That's the title of a useful post written by Asbury Theological Seminary professor, Ben Witherington, on his blog. It may surprise those fed on a regular diet of wrong impressions created by some who claim to speak for all evangelicals or disinformation spooned out by some in the media regarding evangelicals, other Christians, and all theists. Witherington's advice breaks … [Read more...] about ‘An Evangelical Voters Guide, Six Weeks Out’
Obama to Appear on TV from Mississippi McCain or No
Just hours before President Bush was to host Obama and McCain at the White House for a how-to on clearing obstacles, Barney says an agreement has been reached: "There really isn't much of a deadlock to break," said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Meantime, Media Matters reports that after Meredith Vieira claimed "political … [Read more...] about Obama to Appear on TV from Mississippi McCain or No
Sir Paul is Performing in Tel Aviv
Jerusalem Post: McCartney's concert kicks off in TA Over 40,000 were in attendance when former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney's concert kicked off in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park Thursday night with "Hello Goodbye." McCartney greeted over 40,000 eager fans in attendance with a hearty "Shana Tova." … [Read more...] about Sir Paul is Performing in Tel Aviv
Palin Takes (4!) Questions from Press Corps for First Time
She's growing bolder: Sarah Palin took questions from her traveling press corps Thursday for the first time since being tapped as John McCain's running mate. Speaking to a small pool of reporters following a visit to Ground Zero in lower Manhattan, Palin made a statement and then answered four questions, addressing the war on terror, the re-election bids of Alaska Sen. Ted … [Read more...] about Palin Takes (4!) Questions from Press Corps for First Time
A Higher-Ed Version of Homeschooling
The Chronicle: Who needs college credit when you have a makeshift diploma from a superstar professor? David Wiley taught an online course at Utah State University last fall and let anyone fully participate, even if they weren’t enrolled. In the end, five people the registrar had never heard of joined discussions with the 15 or so regular students and got papers graded by … [Read more...] about A Higher-Ed Version of Homeschooling
MySpace Music launches
MySpace Music launched today. Michael Arrington: Basically, everyone who controls rights to music is part of the new venture. MySpace Music allows users to stream virtually any song ever published for free. Users can also create playlists that contain up to 100 songs and share them with others. Any song can also be downloaded in non-DRM MP3 format, for a fee, from Amazon’s … [Read more...] about MySpace Music launches
Presidential Reality TV
The two most recent occupants of the Oval Office were in prime time last night, while aspirants to succeed them prepared to go to the White House today in a bizarre interactive TV reality show that will affect the financial survival of millions of Americans. George W. Bush, who was voted off the island two years ago but refused to leave, looked voters in the eye and talked … [Read more...] about Presidential Reality TV
Hanson’s Truth to the Masses on Economic Crisis
Every now and then you read something that (to borrow two tired clichés) cuts through the clutter and calls a spade a spade. Victor Davis Hanson offers such a read this morning at RCP. Granted, I don't agree with everything Hanson posits in this piece (e.g., his suggestion that 40% of the population "should stick to renting") -- but, on balance, his essay is a good wake-up … [Read more...] about Hanson’s Truth to the Masses on Economic Crisis
FDR’s First Fireside Chat: The Banking Crisis
First 5 minutes of a 13 minute, 42 second speech delivered on March 12, 1933. History Matters has the full transcript: When President Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933, one in four Americans was out of work nationally, but in some cities and some industries unemployment was well over 50 percent. Equally troubling were the bank panics. Between 1929 and 1931, 4,000 … [Read more...] about FDR’s First Fireside Chat: The Banking Crisis
The Staggering Cynicism Of John McCain
The familiar frat boy smirk was absent when George Bush went before the nation last night to cry wolf. The man speaking from the White House had recently managed the feat of polling disapproval ratings lower than Richard Nixon during the week before he resigned, while the people objecting most vociferously to the $700 billion taxpayer-funded bailout plan being engineered by … [Read more...] about The Staggering Cynicism Of John McCain
Try To Make Him (And All of Them) Proud
From time to time you find yourself sucked into a situation without really thinking about it. This is what happened to me today as I sat at home waiting for the AT&T repairman to show up. I was flipping channels when I came across a rerun of a 2002 episode of the series 7th Heaven. For those unfamiliar with the program it features (or featured) a Protestant Minister and … [Read more...] about Try To Make Him (And All of Them) Proud
First, We Take Wall Street, Then We Take Detroit!
