Republican senator takes being a Trump apologist to new heights

In a bizarre defense of President Donald Trump's lack of grasp of public policy, Sen. Bill Cassidy suggested on Thursday that it does not matter if the president of the United States has any understanding at all of major legislation. His reasoning: a biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt that he is reading currently noted that the 32nd president did not have a deep understanding of fiat money.

Senate Republicans cruise toward passage of budget plan

Senate Republicans are on track to pass a $4 trillion budget plan that shelves GOP deficit concerns in favor of the party's drive to cut taxes. The nonbinding budget plan, slated for a vote late Thursday, would set the stage for tax legislation later this year that could pass through the Senate without fear of a filibuster by Democrats - and add $1.5 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.

Trump cries foul on judges, but he’s ahead of Obama

President Donald Trump says Democrats are holding up his judicial nominees, but almost nine months into his presidency, he has had more judges confirmed than President Barack Obama did in the same time period, and his numbers aren't far off those of other recent presidents. Trump counts the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch as one of his signature achievements.

Letters from young Obama show a man trying to find his way

A young Barack Obama questioned his place in the world and his racial identity, agonized over whether he'd make enough money as a community organizer, and lamented his incompatibility with his ex-girlfriend in 30 pages of letters he wrote to her that are now being archived by Emory University in Atlanta. The nine full letters, sent by Obama to his college girlfriend, Alexandra McNear, are being made public to researchers through Emory University's Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library.

At Mississippi school: Goodbye, Confederacy. Hello, Obama

A Mississippi school is shedding the name of the Confederacy's only president and will instead be named for the first African-American president of the United States. The school with 98 percent African-American enrollment is set to be renamed for Barack Obama in the next academic year, in a move proposed by parents and approved by a majority of students, parents, faculty and staff members.

Senator and veteran: Trump playing ‘sick political game’ with military deaths

A Democratic senator who received the Purple Heart after losing both her legs in the Iraq War lambasted President Donald Trump for playing a "sick political game" with the deaths of fallen US service members. During an interview on CNN's "Erin Burnett Outfront," Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said she had "utter disgust" for the way Trump has politicized his interactions with Gold Star soldiers.

Tip or not, Cubs manager Maddon ejected for 2nd time in NLCS

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon argues a call during the eighth inning in Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017, at Wrigley Field in Ch... . Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon argues with umpires during the eighth inning of Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017, in Chicago.

Jefferson Davis school in Mississippi to be renamed after Barack Obama

A predominately black elementary school in Jackson, Mississippi, named after Confederate President Jefferson Davis, will be renamed after former President Barack Obama, leaders announced Tuesday. Davis Magnet IB PTA President Janelle Jefferson said during the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees meeting that school stakeholders voted earlier this month to rename the school Barack Obama Magnet IB, a move that will go into effect for the 2018-19 school year, The Clarion Ledger reported .

Congresswoman says Trump told widow of fallen soldier a he knew what he signed up fora

President Donald Trump denied Wednesday that he told the widow of a U.S. serviceman killed in an ambush in Niger that "he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt." Rep. Frederica Wilson, made the claim Tuesday night, saying she was present when the call took place.

GOP budget that’s key to taxes moving ahead in Senate

A U.S. judge has blocked the third version of a travel ban issued by President Donald Trump this year. It's still unclear whether the congressional committees looking into the interference will come to firm conclusions about whether President Donald Trump's campaign was involved, or if they have found any direct evidence of any collaboration with Russia.

The Democrats’ Dianne Feinstein problem

"In 2006, anti-war progressive Ned Lamont defeated Joe Lieberman in Connecticut's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Lieberman promptly started a 'Connecticut for Lieberman' party and ran as its nominee in the general election, creating a headache for Democrats: Should they support a colleague, or a challenger who best represents the political moment? Senators including Barack Obama and Barbara Boxer sided with Lieberman during the primary, then endorsed Lamont in the general election; others stuck with the third-party Lieberman throughout.

How Trump handled four dead soldiers

On October 4, the day that four US Special Forces soldiers were gunned down at the border of Niger and Mali in the deadliest combat incident since President Donald Trump took office, the commander in chief was lighting up Twitter with attacks on the "fake news" media. The next day, when the remains of the first soldiers reached Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Trump was assailing the "fake news" and warning the country of "the calm before the storm."

The Latest: Senators announce plan for insurance markets

President Donald Trump is backing away from his positive response to a bipartisan Senate proposal to stabilize health insurance markets unsettled by his order to end "Obamacare" low-income subsidies. Speaking in the Rose Garden, Trump had called the deal reached by Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington "a short term solution."

The Latest: Trump questions presidents’ calls to bereaved

The Latest on President Donald Trump's suggestion that his predecessors fell short in honoring the nation's fallen : President Donald Trump has pulled bereaved military families into a painful political fight of his own making, going so far as to cite the death of his chief of staff's son in Afghanistan to question whether other presidents did enough to honor the military dead. He's boasted that "I think I've called every family of someone who's died," though The Associated Press found relatives of two soldiers who died overseas during Trump's presidency who said they never received a call or a letter from him, as well as relatives of a third who did not get a call from him.

Trump has repeatedly politicized military service and sacrifice

President Donald Trump, though often acting as a champion of the military, has at times politicized the sacrifice of those who paid a terrible price in the nation's wars in a way that few of his predecessors would have countenanced. He clearly reveres America's fighting men and women.