Bush Redux? Runaway Exec Power Traps Obama, Too

44 enjoys rare mix of crisis, popularity, and an office at its peak

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama enters office today with a realistic shot of becoming one of the most powerful presidents in history, writes Barton Gellman in the Washington Post. Historians and officials in the outgoing and incoming administrations agree the presidency is already at or near an apex of power, and Obama’s popularity, combined with the many crises he faces, could push his authority yet higher. More»

Perceived slights complicate PM Singh's DC visit next week

(NEWSER) - President Obama might find Indian PM Manmohan Singh a bit prickly when he arrives in Washington this weekend, after Obama gave India short shrift during his recent Asia trip. Obama didn’t mention India at all in his speech on US relations with Asia, and caused further offense in a joint statement issued with Beijing that implied China could help mediate between India and Pakistan. More»

Voters think Hillary Clinton would be swell, though

(NEWSER) - With a blockbuster memoir and national tour, Sarah Palin is again grabbing headlines. But does she have what it takes for a 2012 presidential bid? The answer is a resounding “no,” according a CNN and Opinion Research poll. Only 28% believe she’s qualified for the nation’s top job, and 70% say she isn’t.

• Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is viewed as quite presidential: 67% of poll respondents say the secretary of state is fit to be president, while 32% disagree.

After 'yearlong drift,' Obama can't keep passing buck to Bush

(NEWSER) - President Obama loves to blame things on George W. Bush, and on Monday he did it again, referring to the “long years of drift in Afghanistan.” He must be trying to “explain away his own, well, yearlong drift on Afghanistan,” writes Charles Krauthammer . In March, Obama solemnly announced a new strategy following what he called a “comprehensive strategy review.” Now, he obviously wants to switch course. More»

Claims he has an anti-US agenda go well beyond Bush-loathing

(NEWSER) - Liberals questioned George W Bush's legitimacy and wanted him to fail, writes Michael Tomasky, so what's the difference between those Bush haters and the birthers, teabaggers, and "paranoid" “committed conservatives” who Tomasky writes are way “off the continuum” of political debate over Barack Obama’s presidency? No one thought “he was secretly out to destroy the US.” More»