Mara Liasson

Mara Liasson is the national political correspondent for NPR. Her reports can be heard regularly on NPR's award-winning newsmagazines All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Liasson provides extensive coverage of politics and policy from Washington, DC — focusing on the White House and Congress — and also reports on political trends beyond the Beltway.

Each election year, Liasson provides key coverage of the candidates and issues in both presidential and congressional races. During her tenure she has covered five presidential elections — in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. Prior to her current assignment, Liasson was NPR's White House correspondent for all eight years of the Clinton administration. She has won the White House Correspondents Association's Merriman Smith Award for daily news coverage in 1994, 1995, and again in 1997. From 1989-1992 Liasson was NPR's congressional correspondent.

Liasson joined NPR in 1985 as a general assignment reporter and newscaster. From September 1988 to June 1989 she took a leave of absence from NPR to attend Columbia University in New York as a recipient of a Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism.

Prior to joining NPR, Liasson was a freelance radio and television reporter in San Francisco. She was also managing editor and anchor of California Edition, a California Public Radio nightly news program, and a print journalist for The Vineyard Gazette in Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Liasson is a graduate of Brown University where she earned a bachelor's degree in American history.

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1:34pm

Tue December 18, 2012
It's All Politics

Low-Profile Power Player Jack Lew May Be In Line For Treasury Post

Originally published on Thu December 20, 2012 3:16 pm

Credit Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images

Ask the average person — even in Washington — who serves as President Obama's chief of staff and you'll probably get a blank stare.

Jack Lew hasn't been heard or seen in the "fiscal cliff" drama unfolding between the White House and Congress. But the former budget director, who took over the top White House job last January, has become a key player behind the scenes.

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5:31am

Tue December 18, 2012
Politics

Gun Issues Return To Political Debate

Originally published on Tue December 18, 2012 6:42 am

For almost 20 years, Democrats have been convinced that gun control is a sure way to lose elections. And in his first term, President Obama never proposed any new gun legislation. But in the aftermath of the Newtown, Conn., massacre, he's promising to use whatever powers he has to prevent similar tragedies.

5:33pm

Wed December 5, 2012
It's All Politics

Obama And House GOP Engage In Fiscal Cliff Talks, Just Not With Each Other

Originally published on Wed December 5, 2012 6:30 pm

The president and House Republicans continued to snipe at each other Wednesday over the impending set of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff. They traded accusations and blame during another day with plenty of talk, but — until late in the day, at least — no negotiations.

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8:47am

Tue December 4, 2012
It's All Politics

Obama Changes Tack With Congressional Republicans

Originally published on Tue December 4, 2012 12:37 pm

Credit Charles Dharapak / AP

Throughout his first term, some of President Obama's critics said he wasn't a tough enough negotiator. They felt he caved to Republicans too early, too often. Since his re-election, Obama has subtly changed his approach. He's bringing a more aggressive style — but some critics say it's not the best way to find common ground.

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7:33am

Wed November 28, 2012
Politics

Post-Election, GOP's Immigration Message Evolves

Originally published on Wed November 28, 2012 12:30 pm

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images

After an election in which Hispanics voted overwhelmingly for President Obama, the White House and Republicans on Capitol Hill are making overtures about immigration reform.

House Speaker John Boehner says he's sure he can make a deal next year with the White House on a comprehensive bill. A steady procession of prominent GOP leaders are warning that Republicans won't win the White House again without improving their outreach to Latino voters. On Monday, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio explained the problem this way.

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