Washington Week's On the Trail. August 17-18 2011

After month of political wrangling, President Barack Obama this week signed the compromise debt ceiling bill at the 11th hour. Washington Week monitored the ins-and-outs of the debt ceiling debate for the last 3-months; from the Biden talks to the Boehner plan; from Cut, Cap & Balance to a surprise appearance at the end on the floor of the House. Here, our Countdown to the Debt Ceiling Deal.

The issue of cutting the deficit was front and center in the spring of 1993. The issues then seem to be the same as they are now. Bill Clinton's deficit reduction plan increased taxes and created a deficit reduction trust fund.

In his new memoir, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates has sharp criticisms for President Obama – including over the Afghanistan troop surge. We look back in the Washington Week Vault to September 2009 during the debate over sending more troops to Afghanistan. As ABC’s Martha Raddatz reported at the time, there were “tribes breaking up within the White House” over whether to send more troops.

As the eyes of the country turn to Tampa for the 2012 Republican Convention, we take a look back to our August 2008 Minneapolis roadshow where presidential candidate John McCain picked running mate Sarah Palin just hours before. Joining Gwen: Michael Duffy, TIME Magazine; Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times; John Dickerson, Slate Magazine; and Michele Norris, NPR.

As we prepare to head down to Florida this week, we take a look back at how the issues discussed in our February 2008 Tampa Bay show are related to the 2012 election. Joining Gwen: James Barnes, National Journal; Gloria Borger, CNN and US News; Jeanne Cummings, Politico; and Todd Purdum, Vanity Fair.

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown one-year ago renewed debate about gun control, but legislation requiring background checks on gun purchases failed to pass the Senate. In 2004, as the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban was set to expire, Congress debated renewing the ban on semiautomatic rifles.Gebe Martinez of The Houston Chronicle explained why Congress chose to let the 10-year ban expire.

Actor Paul Newman filmed a promotional video for Washington Week in 1999.