Eric Cantor

Eric Cantor has perfected the strategic sneer. It comes, frequently, when he answers a reporter's question about something President Obama has said: The House majority leader's lip curls up on the left side and a look of disgust washes over his face. This week, he has been coupling the sneer with lines such as: "How in the world can you even accept that notion?" And, "That is laughable on its face. " And, "That doesn't make sense. . . . That again is just nonsensical.

Keep your distance: The director of national intelligence is having intestinal distress. "For me, it is literally — not figuratively, literally — gut-wrenching to see this happen," James Clapper told Andrea Mitchell over the weekend, referring to leaks about the government's secret program to collect vast troves of phone and Internet data. There might be a bit more sympathy for Clapper's digestive difficulty if he hadn't delivered a kick in the gut to the American public just three months ago. Sen. Ron...

In a breach of bedrock conservative principles, House Speaker John A. Boehner laid out a proposal Tuesday to allow tax rates to rise for Americans making more than $1 million a year. And standing side by side with Boehner as he outlined what many Republicans consider an apostasy — but what Boehner argues is the only way to spare most people from a tax increase — was House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who has worked hard in recent months to play the loyal lieutenant. "The Democrats have one negotiator: the president.

Honestly, I wasn't trying to pit Washington against Los Angeles . I don't think one is better than the other. I just think they're different. And Viva lez differences , as John Travolta might say. I simply wanted to explore those differences in my column last week. My invitation to ponder what each city could learn from the other prompted dozens of readers to share their opinions. Carol Urban said both areas have much in common. Carol's a Southern California native who has lived in Northern...

Keep your distance: The director of national intelligence is having intestinal distress. "For me, it is literally — not figuratively, literally — gut-wrenching to see this happen," James Clapper told Andrea Mitchell over the weekend, referring to leaks about the government's secret program to collect vast troves of phone and Internet data. There might be a bit more sympathy for Clapper's digestive difficulty if he hadn't delivered a kick in the gut to the American public just three months ago. Sen. Ron...

While reporters David A. Fahrenthold and Paul Kane write that Rep. Eric Cantor would probably be "lousy at selling cars" [" Cantor takes a stand — and then walks "], he was not trying to sell anything in the debt talks. It is President Obama who is trying to "sell" the Republicans on raising the debt ceiling without fixing the long-term overspending that has saddled our country with the need for more debt. So, Mr. Cantor is really the buyer on behalf of the public, and as any good buyer knows, you...

The book's title was bold, and its authors intended to outline a bold future. As "Young Guns" went on sale two years ago, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) took center stage on its cover, with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in the foreground of the iconic photo taken on a Capitol balcony. More toward the back was Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the policy wonk whose star had yet to shine as brightly as those of his two 40-something friends. Yet on Wednesday night, as Ryan strode to the podium to accept the...

The negotiating tactics of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor would probably make him lousy at selling cars. But as Congress and the president try to strike a deal on the national debt, they have made Cantor a hero to ardent anti-spending conservatives. Cantor (R-Va.) thinks the way to win this haggling session — one of Washington's most important in years — is by walking out of it. Last month, Cantor walked out of talks led by Vice President Biden. Cantor said the reason was Democrats'...

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has become one of the leading voices for the Republicans during the debt ceiling negotiations as an anchor the anti-tax wing of the party. As David Fahrenthold and Paul Kane reported : The negotiating tactics of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor would probably make him lousy at selling cars. But as Congress and the president try to strike a deal on the national debt, they have made Cantor a hero to ardent...

Trying to defuse a political a firestorm on Capitol Hill, the founder of an anti-incumbent political committee said Tuesday that his group will agree to designate $25,000 from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as a donation for one Illinois primary last month. The contribution has become a source of embarrassment for Cantor because the group is is taking advantage of new fundraising rules to target incumbents for defeat, including some Republicans whom Cantor supports. The Campaign for...

Republicans have happened upon a felicitous new strategy for reviving their party from its depressed state: They need only think happy thoughts. At a retreat for Republican leaders last month, former House speaker Newt Gingrich told them to "learn to be a happy party" and a "cheerful" one, and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said they should be a party "that smiles. " Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told his fellow Republicans to talk about "just how incredibly bright America's future can be. " In other words,...

The end-of-term reviews of John Boehner's House speakership are in, and they aren't pretty. "The conduct of the Republican leadership was disgraceful, it was indefensible and it was immoral. " "There was a betrayal. " "Disappointing and disgusting. " "It's inexcusable. " "Failed that most basic test of public service. " And this was coming from the Republicans . The spark: Boehner's last-minute decision to let the 112th Congress fade into history without a vote on the $60 billion Hurricane Sandy relief...

In a breach of bedrock conservative principles, House Speaker John A. Boehner laid out a proposal Tuesday to allow tax rates to rise for Americans making more than $1 million a year. And standing side by side with Boehner as he outlined what many Republicans consider an apostasy — but what Boehner argues is the only way to spare most people from a tax increase — was House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who has worked hard in recent months to play the loyal lieutenant. "The Democrats have one negotiator:...

Jena McGregor is a columnist for the Washington Post's On Leadership section. As Thursday night's lone vice presidential debate approaches, both Joe Biden and Paul Ryan are busy prepping for what some are hailing as a vice presidential debate that could really matter , especially following President Obama's lackluster performance in his own showdown with Mitt Romney last week. Biden is apparently preparing by studying and watching videos of Ryan's interviews and speeches, as well as...

The book's title was bold, and its authors intended to outline a bold future. As "Young Guns" went on sale two years ago, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) took center stage on its cover, with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in the foreground of the iconic photo taken on a Capitol balcony. More toward the back was Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the policy wonk whose star had yet to shine as brightly as those of his two 40-something friends. Yet on Wednesday night, as Ryan strode to the...

Trying to defuse a political a firestorm on Capitol Hill, the founder of an anti-incumbent political committee said Tuesday that his group will agree to designate $25,000 from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as a donation for one Illinois primary last month. The contribution has become a source of embarrassment for Cantor because the group is is taking advantage of new fundraising rules to target incumbents for defeat, including some Republicans whom Cantor supports. The ...

I nearly choked on my morning tea when I read this from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor about President Obama's jobs speech Thursday: "I object to the all-or-nothing message the president is delivering. That's not how anybody operates. " [" Obama takes jobs-bill fight to Cantor ," news story, Sept. 10.] I know Americans have short attention spans, but I'm pretty sure it was Eric Cantor who was leading the charge during the debt-ceiling debate with Republicans' message of "no new taxes or we send the country into default.

Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (WTTG), 9 a.m.: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.); former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge . THIS WEEK (ABC, WJLA), 10 a.m.: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates ; former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) and former senator Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.). NEWSMAKERS (C-SPAN), 10 a.m.: David B. Sandalow , energy adviser to Barack Obama . FACE THE NATION (CBS, WUSA)

President Obama had just arrived home, walking across Lafayette Square after attending Sunday services with his family at St. John's Church. In the West Wing, Obama ducked into the spacious office of his chief of staff, where he found his negotiating team huddled with two leading Republicans and a passel of aides. To the outside world, it looked like a do-nothing summer Sunday, a disturbingly quiet reminder of government dysfunction. The prevailing theme on the weekly political talk shows was things...

We were so enjoying tracking the overseas adventures of the congressional delegation traveling in the Middle East. We'd followed along through the tweets of one of the staffers accompanying the group. Brad Dayspring , spokesman for House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), started out chronicling the codel through a series of behind-the-scenes photos and observations. Sample tweets: "Istanbul traffic . . . pretty similar to DC traffic. " "The pudding store in...