On this day in which my college classmate (and coincidentally, the President) Barack Obama signed a number of significant executive orders altering his predecessor's policies with respect to detentions and interrogations in the so-called "war on terror," I am pleased to be able to bring you another in my series of interviews with those knowledgable in this area, today, with … [Read more...] about Interview with Almerindo Ojeda
Israel’s Arab Diplomats Explain Gaza to US Protesters
A month or so back I attended a lecture presented in Cincinnati by Ismail Khaldi, a Bedouin shepherd boy and Sunni Muslim from the Galilee who is now an Israeli diplomat. He currently serves as the State of Israel's deputy consul general in San Francisco. An interesting speaker, he shared his life story with us. Now I see his name in the news: Druze, Bedouin diplomats wage … [Read more...] about Israel’s Arab Diplomats Explain Gaza to US Protesters
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: THE HONEYMOON BEGINS
Larry J. Sabato on THE HONEYMOON BEGINS: Questions and Answers About Obama's First Year Almost every American recognizes January 20, 2009 as a red-letter date in U.S. history. No one who witnessed the swearing-in of President Barack Obama will ever forget it, and rarely has so much emotion been wrapped up in an inauguration. The good feelings that have been generated cannot … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: THE HONEYMOON BEGINS
Barack Obama and the ‘Dream of Iraq’: From Sotal Iraq
The ripple effects of President Obama's inauguration around the world have been powerful and immediate, and Iraq is no exception. What an irony it would be if the unpopularity and perceived incompetence of President Bush led most to an event that inspired Iraqis to build a democracy: the election of Barack Obama. In this extremely moving tribute to America and its … [Read more...] about Barack Obama and the ‘Dream of Iraq’: From Sotal Iraq
School Apologizes After 100-0 Win
Anyone playing or watching basketball knows a 100-0 win is impossible. Sorry, sports fans. It happened in Dallas in a girls high school 32-minute regulation basketball game. The winning team has offered to forfeit. “It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened,” the head of the school said Thursday on The Covenant School’s Web site. He added that Covenant has made … [Read more...] about School Apologizes After 100-0 Win
In Obama’s Words, President Ortega Must ‘Unclench His Fist’: La Prensa of Nicaragua
OBAMA: 'No hand extended to corrupt and authoritarian governments ... and no money!' ORTEGA: 'No explanations about election fraud to those who extend a hand to us! [La Prensa, Nicaragua] For those who wonder whether the world’s ‘dictators and corrupt politicians’ are feeling any heat after President Obama’s inaugural address, one need look no further than this … [Read more...] about In Obama’s Words, President Ortega Must ‘Unclench His Fist’: La Prensa of Nicaragua
Afterthoughts
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but isn't that William Ayers, the domestic terrorist Sarah Palin said Obama palled around with, sitting about three rows back of Obama during the swearing-in ceremonies? Most of us have seen the TV instant replay and still photos of that particular scene. The guy appears in back of Obama's right shoulder. If it is Ayers, the more I think about it the … [Read more...] about Afterthoughts
Quote Of The Day: Obama And A Return To Normalcy
Our political Quote of the Day comes from one of the Internet's most thoughtful writers, James Hertsch, who used to have a blog and wrote under a pen name. He writes on his new blog about one of several major shifts in the ascension of Barack Obama to the Presidency: the return to normalcy: With all the hope and change that Obama threw around for the past two years, you'd … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Obama And A Return To Normalcy
The Economic Tipping Point And Start Of The Third Wave
Nearly every single bank in Europe is at risk of being full nationalized. Japan and other Asian countries are reporting Depression sized dropoffs in exports. China is close to having an official recession. There is growing worry in the UK that they are about to go the way of Iceland, with a complete currency collapse. People are starting to wonder if the UK as a country is … [Read more...] about The Economic Tipping Point And Start Of The Third Wave
The Sickness of Partisanship
I mean, really...People will devote three hours of their life a day listening to someone demonize people who disagree with them. Just read and re-read the quotes in that link. Racism is the province of the left, just as stupidity and a penchant for trying to divide people and whip them up by arousing hatreds that this linked interview illlustrates is the absolute province … [Read more...] about The Sickness of Partisanship
Obama Finds White House In Fred Flintstone Technology Era
The Obama staff took position in their new digs on Pennsylvania Avenue and when they took a look around them thought they heard the pitter patter of feet. The pitter patter of Fred Flintstone, riding in a car so ancient that it was powered by his feet. The Washington Post reports: If the Obama campaign represented a sleek, new iPhone kind of future, the first day of the … [Read more...] about Obama Finds White House In Fred Flintstone Technology Era
The Doctor’s Choice?
