WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona's new senator says he'd vote to repeal the nation's health care law. That's one additional Republican ready to obliterate the statute because his predecessor, the late Sen. John McCain, helped derail the party's drive with his fabled thumbs-down vote last year.

2. Trump Fumes Over NYT Op-Ed; Top Officials Swiftly Deny Role - Friday, September 7, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pushing back against explosive reports his own administration is conspiring against him, President Donald Trump lashed out against the anonymous senior official who wrote a New York Times opinion piece claiming to be part of a "resistance" working "from within" to thwart his most dangerous impulses.

3. Supreme Court Nominee Kavanaugh Stresses Independence, Won't Discuss WH subpoenas - Thursday, September 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh repeatedly stressed the importance of judicial independence on the second day of his confirmation hearing Wednesday as he faced questioning from senators, including Democrats who fear he would be President Donald Trump's man on the high court. But he declined to address whether Trump could be subpoenaed or could pardon himself.

4. Former Arizona U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl to Replace John McCain - Wednesday, September 5, 2018

PHOENIX (AP) — Prolonging the uncertainty over who will fill the late John McCain's U.S. Senate seat, the governor of Arizona on Tuesday announced the appointment of former senator Jon Kyl but said he has only committed to serve until the end of the year.

5. Family, Friends Say Final Goodbye To McCain - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Sen. John McCain's final journey ended on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy within view of the Severn River and earshot of midshipmen present and future, and alongside a lifelong friend.

6. Connecting to American Values - Tuesday, September 4, 2018

As U.S. Sen. John McCain prepared for his death, he wrote a message to America and the world. We share a few of his words as a call to our higher selves, a reminder of our humanity – and fragility – and as beacon of hope.

7. John McCain Remembered as Hero, Fighter, Friend - Friday, August 31, 2018

PHOENIX (AP) — Sen. John McCain was eulogized Thursday as a "true American hero" — and a terrible driver with a wicked sense of humor and love of a good fight — as 3,500 mourners crowded into an Arizona church to pay their final respects to the maverick politician.

8. Final Farewells to Sen. John McCain Begin at Arizona Capitol - Thursday, August 30, 2018

PHOENIX (AP) — Cindy McCain pressed her face against the flag-draped casket of her husband, U.S. Sen. John McCain, on Wednesday and several of his children sobbed during the first of two services for the statesman and former prisoner of war before he is taken for the last time from the state he has represented since the 1980s.

9. Liberal Gillum, Trump-backed DeSantis Win Florida Primaries - Thursday, August 30, 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (AP) — A liberal Florida Democrat pulled off an upset victory Tuesday in the state's primary for governor while President Donald Trump's favored candidate cruised to victory for the GOP, setting up a fierce fall showdown in the nation's largest political battleground. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who would be the state's first black governor, and Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis, both defeated more moderate opponents aligned with their parties' establishment.

10. White House Flags Back at Full-Staff After McCain Death - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flags at the White House were back at full-staff Monday, even as objections mounted and Senate leaders of both parties formally requested that American flags at government buildings stay at half-staff to honor Sen. John McCain.

11. White House Flags Back at Full-Staff After McCain Death - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Flags at the White House were back at full-staff Monday, even as objections mounted and Senate leaders of both parties formally requested that American flags at government buildings stay at half-staff to honor Sen. John McCain.

12. Sen. John McCain to be Buried Next to Best Friend at U.S. Naval Academy - Tuesday, August 28, 2018

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — It will be a fitting final resting place for a man who prized military service, cherished friendship and had little patience for formalities.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who died Saturday of brain cancer, will be buried Sunday on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, right next to a lifelong friend, within earshot of the next generation of midshipmen and within view of the banks of Severn River.

13. Last Word: End of Term, After The Testimony and John McCain - Monday, August 27, 2018

Shelby County commissioners meet Monday for what is the last regularly scheduled meeting of their four-year term of office. Eight of the 13 commissioners are leaving the body of 13 at the end of this month as is Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell.

14. War Hero and Presidential Candidate John McCain Dies at 81 - Monday, August 27, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John McCain, who faced down his captors in a Vietnam prisoner of war camp with jut-jawed defiance and later turned his rebellious streak into a 35-year political career that took him to Congress and the Republican presidential nomination, died Saturday after battling brain cancer for more than a year. He was 81.

