Paul Ryan on Relations with Russia: 'I'm Not Holding My Breath'
Larry O'Connor · February 9, 2017 Speaker of the House Paul Ryan sat with Judy Woodruff on PBS News Hour for a wide-ranging interview Wednesday evening that touched on various points of disagreement between the Wisconsin Republican and President Donald Trump.
Top U.S. General in Afghanistan Needs 'Few Thousand' More Troops For Mission
Larry O'Connor · February 9, 2017 General John Nicholson, the top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, said Thursday that he is short "a few thousand" troops to assist and train Afghan forces in their war against the Taliban.
Common Hypocrisy Toward Trump in House of Commons
Larry O'Connor · February 7, 2017 The speaker of the House of Commons has indicated that President Trump may not be welcome to address the British Parliament during an anticipated state visit later this year. John Bercow signaled his resistance to having the American president address the lower chamber in remarks to members of…
Iraqis Who Served with American Troops Caught in Travel Ban
Larry O'Connor · January 30, 2017 Spencer Ackerman at the Guardian has the story of several Iraqis who served alongside American troops in the Iraq war who now find themselves caught in limbo (or worse) as a result of President Trump's executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Iraq:
Andrew McCarthy: Alien Exclusion Order is Constitutional
Larry O'Connor · January 29, 2017 Over at National Review, Andrew McCarthy writes that President Trump's executive order instituting a temporary ban on entry into the United States for foreign nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen is statutorily and constitutionally sound:
Several Republican Lawmakers Speak Out Against Travel Restrictions
Larry O'Connor · January 29, 2017 Reaction to President Trump's executive order restricting travel into the United States from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia continued through the weekend with several Republican congressmen and senators voicing their opposition to the policy.
Musburger: Olbermann Should 'Get Off the Soap Box' and Stick to Baseball
Larry O'Connor · January 27, 2017 Retiring sports broadcaster Brent Musburger appeared on NBC Sports's The Dan Patrick Show Thursday and went on an amusing tangent about one of his former colleagues, Keith Olbermann.
Theresa May's Charm Offensive
Larry O'Connor · January 27, 2017 British prime minister Theresa May sweeps into Washington, D.C. Friday as the first foreign leader to meet with President Donald Trump. Just one week after his inauguration, Trump will welcome May at the White House and the two will hold a joint press conference before engaging in a "working lunch."
Report: Trump Plans Return of CIA 'Black Sites'
Larry O'Connor · January 26, 2017 According to the New York Times, the Trump administration is poised to reinstate the so-called "black site" prisons used by the CIA during the Bush presidency.
The Government's Social Media Propaganda Machine
Larry O'Connor · January 26, 2017 Lost in the hysterical overreaction to the Trump Administration ordering government agencies to suspend Twitter and Facebook communications until the new administration's policies could be fully laid out is the disturbing fact that the U.S. government appears to have a social media footprint any…
Trump Attacks Manning for Criticizing Obama
Larry O'Connor · January 26, 2017 President Donald Trump went after Chelsea Manning via Twitter Thursday morning calling the convicted leaker "ungrateful" for penning an op/ed critical of President Barack Obama.
Video: Planned Parenthood Denies Prenatal Care to Undercover Journalists
Larry O'Connor · January 24, 2017 An undercover video investigation from the pro-life activist group Live Action appears to show employees at multiple Planned Parenthood clinics turning away clients asking for prenatal care. Prenatal care is a benefit the organization touts as one of the many services they offer women beyond…
Report: Trump Keeps Comey
Larry O'Connor · January 24, 2017 The New York Times is reporting that President Donald Trump will keep James Comey on as FBI Director for the foreseeable future.
Mattis Sends Message to DOD and to ISIS
Larry O'Connor · January 23, 2017 Secretary of Defense James Mattis began his first day on the job at the Pentagon by delivering a message to all Department of Defense employees, the U.S. military, and to ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq.
