PUEBLO, Colo. -- Welcome to election year, when each party's candidates will be pilloried by partisans, but the consistent target of the most tiresome cliches will be the news media. Yes, that mean, old news media that conservatives call the "liberal news media." Yes, that mean, old news media that some liberals insist isn't a "liberal news media," but rather a part of the … [Read more...] about News Media Faces Bigger Challenges This Election Year
Romney Cactus (Cartoon)
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Reproduction elsewhere without licensing is strictly prohibited. See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Romney Cactus (Cartoon)
Video: Ann Romney’s Speech to the Republican Convention: A Game Changer or Not?
Republican hopes have been riding high that the speech by Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney's wife Ann Romney would help Romney make up for some problems he has with women voters, and display a more human side of the nominee. Partisan reaction will be predictable (on most websites you know what they'll say before they say it). Here's an interesting reaction from … [Read more...] about Video: Ann Romney’s Speech to the Republican Convention: A Game Changer or Not?
Party Conventions
My old conservative friend Ed Morrissey thinks it's time to get rid of political conventions. Now Ed and I rarely agree on any thing but in this case we do. Ed: The quadrennial national conventions hearken back to bygone days of American elections. Conventions have been romanticized in films like The Best Man, in which Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson slugged it out for the … [Read more...] about Party Conventions
Chris Christie Wows GOP Convention
I suspect there are a lot of liberals out there (and not a few people inside the Obama campaign) who are breathing a sigh of relief that this was a keynote speech rather than an acceptance speech. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie blew the delegates away with a well delivered speech that may well have been the opening salvo of the 2016 campaign. He reminds me in many ways … [Read more...] about Chris Christie Wows GOP Convention
Three Things Independents Can Do To Make a Difference in 2012
What are the three things that independents can do to make a critical difference that the future is calling for? Jackie Salit speaks about the independent movement and her new book Independents Rising (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) at Lenora Fulani's 'Interviews With a Black Independent', a monthly series coming to you from the Harlem State Office Building. For more … [Read more...] about Three Things Independents Can Do To Make a Difference in 2012
Let Us All Dream
Forty nine years ago today, on August 28, 1963 one of the most stirring speeches of modern times rang out over the Lincoln Memorial. Let us all take time out of politics to reflect on the eloquence and beauty of the words and the dreams. I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our … [Read more...] about Let Us All Dream
Support of Anti-Putin America for Pussy Riot ‘Disgusting and Ridiculous’ (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Russia)
Is American sympathy for a band of young women who chose a church to express disillusionment with Vladimir Putin just the latest reflection of bias against a resurgent Russia? For Komsomolskaya Pravda, columnist Alexei Pankin lashes out at America and the West for mismanaging the Soviet collapse, its long-held suspicion of Putin, and most of all, widespread U.S. and Western … [Read more...] about Support of Anti-Putin America for Pussy Riot ‘Disgusting and Ridiculous’ (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Russia)
House Speaker John Boehner: Mitt Romney’s Favorability Lagging Because He’s “Very Shy”
LOL: House Speaker John Boehner offered a new reason for Mitt Romney unfavorability -- he's shy. WTF? Boehner told CNN (with a straight face), “Listen, he’s a very shy guy and a humble guy. “He doesn’t like to talk about himself. It’s just who he is. But I’ve known Mitt Romney for a long time — decent, honest, hardworking guy," The Hill reports. This was cross posted … [Read more...] about House Speaker John Boehner: Mitt Romney’s Favorability Lagging Because He’s “Very Shy”
In This World I
Thank you, Ron, for the gorgeous photo of Mars. Inspired by your eerily beautiful photo, I thought I would post this one, just received, not to compete with yours but because I think it is both beautiful, too, and because somehow it evokes and represents the skills and dedication of those who serve us. This one is of a U.S. Air Force pilot performing a pre-flight check on … [Read more...] about In This World I
