Evening Edition: How Clint Eastwood’s ‘American Sniper’ stoked the American culture wars

The most important stories of the day  •  Tue., Jan. 20, 2015 View in your Web browser

The remainder of Obama’s legacy may depend largely on him going it alone The question facing President Obama as he delivers his sixth State of the Union address Tuesday is whether his final two years in the White House can come close to repeating the successes of his first two. He has neither the Democratic majority that ushered through major bills revamping the nation’s fiscal and health-care systems, nor the sky-high poll ratings he had shortly after taking office.  Read full article »

Why the State of the Union response is always so bad

Newly elected Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, just weeks into her new gig, has a very hard job to do tonight.  She's set to follow President Obama's State of the Union address with her own Republican response. This is a thankless task.  Read full article »

Yemen rebels attack presidential compound in escalating attacks seen as coup bid

SANAA, Yemen — Shiite insurgents stormed Yemen’s presidential palace Tuesday in a stunning blow to the Western-allied government that appeared pushed to the brink after months of rebel gains.The coup-style strikes by the Houthi rebel faction — believed backed by Iran — marked a major setback for President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, a staunch ally of the United States in the fight against al-Qaeda’s powerful branch in Yemen.  Read full article »

Islamic State demands $200 million ransom for two Japanese hostages

SEOUL — Three days after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged $200 million to countries battling the Islamic State, the terrorist group Tuesday demanded the same amount to spare the lives of two Japanese men it holds hostage.  Read full article »

Missouri 9-month-old fatally shot in his crib by 5-year-old brother, police say

A 9-month-old boy was shot and killed by his 5-year-old brother in a Missouri home on Monday, police said.The boy found his grandfather’s .22-caliber magnum revolver that was being kept on a shelf built into the headboard in the master bedroom, Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White told The Washington Post. The baby was in a crib in the same room when the gun went off, and a bullet struck him in the head.  Read full article »

Six family members still missing in Annapolis mansion fire

Authorities said Tuesday they are continuing to look for six family members — two adults and four children — who are missing after a fire that destroyed a waterfront mansion in Anne Arundel County and that they are still trying to get inside the wreckage of the large-scale home.  Read full article »

How Clint Eastwood’s ‘American Sniper’ stoked the American culture wars

Everyone involved with this week’s most popular movie claims it has nothing to do with politics. Really, star actor Bradley Cooper stressed over and again in interviews, it doesn’t. Director Clint Eastwood’s “American Sniper” simply explains the “plight” of the soldier, he told the Daily Beast, providing a “character study.”  Read full article »

Maureen McDonnell sentencing guidelines call for 5 to 6 1 /2 years in prison

The U.S. probation office has determined that federal sentencing guidelines call for former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell to spend as long as 6 1/2 years in prison — a stiff term that she is unlikely to receive but one that will nonetheless serve to guide the judge deciding her fate.  Read full article »

Meghan McCain: Dear Mitt, For your family’s sake, don’t run

There’s really no way to explain what it’s like to watch your parent run for president. Those of us who’ve been through it are members of a very small, bizarre club. Those of us who’ve been through it multiple times, who’ve watched our parents be rejected by the American public more than once? We make up a weird, lonely island of political misfit toys. I’m on it. So are the Romneys. And when I think about what they might go through again, if their father runs a third time, I shudder.  Read full article »