One of the last spasms from an outgoing Bush Administration was a ruling that allows doctors and other medical professions to opt out of certain medical treatments if they violate a personal sense of right and wrong. It was aimed, of course, at medicos who oppose a woman's right to choose an abortion. But it got me wondering if this ruling might have larger implications. … [Read more...] about The Doctor’s Choice?
Hoocoodanode?
That's become the catch phrase amongst economics blogs when something that they have anticipated for years happens and everyone is shocked...simply shocked! Well here's a hoocoodanode? about the warantless wiretapping under Bush. At the time Congress was reworking FISA, many legal and security experts didn't trust that it was being used in the way that the Administration … [Read more...] about Hoocoodanode?
Caroline Kennedy: The Accidental Senator Who Wasn’t
It would seem that Caroline Kennedy has spared New York Governor a lot of political problems by removing herself from the equation. Who will replace Hillary Clinton now is still up in the air, but there may be some lessons to be taken from the Kenny heiress' efforts to take the position. I examine some of these in my new column today at Pajamas Media. Caroline Kennedy: The … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy: The Accidental Senator Who Wasn’t
The American Mutts – And Proud of It!
We are all proud, and we should be, that Barack Obama is the first African American president. As a tall white Anglo male, I represent the group most favored of this great country and I am extremely proud of this national accomplishment. I think it is time for a great celebration. Of course our President, like you and me, has a very diverse lineage. Kenyan and Irish among … [Read more...] about The American Mutts – And Proud of It!
The Latest in Battle for Turkey’s Future
Is Islamic fundamentalism Turkey's future, with secularism, what we in the West would call democratic pluralism, its past? Apparently secularists who plotted a coup against Turkey's democratically-elected Islamic fundamentalist government fear that seemingly topsy-turvy scenario. Many have been arrested for plotting against the government there. Many in the West have … [Read more...] about The Latest in Battle for Turkey’s Future
Kennedy, Burris and Identity Politics
The withdrawal of JFK's daughter as a replacement for Hillary Clinton leads to questions about gender and race in national politics in what we all celebrated as the Age of Obama this week. In Illinois, the future felon Rod Blagojevich appoints Roland Burris amid calls to retain the President's seat for an African-American and now, with Caroline Kennedy gone, New York's … [Read more...] about Kennedy, Burris and Identity Politics
Are You a First Amendment Guru?
If you think you are, try this quiz. I scored 25 out of 30 or 83%. Acceptable, I guess, although I thought I would have done better. At least I beat Marc Moore -- by an entire two questions. If you do try your hand at this 30-question test, feel free to share your results in the comments section of this post. Hopefully, you'll fare better than Marc and I did. … [Read more...] about Are You a First Amendment Guru?
Is Israel Losing the PR War in Gaza?
It appears so. By disallowing much in the way of journalist-imbedding with their fighting units, Israeli government officials clearly tried to avoid being played as the heavies as they were in Lebanon several years ago. Their efforts seem to not be working now in Gaza. … [Read more...] about Is Israel Losing the PR War in Gaza?
Closure of Gitmo Problematic
The Obama Administration yesterday began circulating a draft executive order that would close down the Guantanamo Bay detention center. But doing that could prove difficult as explained here by Columbia University law prof Matthew Waxman. [This has been crossposted at my personal blog.] … [Read more...] about Closure of Gitmo Problematic