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Ackerman, Gary, 172
Affleck, Ben, 333
Affordable Care Act of 2010, 7–8, 12, 18, 24, 31, 81–82, 140–41
Afghanistan war, 152, 180, 293–302
troop surge, 294–97
troop withdrawals, 8, 293–94, 297–301
AFL-CIO, 49, 75, 126, 324, 348–49, 350
air pollution, 357–58
airport grants, 180, 370
al-Awlaki, Anwar, 277
Alexander, Lamar, 116
al-Kuwaiti, Abu Ahmed, 27, 257–58, 269, 272
al-Qaddafi, Muammar, 202–20, 222, 224–25
al-Qaeda, 152, 155, 275–76, 297, 299–300, 376. See also bin Laden raid
al-Zawahiri, Ayman, 259
Ambinder, Marc, 77
American Dream, 136, 142, 378
American Jobs Act. See jobs package
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 7–9, 22–23, 24
AmeriCorps, 183
Amos, James, 95
Andrews Air Force Base, 267, 287–88
approval ratings of Obama, 4, 141, 276–77, 355, 367–68, 389
Arab League, 214–15
Arab Spring, 149–77, 202–25, 260. See also Egypt; Libya
Assad, Bashar, 225
Audacity of Hope (Obama), 11
Audacity to Win (Plouffe), 127
Axelrod, David, 78, 126–27, 367, 396–97
bin Laden raid and, 276–77
budget and deficit and, 135, 237
debt ceiling and, 250, 344, 348
elections of 2010 and, 41–43, 45–47
Guantánamo and, 198–99
messaging and narrative and, 10, 41–43, 112–13, 186, 388, 390
partisanship and, 11, 46–47, 141
Plouffe trade with, 126–27
tax cuts and, 36, 49–50, 51, 71
Bahrain, 177, 209, 224–25
Baker, James, 107, 169
bank bailout. See TARP
Barbour, Haley, 136
Barnes, Melody, 131
Battle of Gettysburg, 252
Battle of the Bulge, 80
Baucus, Max, 81, 99, 108–9, 278, 287, 315
Becerra, Xavier, 63
Beck, Glenn, 164–65
Begala, Paul, 241
Ben Ali, Zine al-Abidine, 149
Benghazi, Libya, 202–3, 205, 211, 214–16, 218–19
Bennett, Bob, 118–19
Bernanke, Ben, 319
Bernstein, Jared, 23, 33, 344
Biden, Joe
bin Laden raid and, 258, 265, 268, 269, 271
Bush tax cuts and, 5–6, 36–37, 54–55, 57–62, 64–65, 73–74
continuing resolution and, 229–30, 232
debt ceiling and, 246, 277, 278–82, 284–89, 303–4, 307, 311, 313, 315–16, 318, 319, 334–39, 341, 344, 346
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 79, 80, 97–98
“don’t die on a small cross” remark, 303–4, 307
Egypt and, 155, 158, 160, 163, 171
jobs package and, 353
Libya and, 203, 206, 207
New START and, 53–54, 97–98, 103–4, 106, 108–11, 113, 114, 116, 118, 119
“Recovery Summer” and, 26
bin Laden raid, 256–77, 392
courses of action for, 260–62, 264–65
Obama’s announcement of, 270–72
Obama’s “It’s a go” command, 266–67
planning meetings for, 260–66
post-raid reaction to, 272–77
the raid, 267–70
birtherism, 253–56
Black Hawk Down, 261, 263, 266
Blinder, Alan, 67–69
Blinken, Antony “Tony,” 111, 161, 206
Boehner, John
Bush tax cuts and, 35, 64
continuing resolution and, 182, 185, 187–93, 195–96, 226–34, 235–36
debt ceiling and, 78, 145, 238–39, 247, 278–81, 284, 287–93, 305–17, 320–41, 343
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 98
Egypt and, 164
elections of 2010 and, 123, 136–37
jobs package and, 362, 363, 365–66
Libya and, 214, 216, 217–18, 222–23, 224
payroll tax cut and, 381–87
Bond, Brian, 95–96
Borosage, Robert, 129
Bosnia, 205, 219
Bouazizi, Mohamed, 149–50
Bowles-Simpson Commission, 131–36, 180–81, 194, 243, 246
BP oil spill, 24–25, 31
Brazile, Donna, 324
Brennan, John
bin Laden raid and, 265, 266, 268, 272–73
Egypt and, 176–77
Brent Spence Bridge, 366
Broderick, Matthew, 19
Brooks, David, 366
Brown, John, 378
Brown, Scott, 32, 118–19, 385
budget deficit. See deficit reduction
budget proposal 2012, 178–82
Buffett, Warren, 365
Buffett Rule, 365
Burton, Bill, 7–8, 31
Burton, Dan, 222
Bush, George H. W., 153, 243–44
Bush, George W., 244, 392
bin Laden raid and role of torture, 273–74
debt ceiling and, 238
Guantánamo and, 196, 197
judicial nominees, 9
Bush tax cuts, 2–6, 29–30, 35–38, 49–78, 376–77
