So how did presumptive party nominees Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain fare at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church faith forum? The answer is in the eye -- and active political agenda -- of the beholder but there seems to be an emerging consensus in the media and in the blogosphere: Once again, McCain has proven to be far stronger than some predicted … [Read more...] about Did McCain Best Obama At The Faith Forum?
Doubling Down on Standards
Earlier today, I told you about the Denver Post's response to something John McCain said about water rights in a newspaper interview. Since writing that column, something has been tugging at the back of my mind and I only now realized what it was. Let's take another look at a portion of the paper's editorial which I previously quoted. Forget about winning our nine electoral … [Read more...] about Doubling Down on Standards
John Edwards And The “Too” Americas (Guest Voice)
This Guest Voice is by "Raging Moderate" Will Durst -- a take on the John Edwards affair. "Too" Americas by Will Durst Not content to be viewed as your ordinary run-of-the-mill hypocritical oaf, former vice-presidential candidate John Edwards compounded his monumental weaseldom by trying to sneak an overdue admission of serial monogamy infractions under the cloak of … [Read more...] about John Edwards And The “Too” Americas (Guest Voice)
In Colorado, it’s like oil and water
As regular readers know, I've been watching the COPM states (Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan) to get a feel for who will be moving into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. next January. Whichever candidate can carry at least three of those four will make the path to victory for their opponent a virtual impossibility. The first of those, Colorado, has been generating a lot of news … [Read more...] about In Colorado, it’s like oil and water
Book Review: Max Hastings’ ‘Retribution’ & The Pacific War. Paybacks Were A Bitch
I didn't think I had it in me, but I have just finished yet another book about World War II, probably the hundredth or so that I have read in a lifetime of interest in the myriad angles, intricacies and strategies of that great conflict fought by my parents' generation. I am glad that I did what with the dust-up in Georgia and a war in Iraq that has lasted considerably longer … [Read more...] about Book Review: Max Hastings’ ‘Retribution’ & The Pacific War. Paybacks Were A Bitch
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Getting More Out of the Polls
Sabato's Crystal Ball's James E. Campbell says, Getting More Out of the Polls Political observers have become more sophisticated in their reading of polls in recent years. They know enough now not to read too much into summer polls. Poll leaders in June are not any more likely to win than their opponents who trail them in the summer polls. By the time of the conventions, … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Getting More Out of the Polls
The People’s Republic Of Michael Phelps
HE FINISHES WITH A RECORD-BREAKING 8 GOLDS, MORE THAN ALL BUT 14 COUNTRIES IN THE MEDAL COUNT. MORE HERE. Photograph by David J. Phillip/The Associated Press … [Read more...] about The People’s Republic Of Michael Phelps
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: THE DEMOCRATIC GROUND GAME
Sabato's Crystal Ball's Justin M. Sizemore says, THE DEMOCRATIC GROUND GAME: Can New Voters Make the Difference? From the time Barack Obama declared his candidacy for president, his campaign realized it would benefit from what came to be called the enthusiasm gap. "In most campaigns, it's a challenge to drag people out," Western States Field Director Buffy Wicks told a group … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: THE DEMOCRATIC GROUND GAME
East Europe Best Not Depend on ‘Obsolete’ NATO
As we've seen over recent days, there are two diametrically opposed positions within Europe about what has cause the Georgia crisis and what should be done about it. The first, which has been perhaps best enunciated by the Polish, is that NATO must be strengthened and that the Alliance must stand up to Russia with ever-greater determination. The other, well represented by … [Read more...] about East Europe Best Not Depend on ‘Obsolete’ NATO
McCain & Obama Visit Saddleback
Here's a report by The Caucus Blog of the New York Times: It was the handshake shown around the country. At about 9 p.m. Eastern time, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain briefly crossed paths in a rare moment in the presidential campaign (the Senate floor doesn’t count, and besides, neither of them has been there much lately). They shared the stage for 36 seconds at … [Read more...] about McCain & Obama Visit Saddleback
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Third parties to have an impact in ’08?
