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Thursday

Hagel's Hearing: 7 Things We Learned

Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel testifies Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

It's All Politics

Hagel's Hearing: 7 Things We Learned

Defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel's confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee made clear that the former Republican senator has said things that don't sit well with current Republican senators. And for all that we learned, the hearing ended with one lingering question.

The Coming Fight Over Immigration Policy

President Barack Obama says he hopes that the immigration reform plan designed out by a bipartisan Senate committee will become a bill as soon as March. The president also warned, that this debate will become more heated and emotional as it moves ahead.

The Coming Fight Over Immigration Policy

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Iran, Israel, Defense Cuts To Be Key Topics At Hagel Hearing

Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who has been nominated to be the next secretary of defense. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Iran, Israel, Defense Cuts To Be Key Topics At Hagel Hearing

The former Nebraska senator faces the Senate Armed Services Committee. After some initial doubts, the conventional wisdom in Washington is that he's likely to be confirmed. But Hagel will face some sharp questions about his views on key issues.

Cabinet Picks Show A Shift In How U.S. Wages War

President Obama shakes hands with his nominee to head the Defense Department, former Sen. Chuck Hagel, at the White House on Jan. 7. John Brennan, Obama's choice for director of the CIA, looks on. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

It's All Politics

Cabinet Picks Show A Shift In How U.S. Wages War

The White House has emphasized that incoming Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel — both Vietnam veterans — understand the full cost of war. President Obama says that makes them the right choice for their jobs, as the U.S. moves away from big wars to a targeted approach.

Cabinet Picks Show A Shift In How U.S. Wages War

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Wednesday

Will Economic Contraction Affect Debate Over Sequester?

Spending cuts that are part of the looming sequester could cause big job losses in defense and other industries. U.S. Navy/Getty Images hide caption

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U.S. Navy/Getty Images

It's All Politics

Will Economic Contraction Affect Debate Over Sequester?

Federal spending cuts may have hurt the U.S. economy's fourth-quarter growth. But don't count on that changing the dynamics of the current debate over the sequester, the ax poised to start hacking $1.2 trillion from federal spending if Congress fails to stop it by the March 1 deadline.

LaPierre Fights To Stop The 'Nightmare' Of Background Checks

Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president and CEO of the National Rifle Association, testifies while NRA President David Keene listens during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence Wednesday. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Wilson/Getty Images

It's All Politics

LaPierre Fights To Stop The 'Nightmare' Of Background Checks

The National Riffle Association's top lobbyist told senators that federal authorities need to enforce existing gun laws, not punish the "little people" with new regulations.

Immigration, Gun Legislation And The Shakeup In Iowa

NPR's Ken Rudin recaps the week in politics, from the new proposals for immigration policy, to the Senate testimony on gun control legislation. Kathie Obradovich, political columnist for the Des Moines Register, about the retirement of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and the politics of Iowa in 2014.

Jan. 30 Junkie segment on TOTN

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The Controversy Surrounding Hagel's Confirmation

In an interview with former Middle East peace negotiator Aaron David Miller in 2006, then-Sen. Chuck Hagel made a controversial statement about the "Jewish lobby." On the eve of Hagel's confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Miller argues that it's time to let those comments go.

The Controversy Surrounding Hagel's Confirmation

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Disgraced Former Gov. Mark Sanford Is Ready To Make Another Move

Mark Sanford, seen at the GOP convention last summer in Tampa, Fla., saw his career as South Carolina's governor implode in 2009 when he admitted to an extramarital affair. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

It's All Politics

Disgraced Former Gov. Mark Sanford Is Ready To Make Another Move

The former South Carolina governor hopes to make a comeback by winning a special election to his old House seat. He'll have to overcome a large field filled with current officeholders and quasi-celebrities such as Ted Turner's son and Stephen Colbert's sister

Giffords: 'We Must Do Something!' About Gun Violence

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., and her husband Mark Kelly at Wednesday's Senate hearing about gun violence. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Giffords: 'We Must Do Something!' About Gun Violence

The national debate over gun laws has taken on urgency since last year's shootings at an elementary school in Connecticut and a movie theater in Colorado. Giffords, who was shot in January 2011, is adding her voice. At a Senate hearing, all sides made their cases.