Newt: Obama School Speech 'Good for America'

First expense reports offer a glimpse into each campaign

(NEWSER) - Want to get to know your 2012 candidates better? Take a look at what they're spending campaign cash on, courtesy of expense reports obtained by the Washington Post . The first major spending reports of the campaign reveal that the candidates have spent about $32 million so far.

• Tim Pawlenty: You can tell the "upstart" candidate is focused on Iowa because he's spent $200,000 at businesses in the state. Total spent so far: $2.5 million, and a large percentage of that went toward payroll—odd since his top aides are working for peanuts . (Funny tidbit: He spent $7.07 at a Godfather's Pizza restaurant—that, of course, is the pizza chain formerly run by his opponent, Herman Cain.)
• Mitt Romney: The "establishment" candidate spent money on, not surprisingly, security and consultants—plus $750,000 at businesses in New Hampshire. More of his budget—18%—goes to administrative expenses than any of his GOP opponents. Total spent so far: $5.7 million.

President thanks service members during surprise Afghanistan trip

(NEWSER) - President Obama capped his surprise visit to Afghanistan by delivering words of encouragement to US troops at the Bagram base north of Kabul, Bloomberg reports. “You are protecting your country, you’re achieving your objectives, you will succeed in your mission,” Obama said. “We said we were going to break the Taliban’s momentum and that’s what you’re doing.” More»

US-led coalition can still succeed, he says

(NEWSER) - In his first public remarks since taking over the command of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan last month, Gen. David Petraeus told the New York Times that he will not be bound by Barack Obama's 2011 drawdown date. "The president didn’t send me over here to seek a graceful exit," he said. "My marching orders are to do all that is humanly possible to help us achieve our objectives." More»

(NEWSER) - Often compared to Spock, President Obama recently took time out to see the new Star Trek blockbuster—and liked it. “Star Trek was ahead of its time,” he said in a wide-ranging interview with Newsweek. Turning to Dick Cheney, Obama said the VP's arguments for torture and unilateral action eventually lost ground inside the GOP. "So it's interesting" to see Cheney "trying to vindicate himself and relitigate the last eight years." More»

Obama would defy Petraeus to withdraw; DNC ads knock Mac's '100 years' in Iraq

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama and John McCain clashed over Iraq today, as the DNC readies an ad campaign criticizing McCain's now-infamous remark about keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years. In a Fox News interview, Obama pledged to withdraw troops from Iraq even if Gen. David Petraeus advised against it. But the McCain camp says Obama's leadership "can't deliver." More»