U.S. Presidency 2013 Archive | PBS NewsHour

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	2013 MAY May 16, 2013 Keeping on Top of Priorities When White House Deals With Drama The Obama administration has been hit with a wave of crises and scandals lately. Jeffrey Brown talks with Tom Perriello from Center for American Progress Action Fund and strategist Ron Christie, who worked on Capitol Hill in the George W. Bush administration, about handling drama without losing sight of presidential priorities.

	May 16, 2013 White House Works to Calm Storm of Scandal President Barack Obama used a rainy, Rose Garden news conference to get in front of a series of political storms, tackling questions on the IRS scandal, the AP subpoenas and Benghazi. Judy Woodruff talks to White House communications director Jennifer Palmieri about how the Obama administration is responding to various crises.

	May 16, 2013 Obama Attempts Damage Control on IRS, Benghazi, AP Scandals To catch you up on the last 24 hours: President Barack Obama canned the man at the helm of the IRS, released emails between intelligence analysts and State Department officials following the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, and asked a Senate Democrat to reintroduce a bill to help reporters protect the identity of their sources.

	May 15, 2013 Trio of Scandals Puts Obama, Holder in Hot Seat A trio of scandals has put President Barack Obama and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on the hot seat.

	May 14, 2013 Obama Ponders Time Left in Office as Probes Pile Up A trio of controversies is giving President Barack Obama's critics plenty of fodder for investigations that will likely pull the White House away from the issues it would like to see championed this spring and summer.

	May 13, 2013 Obama to Face Questions on Benghazi Attack, IRS Scandal Monday's joint news conference by President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron will likely be consumed by questions regarding the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS and the Obama administration's handling of last year's attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya.

	May 7, 2013 Chambliss' Hole-in-One Puts Obama in Play on Budget Talks The White House says President Barack Obama is "willing to try anything" with Republicans to find a solution to the nation's fiscal problems. Monday, that meant venturing out to Andrews Air Force Base on a drizzly day in Washington to hit the links.

	May 2, 2013 News Wrap: Obama Nominates Two New Members of Economic Team In other news Thursday, President Barack Obama nominated a new trade representative and head of the Commerce Department, leaving only one position left to fill in his second term cabinet. Also, reports indicate Syrian government troops and gunmen killed 50 to 100 people in a village near the Mediterranean coast.

	May 2, 2013 Obama Talks Trade, Security, and Immigration on Trip to Mexico, Latin America President Barack Obama makes a stop in Mexico City to shore up relations with the U.S.'s southern neighbor. Judy Woodruff talks with Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations, and Brookings Institution's Diana Negroponte about shared concerns between Mexico and the United States over trade and border issues.

	May 1, 2013 Does Obama Have the 'Juice' to Influence Congress? Most presidents I've covered have struggled with a recalcitrant Congress. But does President Obama have the "juice" -- as ABC's Jonathan Karl put it Tuesday at the White House press conference -- to translate his relatively strong popularity ratings into legislative success?

	May 1, 2013 Does Obama Still Have Enough Political 'Juice' to Wrangle Congress? President Barack Obama marked the 100th day of his second term Tuesday with a customary news conference that highlighted the fresh challenges and unresolved business facing his administration.



	APRIL April 30, 2013 Political Challenges and Clashes to Come Between Congress and White House How does the current relationship between the White House and Congress affect major points of business like spending cuts and immigration reform? Judy Woodruff gets analysis from Glenn Thrush of Politico and Dan Balz of The Washington Post.

	April 30, 2013 President Obama Renews Pledge to Close Guantanamo Detention Center In a White House news conference, President Barack Obama renewed a pledge to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where more than half of the prisoners have recently been on hunger strike to protest their legal limbo. Gwen Ifill talks to Charlie Savage of The New York Times.

	April 30, 2013 100 Days In, President Obama Holds News Conference on Second Term Priorities From the White House briefing room President Barack Obama joked and jabbed with the press and promised to keep pushing his priorities, including immigration reform and closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center. Kwame Holman reports on what the president said about congressional conflict, Syria and the Boston Marathon attack.