bipartisan negotiations on, 52–59
Democrats and, 36–37, 51–52, 55–56, 58–60, 63–64, 66–67, 73–74, 291
Lincoln-Kyl estate tax, 54, 61–62, 64–65
Obama’s announcement of deal, 65–66
Obama’s press conference on, 69–73, 76–79
progressives and, 4–5, 49–51, 67–69
public opinion on, 74–76
Republicans and, 2–6, 35–36, 53–56, 60–61
Cairo speech (June 2009), 151, 160
Cameron, David, 169, 214
Camp, Dave, 132, 243, 245
campaign finance, and Citizens United, 37, 40, 41–44
Cantor, Eric, 136–38
debt ceiling and, 278–81, 283–89, 305, 308, 310, 311, 313, 315–16, 318–23, 325, 328, 333
EPA regulations and, 357–58
jobs package and, 362, 363, 369
Libya and, 214
Carl Vinson, USS, 269
Carney, Jay, 128, 184, 185, 210, 272, 274, 333
Carter, Jimmy, 261, 265
Carville, James, 10
Casey, George, Jr., 92–93, 95
Chamber of Commerce, 35, 42–43, 75, 350
changes in mandatory programs (CHIMPs), 194–95, 227, 233, 289
Chavern, David, 350
Cheney, Dick, 7, 9, 244, 273, 275
chief of staff, 47–48, 124–26
child nutrition, 45, 120, 183
child tax credits, 63, 66, 129
Chile, 217, 241
Chilton, Kevin, 110
China, 124, 143, 212, 244, 319
CIA (Central Intelligence Agency)
bin Laden raid and, 257–64, 267–70, 272–74
drone strikes, 277, 296–97, 299–300
Egypt and, 152, 172
Libya and, 220–21
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 37, 40, 41–44
Clapper, James, 176
class warfare, 36, 360–61, 365–66, 379–80
Cleaver, Emanuel, 342
climate change, 9, 180, 183, 201, 394
Clinton, Bill, 129, 392
deficit reduction and, 243–44
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 82–83
elections of 1994 and, 130
elections of 2010 and, 41, 48
job-creating initiatives, 32–33
political brawling of, 11, 178–79
Rwanda and, 204, 205
Clinton, Hillary, 10, 392
Afghanistan war and, 298
bin Laden raid and, 258–59, 268, 271, 274
Egypt and, 150, 154–57, 159–61, 163, 166, 167, 169–70
Libya and, 204–8, 212, 215, 217–19
New START and, 106, 107, 110
Clyburn, Jim, 278
Coburn, Tom, 281, 321
Cochran, Thad, 116, 119
Collins, Susan, 79–80, 91, 96–98
Common Purpose Project, 82
community development block grants, 180
community health centers, 372–73
Congressional Black Caucus, 342, 366
Congressional Budget Office (CBO), 7, 23, 145, 235
congressional elections of 2010. See elections of 2010
Congressional Progressive Caucus, 342
Conrad, Kent, 182
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), 8, 27–29, 125, 190, 380
continuing resolutions (CR), 182–89, 226–38
contraception, 228–29
Conway, James, 91
Copenhagen Summit 2009, 9
Cordoba House, 31
Cordray, Richard, 380
Corker, Bob, 108–9
Cornyn, John, 216
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 183
Corwin, Jane, 249
cost of living adjustment (COLA), 290–92, 320, 323, 335–37, 354
Council of Economic Advisers, 23, 133
Craig, Greg, 84, 198
credit rating, US, 334, 346–47
Crowley, P. J., 158, 162–63, 165
Cut, Cap, and Balance Bill, 321, 326–27
Cuyahoga Community College, 35
DADT. See Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell
Daley, William, 124–26
bin Laden raid and, 256–57
continuing resolution and, 191–92, 232
debt ceiling and, 291, 306, 311, 317, 320, 323
Egypt and, 159–60, 163, 167–68, 173
jobs package and, 352, 355
Libya and, 215, 216
Darfur, 205
Daschle, Tom, 48
debt ceiling (debt-ceiling showdown), 278–93, 303–49
Biden talks, 278–79, 280–82, 284–87, 289, 315, 318, 319, 334
completion of deal, 339–43
deadline of August 2, 232, 251, 306
default anxiety over, 319–20
Fourteenth Amendment option, 306, 333
Gang of Six and, 321–23, 327
grand compromise, 309–16, 319–21, 323–24, 325–31, 347
McConnell deal, 316–17, 334–35
Obama-Boehner meetings, 287–88, 289–93, 305, 307–8, 322–23, 325–31
Obama-congressional meetings, 242, 282–83, 288–89, 305–9, 312–13, 317–19, 334
