At The New Republic today, Jonathan Cohn argues that has actually accomplished a great deal as president, from overhauling the tax code to reforming education to gutting the regulatory state to rewriting "long-standing doctrine on foreign policy and human rights" to launching "a war that overthrew a dictator, destabilized a region, and committed the U.S. to an occupation whose … [Read more...] about Obama Should Be Like Bush
Poll: Bush Disapproval Rating Breaks 60 Year Record As More Unpopular Than Truman
President George Bush made history today -- by getting the highest disapproval rating of any President in 60 years, according to CNN: As President-elect Obama visits the White House, a new national poll suggests that the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the most unpopular president in the six decades since presidential approval ratings were first … [Read more...] about Poll: Bush Disapproval Rating Breaks 60 Year Record As More Unpopular Than Truman
Gallup Poll: Bush And Obama Flip Sides In Popularity
A new Gallup poll provides an interesting context to the meeting between President George Bush and President Elect Barack Obama: the Republican has a job disapproval rating of 66 percent while the Democrat has a favorable rating of 70 percent. These are apples and oranges. And -- most assuredly -- the still toxic political environment of 21st century America with its nonstop … [Read more...] about Gallup Poll: Bush And Obama Flip Sides In Popularity
Obama Fireside Chat
Oklahoma’s David vs. Goliath—Follow-Up
This summer, while traveling through rural Oklahoma, I had the unique opportunity to observe first-hand the campaign for a national office---the Oklahoma seat in the U.S. Senate---being conducted at the grassroots level in the small town of Claremore, Oklahoma. I wrote about it in "Oklahoma's Rice vs. Inhofe -- David vs. Goliath?" Although the young Democratic Oklahoma … [Read more...] about Oklahoma’s David vs. Goliath—Follow-Up
The War: Hagler vs. Hearns
Professional boxing in the 21st century has fallen into a worn state of disrepair, and this is something that still makes me sad. Persistent instances of corruption, rumors of fixed fights and dishonest promoters getting rich while fighters sometimes work as slaves have taken what was once one of the most closely followed and popular sports in the world and transformed it into … [Read more...] about The War: Hagler vs. Hearns
Obama to Close Guantanamo Bay
President-elect Obama has hit the ground running and is already preparing plans to close Guantanamo Bay, a move championed by legal scholars (aka elitist terrorist-lovers in some circles) from both parties. But what to do with the detainees? Under plans being put together in Obama's camp, some detainees would be released and many others would be prosecuted in U.S. criminal … [Read more...] about Obama to Close Guantanamo Bay
Around The Sphere
NOTE: Now that the election is over our famous Around The Sphere linkfest reverts to its original form -- offering you links from a variety of weblogs, not all of them to political posts. Linked posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. A MUST READ ON OBAMA'S ELECTION: Taylor Owen at Oxblog (one of TMV's favorite sites.) The Controversy Among … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere
Moving On
In my evolution from a would-be reformer of the GOP to a supporter of President-elect Obama, I have been asked the inevitable “why” and “how” questions -- and I have answered those questions, indirectly. But I’ve never gone so far as to admit what I will admit now: I am no longer a Republican. I am no longer a conservative. To be clear: I still believe in many of the … [Read more...] about Moving On
Media
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star … [Read more...] about Media
Brief Reign of the Boomers
Shaun Mullen has started the wake for The Politically Departed (below), so in sadness and hope, another take on the generation that tried so hard and accomplished so little: Another first in Barack Obama's presidency is change from the generation born when millions came back from World War II and began to beget--Baby Boomers, the first of whom are now eligible for early … [Read more...] about Brief Reign of the Boomers
Obama Plan to Withdraw from Iraq Would Spell Disaster!: Kitabat of Iraq
Last week I posted an article from Iraq with the headline, Election of Obama a Chance to 'Offset' Iranian Influence. Continuing our coverage of Iraqi reaction to Obama's election, today we have an article by Khadir Taahar, which is from the same newspaper, Kitabat. Readers of the Moderate Voice will recognize his name, since this is the tenth article the people of … [Read more...] about Obama Plan to Withdraw from Iraq Would Spell Disaster!: Kitabat of Iraq
Baby Boomers Finally Pass The Torch, And Not A Day Too Soon
To be an American (unlike being English or French) is precisely to image a destiny rather than to inherit one; since we have always been, insofar as we are Americans at all, inhabitants of myth rather than history. -- LESLIE FIEDLER The tears of joy have dried. The stage in Grant Park has been taken down. The celebrations are history. As the dust settles from Election Day … [Read more...] about Baby Boomers Finally Pass The Torch, And Not A Day Too Soon
Gay Vote
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star … [Read more...] about Gay Vote
Mother of World Music, “Mother Africa,” Miriam Makeba, Passed Today
Makeba was the person who opened up "world music" to the majority of the western world. I wonder how many people currently listening to some of the newer singers and groups out of Africa/ India/ South America/ China / Russia / etc. realize it was people like Miriam Makeba that opened up the minds and hearts of people worldwide and made their hearts clamor for more. … [Read more...] about Mother of World Music, “Mother Africa,” Miriam Makeba, Passed Today
Election 2008 Overtime
Although most of the contests of Election 2008 have been resolved, there are a few contests still outstanding, most notably a set of three US Senate races that could decide both whether the Democrats will hit 60 seats and what happens to Joe Lieberman in January. While I am hardly an expert, I thought I'd offer a quick overview of where the races stand and what should happen in … [Read more...] about Election 2008 Overtime
Conservative Talk Radio’s Non-Honeymoon For Barack Obama
We ran several posts last week noting how conservative talk radio did not give President Elect Barack Obama the slightest honeymoon after his election -- starting right in Wednesday morning with a continuation of the most vitriolic and demonizing parts of the Presidential election campaign. One host even plays Reverend Wright at the beginning of his show. Be sure to read … [Read more...] about Conservative Talk Radio’s Non-Honeymoon For Barack Obama
Obamaworld
From the stalwarts at Watching America come another batch of links about our new planet, Obamaworld. The elation is dying down, and the soft pendulum swing associated with "OMG, isn't there a lot to do" and even "Obama isn't god" is definitely beginning.... However, another strong theme, sometimes explicit, sometimes implicit, is the extraordinarily fast re-establishment … [Read more...] about Obamaworld
Let’s Get The Workweek Off To A Big Start
...with a big opening production number. But not just any opening number...an old-fashioned Broadway style opening number....except it was part of a TV show video taped in Miami Beach in 1966. As someone who does and studies comedy, I've been collecting the DVDs of the 1960s Color Honeymooners where the great comedian Jackie Gleason turned his classic black and white 1950s … [Read more...] about Let’s Get The Workweek Off To A Big Start
New Puppy
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star … [Read more...] about New Puppy