Yahoo! Elections - Destination 2012

Romney admits he’s ‘haunted’ by past verbal gaffes

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:06:02 -0400

Mitt Romney admits he's "haunted" by the verbal gaffes he's made during his second run for president but says he's the victim of a media environment that encourages "spontaneous" actions, yet pounces on mistakes. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan, Romney acknowledges that he's forced himself to "be a little more [...]

The dumbest political quotes of the week

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:59:43 -0400

Each week, the Daily Caller picks the dumbest political statements and ranks them (just for Yahoo! readers) on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the worst). Who do you think said the dumbest thing? Vote in our poll!

Obama’s high school pot-smoking detailed in Maraniss book

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:49:48 -0400

Bill Clinton he was not. When it came to smoking pot, the teenage Barack Obama had rules. You had to embrace "total absorption" or face a penalty. When you smoked in the car, "the windows had to be rolled up."

Obama accuses Romney of 'cow-pie distortion' on debt, deficits

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:58:43 -0400

DES MOINES, Iowa – On his first visit back to the Iowa state fairgrounds since the 2008 campaign, President Obama tonight used a grassroots rally to launch sharp new attacks against rival Mitt Romney over the debt and deficit and vigorously defend his own handling...

Obama’s Olympic oops

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:01:18 -0400

Politically Foul Politics, it's not a game exactly. But there are rules, and when you break them you are running Politically Foul! President Obama felt inspired to give a sports history lesson at a fundraising event in Colorado this week after meeting some former Olympians.

Cory Booker hits back at critics via Twitter: ‘Sorry I make u sick’

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:26:38 -0400

Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker has apparently had enough of saying he's sorry this week. The rising Democratic star has been under fire since a Sunday appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press"during which he said Democratic attacks on Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital were "nauseating," Having endured days of excoriating criticism, and having tried [...]

Who’s dumber? The dumb report on congressional dumbness

Thu, 24 May 2012 13:43:33 -0400

Are conservatives stupider than liberals?

W.H., Obama campaign hit back at Romney on China

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:02:43 -0400

Escalation? In an unusual one-two punch, President Barack Obama's campaign and the White House hit back Thursday at Mitt Romney's second general election TV ad for its claim that, if elected, the Republican would take on China over its allegedly unfair trade practices.

Obama holds Twitter Q&A

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:10:48 -0400

President Barack Obama on Thursday invited Americans to a Twitter press conference of sorts, taking seven questions on topics like how he aims to curb oil imports, boost job growth or help homeowners struggling with their mortgages. Leaving little to chance, the White House advertised the "#WHchat" hashtag for the online event several times throughout the [...]

Gingrich to appear at Trump-hosted Romney fundraiser

Thu, 24 May 2012 13:52:41 -0400

Billionaire real estate investor and television personality Donald Trump is hosting a pricey fundraiser for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Las Vegas next Tuesday and Newt Gingrich is expected to make an appearance, Yahoo News has learned.

What did he say? What was the context? Analyze Romney's speeches

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:46:12 -0400

Mitt Romney delivered the third in a series of campaign speeches Wednesday that aides say are aimed at framing the central themes of his presidential bid ahead of the conventions. The first, a May 8 address in Lansing, MI, focused on innovation in business. A second in Des Moines, IA looked at the national debt, and today's touched heavily on education.

Polls: Obama leads Romney in Florida, Ohio and Virginia

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:25:19 -0400

President Barack Obama leads Mitt Romney in Florida, Ohio and Virginia, according to new polls of the key 2012 swing states, although Obama's advantage has narrowed in recent months. Obama leads Romney 48 percent to 44 percent in both Florida and Virginia, according to three new NBC News/Marist polls. In Ohio, the president has a [...]

Romney’s second TV ad focuses on deficit and China trade

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:46:29 -0400

Mitt Romney is out with his second TV ad of the general election, a spot that continues the theme of what he would do on "day one" of his presidency. Romney's first ad, released last Friday, focused on the presumptive Republican nominee's pledges to approve the Keystone pipeline, to repeal President Barack Obama's health care [...]

Senate grills Secret Service on potential ‘pattern of misconduct’

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:18:04 -0400

Mark Sullivan, director of the U.S. Secret Service, defended his agency on Wednesday against accusations it has displayed a "pattern of misconduct" during a Senate hearing prompted by a recent scandal involving agent solicitation of prostitutes in Colombia. This is "not a systemic problem," Sullivan told members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. [...]