Obama’s prime-time address on, 332
progressives and, 323–25, 342, 343, 348–49
reaction to, 343–47
Republicans and, 77–78, 238–39, 251–52
supercommittee and, 315, 331, 335, 339–40, 364–66, 374–77
trigger and sequestration, 309–10, 335–40, 374–77
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 24–25, 31
defense cuts, in debt-ceiling deal, 338–39, 374–77
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), 85
deficit reduction, 131–36
Bowles-Simpson Commission, 131–34, 180–81, 194, 243, 246
Democrats and “frames,” 146–48
jobs package and, 353–54
Obama’s George Washington University anti-Ryan speech, 242–48, 304, 361, 381
Obama’s proposed budgets and, 179–81, 193–94
Obama’s State of the Union (2011), 133, 135, 143–44
Ryan’s budget, 147–48, 240–41, 242, 244–45, 248–50
supercommittee’s role, 315, 331, 335, 339–40, 364–66, 374–77
DeLauro, Rosa, 63
DeMint, Jim, 109, 115
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), 18–20, 38, 43, 309
Democratic frames, 147–48
DeParle, Nancy-Ann, 131, 134
Desert One, 261, 263, 265, 266
Dickerson, John, 144
Dionne, E. J., 235, 276
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 8–9, 26–29, 125, 380
Donilon, Tom
bin Laden raid and, 266, 271
Egypt and, 160, 163, 167, 173, 176
Libya and, 203, 211, 212, 215–17
New START and, 103–4, 109, 116
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell (DADT), 45, 79–101
Capitol Hill repeal legislation, 94–99
federal court ruling on, 92–93, 100
gay rights advocates and, 84–85, 87, 88–89, 96
Obama’s pragmatic approach to, 99–101
Pentagon and, 82–84, 86–87, 89, 92–93, 95–97
Dowd, Matthew, 48
DREAM Act, 45, 51, 52, 99
drone attacks, 220, 262, 277, 296–97, 299–300, 301
Duberstein, Kenneth, 48
Dunn, Anita, 47–48
Durbin, Dick, 223, 305, 315, 338–39
earned income tax credit, 66, 129
Economic Club of Washington, 390
economic stimulus package (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), 7–9, 22–23, 24
education tax credits, 63, 66
Egypt (Egyptian revolution of 2011), 149–77, 204
conservative response to, 164–65, 176
human rights and democracy in, 150–53, 165
Obama’s harder line with Mubarak, 170–73
Obama’s initial response to uprising, 153–60
Obama’s slow divorce from Mubarak, 160–64, 165–68
Suleiman’s role in, 169–75
Wisner’s role, 163, 165–66, 169–70
Eisenhower, Dwight, 179
ElBaradei, Mohamed, 157, 160–61, 164, 174
elections of 2004, 6, 127
elections of 2008, 2, 10–11, 12, 14, 47–48, 87–88, 126–27, 257, 392
elections of 2010, 1–2, 6–7, 10, 18–19, 36, 45–46, 47
messaging and, 38–44
Obama’s postelection reorganization, 47–49, 124–30
elections of 2012, 15, 201, 389–97
El Salvador, 217
Emanuel, Rahm, 23, 47, 81, 125–26
Empire State Building, 33
Employee Free Choice Act, 75
energy policy, 32–33, 142, 180, 244–45
enhanced interrogation techniques, 7, 273–74
entitlement reform. See also Medicare; Social Security
Bowles-Simpson Commission, 131–34, 180–81, 194, 243, 246
debt-ceiling fight and, 290–92, 305, 307, 314, 315–16, 319–22, 325–29, 340
Ryan’s budget, 147–48, 240–41, 242, 244–45, 248–50
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 145, 180, 183, 231, 357–58
environmental regulations, 357–58
estate tax, 54–58, 60, 61–65
Face the Nation (TV show), 42–43
fairness issues, 380–81, 396
Favreau, Jon, 141, 241
Feller, Ben, 69–70
Fenn, Peter, 41
financial crisis of 2008, 27, 35, 69
financial reform, 8–9, 26–29, 125, 380
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 8, 373
foreclosure program, 359, 372–73
foreign policy. See also bin Laden raid; Egypt; Libya
al-Qaeda and, 275–76, 299–300
Presidential Study Directive, 150–51
realism vs. idealism, 152–53
Fort Hayes High School, 363
Fort McNair, 352
“forward leaning” philosophy of Obama, 161, 208–9
Fourteenth Amendment, 306, 333
