In the Loop: Al Kamen


Posted at 01:19 PM ET, 08/15/2012

Devo pens song for Seamus Romney
By Al Kamen
IN THE LOOP | New wave group has song and mobile game about the famous Romney dog’s ad­ven­ture on the roof of the family car.

By Al Kamen  |  01:19 PM ET, 08/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Devo, Whip It, Seamus, Romney, Gerald Casale, Gail Collins, Republican National Convention, National Dog Day, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 08/15/2012

Congress scours the globe in search of facts
By Al Kamen
IN THE LOOP | Retiring lawmakers make swan-song journeys before they leave office.

By Al Kamen  |  07:00 AM ET, 08/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Lame duck travel, codels, congressional travel, lame duck, Kent Conrad, Olympia Snowe, Dennis Cardoza, Richard Lugar, Devin Nunes, European Command, Bonjardim, Praca dos Restauradores, Pasteis de Belem, Jack Kingston, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 08/14/2012

Did Romney ensure a great Olympics?
By Al Kamen
IN THE LOOP | Could Romney’s musing before the Games have pushed the Brits to do their best?

By Al Kamen  |  07:00 AM ET, 08/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  British, Olympics, British Olympics, David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Olympic games, President Obama, medals, China, Russia, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 08/13/2012

Romney’s Ryan pick surprises pundits — and that’s no surprise
By Al Kamen
The media cognoscenti don’t have particularly sparkling track records when it comes to predicting vice presidential selections, especially GOP candidates.

By Al Kamen  |  07:00 AM ET, 08/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Rob Portman, Tim Pawlenty, vice president, Walter Mondale, Lloyd Bentsen, Al Gore, John Edwards, Geraldine Ferraro, Joe Biden, Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney, Jack Kemp, Dan Quayle, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Bob Dole, John Kerry, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 03:57 PM ET, 08/09/2012

Loop Quote of The Week
By Al Kamen
This week goes to Mitt Romney, lamenting that campaigns keep repeating claims long after they’ve been debunked by fact-checkers.

By Al Kamen  |  03:57 PM ET, 08/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, campaign ads, welfare ad, Glenn Kessler, Pinocchio, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 03:14 PM ET, 08/09/2012

Biden: ‘a quote by any other name. . .’
By Al Kamen
Seems politicians often lay claim to good — or bad — prose.

By Al Kamen  |  03:14 PM ET, 08/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Joe Biden, Neil Kinnock, plagiarism, Michael Dukakis, Democratic nominee, Jon Kyl, Michael Turner, Mary McGrory, House Armed Services Committee, Obama administration, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:42 PM ET, 08/08/2012

Judicial Zumba in Maui is a go!
By Al Kamen
The judges tell two senators it’s too late to cancel the pricey conference in paradise.

By Al Kamen  |  12:42 PM ET, 08/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Maui, Judicial Conference, judges, Charles Grassley, Jeff Sessions, Alex Kozinski, Zumba, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop, Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito

Posted at 01:46 PM ET, 08/07/2012

Obama campaign and the hemp connection
By Al Kamen
Hemp legalization advocates point out a scarf being sold on the campaign store is made of a cotton/hemp blend, though hemp can’t be grown in the United States.

By Al Kamen  |  01:46 PM ET, 08/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Hemp, Marijuana, legalize, Obama: Obama campaign store, Monique Pean, scarf, china, Vote Hemp, Ron Wyden, Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Barney Frank, Dana Rohrabacher, Dr. Bronner, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 08:00 AM ET, 08/07/2012

Senate ‘pro formas’ to be held down the street
By Al Kamen
The Senate Chamber is getting a facelift, so the “pro forma” sessions will be in the Hart Senate office building.

By Al Kamen  |  08:00 AM ET, 08/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Harry Reid, Senate, Senate recess, Senate pro forma, Senate chamber, pro forma sessions, Senate Judiciary Committee, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 08/06/2012

Obama picks new Missile Defense Agency director
By Al Kamen
Fate of incumbent director Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly is unclear.

By Al Kamen  |  03:23 PM ET, 08/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Obama, Leon Panetta, Pentagon, Patrick O"Reilly, Missile Defense Agency, James D. Syring, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 08:00 AM ET, 08/03/2012

Iraq invasion: Greatest strategic decision?
By Al Kamen
Former Pentagon intelligence chief says decision may be greatest of first half of 21st century.

By Al Kamen  |  08:00 AM ET, 08/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Iraq, U.S. invasion, Donald Rumsfeld, Stephen Cambone, Pentagon, Aspen Security Forum, Noah Schachtman, Wired, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:59 PM ET, 08/02/2012

Congress flies to rescue the euro zone
By Al Kamen
Lawmakers are taking off for a week of talks with finance ministers and bankers in Ireland, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

By Al Kamen  |  02:59 PM ET, 08/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Congress, congressional travel, Europe, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain, Kent Conrad, Pat Leahy, Thad Cochran, Olympia Snowe, Jeanne Shaheen, Dennis Cardoza, Treasury, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:12 PM ET, 08/01/2012

Judicial wannabes’ chances — slim to none
By Al Kamen
The climate these days is stacked against Obama judicial nominees getting confirmed.

By Al Kamen  |  12:12 PM ET, 08/01/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Obama judges, judicial appointments, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Al Gore, Pat Leahy, Senate Judicarry Committee, judicial vacancies, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:31 PM ET, 07/31/2012

House approves streamlined Senate confirmation process
By Al Kamen
The House is expected to pass a measure to improve the clogged presidential appointee confirmation process by eliminating 169 jobs from requiring Senate approval.

