presidency – News Stories About presidency - Page 3

Nov 21, 2008 12:04 PM CST

Russia Paves Way for Return of Putin

Parliament extends term of president; early elections could follow

(Newser) - Russia's lower house of parliament approved a change to the constitution that extends the term of the president from four to six years, CNN reports. The move is widely seen as a bureaucratic maneuver that will lead to the return of Vladimir Putin as president. The upper house of parliament...

You'll Need FDR's Optimism to Save Us, Obama

OPINION

Nov 18, 2008 8:16 AM CST

You'll Need FDR's Optimism to Save Us, Obama

Obama needs to emulate Roosevelt's optimism in the face of deep crisis

(Newser) - Barack Obama keeps saying he wants to emulate Abraham Lincoln but he’s lucky that he more closely resembles Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Cohen writes in the Washington Post. Lincoln faced the massive challenge of reuniting the Union but knew just how to do it, while FDR, like Obama, confronted...

Bush Gets
Props—for
Exit Planning

Nov 4, 2008 9:33 AM CST

Bush Gets Props—for Exit Planning

Prez praised by both parties for ambitious transition efforts

(Newser) - These days, not even "Brownie" would say "Heckuva job, Bushie," but President Bush is getting lauded by both sides of the aisle over his perhaps unparalleled efforts to ensure a smooth handover of power, Bloomberg reports. Bush began delegating tasks and deadlines this spring. “The White...

The Bush Era:
An 'American Fiasco'

OPINION

Nov 3, 2008 11:38 AM CST

The Bush Era: An 'American Fiasco'

Columnist rips into the White House's 'all-time loser' on election eve

(Newser) - In the waning days of the Bush administration, Simon Schama wonders how the president is handling his role as the “all-time loser in presidential history.” “If the Statue of Liberty were alive,” Schama writes in the Guardian, “she would be weeping tears of blood” over...

Poll: Biden More Qualified Than Palin to Lead Nation

Sep 24, 2008 5:40 PM CDT

Poll: Biden More Qualified Than Palin to Lead Nation

49% of respondents don't think Republican could be president; 64% OK with Democrat

(Newser) - Sarah Palin isn’t qualified to be president, 49% of Americans say, while 64% think Joe Biden is, according to a new poll from the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. Seniors particularly put more confidence in the Democrat (74%) than Alaska's governor (37%). And while only 7% of Democrats...

Mbeki Will Resign in S. Africa

Sep 20, 2008 9:03 AM CDT

Mbeki Will Resign in S. Africa

President agrees to resign in wake of struggle with Jacob Zuma

(Newser) - South African President Thabo Mbeki has agreed to resign following orders from the ruling party. A statement from the presidency says that Mbeki, who succeeded Nelson Mandela in 1999, will "step down after all constitutional requirements have been met." Parliament is due to meet in the coming days...

McCain and Mortality: What the Tables Show

Sep 3, 2008 3:01 PM CDT

McCain and Mortality: What the Tables Show

A man his age has a 15% chance of dying in one term, 33% in two

(Newser) - With all the talk about John McCain's advanced age and the suitability of his vice presidential pick, Politico offers up some statistics on mortality rates. According to the actuarial tables that insurance companies use, there is about a 15% chance that a 72-year-old man would die within 4 years—and...

Actress Demands
VF Retract
Clinton Story

Jun 4, 2008 1:13 PM CDT

Actress Demands VF Retract Clinton Story

PS I Love You star Gershon threatens suit

(Newser) - Bill Clinton isn’t the only one fuming over Vanity Fair’s article blasting his conduct since he left office. Actress Gina Gershon—whom Clinton “has been seen visiting,” according to the magazine—is demanding a retraction, CNN reports. The "insinuation is a lie, and it is...

Is Bill Losing His Grip?

Glossies

Jun 2, 2008 10:38 AM CDT

Is Bill Losing His Grip?

Vanity Fair spots the stains on Teflon Bill’s retirement clothes

(Newser) - As Hillary’s campaign staggers to a close, a professional Clinton-watcher shines the flashlight back into a familiar face—her husband’s. Bill has had a checkered ex-presidency, Todd Purdum reports in Vanity Fair, as a phalanx of former aides spills about girlfriends (including, maybe, Walter Mondale’s daughter), cash,...

How About President Chelsea?

May 22, 2008 4:33 AM CDT

How About President Chelsea?

If Hillary doesn't make it, maybe her daughter will

(Newser) - Bill Clinton hasn't given up hope of a Clinton woman getting into the White House—but it may be his daughter rather than his wife, ABC reports. Clinton says he would never have thought Chelsea would consider running for office—until she proved a natural on the campaign trail this...

