect President Barack Obama, but their leaders also are trying to repair bitter divisions over his rejection of an oil pipeline from Canada to Texas. Trade unions representing workers who stand to benefit from new construction jobs from the Keystone... more »

• GOP leader suggests force vs. Iran

  March 5, 2012 8:03 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Republican leader said Monday the United States should use overwhelming military force against Iran if American intelligence shows that Tehran has decided to build a nuclear weapon or it has started to enrich uranium to weapons-grade level, a bold call certain to reverberate in U.S.-Israeli... more »

• Obama: Not hesitant on force to defend interests

  March 4, 2012 11:34 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he prefers to use diplomacy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, but he is making it clear that he won't "hesitate to use force" when necessary to defend the U.S. and its interests. Obama also says in a speech to a pro-Israel... more »

• Treasury to release corporate tax plan Wednesday

  February 21, 2012 8:44 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration will propose lowering the current 35 percent corporate tax rate, while at the same time eliminating loopholes and subsidies and imposing a minimum tax on the overseas profits of American companies. Administration officials said the Treasury Department on Wednesday will detail aspects of President... more »

• Obama could alter stance of federal appeals courts

  February 5, 2012 12:08 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A second term for President Barack Obama would allow him to expand his replacement of Republican-appointed majorities with Democratic ones on the nation's appeals courts, the final stop for almost all challenged federal court rulings. Despite his slow start in nominating judges and Republican delays in Senate... more »

• Top senators agree on tough penalties for Iran

  January 30, 2012 8:06 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A top Senate Democrat and Republican have agreed on a bill to impose sweeping new penalties on Iran. The Banking Committee chairman, Sen. Tim Johnson, and Sen. Richard Shelby announced the legislation late Monday that would target Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and would apply sanctions to more... more »

• Local Boy Scout heads to Washington, D.C. to meet President Barack Obama Play Video

  January 28, 2012 9:56 PM

  A young boy who saved his grandmother's life is going Washington to meet President BarackObama. Last week eleven-year old Jordan Evans received a heroism award from the Boy Scouts of America for saving his grandmothers life. In May 2010, nine-year-old Jordan, and his ten-year-old cousin were walking on... more »

• Obama volunteers promote upcoming CO visit

  January 21, 2012 11:18 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Volunteers for President Barack Obama are gearing up Saturday to promote the president's visit to Colorado next week. The OFA Colorado group is planning phone banks and door-to-door canvassing from Routt County to Pueblo. The volunteers will be telling voters to watch the president's third State of... more »

• Debate ramps up on payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, again

  January 15, 2012 10:59 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - How will the White House and Congress come up with the money to extend an average $20-a-week Social Security payroll tax cut without adding to the government's long-term debt. Republicans are trying to cut federal employee benefits. President Barack Obama wants to hit airline passengers with... more »

• Congress clears $662 billion defense bill

  December 15, 2011 8:51 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Congress has cleared a $662 billion defense bill and will send the measure to President Barack Obama for his signature. The Senate voted 86-13 for the sweeping bill on Thursday. The bill would authorize money for military personnel, weapons systems, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and... more »

• UPDATE: Obama: US troops leaving Iraq with heads held high

  December 12, 2011 1:35 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is declaring that U.S. troops are leaving Iraq this month "with honor and with their heads held high." Obama calls this a "historic moment" as the war in Iraq is ending after nearly nine years. Obama spoke at a news conference Monday with Iraqi... more »

• Romney says Attorney General Holder should quit

  December 3, 2011 3:53 PM

  MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is calling on President Barack Obama's attorney general to resign because of the flawed law enforcement initiative aimed at dismantling major arms trafficking networks on the Southwest border. Romney tells reporters after a rally in New Hampshire that Eric Holder... more »

• Obama: Relations with tribes at turning point

  December 3, 2011 3:51 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says his administration offers a turning point in the tangled relationship between Washington and Native American tribes. Obama told tribal leaders that as president, he's "got your back." Obama spoke Friday to the nation's 565 tribal leaders. The president said he has... more »