Obama Quips to Trump: 'I'm Always on the Left'
Larry O'Connor · January 20, 2017 President and First Lady Obama greeted President-elect and First Lady-to-be Trump on the steps of the White House Friday morning. The profound moment was captured for history as the four posed for photographers.
Left-wing Protesters Bring Obama Presidency to Fitting End
Larry O'Connor · January 20, 2017 After enduring eight years of a community organizer as president, perhaps the chaotic scene outside the National Press Club in Washington DC on the eve of Inauguration Day represented a fitting coda to the Obama era.
Ben Sasse On the Awesome Wonder of America's Inauguration
Larry O'Connor · January 20, 2017 Senator Ben Sasse was no fan of Donald Trump during the primary and general elections of 2016. The idea that Trump is the person being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States probably fills the Nebraskan with more trepidation and anxiety than joy and hope.
Sanders: No, America is Not a Compassionate Society
Larry O'Connor · January 19, 2017 During the confirmation hearings of Rep. Tom Price for the cabinet position of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized the American society as "not particularly compassionate" compared to other countries on earth.
Manning's Attorney: 'Chelsea's Life Was Very Much in Danger'
Larry O'Connor · January 18, 2017 The attorney of Chelsea Manning says President Obama's commutation of the former Army private's sentence has "saved her life."
Did Obama Consult CIA Before Manning Commutation? No Comment
Larry O'Connor · January 18, 2017 When the secret military documents stolen by former Army private Chelsea Manning were released by WikiLeaks, the official position of the Pentagon was that Manning's illegal actions had endangered the lives of American soldiers.
Planned Parenthood Honors Martin Luther King Jr.
Larry O'Connor · January 16, 2017 Planned Parenthood honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today with a tweet saying "On Martin Luther King, Jr. day, we celebrate the man who dedicated his life to ending oppression."
Trump Claims CIA Director Brennan Leaked Unsubstantiated Report
Larry O'Connor · January 16, 2017 Donald Trump claimed Sunday that CIA Director John Brennan could have leaked sensitive and unsubstantiated information about the president-elect. In a series of tweets, Trump criticized Brennan and then openly questioned to his nearly 19 million followers on the social media platform, "Was this the…
O'Malley Likens Trump and GOP to Nazis and KKK
Larry O'Connor · January 15, 2017 Former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley spoke to the Utah Democratic party at a gala event Saturday night and, according to his own Twitter feed, delivered a message of resistance, defiance and divisiveness.
Ryan Sides with Trump on Intel Briefing Criticism
Larry O'Connor · January 13, 2017 At a town hall forum conducted by CNN and hosted by Jake Tapper, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan fielded a myriad of questions ranging from repealing and replacing Obamacare to his differences with the incoming Trump administration to whether he knows how to "dab" or not. (Spoiler alert: He does and…
McCarthy Vows to Pass At Least Partial Obamacare Replacement by End of February
Larry O'Connor · January 11, 2017 A bill repealing and at least partially replacing Obamacare will be presented to President Trump by the end of February, according to House majority leader Kevin McCarthy and House Ways and Means Committee chairman Kevin Brady.
A Divisive Obama Warns of Threats to National Unity in Farewell Speech
Larry O'Connor · January 11, 2017 President Obama delivered a valedictory speech Tuesday night in his adopted hometown of Chicago before an adoring throng of 18,000 attendees. Enraptured by his own oft-celebrated eloquence, Obama took his good time soaking in the love by delivering a speech that, according to the Washington…
The Problem with BuzzFeed's 'Let the Readers Decide' Standard
Larry O'Connor · January 11, 2017 Not long after CNN reported that top U.S. intelligence officials had briefed Donald Trump on a document that alleges the Russian government had "compromising personal and financial information" on him, BuzzFeed published what it claimed to be synopsised in the briefing under the dubious…
Cory Booker Likes To Make Things Up
Larry O'Connor · January 10, 2017 When Cory Booker makes history today as the first sitting senator to testify against a fellow senator nominated to a White House cabinet position, it would be wise to keep in mind his record of weaving fictional tales to serve his political goals.