Vote 2012

July 31, 2012

Behind the Scenes with the NewsHour in Nevada

During Visit to Israel, Romney Endorses Hard Line Against Iran
July 30, 2012
During his visit Sunday in Jerusalem, Mitt Romney endorsed the use of "any and all measures" by the United States and Israel to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a threat the presumptive Republican presidential nominee deemed America's "highest national security priority."
Romney's Trip Abroad: Campaign Peril or Credential Maker?
July 27, 2012
A challenger who lacks foreign policy credentials doesn't have to match a sitting president's international battle scars. All he or she has to do is appear plausible to the voters as a potential commander in chief.
Campaign 2012 Panoramas
July 27, 2012
Zeke Miller of BuzzFeed, Jon Ward of Huffington Post and PBS NewsHour's very own Travis Daub snapped panoramic photographs of campaign and political events over the last several months. Get a sense of what it would feel like to look around on the trail with these 360-degree images.
Let the Games Begin: Romney Tries to Rebound From Olympics Gaffe
July 27, 2012
We're 101 days from Election Day, but everyone's looking overseas. The Olympics, played in the shadows of Parliament and Big Ben this year, won't escape American politics, since Mitt Romney is in the country for the first leg of his six-day campaign trip abroad.
Social Media Users React to Romney's Comments on Olympics
July 26, 2012
Mitt Romney traveled to the U.K. this week on a tour to bolster his foreign policy credentials. But Romney stumbled when he made comments doubting London's capability to host the Games. Daily Download's Lauren Ashburn and Howard Kurtz talk to Margaret Warner about what social media users think about Mitt Romney's trip so far.
British Paper Puts Romney on Defense as Foreign Trip Begins
July 26, 2012
It wasn't the first time an unnamed adviser's comment to the media sparked a political spat, and it's highly unlikely to be the last before Nov. 6. It also wasn't the headline presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney probably wanted as he began his trip abroad and certainly not what he wanted to be defending.
For Politicians, Little to Gain in Gun Control Debate
July 25, 2012
Less than a week after the mass shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., that left 12 dead, there has been little policy response from the political world -- no prominent new proposals or legislation. In fact, there's been precious little disagreement about the traditionally divisive issue of gun laws.
Obama Leads in New Poll, Plays Defense Over Small Business Comment
July 25, 2012
One thing we know for certain: Polls taken in July don't tell us what will happen on Election Day. But what surprised pollsters who conducted the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll is how little things have changed despite major events over the last month.
Without a Photo ID, Some PA Voters Won't Count in November Under Strict Law
July 24, 2012
The Pennsylvania Transportation Department estimates that approximately 9 percent of registered voters do not have state-issued photo IDs. Under that state's voter ID law, those 758,000 voters will not be able to cast their ballot, come November. Ray Suarez reports on the implications of this law for the 2012 elections.
Comparing the Candidates' Foreign Policy Records and Priorities
July 24, 2012
November's winner will face serious foreign policy tests, including war in Syria, tensions with Iran over its nuclear program and the departure of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. To assess the candidates, Margaret Warner talks to Tim Roemer, adviser for the Obama campaign, and Rich Williamson, adviser for the Romney campaign.
Candidates' Foreign Policy Stances Take Center Stage
July 24, 2012
With Mitt Romney planning to visit England, Israel and Poland, the Republican is looking to contrast himself sharply with President Obama. He will begin that push Tuesday afternoon in a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention.
Obama Campaign Faces Multiple Challenges in Efforts to Woo Florida Voters
July 23, 2012
President Obama spent part of the week in Florida, a key battleground for the upcoming election. Judy Woodruff reports on which important issues in the swing state may pose challenges for the Obama campaign.
News Wrap: Presidential Campaigns Resume After Weekend Hiatus
July 23, 2012
In other news Monday, Mitt Romney and President Obama reignited political campaign attacks after a brief reprieve from politics over the weekend. Also, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed attendees of the 19th International AIDS Conference, reaffirming the U.S.'s commitment to an "AIDS free generation."
After Pause in Politics, Campaigns Evaluate the Next Focus
July 23, 2012
