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GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Barack Obama says he would return the country to the more "traditional" foreign policy efforts of past presidents. Those presidents include such as George H.W. Bush, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Obama's comments came at a town hall event in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. He praised President Bush's father for the way he handled the Persian Gulf War: with a large coalition and carefully defined objectives. The Illinois senator has started a 6-day bus tour through Pennsylvania, the largest remaining primary prize in the contest with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Director Oliver Stone has set James Cromwell to play George Herbert Walker Bush and Ellen Burstyn to play former first lady Barbara Bush in "W," a drama about the formative years of their son, President George W. Bush. Josh Brolin is playing the title character, and Elizabeth Banks will play first lady Laura Bush. Stone will direct from a script by his “Wall Street” co-writer Stanley Weiser. Moritz Borman is producing with Bill Block and Jon Kilik.

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain suggested Friday that the trans-Atlantic alliance join with democracies around the world to forge “a New Global Order of peace” that would last throughout the 21st century. The Republican candidate for the U.S. presidency said the process should begin at the alliance's April summit meeting in Bucharest, Romania. Stepping up the NATO commitment to Afghanistan is one priority, he said, but that must lead to greater change around the world. McCain expressed his views in a statement distributed by his campaign on the occasion of the 44th annual Munich Conference on Security Policy in Germany....

The severity of its liquidity problems indicates that the unfolding financial crisis is taking major parts of the US financial and political elite down with it. Carlyle Capital Corp Ltd, a subsidiary of one of the most influential US private equity funds and closely tied to the Bush family, is in default on several of its securities. Carlyle is an offshore subsidiary of the Washington-based Carlyle Group, one of the most politically powerful private equity firms of the past two decades. Among the leading partners of the Carlyle Group in recent years have been George H W Bush, father of...

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Chinese president meets former U.S. President Bush in Beijing Chinese President Hu Jintao (R front) meets with former U.S. President George Bush in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2008. (Xinhua/Fan Rujun) Special report: 2008 Olympic Games Special Report: NPC, CPPCC Annual Sessions 2008 BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met here on Friday with former U.S. President George Bush. Hailing the progress of China-U.S. relations in recent years, Hu said that to develop healthy, stable bilateral ties was in the common interest of both sides and had great significance for peace and development of the Asian-Pacific...

Although Ed Koch has not held elected office for nearly two decades, the feisty former mayor of New York City remains a powerful force in American politics and in the American Jewish community. Reporters still ask for his comments on the latest news developments, and candidates for office still seek his endorsement. Now Koch has a new book out – and it contains a stunning revelation that may ignite a second round of his now-famous clash with James Baker. Round One of Koch vs. Baker exploded across headlines around the world in March 1992, when Koch revealed, in his New...

Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., talks to reporters with senior advisor Steve Schmidt, right, in flight from Houston to Appleton, Wis., Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. Center is his wife Cindy McCain. Former President George H.W. Bush, left, speaks at a news conference in Houston, Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, where he endorsed Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., right. McCain's wife Cindy is at cenetr.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former President George H.W. Bush urged disgruntled conservatives on Monday to rally around John McCain, calling their criticism of the Republican presidential front-runner "grossly unfair." The father of President George W. Bush said he was annoyed by attacks within the conservative wing of the Republican Party against the Arizona senator, the all-but-certain Republican nominee to face Democrats in November election. Many conservatives distrust McCain because of his moderate views on illegal immigration and campaign finance reform and for having originally voted against President Bush's tax cuts. Persuading them all to vote for McCain in November will be...

George H. W. Bush endorsed John McCain for president today, which gives an added push for Mike Huckabee to withdraw. Saying that McCain has the "right values and experience," the 41st President attempted to strike a chord with conservatives and generate unity behind McCain: Former President George H.W. Bush endorsed John McCain today as the man best prepared to succeed his son, saying the Arizona senator has the ``right values and experience to guide our nation forward.'' ``No one is better prepared to lead our nation at these trying times than Senator John McCain,'' the 41st president said at a...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John McCain, trying to solidify his support among conservatives amid resolute competition from former Arkansas Gov. John Huckabee, today won the endorsement of former President George Bush.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former President George H.W. Bush urged disgruntled conservatives on Monday to rally around John McCain, calling their criticism of the Republican presidential front-runner "grossly unfair." The father of President George W. Bush said he was annoyed by attacks within the conservative wing of the Republican Party against the Arizona senator, the all-but-certain Republican nominee to face Democrats in November election. Many conservatives distrust McCain because of his moderate views on illegal immigration and campaign finance reform and for having originally voted against President Bush's tax cuts. Persuading them all to vote for McCain in November will be...

