The Candidates and The World

Transition 2012

A guide to foreign policy and the 2012 U.S. presidential transition.

Tracking the Issues: Ryan Budget Primed for Election Fray

by Newsteam Staff Friday, March 30, 2012
House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan shows a copy of "The FY2013 Budget - The Path to Prosperity" during a news conference at Capitol Hill in Washington March 20, 2012 (Jose Luis Magana/Courtesy Reuters). House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan during a news conference at Capitol Hill in Washington March 20, 2012. (Jose Luis Magana/Courtesy Reuters).

Setting it up as a central theme for their election-year campaign efforts, House Republicans passed Rep. Paul Ryan’s deficit-cutting budget plan (Reuters) on Thursday. Read more »

Overnight Roundup: Santorum, Romney Take on Foreign Policy

by Newsteam Staff Friday, March 30, 2012
Photo of the Day: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, President George H.W. Bush, and former first lady Barbara Bush in Houston March 29, 2012. (Donna Carson/Courtesy Reuters) Photo of the Day: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, President George H.W. Bush, and former first lady Barbara Bush in Houston March 29, 2012. (Donna Carson/Courtesy Reuters)

In what was billed as a major foreign policy address (AP) Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum criticized the Obama administration, saying it has been too slow to address Iran’s nuclear threat, has ignored its ally Israel, and rushes to engage in diplomacy with U.S. enemies. Santorum also frequently invoked the memory of President Ronald Reagan (LAT), talking about Reagan’s policy triumvirate free enterprise, strong defense, and conservative social policies. Watch the address on CSPAN. Read more »

Tracking the Issues: State Laws in Lieu of Immigration Reform

by Newsteam Staff Thursday, March 29, 2012
A U.S. Border Patrol Agent patrols along the U.S. and Mexico border in Naco, Arizona Sempteber 7, 2011. (Joshua Lott/Courtesy Reuters) A U.S. Border Patrol Agent patrols along the U.S. and Mexico border in Naco, Arizona Sempteber 7, 2011. (Joshua Lott/Courtesy Reuters)

Though immigration seems to be sliding off the radar as a campaign issue, major legal fights over state immigration laws continues, particularly the upcoming Supreme Court fight over Arizona’s law.
Read more »

Overnight Roundup: Romney’s Sharp Words on Russia

by Newsteam Staff Thursday, March 29, 2012
Photo of the Day: Supporters and opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, March 28, 2012 (Jonathan Ernst/Courtesy Reuters). Photo of the Day: Supporters and opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, March 28, 2012 (Jonathan Ernst/Courtesy Reuters).

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was chided from afar (Reuters) by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for his repeated statement that Russia is the “number-one geopolitical foe” for the United States. In an op-ed for Foreign Policy, Romney again accused Russia of “obstructionism at the United Nations” on a whole raft of issues. Read more »

Renewing America Watch: U.S. Gas Prices and Solar Tariffs

by Toni Johnson Wednesday, March 28, 2012
A solar power plant on the outskirts of Dunhuang, Gansu province China June 10, 2011. (Courtesy Reuters) A solar power plant on the outskirts of Dunhuang, Gansu province China June 10, 2011. (Courtesy Reuters)

This week on highlighting interesting stuff related to the campaign from our sister project, Renewing America, which looks at six domestic issues that could harm projection of U.S. power internationally, we will start with a post  from CFR’s Michael Spence. Read more »

Tracking the Issues: The Ebbing Support for the Afghan War

by Newsteam Staff Wednesday, March 28, 2012
U.S. servicemen board a transport plane bound for Afghanistan March 27, 2012 (Vladimir Pirogov/Courtesy Reuters). U.S. servicemen board a transport plane bound for Afghanistan March 27, 2012 (Vladimir Pirogov/Courtesy Reuters).

The bottom has fallen out for support for the war in Afghanistan from U.S. voters and is putting the squeeze on GOP presidential candidates, who must navigate between their party’s hawkish line and the public’s growing impatience.
Read more »

Overnight Roundup: Economic Confidence Hits Four-Year High

by Newsteam Staff Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Photo of the Day: A badge on a supporter's bag at a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin March 27, 2012 (Darren Hauck/Courtesy Reuters). Photo of the Day: A supporter for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin March 27, 2012 (Darren Hauck/Courtesy Reuters).

U.S. voters’ confidence in the economy is the highest is has been in four years, according to the latest Gallup poll. Despite high gas prices, economic confidence is one point higher than the highest weekly level Gallup has seen since January 2008. Read more »

Tracking the Issues: Obama Defends Remarks to Medvedev

by Newsteam Staff Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev U.S. President Barack Obama a thumbs up during the APEC Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii November 13, 2011 (Jason Reed/Courtesy Reuters). Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev U.S. President Barack Obama a thumbs up during the APEC Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii November 13, 2011 (Jason Reed/Courtesy Reuters).

The U.S.-Russia relationship was hauled into the campaign spotlight after a murmured conversation between U.S. President Barack Obama and Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev was picked up on-mic.

During the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, reporters overheard Obama ask Medvedev for some “space” on missile defense until after the election in November, when he will have more “flexibility” (WSJ). Read more »

Overnight Roundup: U.S. Voters Still Support Nuclear Power

by Newsteam Staff Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Photo of the Day: Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington March 26, 2012 (Jason Reed/Courtesy Reuters). Photo of the Day: Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington March 26, 2012 (Jason Reed/Courtesy Reuters).

Amid a barrage of election-year talk about domestic energy resources, rising gas prices, and the promise of alternative energy sources — and one year after the failure of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan — a majority of U.S. voters continue to favor nuclear energy, according to a Gallup poll. The 57 percent, who support using nuclear power this year, is identical to the percentage measured in early March 2011, just before the Fukushima incident, the poll says. Read more »