Fox News, 31, 76, 164–65, 176
“frames,” 147–48
Franken, Al, 190, 336–37
French Culinary Institute, 19
fund-raising, 17–20, 38
Furman, Jason, 62, 66, 278
Gang of Six, 321–23, 327
Garin, Geoff, 146–48
Gates, Robert
Afghanistan war and, 298–99
bin Laden raid and, 258, 261–62, 263, 265, 268, 274
BP oil spill and, 24–25
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 82, 84–93, 95–97, 99, 100
Egypt and, 150, 155, 159, 160, 165, 169
Libya and, 203, 206, 207, 210, 214–16, 219
New START and, 110
gay marriage, 82, 85
gay rights, 79, 82, 84–85. See also Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell
Geithner, Timothy, 21–23, 37–38
Bowles-Simpson report and, 133
Bush tax cuts and, 29–30, 56–57, 59–60
debt ceiling and, 238, 251, 278, 284, 286–87, 291, 306, 309, 317, 319–20
jobs package and, 354, 356
George Washington University, 242–48, 304, 361, 381
Gergen, David, 48
Ghonim, Wael, 172
Gibbs, Robert, 52, 127–28, 141, 250, 329
BP oil spill and, 25
deficit reduction and, 135
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 83–84, 100
Egypt and, 141, 154, 156–61, 163, 165–69, 171, 175
election of 2010 and, 45
New START and, 112, 120
Giffords, Gabrielle, 138–40, 142, 343
Gillespie, Ed, 42
Gingrich, Newt, 129–30, 191, 250, 276, 385
Goldwater, Barry, 349
Goolsbee, Austan, 133, 239, 250, 252
Gore, Al, 125, 325
Graham, Lindsey
bin Laden raid and, 274
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 91, 97–98
New START and, 116, 119
grassroots, 7, 12–13, 234, 324
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, 180
Green, Christina Taylor, 138–40, 142
Greenstein, Robert, 49, 67, 248
Gregg, Judd, 118–19
Grijalva, Raúl, 342
“Ground Zero mosque,” 31
Guantánamo Bay Naval Base (Gitmo), 7, 196–201
Hagan, Kay, 99
Hannity, Sean, 176
Hansen, Joe, 76
Harb, Shady el-Ghazaly, 157
Harkin, Tom, 337
Harwood, John, 188
Head Start, 129, 183, 184, 187, 190, 314
health care reform, 7–8, 12, 18, 24, 31, 81–82, 140–41
health insurance mandate, 18, 320
Hemingway, Ernest, 15
Hensarling, Jeb, 132, 243, 245
Hernandez, Daniel, 142
Hochul, Kathy, 249
Holder, Eric, 196–97, 200–201
Howard University, 93
Hoyer, Steny, 189, 242
Bush tax cuts and, 59–60, 63
debt ceiling and, 305, 315, 338–39
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 89–90
human rights, 150–51, 165
Human Rights Campaign, 85
Human Rights Watch, 174
Immelt, Jeff, 125
immigration, and the DREAM Act, 45, 51, 52, 99
independent voters, 5, 13–14, 40, 47–48, 121, 367–68, 373, 391
individual mandate, 18, 320
inequality, 370–71, 377–81
infrastructure spending, 180, 181, 244–45, 353, 359–60
Inouye, Daniel, 278, 315
Iran, 104, 105, 151, 204, 302
Iraq war, 8, 9, 34, 83, 151, 152, 180, 220, 301
Isakson, Johnny, 108–9
Israel, 34, 155, 168, 175
Israel, Steve, 309
Jackson, Barry, 189, 230, 232, 290, 322–23, 328–29
Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011, 190
Jarrett, Valerie, 96, 99, 256, 276
job creation, 21–26, 32–36
jobs package (American Jobs Act), 350–74
Democrats and, 362–63, 366, 374
elements of, 352–53, 359–60
Obama’s address to Congress, 354–55, 358–61
Obama’s promotion of, 363–64, 366–70
Republicans and, 369–70, 372–73, 374
Sperling and, 351–53, 355–56
Jones, Jim, 84, 103
Jordan, Vernon, 48
JPMorgan Chase, 124, 125
judicial nominees, 8, 9
Kagan, Robert, 176
Karzai, Hamid, 296, 299, 302
Kayani, Ashfaq Parvez, 262
Keitel, Harvey, 81
Kennedy, John F., 153
Kennedy, Ted, 32
Kerry, John
Libya and, 214, 222, 224
New START and, 106–19
Keynes, John Maynard, 34, 68
Keystone XL pipeline, 382, 383
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 6
King, Peter, 274
Kirk, Mark, 165
Kissinger, Henry, 107
Klain, Ron, 25, 33–34, 59, 131
Klein, Ezra, 234, 406
Kofinis, Chris, 41–42
Krauthammer, Charles, 75, 140
Kristof, Nicholas, 169, 176