Romney’s plan: Low-income students can attend any public school they want

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:27:26 -0400

Mitt Romney said Wednesday that under his new K-12 education plan, federal education funds will follow low-income or disabled American children so that they can attend any school in their state, including private ones.

Obama declares he's not a big spender

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:46:58 -0400

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — At a fundraiser for his re-election campaign in Denver tonight, President Obama set out to upend conventional Republican wisdom that his administration has been defined by excessive government spending. “I’m running to pay down our debt in a way that’s balanced...

Does Romney's record at Bain Capital matter?

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:25:44 -0400

The issue will be the bane of our existence until November. Here it is only May – and the back-and-forth over Mitt Romney’s career in private equity at Bain Capital is already as confused as Facebook’s initial stock offering. Buffeted by TV ads, web videos, feigned outraged and zigzagging Democrats, voters undoubtedly are stunned by the sudden outbreak of high-decibel arguments over Romney’s business career.

Poll: Romney now leads Obama in key state

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:57:57 -0400

Mitt Romney has taken a 6-point lead over President Barack Obama in the battleground state of Florida. A new Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday found Romney now besting Obama 47 percent to 41 percent among likely Florida voters. That's a shift from earlier this month, when a Quinnipiac poll found Romney and Obama statistically tied [...]

Who's to blame for Washington’s problems?

Wed, 23 May 2012 06:26:04 -0400

Top Line Scholar Norman Ornstein is pointing fingers in a new book, "It's Even Worse Than It Looks," co-authored with Thomas Mann. Congress is partisan and polarizing, and one party, said Ornstein, bears the brunt of the blame. "I wouldn't say it's all Republicans," said Ornstein, "it's 80-20 at this point." "When you look at the data, [...]

Palin makes a surprising endorsement in Utah Senate race

Wed, 23 May 2012 10:47:48 -0400

Sarah Palin weighed in on the Utah Senate race during an interview Tuesday night and took a side. But instead of rallying around the Republican tea party challenger, as she has in other primary campaigns, the former Alaska governor endorsed longtime senator Orrin Hatch. "I want him to win," Palin told Fox News host Greta [...]

‘Uncommitted’ and unknown score points against Obama

Wed, 23 May 2012 05:01:01 -0400

President Obama easily won Tuesday night's Democratic primary in Kentucky, capturing 58 percent of the vote. That sounds like a solid victory. But with the president running unopposed in the Bluegrass State that means more than four in 10 voters didn't pick him. Who did they choose instead? Forty-two percent of those going to the [...]

Romney video argues election is about Obama’s economy, not Bain Capital

Wed, 23 May 2012 07:11:13 -0400

Mitt Romney's campaign is out with a new video suggesting President Barack Obama is trying to deflect attention away from his economic record by attacking Romney's history at Bain Capital. The minute-long video, titled "Stories From the Obama Economy," kicks off with footage of Obama's comments at a press conference in Chicago Monday suggesting his [...]

Don’t worry, Joe, Obama won’t run with Hillary

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:57:00 -0400

No. Not even if you see an airborne swine. Not even if they’re driving a Zamboni in Hades. When you read a rumination -- or recommendation, or prediction -- that President Barack Obama will replace Vice President Joe Biden with Hillary Clinton on the Democratic ticket -- the odds are overwhelming that its creator was inspired by two thoughts: 1. My deadline is an hour away. 2. I got nothing.

GOP anti-Bain quotes used in ad from pro-Obama super PAC

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:36:15 -0400

One day after President Barack Obama vowed to attack Mitt Romney's private equity record through to November, a super PAC supporting his re-election unleashed a new ad that enlists the former Massachusetts governor's erstwhile primary rivals to do just that.

VP watch: Ayotte would like to debate Biden

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:33:43 -0400

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, rumored to be on Mitt Romney's list of possible running mates, told the Boston Herald this week that she's looking forward to a chance to debate Vice President Joe Biden if picked. "Certainly, debating Joe Biden would be quite enjoyable," Ayotte told the Herald.

Public split on whether Romney’s Bain tenure matters

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:06:15 -0400

As Democrats intensify their attacks over Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital, a new poll finds the public divided over whether his history as a venture capitalist hurts or helps the presumptive Republican nominee. A new ABC News/Washington Post survey released Tuesday found 54 percent of those surveyed say Romney's role in buying and restructuring [...]