Out of this world II
Probably the best picture from Mars ever, Mt Stark … [Read more...] about Out of this world II
Barometers: Romney, Obama, Limbaugh
This weird August brings images of a nation holding its breath. TV screens show politicians and pundits above barometric crawls tracking Hurricane Isaac and switch over to news people on stormy beaches atop windy political pronouncements. In this surreal atmosphere, dependable Rush Limbaugh explains it all, blaming the President for both sources of anxiety: “I’m not … [Read more...] about Barometers: Romney, Obama, Limbaugh
From ‘Warrior Games’ to the 2012 International Paralympic Games (Updates)
Members of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic basketball team warm up before a scrimmage with Great Britain's paralympic team at the University of East London's campus facility, the Sports Dock, in London, today. (DoD Photo) After the glamor, excitement and massive coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, and in view of the start of the Republican National Convention and the imminent … [Read more...] about From ‘Warrior Games’ to the 2012 International Paralympic Games (Updates)
Who Is The RNC Mystery Speaker
Lots of speculation today about the fact that on Thursday there is a "To Be Announced" hole in the list of speakers, right before Mark Rubio and Mitt Romney. Some speculate it could be Sarah Palin but that seems unlikely given her polarizing nature with swing voters. Over at Daily Caller they are speculating it could be Joe Lieberman or Colin Powell among others. Other … [Read more...] about Who Is The RNC Mystery Speaker
New Shift in Romney Campaign
Here's a new shift in the Romney campaign -- and the speed with which the hypocrisy is being shown is utterly breathtaking. … [Read more...] about New Shift in Romney Campaign
Opposites Repel; MA versus PA
"'Welfare voters' are latest battleground in Brown-Warren Senate race." According to a Christian Science Monitor article with that title, liberals have used the law to pressure the Massachusetts state government to send out voter registration forms to anyone on state welfare rolls. This could potentially bring many thousands of the 400,000-500,000 poor people on these rolls … [Read more...] about Opposites Repel; MA versus PA
Gawker: Isaac Aguigui, Ringleader of Army Group that Plotted Obama Assassination, May Have Been 2008 GOP Convention Page
I knew it was a matter of time before someone linked the soldiers and former soldiers charged in the plot to kill President Obama to the Republican Party. Gawker reports Isaac Aguigui, the Army private and alleged ringleader of a plot to assassinate Barack Obama and "take over" Ft. Stewart in Georgia, served as a page at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minnesota. … [Read more...] about Gawker: Isaac Aguigui, Ringleader of Army Group that Plotted Obama Assassination, May Have Been 2008 GOP Convention Page
Time’s Mark Halperin: Five Ways Mitt Romney Is Underestimated and Misunderstood
Time's Mark Halperin is one of the high profile pundits who is now edging towards a new narrative that will likely become the conventional wisdom that Mitt Romney appears likely to win. He's using some hedges but as he hedges, he edges. He offers these five ways Mitt Romney is Underestimated and Misunderstood. (And in our typical partisan fashion some Democrats will now say … [Read more...] about Time’s Mark Halperin: Five Ways Mitt Romney Is Underestimated and Misunderstood
GOP Remakes “Gone with the Wind”
Convention planners reveal some supporting actors will end up on the cutting room floor but that Nikki Haley, Mike Huckabee and Jeb Bush will keep their roles Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, Isaac willing. Not exactly Olivia de Havilland, Hattie McDaniel and Leslie Howard, but then again producers won’t have to torch back lots to simulate special effects like the … [Read more...] about GOP Remakes “Gone with the Wind”
Mitt Romney Channels Popeye the Sailor?
Soon to be Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has raised concerns among top GOPers that he won't try to change his image with voters and on several occasions now has said: "I am who I am." As various pundits have noted, he seems to be channeling Popeye the Sailor, the popular newspaper and movie cartoon character of the mid 20th century who has largely vanished from … [Read more...] about Mitt Romney Channels Popeye the Sailor?