Krone, David, 189, 232
Krugman, Paul, 67–69, 248, 342, 362
Kudlow, Larry, 136
Kuttner, Robert, 129
Kyl, Jon
Bush tax cuts and estate tax, 54, 60–62, 64–65
debt ceiling and, 278–81, 284–87, 305, 308, 313
Libya and, 214
New START and, 105–15, 118–19
labor unions, 75, 126, 129, 350–51. See also AFL-CIO
Laffer, Arthur, 136
Lakoff, George, 248
Larson, John, 63
Lawrence, John, 59–60
Lee, Andy, 80
legislative riders, 185, 190, 192, 227–28, 231, 382
Lehane, Chris, 125–26
Leiter, Michael, 264
Levin, Carl, 215, 296, 297–98, 337
Lew, Jacob “Jack,” 129–30, 178–81
budget proposal 2012, 178–81
Bush tax cuts and, 59–60
continuing resolution and, 187, 189–90, 194–95, 227, 229–35, 238
debt ceiling and, 251, 278, 284, 290–92, 306, 309, 311, 317–20, 322–26, 336, 338, 346
Libya (Libyan Uprising of 2011), 202–25, 266
Congress and, 214–15, 216–17, 221–24
no-fly zone, 203, 207–8, 210, 211–12
Obama’s military options on, 207–8, 214–16
Obama’s National Defense University speech, 219–20
public debate on, 210–11
UN Security Council and, 205, 207, 208, 211–14
War Powers and, 221–24
White House divide on, 202–7
Lieberman, Joseph
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 79–80, 91, 96–98
Libya and, 222, 224
New START and, 106
Limbaugh, Rush, 235–36, 325
Lincoln, Blanche, 54, 61–62, 64–65
Lizza, Ryan, 212–13, 365–66
Log Cabin Republicans, 92
Loper, Brett, 309
Loughner, Jared Lee, 138–40, 142
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), 180
Lugar, Richard
Afghanistan war and, 297
Libya and, 214, 215
New START and, 107, 108, 109, 119
Lynch, Marc, 176
McCain, John
Afghanistan war and, 295, 300
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 86, 89–90, 91, 95–98
election of 2008, 258–59, 392
Guantánamo and, 197
Libya and, 222, 223, 224
New START and, 97–98, 106, 113–19
payroll tax cut and, 385
McCarthy, Kevin, 333, 346
McChrystal, Stanley, 26, 294–96
McConnell, Mitch
Bush tax cuts and, 5–6, 50–51, 54–64, 75
debt ceiling and, 238–39, 281, 285, 289, 305, 308, 313, 316–17, 319, 331, 334–38, 346
jobs package and, 360
Libya and, 214
payroll tax cut and, 382–86
McDonough, Denis
bin Laden raid and, 256, 266, 268
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 94
Egypt and, 161, 167, 176
Libya and, 203, 207, 218
New START and, 111
McKeon, Brian, 106–7, 115
McLean, Catherine “Kiki,” 41
McRaven, William, 259–63, 267–70
Making Work Pay Tax Credit, 56–57
Manchin, Joe, 99
March on Washington (1963), 6
Matthews, Chris, 218
Medicaid, 240–41, 245–46, 289
Medicare
automatic cuts to providers, 340, 365, 382–83
debt-ceiling talks and, 284–85, 286, 289, 290–92, 307–16, 340
Democrats and framing of, 147–48
eligibility age, 289, 290–91, 312, 320, 332, 354
Obama’s approach to, 72, 245–46, 249, 292, 365
Ryan’s plan for, 134, 240–41, 245–46, 249, 282–83
Medicare Advantage, 249
Medvedev, Dmitry, 104
Meet the Press (TV show), 216
messaging of Obama, 9–10, 38–44
Messina, Jim, 53, 80–82, 381, 392–94
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 80–82, 85, 87–88, 90–91, 93–94, 98–100
midterm elections of 2010, 1–2, 6–7, 10, 18–19, 36, 45–46, 47
messaging and, 38–44
Obama’s postelection reorganization, 47–49, 124–30
Mikulski, Barbara, 323, 336–37
military cuts, in debt-ceiling deal, 338–39, 374–77
military desegregation, 93
Miller, George, 63
Miller, Jim, 110
Miller, Neile, 110
Mishel, Lawrence, 67–69
missile defense systems, 105, 106, 114, 116–18
Modern Family (TV show), 256
Mohammed, Khalid Sheikh, 196–97, 200–201, 257, 274
Moody’s Analytics, 363
Moore, David, 371
Morell, Mike, 267
MoveOn, 234, 324
Mubarak, Hosni, 149–52, 154–77
Mullen, Michael “Mike”
Afghanistan war and, 298–99
bin Laden raid and, 263, 268, 271
BP oil spill and, 25
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 79–80, 82, 84–90