15. In Supreme Court fight, Dems target 2 GOP Senate moderates - Monday, July 9, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — By themselves, Democrats can't stop the Republican-run Senate from confirming President Donald Trump's pick for the Supreme Court. But they're determined to make it agonizing for a pair of pivotal GOP senators to back the nominee.

16. Trump Interviews 4 for Supreme Court, 2-3 More to Go - Tuesday, July 3, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump interviewed four prospective Supreme Court justices Monday and planned to speak with a few more, as he powered forward with a speedy selection process to fill the fresh vacancy.

17. Justice Kennedy retiring; Trump gets 2nd Supreme Court pick - Thursday, June 28, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday, giving President Donald Trump a golden chance to cement conservative control of the high court.

18. 'It's About Time': Trump Pardons Late Boxer Jack Johnson - Friday, May 25, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Thursday granted a rare posthumous pardon to boxing's first black heavyweight champion, clearing Jack Johnson's name more than 100 years after what many see as his racially-charged conviction.

19. Trump's CIA Pick is Career Spymaster, Oversaw Secret Prison - Wednesday, March 14, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) – Gina Haspel's colleagues describe her as a seasoned veteran who would lead the CIA with integrity. Human rights advocates see her as someone who supervised torture at a secret prison.

20. Romney Makes It Official: He's Running for Utah Senate Seat - Monday, February 19, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Former presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is running for a Utah Senate seat, officially launching his political comeback attempt Friday by praising his adopted home state as a model for an acrimonious national government in Washington.

21. Final Goodbye: Roll Call of Some Who Died in 2017 - Monday, January 1, 2018

They made music that inspired legions of fans. Rock 'n' roll founding fathers Chuck Berry and Fats Domino, rockers Tom Petty and Gregg Allman, grunge icon Chris Cornell, country superstar Glen Campbell and jazz great Al Jarreau were among the notable figures who died in 2017, leaving a void in virtually every genre of music.

22. Trump Signs $700 Billion Military Budget Into Law - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law a sweeping defense policy bill that authorizes a $700 billion budget for the military, including additional spending on missile defense programs to counter North Korea's growing nuclear weapons threat.

23. Trump Promises Americans 'Huge Tax Cut' for Christmas - Tuesday, November 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Monday promised a tax overhaul by Christmas, a day after the White House signaled its willingness to strike a health care provision from Senate tax legislation if it's an impediment to passing the tax bill.

24. The Next Four Years - Saturday, November 18, 2017

A week before candidates for the 2018 Shelby County elections could pull qualifying petitions to run, Shelby County Commissioner David Reaves was thinking out loud on Facebook.

“Next four years,” was how it began.

25. Remarkable Public Row Between Trump, GOP Sen. Corker - Wednesday, October 25, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a startling verbal assault on the president of his own party, Republican Sen. Bob Corker charged Tuesday that Donald Trump "debases our nation" with constant untruths, name calling and bullying, and will leave behind a sad legacy of damaging division.

26. Senators Push For More Online Transparency In Elections - Friday, October 20, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators are moving to boost transparency for online political ads, unveiling on Thursday what could be the first of several pieces of legislation to try to lessen influence from Russia or other foreign actors on U.S. elections.

27. Trump Lashes Out at Corker; GOP Senator Hits Back - Tuesday, October 10, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – A powerful Republican senator cast the president of his own party as a man-child who could set the U.S. "on the path to World War III" as the two engaged in an intense and vitriolic back-and-forth bashing, a remarkable airing of their party's profound rifts.

28. For Fizdale, Conley, Speaking Out Is Part of The Job Now - Friday, September 29, 2017

This conversation? No, they didn’t imagine it. Grizzlies coach David Fizdale and point guard Mike Conley did not enter the NBA thinking they would someday be talking about national protests, a president that shoots from the lip, or Confederate statues in Memphis.

29. Transgender Troops Can Re-Enlist In Military – For Now - Monday, September 18, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – New guidance released Friday by the Pentagon makes it clear that any transgender troops currently in the military can re-enlist in the next several months, even as the department debates how broadly to enforce a ban on their service ordered by President Donald Trump.

