Obama Says Trump ‘Unfit’ to Be US President
Ken Bredemeier The backlash against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump escalated Tuesday for his critical comments about a Muslim-American couple whose son was killed fighting for the in Iraq in 2004. President Barack Obama said at the White House that Trump, a real estate tycoon seeking elected office for the first time, is "unfit" to succeed him as the American leader and that "he keeps on proving it." Obama, who has endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton as his successor when he leaves office in January, challenged Republicans to repudiate Trump, saying his complaints against Khizr Khan and his wife Ghazala after…
Obama Focuses on Future, Need For Unity
William Gallo President Barack Obama is delivering his seventh and final State of the Union address, touting his accomplishments as president, focusing on his vision for the country's future and discussing the need to heal its deep political divides. Speaking to a packed House of Representatives chamber in the Capitol, Obama acknowledged that the expectations are low for his final year in office, but vowed he would not stop working to achieve his policy goals. "Fixing a broken immigration system, protecting our kids from gun violence, equal pay for equal work, paid leave, raising the minimum wage — all these…
Obama Vetoes Bill to Repeal Key Healthcare Law
Amanda Scott US President Barack Obama has vetoed legislation that would repeal major portions of his signature domestic achievement: the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The bill would also defund the reproductive health organization Planned Parenthood. "Because of the harm this bill would cause to the health and financial security of millions of Americans, it has earned my veto," Obama said in a veto statement. The statement continued: "The Affordable Care Act includes a set of fairer rules and strong consumer protections that have made healthcare more affordable." The legislation would have dismantled the health law's key pillars,…
During Town Hall, Obama Takes Aim at NRA
Days after announcing new executive actions meant to reduce gun violence, President Barack Obama made his pitch to the public Thursday at a town hall style meeting, where he lashed out at the nation's largest gun rights group. During the hour-long forum hosted by CNN, Obama accused the powerful National Rifle Association of having a "stranglehold on Congress" and said it is opportunistically perpetrating the "conspiracy" that the federal government is trying to "take away your guns." "The NRA has convinced many of its members that somebody's going to come grab your guns, which is by the way, really profitable…
Pentagon Thwarts Obama’s Effort to Close Guantanamo
Reuters December 28, 2015 WASHINGTON—In September, State Department officials invited a foreign delegation to the Guantanamo Bay detention center to persuade the group to take detainee Tariq Ba Odah to their country. If they succeeded, the transfer would mark a small step toward realizing President Barack Obama's goal of closing the prison before he leaves office. The foreign officials told the administration they would first need to review Ba Odah's medical records, according to officials with knowledge of the episode. The Yemeni has been on a hunger strike for seven years, dropping to 74 pounds from 148, and the foreign…
Poll: Obama, Hillary Clinton America’s ‘Most Admired’
VOA News December 28, 2015 President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton top the list of America's “most admired” man and woman, respectively, according to polling organization Gallup. Seventeen percent of Americans cited Obama as their most admired, while 13 percent chose Clinton, Gallup said. Clinton has topped the list 20 times, with this being her 14th in a row, while Obama has been named eight times. Rounding out the top three men were Pope Francis and Republican presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, each with five percent. Trump has finished in the top 10 before, from 1988 through 1990…
Obama Lays Groundwork for Final Year in Office
VOA News President Barack Obama laid the groundwork Friday for his last year in office, vowing not to fade into the background but instead to "leave it all out on the field'' in 2016. During a wide-ranging year-end news conference, Obama touted big wins for his administration, citing diplomacy with Iran and Cuba, the passage of significant climate and Asia-Pacific trade deals, as well as a Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage and a congressional rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law. He also cited that nearly 6 million people have been able to sign up for coverage under…
Obama Scores Major Victory on Health Care Ruling
WASHINGTON—The Supreme Court has upheld the nationwide tax subsidies under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, in a ruling that preserves health insurance for millions of Americans. The justices said in a 6-3 ruling Thursday that the subsidies that million people currently receive to make insurance affordable do not depend on where they live, under the 2010 health care law. Onlookers outside the Supreme Court building burst into cheers when they learned of the ruling. Obama, speaking from the White House Rose Garden shortly after the ruling, said, "Today, after more than 50 votes in Congress ... (and) multiple challenges…
Obama to Soften Ransom Policy for Hostage Families
The government will no longer threaten to prosecute families who try to negotiate with the captors of Americans being held hostage overseas or pay ransom to win their release, media reports said. President Barack Obama is expected to soften a policy when he releases a broad review of hostage guidelines Wednesday at the White House alongside several hostage families. The six-month review was prompted by sharp criticism of the Obama administration by some victims' relatives, who said they had been threatened with prosecution if they tried to raise money to pay a ransom. officials say new administrative measures will improve…
France Calls Alleged US Eavesdropping ‘Unacceptable’
French President Francois Hollande's office says allegations the eavesdropped on his phone calls and those of his two predecessors are "unacceptable" and adds that France will not tolerate anything that threatens its security. Hollande released the statement Wednesday after meeting with his defense council to discuss the release by WikiLeaks of documents saying that the National Security Agency spied on the last three French presidents. Officials say the ambassador to France has been summoned to the office of France's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, to discuss the issue. The WikiLeaks documents were published by French daily newspaperLiberation and investigative website Mediapart. There was no immediate confirmation of…