Unable to campaign on health care reform or economic improvement, the White House is relying on a fall-back midterm strategy of empathy, modest gains and frequent reminders that the other party is worse. The modified campaign message is clearly frustrating for President Obama, who increasingly bristles at criticism that his policies haven't worked and this week admonished Democrats to get realistic about the election stakes. Read More

Declaring the U.S. combat mission in Iraq complete, President Obama on Tuesday implored the war-torn nation to end its internal strife, saying, "it is time to turn the page." "The American combat mission in Iraq has ended. Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country," Obama said. In his second prime-time address from the Oval Office, Obama praised the nearly 1.5 million U.S. troops who served in Iraq. Read More

President Obama will use a major address next Tuesday to tout the end of combat operations in Iraq and the start of a new phase of diplomacy and complete withdrawal. It was not clear whether Obama would deliver his speech from Baghdad, Washington, or some other setting. The White House said the venue was uncertain although the Aug. 31 date was chosen to underscore the administration's success in bringing the mission to a close on deadline. Read More