How George torpedoed Jeb's presidential hopes and sank the family's political dynasty. Will America close the books on the Bush dynasty when George W. leaves office in January? Or is it still possible that his younger brother, Jeb, will rise from the ashes of the second Bush presidency -- perhaps even as part of the Bush clan's ongoing duel with the House of Clinton? While one should never say never in politics, such a rematch in 2012 or 2016 is beginning to seem extremely unlikely. Even Jeb himself apparently regards prospects for a Bush resurrection as largely hopeless. To understand...

Richard G. Darman, who marshaled a deep, prickly intelligence to guide policy and deal making in four Republican administrations, including negotiating the reversal of the first President George Bush’s campaign pledge not to raise taxes, died Friday. He was 64 and lived in McLean, Va. His death was announced by James A. Baker III, the former secretary of state and a friend of Mr. Darman. Mr. Darman had been fighting acute myelogenous leukemia, his son Jonathan said. In addition to serving President George Bush in the cabinet-level post of director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mr. Darman worked...

On December 7, 1941, our Nation was viciously attacked at Pearl Harbor, America's Pacific Fleet was battered and broken, and more than 2,400 American lives were lost. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, America honors those brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our homeland, and we recognize those veterans who with strength and resolve defended our Nation and advanced the cause of freedom during World War II. When it mattered most, an entire generation of Americans stepped forward to protect our freedom and to defend liberty. Their devotion to duty and willingness to serve a cause...

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Former President George H.W. Bush celebrated the grand reopening of his presidential museum on Saturday with a surprise skydive. It was the former president's sixth skydive and his first since 2004, when he jumped to celebrate his 80th birthday. On Saturday, Bush was strapped to an expert from the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team, as he was three years ago. Bush, now 83, had hip replacement surgery in January. He said at the time he planned to skydive in 2009 for his 85th birthday. -snip-

Critics of President George W. Bush's handling of the Iraq war are "grossly unfair" and have forgotten the brutality of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Bush's father said in an interview published on Friday. "Do they want to bring back Saddam Hussein," former President George H. W. Bush said in an interview with USAToday at his presidential library in College Station, Texas. "I don't know what they are talking about here. Do they think life would be better in the Middle East if Saddam were still there," the elder Bush, who almost never comments on his son's presidency, said in...

Former President George H.W. Bush says the post-White House friendship he has nurtured with the man who turned him out of office won't make him go any easier on his successor's wife, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bush and former President Clinton in recent years have worked together on numerous charitable causes, including jointly raising money for victims of the Indonesian tsunami in late 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "And I might say I've enjoyed playing golf with the guy," Bush said. But none of that will make him hold his tongue against Hillary Clinton, who leads the Democratic presidential...

WASHINGTON — Former President George H.W. Bush says the post-White House friendship he has nurtured with the man who turned him out of office won't make him go any easier on his successor's wife, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bush and former President Clinton in recent years have worked together on numerous charitable causes, including jointly raising money for victims of the Indonesian tsunami in late 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. "And I might say I've enjoyed playing golf with the guy," Bush said. But none of that will make him hold his tongue against Hillary Clinton, who leads the...

Former President to Give Clinton No Pass Nov 4 01:34 PM US/Eastern By DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Former President George H.W. Bush says the post-White House friendship he has nurtured with the man who turned him out of office won't make him go any easier on his successor's wife, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bush and former President Clinton in recent years have worked together on numerous charitable causes, including raising money for victims of the Indonesian tsunami in late 2005 and Hurricane Katrina in 2006. "And I might say I've enjoyed playing golf with the guy,"...