(CNN) — Senator Tom Coburn says he's running for re-election next year.

The conservative Republican from Oklahoma, who's become a crusader against government earmark spending, made his announcement at a news conference in Tulsa.

"I have made a decision that I will seek a second and final term in the U.S. Senate," announced Coburn.

He was adamant that this will be his last re-election effort, saying "when I say final term, it mean final term. There will be no other term after this."

Coburn, who's also a doctor, was first elected to the Senate in 2004, defeating Democrat Brad Carson by 12 points.

Oklahoma is heavily dominated by Republicans. John McCain won the state by 30 points in last November's presidential election. Political analysts say Coburn is heavily favored to win re-election.

"The Sooner state has turned into one of the most reliable bastions of conservatism, and this is one state where Republicans are in ascendant," says Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report.

Coburn was elected to the House of Representatives as part of then House Speaker Newt Gingrich's "Republican Revolution." He served three terms in the House from 1995 to 2001.

OXON HILL, Maryland (CNN) — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele declared Tuesday that Republicans will no longer talk about their mistakes; instead they will focus on the future and serve as the loyal opposition party to President Barack Obama and the congressional Democratic majority.

"The era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over," Steele told state Republican leaders meeting in a suburb of Washington to discuss the party's political future. "It is done. The time for trying to fix or focus on the past has ended. The era of Republican navel gazing is over. We have turned the corner on regret, recrimination, self-pity and self-doubt. Now is the hour to focus all of our energies on winning the future."

Steele, who had a rocky start in his first 100-plus days in office, received a standing ovation when he took the stage. It was a public boost in the arm for the chairman whose leadership of the national committee has been called into question by some of his fellow Republicans.

Steele sought to silence those critics by noting that since assuming the national committee chairmanship he has traveled to 23 states meeting with grass-roots activists, while at the same time turning a deaf ear to the talk in the nation's capital.

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(CNN) — CNN contributor and Democratic strategist James Carville explains why he thinks the Democrats will hold power for the next 50 years.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney says Republicans must lead the American Revolution.

ARLINGTON, Virginia (CNN) –  Three prominent GOP leaders kicked off a campaign Saturday to reshape their party's image, gathering at a restaurant in Northern Virginia for the first of a series of town hall meetings.

The goal of the initiative, called the National Council for a New America, is to connect Republican leaders with voters across the country to help get the party's electoral fortunes back on track.

"Certainly our party has taken its licks the last few cycles, but that's why we're here," said House Minority Whip Eric Cantor. "The reality is the prescriptions coming out of Washington right now are not reflective of the mainstream of this country."

"It's time for us to listen a little bit, learn a little bit," said former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who advised Republicans to work on the party's message and "not be so nostalgic."

"I would say you can't beat something with nothing. The other side has something. I don't like it, but they have it," said Bush, who repeatedly praised President Obama's tactical approach to politics, and commended his 2008 campaign as "forward-looking."

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney compared the GOP to Americans fighting the British during the Revolutionary War. "We are the party of the revolutionaries, they [Democrats] are the party of the monarchists," he told the overwhelmingly Republican crowd, saying the Republicans needed to "once again lead the American Revolution."

He blamed Washington for setting in motion policies that led to the collapse of the housing market, and painted his party's current minority status as a boon.

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Republican leaders are trying to show that they are not the 'party of no.'

WASHINGTON (CNN) – It was hardly the newsiest answer at his 100-day prime-time news conference, but President Obama's careful assessment of the state of the Republican Party is noteworthy.

"You know, politics in America changes very quickly and I'm a big believer that things are never as good as they seem and never as bad as they seem," the president said at the East Room event marking his 100th day in office.

It was a big day for the president, for sure. And, perhaps, a big week for the Republican Party as well, as a number of important and interesting players in GOP affairs began new efforts designed to repair the party's sullied brand in time for the 2010 midterm elections and beyond.

The 2006 and 2008 election results offer plenty of evidence of Republican troubles, as have our travels to 18 states since launching State of the Union in January. Adding his voice, Obama couldn't help but suggest he believes the congressional wing of the GOP is not off to a good start in 2009.

"I don't believe in crystal balls," the president said. "I do think that our administration has taken some steps that have restored confidence in the American people that we're moving in the right direction, and that simply opposing our approach on every front is probably not a good political strategy."

Full story

(CNN) — CNN's Jessica Yellin takes a look at national Republicans' new effort to revive their image as they debate where the party should head.

Related: Republican Party plans comeback

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Coming soon to a battleground state near you: a new effort to revive the image of the Republican Party and to counter President Obama's characterization of Republicans as "the party of 'no.'"

CNN has learned that the new initiative, called the National Council for a New America, will be announced Thursday.