Egypt and, 150, 165, 169
Libya and, 203, 206–8, 212, 215–16
Muslim Brotherhood, 157, 165, 168, 175, 177
Myers, Dee Dee, 41
Nabors, Rob, 189–90
continuing resolution and, 189–90, 231, 232
debt ceiling and, 290–91, 309, 311, 322–23, 326
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. See Bowles-Simpson Commission
National Defense University, 106, 219–20
National Economic Council (NEC), 21–22, 32, 62, 128–29
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, 259, 261
National Institutes of Health (NIH), 187
National Journal, 77
National Security Council (NSC), 152, 160–61, 166–67
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), 114, 208, 211, 217, 219–24, 296–97
Navy SEAL Team 6, 263–64, 267–70, 272
NBC News First Read, 230–31
Nelson, Ben, 99
New Deal, 14
New Nationalism, 378–79, 380
New START, 102–22
McCain’s amendment, 116–18
Obama’s press conference for, 120–21
Obama’s PR push for, 113–14
Obama’s signing of treaty, 104
Senate ratification of, 94, 97–98, 103–4, 106–20
New Yorker, 212–13, 220–21, 365–66
New York Federal Reserve Bank, 21–22
New York Times, 42, 66, 67, 72, 120, 169, 188, 200, 342, 355, 358, 366
Nixon, Richard, 229
Nobel Peace Prize, 205–6
Obama, Barack
approval ratings of, 4, 141, 276–77, 355, 367–68, 389
bin Laden raid and, 266–67, 270–72
budget proposal 2012, 178–82
Bush tax cuts and, 65–66, 69–73, 76–79
Cairo speech, 151, 160
debt ceiling and Boehner talks, 287–88, 289–93, 305, 307–8, 322–23, 325–31
debt ceiling and congressional meetings, 242, 282–83, 288–89, 305–9, 312–13, 317–19, 334
debt ceiling and prime-time address, 332
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 80–81, 99–101
economic narrative of, 20–23
Egypt and, 153–68, 170–73
elections of 2004, 6, 127
elections of 2008, 2, 10–11, 12, 14, 47–48, 87–88, 126–27, 257, 392
elections of 2010 and reorganization of staff, 47–49, 124–30
“forward leaning” philosophy of, 161, 208–9
Guantánamo and, 7, 196–201
George Washington University speech, 242–48, 304, 361, 381
governing philosophy of, 71–73, 208–9
jobs package and, 354–55, 358–61, 363–64, 366–70
“leading from behind” quote about, 220–21, 225
Libya and, 207–8, 214–16, 219–20
messaging of, 9–10, 38–44
National Defense University speech, 219–20
New START and, 104, 113–14, 120–21
Osawatomie, Kansas, speech, 377–81
political brand of, 39, 48
pragmatism of, 10–13, 81, 99–101, 129, 219, 301
State of the Union. See State of the Union
White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, 253–54, 255–56
Obama, Malia, 304
Obama, Michelle, 45, 120, 140
Obama, Sasha, 268, 304
Obama doctrine, 218, 220
Obama for America, 394–95
Occupy Wall Street, 370–71, 377–78
oil prices, 190–91
oil spill. See BP oil spill
Old Man and the Sea, The (Hemingway), 15
Omar, Mohammed, 259
O’Neill, Tip, 178
Organizing for America, 88, 97
Orszag, Peter, 22–24, 129, 178
Osama bin Laden raid. See bin Laden raid
Osawatomie, Kansas, speech, 377–81
Pakistan
bin Laden raid in, 257–59, 262–63, 267–70, 272–73
drone attacks in, 220, 262, 277, 296–97, 299–300, 301
Palin, Sarah, 14, 138–39, 254, 275
Panetta, Leon, 48, 376
bin Laden raid and, 257–60, 263–71
Egypt and, 172, 173
Parker, Sarah Jessica, 19
partisanship, 10–11, 39, 46–47
payroll tax cut, 56–57, 61–63, 66, 323, 352–53, 359–60, 373–74, 381–87
Pell grants, 8, 145, 183, 244, 340
Pelosi, Nancy, 20, 80, 236
Afghanistan war and, 300
Bush tax cuts and, 30, 58–60, 62–63, 65, 67, 75
continuing resolution and, 283
debt ceiling and, 305, 307–8, 309, 315, 319, 326, 335–36, 338–43
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 79, 97
Libya and, 214
Pence, Mike, 229
Penn, Mark, 366
Perry, Rick, 136
Peterson, Pete, 248
Petraeus, David, 298–99
Pfeiffer, Dan, 128, 136
bin Laden raid and, 270
Bush tax cuts and, 66
