Online NewsHour: Political Wrap Archive

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Welcome to The Online NewsHour's Political Wrap page where contributors share their stories and thoughts on various issues.

Photo of David Brooks, Mark Shields, and Jim Lehrer


	2009 NOVEMBER Nov. 20, 2009 Shields and Gerson Review Road Ahead for Health Reform Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson, who is also a senior research fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, break down the biggest stories of the week, including health care reform moves in Congress and President Obama's pondering of a new Afghan strategy.

	Nov. 13, 2009 Shields and Brooks Gauge 9/11 Trials, Afghan Troop Decision Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks break down the top political headlines of the past week, including Justice Department plans to try five Guantanamo Bay detainees in federal court in New York, and President Obama's Afghan strategy review.

	Nov. 6, 2009 Shields, Brooks Examine GOP's 'Morale Boost' Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the week's news, including impending health care legislation and a worsening job market.



	OCTOBER Oct. 30, 2009 Shields and Brooks on 'New Candor' with Pakistan, Biden's Poll Numbers Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the top stories of the past week, including Hillary Clinton's visit to Pakistan, Vice President Joe Biden's poll numbers, and upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia.

	Oct. 23, 2009 Shields, Brooks: Obama Risks Looking Petty in Fox Fight Columnists David Brooks and Mark Shields review the week's news, including the coming Afghan runoff and the war of words between the White House and Fox News.

	Oct. 16, 2009 Shields and Gerson Survey Health Care Outlook, Economy Columnists Mark Shields and Michael Gerson sort through the top news of the past week, including a key vote on health care in the Senate Finance Committee, bank earning reports and conflicting data about the health of the economy.

	Oct. 9, 2009 Brooks, Marcus Discuss Potential Peace Prize Backfire, Rangel Controversy Columnists David Brooks and Ruth Marcus discuss the week's news, including the potential pitfalls in President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

	Oct. 2, 2009 Shields and Brooks on Obama's Olympic Trip, Health Care Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the week's news, including President Obama's trip abroad to tout Chicago's bid for the Olympics, new moves on health care reform and talks with Iran on its nuclear program.



	SEPTEMBER Sept. 25, 2009 Shields, Brooks Examine Obama's Moves on Iran, G-20 Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sift through this week's headlines, including Iran's nuclear surprise, the G-20 summit and U.N. talks.

	Sept. 18, 2009 Brooks and Marcus on Health Bill, Obama Media Push Columnists David Brooks and Ruth Marcus sort through the week's top stories, including the state of the health reform push, President Obama's media strategy and U.S. plans to revamp missile defense in Europe.

	Sept. 11, 2009 Shields, Brooks Reflect on Health Care Speech, Reform Push Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the week's news, including President Obama's health care speech and renewed reform push.

	Sept. 9, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Stakes for Obama Speech Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the lead up to President Obama's health reform speech and developments in Congress.

	Sept. 4, 2009 Shields and Brooks on Health Reform, Afghan Strategy Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the top news of the week, including the escalating violence in Afghanistan, and President Barack Obama's upcoming speech on health care to a joint session of Congress.



	AUGUST Aug. 28, 2009 Shields, Brooks Consider Kennedy Legacy, Health Reform Prospects Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the week's top news, including Sen. Edward Kennedy's legacy, the health reform debate and detainee interrogation.

	Aug. 14, 2009 Public Views on Health Care Overhaul Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the week's news, including public views on President Obama's health reform plan and Secretary of State Clinton's Africa trip.

	Aug. 7, 2009 Health Reform Push, Clinton's N. Korea Trip Top Week's News Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the news of the week, including tensions in the health care debate and former President Bill Clinton's trip to North Korea to obtain the release of two U.S. journalists.



	JULY July 31, 2009 Iraq Victory-declaration Idea, GDP Report Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the top news of the week, including an idea to declare victory in Iraq and the latest economic figures.

	July 24, 2009 Health Care Overhaul Tops Week's Agenda in Washington Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks analyze the top news of the week, including the fight over health care reform, the controversy surrounding the arrest of scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and the state of the economic crisis.

	July 17, 2009 Health Reform, Sotomayor Hearings Top Week's News Mark Shields and David Brooks consider the news of the week, including the confirmation hearings of Sonia Sotomayor, efforts at health care reform and the shape of the economy.

	July 10, 2009 Brooks, Marcus Mull Court Politics, Health Care Reform Columnists Ruth Marcus and David Brooks discuss top political news, including next week's hearings on Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court nomination, the pace of health care reform and President Obama's trip abroad.

	July 3, 2009 Palin Resignation, Minnesota Senate Election Resolution Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and Michael Gerson mull Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's surprise resignation announcement and the Minnesota Supreme Court's ruling that Democrat Al Franken defeated Republican Norm Coleman for a U.S. Senate seat.



	JUNE June 26, 2009 Climate Bill, Sanford's Future Top Week's Political News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks examine developments in the landmark climate change legislation before Congress, as well as the fallout from S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford's admission to an extramarital affair.

	June 19, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull U.S. Response to Iran Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the Obama administration's response to political turmoil in Iran and new plans to overhaul the financial regulation system.

	June 12, 2009 Shields, Brooks Mull Health Reform, Palin's Role in GOP Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks assess the chances for health care reform to clear Congress this year, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's role in the GOP and the significance of the Virginia governor's race.

	June 5, 2009 Obama's Cairo Speech, Sotomayor Top Week's News David Brooks and Ruth Marcus discuss the news of the week, including President Obama's speech on U.S.-Muslim ties, Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court bid and GM's bankruptcy plan.



