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• Obama focusing on job creation in Baltimore visit

  May 17, 2013 8:36 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is leaving behind scandal-focused Washington to focus on the country's slowly improving jobs picture. Obama is to fly by helicopter Friday about 40 miles north to Baltimore, which has had its share of tough times in the move from an industrial to service economy.... more »

• Obama nominating Kerry for secretary of state

  December 21, 2012 11:13 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Friday will nominate Sen. John Kerry as his next secretary of state, a senior administration official said, making the first move in a sweeping overhaul of his national security team heading into a second term. If confirmed, Kerry would take the helm at... more »

• Obama's Labor Day: Politics, presence in the Gulf

  September 3, 2012 4:54 AM

  TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Barreling through the presidential campaign's competitive states, President Barack Obama will detour deep in the South on Labor Day, long enough to offer a presence and promises of help to those flooded out by Hurricane Isaac. Obama will mix politics and presidential empathy on a holiday... more »

• Jindal sent to Ohio, Pennsylvania to rebut Obama

  July 5, 2012 9:16 AM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - To offer a rebuttal to President Barack Obama, Republicans are dispatching Gov. Bobby Jindal to some of the same towns Obama is touring in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Jindal is a potential vice presidential nominee for Republican Mitt Romney. Obama is departing Thursday on a two-day... more »

• Obama to celebrate July Fourth at White House

  July 4, 2012 9:49 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will be celebrating the nation's 236th birthday Wednesday at the White House. The president returns from Camp David in the morning. He will deliver remarks at a naturalization ceremony for active-duty service members in the East Room. In the evening, the president and the... more »

• Obama seeks to undercut Romney's record on jobs

  May 14, 2012 6:52 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is casting Mitt Romney as a greedy, job-killing corporate titan with little concern for the working class in a new, multi-pronged effort that seeks to undermine the central rationale for his Republican rival's candidacy: his business credentials. At the center of the push -... more »

• Romney: Obama wrongly content with US job growth

  March 12, 2012 10:57 AM

  MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Mitt Romney is telling Alabama voters that President Barack Obama wrongly thinks the country is doing better because of recent job increases. Romney told a rain-soaked crowd in Mobile on Monday that Obama should talk to the millions of people who remain unemployed or have stopped... more »

• Obama to Announce New Housing Initiatives

  March 6, 2012 8:44 AM

  A senior administration official says President Barack Obama will announce housing initiatives to help members of the military as well as homeowners with mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. Obama will spell out the housing efforts during a news conference today. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to... more »

• Obama promoting steps to boost US trade

  February 17, 2012 8:58 AM

  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - President Barack Obama is outlining new steps to boost U.S. exports during a visit to a Boeing assembly plant in Washington state, calling on Congress to continue financing a national export credit agency crucial to a goal of doubling exports by 2014. Obama was touring the... more »

• Obama plays up auto industry success story

  January 31, 2012 6:29 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama wears his decision to rescue General Motors and Chrysler three years ago as a badge of honor, a move to save jobs in an industry that helped create the backbone of the middle class more than a half-century ago. For Obama, the auto bailout... more »

• Obama turns attention to energy in key states

  January 26, 2012 9:52 AM

  LAS VEGAS (AP) - President Barack Obama is announcing the sale of oil and gas drilling leases for nearly 38 million acres in the Gulf Coast and promoting the completion of a highway corridor for vehicles that run on liquefied natural gas, a response to critics who say his policies... more »

• Obama calls Saban to congratulate on championship

  January 13, 2012 10:16 AM

  TUCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Alabama coach Nick Saban got a call from the Commander in Chief to congratulate him on the Crimson Tide's win at the BCS Championship in New Orleans. White House officials say President Barack Obama phone Saban on Thursday to talk about the Jan. 9 victory over... more »

• Romney Dismisses $10K Debate Bet, Criticizes Obama

  December 12, 2011 11:51 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Mitt Romney is dismissing his offer to make a $10,000 bet with Rick Perry as merely "an outrageous number to answer an outrageous charge" - namely, Perry's claim that Romney made changes to parts of his book. Romney said Monday he made the offer in the... more »

• Obama to outline plan overriding education law

  September 22, 2011 10:42 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - States are getting new guidance from President Barack Obama about how they can get around provisions in the No Child Left Behind law. It's a step the administration has undertaken that effectively guts the Bush-era law since Congress had been slow to rewrite it. Education Secretary Arne... more »