By Al Kamen  |  01:31 PM ET, 07/31/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Presidential appointments, Senate confirmation, confirmation process, Max Stier, Partnership for Public Service, Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Charles Schumer, Lamar Alexander, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop, Barack Obama

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 07/23/2012

Inhofe’s Pilots Bill of Rights set to pass
By Al Kamen
Pilot and Sen. James Inhofe’s bill, sparked by his near-miss of workers on a closed runway, is awaiting President Obama’s signature

By Al Kamen  |  03:00 PM ET, 07/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, James Inhofe, Pilot's Bill of Rights, license, closed runway, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 11:58 AM ET, 07/23/2012

Afghanistan: The troubled U.S. effort
By Al Kamen
“Little America,” a new book by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, reveals in detail the bureaucratic infighting and ineptitude that have plagued the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan

By Al Kamen  |  11:58 AM ET, 07/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Afghanistan, "Little America, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Taliban, Imperial Life in Emerald City, State Department, Pentagon, Kabul, Iraq, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:44 PM ET, 07/19/2012

Romney and Obama thinking about transition
By Al Kamen
A new federal law kicks in right after the conventions to allow the government to provide earlier support for both candidates to work up a plan before settling, or resettling, into the Oval Office.

By Al Kamen  |  01:44 PM ET, 07/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Romney, Obama, Bush, Clinton, transitions, planning, Clay Johnson, John Podesta, Ted Kaufman, 9/11, Presidential Transition Act, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 03:12 PM ET, 07/18/2012

Hillary Clinton’s miles: In the Loop gets one Pinocchio
By Al Kamen
Washington Post Fact Checker columnist finds fault in an item on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s travels.

By Al Kamen  |  03:12 PM ET, 07/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, miles traveled, days, State Department, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:14 PM ET, 07/18/2012

Missile Defense Agency awaits ‘corrective action’
By Al Kamen
A DOD inspector general report called on Army Secretary John McHugh to take action on a scathing report on MDA director’s management style.

By Al Kamen  |  12:14 PM ET, 07/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, Leon Panetta, George Little, inspector general, George Wright, Army, John McHugh, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 05:44 PM ET, 07/17/2012

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s travel logs
By Al Kamen
The secretary of state is No. 1 in terms of countries visited and days on the road.

By Al Kamen  |  05:44 PM ET, 07/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Madeleine Albright, travel, miles traveled, days on the road, countries visited, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 03:31 PM ET, 07/17/2012

World Bank prepares for a presidential visit
By Al Kamen
Elaborate preparations smooth the way when a dignitary comes to call.

By Al Kamen  |  03:31 PM ET, 07/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:08 PM ET, 07/16/2012

Maui judicial conference still a go
By Al Kamen
IN THE LOOP | Bowing to Senate pressure, a court postponed its 2013 California conference, but this year’s Maui one is still on.

By Al Kamen  |  01:08 PM ET, 07/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Maui, judicial conference, judges, 9th circuit, federal judges, Zumba, Hawaii, Chuck Grassley, Jeff Sessions, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:28 PM ET, 07/12/2012

Bill Clinton’s summer reading fave
By Al Kamen
Our former colleague E. J. Dionne’s new book gets high marks from the former president.

By Al Kamen  |  02:28 PM ET, 07/12/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Bill Clinton, Clinton Global Initiative, E.J. Dionne, Ashley Judd, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 05:53 PM ET, 07/11/2012

Pentagon and House committee exchange fire
By Al Kamen
Pentagon effort to reduce reports to the Hill prompts rebuke from House committee chairman.

By Al Kamen  |  05:53 PM ET, 07/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Leon Panetta, Buck McKeon, Bob Gates, Pentagon, Congress, China, China's military, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop

Posted at 01:27 PM ET, 07/10/2012

IG report blasts missile defense chief
By Al Kamen
The Pentagon inspector general faulted the leadership style of the head of the Missile Defense Agency.

By Al Kamen  |  01:27 PM ET, 07/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Missile Defense Agency, DOD, Pentagon, Inspector General, IG Report, Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:40 PM ET, 07/09/2012

Drone pilots to get medals?
By Al Kamen
The Pentagon may honor drone pilots with a new medal for their efforts.

By Al Kamen  |  02:40 PM ET, 07/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  drones, drone pilots, cyber warriors, Distinguished Warfare Medal, Pentagon, Army Institute of Heraldry, Commission of Fine Arts, Coin World, Bill McAllister, Fort Belvoir, Air and Space Power Journal, Air Force, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:04 PM ET, 07/03/2012

Lawmakers head to Monaco for meeting
By Al Kamen
Lawmakers flock to the south of France for an interparliamentary meeting.

By Al Kamen  |  02:04 PM ET, 07/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Monaco, John McCain, Dennis Cardoza, Ogranization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, Chris Smith, French Riviera, Fairmont Montecarlo, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:43 PM ET, 06/30/2012

White House ambassador nominee withdrawn after drunken-driving arrest
By Al Kamen
Washington lawyer and major Obama campaign contributor Timothy Broas was charged after a Senate committee approved his nomination.

By Al Kamen  |  01:43 PM ET, 06/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Timothy Broas, Netherlands, ambassador, White House, President Obama, drunk driving, arrest, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop

Posted at 01:07 PM ET, 06/28/2012

Chief Justice Roberts votes for Obama, who didn’t vote for him
By Al Kamen
Sen. Barack Obama wanted to, but ultimately didn’t vote for John Roberts to be chief justice.

