Outside the Beltway

Thirty years after the hostages were freed from captivity in Iran, the United States still hasn’t figured out how to deal with the Islamic Republic.

Today’s Foreign Desk includes comments on Brazil’s floods, developments in Ivory Coast, and Silvio Berlusconi’s sex scandal.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was greeted with protests from some EU parliamentarians when he addressed them as its rotating president of the European Council.

Sarah Palin was “interviewed” by Sean Hannity last night. I doubt she helped herself.

The American media and Sarah Palin have developed an odd symbiotic relationship, and it’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

A new book by President Reagan’s youngest son raises allegations that the former President was showing signs of Alzheimer’s Disease while still in office, and that’s led to a family feud between the two Reagan brothers.

150 years ago, President-Elect Abraham Lincoln was presented with a chance to avert Civil War. He passed it up, and we should be glad that he did.

Bipartisan seating at the State Of The Union is a pointless act of political theater. Then again, so is the State Of The Union Address itself.

Information made public by Wikileaks appears to have played a role in sparking the protest movement that has brought down the President of Tunisia.

One columnist argues that Sarah Palin’s response to the Arizona shootings mark the end of whatever political future she might have had. He’s probably correct.

After five days of nonsense, President Obama’s address in Tucson last night struck exactly the right tone.

Over the past two days, Sarah Palin has become the center of the media firestorm over the tragic shootings in Arizona, she doesn’t belong there.

President Obama’s selection of Bill Daley as Chief of Staff is being seen as a sign that the White House is moving to the center and gearing up for 2012.

The next round in the health care reform wars is about to start.

The reaction to President Obama’s recent recess appointments provide us with yet another example of bipartisan hypocrisy.

President Obama and Hillary Clinton top Gallup’s lists of Most Admired Americans.

The new year will bring major changes to the White House Staff.

The Presidency has lost the aura of mystique that used to surround it, and that’s a good thing.

Is calling Côte d’Ivoire “Ivory Coast” linguistic colonialism? Where do we draw the line when English names for countries go out of vogue?

There’s plenty of good news for Barack Obama in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

Are Marco Rubio, Haley Barbour, and Mike Huckabee the favorites to win the White House?

One of the most active American diplomats of the past twenty-five years has passed away.

Republicans were largely silent during the Bush Administration as spending went out of control. Will they do that again?

Just weeks after voting for a broad ban on earmarks, Republicans are looking for ways to get money to their districts without calling it an “earmark.”

Gustavus Adolphus College librarian Barbara Fister explains why she loves getting rid of books.

Minor fluctuation in tax rates is not the most significant thing happening in the world’s largest economy.

Even though it will likely be unsuccessful, a primary challenge against President Obama could end up harming him enough to hand Republicans the White House in 2012.

President Obama’s press conference yesterday, bitterly railing against Democrats in the Congress for being “purist” and “sanctimonious,” is brilliant triangulation.

Joe Biden: “Obama: On the way to a failed presidency?”

According to a new Gallup poll, President Obama is not only less popular than George W. Bush, but the only president from the last half century less popular is Dick Nixon.

Would returning to indirect election of Senators really have a significant impact on the growth of the Federal Government? Probably not.

In her new book, Sarah Palin puts forward a view of the role of religion in politics that is in direct contrast with America’s own traditions.

Democrats are losing the debate over the extension of the Bush tax cuts, but when you look at the playing field it seems pretty clear that that they never had a chance.

Meghan McCain doesn’t know what a “blue blood” is but doesn’t want to be called one.

The prospective Republican field for 2012 is dismal. Then again, it always is.

President Obama’s response to the outrage that has accompanied new TSA screening procedures at America’s airports is incredibly non-responsive.

Rush Limbaugh is apparently not impressed with Barack Obama’s presidency. That doesn’t make him a racist.

Yet another sign that the GOP’s biggest nightmare may actually end up coming true.