• Obama: No short cut to peace in Middle East

  September 21, 2011 10:41 AM

  UNITED NATIONS (AP) - President Barack Obama declared Wednesday that there could be no short cut to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, as he sought to head off a looming diplomatic crisis for the Middle East and U.S. policy there. "Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at... more »

• Obama notes arrival of new, open policy on gays

  September 20, 2011 10:16 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is marking the end of the ban on gays serving in the military. He says the armed forces will no longer lose the skills and combat experience of so many gay and lesbian service members. At one minute past midnight EDT, a new law... more »

• Obama sending jobs bill to Congress Monday

  September 12, 2011 10:50 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is seeking to build public support for his $447 billion jobs plan before formally sending the bill to Congress Monday. The president will promote the jobs plan, which focuses on tax cuts and new spending, during an event in the Rose Garden Monday at... more »

• Obama Willing to Compromise with Republicans

  September 9, 2011 9:41 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Joe Biden says the Obama administration is willing to compromise with Republicans on a job-creation program if they come up with "a better idea." But Biden said on TV this morning that the administration is "not prepared to compromise in terms of doing nothing." House... more »

• Obama Turns to Selling Public on Jobs Plan

  September 9, 2011 8:46 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is getting out of Washington on Friday to rally public support for his newly unveiled jobs initiatives. The president planned to visit Richmond, Va., where he'll cast his jobs package as a bipartisan plan that will get Americans back to work quickly. The plan... more »

• Vitter Picks Saints over President's Speech

  September 8, 2011 11:49 PM

  President Barack Obama addressed the nation Thursday night with a speech on jobs and the economy. But not all lawmakers wanted to attend, and were even upset they had to miss out on another important event: the official start of NFL football. U.S. Senator David Vitter (R., La.) had... more »

• Obama to spend Labor Day at Detroit AFL-CIO rally

  September 5, 2011 10:01 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is celebrating Labor Day in Detroit, previewing his ideas for job creation and economic growth at a rally with thousands of supportive labor union members. Obama's speech at an annual event sponsored by the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO was serving as a dress rehearsal for... more »

• Obama releasing 30M barrels from US oil reserves

  June 23, 2011 10:16 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Wary of a new surge in gas prices, the Obama administration has decided to release 30 million barrels of oil from the country's emergency reserve as part of a broader international response to lost oil supplies caused by turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly... more »

• Obama, Germany's Merkel, trade partnership pledge

  June 7, 2011 10:50 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Opening a day focused on both policy and pomp, President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hailed the relationship between their nations as the cornerstone of efforts to promote peace and prosperity around the world. The president greeted Merkel as she arrived at the White House... more »

• Obama Expected to Name New Joint Chiefs Head

  May 30, 2011 8:07 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is expected to introduce Army Gen. Martin Dempsey as his choice to lead the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a Rose Garden announcement Monday. Dempsey is an accomplished veteran of the Iraq war. He would succeed Navy Adm. Mike Mullen as the president's top... more »

• Obscene Obama Message Visible from Sky, Google Earth

  May 27, 2011 8:04 PM

  Someone in St. Landry Parish disapproves of President Obama, and they made it known in a very big way. The political message could not only be seen from the skies of Acadiana but has now made it to the infamy of the internet. "I found it through Facebook, my... more »

• Obama Announces Steps to Speed US Oil Production

  May 14, 2011 2:08 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Facing continued public unhappiness over gas prices, President Barack Obama is directing his administration to ramp up U.S. oil production by extending existing leases in the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska's coast and holding more frequent lease sales in a federal petroleum reserve in Alaska. Obama... more »

• Obama Thanks Raid Participants and Troops...Recession Bypassed Big CEOs

  May 6, 2011 7:47 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama has a private meeting today with some of the participants in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Then he'll go public at Fort Campbell, Ky., to thank troops who have just come back for Afghanistan. In Indiana, he'll promote his energy... more »

• Obama wants to restore belief in American dream

  May 2, 2011 6:19 AM

  CHICAGO (AP) - Barack Obama says he wants to be the president who restores people's belief in the American dream. In an interview, Obama also expresses disappointment over sharp-edged Washington politics and his failure to soften it as he'd promised. He complains that life inside "the bubble" is depriving him... more »