By Al Kamen  |  01:07 PM ET, 06/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  supreme court ruling, supreme court, richard wolffe, john roberts, obama and roberts, supreme court health care ruling, supreme court decision today, supreme court health care, supreme court ruling, individual mandate, health care upheld, supreme court rulings, individual mandate upheld, health care tax, obamacare, supreme court opinion, supreme court, scotus healthcare, aca, supreme court upholds health care, health care ruling, obamacare decision, healthcare decision, roberts supreme court, supreme court opinion, health care ruling, affordable care act, supreme court health, supreme court decision, health care reform, scotus obamacare, obamacare decision, Richard Wolffe, Al Kamen, Glenn Kessler, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:16 PM ET, 06/27/2012

Air Force may reward those who can stand the cold
By Al Kamen
The Air Force is looking for medals and ribbons and some can go to civilians.

By Al Kamen  |  02:16 PM ET, 06/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Air Force, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Vietnam, Korea, World War II, U.N., NATO, Andmiral Byrd, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:06 PM ET, 06/26/2012

Obama vacation? Loop contest reminder
By Al Kamen
Don’t forget to enter the In the Loop contest to advise on the best vacation spot this summer for the Obamas.

By Al Kamen  |  12:06 PM ET, 06/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Obama, Obama vacation, Martha's Vineyard, GOP convention, Bush, Clinton, Lake Erie, Cedar Point, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop

Posted at 05:49 PM ET, 06/25/2012

Ted Olson: On the expert express?
By Al Kamen
Former solicitor general Ted Olson, whose views on the high court are much sought after, was heading to New York when the Supreme Court’s rulings were coming down Monday.

By Al Kamen  |  05:49 PM ET, 06/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Supreme Court, Arizona, Immigration law, Arizona law, Acela Express, Ted Olson, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:11 PM ET, 06/25/2012

CATCHING UP WITH . . . Webb Hubbell
By Al Kamen
The Loop checks in to see how the former associate U.S. attorney general is doing.

By Al Kamen  |  01:11 PM ET, 06/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Webb Hubbell, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Kenneth Starr: Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 06:44 PM ET, 06/21/2012

Congressional trip to Monaco? Not happening
By Al Kamen
A possible congressional delegation trip to an international conference on the French Riviera is not going to take place.

By Al Kamen  |  06:44 PM ET, 06/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Monaco, Monte Carlo, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, Bolivia, Jacob Ostreicher, Chris Smith, human trafficking, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:49 PM ET, 06/20/2012

Eric Holder’s contempt vote: He’s hardly the first
By Al Kamen
Attorney General Eric Holder would be joining a long list of well-known officials from prior administrations who lost committee — or even full House or Senate — contempt votes.

By Al Kamen  |  02:49 PM ET, 06/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  fast and furious, eric holder, eric holder contempt, atf, atf fast furious, attorney eric holder, attorney general, eric holder news, darrell issa, rep issa, eric holder furious, eric holder scandal, eric holder guns, eric holder contempt of congress, atf scandal, Al Kamen, emily heil, in the loop

Posted at 05:09 PM ET, 06/19/2012

Judicial Zumba in Maui on taxpayer dime
By Al Kamen
A judicial conference in Hawaii has raised some senatorial eyebrows

By Al Kamen  |  05:09 PM ET, 06/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit, Maui, Judicial Conference, judges, Charles Grassley, Jeff Sessions, Alex Kozinski, Zumba, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop, Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito

Posted at 11:57 AM ET, 06/19/2012

Congressional fundraisers don’t stop election day
By Al Kamen
Lawmakers can never stop thinking about hitting up contributors for cash, even if they’ve got a safe seat.

By Al Kamen  |  11:57 AM ET, 06/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Pebble Beach Liinks, Golf, congressional fundraiser, Tom Reynolds, Pat Tiberi, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop

Posted at 02:22 PM ET, 06/18/2012

Colin Powell: ‘Not. . . hiding in a bunker.’
By Al Kamen

By Al Kamen  |  02:22 PM ET, 06/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Colin Powell, Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, "It worked for me", George Kennan, State Department, William Rogers, New York Times, Washington post, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 06/18/2012

Loop Missile Contest Winners!
By Al Kamen
The winners of the In the Loop contest to pick the best sites for a House-passed East Coast missile interceptor system are. . .

By Al Kamen  |  12:00 PM ET, 06/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Missile Defense, East Coast, Interceptors, House of Representatives, Iran, North Korea, Fenway Park, Nationals Park, Yankees, Snookie, Jersey Shore, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 04:46 PM ET, 06/14/2012

Mari Carmen Aponte confirmed as ambassador to El Salvador
By Al Kamen
Senate voted Thursday to break a GOP filibuster and confirm Obama nominee Mari Carmen Aponte as ambassador to El Salvador.

By Al Kamen  |  04:46 PM ET, 06/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mari Carmen Aponte, el salvador, aponte, Marco Rubio, recess appointment Senate, filibuster, In the Loop, Al Kamen, Emily Heil

Posted at 02:47 PM ET, 06/14/2012

Monte Carlo codel: Sign up now!
By Al Kamen
A conference official blames In the Loop’s inquiries for shrinking a congressional delegation headed to a gathering at the gambling mecca.

