Obama, Bush 41 Tout Public Service

Economy could propel him to re-election, or doom him

(NEWSER) - The better-than-expected jobs report yesterday lifts President Obama's chances of re-election, but the Wall Street Journal points out that he's going to need more good news if history is any guide. It could go one of two ways, a la Ronald Reagan or George HW Bush. At the moment, the unemployment numbers are similar to Reagan's at the same time in his first term—today's 8.3% vs. 8% then. But, crucially, the numbers kept improving all the way through the election, and Reagan won. More»

President zings at elite DC dinner

(NEWSER) - President Obama was palling around with Washington's one-percenters last night, cracking wise at the Alfalfa Club dinner for the first time since 2009 , reports the Washington Post . The Alfalfa Club is the quintessential DC insider club, which exists pretty much for throwing an annual dinner, and guests had to brave Occupy DC to get their forks in their steak and lobster. A rundown of Obama's zingers and other highlights from the off-the-record, but "traditionally leaky" soiree:

• Obama on attending: “You’ve heard it from the pundits: ‘Obama is cloistered in the White House.’ ‘He’s aloof.’ ‘He’s in the bubble.’ ‘He’s not connecting.’ And that’s why one of my big goals this year was to get out and be among everyday, ordinary Americans—like the men and women of the Alfalfa Club.”

Longevity expert debunks myth that White House duty shortens life

(NEWSER) - President Obama's graying hair has set off the typical chatter that serving as president is so stressful it's bound to take years off a person's life. Not so, says a longevity expert in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In fact, our presidents tend to live longer than the rest of us. S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois crunched the numbers involving 34 presidents who died of natural causes and found that 23 exceeded the life expectancy of men in their era, reports Reuters . More»

New preventive health rules require insurers to cover cost

(NEWSER) - Women can say goodbye to co-pays on birth control: Health insurance companies will soon have to cover the cost themselves, the Obama administration says. It’s part of expanded preventive care for women , including coverage of breast pumps, “well woman” physicals, and STD counseling, the AP reports. Insurance firms will likely raise premiums a small amount to handle the cost. Religious institutions may opt out of birth control coverage under the new rules, many of which won't take effect until Jan. 1, 2013. More»

His mother had health insurance when she died, and it paid up

(NEWSER) - A recent book on President Obama’s mother undermines his oft-told story that his mother spent the final years of her life battling insurance companies over her medical bills. The book, by New York Times reporter Janny Scott, reveals that Ann Dunham actually had health insurance that readily paid her claims. She did have a dispute, but it was with her disability insurance, the Times reports. And Obama must have known that, because in one letter she turns the case over to “my son and attorney, Barack Obama.” More»