John Parisella

In the wake of Obama’s Inaugural Address, there is much talk of the Republican Party and its inherent tensions. The immediate post-Obama speech talking points slammed the president’s militant tone, and decried the return of liberalism and its big government component. With the debt ceiling and budget talks ahead, it is fair to say these arguments will dominate the rhetoric of Congressional Republicans.

He’ll need more than vision and good intentions to succeed, writes John Parisella

Why Obama’s tougher gun laws are likely to get watered down

What is happening with the Republicans?

President Obama can’t lead from behind after the Newtown tragedy

American voters want want compromise and results, writes John Parisella

She says she won’t and history is against her. But that Clinton name is magic.

Historical fodder for the festive season

Losing an election you were certain to win is never easy. Up against a President who had a sustained high level of unemployment for all his term in office, Republicans had an opportunity to make this a one-term administration. They also believed they would make gains in the Senate, if not win it outright. None of this happened, and Republicans have offered divergent views about what went wrong, and what needs to be done.

What can and will this second-term president accomplish?

In politics, the general thrust is that campaigns matter. While the outlook at the outset is often similar to the outcome, events and circumstances can affect the result. The poor debate performance of President Obama on October 3 transformed a campaign, which he seemed to be winning handily, into a horse race.

John Parisella explains why a Republican victory on Tuesday night is a real possibility