30. Medical Technology Marks Brave New World In Treatment Of Serious Illnesses - Friday, September 8, 2017

Innovative medical technologies being developed in Memphis promise to revolutionize health care in the coming years.

Two technologies in particular have the medical community brimming with excitement: wearable medical technology that is just becoming widely available will help extend the lives of people with terminal brain cancer and a new medical device that should be available next year will ease the recovery for breast cancer and hernia surgery patients.

31. Trump Rescinding DACA Program Protecting Young Immigrants - Wednesday, September 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump on Tuesday began dismantling the government program protecting hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children. Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared the Obama administration's program "an unconstitutional exercise of authority" that must be revoked.

32. Mississippi Shipyard to Fix Destroyer Hit in June Collision - Thursday, August 24, 2017

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A U.S. Navy destroyer damaged in a June collision that killed seven sailors will be repaired at a Mississippi shipyard, the Navy announced Wednesday.

The USS Fitzgerald will be transported to Pascagoula for work at Ingalls Shipbuilding, part of Huntington Ingalls Industries of Newport News, Virginia.

33. Officials Say Trump's Afghan Plan Involves 3,900 More Troops - Wednesday, August 23, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's plan to end America's longest war and eliminate Afghanistan's rising extremist threat involves sending up to 3,900 additional U.S. troops, senior officials said Tuesday. The first deployments could take place within days.

34. Navy Chief Orders Probe into Pacific Fleet After Collisions - Tuesday, August 22, 2017

SINGAPORE (AP) — The U.S. Navy ordered a broad investigation Monday into the performance and readiness of the Pacific-based 7th Fleet after an early morning collision between the USS John S. McCain and an oil tanker in Southeast Asian waters left 10 U.S. sailors missing and others injured.

35. Trump Says Transgender People Should be Barred From Military - Thursday, July 27, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump said Wednesday he wants transgender people barred from serving in the U.S. military "in any capacity," citing "tremendous medical costs and disruption."

36. GOP May Keep Some Obama Tax Hikes to Save Health Care Bill - Friday, June 30, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Top Senate Republicans on Thursday considered keeping President Barack Obama's tax increase on wealthier people's investments and using the money to bolster their proposed health care subsidies in a bid to mollify moderate GOP lawmakers and salvage the party's struggling bill.

37. After Warmbier's Death, US Weighs Travel Ban on North Korea - Wednesday, June 21, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is considering banning travel by U.S. citizens to North Korea, officials said Tuesday, as outrage grew over the death of American student Otto Warmbier and President Donald Trump declared it a "total disgrace."

38. Comey Sought More Russia Probe Resources Before Firing - Thursday, May 11, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – In the days before his firing by President Donald Trump, FBI Director James Comey told U.S. lawmakers he had asked the Justice Department for more resources to pursue the bureau's investigation into Russia's interference in last year's presidential election, three U.S. officials said Wednesday.

39. Tennessee Sen. Green Withdraws Nomination for US Army Secretary - Saturday, May 6, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump's choice for Army secretary withdrew his nomination on Friday in the face of growing criticism over his remarks about Muslims, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.

40. Senate Sends $1.1T Spending Bill to Trump - Friday, May 5, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has delivered to President Donald Trump the first significant legislation of his presidency, a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill that would keep the government running through September – putting off, for now, battles over Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall and his promised military buildup.

41. Senate Confirms Trump Pick Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court - Monday, April 10, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Neil Gorsuch to become the newest associate justice on the Supreme Court Friday, elevating Donald Trump's nominee following a corrosive partisan confrontation that could have lasting impacts for the Senate and the court.

42. White House Calls for Domestic Cuts to Finance Border Wall - Wednesday, March 29, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is proposing immediate budget cuts of $18 billion from programs like medical research, infrastructure and community grants so U.S. taxpayers, not Mexico, can cover the down payment on the border wall.

43. Mills Looks To Spread Republican Reach in 2018 County Elections - Monday, March 20, 2017

The chairman of the Shelby County Republican Party says the local party has to become more diverse and work to get back non-voting Republicans.

