Take that Rush Limbaugh...Take that Sean Hannity: a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds President Elect Barack Obama is gaining support -- but the incoming President might well remember the old saying "the bigger they are, the harder they fall": President-elect Barack Obama is entering the White House with an enormous reservoir of goodwill from an American public … [Read more...] about Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll: Obama Increases Support
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: CORRUPTION MOST FOUL
Larry J. Sabato on CORRUPTION MOST FOUL: Revisiting the Timeless Principles of Corruption in Politics After reading the federal criminal complaint filed against the Illinois governor this past Tuesday we at The Crystal Ball could think only one thing: Willie Stark, meet Rod Blagojevich. Of course the governor is innocent until proven guilty, but the indictment is thick, well … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: CORRUPTION MOST FOUL
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. Tainted As Candidate #5 In Blagojevich Criminal Complaint
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. a young, rising star in Illinois and national politics, has aggressively denied any wrongdoing in light of reports that tainted him as "Candidate #5" in the Blagojevich criminal complaint as the politico whose emissaries allegedly suggested Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich might get something of value if he picked their man to fill out President Elect … [Read more...] about Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. Tainted As Candidate #5 In Blagojevich Criminal Complaint
Blagojevich and Ryan
John Cole, The Scranton Times-Tribune … [Read more...] about Blagojevich and Ryan
Our Dirty Little Secret: The Mexican Drug Wars
It was less than two years ago outrage spread through U.S. cities on the pretext illegal immigrants from Mexico were taking jobs from Americans. Today, the Mexican drug cartels are killing more people on an average day than in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and in the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks. Nary a whimper in protest is heard. The Mexican drug wars are more … [Read more...] about Our Dirty Little Secret: The Mexican Drug Wars
Obama vs. “The Bubble”
Even before he moves into the White House, the new President is feeling hemmed in and planning to do something about it. Asked by Chicago reporters about his face painted on sides of buildings and lamp posts, Barack Obama complained that "because I'm in this bubble, I don't get to see all this stuff...I don't get a chance to wander around neighborhoods," saying that he … [Read more...] about Obama vs. “The Bubble”
Dutch Government Refuses to Follow Bush’s Lead on Iraq “Regrets”
In my post "Iraq War---A Dutch Connection?", I mentioned how some in The Netherlands are criticizing the Dutch government for not coming clean on what it knew---or didn't know---before the invasion of Iraq. This morning, de Volkskrant is reporting that Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende continues to refuse to admit that the Dutch government made misjudgments, similar … [Read more...] about Dutch Government Refuses to Follow Bush’s Lead on Iraq “Regrets”
Prayer and Partisanship
Via Secular Right comes this interesting graph suggesting people who pray more tend to be more partisan (or perhaps people who are more partisan tend to pray more). One of Andrew Sullivan's readers offers up the best explanation I've seen: "The more willing you are to "believe" in anything, the more likely you are to "believe" in something else." But it isn't necessarily a … [Read more...] about Prayer and Partisanship
Symbols of Delusion: Chambliss, Cao, Boehner, and the Future of the Republican Party
At WaPo's The Fix on Monday, Chris Cillizza asked if Republicans are "on the march" and concluded that the recent Republican victories in Georgia (Senate) and Louisiana (House) "give Republicans something to rally around" and "lay the foundation for at least the possibility of a comeback in 2010 and beyond." Oh... really. While I do not deny that things can change quickly … [Read more...] about Symbols of Delusion: Chambliss, Cao, Boehner, and the Future of the Republican Party
Netflix on TiVo Here Now
Minutes after I got the email I had followed its simple instructions and was comfortably watching a selection from my Netflix "Watch Instantly" queue on TiVo. I'm dazzled by the technology! Over 10,000 titles are available (including a good number in HD) and the video quality is quite good. Still, there are some problems. I can pause (but not for too long), fast forward, or … [Read more...] about Netflix on TiVo Here Now
Joe The Plumber Turns On Senator John McCain
"Et tu, Joe The Plumber?" Those might be defeated Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's words in light of conservative talk show host Glenn Beck's interview where the man John McCain would not stop talking about in debates, on commercials and on the stump -- the man who became a major political motif during the past few weeks of campaign 2008 -- has verbally … [Read more...] about Joe The Plumber Turns On Senator John McCain
Obama Plans Major Address in Islamic Capital
Obama plans to give what he called "a major address" in an "Islamic capital" soon after taking office. Would he do it in Baghdad maybe? Somewhere in Saudi Arabia? Either way, it will do a lot of good. The whole clash-of-civilizations theory was in many ways a self-fulfilling prophecy. It didn't have to be that way, even after September 11. But Bush's with-us-or-against us … [Read more...] about Obama Plans Major Address in Islamic Capital
Mike Duncan Not Ready to Leave RNC Post?
