This just in from the "If it is broke, get rid of the rest of them" file. RNC Chair Michael Steele is contemplating shutting off RNC funds from the three moderate Republican Senators that supported the stimulus package. Michael, I know you have got to walk a fine line between your moderate tendencies (see the 2006 MD Senate race) and your need to project a hard line for the … [Read more...] about Steele Trapped
Dramatic Israeli Infiltration of Hezbollah
The Israelis had GPS units placed in almost all of Hezbollah's vehicles by a high-ranking Hezbollah official. Correspondent Mitchell Prothero tells the story in The National (UAE). Now, if I just read that story in a random Persian Gulf paper, I would assume it's fiction. But Andrew Exum vouches for Prothero, and interviewed him about the story. [Correction:] Prothero is … [Read more...] about Dramatic Israeli Infiltration of Hezbollah
Why Russ Feingold’s Proposal to Amend the 17th Amendment is a Good Idea (and Why George Will is Completely Wrong)
I understand that George Will is, despite his global warming lies and distortions, one of the smarter conservatives out there -- I'll leave that up to you to decide just how much of a compliment that is (remember: it's all relative). I understand also that Will was against the McCain-Feingold restrictions on political finance and that he remains opposed to any such restrictions … [Read more...] about Why Russ Feingold’s Proposal to Amend the 17th Amendment is a Good Idea (and Why George Will is Completely Wrong)
Jindal-Palin, the Obama-Hillary of 2012?
Tonight's spotlight on Bobby Jindal to rebut Obama's speech to Congress shows Republican reverting to the finest traditions of show business, type casting, in the wake of last year's election disaster. Just as Marilyn Monroe begot Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren and one TV reality show spawned dozens more, the GOP now has an African-American chairman and is pushing … [Read more...] about Jindal-Palin, the Obama-Hillary of 2012?
Interview with Fred Willard
Even if his name doesn't immediately ring a bell with casual viewers, one look at the picture of Fred Willard will likely trigger your memory. The prolific actor's resume includes nearly two hundred film and television appearances, with nearly as many credits on talk shows and other fora showing up as himself. Today, at 4 PM eastern, on Movie Addict Headquarters, author and … [Read more...] about Interview with Fred Willard
Polls: Obama Clout Strong As Bipartisanship Wanes Amid Low GOP Numbers
As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver a major speech on the budget and vows to pursue bipartisanship to reduce an ever-exploding deficit, two polls bring him and Democrats encouraging news -- and suggest more than ever that the Republican party could be digging itself into a deeper political hole as it continues to try and shore up its conservative base and eschews a … [Read more...] about Polls: Obama Clout Strong As Bipartisanship Wanes Amid Low GOP Numbers
NY 20th: Scott Murphy’s Anti-Military Past?
As the days tick on toward the special congressional election in New York's 20th district, opposition research on both sides continues to unearth background material on the candidates. This week the Albany Times Union finds some material published by Democrat Scott Murphy during his days as a Senior Editor at the Harvard Perspective. The editorial in question, signed by Murphy … [Read more...] about NY 20th: Scott Murphy’s Anti-Military Past?