It will involve an outreach by an interesting mix of GOP officials, ranging from 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain to Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and the younger brother of the man many Republicans blame for the party's battered brand: former President George W. Bush.

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McCain did not soften her voice Tuesday calling Sen. Arlen Specters party switch a 'selfish choice.'

(CNN) – Meghan McCain- who has been known for her outspoken criticisms of the Republican Party, did not soften her voice Tuesday calling Sen. Arlen Specters party switch a "selfish choice."

Recognizing that it had been a hard day for the Republican Party, McCain offered some encouraging words " I am still a believer in this party! I have faith we can bring this back, who is with me?!?" she tweeted.

Sen. Arlen Specter might have left the GOP, but Meghan McCain isn't going anywhere. "In my Republican Party there is room for everyone! There is no need for an admissions test to be a member, lets be more inclusive!" she wrote.

The twitter updates to McCain's page came shortly after Conservative host Rush Limbaugh suggested that there were a couple other Republicans that should follow in the senators footsteps "Well, Specter, take [Sen. John] McCain with you. And his daughter [Meghan]. Take McCain and his daughter with you if you're gonna…" he told listeners.

"…..It's ultimately good. You're weeding out people who aren't really Republicans" Limbaugh said.

McCain sees the future of the GOP differently, "its good to have disagreements, were never going to agree on everything! Who wants to agree on everything? so boring."

Huntsman remains incredibly popular in his home state of Utah.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican rising star who has been frank in urging his party to adapt to the times or face extinction, is now telling GOP leaders in Washington to stop saying "no."

"You can't just say no," Huntsman told ABC News in an interview published Wednesday. "You can't just obstruct or obfuscate. Instead of just kind of grousing and complaining, it would do us all a whole lot of good if we actually started engaging directly in finding compromises and common ground and shared solutions."

Hunstman, often described as a moderate, has embraced parts of President Obama's economic agenda, including a cap-and-trade program and his $787 billion economic stimulus package. Though he opposes gay marriage, Huntsman has frustrated many conservatives by supporting civil unions for same-sex couples.

His maverick positions have some Republicans wondering if he might be the right man to lead the party against Obama in 2012, a perception that isn't hurt by his deep pockets and in-state approval ratings that reach into the 80s.

Huntsman acknowledged that the GOP leadership in Congress "deserves high marks for unified opposition, getting everybody in line, keeping everybody contained, in opposition to some of the initiatives of the Obama administration." But, he said, "that now needs to be supplemented by real ideas and solutions."

Echoing some of the Democratic National Committee's favorite talking points, Huntsman said that a Republican party that lacks ideas has no choice but to say "no."

"When you are devoid of the ideas, or the content that would allow you to articulate or paint a better future, you have no choice other than to fall back on 'no, we are not going support it, it cannot be done,'" Huntsman told ABC.

He said the only way Republicans will find themselves at the negotiating table is if they offer "concrete substantive solutions."

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, said Saturday that the U.S. should embrace nuclear technology.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, made a strong push Saturday for investment in a power source commonly used in France: nuclear energy.

“Now the debate in Congress is shifting to the size of your electric and gasoline bills and to climate change," the Tennessee Republican said in the weekly GOP address Saturday. "So guess who has one of the lowest electric rates in Western Europe and the second lowest carbon emissions in the entire European Union. It’s France."

Watch the full address

Nuclear plants provide 80 percent of France's electricity, according to Alexander, who added that the country even sells "electricity to Germany, whose politicians built windmills and solar panels and promised not to build nuclear plants."

“So you’d think that if Democrats want to talk about energy and climate change and clean air, they’d put American-made nuclear power front and center. … We say find more American energy and use less … and one place to start is with 100 more nuclear plants," he said.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) — Two Republican congressmen ripped Congressional Black Caucus members for ignoring Cuba's "myriad gross human rights abuses" Thursday, saying this week's caucus trip to the island nation ignored the plight of political prisoners under the Castro regime.

They also urged the Obama administration to refrain from easing trade embargo or travel restrictions until the Cuban government releases all "prisoners of conscience," shows greater respect for freedom of religion and speech, and holds "free and fair" elections.

The call from Reps. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and Frank Wolf, R-Virginia, came three days after the administration signaled that new rules on family travel and remittances to Cuba may be announced before President Obama goes to the Summit of the Americas on April 17.

It also followed statements from several Black Caucus members Tuesday arguing for consideration of an end to the trade embargo and other diplomatic restrictions placed on Cuba for five decades.

Full Story

(CNN) — Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin gave the republican response Saturday to the president's budget, saying that while there is "no doubt" that President Obama inherited a fiscal crisis, the question remains: "Is he fixing it or is he making it worse?"

