Barack Obama
Michael Hastings, reflecting on the height of his career
“I couldn’t just deliver, ‘Here’s what’s in the rest of my notebooks.’ I had to go back in and dive even deeper. So it forced me to try to top the reporting. I think we succeeded at that. And the fucking bar was high, right?” More
Obama: 'I think we've struck the right balance'
In his first public comments since news reports exposed the previously secret surveillance of phone records and internet traffic by the federal government, President Obama offered a strong defense of the program and the "balance" struck by his administration. More
When Verizon's business is the government's business
The Guardian Newspaper revealed last night that the National Security Agency has been collecting information about phone calls made by Verizon customers within the United States and abroad, the first widespread electronic surveillance program directly connected to the Obama administration. More
Obama: 'Now is the time' to revive the media shield law
At a rainy press conference in the Rose Garden this afternoon, President Obama said it was time to revisit a federal media shield law, in the wake of revelations that the Department of Justice obtained a broad swath of phone records of reporters for the Associated Press. More
Rangel says Obama's answers so far about the DOJ aren't good enough
Rep. Charlie Rangel would like President Obama to offer a better explanation for why the Justice Department collected phone records for the Associated Press. More
Asked about a Schumer bill that might have protected the AP, the White House says it's 'complicated'
White House press secretary Jay Carney said at least a dozen times at a press briefing today that President Obama believes in reporters' unfettered right to pursue investigative stories. More
Obama responds to Benghazi and I.R.S. questions, heads to Harvey Weinstein's home
President Obama will appear at three pooled-press Democratic fund-raisers in New York City this evening, after spending part of the day fielding questions about the I.R.S. and Benghazi. More
Sunday shows: Republicans focus Benghazi talking points on Hillary Clinton
On Sunday morning, Republicans insisted their fixation on the attacks in Benghazi, Libya last fall has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton and 2016. More
(1)Video briefing: Who needs the White House Correspondents' Dinner?
Here's today's video briefing, with clips from the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, and other clips showing the more, um, entertaining side of New York politics, featuring mayoral candidates Bill de Blasio and John Catsimatidis. More
'You will run again': Obama's speech to the Boston mourners
President Obama traveled to Boston today, where he told mourners that the nation stands behind them.
“Every one of us stands with you," he said, in an emotional address in a service at Boston's Cathedral of the Holy Cross. More
(1)White House spokesman responds to Jay-Z's Cuba rap
Madison Square Garden and the potential for a truly awesome Penn Station. [Dana Rubinstein]
Bloomberg defends the background checks deal and dismisses Cuomo's dismissal. [Reid Pillifant]
Thompson's public safety agenda. [Azi Paybarah]
Saujani on her Wikipedia maintenance. [Azi Paybarah] More
Winning: Malcolm Smith tops Quinn, Lhota and everyone else in search
This week, he did eclipse the governor and the president, in terms of search engine traffic in New York, according to GoogleTrends. More
(1)As Washington pauses, Obama and Bloomberg remind the public about Newtown
"Shame on us if we've forgotten," President Obama said at a White House event this morning as part of a national "day of action" to demand new gun laws. More
Reactions to Obama's Israel-supporting, Netanyahu-tweaking Jerusalem speech
Here's some reaction to Barack Obama's speech in Jerusalem, which seemed to be well received by the crowd of Israeli students in attendance. More
Biden tries not to upstage Obama while making a personal case for Israel
"It's never a good idea to steal the president's thunder," Vice President Joe Biden told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference this morning, in an impassioned speech about the need to maintain strong ties between the United States and Israel.
Biden, who nudged the administration on same-sex marriage last year, was foreshadowing President Obama's visit to Israel later this month, his first trip since becoming president. More