By Al Kamen  |  02:47 PM ET, 06/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  OSCE, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, NATO, Spencer Oliver, Nixon, Watergate, Congressional Delegation, Codel, Soviet Union, European Union, Chris Smith, Robert Aderholt, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 05:11 PM ET, 06/11/2012

Anti-Muslim bias at religious freedom commission?
By Al Kamen
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has been sued in federal court for discriminating against a Muslim lawyer.

By Al Kamen  |  05:11 PM ET, 06/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Muslims, discrimination, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, lawsuit, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the loop

Posted at 01:05 PM ET, 06/11/2012

Rep. Steve King seeks pro-life agriculture aide
By Al Kamen

By Al Kamen  |  01:05 PM ET, 06/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  abortion, pro-life, agriculture, Rep.Steve King, House Agriculture Committee, Iowa, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 03:35 PM ET, 06/04/2012

Missile-defense site: Where to put it? (A Loop contest!)
By Al Kamen

By Al Kamen  |  03:35 PM ET, 06/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  John McCain, Missile Defense, Loop Contests, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 03:58 PM ET, 05/24/2012

Missile Defense! Where should they put the East Coast missile defense site? (A Loop Contest.)
By Al Kamen

By Al Kamen  |  03:58 PM ET, 05/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Missile Defense, East Coast, Contest, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:46 PM ET, 05/24/2012

Gary Locke: the people’s ambassador?
By Al Kamen
When the Beijing Daily tweeted that Locke should reveal his personal assets, the suggestion backfired.

By Al Kamen  |  02:46 PM ET, 05/24/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Chen Guangcheng, blind activist, Beijing, human rights, Gary Locke, ambassador to beijing, Beijing Daily, Sina Weibo, Center for Responsive Politics, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:21 PM ET, 05/22/2012

9/11 Memorial still short of funds
By Al Kamen
The Shanksville, Pa., memorial to those on Flight 93 whose bravery saved the Capitol on 9/11 is still looking to raise $8 million from private donors.

By Al Kamen  |  01:21 PM ET, 05/22/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  World Trade Center, memorial, 9/11, Pentagon, Shanksville, Flight 93, funding, fundraiser, Clinton, Bush, Boehner, Newseum, National Park Foundation, National Park Service, contributions, Congress, Capitol, Alamo, Thermopylae, Al Qaeda, Capitol visitors center, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 11:17 AM ET, 05/18/2012

National Get Outdoors Day slims down
By Al Kamen
An event to get kids out to enjoy the great outdoors seems to have shrunk a lot this year.

By Al Kamen  |  11:17 AM ET, 05/18/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Get Outdoors Day, Bush administration, Anacostia Park, Maryland's Eastern Shore, Michelle Obama, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 04:25 PM ET, 05/17/2012

Super Pac ad idea: easy as pie
By Al Kamen
Now we find out how the political admen always find the perfect people who happen to say the perfect things in those ads.

By Al Kamen  |  04:25 PM ET, 05/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Fred Davis, ad campaign, Jeremiah Wright, Joe Ricketts, Mitt Romney, Obama, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, Inthe Loop

Posted at 03:01 PM ET, 05/17/2012

Derek Mitchell picked for ambassador to Burma
By Al Kamen
Asia expert Derek Mitchell, now special representative for Burma, is the administration’s nominee for ambassador.

By Al Kamen  |  03:01 PM ET, 05/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma, sanctions, Nobel Peace Prize, Derek Mitchell, ambassador, restrictions, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:18 PM ET, 05/16/2012

Missile Defense: Where to put the interceptors? (A Loop Contest)
By Al Kamen
A House bill scheduled for this week calls for a missile defense site to be built on the East Coast.

By Al Kamen  |  01:18 PM ET, 05/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Missile Defense, interceptors, North Korea, Iran, House of Representatives, Defense Department, Iran, North Korea, Hollywood, Epcot, Basball Hall of Fame, Wall Street, Joint Chiefs, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil, contest, Pick the Site, Fleetwood Mac

Posted at 06:24 PM ET, 05/15/2012

Codels to Asia, anyone?
By Al Kamen
Two groups of House members are off to Asia during next week’s recess.

By Al Kamen  |  06:24 PM ET, 05/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Congress, travel, recess, codel, congressional trips, China, India, Korea, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, John Kline, Ma Ying-jeou, Lee Myung-bak, North Korea, DMZ, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 04:30 PM ET, 05/15/2012

Joe Lieberman, travelin’ man
By Al Kamen
Outgoing Sen Joe Lieberman is still on the road in his final months in office, taking a couple of fact-finding jaunts to the Mideast in recent months.

By Al Kamen  |  04:30 PM ET, 05/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Joe Lieberman, Holy Land, trips, Israel, Tunisia, Libya, Lebanon, codel, military jet, costs, travel, Pentagon, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 08:25 PM ET, 05/14/2012

GSA conferences: the thrill is gone?
By Al Kamen
Acting GSA director Dan Tangherlini has killed 35 agency gatherings that had been scheduled for the rest of this year and cut agency attendance at its yearly expo from 940 last year to 357 this year.

By Al Kamen  |  08:25 PM ET, 05/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  GSA, General Services Administration, Las Vegas, GSA conference, Obama, Obama administration, San Antonio, GSA expo, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 02:19 PM ET, 05/14/2012

Obama campaign fires up coal industry
By Al Kamen
The 2012 campaign Web site had neglected to give include coal as part of Obama’s “All of the above” energy policy. Now it does.

