Early 21st century America has been noted for a trend: increasingly, fact-based journalism is under fire from partisans who demonize and try to discredit reporting and reporters who dare to run material that doesn't advance their party's agenda or vigorously challenges their party's attack lines. And now this is heading towards its most (il)logical conclusion: fact CHECKING … [Read more...] about Rove: Fact Checking Organizations Can’t Be Trusted
Obama Raises Record-Breaking $66 Million In August: How Will He Use It?
In terms of money, Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is riding record-high on the fund raising front. Which begs the question: will he make efficient use of his big bucks? The Politico reports: Sen. Barack Obama raised $66 million in the month of August, making it his best month ever and the best in American political history, an aide said Sunday … [Read more...] about Obama Raises Record-Breaking $66 Million In August: How Will He Use It?
Obama’s Sagging Polls And Campaign And McCain’s Ascent
Meet the Press today reviewed some key overall and internal polling numbers that show major erosion for Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. The Democratic explanation -- which is spin unless polls show otherwise -- was given by New York Senator Chuck Schumer. Details the polls: Schumer now argues that the McCain campaign has peaked: Time will tell if Schumer's … [Read more...] about Obama’s Sagging Polls And Campaign And McCain’s Ascent
Candidate Profile: Wayne Allen Root
All through our coverage of Campaign 2008, I have focused on the candidates from the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties. If you count the vice presidential picks, there are six of them, but I have, admittedly, only covered five. On several occasions it has been brought up by readers that the math seems a bit off. This was mentioned yet again this week in my virtual … [Read more...] about Candidate Profile: Wayne Allen Root
What McCain Once Said About Mayors And Governors Experience
Further proof that the outrage and seemingly passionate beliefs in politics often need to be taken with grains of salt enough to create a new Dead Sea: On the other hand, the case can be made also that in primary mode McCain wasn't being fair to governors. In fact, a Democratic governor has now come to GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's defense in terms of her … [Read more...] about What McCain Once Said About Mayors And Governors Experience
Hurricane Season
Petar Pismestrovic, Kleine Zeitung, Austria … [Read more...] about Hurricane Season
A Deeper Background: Franci Havemeister
While we touched on this in my earlier column, various questions and responses around the net make this story worthy of a closer look. (For the record, I'm willing to bet that as recently as last year Franci never thought she would be on the cover of the New York Times.) We noted the somewhat "thin" resume (to be charitable) of Ms. Havemeister at the time that Sarah Palin … [Read more...] about A Deeper Background: Franci Havemeister
When Will Sarah Palin Go to Baghdad?
Does anyone remember the GOP Obama Clock that measured how long it had been since Barack Obama visited Iraq and Afghanistan? If memory serves, it was vitally important to Team McCain that they establish how unprepared the junior Illinois Senator was for high office, since he couldn't make decisions about an area he hadn't visited. RNC Chair, Mike Duncan, is quoted … [Read more...] about When Will Sarah Palin Go to Baghdad?
Do people even care about Sarah Palin’s dishonesty?
Some politicians thrive in spite of their reputations for dishonesty. Republicans like Richard Nixon and Democrats like Hillary Clinton carried serious baggage with the electorate for their repeated mendacity. But they maintained a core of committed supporters because they were highly knowledgeable and competent, and always stood willing to fight back against their enemies. … [Read more...] about Do people even care about Sarah Palin’s dishonesty?
Bridge to Nowhere Claim
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post … [Read more...] about Bridge to Nowhere Claim
New Palin Problem: Report Says She Did Not Visit Iraq As Claimed
Win or lose, Republican Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain is now facing a problem: most politicians develop credibility gaps when they get IN power and he is now developing a major one before he gets into the White House. As The Washington Post's The Trail notes, there is a new report that Vice Presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin didn't visit Iraq as claimed -- and … [Read more...] about New Palin Problem: Report Says She Did Not Visit Iraq As Claimed
7 Fairs, 7 Weeks & A Van Full of Dummies: What Mister G Did On His Summer Vacation
Joe Gandelman would be living in a cardboard box if his sole gig was being editor in chief of this blog, and his flirtation with homelessness is mitigated only because he has a “straight” job as a ventriloquist. Until I became acquainted with Joe and had basked for a while in the glow of his enormous heart, I never knew that if a traveling ventriloquist is going to make … [Read more...] about 7 Fairs, 7 Weeks & A Van Full of Dummies: What Mister G Did On His Summer Vacation
Gloria Steinem, The Democrats And Sarah Palin
Way to go Gloria! Except, isn’t a bit late for feminism now? Where were the fems during primary season? Maybe I just didn’t hear them pounding the table with charges of sexism when Dems were letting reverse-racism(haven’t heard that term in awhile) dictate the nomination. I’m sure they didn’t stand idly by while Dems lost not only a clearly more qualified and viable nominee … [Read more...] about Gloria Steinem, The Democrats And Sarah Palin
Chavez Welcomes Russian Bombers; Proclaims ‘Yankee Hegemony is Over’: Patagonico of Argentina
While bits and pieces of this story about Venezuela welcoming a pair of Russian strategic bombers have been covered by the wire services over the past few days, we thought it best to translate something from Latin America on the subject. According to this news item from Argentina's El Patagonico, the two Russian TU-160 aircraft, according to that nation's President, Hugo … [Read more...] about Chavez Welcomes Russian Bombers; Proclaims ‘Yankee Hegemony is Over’: Patagonico of Argentina
Lipstick Pig
Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen … [Read more...] about Lipstick Pig
Sullivan on Kristol on Palin
This (from Sullivan), a response to this (from Kristol), is brilliant: Memo to Kristol: you may think Palin is sophisticated enough to grasp the high-level fantasies and abstractions that you have devised in your own head to defend the indefensible. But she isn't, buddy. She has a degree in sports journalism from the University of Idaho, and went to several colleges in … [Read more...] about Sullivan on Kristol on Palin
September 11: The Worst Attack on Humanity – Critica of Panama
Over recent days, WORLDMEETS.US has been posting and translating articles about the world's reaction to the September 11 attacks. Since most were published on Thursday, they'll continue to dribble in over the next few days. From Panama's Critica newspaper, this editorial can be summarized as a plea to 'fanatics and great powers' to bring peace to the world, and says that on … [Read more...] about September 11: The Worst Attack on Humanity – Critica of Panama
The Hard Hitting Hannity – Palin Interview to Come
While we're still digging out from under the flostsam and jetsam of the ABC interview with Sarah Palin, we continue to be reminded that there will be no "cone of silence" and the Alaska Governor will be doing more interviews. Next up? (And the only one scheduled thus far which I've been able to find, even with the Sunday shows coming up tomorrow.) Sean Hannity. The Sarah … [Read more...] about The Hard Hitting Hannity – Palin Interview to Come
Remedial Republican
RJ Matson, Roll Call … [Read more...] about Remedial Republican
Do the Clintons Really Want Obama to Win?
Amid all this year's psychodramas about gender, race and age, consider the conflict in the heart and soul of the 42nd President of the United States as he looks back at his past and ahead to his place in history. This week Bill Clinton gave Barack Obama lunch in his Harlem office, a promise to do "whatever I'm asked" in the campaign and a prediction that Obama "will win and … [Read more...] about Do the Clintons Really Want Obama to Win?