	April 30, 2013 Obama: US Still Not Sure Who Used Chemical Weapons in Syria WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama strongly suggested Tuesday he'd consider military action against Syria if it can be confirmed that President Bashar Assad's government used chemical weapons in the two-year-old civil war.

	April 26, 2013 Judy Woodruff Recounts Day President Reagan Was Shot March 30, 1981 was a routine day for Judy Woodruff as she traveled with the press pool to cover a speech by President Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton. But the events of that day would lead to one of America's longstanding and contentious policy debates -- how much should the country regulate firearms.

	April 26, 2013 Bush Library Dedication Celebrates Complicated Presidential Legacy All five living presidents were on hand Thursday for the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. And, for a day at least, political differences gave way to warm tributes to the 43rd president from his predecessors and successor.

	April 25, 2013 All Living Presidents Gather in Dallas to Dedicate George W. Bush Library The dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library was attended by its namesake and the four other living presidents. Jeffrey Brown discusses presidential legacy with Ellen Fitzpatrick of the University of New Hampshire, University of Texas at Austin's H.W. Brands and presidential historian Michael Beschloss.

	April 25, 2013 How Well Do You Know Your Presidential Libraries? The George W. Bush Presidential Center marks the thirteenth library dedicated to a president. Whether you've been to one, all or none, test your skills and see how well you know (or can guess) what's inside the presidential libraries.

	April 25, 2013 Bush Back in Spotlight as Presidents Honor Him at Library Dedication As the George W. Bush Presidential Center is dedicated Thursday morning at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and with President Barack Obama and all of the living former presidents expected to attend and honor the 43rd commander in chief, Americans are viewing Bush more favorably, according to a new poll.

	April 25, 2013 The George W. Bush Presidential Center The George W. Bush Presidential Center, set to open May 1, 2013, is home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the George W. Bush Institute and offices of the George W. Bush Foundation.

	April 10, 2013 President Obama's Budget Gamble President Barack Obama took a risk by deciding to include changes to Medicare and Social Security in his 2014 fiscal year budget. And, as with all true gambles, political or otherwise, it comes with an uncertain fate.



	MARCH March 27, 2013 News Wrap: Obama Appoints First Female Director of the Secret Service In other news Wednesday, Julia Pierson was sworn in as the new director of the Secret Service. Pierson, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, is the first woman to hold this post. Also, James Holmes, the man accused in the Colorado movie shooting last July, has offered to plead guilty and serve life in prison.

	March 25, 2013 Obama Pushes Immigration Reform at White House Ceremony for New Citizens At a ceremony at the White House for 28 new U.S. citizens, President Barack Obama called on Congress to come together on immigration reform. Judy Woodruff talks with Sara Murray of The Wall Street Journal about how Senate negotiations got hung up on the issue of lower-skilled worker wages.

	March 22, 2013 Obama and Jordan's Abdullah Discuss Peace Process, Syrian Refugee Crisis At the end of his Middle East tour, President Barack Obama traveled to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah II. They laid groundwork for plans to address rising numbers of Syrian refugees in Jordan, to restore the Mideast peace talks and encourage Jordan's early steps toward parliamentary government.

	March 21, 2013 Obama: Mideast Peace Process Must Continue, 'Too Much Is at Stake' President Obama made the case for restarting the peace process before Palestinian and Israeli audiences Thursday. "We cannot give up on the search for peace no matter how hard it is. ... Too much is at stake."

	March 20, 2013 Obama Pledges 'Unwavering' Commitment to Israel's Security During Visit President Barack Obama made his first presidential trip to Israel, where he reaffirmed the bond between the two nations. Margaret Warner, who is traveling with the president, talks with Gwen Ifill about the timing of the trip and common concerns for the U.S. and Israel, including the Syrian conflict and Iran's nuclear program.

	March 11, 2013 Obama's Outreach to GOP Will Be Tested The next few days should give President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans a clear sense of just how far apart the two sides are when it comes to reaching a long-term deal to reduce the nation's deficit.



	FEBRUARY Feb. 26, 2013 Obama Visits Virginia Shipyard to Put Sequester Squeeze on GOP President Obama will visit a Virginia shipyard Tuesday to warn of the negative consequences from automatic spending cuts set to take effect later this week, in a bid to pressure congressional Republicans to accept a deal to replace the sequester that includes a mix of revenues and reductions.

