As the publisher of Watching America, the website that translates foreign news and views about the USA, I spend a lot of time thinking about the systemic inadequacies of the media in communicating events on the ground to the American public. Indeed, one of the core theses of a book that I have recently finished writing is that media content reflects prevailing paradigms … [Read more...] about Keeping Up with the Kardashians – and America’s Wars
Conspiracy Theories
Over at Balloon Juice E.D. Kain has a theory on the birthers and Donald Trump that seems a lot more plausible than the actual birther theories. In 2008, Obama met with Donald Trump in a secret closed-doors beer summit. There, they hatched a scheme. Knowing that there is a large segment of the American people that is still deeply racist, and that said racism would not emerge … [Read more...] about Conspiracy Theories
Forget Obama Birth, Check Romney Rebirth
Those who want to protect America from a Commander-in-Chief of questionable citizenship got ahead of themselves by putting all their energy into proving that Barack Hussein Obama was foreign-born and should not be reelected. In primaries before next November, they will first have to head off Mitt (another odd name) Romney who may not be a secret Muslim but is a professed … [Read more...] about Forget Obama Birth, Check Romney Rebirth
Will Trump Now Release His Tax Returns?
Now that President Obama has released his long form birth certificate, will Donald Trump release his tax returns as he promised to do when Obama provided the additional birth certificate into? Here's a trip in the (not to distant) time machine: … [Read more...] about Will Trump Now Release His Tax Returns?
Will the GOP Drive Itself (and the U.S.) Over a Cliff?
NOTE: This column was posted on www.cagle.com yesterday but due to the reaction of Donald Trump, Rush Limbaugh and some Republican politicians' reactions such as THIS and THIS to Barack Obama's release of his long form birth certificate not to mention the reaction of birthers -- it's clear the conspiracy theories, allegations and demonization will continue -- it is as timely as … [Read more...] about Will the GOP Drive Itself (and the U.S.) Over a Cliff?
An End to Divide and Conquer?
You can't have a viable Palestinian state with the two major Palestinian political factions at each other's throats. So my initial reaction to this is that it's good news: … [Read more...] about An End to Divide and Conquer?
But Wasn’t It Proven that Obama’s Birth Certificate Was A Fraud?
But wait! Wasn't it proven that Barack Obama's birth certificate was a fraud. Some insisted it WAS. But in the end, it wasn't. … [Read more...] about But Wasn’t It Proven that Obama’s Birth Certificate Was A Fraud?
Birtherism: Racism
This is probably the most difficult article I have ever written for The Moderate Voice. The issue of whether Obama was a natural born citizen of the US has been around since the primary elections of 2008. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, this issue started to gain traction after Rev. Wright affair when Obama’s oppositions (I must say, spearheaded by Hillary Clinton) started … [Read more...] about Birtherism: Racism
Quote of the Day: On the Donald Trump and Republican Branding
Our political Quote of the Day comes from MSNBC's First Read which asks when Republicans will distance themselves from Donald Trump, a question more relevant than other now that Trump has started suggesting that Barack Obama was an affirmative action student in college and, today, all but broke his arm patting himself on the back when Obama released his long form birth … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: On the Donald Trump and Republican Branding
CIA & Pentagon Incharge of US Foreign Policy?
American media, by and large, seems to be doing a great injustice to the American people by keeping them in the dark about the looming crisis in Afghanistan. The US administration is refusing to admit major reversals although there has been a daring jail break by 500 Taliban militants, and now the killing of 8 NATO soldiers (see here). Barack Obama seems to have finally … [Read more...] about CIA & Pentagon Incharge of US Foreign Policy?
Obama’s Birth Certificate: Reaction Round-Up
When I saw the headline this morning, my first thought was "well that took you long enough." That's not because I thought President Obama should have to release his "long form" birth certificate. It's because by doing so now, his action is a day late and a dollar short, as my mother used to say. Then I thought I'd see how the story is playing out. Across the pond, … [Read more...] about Obama’s Birth Certificate: Reaction Round-Up
Obama Releases Long Form Birth Certificate: Will Birthers and Partisans Pressing Issue Care? (2 UPDATES: Birthers Unmoved)
And so a political grassy knoll -- for a large chunk of voters not in the political Twilight Zone or seeking to fabricate a political battering ram, at least -- has now bit the dust: the White House has released President Barack Obama's long-form birth certificate after the issue was shoved from the fringe of American politics to the forefront by Donald Trump, a drumbeat by … [Read more...] about Obama Releases Long Form Birth Certificate: Will Birthers and Partisans Pressing Issue Care? (2 UPDATES: Birthers Unmoved)
Obama: Running on an Empty Tank (Guest Voice)
Obama: Running on an Empty Tank by Michael Reagan Halfway through his term in office, President Barack Obama faces a crisis that could most probably doom his chances of being re-elected -- he’s running out of gas. According to press reports, the respected Lundberg survey showed that the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline in Chicago, for example, now … [Read more...] about Obama: Running on an Empty Tank (Guest Voice)
Trying To Make Sense Of The Arab Spring
In Egypt, pro-democracy protests led to the forced resignation of the president, who now faces criminal charges as the Army leads an interim government. In Syria, the president had long promised reforms but when they did not come brutally cracked down on demonstrators when they took to the streets. From the monolithic American view, Egypt and Syria would not appear to be … [Read more...] about Trying To Make Sense Of The Arab Spring
The Iowa Caucuses Post Has Been Deleted
This is because commenters -- three in particular -- hijacked the thread. They were unwilling to stick to the topic, preferring to have a food fight. … [Read more...] about The Iowa Caucuses Post Has Been Deleted
Complete Videos of CNN Investigation Proving Barack Obama Was Born in Hawaii
Donald Trump has now moved on to in effect charging that Barack Obama got into college on affirmative action and the theme is now being picked up on some conservative talk radio and cable shows and on some websites (that's how a narrative begins). But here is a complete set of the embeddable videos of CNN's investigation proving Obama was born in the U.S. -- not that it will … [Read more...] about Complete Videos of CNN Investigation Proving Barack Obama Was Born in Hawaii
Okay, Tell Me This Isn’t Racist
Donald Trump is clearly suggesting here that Barack Obama got into Harvard (and Columbia before that) because of his skin color: … [Read more...] about Okay, Tell Me This Isn’t Racist
Royal Shazam: The Endless American Love Affair With British Monarchy
The monarchy is so extraordinarily useful. When Britain wins a battle she shouts, "God save the Queen;" when she loses, she votes down the prime minister. ~ WINSTON CHURCHILL One of the Founding Fathers' greatest fears was that the young republic would devolve into a monarchy, and after all, it was a monarch from which the United States had liberated itself in 1776. This … [Read more...] about Royal Shazam: The Endless American Love Affair With British Monarchy
Trump’s Bully Pulpit
Anderson Cooper, who was pushed around by a Cairo crowd earlier this year, takes a verbal mauling while trying to interrupt Donald Trump's tirade about the Obama birth certificate with a few facts. This was not what Teddy Roosevelt had in mind when he called the Presidency a bully pulpit. Luckily for the CNN anchor, it was a phone interview so the shoving was verbal as the … [Read more...] about Trump’s Bully Pulpit
Some Republicans Move to Douse Birther Flames (UPDATE)
There are continued signs that some key Republicans have had enough with the birther controversy because they realize President Barack Obama is vulnerable on many fronts and Americans know it each time they pay their bills or fill up at the gas pump -- unlike rich bombastic businessmen TV stars with bad comb-overs. First, there's Republican National Committee Chairman … [Read more...] about Some Republicans Move to Douse Birther Flames (UPDATE)