There was a collision of conventional political wisdoms yesterday as Chris Christie announced that he would not seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and neither bode well for the political future of the New Jersey governor. One wisdom is that political celebrity is a fickle and fleeting thing in America today and he probably blew his only opportunity try the Oval … [Read more...] about Chris Christie’s Fateful Decision & The Collision of Conventional Wisdoms
American Underdogs Start Barking
A majority now see Barack Obama as a one-term president and he calls himself the “underdog,” but social networks may be changing the political landscape for 2012 in a way that the new medium of television did during the “youthquake” of the 1960s. What started as a small disorganized rally on Wall Street three weeks ago is spreading to Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and … [Read more...] about American Underdogs Start Barking
Sisyphus
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Sisyphus
Relief in Democraticpartyland: Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin Wins West Virginia Governorship
Democrats can take at least a partial deep breath this morning: Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin won the race for West Virginia Governor. If he had lost experts agreed that it would be interpreted as one way: that President Barack Obama was utterly politically toxic and Democrats who'd like to be elected in 2012 might start looking for ways to keep their distance from … [Read more...] about Relief in Democraticpartyland: Democrat Earl Ray Tomblin Wins West Virginia Governorship
It Slices and Dices
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about It Slices and Dices
Quote of the Day: It’s Now or Never for Mitt Romney
Our political Quote of the Day is from The Politico's John Martin, Maggie Haberman and Ben Smith who say this is former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's moment and if he doesn't seize it it will be gone: If Mitt Romney can’t start locking up the GOP nomination now, he may never be able to. The former Massachusetts governor’s charmed path toward the presidential … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: It’s Now or Never for Mitt Romney
iPhone
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about iPhone
This Is Not Yet Another Column About Sarah Palin
With time running out for Sarah Palin to decide whether to enter the fray for the Republican presidential nomination, much has been made of her hold over a fanatical if diminishing fan base while very little has been made of her hold over a supplicant and unquestioning press. That, of course, is because the press isn't about to put on a hair shirt and flail itself with birch … [Read more...] about This Is Not Yet Another Column About Sarah Palin
Amanda Knox A Cautionary Tale
Amanda Knox: A Cautionary Tale Making Sense, by Michael Reagan From now on, parents who plan to send their children abroad to study in a foreign nation should sit them down in front of the TV set and watch replays of the Amanda Knox saga. It has all the elements of a true-to-life lesson in the dangers of turning young men and women barely out of their teens into innocents … [Read more...] about Amanda Knox A Cautionary Tale
‘Special’ Relatives and Special Relativity
There are two seemingly unrelated issues here, but the timing and the pun are too good to pass up, so let's travel these twin paths and see where they meet. Yesterday, Hank Williams, Jr. managed to either stick his foot in his mouth, his head up his ass, or pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of doing BOTH simultaneously. Which brings us to Albert Einstein and the … [Read more...] about ‘Special’ Relatives and Special Relativity
Amanda Knox is Free
I had heard of Amanda Knox, the young American woman convicted of murder in Italy, but I didn't think all that much about her case until I read The Monster of Florence, the fantastic book by crime writer Douglas Preston and Italian journalist Mario Spezi on perhaps the most notorious serial killer in Italian history -- it includes an afterward on the Knox case, presented as yet … [Read more...] about Amanda Knox is Free
CBS Poll: Cain Rising, Perry Going South
The latest CBS News poll almost reads like a traveling story: former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, who has wowed conservatives with his performance in recent Republican Presidential debates is going national -- with his poll numbers going up. And Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who seemed not just not ready for Prime Time but not ready for Republican debates on not prime time, has … [Read more...] about CBS Poll: Cain Rising, Perry Going South
Desperately Seeking Christie
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Desperately Seeking Christie
To boost Corporate Bottom Lines — Fire The CEO
I tuned into a Public Radio interview this morning and happened to hear a guy who was identified as a venture capitalist saying that the first thing he looks at when considering an investment is a company's "head count" — the number of people on its payroll. The idea here, presumably, is that the best way to improve a bottom line id to fire as many employees as possible, … [Read more...] about To boost Corporate Bottom Lines — Fire The CEO
Cantor, Pelosi Spar over how to Pay for National Cathedral Repairs
Washington National Cathedral officials announced today that they plan to reopen the cathedral on Nov. 12, but that short-term repairs and continuing cathedral operations through the end of 2012 would cost $25 million. Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi immediately called dueling press conferences. At her … [Read more...] about Cantor, Pelosi Spar over how to Pay for National Cathedral Repairs
Prosecutorial Indescretion: The Irvine 11
From On The Media: In February of last year, a group of Muslim students on the University of California Irvine campus disrupted a speech by Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the US. The university punished the students, but the "Irvine 11" also faced criminal charges. A couple weeks back 10 of them were convicted of conspiracy and disturbance of a meeting. OTM spoke … [Read more...] about Prosecutorial Indescretion: The Irvine 11
The Real Reasons That Chris Christie Isn’t Running
As Joe Gandelman writes here, Chris Christie has decided not to seek the Republican president nomination, unfreezing a race that has seemed to be moving in slow motion as the party faithful and campaign contributors with deep pockets waited to see what the New Jersey governor would do. Not stated in Christie's boilerplate announcement this afternoon are the less apparent … [Read more...] about The Real Reasons That Chris Christie Isn’t Running
If Not Chris Christie, Who?
Now that Chris Christie---potential savior of the Republican primaries---is expected to announce in a couple of hours his decision not to seek the presidency, Republicans are left with a slate of candidates they still wish they could improve upon. Among them, Obamacare “prototypist” Mitt Romney; Rick Perry and his Pet Rock; Congressional witch hunt proponent Michele … [Read more...] about If Not Chris Christie, Who?
REPORTS CONFIRM: Chris Christie Not A Liar
WASHINGTON - So it looks like Gov. Chris Christie's straight talking record remains intact. Christie announced earlier today he would have a press conference at 1:00 p.m. est. Then the leaks began. From Politico: “He is not running,” said a fundraiser informed of the decision. “Mary Pat and the gov just called tier one [donor] group to say he was out.” Josh … [Read more...] about REPORTS CONFIRM: Chris Christie Not A Liar
Report: Chris Christie Not Running for President
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has reportedly re-evaluated whether he should after all run for President and concluded he won't jump in: Christie has called a 1 p.m. press conference in Trenton to announce the decision. His advisers acknowledged in recent days that he was taking a second look at the race after repeatedly denying interest in a bid. But, Christie was … [Read more...] about Report: Chris Christie Not Running for President