	Feb. 25, 2013 Despite Gloomy Urgings, No Signs of Give From Congress on Sequester In a meeting with the nation's governors, President Obama urged members of congress to forget politics and get back to governing to prevent automatic spending cuts. Jonathan Weisman of the New York Times and Margaret Talev of Bloomberg News talk with Judy Woodruff about the effects of the sequester and how it may get resolved.

	Feb. 22, 2013 China Looms as Main Concern in Meeting Between Obama, Japan's Abe When Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with President Obama, China's economy and geopolitical concerns were the main topics of discussion. To examine the flare-up between Japan and China, Margaret Warner talks to Mike Mochizuki, author of "The New Strategic Triangle: The U.S.-Japan Alliance and the Rise of China."

	Feb. 22, 2013 President Obama and Japan's Prime Minister Meet From 'Abenomics' to North Korean nukes, President Obama and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have much to discuss when they meet Friday at the White House. We spoke to the Council on Foreign Relations' Sheila Smith about their agenda.

	Feb. 21, 2013 For Obama, Public Opinion on Sequester May Not Be Enough Two polls out Thursday show record support for President Obama over congressional Republicans on the sequester battle that is consuming political debate this week.

	Feb. 20, 2013 Will U.S. Forge Public-Private Partnership to Draw Brain Activity Map? In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a decade-long effort to map the activity of the brain. To understand the president's plan and walk through the possible implications, Ray Suarez talks to Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, who would coordinate much of the project.

	Feb. 19, 2013 White House Reporters Frustrated With Obama Administration Is it bad for democracy when a president answers impromptu questions from the press 107 times after a photo opportunity, compared with his predecessor's 355? Or that he's more likely to dish with the ladies of "The View" than he is to sit down with the New York Times?

	Feb. 18, 2013 Proposed Keystone Pipeline Prompts Protest March, Heated Debate The proposed Keystone Pipeline has spurred a large march protest in Washington and heated advocacy from supporters and opponents. Judy Woodruff weighs the debate with Bob Deans of the National Resources Defense Council and Scott Segal of Bracewell and Guiliani, the firm representing energy companies pushing the extension.

	Feb. 18, 2013 After Newtown, Gun Control Debate Spurs Political Action Across the Nation In the nine weeks since the Newtown shooting massacre, the gun control debate has spread far beyond the Beltway. Gwen Ifill and political editor Christina Bellantoni explore what steps American cities have taken to curb gun violence, and how opposition voices have attempted to fight these measures.

	Feb. 18, 2013 Obama's Leaked Immigration Plan, Golfing Trip Cause Stir What will generate more outrage on President's Day: a leaked legislative blueprint for immigration reform or a golf outing with Tiger Woods? President Obama jaunted to Florida for some time with the guys this holiday weekend, but since Washington never takes a break from politics, it was anything but quiet back home.

	Feb. 14, 2013 Presidential Admirer: LBJ's Love Letters to Lady Bird, His Bride to Be Seventy years ago, Lyndon B. Johnson took to snail mail to court Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor. The letters have now been released by the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas. For more on the love letters, Judy Woodruff talks with historian Michael Beschloss, and Catherine Robb, granddaughter of LBJ and Lady Bird.

	Feb. 14, 2013 Ten Things We Learned From the State of the Union Address Judy Woodruff explains how the 2013 State of the Union distinguishes itself from other speeches by President Obama, both in style and in policy.

	Feb. 13, 2013 After State of the Union, Obama Begins Push to Raise Minimum Wage A day after the 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama toured a North Carolina factory in order to press his economic plan to raise the minimum wage. Judy Woodruff examines the president's plan with Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Insitute and Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation.

	Feb. 13, 2013 State of the Union: 4 Takes on Afghanistan, Syria, President's Style Along with urging action on guns and jobs, President Obama touched on some foreign policy points, including the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran. We asked four foreign policy analysts whose specialties range from Afghanistan to nonproliferation to give us their takes.

	Feb. 13, 2013 President Obama Challenges Congress to Help Middle Class The message at the heart of President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night centered on lifting up the economy and challenging members of Congress to work with him to help improve the lives of middle class Americans.

