Mara Liasson

Political Takeaways: Headaches For The White House

Mara Liasson — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:41:00 +0000

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RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin. President Obama will give a speech this week outlining his plans to make his counterterrorism policies more transparent. The address comes after a week that the Obama White House spent on the defensive trying to contain political fallout from multiple controversies. The IRS has been targeting conservative and Tea Party groups that applied for tax-exempt status, and the Associated Press revealed that the Justice Department had secretly obtained the phone records of its journalists.

Obama Moves Aggressively Into Damage Control Mode

Mara Liasson — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:14:00 +0000

President Obama is in the middle of a series of scandals. But are they serious enough to undermine his second term? Veterans of past Washington scandals assess the potential for political peril, and what the president can do about it.

With Texas Trip, Obama Tries To Steer Focus Back To Economy

Mara Liasson — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:56:00 +0000

President Obama turns his attention back to his economic agenda Thursday when he travels to Austin, Texas, where he will visit a technology high school and a company that makes the machines that make silicon chips.

The White House says the trip is part of Obama's Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour. It also appears to be an effort by the president to get back to the issues Americans care most about.

It has been a difficult spring for Obama. He couldn't get Congress to work with him to stop the automatic spending cuts of the sequester or to enact wider background checks for gun sales.

Political Battle Over Health Law Starts Next Chapter

Mara Liasson — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:41:00 +0000

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

It's one of the basic lessons in school - how a bill becomes a law - sounds so finite. Of course the part they don't always teach is how the political debate over a law can just keep going. The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, is now the law of the land.

White House Undecided On Action For Syria Crossing 'Red Line'

Mara Liasson — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:59:00 +0000

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ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish. Has the so-called red line been crossed in Syria? Today, the Obama administration said it believes the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons and, as President Obama has said in the past, that is a red line that would trigger serious consequences.

What's Next In The Gun Control Debate?

Mara Liasson — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:03:00 +0000

Gun-control groups are regrouping after a bill to tighten background checks for gun sales failed to overcome a filibuster last week in the Senate. The failure was not only a stinging defeat for President Obama, it was also a setback for the new players in the debate.

Immigration Proves A 'Rubik's Cube' For Many Republicans

Mara Liasson — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:37:00 +0000

While an immigration overhaul has drawn support from church groups, business, labor and even former opponents, there's still deep opposition — mostly centered in the Republican Party.

The last time a president tried to pass a comprehensive immigration overhaul was in 2007, and George W. Bush's fellow Republicans in Congress killed his bill.

Sen. Rand Paul Tries To Repair GOP's Image With Minorities

Mara Liasson — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:14:00 +0000

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

In recent elections the Republican Party has struggled to find much support among African-American voters.

Is Caroline Kennedy Qualified To Be Ambassador To Japan?

Mara Liasson — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:26:00 +0000

President Obama is expected to name Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, ambassador to Japan. The job has been critical to U.S. trade and business interests with the world's third largest economy. But Kennedy has no prior experience in government or business.

Proposition 8 Case Has High Political Stakes For Both Parties

Mara Liasson — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:56:00 +0000

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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

We'll learn what the court decides to do about DOMA and California's Proposition 8 sometime this summer. Its options vary widely. But no matter what the result, there will be political implications.

NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson joins us to walk through some of them.

And, Mara, first, let's talk briefly about this really sea change in public opinion now in favor of same-sex marriage. Could the court reverse that tide in any way?

MARA LIASSON, BYLINE: No, the court cannot reverse that tide.

GOP Encouraged To Shift Immigration, Gay Marriage Positions

Mara Liasson — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

With his journey, the president temporarily left behind a changing American political scene. The Republican Party is struggling with that change. Public opinion on immigration and gay marriage is changing quickly. That forces Republicans to try a balancing act, as NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson reports.

MARA LIASSON, BYLINE: As sea changes go, what's happening inside the Republican Party on immigration is as sudden as a tsunami. This week, the shift was on display from one end of the party spectrum to the other.

RNC Report Calls For Community Outreach, Revamped Primary Rules

Mara Liasson — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And the Republican Party has issued a blistering assessment of why it lost the 2012 election. The Republican National Committee Growth and Opportunity Project told the party that if it wants to win national elections in the future, it needs to change the way it communicates with voters and runs its campaigns.

NPR's Mara Liasson reports.

MARA LIASSON, BYLINE: The GOP's election autopsy was brutal. Focus groups describe the party as narrow minded and out of touch, filled with stuffy old men who favor the rich.