“For the longest time, we’ve talked about going into the African-American community, talked about going into the Hispanic community,” Lee Mills said. “But we haven’t actually done it and that’s our fault. We’ve got to reach out to them and we can’t reach out to them without going to them. So, we’re going to go to their communities and we’re going to find ways to do that.”

44. Local Democratic and Republican Partisans Already Looking To 2018 - Tuesday, February 28, 2017

U.S. Rep. David Kustoff says former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey was right in describing his 8th Congressional District as the most Republican of the state’s nine congressional districts.

45. Local Democrats and Republicans Prepare for 2018 Governor's Race - Saturday, February 25, 2017

At least five potential Republican candidates for Tennessee governor in 2018 were among the crowd of 400 people at the Saturday, Feb. 25, Lincoln Day Gala of the Shelby County Republican Party.

Meanwhile, Nashville Mayor Megan Barry told a group of 150 Democrats at an “Obama Day” event Saturday that they and other Democrats across the state can elect one of their own as governor in 2018.

46. Immigration Order Playing Well to Trump's Fans Around Nation - Wednesday, February 1, 2017

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – President Donald Trump's order temporarily banning refugees and immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries is playing well in Trump Country, those places that propelled him to the White House.

47. Tillerson Heading for Confirmation as Secretary of State - Tuesday, January 24, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state headed for approval in a key Senate committee Monday after Florida Sen. Marco Rubio announced his support, backing off from a challenge to the new president.

48. Presidential Election Tops Busy Year for Memphis Voters - Friday, December 30, 2016

2016 was an eventful election year in Shelby County, ending with the most popular voting cycle in Shelby County politics: the U.S. presidential general election in November. Slightly more than 60 percent of the county’s voters cast a ballot either during early voting in October or on the Nov. 8 Election Day.

49. House Passes $611 Billion Defense Policy Bill by Wide Margin - Monday, December 5, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-led House on Friday overwhelmingly backed a $611 billion defense policy bill that rejects a number of President Barack Obama's key proposals for managing the nation's vast military enterprise.

50. After The Vote - Saturday, November 12, 2016

If you stood in certain places during the last days of the 2016 campaign in Memphis you could see the 2018 elections even if you couldn’t see Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s national victory over Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

51. Last Word: Underperforming At the Polls, Tenoke Plans and Poverty in Cordova - Thursday, November 10, 2016

Still parsing election numbers, although 24 hours after the polls closed in Shelby County, the Election Commission was still counting absentee ballots.

Here is a statewide perspective from Associated Press.

52. Trump Wins Tennessee by 26 Points; Carries 91 of 95 Counties - Thursday, November 10, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Republican Donald Trump has won Tennessee's presidential election by 26 percentage points, carrying all but four of the state's 95 counties.

More than 1.5 million voters cast their ballots in favor of Trump, or 61 percent, compared with about 866,000 for Democrat Hillary Clinton, or 35 percent. Libertarian Gary Johnson received 2 percent of the state vote.

53. Election Fallout: What a Trump Or Clinton Presidency Means for State - Saturday, November 5, 2016

Donald Trump is going to win easily in Tennessee.

Everyone, most of all the campaigns for both Trump and Hillary Clinton, accept this fact, as evidenced by the lack of campaign time spent in the state – and most of the South, for that matter – during this contentious campaign cycle.

54. Local Early Vote Turnout Tops 56,600 - Tuesday, October 25, 2016

More than 56,000 citizens voted early in Shelby County over the first four days of the early voting period in advance of the Nov. 8 general election.

The 56,614 early voters is a bit ahead of the early voting pace in the presidential general election of 2012 and a bit behind the pace in 2008.

55. Last Word: Haslam on Trump, Midtown Apartment Blitz and Beyond Parks - Monday, October 10, 2016

Trump vs. Clinton or Giants vs. Packers? America Chooses.

While there is so much discussion – and rightfully so – about the unprecedented direction this Presidential campaign as a whole has taken in so many ways, the speed of the conduct of the campaign and news cycle reaction has also become a factor. Many of you are probably reading this at a point in which the reaction to what happened over 90 minutes before 10 p.m. on a Sunday night has already made parts of the debate irrelevant or old news.

56. What Would It Take for Trump to Lose Tennessee Voters? - Thursday, August 11, 2016

Murfreesboro Realtor Larry Sims almost closes his ears when Donald Trump speaks.

