Charisma may be a necessary trait for getting elected – but it also discourages voters from independent moral deliberation about a potential leader’s qualifications to govern.
The news is filled with stories about inappropriate touching by politicians. But touch by politicians was long important in the US, and Abraham Lincoln’s handshake helped engage and guide the nation.
Several women recently came forward to complain about “inappropriate conduct” by Joe Biden. Even in the #MeToo age, the allegations appear to have little impact on Biden’s status as the front-runner.
The Democrats have 24 potential presidential candidates but, like Donald Trump, their two front runners are both men in their seventies: Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden.
As lawmakers debate the future of the primary federal program aimed at ending domestic violence, one scholar says the criminal system supported by the legislation isn’t the way to stop that violence.
John McCain was known as a tough fighter and patriot, refusing to yield to his captors’ torture while he was imprisoned as a POW. In the end, cancer claimed him. Researchers say progress is coming.
The generation who grew up during the Cold War and came to age through the unrest of Vietnam and the civil rights movement still dominate American politics.
This week’s open declaration of hostility by 47 Republican senators to any US agreement with Iran has generated much handwringing about the state of American domestic politics. The tone and manner of their…
The Obama administration announced the intention to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba the same week that Congress approved sanctions against Venezuela for human rights violations. The timing was coincidental…
The New Year always provides an opportunity for both introspection and speculation. So it seems a good time to consider what the big stories are likely to be this year. Some of the five major stories I…
When US Vice President Joe Biden complained recently that “There isn’t a Republican Party,” nobody thought to reply, “Well, it takes one to know one.” Not so long ago, a Republican might well have said…
US Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to Asia next week could not come at a more timely moment. It is the first high level visit since President Obama cancelled his trip during the government shutdown in…
With more than 67 million people watching the first debate between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney, the pressure was on Vice President Joseph Biden and Representative Paul Ryan to perform…
A vice president is usually brought in to complement the president’s vision and policies. However, this year, it was the Republican presidential candidates who had to tailor their own platforms to the…