'FEARFUL TIMES' Since the advent of Barack Obama, has there been a growing expectation around the world that candidates like him are bound to emerge? Calling this group psychosis 'Obamanization,' Folha of Brazil's Joao Pereira Coutinho writes in part: "I am sick of the Obamanization of the world. Now I've invented a word. You know what it means to 'Obamanize?' It … [Read more...] about Don’t Hold Your Breath for the ‘Obamanization’ of Iran: Folha, Brazil
‘Zionist-Run News Media’ are Wasting Their Time: Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Judging from this pair of articles from the Islamic Republic's hardline, regime-friendly Kayhan newspaper, Iran's ruling theocrats have determined to blame anyone but themselves for unrest that has so marred the recent presidential election in that country. In the first article, 'Zionist-Run News Media' are Wasting Their Time, the regime alleges that The New York Times and … [Read more...] about ‘Zionist-Run News Media’ are Wasting Their Time: Kayhan, Islamic Republic of Iran
Obama Takes A Page From Jimmy Carter’s Playbook
In today's news conference, President Obama came down hard on the Iranian regime for its failure to respect its citizens' universal rights. At the same time, the President insisted that he was absolutely, in no way, not at all meddling in Iran's internal affairs. In his words: I've made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of … [Read more...] about Obama Takes A Page From Jimmy Carter’s Playbook
Left, Right, and Wrong on Health Care
If you doubt that liberal and conservative have lost all meaning in the health care debate, consult the New York Times' columnists of those persuasions. On the left, Paul Krugman predicts reform "will be undermined by 'centrist' Democratic senators who either prevent the passage of a bill or insist on watering down key elements" ... "What the balking Democrats seem most … [Read more...] about Left, Right, and Wrong on Health Care
Psstt! Mr. President, We Have A Health Reform Plan For You
President Barack Obama said at his press conference today that the most important health care reform is reducing costs. Mr. President, do I have a plan for you. There's actually one in the Senate that answers your criteria that includes kind of a public option, a hybrid, one could say. For more than a year, the U.S. Senate has had a universal health care reform plan before … [Read more...] about Psstt! Mr. President, We Have A Health Reform Plan For You
Anyone Forget Bush v. Gore?
First of all, before I get rebuffed by the right side of my readers, let me clearly explain that I am not supportive of the President's lack of action on the Iranian elections. However, what exactly is Barack Obama supposed to do? Is the President of the United States supposed to disregard the sovereignty of a nation-state because some of their people are demonstrating … [Read more...] about Anyone Forget Bush v. Gore?
The Nanny Corporation
University of Chicago law professor Todd Henderson examines the "nanny corporation" and what he calls the "market for paternalism." I'm going to be blogging all summer covering Chicago's "works in progress" talks for the Faculty blog. There should be one going up each week -- your chance to take a peek at what's percolating at one of the world's top intellectual centers. … [Read more...] about The Nanny Corporation
Obama’s Catalog Of Universal Rights
The president's news conference this afternoon provides much food for thought (transcript here). The president has been very careful until now about asserting that democracy and human rights are universal values. Yet today, he said once, and then repeated twice that: As I said in Cairo, suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. The Iranian people have a … [Read more...] about Obama’s Catalog Of Universal Rights
In Praise Of Inter-Species Marriage
The Pennsylvania legislature is now debating whether or not to legalize gay marriage. One hears the usual, the predictable arguments from both sides in this debate. But the other day I heard one argument from people opposing the right of gays to marry that had never occurred to me—the possibility that if we allow this to go forward in Pennsylvania it would put us on a slippery … [Read more...] about In Praise Of Inter-Species Marriage
Forceful John Bolton, Meet Timid John Bolton
Okay, how idiotic is this? John Bolton slams Pres. Obama, on Sean Hannity's show, for "abandoning the people in the streets [of Iran] and [not] providing any possibility of concrete assistance to them." Then, in the next breath, in response to a question from Hannity, he turns around and says exactly the opposite (emphasis in original): … [Read more...] about Forceful John Bolton, Meet Timid John Bolton
Racism First: Pat Buchanan, the Republican Party, and the New (White Nationalist) Majority
Yes, it's quite amusing that (white nativist) Pat Buchanan and "white nationalist" Peter Brimelow spewed their bigotry and ignorance beneath a banner that misspelled the word "conference" -- it was spelled "conferenece," with an extra 'e' (for eugenics?) -- but what's rather more serious, if not genuinely disturbing, is that this sort of bigotry and ignorance still plays so … [Read more...] about Racism First: Pat Buchanan, the Republican Party, and the New (White Nationalist) Majority
Where Did the “Searing Image” of Neda Dying Come From?