By Al Kamen  |  02:19 PM ET, 05/14/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Obama, Obama website, Clean coal, coal industry, coal, felon, West Virgiinia, West Virginia primary, energy, fuel efficiency, campaign, Obama re-election 2012, Ben LaBolt, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 11:40 AM ET, 05/11/2012

Pelosi does mom’s day with mothers in the military
By Al Kamen
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi landed Friday in Qatar to spend Mother’s Day with mothers serving in the U.S. Armed Forces

By Al Kamen  |  11:40 AM ET, 05/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Nancy Pelosi, Mother's Day, Qatar, Carolyn Maloney, Jean Schmidt, Anna Eshoo, Terry Sewell, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 06:34 PM ET, 05/10/2012

Memorial Bridge? Where’s that?
By Al Kamen
If you “see something, say something.” But be precise.

By Al Kamen  |  06:34 PM ET, 05/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Arlington Memorial Bridge, Memorial Bridge, 14th St. Bridge, Arland Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge, Air Florida, D.C. Office of Unified Communications, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:23 PM ET, 05/10/2012

Davitt McAteer on the hot seat again?
By Al Kamen
Federal investigator believes the former federal mine safety chief mishandled federal grant money.

By Al Kamen  |  12:23 PM ET, 05/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mine Safety and Health Administration, J. Davitt McAteer, Clinton administration, mine safety, Wheeling Jesuit University, NASA, search warrant, Stephen Jory, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 02:28 PM ET, 05/09/2012

CIA denied Sen. Bill Nelson his right to be waterboarded
By Al Kamen
IN THE LOOP | The agency was worried that Sen. Bill Nelson might die during the procedure.

By Al Kamen  |  02:28 PM ET, 05/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  CIA, Waterboarding, Bill Nelson, Jose Rodriguez, torture, Hard Measures, Bill Harlow, conspiracy, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 05:27 PM ET, 05/08/2012

Even senators get airport pat-downs
By Al Kamen
The chair of the Senate intelligence committee was patted down in by airport security in Dubai.

By Al Kamen  |  05:27 PM ET, 05/08/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  CIA, Al Qaeda, airlne bomb, TSA, airports, screening, John Tyner, pat downs, Dianne Feinstein, Senate, intelligence committee, Dubai, Afghanistan, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 05:58 PM ET, 05/07/2012

Ambassador to Pakistan set to leave post
By Al Kamen
Cameron Munter said Monday that he’ll be leaving Islamabad this summer after having served less than two years of the usual three-year ambassadorial tour of duty.

By Al Kamen  |  05:58 PM ET, 05/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Cameron Munter, Pakistan, ambassador, Raymond Davis, CIA, Washington, Islamabad, drone strike, North Waziristan, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 01:04 PM ET, 05/07/2012

Senate confirms three more judges
By Al Kamen
The Senate confirms three more judges under a March deal between Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell.

By Al Kamen  |  01:04 PM ET, 05/07/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Judges, Senate, Judicial: Confirmations, Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Thurmond rule, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 05/04/2012

The Bush 2003 “Jobs Tour”: the “real” story?
By Al Kamen
The Wikipedia bio entry for former Treasury Secretary John W. Snow contains a truly strange citation.

By Al Kamen  |  12:00 PM ET, 05/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Bush, Wikipedia, The Daily Show, John Stewart, Elaine Chao, John Snow, Donald Evans, Sacha Baron Cohen, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 05/04/2012

Senator or representative absent? Look abroad
By Al Kamen
Could be you elected lawmakers have left the country over the recent recess, looking for those elusive facts overseas.

By Al Kamen  |  07:00 AM ET, 05/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  congressional travel, Nancy Pelosi, Jim McDermott, Tom Harkin, Mike Enzi, Roger Wicker, Kent Conrad, Dianne Feinstein, Saxby Chambliss, Mike Rogers, Dutch Ruppersberger, John McCain, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry, In the Loop, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Botswana, Morocco, Cote D’Ivoire, Afghanistan, Lithuania, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Qatar, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 05:13 PM ET, 05/02/2012

Vilsack v. Vilsack: Playing chicken
By Al Kamen
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and his wife, Christie, now running for Congress in Iowa, may not be on the same side over his department’s proposal to privatize poultry inspections.

By Al Kamen  |  05:13 PM ET, 05/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, privatize, poultry inspection, Christie Vilsack, Steve King, Iowa, Congress, American Federation of Government Employees, Food & Water Watch, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 02:16 PM ET, 05/02/2012

Afghanistan on $1,605 a page
By Al Kamen
The Department of Defense’s 129-page, semiannual report on the Afghan war effort cost $207,000 to produce, the Pentagon estimates.

By Al Kamen  |  02:16 PM ET, 05/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Obama, Afghanistan, partnership agreement, Hamid Karzai, Pentagon report, progress report, Department of Defense, Greg Jaffe, Taliban, Pakistant, India, Bob Gates, Pentagon, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 05:26 PM ET, 05/01/2012

Obama, Romney spar over Osama
By Al Kamen
The political bickering ratchets up over the significance of Obama’s approval of the raid that killed Osama bin-Laden.

By Al Kamen  |  05:26 PM ET, 05/01/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Osama bin Laden, Osama, Mitt Romney, Obama, Jimmy Carter, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Bob Gates, Al Kamen, Im the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:07 PM ET, 05/01/2012

Newt Gingrich’s goodbye video: flouting U.S. flag law
By Al Kamen
Newt Gingrich gave an early farewell to his supporters Tuesday. But our colleague Karen Tumulty noticed something. . . something . . . didn’t seem right about the video.