“He gets out of bounds. Of course, the press, they love it because they get to exploit his sayings and doings,” says Sims, who traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, as a Trump delegate for the Republican National Convention. 

57. Dark Money Ads Surface in 8th District Primary - Monday, July 25, 2016

As Republicans were either at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland or watching it on TV last week, “dark money” entered the crowded Republican primary for Tennessee’s 8th Congressional district.

58. Haslam Endorses Rubio In Tennessee Primary - Saturday, February 27, 2016

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has endorsed Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio in advance of the Tuesday, March 1, Tennessee primaries.

59. Haslam Endorses Rubio In Tennessee Primary - Friday, February 26, 2016

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has endorsed Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio in advance of the Tuesday, March 1, Tennessee primaries.

In a statement released Thursday morning, Feb. 25, by the Rubio campaign, Haslam talked about  the need for a Republican presidential nominee who can win in the November general election.

60. Haslam Endorses Rubio - Thursday, February 25, 2016

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has endorsed Republican presidential contender Marco Rubio in advance of the Tuesday, March 1, Tennessee primaries -- Republican and Democratic.

61. Actor-Politician Fred Thompson Remembered for Wit, Sincerity - Monday, November 9, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former senator and actor Fred Thompson was remembered for his booming voice, sense of humor and sincerity at a public memorial Friday.

62. Former Senator Fred Thompson Dies - Monday, November 2, 2015

Former U.S. Sen. and one-time presidential contender Fred Thompson was in many ways a reluctant politician. But he was also a lobbyist with an envious arsenal of political skills honed both by his calling as an attorney and by his service as a lawyer during unprecedented political crises.

63. Gov. Walker Shuns Trump's Presidential Primary Attention - Thursday, July 23, 2015

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he's not worried about the attention Donald Trump is getting in his bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

64. Your Fantasy Celebrity Board - Tuesday, May 12, 2015

If you could have any five celebrities on your nonprofit board, who would you pick?

Visualize yourself as chair of the board of a nonprofit you believe in. Maybe it’s a university, an early childhood education center, a food bank, international research institute or performing arts company. You pick the nonprofit – and the board members!

65. Despite Low Gas Prices, Gas Tax Hike Appears Unlikely - Friday, January 16, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – The new Republican-controlled Congress is facing an old problem: where to find the money for highway and transit programs.

With gasoline prices at their lowest in years when the new Congress convened, there had been talk that it might be time to raise federal gas and diesel taxes, which haven't budged in more than 20 years.

66. Three Tigers Selected for East-West Shrine Game - Saturday, December 6, 2014

University of Memphis safety Fritz Etienne, cornerback Bobby McCain and defensive end Martin Ifedi have accepted invitations to play in the 90th East-West Shrine Game. The game will be played Jan. 17 at 3 p.m. at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be televised by the NFL Network.

67. Three Tigers Selected for East-West Shrine Game - Friday, December 5, 2014

University of Memphis safety Fritz Etienne, cornerback Bobby McCain and defensive end Martin Ifedi have accepted invitations to play in the 90th East-West Shrine Game. The game will be played Jan. 17 at 3 p.m. at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be televised by the NFL Network.

68. Paulson: AIG Bailout Designed to be Punishment - Tuesday, October 7, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – The 2008 government bailout of American International Group Inc. was specifically designed to punish the insurance giant, former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in U.S. court Monday.

69. IRS Says It Has Lost Emails From 5 More Employees - Monday, September 8, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Internal Revenue Service has lost emails from five more employees who are part of congressional probes into the treatment of conservative groups that applied for tax-exempt status, the tax service disclosed Friday.

70. Is It Really Time to Relax Lending Standards? - Saturday, August 30, 2014

Just when you thought it was safe to believe in the wisdom of the system, they pull this.

Back in 2008, when the Great Recession made its way into Middle Tennessee and the area began to feel the pain that other regions had endured for several years, the financial world collapsed.

71. Finding Life Influencers - Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Coaches such as Alabama’s Nick Saban get paid millions to lead and win championships, so it’s only natural that Saban would say something like this:

“We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat; they do not exist.”