• Bin Laden Died in House Near Pakistan's Capital

  May 2, 2011 1:44 AM

  ISLAMABAD (AP) - Osama bin Laden was holed up in a two-story house 100 yards from a Pakistani military academy when four helicopters carrying U.S. anti-terror forces swooped in the early morning hours of Monday and killed him. Flames rose Monday from the building that was the apparent target of... more »

• Obama's Speech on Osama's Death

  May 2, 2011 12:38 AM

  THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.... more »

• BREAKING NEWS: Source: Al-Qaida Head Bin Laden Dead

  May 1, 2011 11:10 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States, is dead, and the U.S. is in possession of his body, a person familiar with the situation said late Sunday. President Barack Obama was expected to address the nation on the developments Sunday... more »

• Obama releases birth form, decries 'silliness'

  April 27, 2011 10:11 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he's releasing his long-form birth certificate because the country doesn't have time for the "distraction" and "silliness" of questions being persistently raised about where he was born. The president spoke at the White House Wednesday after taking the unexpected step of releasing the... more »

• Obama Attends Easter Service at Historic Church

  April 24, 2011 2:19 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama and his family attended Easter service Sunday at a Washington church founded in 1863 by freed slaves. The first family entered Shiloh Baptist Church to a round of applause on a sun-splashed day in the nation's capital as members of a choir dressed in... more »

• New Judge in Threat Case Against President

  April 24, 2011 1:58 PM

  LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - A new judge has been assigned to sentence a man convicted of making death threats to President Barack Obama. Mikeal Minton has been given a May 20 sentencing date in Lake Charles before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi. The Advocate reported that Minton was scheduled to... more »

• Boustany on Agreement to Fund Government, Cut Spending

  April 9, 2011 10:30 AM

  "Avoiding a government shutdown was important for the sake of our troops and our national security, as well as our economic recovery," Boustany said. "At the same time, it was important to make fiscally responsible cuts in spending because of the massive debt. By dealing with the unfinished business left... more »

• 'Historic' deal to avoid government shutdown

  April 8, 2011 11:59 PM

  Perilously close to a government shutdown, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders forged an agreement late Friday night on a deal to cut about $38 billion in federal spending and avert the first closure in 15 years. Obama hailed the deal, a bit more than an hour before a... more »

• Obama re-election launches with e-mail, website

  April 4, 2011 6:57 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama formally launched his re-election campaign Monday, urging grass-roots supporters central to his first White House run to mobilize again to protect the change he's brought over the past two years. The official start of his second White House bid comes 20 months before the... more »

• White House: Expanding Safe and Responsible Oil Production While Investing in the Future

  March 11, 2011 3:51 PM

  The Obama Administration is working to increase the responsible and safe production of oil and gas in the United States to help consumers and support a comprehensive energy plan for the country. This builds on historic investments in clean energy and efficiency that will help to secure our long-term prosperity... more »

• Vitter on Terror Trials: WH Needs to be More Clear

  March 8, 2011 12:31 PM

  U.S. Sens. David Vitter made the following statement in reaction to news reports regarding President Obama's announcement that the "U.S. would resume the military tribunals for Guantanamo terrorists that he unilaterally suspended two years ago, and he may even begin referring new charges to military commissions within days or weeks."... more »

• Boustany Comments on Pres. Obama's Budget

  February 14, 2011 6:11 PM

  Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr., (R-Southwest Louisiana) today commented on the FY2012 Budget released by the White House. Boustany expressed his displeasure at the massive spending outlined in the budget and its lack of attention to Louisiana. "The President's budget emphasizes more of the same... more »

• Landry Responds to President's Budget

  February 14, 2011 3:24 PM

  WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Jeff Landry (Republican, New Iberia) released the following statement in response to President Obama's proposed 2012 budget submitted to Congress today: "Once again, the President has failed to listen to the American people. We cannot afford his reckless $3.8 trillion spending of our hard-earned money.... more »

• Obama Says White House, CEOs Must Work Together

  February 7, 2011 12:25 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama prodded American businesses to do their share to help the economy, calling on executives to "get in the game" and begin investing nearly $2 trillion accumulating on their balance sheets. The president, in a speech Monday to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, called for... more »

• Obama to Be Nation's Consoler at Memorial Service

  January 12, 2011 6:43 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is again stepping into his role as national consoler. He and first lady Michelle Obama are flying to Tucson, Ariz., on Wednesday to honor the victims of Saturday's mass shooting. The president is expected to speak of the victims in personal terms and remind... more »