By Al Kamen  |  12:07 PM ET, 05/01/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Newt Gingrich, U.S. Flag, Callista, Sheldon Adelson, Gingrich video, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 05/01/2012

Vito Fossella: Back in the House someday?
By Al Kamen
Former Staten Island Republican Rep.Vito Fossella, who quit in 2008 amid news he had fathered a child out of wedlock, is saying “not now,” but “not never” to a comeback bid.

By Al Kamen  |  06:00 AM ET, 05/01/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Catching up with, Vito Fossella, Alfonse D'Amato, Park Strategies, House of Representatives, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 03:06 PM ET, 04/30/2012

Senate stalls even GOP nominees
By Al Kamen
The completely dysfunctional Senate is holding up Republican nominees as well.

By Al Kamen  |  03:06 PM ET, 04/30/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Senate, National Mediation Board, Federal Labor Relations Board, Obama, confirmations, Senate, Delta Airlines, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 01:28 PM ET, 04/27/2012

Senate confirms top Pentagon and Justice nominees
By Al Kamen
The Senate confirmed former Obama National Security Council chief of staff Mark Lippert as assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific affairs along with several other top picks.

By Al Kamen  |  01:28 PM ET, 04/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Senate, Obama, nominees, confirmed, Ecuador, Defense Department, ambassadors, Agriculture Department, Bob Woodward, Obama's Wars, Adam Namm, Mark Lippert, Jim Jones, Michael E. Horowitz, Clinton, Bush, Kathryn Keneally, Michael Scuse, Deborah S. Delisle, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil, Hugo Chavez

Posted at 12:24 PM ET, 04/26/2012

Afghanistan: English that Americans can understand
By Greg Jaffe
Afghan interpreters with the troops work on translations Americans can grasp

By Greg Jaffe  |  12:24 PM ET, 04/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Afghanistan, interpreters, Combat Outpost Sayad Abad, Soviets, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil, Greg Jaffe

Posted at 08:00 AM ET, 04/26/2012

Obama, Japan’s prime minister to meet
By Al Kamen
Next week’s meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda should prove more productive than the last time a prime minister from Japan was in town.

By Al Kamen  |  08:00 AM ET, 04/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Japan prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda, Obama, Senate Armed Service Committee, Yukio Hatoyama, Okinawa, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 01:27 PM ET, 04/25/2012

Condi Rice and the Loop veep contest
By Al Kamen
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, leading in a recent poll of who GOP voters would like to see as Romney’s pick for his running-mate, raised some eyebrows recently when she spoke to a prominent Brigham Young University business group.

By Al Kamen  |  01:27 PM ET, 04/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Condoleezza Rice, Mitt Romney, vice president, BYU, Brigham Young University, BYU Management Society, Marriott, Loop Veep contest, Loop Contest, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 08:00 AM ET, 04/25/2012

Foreign Service pets score big
By Al Kamen
United Airlines has told the State Department and the foreign service association that it will extend the military waiver for transporting pets overseas to Foreign Service pets as well.

By Al Kamen  |  08:00 AM ET, 04/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  State Department, American Foreign Service Association, United Airlines, AFSA, pets, military pet travel, Gary Locke, China, Patrick Kennedy, Susan Johnson, Chris Van Hollen, Jim Moran, Gerry Connolly, Donna Edwards, Nita Lowey, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 04/25/2012

Baltimore law school gets new dean
By Al Kamen
Assistant attorney general Ron Weich, former counsel to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Edward M. Kennedy, will become dean of the University of Baltimore School of Law in July.

By Al Kamen  |  06:00 AM ET, 04/25/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Ron Weich, Harry Reid, Edward M. Kennedy, University of Baltimore School of Law, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:29 PM ET, 04/23/2012

Romney’s pick for veep? A Loop Contest
By Al Kamen
Some are secretly hoping GOP candidate Mitt Romney will pick them as his running-mate. Readers can weigh in with their guess and maybe win an In the Loop T-shirt.

By Al Kamen  |  12:29 PM ET, 04/23/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Condoleezza Rice, vice president, CNN/ORC, poll, Romney vice president, Rick Santorum, Rick Rubio, Chris Christie, Paul Ryan, Bobby Jindal, Bob McDonnell, Rob Portman, Mitch Danies, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Allen West, John Thune, In the Loop Contest, Veep contest, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:23 PM ET, 04/19/2012

White House personnel moves
By Al Kamen
White House staff secretary Raj De moves to the National Security Agency. Associate White House counsel Douglas Kramer to replace him.

By Al Kamen  |  12:23 PM ET, 04/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  President Obama, personnel, White House, National Security Agency, NSA, staff secretary, Raj De, Douglas Kramer, Justice Department, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 04/17/2012

Google’s teensy FCC fine
By Al Kamen
The microscopic $25,000 fine on Google for impeding a federal investigation has some lawmakers talking about enhanced penalties.

By Al Kamen  |  12:30 PM ET, 04/17/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Federal Communications Commission, FCC, fines, Google, privacy, slap on wrist, pro publica, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 02:45 PM ET, 04/16/2012

Acting GSA chief clamps down on travel
By Al Kamen
Acting GSA administrator Dan Tangherlini issued new restrictions on travel and conferences Monday afternoon in the wake of a controversy over lavish agency spending.

By Al Kamen  |  02:45 PM ET, 04/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  GSA, General Services Administration, GSA scandal, GSA new travel restrictions, GSA travel, GSA conferences, Las Vegas, Dan Tangherlini, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:06 PM ET, 04/16/2012

Clinton to ambassadors: Don’t move!
By Al Kamen
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, citing a difficult political climate on the Hill, has told the 60 or so ambassadors to stay in their posts until a successor is confirmed. Could be a long time.

By Al Kamen  |  12:06 PM ET, 04/16/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Hillary Clinton, ambassadors, confirmations, political ambassadors, foreign policy, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:52 PM ET, 04/13/2012

GSA scandals shows watchdogs needed
By Al Kamen
The recent scandals over wasteful GSA conferences in Vegas and other places highlights the need for independent inspectors general at all government agencies.

By Al Kamen  |  12:52 PM ET, 04/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  GSA, GSA conferences, Inspector General, Christy Romero, TARP, SIGTARP, special inspector general, Project on Governt Oversight, State Department, Interior Department, Corporation for National and Community Service, Department of Labor, Charles Grassley, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 04:22 PM ET, 04/11/2012

Obama and Clinton off to Cartagena gabfest
By Al Kamen
More than 30 Western Hemisphere heads of government are meeting at the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Colombia.

By Al Kamen  |  04:22 PM ET, 04/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Summit of the Americas, President Obama, Cartagena, Colombia, Hillary Clinton, The Texter, Hugo Chavez, Danny Ortega, Connie Mack, House Foreign Relations Committee, Marco Rubio, John Edwards, Edwards trial, Edwards mistress, Bildeberg Conference, John Kerry, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:21 PM ET, 04/11/2012

Bush: Don’t call them ‘rich’
By Al Kamen
George W. Bush reminds us the “so-called rich” are really hardworking “job creators.”

By Al Kamen  |  02:21 PM ET, 04/11/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  George W. Bush, tax policy, taxes, job creators, class warfare, Obama class warfare, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:36 PM ET, 04/10/2012

Rick Santorum faces reality
By Al Kamen
The GOP presidential nomination race is over and, as we told you in mid-January, former governor Mitt Romney will face President Obama in the fall.

By Al Kamen  |  02:36 PM ET, 04/10/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Rick Santorum, suspending, GOP, GOP race, President Obama, Mitt, Mitt Romney, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 05:02 PM ET, 04/09/2012

Obama, Biden and Snooki: Poets at heart
By Al Kamen
A new “modern poetry” anthology puts the oft-bizarre utterances by politicians and celebrities in poetry form. A fun read.

By Al Kamen  |  05:02 PM ET, 04/09/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Charles Schumer, John Boehner, poetry, Anthology of Really Important Modern Poetry, Israel, Harry Reid, Kathryn Petras, Ross Petras, Silvio Berlusconi, Donald Trump, Newt Gingrich, Hugo Chavez, Ann Coulter, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 02:41 PM ET, 04/05/2012

Obama approval’s up — among liberals
By Al Kamen
Maybe some of what’s happening is that liberal Democrats are drifting back to the Democratic base

By Al Kamen  |  02:41 PM ET, 04/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, presidential polls, CNN/ORC, CNN poll, Obama approval, Obama improved, Etch A Sketch, Ralph Nader, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 01:03 PM ET, 04/05/2012

Burma aide says Suu Kyi win a shocker
By Al Kamen
A Burmese presidential adviser says the landslide victory of pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi surprised the ruling party.

By Al Kamen  |  01:03 PM ET, 04/05/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, elections, landslide victory, Aung San, George Washington, Nelson Mandela, Hillary Clinton, Clinton 2008 campaign, Mark Penn, Loop Campaign Guru of the Week Award, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:27 PM ET, 04/04/2012

Muslim Brotherhood meets State Department officials? Maybe.
By Al Kamen
In Washington, sometimes simple questions seem to prompt elliptical answers

By Al Kamen  |  01:27 PM ET, 04/04/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Muslim Brotherhood, State Department, Pentagon, Marwan Muasher, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, William Burns, Robert Hormats, Jeffrey Feltman, Victoria Nuland, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:46 PM ET, 04/03/2012

Obama ‘soon’ to pick ambassador to Burma
By Al Kamen
The weekend’s huge election victory of democracy champion and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi opens the door for a new ambassador to Burma.

By Al Kamen  |  12:46 PM ET, 04/03/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Aung San Suu Kyi, Suu Kyi, Burma, Rangoon, Hillary Clinton, Luc Besson, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, Melanne Verveer, Kurt Campbell, Derek Mitchell, Motion Picture Association of America, In the Loop

Posted at 06:11 PM ET, 04/02/2012

Some Obama nominees missed the confirmation train
By Al Kamen
Most of the White House’s nominees were confirmed last week before the Senate recess. Some were left waiting for a vote.

By Al Kamen  |  06:11 PM ET, 04/02/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Obama, Senate, nominees, confirmation, Mari Carmen Aponte, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 05:00 PM ET, 03/29/2012

State Department fire caused by hackers?
By Al Kamen
The source of that fire last week at a State Department annex office housing the China team has not been determined, but word is a printer caught on fire.

By Al Kamen  |  05:00 PM ET, 03/29/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  State Department, State Department fire, China, printers, hackers, Hewlett Packard, HP, IBTimes, printer fires, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop, Columbia University, MSNBC, IBTimes, annex fire

Posted at 02:36 PM ET, 03/28/2012

Mitt Romney? Etch-a-what?
By Al Kamen
A new poll finds that, despite all the media hoopla, most people have never heard about the Romney Etch a Sketch flap and even fewer say it will effect their votes.