• States suing over health care law collect funding

  November 29, 2011 12:11 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal officials are awarding more money to help states carry out President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The surprise? The list includes seven states suing to overturn the landmark law. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Tuesday that 13 states will split grants totaling... more »

• Medicare's drug coverage "doughnut hole" shrinking

  November 27, 2011 10:55 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Medicare's prescription coverage gap is getting smaller and easier to manage this year for millions of older and disabled people with high drug costs. That gap - known as the "doughnut hole" - will shrink about 40 percent for those unlucky enough to land in it... more »

• The Muppets are heading to the White House

  November 21, 2011 12:00 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Muppets are heading to the White House. Ahead of Thanksgiving, the White House will host a special screening for military families of "The Muppets" movie. Guests at Tuesday's screening will also include Kermit the Frog and Jason Segel, one of the stars of the... more »

• 2012 race likely to be close, tough, maybe brutal

  November 5, 2011 12:06 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Election Day is one year away, so what's the best way to describe the Republican presidential race? Unsettled would seem appropriate. But even with that uncertainty, the race's contours are taking shape. For one, the 2012 campaign is almost certain to be a close and grinding contest.... more »

• Obama: Growth too slow

  November 4, 2011 11:21 AM

  CANNES, France (AP) - President Barack Obama says the dip in the unemployment rate from 9.1 percent to 9 percent is "positive,' but he says economic growth is still "way too slow." In France at a summit of leaders of major economies, Obama reacted to news that the U.S. economy... more »

• Moms who supported Obama in '08 unsure about 2012

  November 2, 2011 8:21 PM

  MAITLAND, Fla. (AP) - First, there were soccer moms deciding presidential elections. This time around, it's the Walmart moms. Two polling firms, one Democratic and one Republican, have teamed up to track women who have children at home under 18 and who shop at the discount giant retailer. Their... more »

• Obama heads to G-20 amid questions on Greece

  November 2, 2011 8:00 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is en route to France for an economic summit that's shadowed by the European debt crisis and Greece's surprise plans to put a bailout deal to a popular vote. The Group of 20 industrialized and developed nations meets Thursday and Friday in Cannes.... more »

• Obama strategist defends handling of economy

  October 30, 2011 11:24 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's top political adviser is defending the administration's handling of the economy and blaming Congress for not pushing through more sweeping changes. David Axelrod says Obama's strategy has been to do whatever he can to help the middle class, whereas Congress has been focused on... more »

• Obama's team banks on his `regular guy' appeal

  October 29, 2011 1:41 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's team is emphasizing his "regular guy" appeal and hoping that Americans who are frustrated by the weak economy will remember that likeability factor when they vote next year. A recent Associated Press-GfK poll found that 54 percent of adults had a favorable impression of... more »

• Bachmann: Obama college loan move abused power

  October 27, 2011 10:24 PM

  ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is ripping a move by President Barack Obama to ease student loan debt as an "abuse of power" that will give people incentive to dodge debt. Bachmann reacted Thursday to a decision Obama announced a day earlier to cap... more »

• Obama adviser says president best for middle-class

  October 27, 2011 10:14 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A presidential campaign adviser says that Barack Obama can tap into the frustrations typified by the Occupy Wall Street movement better than any Republican rival in 2012. Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs tells NBC's "Today" show Obama "is out there fighting for the middle class."... more »

• Students cheer Obama's loan plan but still worry

  October 26, 2011 4:05 PM

  DENVER (AP) - President Barack Obama's student loan announcement at Denver's Auraria campus got a rowdy reception - but many students and graduates who watched him lay out his plan to ease debt payments said their fears are far from eased. "This doesn't help me at all," said a... more »

• President Obama pushes mortgage relief

  October 24, 2011 7:11 PM

  LAS VEGAS (AP) - President Barack Obama says the government will offer mortgage relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans who owe more on their homes than they are worth. Eligibility requires that mortgages be current. Obama says the policy is necessary because Congress is being "increasingly dysfunctional" and not... more »