Poll: Obama, Romney both fall short on economy

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:01:48 -0400

Americans are nearly twice as likely to say they’ve gotten worse off as better off under Barack Obama’s presidency, a prosperity shortfall resembling the one that cost the first President Bush his job in 1992. But Mitt Romney has yet to seize the opportunity fully,...

In Joplin graduation speech, Obama hails the ‘power of community’

Mon, 21 May 2012 17:38:23 -0400

In a soaring speech to graduating seniors from the tornado-ravaged town of Joplin, Mo., President Barack Obama spoke in glowing terms of the "bigness of spirit" that was on display in the aftermath of last year's storm and called the students examples for the rest of the country.

Americans can’t wait for ‘perfect’ Afghanistan before withdrawal, Obama says

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:40:01 -0400

President Barack Obama on Monday acknowledged "risks" in his decision to withdraw U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 but said war-weary Americans can't wait for that strife-torn country to be "perfect."

Obama meets Pakistan’s Zardari, but no deal on war supply routes

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:53:08 -0400

President Barack Obama spoke briefly with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on the sidelines of a NATO summit as the uneasy allies looked to drain the poison from their wounded relations.

Find out here: Was your degree worth the money?

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:02:11 -0400

As estimates of the total student loan debt exceed $800 billion and default rates approach 9 percent, some commentators are beginning to wonder whether an expensive education is really worth it, at least from a financial perspective. The combination of skyrocketing tuition and a dismal job market creates an environment where many are struggling to pay off hefty loans.

Republicans dominate super PAC money race in April, but donations sag

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:01 -0400

While President Barack Obama's official re-election campaign out-fundraised challenger Mitt Romney last month by $17 million, nonaligned political action committees that support Republicans continue to dominate groups supporting Democrats in the race, financial disclosure reports filed Sunday night show.

Gen. Allen: Afghans thwarting ‘insider’ plots to kill NATO forces

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:48:33 -0400

How badly are things going in Afghanistan? The top U.S. and NATO commander, Gen. John Allen, told reporters it was "good news" that Afghan authorities had arrested 160 people in the last few months for plotting so-called "green-on-blue" attacks by Afghan security forces on their NATO-led international partners.

Surviving in a recovering economy: Hard times for Hometown Hardware

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:22:08 -0400

Hard times for Hometown Hardware

Ron Paul meets his goal in Minnesota

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:12:59 -0400

When Ron Paul's campaign stated last week that Mitt Romney's delegate lead was insurmountable, Paul's staff insisted they would continue competing for delegates and cited Minnesota as their next target. This past weekend, Paul accomplished that goal, winning 12 of 13 delegates at the state GOP convention. "Victories in Minnesota and other states demonstrate that [...]

The story behind the nation's highest military honor

Mon, 21 May 2012 06:22:11 -0400

Political Punch It is the nation's highest military honor, bestowed by the president on soldiers for extraordinary valor on the battlefield. But just what does it take to receive the Medal of Honor? Recently President Obama recognized the sacrifice of Specialist Leslie Sabo Jr. for valor above and beyond the call of duty during the [...]

Advice to would-be Romney running mates: Run for the hills

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:17:12 -0400

Nothing is easier to mock in politics right now than the apparent reluctance of leading Republicans to sign on as Mitt Romney’s second banana. A few weeks ago, Jon Stewart summarized the way that Rob Portman was plugging his Senate colleague Marco Rubio, who in turn was passing the baton to Jeb Bush, with the line, “Doesn’t anyone want the rock in crunch time?”

Obama, France’s Hollande hunt for Afghanistan compromise

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:42:47 -0400

Click image to see more photos. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Visiting French President François Hollande told President Barack Obama on Friday that France's combat troops would leave Afghanistan by year's end and pledged to find a way "for our allies to pursue their mission" in talks at a looming NATO summit. The two leaders also bonded [...]

Romney’s first general election ad makes ‘day one’ promises

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:03:52 -0400

Mitt Romney is out with his first campaign ad of the general election, a spot detailing what "day one" of his potential presidency would look like. Romney told reporters Thursday his first ad would be "positive," but the 30-second spot takes plenty of digs at President Barack Obama. Among other things, Romney vows to "immediately" [...]

Afghanistan, economy top NATO, G8 agendas

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:11:51 -0400

President Barack Obama on Friday kicks off a frenetic four days of guns-and-butter diplomacy, including a pair of high-stakes international summits focused on reviving the sputtering global economy and winding down the unpopular war in Afghanistan. Both issues will shape Obama's legacy — not to mention his hopes for re-election in November.