By Al Kamen  |  02:36 PM ET, 03/28/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Etch A Sketch, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Pew Research Center, Pew, President Obama, Hillary Clinton, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 06:45 PM ET, 03/27/2012

Turkey’s religious freedom rank splits panel
By Al Kamen
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom ranks Turkey a top violator — but a majority on the panel disagrees.

By Al Kamen  |  06:45 PM ET, 03/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Turkey, religious freedom, U.S Commisional on International Religious Freedom, Don Argue, Leonard Leo, religious, Michelle Boorstein, anti-Muslim, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope, Benedict, Raul Castro, Fidel Castro, Havana, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 04:18 PM ET, 03/27/2012

Sarah Palin ‘radiated sensuality,’ says Arlen Specter
By Al Kamen
IN THE LOOP | In his new memoir, Arlen Specter writes of his close encounter with Sarah Palin on the McCain campaign bus.

By Al Kamen  |  04:18 PM ET, 03/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Sarah Palin: Arlen Specter, McCain campaign, McCain campaign bus, radiated sensuality, Palin's skirt, Life Among Cannibals, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:54 PM ET, 03/26/2012

Fire pushes State’s China team out of digs before Obama trip
By Al Kamen
A fire at a State Department building housing a number of bureaus and the China desk crimped operations just as Obama was planning to go to Asia.

By Al Kamen  |  12:54 PM ET, 03/26/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  China, President Obama, Hu Jintao, State Department, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 01:47 PM ET, 03/22/2012

Karl Rove blasts Obama campaign video
By Al Kamen
The former Bush adviser blasts the campaign video for inaccuracies, but . . .

By Al Kamen  |  01:47 PM ET, 03/22/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Karl Rove, Bill Clinton, Wall Street Journal, Osama bin Laden, Obama, Obama campaign documentary, Obama campaign film, Greg Sargent, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop

Posted at 12:06 PM ET, 03/21/2012

Mitt Romney aide’s ‘Etch A Sketch’ moment
By Al Kamen
Democrats quickly pounced on Romney campaign aide’s explanation of how the candidate would tack to the center after the primaries to appeal to moderates.

By Al Kamen  |  12:06 PM ET, 03/21/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Republican primaries, GOP primary, Eric Fehrnstrom, Etch A Sketch, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 04:33 PM ET, 03/20/2012

Robert Gates on Obama, leaks and more
By Al Kamen
Former defense secretary speaks at an awards ceremony about his years as secretary of defense in the Bush and Obama administrations.

By Al Kamen  |  04:33 PM ET, 03/20/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Robert Gates, Bob Gates, Secretary of Defense, National Academy of Public Administration, Warren Buttett, Walter Reed, George Bush, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Leon Panetta, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 03:08 PM ET, 03/19/2012

Clinton: Tired of the Hungarian Rhapsodies?
By Al Kamen
The Obama administration’s ties with NATO ally Hungary have been frayed in recent months by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s autocratic moves.

By Al Kamen  |  03:08 PM ET, 03/19/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Viktor Orban, Hungary, Budapest, Hillary Clinton, Eleni Kounalakis, ambassador, clientitis, European Union, European Commission, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop, Hungarian Rhapsody, Chicago

Posted at 04:43 PM ET, 03/15/2012

OSHA whistleblower job open — Meryl Streep can apply
By Al Kamen
Whistleblower protection groups apparently aren’t happy with the way the outfit has been reorganized.

By Al Kamen  |  04:43 PM ET, 03/15/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Whistleblowers, Whistleblower Protection Program, Labor Department, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Government Accountability Office, PEER, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Emily Heil

Posted at 12:03 PM ET, 03/13/2012

Has Mitt Romney put Arizona in play for 2012?
By Al Kamen
GOP candidate Mitt Romney’s anti-immigrant rhetoric may put Arizona’s 11 electoral votes in play in a state where Latinos are about 20 percent of eligible voters.

By Al Kamen  |  12:03 PM ET, 03/13/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, John McCain, President Bush, Latinos, Arizona, Latino voters, Fox News, Pete Wilson, Kris Kobach, Richard Carmona, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop, Dream Act, Arizona battleground, Obama campaign

Posted at 01:46 PM ET, 03/06/2012

Baghdad Embassy for sale (Loop contest winners!)
By Al Kamen

By Al Kamen  |  01:46 PM ET, 03/06/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  In the Loop, In the Loop contest, Embassy for Sale, Baghdad, Iraq, U.S. Embassy, contest winners, Al Kamen, Emily Heil

Posted at 02:53 PM ET, 02/27/2012

Mitt Romney in Michigan: Loving the trees
By Al Kamen
Midwesterners know what the GOP candidate may have meant when he said “the trees are the right height.”

By Al Kamen  |  02:53 PM ET, 02/27/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Mitt Romney, trees, Michigan primary, Rick Santorum, Fox News, Al Kamen, Emily Heil, In the Loop, tree-huggers, car on the roof, Romney dog

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 02/22/2012

Gen. Clapper channels Westmoreland?
By Al Kamen
Intel chief James Clapper raised an eyebrow by comparing optimistic views on Afghanistan to those of Vietnam days.

By Al Kamen  |  06:00 AM ET, 02/22/2012 |  Permalink  |  Comments ( 0)
Tags:  Afghanistan, National Intelligence Estimate, Gen. John Allen, Ryan Crocker, Gen. James Mattis, Adm. James Stavrides, Carl Levin, Emily Heil, Al Kamen, In the Loop, Gen. William Westmoreland, Vietnam