Free Republic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House has lowered its earlier optimism about the midterm elections and is now worried that Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress, administration officials say. Recent polls have shown Democrats who once had comfortable leads in some Senate races on a knife's edge, and Senate elections that were considered toss-ups between the two parties now leaning Republican as high inflation persists. The House of Representatives, which Biden and some allies and advisers predicted Democrats could hold earlier this year, is decisively swinging for Republicans, polling analysts including FiveThirtyEight say. Losing control of one...

The White House on Tuesday urged Russia to provide a counter-offer to U.S. attempts to trade for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner. Washington has offered to swap jailed arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner and Paul Whelan, a former Marine.

WASHINGTON/ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Sept 7 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Thursday will present a six-pronged strategy intended to fight the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus Delta variant and increase U.S. COVID-19 vaccinations, the White House said on Tuesday. The United States, which leads the world in COVID-19 cases and deaths, is struggling to stem a wave of infections driven by the variant even as officials try to persuade Americans who have resisted vaccination to get the shots. Rising case loads have raised concerns as children head back to school, while also rattling investors and upending company return-to-office...