You know, after spending $700 billion to help the American economy not sink into Depression 2.0 ... $25 billion for the Big Three is like the change you find under the couch: With Congress preoccupied with the massive, $700 billion bailout plan for the financial industry, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler have finally secured Part One of their own federal rescue plan. A … [Read more...] about First, We Take Wall Street, Then We Take Detroit!
Bush’s Speech On The Economy
Did he basically play the 911 card with a different design all over again? The Washington Note's Steve Clemons has some thoughts. What are yours? … [Read more...] about Bush’s Speech On The Economy
Rep. Frank: “We Have a Bailout Bill”
Before John "White Knight" McCain could arrive in Washington to save the day, Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank, Chair of the Financial Services Committee, claims today that Democrats have agreed on a bailout bill. No details have been released at this point, but Frank says the $700 billion figure may not be released all at once, there will be executive compensation … [Read more...] about Rep. Frank: “We Have a Bailout Bill”
David Letterman On McCain’s Campaign Suspension And The Political And Cultural Conventional Wisdom
So now GOP Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, pointing to the Wall Street meltdown and the chance that Congress will balk at the Bush administration's crucial bailout solution, has suspended his campaign -- and reportedly won't show up at Friday's debate even if Democratic Sen. Barack Obama does. In terms of the impact on Campaign 2008, the next few days will be … [Read more...] about David Letterman On McCain’s Campaign Suspension And The Political And Cultural Conventional Wisdom
Brandon McInerney’s Father Fires His Attorney
What might have been a routine preliminary hearing in the Oxnard, CA, trial of 14-year-old Brandon McInerney became newsworthy yesterday when Brandon's father moved to fire the public defender representing him and bring in criminal lawyers from LA. You'll recall that McInerney is being prosecuted as an adult for first-degree murder and a hate crime in the Feb. 12 killing of … [Read more...] about Brandon McInerney’s Father Fires His Attorney
A Modest Proposal for Friday’s Debate
It looks like John McCain is playing hardball and will not appear at Friday's debate in Oxford, MS, even if Barack Obama does show up. Could Barack Obama really debate an empty chair? Is there ANY precedent for this sort of thing? Sure, in the early days of the primary all but a few minor GOP candidates showed up to a black issues debate. But a Presidential debate, with 100 … [Read more...] about A Modest Proposal for Friday’s Debate
Sarah Palin Channels Kirk Watson
Remember during the Democratic Primary campaign the uncomfortable TV moment when Chris Matthews asked Texas State Senator Kirk Watson of Austin to name a single legislative accomplishment of Barack Obama's? And he got stuck? Looks like Sarah Palin did the same thing today when asked to name a single Wall Street reform measure beyond the proposed Freddie/Fannie law 2 years … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin Channels Kirk Watson
Was That Before Or After The Pilgrims Flew Into Logan ?
Since we all enjoy watching politicians make fools of themselves.. Just in case some of you attended public school, the Stock Market Crash took place in 1929, FDR didn't become President until 1933. And television wasn't demonstrated publicly until 1939 and wasn't in common use until the 1940's, after FDR died (in fact I am not sure he ever appeared on … [Read more...] about Was That Before Or After The Pilgrims Flew Into Logan ?
McCain Says, LET Go! Barack Says LET’S Go!
from the NYT: Senator Barack Obama said that Friday's presidential debate should go ahead after Senator John McCain issued a call to delay the event to return to Washington and deal with the financial bailout package. Human beings tend to have at least two different ways of describing a heroic stance: one is pre-emptive, smart, far-seeing, prescient, responding in … [Read more...] about McCain Says, LET Go! Barack Says LET’S Go!