Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s upcoming trip to Europe and the Middle East could help establish his foreign policy credentials and shift focus away from talk of his personal wealth and business history, say analysts. Read more »

Heading back to the trail after a weekend off (WashPost) out of respect for the Colorado shooting victims, President Barack Obama’s campaign is touting his defense and foreign policy record with a Monday Web video (The Hill) showcasing the president’s promise to draw down the U.S. military presence in Iraq ahead of a speech at the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Read more »

As violence in Syria mounts, U.S. presidential candidates and analysts continue to debate the role of the United States and the United Nations in the conflict.

Following vetoes from Russia and China (Reuters) on a UN resolution calling for sanction against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last week, the White House called the vetoes “deplorable and regrettable.” Read more »

While polls show bad economic news during the presidential campaign’s summer season may be hurting President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, some analysts say there are areas of economic good news for the president. Read more »

President Barack Obama is heading to Florida on a two-day campaign stop (MiamiHerald) to appeal to voters on debt reduction and extending tax cuts for the middle class. A statement issued by the Obama campaign this week said he would “discuss his plan to restore middle-class security by paying down our debt in a balanced way that ensures everyone pays their fair share and still invests in the things we need to create jobs and grow our economy over the long term.” Read more »

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigned in Ohio this week (AP) stressing that he will have a more jobs and business friendly approach than his rival President Barack Obama, a message that may garner more attention following a report about the president’s jobs panel. Read more »

Surrogates for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama agreed Tuesday that foreign aid is vital for U.S. security and economic growth but disagreed on who is the better choice to distribute it and develop new international trade deals (The Hill). Read more »

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has said he disagrees with President Barack Obama’s handling of the war in Afghanistan, but ForeignPolicy.com reports that he has not yet adequately addressed what he would do differently, challenging even members of his own party. Read more »

President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney escalated their continuing campaign trail battle over the economy, the free market, and integrity Monday, each attempting to portray the other as part of the nation’s problem rather than its solution (NYT). Read more »

President Barack Obama’s challenges with the U.S.-Israel relationship continue to generate talk on the campaign trail as his GOP rival Mitt Romney’s trip to the region draws near. Read more »