RNC Report A Postmortem On Failed 2012 Election

Mara Liasson — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:43:00 +0000

After failing to take the presidency or U.S. Senate in 2012 and losing House seats, Republicans launched the "Growth and Opportunity Project" to understand what went wrong. Party Chairman Reince Priebus and others toured the country and released a report with recommendations on Monday.

For GOP Hopefuls, CPAC Is The Place To Be This Week

Mara Liasson — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:31:00 +0000

The Conservative Political Action Conference is drawing a huge crowd of politicians, activists and Republican presidential hopefuls, all looking to break the Republican Party's recent string of presidential election losses. It kicked off Thursday with speeches by two young senators interested in the White House — Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

It's Still Early, But GOP Hopefuls Test The Waters For 2016

Mara Liasson — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:56:00 +0000

During the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that begins Thursday, a slew of men who appear to want to try their hand at leading the GOP back to the White House in 2016 will be speaking, though not every potential presidential candidate was invited.

Yes, it's four years away, but that hasn't stopped Republican hopefuls from testing the waters.

Republicans Face Off Over Strategy For Picking Candidates

Mara Liasson — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 07:06:00 +0000

Republicans have a steep hill to climb if they want to take control of the Senate next year. The GOP would need to pick up six seats in 2014.

There are plenty of open seats and vulnerable Democrats up for re-election, but Republicans are debating the best way to win.

Last year's Senate results were disappointing for the GOP: The party ended up losing a number of seats it thought were winnable — and now it's trying to figure out what to do differently next year.

Karl Rove and the big donors behind his Crossroads superPAC have one idea.

Jeb Bush May Have Changed His Mind On Immigration With 2016 Bid In Sight

Mara Liasson — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:45:00 +0000

When former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush got to work on his new book on immigration, he was expected to be out in front of his party urging a broader conversation with Hispanics and more open legislation. After all, he had previously supported a pathway to citizenship for immigrants here illegally. Instead, it's fellow Florida Republican Marco Rubio in the lead, and Bush who's explaining an apparent reversal on the issue of citizenship. Both are likely candidates for president in 2016.

Obama's Second Term Cabinet Nears Completion With New Nominations

Mara Liasson — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:43:00 +0000

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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

Three new faces joined President Obama today at the White House.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Today, I'm announcing my plan to nominate three outstanding individuals to help us tackle some of our most important challenges.

CORNISH: And with that, the president named a new energy secretary, a new budget director, and a new head of the Environmental Protection Agency. In a few minutes, we'll hear more about the EPA nominee.

One Strategy For A GOP Overhaul? Follow The Democrats' Example

Mara Liasson — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:03:00 +0000

These are difficult times for the Republican Party.

Obama Tries To Build Public Pressure On Congress Over Looming Budget Cuts

Mara Liasson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 22:18:00 +0000

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MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

And I'm Audie Cornish. Tick-tock goes the sequester clock. Three more days until automatic across-the-board spending cuts kick in. And today, President Obama was once again on the road trying to build public pressure on Congress to delay or replace the cuts.

Automatic Budget Cuts Near As Democrats, GOP Stand Firm

Mara Liasson — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:12:00 +0000

It looks like the across the board spending cuts that were never supposed to happen are going to — at least for a while. It's another sign of Washington's dysfunction.

Obama Speech To Set Second Term's Tone

Mara Liasson — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:44:00 +0000

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renée Montagne. President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address tonight, to a joint session of Congress. The president will announce that the U.S. is withdrawing 34,000 troops from Afghanistan within a year. But as always, much of the speech will address domestic issues.

Public Pressure, Background Checks Central To Obama Gun Control Strategy

Mara Liasson — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 10:07:00 +0000

Gun control historically has been one of the most divisive issues in Congress, between the parties and even inside the Democratic coalition. Yet some in President Obama's own party say he has put together a gun agenda that is sweeping without being too painful for most Democrats to support.

"He did the right thing when he laid out his principles. It was not a crazy wish list," says Jim Kessler, co-founder of the centrist Democrat group Third Way.

Hillary Clinton Leaving The Stage — At Least For Now — And On A High Note

Mara Liasson — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:44:00 +0000

Hillary Clinton leaves her job Friday as secretary of state with sky-high approval ratings, and there's already a superPAC established urging her to run for president in 2016.

She's one of the most famous women in the world and, as she leaves office, perhaps the