"The President’s budget, which passed the House and Senate this week, will make the crisis much, much worse," Ryan said. "Put simply: the Democrats’ budget spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much from our kids and their kids. … Their budget puts all the sacrifice on future generations. It makes no tough choices. It’s only tough on our children and grandchildren."

The Senate passed a $3.53 trillion version of the federal budget for fiscal year 2010 late Thursday night in a party-line vote, ending several weeks of acrimonious partisan debate. The package was approved on a 55-43 vote. GOP Sens. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine — who voted in favor of the president's stimulus bill last month — voted against what is essentially the blueprint of Obama's economic policies going forward.

Earlier Thursday, the House of Representatives passed its own version of the spending plan –$3.55 trillion budget, capping off a long day of debate and voting marked by the defeat of several alternative spending plans.

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President Obama jokes with reporters in an Oval Office meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva on Saturday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Obama took a lighthearted jab at Republicans Saturday after a nearly 35-minute press op with Brazilian President Lula da Silva in the Oval Office.

It came when a Brazilian reporter asked him whether he planned to visit the Amazon. Obama joked: "You know, I would love a trip to the Amazon. I suspect that the Republican Party would love to see me travel through the Amazon and maybe get lost."

Obama said he was looking forward to visiting Brazil, though no dates had been set.

"I will tell you that because I'm somebody who grew up in Hawaii, I felt it was very important that I at least go to Rio, where I understand the beaches are pretty nice."

WASHINGTON (CNN) – In the weekly Republican response, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, criticized President Obama's plan to create up to 3 million new jobs, saying the president's programs "don't connect all the dots."

Watch: Full Video

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the straw poll for the third year in a row.

(CNN) — One day after delivering a forceful campaign-style speech to the conference of conservative activists, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won his third straight CPAC Straw Poll on Saturday, earning 20 percent of the vote on a ballot that included nine other Republicans who could seek the party’s presidential nomination in 2012.

Romney’s straw poll win at the 2007 Conservative Political Action Conference helped to elevate Romney from a little-known governor to a bona fide presidential frontrunner, and his narrow victory in last year’s straw poll reaffirmed his support among conservative voters. But Romney failed to win the Republican nomination, which was eventually won by Arizona Sen. John McCain.

In the 2009 poll, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal came in second with 14 percent of the vote, while Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Texas Rep. Ron Paul tied at 13 percent. Jindal and Palin did not attend the conference.

Rounding out the straw poll results were former House speaker Newt Gingrich at 10 percent, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at seven percent, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford at four percent, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani at three percent, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at two percent, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist at one percent. Nine percent of poll participants were undecided.

The straw poll was conducted over two days and surveyed 1,757 of the party activists who descended on Washington for the annual conference. More than half of the conference attendees this year were college students, and nearly 60 percent of the straw poll participants were between the ages of 18 and 25.

A new analysis shows few 'Red States' remain.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The nation was evenly divided during the bitterly fought 2000 campaign, but the election night map was not: Viewers saw a sea of red flooding most of the country, with blue states ringing the coasts.

Two cycles later, an analysis of a year’s worth of polling data released Wednesday suggests a far different electoral landscape, and a shift more dramatic than even the Democrats’ solid 2008 showing might suggest: an ocean of blue surrounding a shrinking red island in the center of the nation.

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Sen. John McCain says he may not necessary support Gov. Sarah Palin if she she runs in 2012

(CNN) – Sen. John McCain said Sunday he would not necessarily support his former running mate if she chose to run for president.

Speaking to ABC's "This Week," McCain was asked whether Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin could count on his support. "I can't say something like that. We've got some great other young governors. I think you're going to see the governors assume a greater leadership role in our Republican Party," he said, citing Governors Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Jon Huntsman of Utah.

McCain said he has "the greatest appreciation for Governor Palin and her family, and it was a great joy to know them. She invigorated our campaign" against Barack Obama for the presidency.

Pressed on why he can't promise support for the woman who, just months ago, he named as the second best person to lead the nation, McCain responded that "now we're in a whole election cycle. Have no doubt of my admiration and respect for her and my view of her viability, but at this stage, again … my corpse is still warm, you know?"

Sen. John McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, is interviewed by ABC's George Stephanopoulos Sunday.

(CNN) — Sen. John McCain promised Sunday he will work to build consensus in tackling the huge challenges facing the country, and criticized his own party for its latest attack on President-elect Barack Obama.

In his first Sunday political TV appearance since losing the presidential election, McCain rejected complaints from the Republican National Committee that Obama has not been transparent about his contacts with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"I think that the Obama campaign should and will give all information necessary," McCain told ABC's "This Week."

"You know, in all due respect to the Republican National Committee and anybody — right now, I think we should try to be working constructively together, not only on an issue such as this, but on the economy, stimulus package, reforms that are necessary."
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