Improving Economy Alters Political Landscape

The economy is clearly, if slowly, recovering on President Barack Obama's watch and robbing Republicans of a central argument against Democrats.

But the alleged misbehavior by the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies is giving the GOP something else to talk about and investigate.

So Republicans, who earlier stressed the weak recovery and what they depict as Obama's economic mismanagement, are now busy denouncing his administration on several fronts, from the IRS to the attacks in Benghazi, Libya.

Obama and Democrats are trying to look beyond the ethics investigations to talk up the recent economic gains and the president's efforts to promote jobs.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)