• Obama to Name Sperling to Top Economic Post

  January 7, 2011 6:29 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will name Gene Sperling as director of the National Economic Council on Friday, a move that will place a veteran policy and political player in the White House to work with a divided Congress. The role gives Sperling broad oversight of the administration's economic... more »

• Obama Eases into Hawaiian Holiday

  December 26, 2010 12:17 PM

  HONOLULU (AP) - President Barack Obama eased into the first day of his Hawaiian vacation Thursday, opting for privacy over publicity after wrapping up a frenzied lame-duck legislative session. The president began with what's become a familiar routine during his trips to Hawaii - a morning workout at a gym... more »

• LA State Senator Reprimanded For Racist Obama E-mail

  December 14, 2010 5:24 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A Louisiana State Senate employee has been formally reprimanded and suspended for a month without pay because she sent an e-mail to hundreds of government workers showing President Barack Obama as white. Senate President Joel Chaisson announced the punishment Tuesday for Senate researcher Tammy Crain-Waldrop.... more »

• First Judge to Rule Against Health Care Reform

  December 13, 2010 12:24 PM

  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A federal judge in Virginia has declared the Obama administration's health care reform law unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson is the first judge to rule against the law, which has been upheld by two others in Virginia and Michigan. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli filed... more »

• Senator blocks Obama nominee over drilling halt

  December 9, 2010 10:10 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration won't be able to fill a key science position until it testifies about a decision to block areas of the eastern Gulf and Atlantic seaboard from new oil and gas drilling, a Republican senator said Thursday. Sen. David Vitter, R- La., said in a... more »

• House Democrats reject tax plan without changes

  December 9, 2010 4:50 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democrats voted Thursday to reject President Barack Obama's tax deal with Republicans in its current form, but it was unclear how significantly the package might need to be changed. By voice vote in a closed caucus meeting, Democrats passed a resolution saying the tax package should... more »

• National Urban League brings 2012 convention to NO

  December 3, 2010 9:27 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - National Urban League president Marc Morial says the group will hold its 2012 national conference in his hometown. Morial, a former mayor of New Orleans, says he expects the event to attract more than 10,000 visitors and have an economic impact of about $10 million. This... more »

• Obama: No Offshore Drilling in East Coast Waters

  December 1, 2010 12:23 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - In a reversal, the Obama administration says it will not pursue offshore drilling in East Coast waters, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico. A senior administration official said on Wednesday that because of the BP oil spill, the Interior Department will not propose any new oil drilling... more »

• For Obama, election politics no laughing matter

  October 27, 2010 9:52 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama apparently thinks politics is no laughing matter, even when he's staring down a comedian. Obama barely cracked any jokes during an appearance Wednesday on "The Daily Show" despite host Jon Stewart's attempts to draw out the president's humorous side with a few of his... more »

• Obama Signs Executive Order to Boost Hispanic Education Achievement

  October 19, 2010 3:42 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama signed an executive order Tuesday intended to boost Hispanic education achievement, a priority for a key voting bloc two weeks ahead of critical midterm elections. The measure is intended to widen the scope of a long-standing White House initiative on Latino education by... more »

• Obama Scheduled to Take Part in MTV/BET Produced Youth Town Hall Meeting

  October 5, 2010 6:20 PM

  NEW YORK (AP) - The MTV and BET networks say President Barack Obama is scheduled to take part in a youth town hall meeting broadcast from Washington on Oct. 14. MTV and BET are producing the program. The one-hour program will air live at 4 p.m. Eastern time. It also... more »

• Obama Administration not ready to lift moratorium

  September 30, 2010 6:13 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration on Thursday imposed new rules to make offshore drilling safer, but said it was not yet ready to lift a temporary ban on deepwater drilling. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called offshore drilling inherently risky and said, "We will only lift the moratorium when I,... more »

• Obama endorses using fines for Gulf rehabilitation

  September 28, 2010 9:38 PM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - President Barack Obama endorsed a plan Tuesday to rehabilitate the Gulf of Mexico with some of the billions of dollars in water pollution fines expected from the companies responsible for the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, the government's point person... more »

