obama

Several arts and cultural institutions saw their allotment rise by about 5 percent in President Obama's proposed 2013 budget.

The proposed spending of $1.576 billion — in a budget of $3.8 trillion — includes good news for the Smithsonian Institution and the National Endowments for the Arts.

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The poll, released Tuesday, found President Obama's approval rating had bounced back up to 50 percent from 47 percent in January.

Not a huge improvement but in presidential politics, getting to at least 50 percent approval is key for an incumbent seeking re-election.

The recovering economy gets much of the credit for his rising approval rates.

On Monday, President Obama is scheduled to release his proposed federal budget for the fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1.

House leaders are likely to release their version in the coming days. Neither is likely to pass. Not that it matters — the spending level for the year was set in last summer's bill that settled the debt ceiling crisis.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan talks with host Michel Martin about the settlement reached yesterday between federal and state officials and major banks.

It was an effort to address unfair banking practices that led to the mortgage crisis. President Obama praised the deal, but critics say the settlement is inadequate.

Some religious groups have attacked the Obama administration's plan to require most employers to provide coverage for prescription contraceptives.

GOP lawmakers are now vowing to overturn the requirement; meanwhile, Democrats say they'll fight to maintain it to protect women's health.

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In an interview with NBC, the president sought to assure allies and foes alike that the United States was working in lockstep with Israel to solve the crisis, "hopefully diplomatically." He also said he deserved "a second term" as president, though he acknowledged the economy still needed work.

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Newt Gingrich had his best fundraising of the campaign in the final months of last year — but so did rival Mitt Romney, whose disclosure reports showed he raised more than twice as much.

As for Obama, his campaign showed that incumbency still has its advantages.

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The former House speaker is trying to cut into the resurgent front-runner's lead before Tuesday's primary in the Sunshine State.

Newt Gingrich accused the former Massachusetts governor of "carpet-bombing" his record. Mitt Romney meanwhile shifted his focus back to President Obama's record.

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Political analyst Stuart Rothenberg projects that President Obama would bury Newt Gingrich in the Electoral College.

The president has also gained ground against Mitt Romney.

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The Obama administration is announcing plans to lease nearly 38 million acres in the central Gulf of Mexico for offshore oil and gas drilling.

It's part of the push to boost domestic energy supplies that the president outlined in his State of the Union address.

President Obama is also promoting American manufacturing and worker-training efforts this week, as he visits five states likely to be important in the November election.