• Troops coming home

  October 21, 2011 1:01 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says remaining U.S. troops in Iraq will be home by the end of the year. It would have taken a request from the Iraqi government to keep troops there beyond that point. Obama says he spoke today to Iraq's prime minister, who spoke of... more »

• Official: Obama to announce Iraq troop withdrawal

  October 21, 2011 12:50 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A White House official says President Barack Obama will announce Friday that U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year. The announcement will allow the U.S. to say definitively that the war in Iraq is over after eight years. The official... more »

• GOP primary contest is getting nasty, personal

  October 19, 2011 11:58 PM

  LAS VEGAS (AP) - The Republican presidential contest is getting nasty and personal. Mitt Romney's rivals are seeking to tear him down less than three months before the leadoff Iowa caucuses. Increasingly on the defensive, Romney is being hammered on old issues - such as a five-year-old episode... more »

• Obama touts aid for emergency service workers

  October 19, 2011 3:30 PM

  NORTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) - President Barack Obama is pressing for Congress to spend billions of dollars to help firefighters facing layoffs. Obama said Wednesday that while the private sector continues to add jobs, financially strapped state and local governments are doing the opposite and cutting firefighters, teachers and... more »

• Romney says foreclosures should "hit the bottom"

  October 18, 2011 7:57 PM

  LAS VEGAS (AP) - Mitt Romney says he wants to allow home foreclosures to "hit the bottom" to help the housing industry recover, and Democrats are criticizing him for ignoring the problems plaguing the middle class. In an interview on Monday, Romney was telling the Las Vegas Review Journal... more »

• Obama jabs Republicans as he seeks votes on jobs, piece by piece

  October 17, 2011 6:57 PM

  FLETCHER, N.C. (AP) - President Barack Obama is jabbing Republicans as he pushes for Congress to pass parts of his jobs initiative after the full package was blocked by the Senate. At a stop in North Carolina today, Obama said maybe Senate Republicans "just couldn't understand the whole thing at... more »

• Obama suggests King has lessons for today

  October 16, 2011 10:32 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is citing the lessons of Martin Luther King Jr. in dealing with the problems of today. Obama, speaking at the dedication of the King Memorial on the National Mall today, says people need to assume the best in their political foes and challenge each... more »

• Obama raises more than $70 million

  October 13, 2011 11:22 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's campaign says he raised more than $70 million combined for his re-election and the Democratic party during the summer. The amount exceeds a goal set by the campaign of $55 million combined for the July-September fundraising period but is about $16 million less than... more »

• Obama raises more than $70 million

  October 13, 2011 8:05 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's campaign says he raised more than $70 million combined for his re-election and the Democratic party during the summer. The amount exceeds a goal set by the campaign of $55 million combined for the July-September fundraising period but is about $16 million less... more »

• House approves free trade pact with South Korea

  October 12, 2011 7:41 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has approved a free trade agreement with South Korea, the world's 13th largest economy and the seventh largest trading partner with the U.S. The South Korea vote Wednesday came after the House also passed free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama. The Senate was... more »

• Job seekers searching for optimism too Play Video

  October 12, 2011 6:56 PM

  Of the last three years, Leon Carpenter has spent about half of it on the hunt for work. "Warehousing, landscaping; pretty much anything I can find in this environment," says Carpenter. "Seasonal work, you know? Winter comes around, it goes away," As someone who has periodically looked for work... more »

• Obama visits wounded service members

  October 10, 2011 1:13 PM

  BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - President Barack Obama is spending time with wounded service members at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Obama traveled to the facility in Bethesda, Md., just outside Washington on Monday afternoon. Obama has occasionally visited service members wounded in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.... more »

