Cokie Roberts

The secretary of Homeland Security has issued a warning after a video purportedly from the al-Qaida-linked militant group al-Shabab called for Muslims to attack shopping malls.

Some potential Republican candidates, such as Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush, stayed away from the event in Des Moines. Was that a smart move?

As President Obama honors Martin Luther King J., he is also preparing for Tuesday's State of the Union speech. The White House has already revealed many of the proposals he will highlight.

Republicans in the Senate are talking about raising gas taxes. Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker suggested a gas tax hike some time ago, and this weekend another Republican said his party is open to the idea.

Before heading to Hawaii for vacation with the first family, President Obama held a news conference on Friday. There were wide-ranging questions, and the president only called on female journalists.

Over the weekend, Congress voted on a $1.1 trillion bill to keep the government open. Some lawmakers alienated colleagues by trying to sink the bill with roadblocks to draw attention to their issues.

Lawmakers face a funding deadline to keep the government from running out of money on Dec. 11. That funding is tied up in a variety of other issues that have nothing to do with government spending.

President Obama announced his plans for immigration change that do an end run around Congress. Republicans are upset that the president is using executive actions to push through the action he wants.

Last week was tough for President Obama. After elections, Republicans took control of the Senate and added seats to the House. As Congress comes back into session, things might not be much better.

Control of the Senate is the big prize at stake in Tuesday's midterm elections. Democrats hold it now, but Republicans are poised to take it from them.

With just a little more than three weeks left until midterm elections, political analysts believe the Republicans have a good chance of winning enough seats to take over the Senate from Democrats.

House Speaker John Boehner told ABC's This Week that he may bring Congress back for a special session, if necessary, to give the president authority to wage a full-out fight against the Islamic State.

Congress is in recess with members campaigning in their districts ahead of the November vote. What is the role overseas events will play in the midterm election?

As the president assembles a coalition against ISIS, he'll need congressional support. A continuing resolution to fund the government may offer hints as to how much cooperation he'll get from the GOP.

Before speaking to the nation Wednesday, he plans to meet with congressional leaders on Tuesday to try to map out what role the legislative branch should play.

President Obama's recent statement on the U.S. strategy against ISIS, and speculation that he'll take executive action on immigration may have a big impact on the November election contests.

The beheading of an American journalist at the hands of foreign terrorists, and the death of Michael Brown in Missouri have created policy and political questions that the president has to deal with.

President Obama and his family are enjoying what the White House is describing as a working vacation on Martha's Vineyard as American airstrikes continue to hit selected Iraqi targets.

Reports over the weekend indicated President Obama would take executive action soon to grant legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants. The White House says that is speculation.

As Central American kids continue to arrive across the U.S. border, there are many questions over the law. President Obama wants it overhauled. Republicans say they can't trust him to enforce the law.