In a nostalgic final news conference, President George W. Bush defended his record vigorously and at times sentimentally Monday - and admitted mistakes, too, including his optimistic Iraq speech before a giant "Mission Accomplished" banner in 2003. ...more

January 12, 2009

After two years of waiting, Mayor Pam Iorio wants to fast-track Encore, the planned redevelopment of Central Park Village. ...more

January 12, 2009

Sgt. Derrick Brooks puts his left hand on the book and raises his right, ready to take the oath of office. Dozens of cameras capture this moment in history, even though Brooks is wearing a name card reading "Pres.-elect Obama." ...more

January 12, 2009

"I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible. If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years." ...more

January 12, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama wants more transparency and strict guidelines for using the second $350 billion of the bailout fund Congress approved last fall to stabilize the nation's financial system. ...more

January 11, 2009

Attending President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in next week may be free, but the cost of being a part of the inaugural festivities can quickly add up. ...more

January 11, 2009

In 1996, as a freshman member of the House of Representatives, I wrote the Defense of Marriage Act, better known by its shorthand acronym, DOMA, than its legal title. ...more

January 11, 2009

The Cabinet nominated by President-elect Barack Obama is a largely centrist and pragmatic collection of politicians and technocrats without a pronounced ideological bent. Liberals are satisfied but not delighted. Conservatives say the nominees aren't as leftist as they had feared. Powerful interest groups with conflicting agendas are appeased. ...more

January 11, 2009

Confronted by the worst financial crisis in generations, President-elect Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress are preparing to delay some of the promises he made on the campaign trail to avoid political distractions and focus on reversing the economic slide. ...more

January 11, 2009

One day after the nation's unemployment rate jumped to a 16-year high, President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday again raised the estimate of how many jobs would result from his economic recovery plan, saying it would create or save 3 million to 4 million jobs, nearly 90 percent in the private sector, by the end of 2010. ...more

January 11, 2009