	MAY May 22, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Security Debate, Supreme Court Fight Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the impact of President Obama and former Vice President Cheney's security policy speeches and the buildup to the president's announcement of a Supreme Court pick.

	May 15, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Torture Flap, Cheney's Reemergence Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the top news of the week, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's comments on torture tactics and former Vice President Dick Cheney's remarks on policy direction.

	May 8, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Economic Expectations, Afghan Policy Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks examine the outcome of the banking stress test results, U.S. policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan and remember the life of Jack Kemp.

	May 1, 2009 Brewing Court Battle, Specter's Switch Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks mull the implications of Supreme Court Justice David Souter's retirement and Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to join the Democratic Party.



	APRIL April 24, 2009 Shields, Brooks Mull Torture Memos, Obama's Leadership Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the Obama administration's decision to release Bush-era memos on interrogation tactics and the shape of the president's first 100 days in office.

	April 17, 2009 CIA Interrogation Memos, U.S.-Cuba Relations Top Week's News Columnists Ruth Marcus and Michael Gerson discuss the week's news, including the release of memos detailing CIA interrogation methods and the possibility of the U.S. and Cuba holding new talks.

	April 10, 2009 Military Budget Changes, Same-sex Marriage Top Week's News Columnist Mark Shields and editor Rich Lowry analyze the week's political news, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates' military budget priorities and two more states allowing same-sex couples to marry.

	April 3, 2009 Shields and Brooks on Economy's Moves, Obama's Trip Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks weigh the news of the week, including what new unemployment numbers say about the economy, tough talk on the auto industry and President Obama's trip to Europe.



	MARCH March 27, 2009 Afghanistan Strategy, Budget Pitch Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks mull how President Barack Obama's budget blueprint is faring in Congress and discuss his strategy for growing resources and personnel in Afghanistan.

	March 20, 2009 AIG Bonus Outrage, Deficit Complicate Obama Agenda With Washington still railing against more than $160 million of bonuses at insurance giant AIG, Mark Shields and Byron York consider the impact of the furor and the new estimates of the growing federal deficit on President Obama's agenda.

	March 13, 2009 Economic Strategy, Stem Cell Policy Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and Michael Gerson weigh the news of the week, including President Barack Obama's approach on the economy, his decision to lift restrictions on stem cell research funding, and more.

	March 6, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Obama's Agenda, Economy's Troubles Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks weigh the week's news, including February's spike in unemployment, President Barack Obama's priorities amid the economic crisis and the debate over the future of the GOP.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 27, 2009 Shields and Brooks Weigh Obama's Troop, Budget Plans Syndicated columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks examine President Obama's newly-announced plan to end the combat mission in Iraq and what the president's budget blueprint says about his administration's spending priorities.

	Feb. 20, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Economic Woes, Obama's Plans Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the week's news, including reaction to President Barack Obama's economic recovery efforts and what role the government should take in easing the financial crisis.

	Feb. 13, 2009 Stimulus Battle, Obama Cabinet Top Week's News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks mull the political news of the week, including the battle in Congress over the stimulus bill and Sen. Judd Gregg's decision to drop his bid to become the Obama administration's commerce chief.

	Feb. 6, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Stimulus Debate, Obama's Next Policy Steps Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the tough debate on Capitol Hill over the stimulus bill, the tax trouble that ended Tom Daschle's Cabinet nomination and how President Obama is faring so far.



	JANUARY Jan. 30, 2009 Shields and Brooks Weigh Illinois, RNC Actions Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks consider the Republican National Committee's selection of a new chairman and Illinois politics following the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

	Jan. 30, 2009 Shrinking GDP, Obama Task Force Cap Week's Economic News There was more evidence Friday the recession is getting worse, a fact that President Obama and his economic team continued to confront. Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks mull Mr. Obama's approach.

	Jan. 23, 2009 Shields and Brooks Weigh Obama's First Week, Economy Plans President Barack Obama wasted no time putting his stamp on key policy areas during his first few days in office -- including renewing a push for an economic stimulus plan. Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the moves.

	Jan. 16, 2009 Inauguration, Transition and Bush Farewell Top Week's Political News Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks look ahead to Inauguration Day, discuss Barack Obama's dinner with conservative columnists and analyze President Bush's attempts to shape a legacy.

	Jan. 9, 2009 Shields and Brooks Mull Obama's Intel Picks, Stimulus Plan Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks assess the week's news, including Obama's new intelligence team and his push to get a new economic stimulus package through Congress.

	Jan. 2, 2009 New Year Brings New Congress, Foreign Policy Challenges Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne and National Review Editor Ramesh Ponnuru discuss President-elect Obama's mounting foreign policy concerns, the shape of the new Congress, and an emerging economic stimulus plan.



	2008 DECEMBER Dec. 26, 2008 Shields, Gerson Reflect on Historic Year, Challenges Ahead After a year that saw a global economic crisis develop and a historic presidential election take place, Mark Shields and Michael Gerson look back on 2008's news highlights and discuss what to expect in the year to come.

	Dec. 19, 2008 Shields and Brooks Examine Auto Plan, Blagojevich Case, Kennedy's Senate Bid This week, the White House announced an aid package to keep the Big Three afloat, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich denied accusations of plotting to sell President-elect Obama's senate seat. Mark Shields and David Brooks offer their analysis.

	Dec. 12, 2008 Shields and Brooks Mull Auto Rescue, Blagojevich Scandal Political news took a dramatic turn this week with the corruption charges levied against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Mark Shields and David Brooks mull the Blagojevich story and the debate over aid for automakers.