St. Francis of Assisi, after a day of walking far and then even farther asking for alms, came through the forest at last to the giant rocks at the edge of a stream. The little saint said he would be selfish and take the best table in the whole room, that he would sit at the rock table and eat the rough bread the villagers had given him... and then he would take the best … [Read more...] about Come On, We’ve Got At Least A Day: Let’s Walk South Til We Get There
Clinton Apologizes After Invoking RFK Assassination To Stay In Race (UPDATED)
Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton has apologized after today perhaps inadvertently jumping the whale -- more than jumping the shark -- when she invoked the 1968 RFK assassination as a reason to stay in the race, and then apologized after it began triggering a mini-firestorm of protest and negative media coverage. The largely unmentionable issue in American politics is this: … [Read more...] about Clinton Apologizes After Invoking RFK Assassination To Stay In Race (UPDATED)
Obama the Zionist
Why Barack Obama would be the most pro-Zionist President in American history. He managed to single-handedly disprove much of the argument I made alleging that non-Jews could not effectively advocate for Zionism as understood by Jews in the public sphere. Obama's interview with The Atlantic is simply fantastic -- it hits every base I could have asked for. He called Zionism … [Read more...] about Obama the Zionist
Understanding Some of Senator John McCain’s POW Experience: A PBS Film
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM is an award-winning film to be shown on PBS over the Memorial Day week. It tells the story of seven WWII veterans who fought together and were captured together; their "bonds go far beyond surviving combat. The men have joined forces 50 years after the war to conquer a final foe." "Despite the brutal ordeals of being a prisoner, many POWs saw their … [Read more...] about Understanding Some of Senator John McCain’s POW Experience: A PBS Film
We Don’t Talk to Our Enemies…Except When We Do
It's a strategy that has been much maligned, and rightly so. And, as Helene Cooper points out in the NYT, the rhetoric doesn't exactly match the substance. While Mr. Bush and his advisers have repeatedly scorned the idea of talking to enemies without first getting preconditions met, administration policy over the last seven years has been far more nuanced. In fact, the … [Read more...] about We Don’t Talk to Our Enemies…Except When We Do
Leave bad enough alone: the FLDS case gone wrong
Dahlia Lithwick at Slate comparing the Texas raid on the FLDS Church Community with the initial situation in Guantanamo Bay in 2002: For those of you who haven't been following the many legal twists and turns of the Texas polygamy story, today's news of a state appellate court ruling that child welfare officials impermissibly seized hundreds of children from a polygamist ranch … [Read more...] about Leave bad enough alone: the FLDS case gone wrong
Hillary or Death
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune … [Read more...] about Hillary or Death
Quote Of The Day: Peggy Noonan On Hillary Clinton And Sexism
Is the charge of sexism in the treatment of Senator Hillary Clinton something to be seriously ponder, or a basically political rationalization and a talking point? The Wall Street Journal's Pegggy Noon, in her column today writes, in part, about Senator Hillary Clinton and sexism: So, to address the charge that sexism did her in: It is insulting, because it asserts … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Peggy Noonan On Hillary Clinton And Sexism
Creating the Illusion of Progress and Integrity
The Sunlight Foundation captures a political tactic in Like Swimming in Molasses "At Sunlight, when we learned that Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was convening a task force to address the issue of earmarks, we knew the odds of progress were slim. McConnell is an appropriator, a champion of earmarks and an ardent foe of almost every conceivable good government … [Read more...] about Creating the Illusion of Progress and Integrity
Sexism
Mike Lester, The Rome News-Tribune … [Read more...] about Sexism
Disaster Relief – How to Help! (UPDATED)
Want to assist cyclone survivors in Burma and earthquake survivors in China? TMV reader C Stanley suggests: In reading this story, where China is specifically listing an urgent need for tents, I was moved to research and give to an organization that had been mentioned to me recently - a group that provides tents and other subsistence items in natural disasters. One … [Read more...] about Disaster Relief – How to Help! (UPDATED)
The Declining American Newspaper: Buyouts At The Washington Post
Here's the latest sign of how American newspapers have fallen on hard times: More than 100 Washington Post reporters, editors, photographers, artists and other journalists will take early retirement packages offered by the company as a way to cut costs, reducing the newsroom staff by at least 10 percent. A number of familiar bylines will leave for good or no longer … [Read more...] about The Declining American Newspaper: Buyouts At The Washington Post
Holiday travel fun: trains, planes, and automobiles
More cool interchange photos. And so the holiday travel season begins... James Joyner points to Kevin Drum on the unfriendly skies and the $15 bag checking fee. Last week Fresh Air had an interview with The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney who writes their "The Middle Seat" column. He warns us to watch out when we reach into those seat back pocket pouches on … [Read more...] about Holiday travel fun: trains, planes, and automobiles
(Updated) Limited Records Release Shows Why McCain’s Mental Health Is An Issue
Whether a president or presidential candidate should make their complete medical records available is a non issue. Voters have a right to know whether they are physically and emotionally fit. That is why the release today of a carefully redacted and relatively small portion of the medical records of John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate, is many days late and … [Read more...] about (Updated) Limited Records Release Shows Why McCain’s Mental Health Is An Issue
Metrosexuals versus manly men: a reason voters will prefer McCain to Obama?
Types like she laughs: I never thought about it this way before, but John Ettorre just left a very interesting and unique (because I'd yet to see the argument made nor had it ever occurred to me before now) comment on this thread with Ellen Bravo's ten reasons why women should vote for Obama if he is the candidate. Writes John: And reason #11: he’s a metrosexual, with all … [Read more...] about Metrosexuals versus manly men: a reason voters will prefer McCain to Obama?
Hero Of The Beach
RJ Matson, The New York Observer … [Read more...] about Hero Of The Beach
What explains the fading 5-to-4 at the Supreme Court?
Amply demonstrating why she will be missed at the NYTimes (she accepted a buyout earlier this year and will be succeeded by national legal correspondent Adam Liptak) Linda Greenhouse wonders why so few 5-to-4 Supreme Court rulings this term: Something is happening, clearly. The question is what. The caveats against drawing any hard conclusions at this stage are obvious. For … [Read more...] about What explains the fading 5-to-4 at the Supreme Court?
McCain’s Second U-Turn on Immigration Reform
In what appears to be a clear signal that Sen. John McCain feels he has secured as much of the conservative base vote that he can for the general election, the candidate seems to have doubled back again on the question of comprehensive immigration reform. During the early, heated portion of the Republican primary McCain found himself in big trouble with the conservative base … [Read more...] about McCain’s Second U-Turn on Immigration Reform
The Countdown To Clinton’s Judgment Day
See? Dust. Just like the rest of 'em. I don't know what’s coming next, but I do know it's gonna be just like this. Hard. Painful. But in the end it's gonna be us. If we all do our parts, believe it, we'll be the ones left standing. Here endeth the lesson. – BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Mark it on your calendars: June 3, 2008 is Judgment Day for Hillary Clinton. This is the … [Read more...] about The Countdown To Clinton’s Judgment Day
Media & Blogs Sleep As Inflation Monster Bares Its Fangs
We bloggers/journalists love to chase political stories, while our response to the critical economic issues is generally similar to those related to climate change. I wonder when our fraternity would realise that environmental and economic issues are as much "political" and important as the ones perceived as the "real political" ones. I was again reminded of this when I … [Read more...] about Media & Blogs Sleep As Inflation Monster Bares Its Fangs