• Obama: Money Alone Can't Help Schools

  September 27, 2010 8:42 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Monday called for a longer school year for students and the removal of the worst-performing teachers as he sought to give a prominent boost to his education agenda. Asked in an interview if he supported a year-round school year, Obama said: "The idea... more »

• Obama to Award Medal of Honor

  September 21, 2010 8:26 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - An airman killed in Laos in 1968 will be honored Tuesday with the nation's highest military award for valor. President Barack Obama was to award the Medal of Honor to Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, whose sons planned to attend the White House ceremony. Etchberger, a native... more »

• First Lady Michelle Obama Kicks off "Let's Move"

  September 8, 2010 11:28 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - First lady Michelle Obama kicks off the next phase of "Let's Move!" - her initiative to reduce childhood obesity - at a Slidell elementary school. Mrs. Obama told students at Brock Elementary on Wednesday that the new phase will focus on improving nutrition and physical fitness.... more »

• First Lady to Visit NOLA Wednesday

  September 7, 2010 9:56 AM

  Wednesday, September 8th-Mrs. Obama will travel to the New Orleans community for a morning event at Brock Elementary School in Slidell, Louisiana, focusing on the next phase of the Let's Move! campaign. She will highlight steps schools and communities can take to combat childhood obesity and salute participants in the... more »

• Obama: US combat in Iraq over, 'time to turn page'

  August 31, 2010 9:57 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Claiming no victory, President Barack Obama formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly Tuesday night: "It's time to turn the page." Now, he said, the nation's most urgent priority is fixing its own sickly economy. From the Oval... more »

• Obama Set to Commemorate Katrina Anniversary

  August 29, 2010 12:43 PM

  VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama is aiming to underscore his commitment to a region weary of calamity as he travels to New Orleans on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Obama ends his Martha's Vineyard vacation Sunday and heads to the Gulf, five years to the day... more »

• Obama: Iraq War is Ending, Baghdad to Chart Future

  August 28, 2010 4:10 PM

  VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama said the withdrawal ofD THUNDERSTORMS. ps from Iraq means "the war is ending" and Baghdad is in position "to chart its own course." Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to highlight Tuesday's formal end to U.S. combat missions in... more »

• Obama Headed to Gulf Coast

  August 27, 2010 2:57 PM

  VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama will head to New Orleans following his Marthas' Vineyard vacation to reaffirm his commitment to the Gulf Coast. He'll arrive Sunday, five years to the day from when Hurricane Katrina raged ashore. The storm flooded 80 percent of the city, killing more... more »

• Polls Show Obama Losing Independents

  August 15, 2010 11:10 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Independents who embraced President Barack Obama's call for change in 2008 are ready for a shift again, and that's worrisome news for Democrats. Only 32 percent of those citing no allegiance to either major party say they want Democrats to keep control of Congress in this November's... more »

• Obama Says Gulf Coast' Open for Business

  August 14, 2010 10:51 PM

  PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - President Barack Obama has declared Gulf Coast beaches clean, safe and open for business as he brought his family to the Florida Panhandle and promised residents that the government wouldn't forget them once efforts to stop the leak are finished. White House spokesman Bill... more »

• Obama giving personal assurances of Gulf's safety

  August 14, 2010 10:54 AM

  PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) President Barack Obama is offering his personal assurance that the Gulf region is a safe, clean vacation destination despite the oil spill. Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha are on the second day of a weekend family vacation in the Florida Panhandle. Obama... more »

• Obama: Oil stopped, but Gulf job far from done

  August 14, 2010 10:54 AM

  PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) President Barack Obama says the oil may have stopped flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, but the government's job in tackling the environmental disaster is far from done. Obama brought his family to the Florida Panhandle for the weekend and met with local officials and... more »

• Obama backs mosque near ground zero

  August 13, 2010 10:13 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Friday forcefully endorsed allowing a mosque near ground zero, saying the country's founding principles demanded no less. "As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," Obama said,... more »

• Obama looks to boost Gulf tourism with family trip

  August 13, 2010 9:18 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is heeding his own advice to American vacationers, taking his family to the Gulf Coast this weekend to help the sagging tourism industry. The president will arrive Saturday and spend just over 24 hours in the Panama City, Fla., area, a quick jaunt in... more »

• Obama Gulf trip part vacation, part sales pitch

  August 13, 2010 1:58 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama is taking his family to the Florida Panhandle this weekend. The trip is billed as part family vacation, part presidential sales pitch, as Obama looks to boost the region's sagging tourism industry in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The... more »

