White House rebuts Romney, says Obama took 'dramatic action' to rescue economy

The White House and President Obama's re-election campaign have long been treating Mitt Romney as the Republican frontrunner in 2012. And as the former Massachusetts governor was kicking off his campaign in New Hampshire, press secretary Jay Carney was ready with a response to his charge that the president has "failed America" and prolonged the recession.

Mitt Romney makes 2012 bid official

The hard part will come later, but for Mitt Romney, it was nothing but blue skies on Thursday.

Boehner: White House needs to 'get serious' about debt-limit talks

House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that he wants to reach a deal with the White House on raising the debt limit "as soon as possible," and expressed frustration that closed-door talks led by Vice President Joe Biden have not progressed quickly enough.

Bob Bauer stepping down as White House counsel

White House Counsel Bob Bauer is stepping down from his West Wing post, the Obama administration announced Thursday.

Sarah Palin to collide with Mitt Romney rollout in New Hampshire

Sarah Palin will be casting a long shadow over Mitt Romney’s day in the sun in New Hampshire on Thursday.

Obama campaign hires Chicago technologist to be 'force multiplier'

Well-known Chicago technologist Harper Reed has joined the Obama 2012 campaign as chief technology officer, the campaign confirmed Wednesday.

Senators sound alarm over Patriot Act extension

When two senators warned that the Patriot Act is being interpreted in a secret way that would alarm Americans if they knew the details, civil liberties activists could only speculate about what they meant.

Mitt Romney: Obama 'has failed America'

Mitt Romney on Thursday takes the final step in what has been a low-key rollout of his presidential campaign, declaring in New Hampshire that President Obama "has failed America," and that he's best suited to take the president on.

Mitt Romney is ready to run a very different presidential campaign

Mitt Romney formally kicks off his presidential candidacy Thursday as the nominal Republican front-runner, hoping that persistent questions about his beliefs and his record are swamped by overwhelming anxiety about the economy.

President Obama, House Republicans meet on debt ceiling

A testy White House meeting between President Obama and House Republican leaders Wednesday failed to lower the partisan pitch in the capital, much less make progress toward a deal on the federal debt ceiling.

Democrats gain seat in House as Kathy Hochul is sworn in

Democrat Kathy Hochul on Wednesday was sworn in as the newest member of Congress, pledging to work with the GOP to solve the nation's problems.