From Gitmo to Suicide Bomber
Kuwaiti citizen Abdallah Saleh al-Ajmi was released from Guantanamo in the fall of 2005. After his acquittal by a Kuwaiti judge, al-Ajmi began associating again with radical Islamists. In early 2008, he travelled to Iraq, where he killed 13 Iraqi soldiers by driving a truck full of explosives into their compound. This is an important story and I'm glad it made the … [Read more...] about From Gitmo to Suicide Bomber
The Rise of Michael Ignatieff
If you're interested, my latest piece at The Guardian -- on celebrated public intellectual, former Harvard professor, and current Canadian Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff -- is here. In brief, I don't much care for him. (I supported former Ontario Premier Bob Rae for the leadership, but Rae pulled out of the race late last year.) Here's a taste: To me, though, he … [Read more...] about The Rise of Michael Ignatieff
The Racist New York Post Dead-Monkey Cartoon (Guest Voice)
That Racist New York Post Dead-Monkey Cartoon by Daryl Cagle All the pundits are talking about the recent cartoon by the New York Post's Sean Delonas, showing a chimp shot by two policemen who say, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill." The prevailing view among the bloggers and talking-heads is that the cartoon is a racist depiction of Obama … [Read more...] about The Racist New York Post Dead-Monkey Cartoon (Guest Voice)
It’s McCain Versus Obama
Again. But as the HP notes, if Obama wants he can tap this determination and use it for some of his goals. … [Read more...] about It’s McCain Versus Obama
The Old Bagging Lady
I used to live in a large apartment complex. I wasn't friendly with a lot of the other tenants but easily recognized most of them by sight. The other day I saw one them again. An old woman, almost certainly well past seventy, in the supermarket. She was bagging my groceries. The recognition gave me an uncomfortable feeling, but it was clear that it made her feel much, much … [Read more...] about The Old Bagging Lady
Bad Behavior Bailout
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Bad Behavior Bailout
Pomegranates for Poppies
Wil Robinson has an interesting report on a new effort to convince Afghan farmers to switch from growing opium poppies to pomegranates to export to world markets. The man spearheading the effort thinks that, not only does Afghanistan produce "best pomegranates in the world," but sales of pomegranates on the global market could outstrip the value to Afghanistan of the opium … [Read more...] about Pomegranates for Poppies
Jindal for GOP Response: More Image is Everything, But Tenets? Not So Much
Am I the only one who is amazed at how, only six months ago, John McCain and Sarah Palin were the image of the Republican Party and wanted to be and were supported by their party to be the image of the White House and now, Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal are the image? Frankly, the choice of Steele as chair and Jindal as … [Read more...] about Jindal for GOP Response: More Image is Everything, But Tenets? Not So Much
Palin: Hey, You Know Who Really Stinks? The Media!
During the 2008 election, one of the major complaints regarding John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin was the lack of vetting which went into the decision. Once the choice was set in stone, though, criticism in some circles shifted to the abysmal handling of the VP candidate and her "not ready for prime time" persona. Apparently things haven't improved since the election … [Read more...] about Palin: Hey, You Know Who Really Stinks? The Media!
Fo Shizzle! The New Era of Hip-Hop Republicans
Newly minted RNC Chair Michael Steele has set the tone, calling for the application of the party’s traditional message to “urban — suburban hip-hop settings.” But what exactly does that mean? And how do you take a sometimes moldy construct of American conservatism and translate it to the urban, hip-hop culture? A daunting task to be sure, but I take a swing at it today in my … [Read more...] about Fo Shizzle! The New Era of Hip-Hop Republicans
A Lost Story About Protection of Children and Creatures
Earlier tonight, Jill Miller Zimon, our coblogger at The Moderate Voice, replied in comments to an article I'd written about how some persons intimidate and force young children to hysteria... children who have done nothing to provoke such, in order to instill fear into the child... and how others sometimes dont see such as intimidation and abuse... as long as the child is not … [Read more...] about A Lost Story About Protection of Children and Creatures
Settlements and the One-State Solution
I'm already pretty firmly on the record that the continued expansion of the settlements poses a massive threat to the viability of the two-state solution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The longer the settlements stay up, many argue, the more entrenched they will become -- eventually, they will be so dug in that evacuating them will become impossible, and suddenly there is … [Read more...] about Settlements and the One-State Solution
Grand Bargain; Grand Opportunity
In a British Radio Show called “The News Quiz” a few months ago, one of the panelists elicited loud laughter from the audience by saying of capitalism, “Recent events show that, while capitalism is a great idea in theory, it just can’t work in practice”. The joke, of course, was that this is the exact comment that has been often made about communism ever since its collapse. … [Read more...] about Grand Bargain; Grand Opportunity