Carter Aide Hamilton Jordan Dead at 63

Obituary

May 21, 2008 3:07 AM CDT

Carter Aide Hamilton Jordan Dead at 63

Architect of Carter's White House run succumbs to cancer

(Newser) - Jimmy Carter's former chief of staff, Hamilton Jordan, has died at the age of 63 after battling cancer for more than 20 years, AP reports. Jordan was at the core of Carter's "Georgia Mafia," and helped propel the Democrat into the White House in 1976. "He was...

Like Lincoln and JFK, Obama Is on a New Channel

ANALYSIS

May 17, 2008 4:12 PM CDT

Like Lincoln and JFK, Obama Is on a New Channel

But 'fickle' Internet could 'stall his agenda as president'

(Newser) - Lincoln, FDR, JFK... Obama? So runs the line of US leaders who have ruled by harnessing new communication technologies. Obama's mastery of the Web echoes Lincoln's use of newspapers, FDR's use of radio and JFK's use of television. Obama vows to put the Oval Office online if he wins, but...

Lame Duck Bush Won't Quit

May 3, 2008 12:00 PM CDT

Lame Duck Bush Won't Quit

In last year, he keeps volume up despite little chance of success

(Newser) - With less than a year left in office, President Bush refuses to let his lame-duck status keep him quiet, the Washington Post reports. He continues to push for initiatives that are unlikely to see the light of day, including Alaska oil drilling, more nuclear plants, and a Colombia free-trade deal....

Observers Cry Foul as Zimbabwe Results Delayed

Mar 30, 2008 5:44 PM CDT

Observers Cry Foul as Zimbabwe Results Delayed

UK minister says opposition 'likely' won despite 'cheating'

(Newser) - Observers fear President Mugabe is rigging the vote while election results are delayed in Zimbabwe, the BBC reports. Officials blame the holdup on a flood of ballots, but one monitor said he had “no doubt” the results were known. “The delay is fuelling speculation that there could be...

Chavez Proposal Clears Way
for Lifelong Presidency

Aug 16, 2007 3:06 AM CDT

Chavez Proposal Clears Way for Lifelong Presidency

Amendment would wipe out term limits

(Newser) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has made a power grab toward a president-for-life position, packaging a proposal granting him unlimited terms with a measure to cap the workday at six hours. The constitutional amendment would extend terms from six to seven years and remove the two-term limit that would otherwise force...

India Elects First Female Prez

Jul 21, 2007 3:30 PM CDT

India Elects First Female Prez

Patil to take office amidst scandals

(Newser) - India elected its first woman to the largely ceremonial office of president today, in a landslide vote among parliament and state politicians. Pratibha Patil's supporters hail her victory as a breakthrough for women's rights in the country, while critics assert her reputation is already marred by a slew of personal...

Bush Returns to Oval Office After Surgery

Jul 21, 2007 2:05 PM CDT

Bush Returns to Oval Office After Surgery

Cheney era over after docs remove polyps from president

(Newser) - George Bush resumed his duties as president today, two hours after voluntarily handing them over to VP Cheney while he underwent a colonoscopy. Bush is eager to get back to work, a White House spokesman said; Cheney spent his moment in the sun reading at home, and "nothing occurred...

Cheney to Take Reins During President's Colonoscopy

Jul 20, 2007 5:21 PM CDT

Cheney to Take Reins During President's Colonoscopy

Routine exam briefly gives VP power

(Newser) - President Bush will undergo a routine colon exam tomorrow, leaving Dick Cheney in the driver's seat for roughly 2½ hours while he's under anesthesia. Bush's personal physician will supervise the procedure, in the medical facility at Camp David. This will be the second time the VP has acted as president;...

Lady Bird Johnson Dead at 94

Jul 11, 2007 5:20 PM CDT

Lady Bird Johnson Dead at 94

Former first lady fought for civil rights

(Newser) - Lady Bird Johnson, wife of former president Lyndon Johnson, is dead today at 94. Johnson was a vociferous—if always graceful—campaigner for the beautification of the country and, during one of the most turbulent presidencies of all time, for civil rights and the betterment of the poor.

New Books Probe Hillary's Dark Side

May 25, 2007 5:54 AM CDT

New Books Probe Hillary's Dark Side

Bernstein, Times writers relive Whitewater, chronicle drive to power

(Newser) - The Washington Post gets a sneak peek at two upcoming books about Hillary Clinton, illuminating her turbulent marriage to Bill and voracious political ambition, just in time for 2008. A Woman in Charge, by Watergate star Carl Bernstein, details Hillary's terror of Whitewater prosecution and her annoyance at her husband's...