continuing resolution and, 187, 233
debt ceiling and, 337, 395
jobs package and, 352, 355, 368
New START and, 120
Planned Parenthood, 190–91, 228–31, 233, 237
Plouffe, David, 88, 126–28, 370, 395
Axelrod trade with, 126–28
budget and deficit issues and, 132, 134, 135, 141, 143–44, 145, 179, 181–82, 184–85, 189–90, 330, 389, 391
Bush tax cuts and, 52
continuing resolution and, 181–82, 184–85, 189–90, 231, 237
Egypt and, 159, 163, 164, 173
jobs package and, 352, 354, 368
State of the Union (2011), 141, 143–44, 145
Podesta, John, 48, 49
political brand of Obama, 39, 48
Politico, 323, 332
populism, 27–28, 360–61, 366, 370–71
Powell, Colin, 107
Power, Samantha, 152, 159, 164, 205–6
pragmatism of Obama, 10–13, 81, 99–101, 129, 219, 301
President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, 125
Priebus, Reince, 362
Problem from Hell, A (Power), 205
progressives
Bush tax cuts and, 4–5, 49–51, 67–69
debt ceiling and, 323–25, 342, 343, 348–49
Pryor, Mark, 99
Pulp Fiction (movie), 81
Qaddafi, Muammar al-, 202–20, 222, 224–25
Qaeda, al. See al-Qaeda
Rasmussen, Nicholas, 261
Reagan, Ronald, 14, 104, 153, 243
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 7–9, 22–23, 24
“Recovery Summer,” 26
Reed, Bruce, 131, 278, 291, 309, 311, 317, 322
refundable tax credits, 56–57, 61–63, 66, 129
Reich, Robert, 67–69, 129, 192, 235
Reid, Harry
Bush tax cuts and, 30, 58–59, 62, 64, 75
continuing resolution and, 188–89, 190, 192–93, 226–29, 232
debt ceiling and, 304, 305, 307–8, 312–13, 315–16, 319, 323–24, 326, 331, 333, 335–39
Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and, 79–80, 91, 94–95, 97
Guantánamo and, 198
Libya and, 214
New START and, 102–3, 110, 115–18
payroll tax cut and, 382–83, 384–85
Republicans. See also Tea Party Republicans
Bush tax cuts and, 2–6, 35–36, 53–56, 60–61
debt ceiling and, 77–78, 238–39, 251–52
first legislative action of 2011, 140–41
jobs package and, 369–70, 372–73, 374
Responsibility to Protect (R2P), 204–5, 213
Rhodes, Ben
bin Laden raid and, 260, 264, 271
Egypt and, 150–51, 156, 159, 161, 167–70, 173, 174
Libya and, 206, 210–11, 216
New START and, 111
Rice, Condoleezza, 107
Rice, Susan, 159, 167, 204–8, 211–14
Rich, Frank, 75
Rolling Stone, 26, 325
Romer, Christina, 23–24, 33
Romney, Mitt, 176, 391–92
Roosevelt, Franklin, 14, 389, 392
Roosevelt, Theodore, 378–79, 380
Rosenberg, Simon, 41
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana, 172
Rouse, Pete, 47–49, 124–25
Bush tax cuts and, 59–60
debt ceiling and, 317
Guantánamo and, 199
Rousseff, Dilma Vana, 215–16
Rove, Karl, 42, 385
Ruben, Justin, 234, 324
Rumsfeld, Donald, 271
Russia, 53, 102, 212, 214
New START and, 104–6, 109, 113–15
Rwanda, 204, 205
Ryan, Paul, 181–82
budget plan, 194, 240–45, 248–50, 282–83, 315–16, 391
entitlement reform and, 132, 134, 144, 147–48
Obama’s anti-Ryan speech, 242, 243, 245, 304, 361, 381
Sachs, Jeffrey, 67–69
St. Regis hotel (New York City), 17–20
Saleh, Ali Abdullah, 154
Samuel, Bill, 49
Sarkozy, Nicolas, 169, 214
Saudi Arabia, 165, 168, 175, 204
Schieffer, Bob, 42–43
Schiliro, Phil, 23, 49, 53, 57–58, 63
school modernization program, 353, 359–60
Schumer, Chuck, 184
SEAL Team 6, 263–64, 267–70, 272
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 183
sequestration, 335–40, 374–77
Sherman, Brad, 222
Simmons, Jamal, 41
Simpson, Alan. See Bowles-Simpson Commission
60 Minutes (TV show), 275
Skelton, Ike, 86, 90
Smith, David, 85, 87
smog, 357–58
Snowe, Olympia, 119
Social Security
cost of living adjustment (COLA), 290–92, 320, 323, 335–37, 354
debt-ceiling talks and, 279, 290–92, 305, 309, 313–14, 320, 323, 325, 328, 331, 335, 339
Democrats and framing of, 147–48
Obama’s approach to, 143–44, 246, 292, 365
Ryan’s plan for, 134, 282–83
Solmonese, Joe, 85, 87, 95, 98–99
