Related Content: Nia-Malika Henderson

September 28, 2012

Weekly Show

Special Washington Week from St. Louis, Missouri: With 40 days to go before the election, can Mitt Romney regain lost ground in a half dozen battleground states? Does early voting have an impact on the election? Also, we preview the upcoming debates. Joining Gwen:  Jeff Zeleny, New York Times; Nia-Malika Henderson, Washington Post; Jim Tankersley, National Journal; and Charles Babington, Associated Press.

 

Nia-Malika Henderson

Panelist Bios

Nia-Malika Henderson is a national political reporter for The Washington Post. She has covered the 2012 presidential campaign, the 2010 mid-term elections and also anchored The Post's widely read Election 2012 blog, covering breaking news stories and writing political analysis.

Romney Campaign Begins Quiet Push for African American Voters

Essential Reads

Mitt Romney’s campaign team has been quietly laying plans for an outreach effort to President Obama’s most loyal supporters — black voters — not just to chip away at the huge Democratic margins but also as a way to reassure independent swing voters that Romney can be inclusive and tolerant in his thinking and approach.

Rick Santorum to Drop Out of the Presidential Race

On The Radar

Rick Santorum announced Tuesday that he is suspending his presidential campaign, all but bringing to a close the 2012 GOP presidential contest and effectively handing the nomination to Mitt Romney. “We made a decision over the weekend that, while this presidential race for us is over — for me — and we will suspend our campaign effective today, we are not done fighting,” Santorum said at a campaign event in Gettysburg, Pa., the site of the historic and pivotal Civil War battle.

Why Ron Paul Draws Big Crowds but Fails to Catch on

On The Radar

At first glance, Benjamin Stolz would appear to be the perfect prize for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. Stolz, a freshman at the University of Maryland, agrees wholeheartedly with Paul on a range of issues — from seeing foreign intervention as too costly to agreeing that government spending should be cut. Stolz, an enthusiastic 18-year-old who has never voted, also admires Paul’s frankness and the Texas congressman’s ability to draw diverse crowds.

Newt Gingrich Scales Back Campaign

On The Radar

Newt Gingrich, who once led the Republican presidential field only to see his standing diminished after a string of losses, will reduce his campaign schedule and lay off a third of his staff in a strategy shift that underscores his fading chances of claiming the party’s nomination. The former House speaker has already replaced his top aide, Michael Krull, with Vince Haley, who had been deputy campaign manager and a policy adviser.

Santorum’s Blunt Talk is Proving Troublesome

On The Radar

In getting this far, Rick Santorum has achieved what no one — with the possible exception of himself — would have thought was possible four months ago. But the very qualities that made him a contender are turning into problems, as he is more frequently being tripped up by saying what is on his mind and by sometimes-errant tactical instincts.
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Deep South Primaries Offer Little Hope for Romney, Opportunity for Santorum

On The Radar

For Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, the Deep South primaries in Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday will be a race for conservative primacy in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination. Unless one of them decisively puts the other away, however, Mitt Romney could be the big winner no matter where he finishes.
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February 10, 2012

Weekly Show

President Barack Obama modified a controversial mandate on birth control access. But could there be lingering political fallout? Plus, did Rick Santorum’s big wins this week change the GOP presidential race? And a decision on California’s same-sex marriage ban. Joining Gwen: Pete Williams, NBC News; John Dickerson, Slate & CBS News; Nia-Malika Henderson, The Washington Post; Beth Reinhard, National Journal.

Rick Santorum’s Strategy of Focusing on Low-Key Races Paid Off

On The Radar

Rick Santorum and his supporters moved quickly Wednesday to raise money and redirect their efforts after a surprising Tuesday sweep of three contests again put the former senator from Pennsylvania in position to contend for the Republican nomination. Santorum held a fundraiser in Texas on Wednesday and plans to do the same in Oklahoma on Thursday. His campaign reported raising a quarter of a million dollars after his victories in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado.