Metering is ON

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Lynn Sweet biography

Lynn Sweet is the Washington Bureau Chief for the Chicago Sun-Times. She writes a column and a blog for the paper. She has covered politics …Read More

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NATO chief: Taliban talks possible

The “positive engagement” of Pakistan is critical to “solve the problems in Afghanistan,” NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Saturday; he also said talks should be held with Taliban leaders if certain preconditions were met. Rasmussen spoke the day before the Chicago NATO Summit, …

Chief of protocol eyes every NATO detail

WASHINGTON — Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall, the nation’s chief of protocol, is tracking thousands of details in advance of the Chicago NATO Summit — about dinners, flags, flowers, motorcades, red carpets, gifts, spouse schedules, ceremonies at McCormick Place and arrivals at O’Hare Airport. There’s a …

Panetta: NATO allies must invest in defense

In advance of the Chicago NATO Summit, the U.S. has been prodding financially stressed nations in Europe to chip in more for defense and help pay about a third of the estimated tab for maintaining Afghan National Security Forces after NATO combat troops pull out …

Peek in city’s goodie bag

Each NATO Summit attendee — and every journalist covering the world leaders this weekend at McCormick Place — will get a Chicago-themed gift bag with food made in Chicago, music made in Chicago, suggestions on where to sight-see here and personal welcomes from Chicago students. …

Romney to collect $2.3 million at Winnetka fund-raiser hosted by Pat Ryan

LYNN SWEET: Key figures are emerging from Illinois bolstering presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney’s campaign. Insurance mogul and civic activist Pat Ryan and his wife, Shirley, will host 50-60 people at their Winnetka home, with the minimum donation $25,000. Romney returns to the Chicago area on June 14.

NATO Summit may pose few political risks for Obama

LYNN SWEET: With the American public — and presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney — focused on the economy, President Barack Obama may not have much at stake politically if there are diplomatic flaps at the NATO Summit in Chicago.

Mayor a serial caller — to friends in Washington D.C.

WASHINGTON — Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a serial caller, keeping connected with Capitol Hill, Cabinet members and the White House in his first year in office. Emanuel is not one of those mayors who aspire to be a national figure; he arrived in City Hall …

Latest step in Obama ‘evolution’: He now backs gay marriage

President Barack Obama completed a years-long self-described “evolution” — speeded up by comments Vice President Joe Biden made on Sunday — and on Wednesday reversed himself and said he backs gay marriage.

  • Michelle’s old program gets $5.9 million grant

    WASHINGTON — A University of Chicago Medicine’s health program — once headed by First Lady Michelle Obama when it was created, now run by Dr. Eric Whitaker, close friend of the First Couple — was awarded a $5.9 million grant by the Department of Health …Read More

  • Duncan backs gay marriage, too

    WASHINGTON — I’m not sure what’s more remarkable, that Education Secretary Arne Duncan gave a candid answer when asked about gay marriage on Monday. Or that he was able to do it in three words. Duncan was asked by Mark Halperin on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” …Read More

    • Afghanistan a major focus of NATO summit

    WASHINGTON —President Barack Obama made a quick trip to Afghanistan on Tuesday to sign an agreement with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai about the future of the nation once troops leave in 2014 — with many details to be filled in at the upcoming Chicago NATO …

    Author tracks down Obama’s former girlfriends

    WASHINGTON — No one has heard from Barack Obama’s former girlfriends until now, when two of them — Genevieve Cook and Alex McNear, complete with love letters and a diary detailing their relationships — surface in a new Obama biography by David Maraniss. Obama’s “sexual …

    Albright still deals with ‘massive surprise’ of roots

    WASHINGTON — When former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright learned her Czech parents were Jewish — at the age of 59 — she started a journey that led to her discovering 25 relatives — including three grandparents — died in the Nazi Holocaust. I talked …

    Celebs enjoy conversation at White House Correspondents’ dinner

    WASHINGTON — The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has swelled from a Saturday night affair to a multiday series of parties with Hollywood stars and celebrities of all types mingling with media executives, political powerhouses and reporters. President Obama and first lady Michelle just show …

    Rep. Bobby Rush: I’ll stop Metra ‘in its tracks’

    WASHINGTON — Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) is threatening to stop Metra “in its tracks” unless more African-Americans firms get work from a massive railroad construction project in his congressional district called the “Englewood Flyover.” “There is no way that this contract will fly,” Rush told …

    Lynn Sweet: What to watch for as Mitt Romney’s campaign goes national

    WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle kick off their first official campaign events May 5 with Ohio and Virginia rallies while Mitt Romney, with the primary over, pivots to the November battle for the White House, scrambling to build a national operation. …

    Ahead of NATO, Nobel summit in Chicago to stress peaceful resolution to world’s problems

    WASHINGTON — Peace and war. Chicago is hosting international gatherings in the span of weeks that are sort of bookends: the 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates starts Monday and the NATO summit, where the ongoing Afghanistan War is a major concern, runs May …

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