President Obama's brief remarks Sunday night were aimed to honor the victims of the mass shooting instead of focusing on the man who committed the horrific act. They were devoid of politics, even as some in Washington looked to revive a debate over gun control.
Colo. Shooting to Influence Friday's Campaign Rhetoric
July 20, 2012
There are events that transcend politics in America, and the Thursday night shooting at a movie theater outside Denver is one such example. The tragic killing of at least a dozen people will likely result in the pause button being hit for at least a day in what has been a brutal stretch of the campaign.
Gwen's Take: Searching for Mister (or Ms.) Right
July 20, 2012
I am about to break a promise I made to you. I said this would be a safe space, one that would not turn itself over to rank speculation about the vice presidential sweepstakes. But the presidential candidates have invested so much time and energy trying to change the subject it has become nearly impossible to land anywhere else.
Is Campaign Spending a Lousy Idea, or Does it Help the Economy?
July 19, 2012
Scholars of campaign spending like Tom Ferguson have long pointed out that campaign spending represents something substantially more problematic than a "lousy priority." He might use the term "pernicious priority."
Obama, Romney Look to Define Campaign on Their Terms
July 19, 2012
Can President Obama's re-election team define Mitt Romney before the economy defines the Democrat's presidency? That has become the race within the race of the 2012 campaign as three consecutive months of discouraging employment reports have taken their toll on the president's standing among the American people.
Sharpened Attacks Mark Shift to Bruising Phase of Campaign
July 18, 2012
With President Obama's campaign posing questions about what might be in Mitt Romney's tax returns, the GOP candidate's campaign is firing back with a query of its own Wednesday: "Where did all the money go?"
What's Driving the Country's Most Coveted Voters?
July 17, 2012
The presidential campaign is targeting swing states, including Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, New Hampshire, Virginia and Florida. Gwen Ifill interviews Anna Sale of WNYC's "It's a Free Country," who is traveling through the battleground states. They discuss who these voters are and the issues that drive them.
States Plagued by Fiscal Problems, Pension Payments
July 17, 2012
Grim findings from a task force come amid further setbacks to the nation's economic health. Jeffrey Brown discusses eroding revenues, state budget cuts and steep pension obligations with former New York Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch, the report's co-chair, and Susan Urahn of the Pew Center on the States.
When 'Even Iowa's Six Electoral Votes Matter'
July 17, 2012
Iowa has been good to both President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. This year, it will come down to which campaign can woo Iowa's ticket-splitting rural voters and swing Catholic voters, while establishing an edge in the politically diversifying cities.
New Obama TV Ad Hammers Romney on Release of Taxes
July 17, 2012
The Obama campaign is welcoming Mitt Romney to Pennsylvania on Tuesday with a new television ad that keeps up the drumbeat over the presumptive GOP nominee's taxes.
Obama's Shift on Gay Marriage Lucrative for Campaign
July 16, 2012
From California, correspondent Spencer Michels reports on how President Obama's public endorsement of same-sex marriage triggered a flood of support from the gay community -- which is now providing campaign support both in votes and in fundraising.
For Obama, Romney, New Attack Ads Pull In Al Green, 'America the Beautiful'
July 16, 2012
In interviews and attack ads, the presidential candidates have taken increasingly hostile swipes at each other as their nominating conventions approach and Mitt Romney prepares to select a running mate. Gwen Ifill discusses what's at stake for both campaigns with Politico's Jonathan Martin and the Atlantic's Molly Ball.

Overlooked Asian-American Vote Could Factor in Nevada, Other Battleground States

July 31, 2012

As the fastest-growing minority in the country, could Asian-American voters make a difference in a close presidential election? In key battleground states like Nevada, where Asian-Americans are nearly 10 percent of the population, the campaigns are beginning to pay attention. Hari Sreenivasan reports.

Will Mitt Romney's Israel Trip Help Win Over Jewish Voters in the U.S.?

July 30, 2012

Romney's Comments in Israel Overshadow Visit to Poland

July 31, 2012

In Israel, Comments by Romney Provoke Some Palestinian Frustration

July 30, 2012

Hoping to bolster his foreign policy credentials, presidential candidate Mitt Romney made a stop in Israel during a diplomatic trip abroad. He discussed how he would approach Iran, but he also caused a stir when he made political comments about the city of Jerusalem and compared the economic status of Israelis and Palestinians.