The First Handicap: 'Between 16 and 24'

(NEWSER) - An errant plane set off a brief security scare in Washington today, prompting the relocation of President Obama and VP Biden, Bloomberg reports. The small aircraft entered restricted airspace before being intercepted by military jets and obeying orders to leave the area and land at a nearby airport. During the alert, the White House and Capitol were locked down. More»

Cool-hand Barack wants heavy-hitters, isn't afraid of a fight

(NEWSER) - For a man who earned himself the nickname "No-Drama Obama" during the campaign, the president-elect seems to be assembling a surprisingly high-maintenance cabinet, writes Helene Cooper in the New York Times. From Larry Summers to Rahm Emanuel to Hillary Clinton, the partners that Obama has chosen or considered have big personalities and enjoy a catfight—which could quickly turn his cabinet of rivals into a lion's den. More»

Xi Jinping, China's next president, to meet with Obama

(NEWSER) - The man slated to be China's next president began his US tour today, meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office before having lunch with Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Biden will serve as Xi Jinping's host in Washington, the New York Times reports. Other stops on the agenda: a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, and a high-level trip to the Pentagon, where he'll get an honor guard salute and meet with Leon Panetta and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey. More»

Details of Jodi Kantor book continue behind-the-scenes look

(NEWSER) - Details from The Obamas, by New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, continue to trickle out , and ABC News reports on revelations of a personal nature. According to Kantor, Michelle Obama felt "frightened and alone" during her first days in the White House. The first lady wanted to stay behind longer in Chicago with her two girls, and worried about living in a bubble and her daughters bumping into White House tourists during playdates. And the pressure was enormous. "She saw the responsibility, the impact, the potential of her role,” writes Kantor. And "everyone was waiting for a black woman to make a mistake,” an adviser told the author. More»

Yep, golf, as hot mic reveals

(NEWSER) - Moments before President Obama's big jobs speech, a hot mic caught a private conversation between John Boehner and Joe Biden. Secret strategy? Tense words? Nope, just golf, and a lot of it, as Boehner regales with tales of a recent outing. Also: Boehner greeted Biden by joking, "I'm one of those barbarians," a reference to a Biden speech in which he suggested Republicans and Tea Party members were "barbarians at the gate," explains CBS . More»