A story from the GOP side of the aisle is breaking this morning over at The Skepticians. James Richardson is reporting that all of the debate over who the next RNC Chairman will be may prove premature. Mike Duncan, the current chairman, might not be ready to vacate the position. The recent Republican victories in GA and MS gave pause to Mike Duncan, current Republican … [Read more...] about Mike Duncan Not Ready to Leave RNC Post?
Christmas Spending: What Will You Do?
There seem to be some conflicting reports over what is going to happen this year with Christmas/Holiday spending. The standard line is that spending is going to be down (perhaps way down) due to consumer fears over a sagging economy. But other reports hint at online spending being equal to last year. Personally I have wondered about the degree to which some people seem to … [Read more...] about Christmas Spending: What Will You Do?
Mumbai Terror: Attackers Identified
Mumbai police today released the names of 10 alleged attackers who killed 171 persons in a three-day siege of parts of this financial hub of India. Meanwhile Pakistan has made it clear that it would not hand over the alleged planners of attack to India. "Police said all 10 attackers were from Pakistan, most of them from Punjab province, and were between the age of 20 and … [Read more...] about Mumbai Terror: Attackers Identified
Calling In Gay To Work Today?
Today is supposed to be a day of protest by members of the GLBT community where they call in sick to work in order to demonstrate the importance of the community to society as a whole. This follows a similar series of protests carried out by immigrant rights supporters in 2004 and 2006. As someone who has made no secret of his strong support for Gay rights and my strong … [Read more...] about Calling In Gay To Work Today?
Obama and the End of ‘Gringo Domination’: Semana of Colombia
Does the arrival of Barack Obama herald a new era, or did he simply come along just as a new era characterized by the end of 'gringo domination' began? The answer, according to Alfredo Rangel of Colombia's Semana newspaper, is emphatically the latter. Citing Richard Haas' recent article in Foreign Affairs, Rangel writes in part: "To put things in perspective, the … [Read more...] about Obama and the End of ‘Gringo Domination’: Semana of Colombia
A Conservative for Gay Marriage
There are conservatives out there that actually are for gay marriage and are also willing to call a spade a spade: The supporters of traditional family values are afraid of giving same sex couples equal protection under the law because they wonder if the next law we’ll want will allow traditional family values people like Warren Jeffs to do what they do legally. Last time I … [Read more...] about A Conservative for Gay Marriage
Iraq War—A Dutch Connection?
Apparently, it wasn't only the U.S. government that kept information/intelligence on Iraq from lawmakers and from the people before the attack on that country. A Dutch commentator describes in the NRC Handelsblad how The Netherlands was sucked into the Iraq war, even thought the Dutch intelligence agencies had better information than the U.S. on Iraq's WMDs: The … [Read more...] about Iraq War—A Dutch Connection?
Blago’s Third-World-Style Corruption
Lots of other folks have chimed in on Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's arrest today. What strikes me about this is how little this resembles a typical Chicago scandal and how much it looks like the sort of thing you see in Latin America, Africa or elsewhere in the Third World. Most Chicago (and Illinois) scandals are based on machines. Going back to the 19th century … [Read more...] about Blago’s Third-World-Style Corruption