• Obama To Travel to NOLA for 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

  August 13, 2010 12:18 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans on Aug. 29. The White House says Obama will speak at Xavier University. Other administration officials who have worked on Katrina recovery efforts will also be in the region to mark the anniversary.... more »

• Lt. Governor extends local invite to President Obama

  August 12, 2010 7:27 PM

  The Shrimp and Petroleum Festival is coming-up Labor Day weekend. Among the new attractions, organizers are trying to construct the world's largest poboy- but that may be overshadowed by a visit from President Obama. It's all speculation at this time- Lt. Governor Scott Angelle extended the invite to his coworker... more »

• Obama's ex-social secretary named publishing CEO

  August 10, 2010 9:19 PM

  CHICAGO (AP) - Former White House social secretary Desiree Rogers, who resigned after an uninvited couple crashed a state dinner, was named Tuesday as chief executive officer at Johnson Publishing Company Inc. The Chicago-based company, which publishes Ebony and Jet magazines, is the largest black-owned and -operated publisher. Rogers, 51,... more »

• Louisiana Seafood Leaders Plan Meeting with Obama

  August 9, 2010 9:18 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Hoping to bolster confidence nationwide in the safety of Louisiana seafood, some industry representatives have headed for Washington. Harlon Pearce, a seafood processor and the chairman of the state's seafood promotion board, led a delegation to the nation's capital on Sunday. Pearce says that on Monday,... more »

• Obama Playing Host to Super Bowl Champs

  August 9, 2010 9:11 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama welcomes the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints to the White House on Monday. The Saints will hold a football clinic with Washington-area children before the event with Obama. After their White House meeting, the Saints players will visit wounded troops and their families... more »

• Investigation Into How Obama Administration Came Up With Recommendation For Moratorium

  July 26, 2010 1:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. Interior Department's inspector general is conducting an investigation into how the Obama administration came up with its recommendation for a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf. Acting Inspector General Mary Kendall sent a letter to two of the seven congressmen who requested the... more »

• Obama Apologized to Official Shirley Sherrod

  July 22, 2010 3:05 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Thursday apologized to former federal official Shirley Sherrod over her ouster in the midst of a racially tinged firestorm that ensnared the White House, Agriculture Department, NAACP and a blogger. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president expressed his regret, and told... more »

• LOGA Messages

  July 21, 2010 6:42 PM

  Both local and national news media were covering the Rally for Economic Survival. But, as they recorded Governor Jindal, Sammy Kershaw, and other celebrities and politicians, one camera was set up specifically for the "average man and woman." The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association is documenting 30 second to... more »

• Perfect Storm Brewing for La. Economy

  July 19, 2010 7:04 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - In the blink of an eye, the economic focus in Louisiana has shifted from recession recovery to avoiding actual and potential job losses piling up at a staggering rate. And there's very little that the state can do: The tally is due to the Obama administration... more »

• First Lady Michelle Obama Returning to the Gulf Region

  July 16, 2010 3:56 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - First lady Michelle Obama is returning to the Gulf region next week to meet with Coast Guard personnel in Mississippi who have been responding to the massive oil spill. Mrs. Obama will also christen a Coast Guard cutter named in honor of Dorothy C. Stratton, the Coast... more »

• Obama Coming Back To The Gulf Region

  July 13, 2010 4:15 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says President Barack Obama plans to visit the Gulf region again soon as efforts to contain a devastating oil spill continue. Obama's press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said Obama will make the trip "in the not too distant future." The president has made four visits... more »

• Obama Administration Will Issue New Revised Moratorium

  July 12, 2010 3:12 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration will issue a new revised moratorium on offshore drilling Monday, two administration officials told The Associated Press. Both officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly ahead of the official announcement. Last week, a federal appeals court rejected the government's effort... more »

• Michelle Obama To Visit Gulf Coast

  July 7, 2010 2:27 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - First lady Michelle Obama plans to visit the Gulf oil spill region in the coming weeks. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that the first lady will travel to the Gulf soon. He did not release the exact date. Mrs. Obama's visit would follow President... more »

• Obama, McChrystal finish Oval Office meeting

  June 23, 2010 11:21 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Afghanistan war commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal met privately with President Barack Obama at the White House Wednesday and then departed ahead of a scheduled war strategy session. There was no immediate word on whether Obama would fire him for his inflammatory remarks in a magazine interview. Officials... more »

