Why don’t I just copy the phrase “and so the bar is lowered again on our politics” and repaste it? Because I have to say it again: and so the bar is lowered again on our politics: it now seems as if Republican candidates could show up to for a debate moderated by one of America’s most prominent birthers, Donald Trump. It’s hard to see how the Republicans want to seriously try and capture the bulk of independent voters with this development, which again continues the...

Here is yet another sign of how our politics have fallen in terms of allowing the free exchange of ideas that don’t fit into a perceived, informally required or existing cookie cutter pattern: Next week, the Republican Jewish Coalition is planning a forum to be attended by all of the Republican candidates… with the notable exception of Ron Paul. Mais why? Well, RJC executive director Matt Brooks told the Washington Jewish Week that Paul was not invited to attend because the organization “rejects...

Oh, Benny, Benny, Benny: Benjamin Netanyahu’s government unveils an ad campaign urging expats to come home, and some Jews in the U.S. find the message insulting. DETAILS HERE. It sounds like B. N. is making the same mistake people often do with groups: not all ethnic groups — not even his own — are monolithic. And some are offended when its assumed in a highly public way that they are.

Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune It’s been said of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich that there’s the good Newt and the bad Newt — and the bad Newt is also an arrogant Newt who often destroys himself with his mouth. He isn’t there yet, but his tone has now changed as he is zooming up in the polls and as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney can no longer in reality be called “the front-runner.” In an interview with ABC News’ Jake Trapper Gingrich displayed...

Our political Quote of the Day comes from conservative blogger Betsy Newmark, who we have linked to often over the years. She has begun to fear that the GOP could be on the verge of blowing a historic political opportunity. She notes that Barack Obama is seriously on the political ropes and notes a few things that could improve for him. Then she writes: Or, and this is his best hope, the GOP could nominate someone who would be so unappealing that he would make Obama look good. And that is what I’m...

If you boil it down, here’s the song that with a slight bit of adaption is what conservatives are singing to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney:

David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star There was an old song “to know know know him is to love love love him” but that Mitt Romney seems to be inspiring among many GOP conservatives is “to know know how him is to hate hate hate him” as the scramble is on to find someone who can head the ticket who is not Mitt Romney. An exaggeration? What’s unfolding now with the polls showing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich TSA-qualifying baggage heap and all zooming to the top of some...

Our political Quote of the Day comes from The Daily Beast’s John Avlon who looks at polling numbers and other data and notes that Republicans are being blamed more by many voters — including crucial swing voters — for the Supercommittee’s spectacular failure. Here are a few highlights: Dig beneath the surface of Gallup’s new poll showing that 55 percent of Americans blame both parties for the failure of the supercommittee, and you’ll see the remaining breakdown leans decidedly...

We’re getting the answer at least in terms of poll numbers fo the big question that was raised at the start of Barack Obama’s Presidency: would he turn out to be another FDR, another JFK, another Reagan or another Carter? In terms of polling he is now officially “another Carter” — and future Presidents may be get the label “another Obama” unless this changes: President Obama’s slow ride down Gallup’s daily presidential job approval index has finally...

The Republican Party’s stream of debates is coming under fire for being “increasingly intolerable,” hurting the Republicans’ brand — and becoming boring. Here are two suggestions on how to liven things up. Suggestion One: USE HUMOR: Jon Huntsman’s campaign has fizzled and many call him dull. Huntsman could gain traction by adding “switched” classic comedy club, Las Vegas style comedy and shtick in debates. Like this: “So where are you all from? From the looks of this crowd, from...

No one is suggesting anymore that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is running for Presidents strictly to sell books or to increase his speaking fees. As he watches his poll numbers zoom and sees himself attaining front-runner status in some key polls, he now looks like he’s seriously going for it. For instance, note these recent attack comments against former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is still being call the front runner but who has lost that status in some new polls: Former House...