72. FedEx Founder Highlights Economic Club Fall Slate - Thursday, July 31, 2014

FedEx founder Fred Smith will make a rare public speaking appearance in Memphis Nov. 6, as part of the fall 2014 lineup of speakers planned for the Economic Club of Memphis.

73. Congress, FBI Moving on Veterans Affairs Health Care - Thursday, June 12, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – As Congress moves to help thousands of military veterans enduring long wait times for VA medical care, the FBI said it has opened a criminal investigation into the Department of Veterans Affairs.

74. State of the Union: Of Pledges, Pleas and Setbacks - Thursday, January 23, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – Here's a little secret about the State of the Union address that President Barack Obama will deliver next week: He'll give Congress a long list of requests but few likely will be approved. That's just the reality of a politically divided government.

75. Give Me My Money - Friday, January 10, 2014

IT’S MINE, AND I WANT IT BACK.

“I thought I heard the captain say
Pay me my money down
Tomorrow is our sailing day
Pay me my money down”

76. New Prospects in 2014 for an Immigration Overhaul - Wednesday, January 8, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) – His agenda tattered by last year's confrontations and missteps, President Barack Obama begins 2014 clinging to the hope of winning a lasting legislative achievement: an overhaul of immigration laws.

77. Bipartisan Budget Agreement Nears Final Passage - Thursday, December 19, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate lined up Wednesday to give final congressional approval to legislation scaling back across-the-board cuts on programs ranging from the Pentagon to the national park system, adding a late dusting of bipartisanship to a year more likely to be remembered for a partial government shutdown and near-perpetual gridlock.

78. New House GOP Plan as Debt-Limit Deadline Nears - Wednesday, October 16, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Time growing desperately short, House Republicans pushed for passage of legislation late Tuesday to prevent a threatened Treasury default, end a 15-day partial government shutdown and extricate divided government from its latest brush with a full political meltdown.

79. In Government Shutdown, Obamacare Just Rolls On - Friday, September 27, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans pulling on the budget thread can't neatly unravel President Barack Obama's health care law.

A partial government shutdown next week would leave the major parts of the law in place and rolling along, according to former Democratic and Republican budget officials, as well as the Obama administration itself. Health care markets for the uninsured would open as scheduled on Tuesday.

80. No Surprises for Alexander and GOP Incumbents - Monday, September 2, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) – Faced with a potentially serious primary challenger, Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander was not about to sit back and wait.

The former two-term governor locked down endorsements, banked more than $3 million and linked arms with popular Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and former GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee. When conservative state Rep. Joe Carr announced he would challenge Alexander, the senator's team was ready.

81. Obama Challenges GOP to Accept Corporate Tax Deal - Wednesday, July 31, 2013

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – Seeking to ease Washington gridlock, President Barack Obama on Tuesday challenged Republicans to accept a new fiscal deal to cut corporate tax rates in exchange for more government spending on jobs programs.

82. Palin Email Hacker Released From Supervision - Thursday, July 25, 2013

A Tennessee student convicted of hacking Republican Sarah Palin’s email in the 2008 election year has been released early from federal supervision.

David Kernell was supposed to be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office until November 2014 after being released from prison in 2011.

83. Immigration Backers Plan Push for Reform - Monday, July 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Backers of comprehensive immigration legislation are gearing up for a campaign to push the House to act, even as some begin openly voicing fears they're already losing the fight.

84. US Government Collecting Huge Number of Phone Records - Friday, June 7, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government is secretly collecting the telephone records of millions of U.S. customers of Verizon under a top-secret court order, according to the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Obama administration is defending the National Security Agency's need to collect such records, but critics are calling it a huge over-reach.

85. Committee Nears Final Vote on Immigration Bill - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Far-reaching immigration legislation neared a final committee vote on Tuesday as the White House and Democratic supporters pressed the panel's chairman to delay a showdown over the rights of gay spouses until a debate in the full Senate.

86. Apple's Cook Faces Senate Questions on Taxes - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate dragged massively profitable Apple Inc. into the debate over the U.S. tax code Tuesday, grilling CEO Tim Cook over allegations that its Irish subsidiaries help the company avoid billions in U.S. taxes.

