To restore America in a time of economic crisis and partisan hatred, a hairline victory will not be enough. True, George W. Bush turned a deficit of popular votes and a 5-4 Supreme Court decision into a mandate to start the wrong war and try to dismantle the Constitution, but that won't be enough for the first African-American president. Democrats need an all-out effort in … [Read more...] about Why Obama Needs a Mandate
Civil Rights Roundup: 10/13/08
Your daily dose of civil rights and related news The Virginia GOP chair compared Obama to Osama, and then refused to back down after a critique from the McCain campaign ("While Barack Obama is associated with domestic terrorist William Ayers, the McCain campaign disagrees with the comparison that Jeff Frederick made."). It's a civil rights issue because I'm coming around on … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 10/13/08
Republicans Don’t Cheat
So says Georgia state Senator Eric Johnson of Savannah: The importance of countering voter fraud is a plank in nearly every state GOP platform, and the national one as well. Why? ”That’s easy. Our voters don’t cheat,” said Eric Johnson of Savannah, the ranking Republican in the state Senate and a prime supporter of Georgia’s 2005 voter ID law. “We wouldn’t know how to … [Read more...] about Republicans Don’t Cheat
Virginia Republican Chief Compares Obama To Osama Bin Laden
Anyone who has watched this campaign has known this was coming. And despite reports over the weekend that Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain is going to "reboot" his campaign and decrease inflammatory rhetoric, these comments by a Virginia GOP chief comparing Democratic Sen. Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden and the McCain campaign's use of the controversy to … [Read more...] about Virginia Republican Chief Compares Obama To Osama Bin Laden
George Soros on the Financial Crisis
Moyers interviews Soros. Part 1 above. Part 2. Part 3. Soros' charitable giving infuriates many, but his take on the financial crisis has been sound. No fan of Paulson, weeks ago he said Paulson cannot be allowed a blank cheque. In the Financial Times today: How to capitalise the banks and save finance. … [Read more...] about George Soros on the Financial Crisis
MSM Starts Linking to Other Media Sites
NYTimes: Embracing the hyperlink ethos of the Web to a degree not seen before, news organizations are becoming more comfortable linking to competitors — acting in effect like aggregators. The Washington Post recently introduced a political Web site that recommends rival sites. This week NBC will begin introducing Web sites for its local TV stations with links to local … [Read more...] about MSM Starts Linking to Other Media Sites
Will The Real John McCain Please Stand Up?
Is John McCain "walking it back" in his campaign's attacks on Barack Obama? Will his remonstrations to the pitchfork brigade to chill-out continue? Do he and Sarah Palin disagree on tactics? Is he abandoning the low road? Is he trying to go out on a positive note? Which McCain will be on the stump from here on out? Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? As far as turning around the most … [Read more...] about Will The Real John McCain Please Stand Up?
McCain to Whip Obama’s “You Know What”
In all of the non-stories to emerge from this silly season, this may be one of the most blatant cases of manufactured outrage I've seen. Senator McCain took a few moments out on the campaign trail, speaking to a couple of voters, and implied that he would win this week's presidential debate. "We're going to spend a lot of time and after I whip his you-know-what in this … [Read more...] about McCain to Whip Obama’s “You Know What”
Krugman wins Nobel Prize
AP: The American economist Paul R. Krugman won the Nobel economics prize on Monday for his analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity. Mr. Krugman, 55, a professor at Princeton University in New Jersey and a columnist for The New York Times, formulated a new theory to answer questions about free trade, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. “What … [Read more...] about Krugman wins Nobel Prize
Kicking Off the Week’s Political News
Welcome back, and I hope you had a nice weekend. Just to get you started on this Monday morning, here are a few of the hot topics making the rounds in the political blogosphere. William Kristol, writing for the New York Times, thinks he may have the solution for John McCain. Fire your whole darned campaign. Given the weekend news of Obama's fundraising and poll numbers, … [Read more...] about Kicking Off the Week’s Political News
Did The U.S. Really Isolate Iran? (Guest Voice)
What to do about Iran? Should it be isolated? Should the newAmerican president in January President open up a more extensive dialogue with it? Or should it be a mixture of both isolation and minimal dialogue? And what are the realities and what has happened so far? In this Guest Voice post Iranian freelance writer and blogger Kourosh Ziabari takes a look at the issue.TMV runs … [Read more...] about Did The U.S. Really Isolate Iran? (Guest Voice)
McGhosts and Ogoblins (Guest Voice)
Today is Halloween, the favorite day of kids and dentists everywhere. But is Presidential campaign 2008 kind of like Halloween -- only each side seeks to put a costume on the other? In this Guest Voice post, journalism professor and author Walter Brasch and his wife Rosemary look at Halloween and campaign 2008. Guest Voice posts reflect differing viewpoints and do not … [Read more...] about McGhosts and Ogoblins (Guest Voice)
That One
Monte Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about That One
ABC/Washington Post Poll: Obama Opens 10 Point Lead As Bush’s Approval Rating Falls Below Nixon’s
The seeming tsunami of polls showing Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama widen his lead over Republican Sen. John McCain while President George Bush's approval ratings goes lower than Richard Nixon's continues with this new ABC News poll: A tornado of economic discontent is buffeting the nation, sending satisfaction with the country's direction to a 35-year … [Read more...] about ABC/Washington Post Poll: Obama Opens 10 Point Lead As Bush’s Approval Rating Falls Below Nixon’s
Conservative Group Is Right: Free Speech Is Not a Political Issue (Guest Voice)
Free speech should protect both sides in political debate. In this Guest Voice post, journalism professor and author Walter Brasch looks at a case that hasn't received much publicity -- and has an end result that would probably make the Founding Fathers smile. Brasch is an award-winning syndicated newspaper columnist and radio commentator, and president of the Pennsylvania … [Read more...] about Conservative Group Is Right: Free Speech Is Not a Political Issue (Guest Voice)
The Attempt To Find An Obama Scandal
It is apparently going on now... … [Read more...] about The Attempt To Find An Obama Scandal
Oklahoma’s Rice vs. Inhofe — David vs. Goliath?
Having focused on our bitterly fought presidential campaign, I feel somewhat guilty and remiss that I have not paid adequate attention to my own state and local political campaigns---to “grass roots” issues and campaigns. Fortunately, and albeit by chance and in a different state, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand some truly grass roots campaigning one morning a … [Read more...] about Oklahoma’s Rice vs. Inhofe — David vs. Goliath?
Colored by Race
My McCain Mob post yesterday was more inflammatory than is usual for me. And the reaction here and elsewhere has been something along the lines of "your side does it too." In a comment, a casual observer points to the story of a pair arrested for torching a McCain sign in Oregon. And with that I suppose I lose. Certainly I condemn the torching. But my mistake was in … [Read more...] about Colored by Race
Barack Obama’s Secret Weapon
Andrew Sullivan nails it on Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's secret weapon -- less what he does to Republican Sen. John McCain then what he holds back on doing and provokes McCain to do: Obama's not-so-secret weapon in an international crisis: his calm. McCain's not-so-secret liability in a tense election: his hotheadedness. This race is about policy and … [Read more...] about Barack Obama’s Secret Weapon
Let’s Talk About Bill Ayers for a Moment
Over a number of years in the blogging game, my favorite Chicago columnist has been John Kass. We exchanged some e-mails in 2005 about earthworms, (I won't go into it now) but he's always struck me as one of the truly genuine observers of politics in Chi-Town. Some may consider him "one of those conservatives" and might assume that he has an ax to grind with Obama, but I've … [Read more...] about Let’s Talk About Bill Ayers for a Moment