	Feb. 13, 2013 Members of Congress React to President Obama's Bipartisan Pitch President Barack Obama's State of the Union, which called for bipartisanship in Congress on a swath of issues -- from economic policy to gun control and immigration reform -- didn't fall onto deaf ears.

	Feb. 12, 2013 Hanging Out With the NewsHour: State of the Union Reactions Politics editor Christina Bellantoni gets reaction to President Obama's yearly address by talking with voters, journalists and a Tufts University historian in a Google+ Hangout after the State of the Union.

	Feb. 12, 2013 State of the Union: President Obama Proposes Smarter, Not Bigger, Government President Obama gave his fourth State of the Union address, focusing on the economy and proposals to boost economic performance without adding to the deficit. The president also touched on climate change and renewable energy, raising the minimum wage, education and job training, immigration reform, Afghanistan and gun control.

	Feb. 12, 2013 Shields and Brooks: Using SOTU to Set Agenda, Tackle 'New Budget Reality' Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks discuss with Judy Woodruff what they're looking for in President Obama's first State of the Union address of his second term, the current political and economic realities and whether State of the Union speeches really matter.

	Feb. 12, 2013 White House Press Secretary Jay Carney Offers State of the Union Preview Judy Woodruff gets a preview of President Obama's first State of the Union of his second term from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, who offers a sense of what Americans can expect from the speech, as well as the president's reactions to critics.

	Feb. 12, 2013 What Flew and What Flopped Among Obama's 2012 SOTU Proposals? President Obama put forth a set of liberal policy items focused on economic innovation and restoring the American economy in his 2012 State of the Union speech, ushering in an election year when economic health seemed preeminent in the minds of voters.

	Feb. 12, 2013 Join Us for a State of the Union Google Hangout Before President Obama makes his State of the Union address tonight, join PBS NewsHour for a Google Hangout hosted by politics editor Christina Bellantoni.

	Feb. 12, 2013 Behind Every President, There is a Speechwriter Cabinet Secretaries prowling the halls for clues, White House staffers crafting secret policy -- it sounds straight out of the TV drama "The West Wing." But it's non-fiction, and has taken place in the run up to previous presidents' State of the Union speeches.

	Feb. 12, 2013 Obama to Focus on Economy in State of the Union Address President Obama will deliver his fourth State of the Union address Tuesday evening, laying out the policy pieces to fill in the sweeping vision he put forward at his second inauguration a little more than three weeks ago.

	Feb. 11, 2013 Novel Examines What It Takes to Protect a President From Assassination What's it like to protect the president in the modern age? Novelist Brad Meltzer explores this topic in his new book, "The Fifth Assassin." Meltzer talks with Jeffrey Brown about researching presidential assassins, writing thrillers, the advice he received from a former president and perspective from the Secret Service.

	Feb. 11, 2013 Obama Weighs Use of Executive Authority, Set for State of the Union President Obama is prepared to exert executive authority on a host of issues, from strengthening protections for gays, to toughening regulations as part of an energy platform and to helping homeowners with refinancing mortgages.

	Feb. 8, 2013 White House, Cabinet Split on What to Do About Civil War in Syria Should the U.S. arm Syrian rebels? Ray Suarez examines a growing rift between the White House and members of the president's Cabinet over what should be done about the Syrian conflict with Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Vali Nasr of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

	Feb. 7, 2013 Brennan to Face Tough Questions on Drones Memo With the nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA potentially in jeopardy, President Obama reversed course Wednesday, directing the Justice Department to the two congressional intelligence committees access to classified memos about targeted overseas killings of American citizens suspected of being terrorists.

	Feb. 6, 2013 Cabinet Shuffle: Obama Taps REI Executive Sally Jewell for Interior Secretary President Obama named Recreational Equipment Inc. executive Sally Jewell to replace Ken Salazar as Secretary of the Interior. Gwen Ifill talks to National Journal's Coral Davenport, Greg Ip of The Economist and Julie Rovner from NPR about the appointment and remaining Cabinet vacancies at the start of the president's new term.

