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‘Four little girls’ killed in 1963 church bombing honored with Congressional Gold Medal

Scott Wilson — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:27:00 GMT

“Four little girls” received in death Friday one of the country’s highest civilian awards, as the nation’s first African American president honored some of the youngest victims in the historic fight for equal rights.

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Obama nominates John H. Thompson to head Census Bureau

Josh Hicks — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:40:14 GMT

President Obama has tapped John H. Thompson, the head of a private-sector research group with ties to the University of Chicago, to lead the U.S. Census Bureau, which has operated without a permanent director for about nine months.

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In 2009 redux, Obama faces thorny issue of detainees at prison in Cuba

Peter Finn, Scott Wilson — Sat, 25 May 2013 00:21:02 GMT

At the beginning of his first term, President Obama, surrounded by former generals and admirals, announced his intention to close the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay with all the fanfare and sense of possibility accorded a new, determined occupant of the Oval Office.

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U.S. Park Police furloughs to end June 1

Lisa Rein — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:01:51 GMT

Furloughs for the U.S. Park Police forced by the budget cuts known as sequestration will end June 1, the National Park Service announced Friday, because the agency was able to find other savings.

“We’re ending the furloughs,” Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis said in an interview, a month after the force of 747 sworn officers and support staff members in three cities began staying home one day per pay period in order to take 12 to 14 unpaid days off by Sept. 30. “We have resolved this within the Park Police budget.”

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Christie says he will 'be here to welcome' Obama to New Jersey

Sean Sullivan — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:14:16 GMT

EARLIER ON THE FIX:

Anthony Weiner's rocky restart

In defense of Lois Lerner

The Fix's top 15 gubernatorial races

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Lois Lerner's "Worst Week"

Chris Cillizza — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:51:10 GMT

Earlier in this space, the Post's Joel Achenbach wrote in defense of Lois Lerner. Proving that reasonable people can disagree, just a few hours later we awarded the now-former head of the IRS' tax-exempt arm the "Worst Week in Washington".

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Anthony Weiner's rocky restart

Sean Sullivan — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:54:00 GMT

Anthony Weiner announced late Tuesday that he would run for mayor of New York. He's received a lot of attention in his first few days back in politics. But much of it hasn't been the good kind.

Since kicking off his bid for political redemption, the former congressman, who resigned from the House after sending lewd photos to women online has quickly run into some speed bumps.

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In defense of Lois Lerner

By Joel Achenbach — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:47:12 GMT

The week that was as seen through the lens of the one and only Joel Achenbach.

Reading the commentary on the IRS hearings, it's clear that the overriding rule in Washington opinion circles is that the moment someone says they have done nothing wrong is when the presumption of guilt hardens into an incontrovertible fact of guilt, with only the punishment left to be decided.

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The Fix's top 15 gubernatorial races

Sean Sullivan, Aaron Blake, Rachel Weiner — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:15:24 GMT

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) isn't taking any chances.

Riding high as polls continue to show he is a strong favorite to win reelection and one of the country's most popular governors, Christie's campaign has taken an aggressive early stance against underdog opponent and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Buono.

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Ted Cruz vs. John McCain: Welcome to the new normal in the Senate

Sean Sullivan — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:01:54 GMT

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) feuded this week. Then they feuded some more. It wasn't the first time tensions between the longtime senator and the freshman tea party favorite flared up. And it's a pretty safe bet that it won't be the last.

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'The Daily Show' on Obama's counterterrorism speech (VIDEO)

Sean Sullivan — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:51:12 GMT

The Comedy Central host takes stock of President Obama's Thursday address:

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Is Keystone pipeline losing Democratic support?

Juliet Eilperin — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:10:42 GMT

The most interesting aspect of this week's House vote in favor of constructing the Keystone XL pipeline was not the fact that it passed—which was widely expected—but the fact that it got 20 fewer votes than a similar proposal received one year ago.

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How the IRS scandal helped immigration reform

Chris Cillizza, Sean Sullivan — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:31:17 GMT

On Wednesday the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would comprehensively overhaul the country's immigration system. It was a major step for a Congress that has shown an inability to do just about anything over the past few years. You probably missed it.

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Obama: U.S. at ‘crossroads’ in fight against terrorism

Karen DeYoung, Greg Miller — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:03:00 GMT

President Obama said Thursday that the United States has reached a “crossroads” in its fight against terrorism and that it is time to redefine and recalibrate a war that eventually will end.