Sabato's Crystal Ball's Rhodes Cook says, GOING FOR THE BRONZE: Third parties to have an impact in '08? When political reporters run low on topics to write about, they often turn their attention to third parties--the "lovable losers" of American politics. They never win at the presidential level but often are called upon to add color to campaigns that are sometimes badly in … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Third parties to have an impact in ’08?
Al-Qaeda Attacks Pervez Musharraf
The woes of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf seem to be unending. While the Parliament has begun formulating the impeachment proceedings against Musharraf, Al-Qaida's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri slammed "Pakistan's embattled President Pervez Musharraf as an enemy of Islam in a first audio message in English posted online on Saturday," reports NDTV, India's influential TV … [Read more...] about Al-Qaeda Attacks Pervez Musharraf
Friday Lines from ‘The Fix’
I often read Chris Cillizza's Washington Post column, 'The Fix'. Here he evaluates 5 Republican and 5 Democratic VP hopefuls: Friday Veepstakes Line: Crunch Time! In conversations with a wide variety of sources on both sides of the aisle, we have some sense of the mindset of each man as he approaches one of the most momentous decisions in this campaign. For Obama, the … [Read more...] about Friday Lines from ‘The Fix’
McCain And Obama: Today’s Big Showdown Over Faith
Keep your eye on a perhaps politically-pivotal, highly-publicized event tonight that could potentially make a tight Presidential race a bit less-tight: presumptive party nominees Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Senator Barack Obama will be wooing the religious vote in a major, televised joint appearance at a well-respected pastor's church. Will one stumble? Will one … [Read more...] about McCain And Obama: Today’s Big Showdown Over Faith
Our libertarian leanings as measured in Motorcycle deaths
Deaths of people in cars, trucks, on bicycles, and on foot are down to historic lows. Motorcycle deaths, on the other hand, were up for the 10th year in a row in 2007. Why? One reason is a decline in the number of states requiring the use of helmets. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, in 1975, 47 states required all motorcycle riders to wear helmets, … [Read more...] about Our libertarian leanings as measured in Motorcycle deaths
Paul J. Saunders Discusses President Mikheil Saakashvili’s Role in the Georgian Conflict
As a supplement to yesterday's news round-up on Georgia, I thought I'd post on a comment at The Washington Post, where Paul J. Saunders discusses the role of President Saakashvili in the Georgian conflict. Saunders is executive director of the Nixon Center. (WaPo) He also served as senior adviser to the undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs from 2003 to … [Read more...] about Paul J. Saunders Discusses President Mikheil Saakashvili’s Role in the Georgian Conflict
He Didn’t Break The Record, He Crushed It
MORE HERE ON AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT. … [Read more...] about He Didn’t Break The Record, He Crushed It
A President From Nowhere
After Barack Obama or John McCain leaves the White House, where will future generations go to tour the boyhood home that shaped a president? Hawaii? Indonesia? The Panama Canal Zone? For a long time, I lived near Hyde Park, where FDR was born and spent his years before moving into the White House. "All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River," … [Read more...] about A President From Nowhere
The Russia-Georgia Conflict Redux
The Moderate Voice prides itself in "Domestic and international news analysis, irreverent comments, original reporting, and popular culture features from across the political spectrum." A comment on my "Bill Kristol on Victory in Iraq and Impotence in Georgia," certainly qualifies in each and all of these aspects. I do not know who "Spikester" is (perhaps I should), but he has … [Read more...] about The Russia-Georgia Conflict Redux
Would’ve if I Could’ve
For those of us who are obsessive-compulsive commentators on what we read and hear, blogging platforms have been wonderful drugs indeed. Unfortunately, given that very few of us have parlayed our addiction into paying jobs, the jobs we do have (you know, the ones that actually pay the bills and send the kids to college) frequently separate us from our drug of choice. Such … [Read more...] about Would’ve if I Could’ve