	Feb. 6, 2013 News Wrap: French Troops Battle Remaining Islamists in Mali In other news Tuesday, French ground forces have retaken key cities in Mali after battling Islamic rebels, though insurgents remain in the countryside. Also, heavy fighting broke out in Damascas as the Syrian civil war raged on.

	Feb. 6, 2013 Obama Pressures Republicans to Prevent Sequester President Obama is challenging congressional Republicans to accept higher taxes in a renewed effort to stave off sequester cuts expected March 1.

	Feb. 5, 2013 President Obama Tackles Tough Issues Through Campaign-Style Stumping President Obama has been using campaign-style events to push his legislative agenda, including a recent trip to Minnesota, where he spoke about increasing gun control. Ray Suarez discusses the president's tactic with Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Christi Parsons, syndicated White House correspondent.

	Feb. 4, 2013 Obama Goes on the Road to Push for Gun Legislation For the first time since unveiling his sweeping plan to reduce gun violence last month, President Obama will hit the road Monday in support of his proposal, looking to build up public opinion behind the measure as a way of bolstering its prospects on Capitol Hill.



	JANUARY Jan. 31, 2013 Obama Keeps Up Pressure for Gun Laws, Immigration Reform As the push for expanded gun control moves forward, President Obama is urging for speedy deliberations on immigration reform legislation and warning he'll get more involved if there is a lag.

	Jan. 29, 2013 Obama Says 'Now Is the Time' for Comprensive Immigration Reform At a high school in Las Vegas, President Obama outlined his vision for comprehensive immigration reform, insisting that "now is the time" for action while embracing a bipartisan plan detailed by the so-called "Gang of Eight" senators.

	Jan. 25, 2013 News Wrap: Obama Chooses Foreign Policy Adviser for New Chief of Staff In other news Friday, President Obama selected his foreign policy advisor Denis McDonough to replace Jack Lew as White House chief of staff. Meanwhile the Defense Department began eliminating 46,000 Pentagon jobs held by temporary civilian workers, in response to mandatory spending cuts expected to take effect March 1.

	Jan. 24, 2013 News Wrap: Obama Announces Two Nominations for Heads of Regulatory Agencies In other news Thursday, President Obama nominated former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Also, the U.S. Senate agreed to limit the use of filibusters, including restricting time spent debating bills and nominations.

	Jan. 23, 2013 Conversation: Brad Meltzer, Author of 'The Fifth Assassin' Brad Meltzer spent much of the last four years researching for his thriller "The Fifth Assassin" and learned about much of what the government does to protect us against attacks, including the role of the Secret Service. He sat down recently to discuss his work.

	Jan. 23, 2013 Boehner Gets Conservative Support for Debt Ceiling Plan House Republicans will move forward with a vote Wednesday on a plan that would suspend enforcement of the country's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit until May 18, pushing off what likely would have been a bruising fight in the next couple of weeks with potentially harmful consequences for the economic recovery.

	Jan. 22, 2013 How Will Obama Address Economy, Equality and Partisanship in Second Term? In his inaugural address, President Obama laid his plans for the next four years, including more attention to global warming and equal rights for gay Americans. Jeffrey Brown and guests discuss the tone and content of Obama's address and what they hope the president will do over the next four years.

	Jan. 22, 2013 Inauguration Over, President Obama Launches Second Term Progressive Agenda President Obama began the first day of his second term bright and early with an interfaith prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where the themes of his inaugural address still resonated. Gwen Ifill recaps how GOP lawmakers and superPACs have responded to the president's tone-setting remarks.

	Jan. 22, 2013 Covering History: College Journalists Take on the Inauguration To cover the 57th presidential inauguration, NewsHour hosted 15 student journalists from college and graduate journalism programs across the country. They spent three days interviewing everyone and anyone, attending the Inaugural Ball and a Yoga Ball and trying not to drool over half-smokes at Ben's Chili Bowl.