We have all seen the chilling video of the 27-year-old Iranian woman, Neda Agha-Soltani, dying in the streets of Tehran. In his press conference a few minutes ago, President Obama mentioned the "searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets [in Tehran]" He also mentioned how "powerful images and pointed words have made their way to us through cell phones and … [Read more...] about Where Did the “Searing Image” of Neda Dying Come From?
Answers Come on the Iran Questions
Yesterday quite a few of our regular TMV readers engaged in a lengthy, spirited debate on the subject of the unrest in Iran in the comments section of my column on this topic. It was a topic which our friend Ed Morrissey of Hot Air and I were debating and certainly an important one. In that column, I posed three questions for our readers. Two of them were, who won the election … [Read more...] about Answers Come on the Iran Questions
Obama’s Press Conference, Iran…and Neda Agha-Soltan
First, my usual disclosures. I voted for Obama. I like Salon's Joan Walsh. I especially liked the cool, calm, collected, and informed way she recently debated---whenever she wasn't rudely interrupted---a boorish, fuming, huffing and puffing, uninformed O'Reilly on Dr. Tiller's murder and on O'Reilly's previous ranting on this subject---prior to the murder. I also … [Read more...] about Obama’s Press Conference, Iran…and Neda Agha-Soltan
The Strange, Troubling Saga of Mark Sanford, AWOL
So apparently Mark Sanford, the AWOL Republican governor of South Carolina, is hiking the Appalachian Trail. (UPDATE: Sanford staff is now saying that the governor will be back in the office on Wednesday. Still, it's all very, very troubling.) So, case closed, right? Story over? Well... For all I know, Sanford may very well be hiking. And he may very well have been … [Read more...] about The Strange, Troubling Saga of Mark Sanford, AWOL
RIP Ed McMahon, 1923-2009
We've lost another of the classic names of the small screen. NBC News is reporting that legendary Tonight Show sidekick and promoter of everything, Ed McMahon has passed away. He had been battling a number of different medical problems for some time. The era of the Tonight Show when he partnered with Johnny Carson was a part of the fabric of life for so many Americans. A long … [Read more...] about RIP Ed McMahon, 1923-2009
Stop Publishing Our Military Strategies!
With a hat tip to Ed at Hot Air, we find out that U.S. forces in Afghanistan will soon stop attacking Taliban elements in urban and suburban areas where civilian casualties are more likely. KABUL — The top U.S. general in Afghanistan will soon formally order U.S. and NATO forces to break away from fights with militants hiding in Afghan houses so the battles do not kill … [Read more...] about Stop Publishing Our Military Strategies!
A Shout for Democracy (Guest Voice)
A Shout for Democracy By Martha Randolph Carr Sometimes other countries look at America and mistake how we practice capitalism with the ideal of democracy. They call for our demise based on the former, which is a business model, even while they’re lunging toward the latter, which is a much bigger dream. Take Iran, for example, which recently had presidential elections … [Read more...] about A Shout for Democracy (Guest Voice)
Ayatollah Prayer Rug
Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Ayatollah Prayer Rug
Sotomayor Shaping Up As Major Liability — For Republicans
Have we ever seen a case in recent history of a party taking such careful aim and shooting itself in the foot? This one perhaps is one for the political ages: New poll numbers really seem to bear out the fears of some Republicans: The GOP’s quasi-opposition to Sotomayor seems to be hurting the party among Latinos in a big way. The latest numbers from the nonpartisan … [Read more...] about Sotomayor Shaping Up As Major Liability — For Republicans