Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images

Political Pictures of the Week, May 11-18

TIME’s photo editors bring you the best pictures of the past week from the Beltway and beyond.

The Story of Ron Paul’s Presidential Candidacy as Told by His Supporters in Our Comments Section

Ron Paul holds a campaign event in Virginia in early 2012.

Most people have hobbies: golf, model trains, restoring old cars, whatever. A year after Ron Paul announced his Republican presidential bid, I have concluded that his supporters must not do these things. They can’t possibly have the time. While others are at rest or at play, Paul’s supporters are on the Internet, googling his name [...]

Ron Paul Stops Active Campaigning, Vows Continued Delegate Fight

Joshua Sudock / The Orange County Register / ZUMAPRESS

Ron Paul on Monday announced he will scale back his already diminished presidential campaign, effectively ending his longshot bid for the Republican nomination. In an e-mail that took the tone of a valedictory, the libertarian icon said he would no longer compete in upcoming primaries, though his campaign would continue its work amassing delegates at [...]

Political Pictures of the Week, May 5-11

Michael Reynolds / UPI / LANDOV

TIME’s photo editors bring you the best pictures of the past week from the Beltway and beyond.

Michelle Obama on the Campaign Trail

Travis Long / Raleigh News & Observer / MCT / ZUMAPRESS

The First Lady has been hard at work from Berkeley to Bethesda drumming up support for her “Let’s Move” exercise initiative, as well as her husband’s re-election campaign. TIME’s photo editors bring you her best moments from the trail.

Political Pictures of the Week, April 28-May 4

Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

TIME’s photo editors bring you the best pictures of the past week from the Beltway and beyond.

With a Final Flourish, Gingrich Ends His Campaign the Newt Way

Olivier Douliery / ABACAUSA

Only Newt Gingrich could turn the rote task of suspending a presidential campaign into riveting theater. Gingrich wrapped up a “truly wild ride” Wednesday the same way he conducted it, delivering an overly long (23 minutes), ragged yet somehow spellbinding speech. It was vintage Newt: bombastic, bewildering, but never boring. 

The Hidden Danger of Hyping the bin Laden Kill

Pete SOUZA / White House

The Obama White House’s relentless gloating over the killing of Osama bin Laden may or may not be exploitative (or “despicable,” as Arianna Huffington puts it). As a moral proposition it does seem that a little more credit sharing, with the countless military and intelligence personnel who conducted or contributed to the years-long hunt, might [...]

The Wildly Overrated (and Misunderstood) Veepstakes

Luke Sharrett / The New York Times / Redux

With the Republican primary over and a long campaign ahead, the political class has found a new pastime: speculation about whom Mitt Romney will choose as his running mate. This exercise has the benefit of involving a wide range of interesting characters, sized up as though they were racehorses at the gate, and allows anyone [...]

Political Pictures of the Week, April 21-27

Mark Makela / The New York Times / Redux

TIME’s photo editors bring you the best pictures of the past week from the Beltway and beyond.