	Jan. 22, 2013 Obama Outlines Incomplete 'Journey' in Sweeping Start to Second Term President Obama took a place in history Monday as the second commander in chief to take the oath of office four times, and his inaugural address was a forceful defense of the role of government in solving problems.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Historical Views on the Inauguration, a 'Holy Day in Our Civic Religion' How do we compare President Obama's latest inaugural address to those of presidents past? Jeffrey Brown talks to historians Richard Norton Smith of George Mason University, Annette Gordon-Reed of Harvard University and Beverly Gage of Yale University about the 57th Presidential Inauguration and the echoes found in U.S. history.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Larger Than Expected Inauguration Crowd Shares Joy, Future Hopes Ray Suarez reports on the sights, sounds and crowds on the National Mall, where hundreds of thousands of people traveled from around the country and the world to witness the 57th presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.

	Jan. 21, 2013 'We Are Made for This Moment': Obama's Address Stressed Equality, Fairness In his second inaugural address, delivered on the holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr., President Barack Obama stressed themes of equality and fairness. Jeffrey Brown and Gwen Ifill recap the festivities, the musical celebrations and the other ceremonial traditions kicking off the president's second term.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Merchandising the Inauguration A large part of celebrating the inauguration of a president is buying souvenirs. The second inauguration of President Obama was different as vendors lined the streets of downtown Washington, D.C., hoping to make a sale.

	Jan. 21, 2013 The 2013 Presidential Inauguration Parade With President Obama already having completed his traveling of the parade route, he sat within the reviewing stand at the White House and watched as the rest of the parade marched on by. Here is a 15-minute portion of the inaugural parade.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Inauguration 2013 Highlights President Obama is sworn into a second term in office on Jan. 21, 2013. View highlights of the inaugural festivities.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Beyonce Performs the National Anthem at President Obama's Inauguration Beyonce Knowles sings the national anthem at President Obama's second inaugural ceremonies held on the west front of the U.S. Capitol on Inauguration Day.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Poet Richard Blanco Reads During Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies Poet Richard Blanco is the first Hispanic and openly gay man to read the inaugural poem during a presidential inauguration. Like President Obama in his inaugural address, Blanco used poetry to emphasize the unity of the nation, the diversity of America's people and the hard work that is part of the American ethic.

	Jan. 21, 2013 President Obama: 'Our Journey Is Not Complete' In his second inaugural address, President Obama spoke of an ever changing America. He weaved in references from Abraham Lincoln and the Declaration of Independence to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and throughout the speech, the president emphasized how the strength of America came from collaborating and working together.

	Jan. 21, 2013 PBS NewsHour Inauguration 2013 Special In this PBS NewsHour Inauguration 2013 special, correspondents Gwen Ifill and Jeff Brown cover the full second inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama. We then provide analysis of the day's events with guests Mark Shields, David Brooks, Annette Gordon Reed, Richard Norton Smith and Beverly Gage.

	Jan. 21, 2013 Obama Looks to Bridge Political Divide With Second Inaugural Nearly one day into the official start of his second term, President Obama Monday will stand again before the nation to deliver a sweeping overview of how he hopes the next four years will play out.

	Jan. 20, 2013 Voices from the National Mall Photographer Patrick Record documents voices of people gathering in Washington days before the inauguration.

	Jan. 18, 2013 Inauguration Poet Richard Blanco Hopes to Offer Words of Unity, Belonging Jeffrey Brown talks with Richard Blanco, the poet chosen to read at President Obama's second swearing-in, about what it means to be a part of the festivities. Blanco, a Spanish born Cuban-American, is the first Latino, openly gay, as well as the youngest poet to ever at a presidential inauguration.

	Jan. 18, 2013 Putting Finishing Touches on Preparations for Obama's Second Inauguration Massive preparations for the 2013 Inauguration of President Barack Obama have been underway for months. From the roar of the military band, to the official Inauguration balls, to security at the swearing-in, Ray Suarez explores what the president's second inaugural ceremonies will look like.

	Jan. 18, 2013 Friday on the NewsHour: Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco More of Jeffrey Brown's conversation with Richard Blanco, who will read a poem at the second inauguration of President Obama.

	Jan. 18, 2013 Insider Tour of the Capitol's Crypt with Sen. Chuck Schumer Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Affairs takes NewsHour behind-the-scenes to see the U.S. Capitol's crypt, the last location President Obama will enter Jan. 21 before going outside to address the nation during the 2013 inauguration ceremonies.