If this keeps up, Mitt Romney will no longer be the one called “front-runner” since it will be greatly outdated. Former House Speaker has now opened a nine point lead over Romney in a national poll: Newt Gingrich has opened a sizable lead over Mitt Romney in the first national poll taken since the former Speaker of the House earned the key endorsement of the New Hampshire Union-Leader, showing Gingrich with a nine-percentage point lead over the former Massachusetts governor. The poll,...

Does endorsement of the conservative New Hampshire Union Leader of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich greatly improve his chances in the New Hampshire Republican Primary? Here’s Bob Stein’s always insightful take. And here are two more. Andrew Malcolm: Yes, newspapers work very hard on their political endorsements, summoning candidates to be interrogated by their self-important board members, who are typically just collecting quotes to back up the decisions they’ve already made...

One of my most prized possessions comes from the days when I did limited autograph collecting and wrote to famous movie stars, tv stars and performers who I loved all my life. One was the famous voice of cartoons and radio comedy genius Mel Blanc, who did the voice of Bugs Bunny and others. He wrote on the photo: “Ehh, what’s up, Joe?” There are host of actors who are seldom seen who do voices — voices that children have grown up listening to, voices that made drawings seem...

No matter what the final outcome about the veracity of these allegations, if you add the news that Syracuse University has fired its respected Assistant Basketball Coach Bernie Fine amid allegations that he molested several boys, college coaches will now be looked at with a bit of suspicion and paranoia. Coming on the heels of the Penn State scandal involving Jerry Sandusky you can just see the extra scrutiny in the future coming: Syracuse University tonight fired longtime assistant men’s basketball...

This time CNN gets it…

Another milestone for American print newspapers? A Kentucky newspaper runs a Huffington Post story.

I was a working journalist for many years doing both freelance reporting and analysis and working as a staff reporter on two major chain newspapers. The most journalistically instructive part came when I wrote paid-by-the piece stories and op-eds overseas from India, Spain and Bangladesh in the 70s for a variety of newspapers and magazines (including for the Newsweek bureau in Madrid right before dictator Francisco Franco died). I self syndicated to more than 20 newspapers all over the world. The...

Everything has consequences — including a large number of political debates.

Is Iran cracking down on the CIA? Is there an operation underway to arrest those who might be connected with the American intelligence agency — an above-the-water revelation of the big under-the-water iceberg covert war going on between the two countries? The Christian Science Monitor’s Howard LaFranchi suggests a crackdown is occurring — and an Israeli newspaper suggests the arrests are linked to Iranian missile testing. A smoldering covert war pitting the United States against...

It’s worth noting that many of us here at TMV have in recent months been highly critical of some of the demonizing and paranoia-tinged political polemics from the Republican’ Party’s new right. But as those of us who are independent voters know, it is not limited to both sides. And, nooooooo, this is not an invitation to start another tiresome debate about “false equivalency” — a phrase now as grating as “defining moment….just doesn’t get it…tried...

Especially if she does this. This is husband who really curried favor with his wife.

It’s clear that whoever is President will have a major issue on his or her hands as the United States moves into the 20th century, the ongoing problem with Pakistan. And this weekend relations have gotten worse and it could impact the war in Afghanistan: NATO helicopters and fighter jets attacked two military outposts in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, killing as many as 28 troops and plunging U.S.-Pakistan relations, already deeply frayed, further into crisis. Pakistan retaliated by shutting...

I mean, really. And the point IS? There are so many meaningful issues and tidbits about Barack Obama that can be pointed to criticize him or things he does that can say something meaningful about him (pro or con). This is NOT one of them (like all the teleprompter talk when MANY presidents of BOTH parties have used them and will in the future unless they decide to write notes on their hands).

There are a bunch of classic songs that remind me of the race or the 2012 Republican nomination. There’s something about the songs where all they’d need is a change in lyrics and they’d fit. For instance, this one immediately comes to mind when I watch the debates: Each time they debate and the moderator introduces the candidates, each candidate comes out and instantly communicates his/her political persona. It reminds me of this song from “The Night They Raided Minsky’s.”...