President Barack Obama has recently seen an up tick in his approval rating, even among Republicans. Meanwhile, the field of 2012 Republican challengers is slowly taking shape after many fits and starts.

Now that Donald Trump and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee are barely in the rearview mirror, more...

Despite its Congressional victories in the 2010-midterm elections six months ago, the Republican Party finds itself steeped in chaos. But it is far too early to declare Democrats winners in 2012.

For sure, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's entry into the Republican presidential sweepstakes will do little to garner interest...

Republicans in the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a budget bill that, if it became law, would end Medicare as we currently know it and give tax breaks to the wealthy Americans. While this seems like a political gift for Democrats, will they once again snatch defeat from the jaws...

Clearly billionaire Donald Trump is enjoying all the attention he is receiving as he deliberates a run for the White House in 2012. But should he throw his hat into the ring he will not enjoy the scrutiny his political positions, extensive investments and personal life will receive.

For sure,...

As America expresses its deepest sympathies to the people of Japan for the painful tragedy that has befallen that great nation, it is still hard to grasp the enormity of the disaster. Thousands of its citizens have been killed in this historic natural calamity that has been exacerbated by a...

Mike Huckabee has not declared he is a candidate for president, but the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows he is now the favored candidate among Republicans. 25 percent of those polled supported the former Arkansas governor and Fox News contributor, edging out former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney,...

Tonight Investigation Discovery launches a powerful television series called The Injustice Files, a look at cold cases from the civil rights era. While many Americans may have forgotten or choose not to remember this painful era in U.S. history, the series is an emotional reminder that justice has not been...

On an historic day that will resonate throughout the Arab world, Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak has stepped down. But, as millions of Egyptians celebrate throughout the country, soon their attention will turn to an uncertain future.

This is a huge victory for the people of Egypt and for democracy. Leaders...

For some there is no better way to get attention for oneself than to appeal to the fears of an unknowing audience. To do so risks inciting hatred, but ultimately it may be the act of a desperate person.

These were my thoughts as I watched Glenn Beck spew his...

February 6 is the 100th anniversary of President Ronald Reagan's birth. He was born in Tampico, Illinois, a small town about 130 miles directly west of Chicago, my birthplace. Whatever your views of his presidency, President Reagan was the source of some very funny stories.

I grew up a...

President Barack Obama delivered an uplifting and hopeful State of the Union address to the nation that was long on innovation, education and infrastructure. The atmosphere seemed to reflect the mood in America and on Capitol Hill since the Tucson shootings.

In a bipartisan gesture, the president congratulated the new...

One heinous act in Tucson Saturday by a lone gunman left six people dead and more than a dozen injured. For five days the nation gasped in horror as it tried to search for answers.

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama traveled across the country to attend a memorial ceremony,...

After remaining largely silent following the Tucson shootings Saturday, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has spoken. But instead of a healing address from her heart, Palin's remarks were mostly a counteroffensive reflective of her favorite slogan: "Don't Retreat. Instead - Reload."

In fairness, Palin did express her sympathy, "My heart...

On the day when America collectively observed a moment of silence for Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of Saturday's shootings in Tucson, a war of words broke out over the role "vitriol" played in the incident, even though there probably is no link. And the argument reflected the...

The year 2010 went like a flash. I began the year with high hopes for the beginnings of a robust economic recovery and a tangible decrease in the nation's unemployment. But I also began the year thinking the Chicago Cubs would go to the World Series for the first time...

For a man who said he suffered a "shellacking" at the polls and an elbow to the lower lip in a basketball game, President Barack was standing tall yesterday. The "lame duck" session of the 111th Congress will go down as one of the most productive sessions in history, but...

Progressive Democrats are throwing down the gauntlet, angered that President Barack Obama has approved a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts to America's wealthiest 2 percent income earners. But his acquiescence, in exchange for extended unemployment benefits and other goodies, averts a painful political battle just in time for...

The fact that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann is a progressive liberal Democrat should come as no surprise to American news viewers. Nonetheless, NBC News policy, which also applies to MSNBC, clearly says that donating money to any candidate is a violation, as, "these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an...

With the midterm elections one week off, it appears Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives and come close in the Senate. While such an outcome would be bad news for the Democrats, it could also trigger a fight for control of the Republican Party between traditional party...

Congress is fleeing Washington for their local districts to campaign for the upcoming Midterm elections. But an overwhelming majority of Americans are not likely to vote November 2, despite the fact that the outcome will have serious consequences for them.

Republicans are counting on the Tea Party movement to...