	Jan. 18, 2013 From Carter to Obama: Covering Inaugural Addresses with The NewsHour When it comes to inaugurals, the circumstances often outweigh the event. The weather is cold, the incoming presidents and their families all seem to have mastered the same genteel wave and the speeches are largely ceremonial. Here's a review of NewsHour's coverage of presidential inaugurations from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama.

	Jan. 18, 2013 Obama's Approval Ratings Rise, Campaign to Reform as Advocacy Group President Obama will begin the final weekend of his first term with support among Americans at its highest levels since he took office in 2009, but voters have high expectations for what he can deliver in a second.

	Jan. 17, 2013 Obama's Strategy on Guns: Less Compromise, More Confrontation Still three days from the start of his second term, President Obama on Wednesday unveiled his comprehensive plan to address gun violence, making clear that his strategy for pushing his legislative agenda would involve a little less compromise and a little more confrontation.

	Jan. 16, 2013 President Obama Unveils Ambitious 23-Point Gun Control Plan At a White House news conference, President Obama unveiled a series of executive actions meant to prevent gun violence, including proposed bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Ray Suarez reports on the set of far-ranging initiatives, which also touch on mental health, health care reform and the ATF.

	Jan. 16, 2013 President Obama's Gun Violence Executive Actions On Wednesday, President Obama signed a series of 23 executive actions aimed at stopping what he called, "the epidemic of gun violence in this country." Find that a list of those executive actions here.

	Jan. 16, 2013 Never 'Misunderestimate' Word Power of the Presidency With the second inauguration of President Obama next Monday, we thought we'd take a different look at the American presidency. We often think of the White House as a seat of power in the country and in the world, but we don't usually think of it as a seat of words and language.

	Jan. 16, 2013 The Architect of the Capitol on Prepping the 'Nation's Stage' for Inauguration Get a behind-the-scenes look at the planning for the inaugural ceremonies with the man pulling the strings, the 11th Architect of the U.S. Capitol, Stephen Ayers.

	Jan. 16, 2013 President Outlines Executive Actions for Gun Control President Obama announced today his intention to use executive action to promote the most stringent regulation of guns since the Federal Assault Weapons Ban was signed into law in 1994. Standing on stage with Vice President Biden, the president sounded resolute as he ticked off the recommendations of the gun violence task force.

	Jan. 16, 2013 Obama Set to Announce 'Comprehensive' Gun Control Agenda President Obama on Wednesday will lay down his blueprint for a mix of executive and legislative action to curb gun violence, the opening elements of a debate expected to dominate conversation in Washington.

	Jan. 15, 2013 White House Gun Proposals Expected This Week President Obama is set to receive Tuesday a list of recommendations from Vice President Biden detailing possible ways to reduce gun violence and within days is expected to go public with a comprehensive plan that contains legislative elements as well as executive action.

	Jan. 14, 2013 Deep Divisions Persist in Fight Over Debt Ceiling President Obama's next clash with Congress over spending and the debt may be one month away, but the administration is already setting parameters for the conversation that signal any agreement would be difficult to achieve.

	Jan. 10, 2013 Obama's Inauguration Tick-Tock and NewsHour Viewing Guide In a couple of weeks, President Obama will be sworn into office for a second term twice: privately at the White House on Jan. 20, and at a public ceremony at the Capitol the following day.

	Jan. 10, 2013 Obama Continues Cabinet Reshuffle, Taps Lew for Treasury As budget director, Jack Lew served as one of the Obama administration's key negotiators during the fight over raising the debt ceiling in 2011. As chief of staff, he helped broker an agreement to avert the fiscal cliff. And with a series of fiscal hurdles ahead, President Obama has chosen Lew to head the Treasury Department.

	Jan. 8, 2013 Hagel Nomination to Face GOP Challenge Republicans are certain to explore former Sen. Chuck Hagel's past statements about Israel and his votes against imposing unilateral sanctions on Iran when he comes before the committee for his nomination hearing.

	Jan. 7, 2013 Obama Set to Name Hagel, Brennan to Top Positions On Monday, Mr. Obama will nominate Vietnam War veteran and former GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska to serve as secretary of defense and counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to serve as CIA director.