• Hank Jr. writes song about 'Fox & Friends,' ESPN

  October 10, 2011 1:10 PM

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Hank Williams Jr. will have his say. Williams has cut new song "I'll Keep My ...," calling out "Fox & Friends" and ESPN after an interview last week on the show led to the end of his association with the sports network and "Monday Night... more »

• Election-year ruling looms for health overhaul

  September 29, 2011 8:56 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's landmark health care overhaul appears headed for a Supreme Court ruling as the presidential election season is hitting full stride in the coming year. The health care law affecting virtually every American seems sure to figure prominently in President Barack Obama's campaign for... more »

• Obama returns to Colorado with new stimulus pitch

  September 27, 2011 9:49 PM

  DENVER (AP) - President Barack Obama got a warm but not boisterous reaction when he promoted his jobs bill at a Denver high school. Speaking outside Lincoln High School in southwest Denver, Obama gave a version of his pitch for the $447 billion jobs bill he has been pushing... more »

• Romney is latest candidate to meet with Trump

  September 26, 2011 8:30 PM

  NEW YORK (AP) - Mitt Romney has become the latest Republican presidential candidate to meet with Donald Trump. Romney got together with Trump for about 45 minutes today at the real estate mogul's office in New York. Earlier this month, Rick Perry dined with Trump at a fancy... more »

• President Obama attempts to strengthen Black Vote

  September 24, 2011 7:58 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is trying to strengthen his standing with many African-American voters, who are unhappy with the 16.7 unemployment rate for blacks. Obama will be addressing the Congressional Black Caucus tonight, and the White House says he'll use his remarks to note the jobs plan he... more »

• Lady Gaga wants to meet with Obama over bullying

  September 22, 2011 8:43 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Lady Gaga wants to meet with President BarackObama about her concerns over bullying. Gaga expressed sadness over Twitter Wednesday about the suicide death of a 14-year-old New York boy who had complained in an online video about being bullied over his sexuality. The pop singer... more »

• US stocks slide as Greek debt worries grow

  September 19, 2011 3:26 PM

  NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are tumbling as investors worry that Greece won't qualify for a new installment of emergency funds in time to avoid defaulting on its debt. Investors also appear pessimistic about a Federal Reserve policy decision expected Wednesday. The Fed has hinted it might take new... more »

• Pentagon: Ready for gay ban repeal Tuesday

  September 19, 2011 1:30 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon says the military is adequately prepared for the official lifting Tuesday of the legal ban on gays serving openly. Press secretary George Little said Monday that the ban will end at one minute after midnight. At that time, revised Defense Department regulations will take... more »

• Stimulus: the program candidates love to hate

  September 15, 2011 4:46 PM

  MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - Republican presidential contenders are bashing President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plans as a colossal waste of taxpayer money while they crisscross the nation. But with an awkward frequency, these same candidates are campaigning at businesses that benefited from the president's landmark stimulus package. The... more »

• White House outlines tax hikes that would pay for jobs plan

  September 12, 2011 7:52 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is spelling out just how President Barack Obama's $447 billion jobs plan would be paid for. It would rely on a series of tax hikes that have all previously been proposed by the White House and rejected by Republicans. They include $400 billion from... more »

• Obama pays respects at 9/11 memorial in New York

  September 11, 2011 9:33 AM

  NEW YORK (AP) - President Barack Obama has observed a moment of silence at a Sept. 11 memorial in New York where the World Trade Center once stood. Obama and first lady Michelle Obama joined former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, at a reflecting pool where... more »

• Feds investigate solar firm that got $535 million US loan

  September 8, 2011 4:47 PM

  FREMONT, Calif. (AP) - The FBI isn't offering any details about the investigation that led to today's raid on the headquarters of a California company that makes solar panels. The company, Solyndra, received more than $500 million in federal loan guarantees before filing for bankruptcy last week. Today,... more »

• Obama said to be looking at $300 billion jobs plan

  September 6, 2011 7:50 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - People familiar with the White House deliberations on a jobs package say President Barack Obama is considering a plan totaling about $300 billion in tax cuts and spending for 2012. Two of the biggest measures are expected to be a one-year extension of a payroll tax... more »

