In the wake of Father's Day, John McCain and Barack Obama offer, among other contrasts, a confrontation between old ideas about manhood and new--the hard-drinking, womanizing Navy flyboy turned politician and the New Age husband in equal partnership with a powerful wife. Stereotypes, yes, but the biographical facts are beyond dispute. On his nostalgia tour after clinching … [Read more...] about Obama-McCain: Manhood Now and Then
Will Kathleen Sebelius alienate Hillary supporters?
So there are 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling. And yes, Hillary Clinton is right: women are engaging in and commenting on the political process more than ever before. But where do we go from here? To misquote Phillip Vera Cruz, if not Hillary, then who? If not now, then when? When I interviewed some high-profile feminists for Obama (Katha Pollitt, Ayelet Waldman, Ellen … [Read more...] about Will Kathleen Sebelius alienate Hillary supporters?
Obama Hires Former Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle
Democratic presumptive Presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign is getting the word out that it's hiring former Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle -- as the campaign's chief of staff to the ticket's Vice Presidential candidate. And you KNOW that has gotten the speculative political juices going. The New York Time's lively The Caucus blog reports: The Obama … [Read more...] about Obama Hires Former Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle
Arresting Bloggers Who Speak Truth to Lies
You might remember my reports on the monk's, nun's and Burmese people's protests in September of last year, how my contacts in Yangon (Rangoon) dried up within days as cpu's were confiscated, cell phones smashed, communications wires cut, and various deeply good souls arrested, many children, men, women beaten, many murdered by Than Shwe's evil orders. It was agony and remains … [Read more...] about Arresting Bloggers Who Speak Truth to Lies
Albert Gore Will Endorse Obama Tonight
Breaking news on MSNBC that former VP Albert Gore will endorse Barack Obama at a rally tonight. I'm not sure this is as big a coup now as it would have been a few months ago. Gore is one of the leaders of the hard left in the Democratic party and Obama is pretty solid with that faction. I suspect Gore has timed his endorsement to make sure Obama stays 'in line' on the war … [Read more...] about Albert Gore Will Endorse Obama Tonight
More on the AP’s ‘Fair Use’ Flap: Who Gets to Set the Guidelines?
Jim Windish has been covering this story as it evolved, but I thought I'd jump into the discussion, as it is an issue that concerns me greatly. I'm always uneasy when I color outside the lines --- and even more so when I don't know where the lines lie. So one part of me is glad that we're finally having this discussion. The other part of me is asking why the AP gets to make … [Read more...] about More on the AP’s ‘Fair Use’ Flap: Who Gets to Set the Guidelines?
Getting Gas In Mexico
The title 'Getting Gas In Mexico' may sound like the opening line to a really bad joke about mexican food but it is actually part of a hidden secret for those who live near the US/Mexico border. In San Diego for example the average cost of a gallon of gas is running around $ 4.61, which is sadly typical for those of us living in the Golden State. But if you drive across the … [Read more...] about Getting Gas In Mexico
AP, Blogs, set to get to work on Fair Use
The NYTimes picks up where we left off Friday: ...the news association convened a meeting of its executives at which it decided to suspend its efforts to challenge blogs until it creates a more thoughtful standard. “We don’t want to cast a pall over the blogosphere by being heavy-handed, so we have to figure out a better and more positive way to do this,” Mr. Kennedy … [Read more...] about AP, Blogs, set to get to work on Fair Use
More Newspaper Corporate Illness: McClatchy Will Cut Workforce 10 Percent
A slow but inexorable financial cancer continues to impact America's newspapers and this is just the latest: McClatchy Co. said Monday it will cut 10 percent of its workforce in a move to save $70 million a year as the newspaper publisher continues to struggle to attract advertising dollars. McClatchy, which publishes The Kansas City Star and The Miami Herald, will trim … [Read more...] about More Newspaper Corporate Illness: McClatchy Will Cut Workforce 10 Percent
Thank You, Bill Kristol
It has almost become a sure bet to find some partisan claim in William Kristol's much awaited, once-a-week column in the New York Times. Today, however, Mr. Kristol pleasantly surprised me. In his "Big Tim" column in this morning's New York Times, Kristol writes a heartfelt, personal and touching tribute to his friend--America's friend--Tim Russert. In his column, … [Read more...] about Thank You, Bill Kristol
Black Conservative Castrati? The “picks” are the problem.