87. Critics Revive Past Promises to Knock Obama Budget - Friday, April 12, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Advocates for seniors say President Barack Obama is breaking his promise to protect Social Security, while conservatives say he is breaking his promise not to raise taxes on the middle class.

88. Obama Presses On With GOP Charm Offensive - Friday, March 8, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama pressed on with his Republican charm offensive Thursday, holding a White House lunch with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan in an effort to soften the ground for potential talks on a long-term deficit reduction deal.

89. On Economics, Foreign Policy, Corker Eager to Act - Monday, December 10, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican Sen. Bob Corker is spending a lot of time lately talking to Democrats.

The freshman lawmaker from Tennessee unveiled his own 10-year, $4.5 trillion solution for averting the end-of-year, double economic hit of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts and then spoke briefly last week with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Deficit-cutting maven Erskine Bowles had forwarded Corker's proposal to White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew.

90. Election Follows Script in County - Thursday, November 8, 2012

In Shelby County and Tennessee the presidential race stuck to the script both national campaigns expected.

President Barack Obama carried Shelby County and Republican challenger Mitt Romney took the state and its 11 electoral votes.

91. Race to the Finish - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Republican state Sen. Brian Kelsey walked into the storefront at the Carrefour shopping center earlier this month and liked what he saw of the local effort for the Romney-Ryan presidential ticket.

92. Hagerty to Go on Leave to Work for Romney - Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Bill Hagerty is stepping away from his role as commissioner of the state Economic and Community Development Department to work for Republican Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

Hagerty will serve as a member of the campaign’s presidential readiness team in Washington. He held a similar role in U.S. Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign four years ago.

93. Hagerty Takes Leave For Romney National Campaign - Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Tennessee Economic and Community Development commissioner Bill Hagerty will take an unpaid leave of absence from state government from Sept. 17 to Nov. 6 to join the Romney-Ryan presidential campaign.

94. Study: Less Religious States Give Less to Charity - Tuesday, August 21, 2012

BOSTON (AP) – A new study on the generosity of Americans suggests that states with the least religious residents are also the stingiest about giving money to charity.

The study released Monday by the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that residents in states where religious participation is higher than the rest of the nation, particularly in the South, gave the greatest percentage of their discretionary income to charity.

95. First Lady to Visit Memphis - Wednesday, June 6, 2012

First lady Michelle Obama is coming to Memphis June 28 for a fundraiser reception at the Memphis Cook Convention Center.

The $500 a person reception is for the Obama Victory Fund 2012, the campaign committee of her husband, President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign.

96. Dimon Survives Votes on Pay, Chairmanship - Wednesday, May 16, 2012

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The CEO of JPMorgan Chase survived a shareholder push Tuesday to strip him of the title of chairman of the board, five days after he disclosed a $2 billion trading loss by the bank.

97. Obama-Romney Showdown Starts Off With a Harsh Tone - Thursday, April 12, 2012

MENDENHALL, Pa. (AP) — The 2012 presidential general election has begun. It won't be pretty.

Tuesday marked Day One, in essence, of the contest between the two virtually certain nominees, Republican Mitt Romney and Democratic President Barack Obama. Rick Santorum's departure removed the last meaningful bump from Romney's path to the GOP nomination. Romney and Obama wasted no time in portraying the voters' choice in dire, sometimes starkly personal terms.

98. Santorum Campaigns In Cordova Pre-Super Tuesday - Monday, March 5, 2012

GOP Presidential contender and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania blitzed the Memphis area Sunday, March 4, attending services at Bellevue Baptist Church and Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, both in Cordova.

99. Congress Tries to Give President Line-Item Veto - Thursday, February 9, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-controlled House sought Wednesday to give President Barack Obama and his successors the line-item veto, a constitutionally questionable power over the purse that has been sought by Republican and Democrats alike.

100. McConnell: Extend Tax Cut Short-Term and Long-Term - Friday, December 23, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate's top Republican on Thursday urged the GOP-led House to pass a short-term renewal of payroll tax cuts and break an impasse that threatens all workers with a Jan. 1 tax increase. Within hours, a House Republican freshman broke ranks and agreed, signaling that fierce pressure from almost every corner of the Republican Party had begun to crack conservative opposition to a short-term fix.