South Korea, 75
special interests, 40–44
Sperling, Gene, 128–30, 247, 390
Bush tax cuts and, 49, 56–57, 61, 62, 66
continuing resolution and, 187–90
debt ceiling and, 251, 278, 281–82, 284, 291, 306, 309, 311, 317, 318, 319, 322–23, 326–28, 336, 339
deficit reduction and, 146–47, 193–94
jobs package and, 351–54, 355–56
payroll tax cut and, 386
Wall Street reform and, 27
Standard & Poor’s, 346–47
START treaty, 104, 119. See also New START
State of the Union
2009, 22
2011, 130–31, 133, 135, 136, 141–45, 154
2012, 381, 396
Steinberg, James, 207
Stiglitz, Joseph, 67–69
stimulus package (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), 7–9, 22–23, 24
Stombres, Steve, 322–23
Stonestreet, Eric, 256–57
Suleiman, Omar, 162, 169–73
Summers, Lawrence, 21–24
Bush tax cuts and, 30, 36, 37–38, 49–51, 53, 74
Sperling replacement of, 128, 129–30
stimulus measures and, 22, 23–24, 32–33, 37–38, 74
Wall Street reform and, 28
Supreme Court, 8, 9
Syria, 175, 224–25
Taft, William Howard, 378
Tahrir Square, 153–54, 160–64, 166–67, 170–73. See also Egypt
Taliban, 295, 296–97
Tapper, Jake, 52, 210
TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program), 8, 14, 21–22
tax credits, 34, 56–57, 61–63, 66, 142, 359, 360, 374
tax cuts, payroll. See payroll tax cut
tax-cut showdown of 2010, 2–6, 29–30, 35–38, 49–78
bipartisan negotiations, 52–59
Democrats and, 36–37, 51–52, 55–56, 58–60, 63–64, 66–67, 73–74, 291
Lincoln-Kyl estate tax, 54, 61–62, 64–65
Obama’s announcement of deal, 65–66
Obama’s press conference on, 69–73, 76–79
progressives and, 4–5, 49–51, 67–69
public opinion on, 74–76
Republicans and, 2–6, 35–36, 53–56, 60–61
tax hikes, in debt-ceiling talks, 309–16
tax reform, 290, 305, 320
Tea Party Republicans, 136–38, 391, 394
Bush tax cuts and, 2–6, 35–36, 53–56, 60–61
continuing resolution and, 182–96, 226, 228–29, 230–32, 235–37
debt ceiling and, 137–38, 239, 280–81, 308–10, 314–15, 317–18, 321–22, 329–30, 333, 342–43, 346
elections of 2010, 13, 14–16, 46, 80
first legislative action of 2011, 140–41
health care and, 30–31
jobs package and, 362, 365–66, 369–70, 372–73, 374
payroll tax cut and, 381–87
Terrell, Louisa, 103–4
Tester, Jon, 99
Thomson Correctional Center, 198, 199
Title X Family Planning, 228–29
Todd, Chuck, 70
torture, 7, 273–74
Town, The (movie), 333
trickle-down theory, 367, 379–80
Truman, Harry, 93
Trumka, Richard, 75, 126, 350–51
Trump, Donald, 253–56, 271, 277
Tucson shooting of 2011, 138–40, 142
Tunisia, 149–50, 153, 155, 158
Udall, Mark, 142
unemployment, 1, 13–14, 18, 51, 136, 356, 389
unemployment benefits, 38, 45, 50, 54–56, 61–62, 66, 181, 359–60, 381–83
United Nations (UN) Security Council, 205, 207, 208, 211–14
University of Richmond, 363
USS Carl Vinson, 269
Van Hollen, Chris, 20
Bush tax cuts and, 59–60, 63–65
debt ceiling and, 278, 286, 287, 338–39
Vietnam War, 221
Voinovich, George, 118–19
Wall Street, 36, 68–69, 370–71, 377–80
Wall Street Journal, 71, 72, 115, 298, 311–12, 313, 371, 385
Wall Street reform, 8–9, 26–29, 125, 380
War Powers Resolution, 221–24
Warren, Elizabeth, 27–28
Warren, Rick, 84–85
Washington Post, 58, 97, 144, 169, 172, 182, 210–11, 231, 234, 247, 255, 276, 294–95, 305, 373, 389
waterboarding, 7, 273–74
water treatment projects, 180
Waxman, Henry, 283
Webb, Marshall Bradley “Brad,” 268
“We Can’t Wait” initiatives, 372–73
Weisman, Jonathan, 71
West, Cornel, 325
Westen, Drew, 358
West Wilkes High School, 370
Whitehouse, Sheldon, 324
White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, 253–54, 255–56
Wilson, Woodrow, 378
Winning the Future speech, 141–45
Wisner, Frank, 163, 165–66, 169–70
Wolf, Frank, 197–98
Woodward, Bob, 294–95
Yemen, 175, 209, 224–25
Yoo, John, 273–74
Zandi, Mark, 73, 185
Zardari, Asif Ali, 270
Zuma, Jacob, 212