Far from repudiating the controversial use of drones against terrorist targets, Obama defended the tactic as effective, legal and life-saving. But he acknowledged that threat levels have fallen to levels not seen since before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, requiring new criteria for the use of lethal force.

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Obama nominates former campaign aide to head OPM

Josh Hicks — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:33:36 GMT

President Obama has nominated Katherine Archuleta, a top official in his 2012 campaign, to head the Office of Personnel Management.

Archuleta, the second Hispanic nominee for a political appointment during Obama’s second term, served as national political director on his reelection team and helped organize the blockbuster Democratic National Convention in Denver during his 2008 run. Her work in the government includes roles as chief of staff to then-Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis from 2009 to 2011, senior policy adviser for the city and county of Denver from 2005 and 2009, and chief of staff to then-Transportation Secretary Federico F. Peña during the latter years of the Clinton administration.

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Analysis: Obama expresses regrets but seeks to retain anti-terror powers

Scott Wilson — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:32:00 GMT

President Obama declared an end to a fearful chapter in American history on Thursday and demanded more from the country and himself as it enters the next.

Obama’s speech at the National Defense University reflected an unusual ambivalence from a commander in chief over the morality of his administration’s counterterrorism policies.

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Gallup poll: 42 percent say the IRS is doing a poor job

Sean Sullivan — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:24:22 GMT

EARLIER ON THE FIX:

Gun control vs. gun rights, in one interactive graphic

Generic ballot tilts toward Democrats

Why hasn't Lois Lerner been fired?

Read full article >>

Sri Srinivasan confirmed to serve on influential U.S. appeals court for D.C. Circuit

Juliet Eilperin — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:24:00 GMT

The Senate unanimously confirmed Sri Srinivasan on Thursday to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, one of the nation’s most influential courts.

The 97 to zero vote in favor of Srinivasan, the principal deputy solicitor general, marks the first time since 2006 that the Senate has confirmed a nominee to the D.C. Circuit. President Obama has been hoping to shift the conservative tilt of the court, which is poised to rule on several key elements of his second-term agenda in the months ahead.

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Obama calls for review of rules on subpoenas to the media

Sari Horwitz — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:39:00 GMT

President Obama instructed Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Thursday to review Justice Department guidelines for leak investigations, meet with media organizations and report back to him by mid-July.

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Obama interrupted repeatedly by antiwar activist during speech on drone policy

Aaron Blake — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:24:00 GMT

President Obama had a run-in with a heckler Thursday, when a founder of the antiwar group Code Pink interrupted a speech on drone policy and other national security issues.

Near the end of Obama’s address at the National Defense University, a woman identified as longtime activist Medea Benjamin implored the president to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. Through three separate episodes, the president traded words with Benjamin, asking her to let him finish.

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IRS official Lois Lerner placed on leave amid scandal

Ed O'Keefe, Juliet Eilperin — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:11:00 GMT

The Internal Revenue Service official responsible for the office that targeted certain organizations seeking tax-exempt status was placed on paid administrative leave Thursday, making her the second senior official to be disciplined in the wake of the scandal.

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After taking 5th, Lois Lerner could be called again to testify before the House on IRS

Max Ehrenfreund — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:32:31 GMT

Lois Lerner, who was in charge of the Internal Revenue Service office that improperly subjected conservative organizations to additional scrutiny, refused to answer questions at a House committee hearing Wednesday. Instead, she invoked her constitutional right against self-incrimination, Ed O’Keefe and William Branigan report:

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Hurdles to closing Guantanamo just as high under new Obama plan

Peter Finn, Julie Tate — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:20:00 GMT

President Obama announced measures Thursday to revitalize his failed first-term commitment to close the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, but the renewed effort faces the same steep political climb: To make it work, Congress would have to accept a plan to move some detainees from Cuba to the United States.

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Gun control vs. gun rights, in one interactive graphic

Sean Sullivan — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:04:38 GMT

A central question in the debate over guns is whether the public prioritizes protecting gun ownership rights or controlling them. The answer? Americans are pretty evenly split over the question.

Thanks to a handy chart from the Pew Research Center, we can look at the gun-rights vs. gun-control question going back nearly 20 years. According to the most recent Pew polling, 50 percent say gun control is more important, while 48 percent say protecting gun rights is a higher priority.

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Generic ballot tilts toward Democrats

Rachel Weiner — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:33:36 GMT

Even as the White House battles scandals that have empowered Republicans on Capitol Hill, there's some of good news for Democrats in today's Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Asked if they would support the Republican candidate or the Democratic candidate in their congressional district were the election held today, 48 percent of registered voters chose the Democrat. Forty percent chose the Republican.

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