• Obama to Announce Health Insurance Benefits

  June 21, 2010 8:47 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is set to announce new health insurance benefits for consumers to mark the first 90 days since he signed landmark legislation to expand coverage. The White House says the announcement Tuesday will follow a private meeting between administration officials, several state insurance commissioners and... more »

• Obama will outline his specific plans prime-time tonight

  June 15, 2010 11:44 AM

  PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - President Barack Obama is poised to seize the handling of oil spill damage claims from BP, his chief spokesman said Tuesday, as Obama sought to reassure people he's up to the enormous challenge of helping them recover from the environmental disaster. He will outline his specific... more »

• Obama set out on a three-state tour of the oil-tainted Gulf Coast

  June 14, 2010 12:31 PM

  GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) - As President Barack Obama set out on a three-state tour of the oil-tainted Gulf Coast Monday, the White House said BP appears willing to set up the kind of independent victims' compensation fund that the president is demanding. Obama spokesman Bill Burton, speaking to reporters traveling... more »

• Obama to Campaign This Fall

  June 13, 2010 5:16 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's chief political adviser says the president will be out on the campaign trail for Democratic candidates in the fall elections. Adviser David Axelrod says he believes Obama is the party's greatest political asset. But Axelrod also says he doesn't know if everyone shares that... more »

• Obama Plans Speech, Victims Fund for Gulf

  June 13, 2010 3:31 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama demanded that BP set up a compensation fund for the oil-tainted Gulf Coast and prepared for his first Oval Office address to the nation as he tried to get a handle on the environmental disaster threatening to overwhelm his administration. White House officials announced... more »

• Obama Meets With Family Members of Those Who Lost Their Lives In Rig Explosion

  June 10, 2010 5:45 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Family members of the 11 men killed in the Gulf oil rig explosion say they're satisfied President Barack Obama and lawmakers will help them get just compensation for their loss. Widows, parents and other relatives spoke at a news conference Thursday with senators who want to change... more »

• Obama Returning To The Gulf Coast For An Update

  June 8, 2010 5:41 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is returning to the Gulf Coast for an update on the BP oil spill. The White House says Obama travel next Monday and Tuesday to Mississippi, Alabama and Florida - three states whose shores and economies are being affected by the worst environmental disaster... more »

• Obama Visits Grand Isle

  June 4, 2010 3:08 PM

  KENNER, La. (AP) - Stormy skies greeted President Barack Obama as he arrived at the Gulf of Mexico Friday to encourage residents and get a fresh look at the horrifying oil spill that is testing his presidency. Obama immediately huddled in a small airport building with Coast Guard Adm. Thad... more »

• Laura Bush Sidesteps Obama Criticism on Oil Spill

  June 4, 2010 9:13 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Former first lady Laura Bush says she doesn't think President Barack Obama should be faulted for the continuing oil spill crisis in the Gulf Coast area. Interviewed on "Good Morning America," Mrs. Bush said: "I think they're doing everything they can." She said it cannot be one... more »

• Obama Talks to Larry King About Oil Spill

  June 3, 2010 5:31 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he's "furious" about the situation in the Gulf of Mexico, and he says BP hasn't moved fast enough to respond to the massive oil spill there. The president said in excerpts of an interview for broadcast Thursday on CNN's "Larry King Live" that... more »

• Obama Presses Congress

  June 2, 2010 9:13 PM

  PITTSBURGH (AP) - President Barack Obama pressed Congress to scrap billions in oil company tax breaks and pass legislation to help the nation kick a dangerous "fossil fuel addiction" Wednesday, trying to channel disgust over the worsening oil disaster into a force for clean energy. Seeking opportunity in a crisis,... more »

• Obama to Meet Oil Spill Panel Chairmen Today

  June 1, 2010 9:39 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama plans to hold his first meeting with the co-chairmen of an independent commission investigating the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Obama was to meet Tuesday with Bob Graham, a former Florida governor and U.S. senator, and William K. Reilly, a former... more »

• Obama Arrives in NOLA

  May 28, 2010 11:32 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Intent on showing firm command of the deepening crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, President Barack Obama flew to coastal Louisiana Friday for his second in-person update of the devastating oil spill. Criticism of Obama is rising as crude continues to gush out of the leak... more »