• Obama calls on GOP to fight for middle class

  September 6, 2011 5:03 AM

  DETROIT (AP) - President Barack Obama says Republicans should prove they'll fight as hard to cut taxes for the middle class as they do for profitable oil companies and the wealthiest Americans. Obama gave a partial preview of Thursday's big jobs speech before Congress at a union-sponsored Labor Day rally... more »

• US Chamber spells out its own job agenda

  September 5, 2011 3:54 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is issuing an open letter to Congress and the White House calling for measures designed to increase employment, including greater oil drilling, quick road and bridge construction and temporary corporate tax breaks. The chamber estimates its proposals could encourage corporations to... more »

• President Obama in Detroit today

  September 5, 2011 7:34 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will celebrate Labor Day in Detroit today with a speech at a rally before thousands of labor union members. The speech will serve as a dress rehearsal for the jobs address he'll deliver before Congress Thursday night. Today's event is sponsored by the Metropolitan... more »

• Local politicians ready to hear Presidents jobs plan Play Video

  September 4, 2011 11:34 PM

  After a tense battle over how to handle our federal deficit earlier in the summer, to a flat jobs report just released days ago; politicians are heading back to Washington D.C. this week with a focus on the economy. Colorado Senator Mark Udall spent some of his break from... more »

• White House wants quick jobs action by Congress

  September 4, 2011 5:15 PM

  NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The White House says President Barack Obama hopes that when Congress returns this coming week from its summer break, lawmakers will share his sense of urgency in taking steps to create jobs and help the economy. Obama plans a prime-time speech to Congress on Thursday... more »

• Obama to make West Coast swing in September

  September 1, 2011 12:47 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A White House official says President Barack Obama will make a three-day West Coast swing next month. The president's trip will start in Seattle on Sept. 25. He will also make three stops in California: San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. Obama's trip will wrap... more »

• White House aims to speed up job-creating projects

  August 31, 2011 3:44 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama wants to hit the accelerator on job-creating infrastructure projects. The White House says Obama has directed the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development to identify up to three high-priority projects that will create jobs and that already have... more »

• President Obama's uncle arrested on drunken driving charge

  August 29, 2011 4:45 PM

  FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama's uncle has been charged with drunken driving in Massachusetts and is being held by immigration officials. Onyango Obama was arrested last week in Framingham after police said he made a rolling stop and nearly caused a cruiser to strike his SUV. ... more »

• Obama: Getting through Irene will be `tough slog'

  August 28, 2011 4:14 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama has told top members of his administration to keep him up to date through the night on Hurricane Irene. Obama held an evening conference call with Vice President Joe Biden, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano... more »

• Obama back in Washington after shortening vacation

  August 27, 2011 7:24 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is back at the White House after cutting short his Martha's Vineyard vacation ahead of Hurricane Irene's landfall. The president flew out last night, acknowledging Irene is a massive storm and the prudent thing to do was get back to the White House.... more »

• Romney sticks with strategy despite Perry's surge

  August 25, 2011 4:42 PM

  EXETER, N.H. (AP) - Mitt Romney is campaigning in New Hampshire as though he's still the GOP presidential front-runner. He's focusing his criticisms on President Barack Obama, taking few risks and keeping most of his proposals vague. That may change soon. A new Gallup poll shows Texas Gov. Rick... more »

• Obama says `rule is over' for Libya's Gadhafi

  August 22, 2011 7:24 PM

  CHILMARK, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama says Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi's "rule is over," although elements of his regime continue to resist rebels who have taken control of much of the capital. Obama appealed to Gadhafi to prevent further bloodshed, and urged opposition forces to build a democratic... more »

• Oil prices should fall with Gadhafi overthrow

  August 22, 2011 12:35 AM

  NEW YORK (AP) - Oil prices around the world should start falling if Libyan rebels succeed in toppling Moammar Gadhafi's regime, though the full effect won't be felt for months. On Sunday night, rebel forces pushed into Tripoli without meeting much resistance, hours after they overran a major military... more »

