WASHINGTON — You can almost hear the sound of channels switching as candidates warm up on the issue of Iraq, which has dropped to fourth or worse on the public’s radar screen of chief concerns.

But Iraq policy remains a chief…

WASHINGTON — How many ways can these guys duck Jim Lehrer’s question of what will change in their spending priorities after this $700 billion financial rescue gets passed.

Their responses, unfortunately, are restatements of stump speech blurbs.

Obama is smart to note that we’re spending…

WASHINGTON — Those are some dense stripes, but I think the problem is in the Post-Dispatch television here in Washington.

A fine and illuminating interchange on taxes 20 minutes into the debate.

Barack Obama did well, noting that American business may indeed have…

WASHINGTON – Fifteen minutes in this debate, I’m wondering if this supposed free-wheeling debate format will work.

Early on, these candidates are behaving like workers tired on a Friday night after a hard week of work.

Barack Obama had to be told to direct his mild…

WASHINGTON — It was a strange announcement, but these are strange days.

At 10:43 St. Louis time, the “suspended” and silent McCain campaign issued a lengthy statement noting the “familiar spectacle” of Washington politicians playing the blame game during this epochal…

WASHINGTON — Too early to tell, but both John McCain and the Wall Street bailout look to be floundering.

It’s unprecedented in recent times for presidential politics to become so intertwined with consequential doings in Congress.

But by Thursday evening, the campaign for the White House…

WASHINGTON–One would think Democrats would be relieved the spotlight has shifted away from Alaska Governor and VP nominee Sarah Palin. After all, Palin was sucking up a lot of the political oxygen in the presidential race, even at times seeming…

WASHINGTON – Four Illinois legislators, Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama and Reps. Jerry Costello and John Shimkus, are urging U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey to review the findings of several Veterans’ Administration investigations of the Marion VA Medical Center for possible criminal violations.

The VA investigations have probed the…

WASHIINGTON–Blaine Luetkemeyer, the Republican candidate for Missouri’s 9th congressional district, landed in the nation’s capital Tuesday in search of a little financial boost for his hotly-contested House race against state Rep. Judy Baker.

He came at the right time—just as lawmakers were considering…

WASHINGTON–It’s only taken 12 years, but Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, has hit “up-and-comer” status among House Republicans.That’s according to today’s Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper. which says that while the Collinsville Republican is “not exactly a fresh face,” he…