I ran across a new term for my political lexicon today when I read about black conservative castrati in the 2008 election cycle. The author was reflecting on a recent AP report on American black conservatives feeling conflicted over Barack Obama's candidacy. This resulted in the following screed. (All emphasis is from the author.) With 90+ percent of black Americans voting … [Read more...] about Black Conservative Castrati? The “picks” are the problem.
Tim Russert Was No Walter Cronkite
Tim Russert at a basketball game with James Carville I am not a contrarian by nature and feel bad when I hurt people's feelings, and I have held off writing about NBC News’s Tim Russert, who passed away on Friday of a heart attack at age 58, because of the strange double standard we have about speaking ill of the famous dead. But a hopefully respectful amount of time has … [Read more...] about Tim Russert Was No Walter Cronkite
Quote of the Day: On Tim Russert
The loss is still being measured -- and with each day it's clear it is even greater than originally imagined. From USA Today: Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, says, "Russert was a political analyst more than a reporter. His commentary wasn't based off opinions. He was assessing impact, direction and implications based off deep knowledge and … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: On Tim Russert
Zimbabwe Crisis: Mugabe Opponent Says Runoff Must Happen
While passions have risen in America over the course of the Presidential primary season, another huge political story is unfolding -- in Africa, in Zimbabwe. And Time has a compelling interview with an opposition leader there. Here's the intro and a small part of it: Zimbabwe lurches deeper into crisis as President Robert Mugabe's government menaces the opposition and its … [Read more...] about Zimbabwe Crisis: Mugabe Opponent Says Runoff Must Happen
Tim Russert’s Wake
"Meet the Press" is, by its nature, an hour of posturing, lies and evasions, but today it was filled with genuine feeling--tears, laughter and even a few home movies. (Who could resist Doris Kearns Goodwin in a blonde wig with a feather boa popping out of a cake to a do a Marilyn Monroe-JFK bit for Tim's 50th birthday?) Tom Brokaw, presiding over the mourning, was in tears … [Read more...] about Tim Russert’s Wake
Sarkozy and Bush: The Best Friends’ Show
Does anyone in Europe - let alone in the United States - care about George W. Bush's farewell visit to Europe? Beyond the fact that no one mentioned the painful rupture over Iraq, this seems to be the key matter at hand in this whimsical French look at President Bush's final visit to France as America's commander-in-chief. Capturing the mood for France's Rue 89 newspaper … [Read more...] about Sarkozy and Bush: The Best Friends’ Show
Gallup Daily: Obama-McCain Race Returns To Statistical Tie With Obama Only 2 Points Ahead
First we got the "see" (Obama pulling ahead). And now we get the "saw" (a statistical tie). The latest Gallup Daily tracking poll suggests voters are perhaps catching their breaths after months of highly dramatic Presidential primary news with Barack Obama now only 2 percentage points ahead of GOPer John McCain. What's going on? The poll is perhaps indicative of a larger … [Read more...] about Gallup Daily: Obama-McCain Race Returns To Statistical Tie With Obama Only 2 Points Ahead
Novak: McCain Wants Joe Lieberman As His Vice President
Columnist Robert Novak reports that presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain already has a favorite who he'd love to pick for Vice President: Connecticut Independent-Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman: Sources close to Sen. John McCain say the Republican presidential candidate likes the idea of Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman, re-elected from … [Read more...] about Novak: McCain Wants Joe Lieberman As His Vice President
Life’s a beach!
I'm on St. Simons Island, GA; a far more conservative beach community than the gay haunts (Fire Island, Provincetown) of my younger years. I am interested to read that the Cape Cod National Seashore is teaming up with local officials this summer for a "public education" approach to the soaring number of citations for debauchery in Cape Cod's dunes. Middle age finds me in … [Read more...] about Life’s a beach!
That ‘Was’ Bush …
Europe this week bade President Bush farewell - and if it was a fond farewell, it is because they know he's leaving not only Europe, but the corridors of American power. In a scathing column, Uwe Vorkotter writes for Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau: "This was never going to work. George W. Bush and the Germans. … [Read more...] about That ‘Was’ Bush …