• Obama: Libya slipping from grasp of tyrant

  August 22, 2011 12:32 AM

  VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama says Libya is "slipping from the grasp of a tyrant" as the battle between rebels and longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi has reached a "tipping point." In a statement issued Sunday from Martha's Vineyard, where he's vacationing, Obama said the surest way... more »

• Trump praises Perry, keeps open a possible run

  August 16, 2011 4:21 PM

  NEW YORK (AP) - Real estate mogul Donald Trump says he expects Texas Gov. Rick Perry will do "very nicely" as a presidential candidate. But the reality TV show host isn't ready to endorse anyone in the race and says he still may run as an independent. Speaking to... more »

• Bachmann says she's a proven leader

  August 14, 2011 3:29 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A day after winning a test poll of voters in Iowa, Rep. Michele Bachmann is seeking to distinguish herself from another tea party favorite and GOP presidential hopeful, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. Interviewed Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," the Minnesota Republican says that... more »

• Obama sees 'worst kind of partisanship' in DC

  August 11, 2011 3:43 PM

  HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) - President Barack Obama says that there is nothing wrong with America but there is something wrong with American politics. He says Washington has seen the worst kind of partisanship and the worst kind of gridlock in recent months, and that it's undermined public confidence and... more »

• Obama adviser blames tea party for downgrade

  August 7, 2011 4:19 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - A top political adviser to President Barack Obama is blaming the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating on tea party Republicans, whom he says were unwilling to compromise on how to reduce the federal debt. Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod tells CBS' "Face the Nation" on... more »

• Geithner says he will stay at Treasury

  August 7, 2011 4:12 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Timothy Geithner has told President Barack Obama that he will remain on the job as Treasury secretary. The Treasury Department released a statement Sunday saying Geithner had informed the president of his decision to remain in the administration. Geithner is the only remaining top official on... more »

• Calif. governor calls for Obama to step up to GOP

  August 7, 2011 4:08 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - California Gov. Jerry Brown is calling for President Barack Obama to respond to Republicans in what he calls "a very powerful way" during the upcoming presidential election. Brown says the Republicans are gearing up to destroy Obama during the campaign, and he says that, in response,... more »

• Gingrich blasts Obama's planned bus tour on jobs

  August 6, 2011 3:50 PM

  TIFFIN, Iowa (AP) - GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is criticizing President Barack Obama's plan to take a three-day bus tour through the Midwest to discuss the economy. The former House speaker told a Republican Party dinner in Iowa on Friday that Obama should act like a president and... more »

• Obama to headline rural economic forum in Iowa

  August 6, 2011 3:49 PM

  DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - White House officials say President Barack Obama will host a rural economic forum on August 16 at a community college in northeast Iowa. The Democratic president and members of his cabinet plan to visit Northeast Iowa Area Community College in Peosta, as part of... more »

• AP sources: Obama wants aid for unemployed vets

  August 5, 2011 12:46 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to pass a series of tax credits for companies that hire unemployed military veterans. Administration officials say Obama will announce the "Returning Heroes" and "Wounded Warriors" tax credits on Friday in Washington. The president's proposal would give companies that... more »

• Local concerns in debt debate Play Video

  August 1, 2011 11:34 PM

  Decisions being made on Capitol Hill over how to handle the nation's debt have people across the country waiting to see what happens. "I'm very concerned," says Colorado Springs resident Geraldine Webb, a disability insurance receiver. "I do live from month to month," Webb says, and to make... more »

• Local concerns in debt debate

  August 1, 2011 9:41 PM

  The House of Representative passed a bill Monday evening, raising the debt ceiling by about $2 trillion dollars and calling for about $2 trillion dollars in cuts over the next decade. The deal will have to pass a vote of the Senate - which is expected Tuesday at noon... more »