Oversight

Why the Vice Presidency Matters

Choosing a running mate used to be more about campaigning than governing. But after Richard Nixon’s ruinous relationship with Spiro Agnew, the job has changed. Introducing the executive vice presidency.

Oversight

What Anti-Trump Activists Can Learn From Chicago ‘68

RNC protests in Cleveland have been peaceful, but are they effective? A historian explains what happened at the DNC in 1968 and why activists may want to reconsider their tactics.

Oversight

Cruz Roils GOP Convention With Last Stand Against Trump

Will he be remembered as a man of principle—or as someone who put his ambition ahead of his party?

Oversight

Melania Trump's Secret Speechwriter: Michelle Obama?

The wife of the Republican nominee apparently borrowed passages from the first lady's speech at the 2008 Denver Democratic National Convention.

Oversight

Play of the Day: The GOP Convention Has Begun

Delegations are walking out, Mike Pence is Trump's VP pick and Sarah Palin is absent because Alaska is very very far away.

Oversight

Nearing the Exit, Obama Escapes Defining Scandal

From Benghazi to Fast and Furious to Solyndra, GOP probes have found mistakes and mismanagement, but not legacy-shaping misconduct or corruption.

Oversight

How Can the U.S. Fix a Broken Government?

A new poll shows Americans think Washington isn’t working well enough. Can the political system solve its own problems?

Oversight

A Threat Bigger Than Zika

Members of Congress left for a seven-week recess without agreeing to help fund efforts to fight the virus. Public health officials say the implications of their inaction are staggering.

Oversight

What Would Abraham Lincoln Say to Donald Trump About Religion, Politics and Being a ‘Know Nothing’?

In the 1850s, an influx of immigrants incited xenophobia in Americans. How did Abraham Lincoln, the GOP's first president, react to the angry mood? A Civil War historian tells the tale.

Oversight

The Fight Over How to Avoid a Government Shutdown Is Just Getting Started

Lawmakers left for summer recess without having passed a single appropriations bill, setting the stage for a contentious budget battle when they return in September.

Oversight

Play of the Day: The Trump Veepstakes

Reports say it's Mike Pence, but Trump seems to be weighing his options.

Oversight

Quiz: How Well Do You Know the Hatch Act?

Test your knowledge of the law that limits political activity in the federal workplace.

Oversight

Will the Vice Presidential Candidates Matter This Year? Maybe, but Not the Way You Think.

Who will Trump and Clinton pick? Two political scientists say as long as the running mates aren't as fiercely unpopular as the presidential candidates, it could boost the ticket.

Oversight

When Obama Gains, Clinton Scores

The results of the latest Heartland Monitor Poll demonstrate how much assessments of an outgoing president shape the race to succeed him.

Oversight

The Library of Congress Gets a History-Making New Leader

Carla Hayden is the first woman and African American to serve as Librarian of Congress.