
Frank James
Frank James joined NPR News in April 2009 to launch the blog, "The Two-Way," with co-blogger Mark Memmott.
"The Two-Way" is the place where NPR.org gives readers breaking news and analysis — and engages users in conversations ("two-ways") about the most compelling stories being reported by NPR News and other news media.
James came to NPR from the Chicago Tribune, where he worked for 20 years. In 2006, James created "The Swamp," the paper's successful politics and policy news blog whose readership climbed to a peak of 3 million page-views a month.
Before that, James covered homeland security, technology and privacy and economics in the Tribune's Washington Bureau. He also reported for the Tribune from South Africa and covered politics and higher education.
James also reported for The Wall Street Journal for nearly 10 years.
James received a bachelor of arts degree in English from Dickinson College and now serves on its board of trustees.
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Six days before the federal government is due to shut down, Sen. Ted Cruz's fellow GOP colleagues indicated they weren't prepared to follow his lead in the anti-Obamacare fight.
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Some conservative Republicans don't think a government shutdown will hurt them ... Former House GOP leaders say Speaker Boehner and his team have it far harder than they did ... George W. Bush defends the present golfer in chief.
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If the "defund Obamacare" strategy leads to a shutdown that backfires on Republicans in a big way, Cruz may find a relative lack of Washington Republicans willing to provide him with much, if any, political cover.
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The looming federal government shutdown and efforts to defund Obamacare are capturing political headlines Monday morning.
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Democrats in coal-producing states will likely use every chance they get to separate themselves from President Obama in voters' minds. The EPA's new power plant rules are just such an opportunity. After all, Obama is about as unpopular in those states as coal is popular.
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The House GOP's vote on food stamps is a long way from George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism" approach. The former president isn't fondly remembered by progressives for much, but anti-hunger advocates credit him for his strong support of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
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The U.S. has had poet laureates, who seem to have worked out well, promoting poetry to the masses. But a bill to similarly sing the praises of scientific discovery and get more young people considering science careers is falling victim to politics.
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Secular activists who count themselves among the "nones" — as in atheists, agnostics or those of no definite religious affiliation — say they hope a new political action committee will stiffen the backbones of lawmakers who may be too afraid to openly state their doubts about the existence of a divine author of the universe.
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William Daley has long seemed to be most in his comfort zone as the backroom wheeler-dealer, the guy behind the guy who got elected. So in some ways, his decision to quit the Illinois governor's race is no surprise.
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After some initial successes, Obama's ability to achieve the other pieces of his economic to-do list has been spotty at best.
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How do you break out of the pack if you're in a mayoral race with dozens of other candidates? In Minneapolis, one guy filmed an ad that's eye-catching and maybe even a little weird.
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Republican leaders recall how their party was blamed for the shutdowns of the mid-1990s and earnestly want to avoid a repeat, especially heading into an election year.