The latest Zogby Daily Tracking poll indicates Democratic Senator Barack Obama retains a 9 point lead over Senator Hillary Clinton days away from the Democratic Presidential primary -- and the two are tied in Indiana. Meanwhile, the latest Rasmussen poll shows Clinton has pulled even with Obama nationally among Democrats, although Rasmussen's upcoming primary poll numbers -- … [Read more...] about Zogby Daily Poll: Obama Retains North Carolina Lead Over Clinton With Tie In Indiana
This Sunday, Pray for the Potted Plants
An interesting story comes to us from Wes Smith of The Weekly Standard. It seems that the Swiss government commissioned a blue ribbon ethics panel to look at the dignity of plants. The resulting report, titled "The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants," comes off pretty much like it sounds - that plants, as living beings, have certain inalienable rights and we humans … [Read more...] about This Sunday, Pray for the Potted Plants
News From the Israeli and Palestinian Front: May 3rd
A biweekly feature of news and opinion pieces from the Israeli and Palestinian press. 1.) In an encouraging sign, the Palestinian Authority deployed several hundred policemen to Jenin this weekend as part of an effort to "restore law and order," reports The Jerusalem Post. This action follows similar moves in Nablus and Tulkarm that have occurred over the past few months. … [Read more...] about News From the Israeli and Palestinian Front: May 3rd
Obama Unofficially Wins Guam Democratic Caucuses By 7 Votes
NEWS FLASH: The votes are now in from the Democratic caucuses in Guam. Normally political junkies -- and candidates -- wouldn't wait for these results with bated breath...but given the closeness of the battle between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the 2008 Presidential nomination this year, they have be doing just that. And then there is the ongoing p.r. battle … [Read more...] about Obama Unofficially Wins Guam Democratic Caucuses By 7 Votes
The Empire Strikes Barack
1 day and 320,525 views means something... Via John Aravosis who reminds us that it was just one year ago that the infamous Hillary 1984 YouTube ad took the Internet by storm. … [Read more...] about The Empire Strikes Barack
Should I forward that email?
By brian @ Shoebox blog via Duncan @ The Last Minute … [Read more...] about Should I forward that email?
Let’s Avoid Equine Analogies in Politics
Eschew comparing political horseraces with actual horsy-horseraces: Not only did an inexperienced stallion named Big Brown just win the Kentucky Derby, but 2nd place went to the filly Eight Belles who collapsed immediately after the race and had to be euthanized. You may recall that Sen. Clinton supported the filly. MSNBC … [Read more...] about Let’s Avoid Equine Analogies in Politics
North Africa Nothing But ‘Butter in the Eyes’ of Bush
There is angst on North Africa - otherwise known as the Maghreb - over the second-class treatment meted out to the region by the Bush Administration. And since this is where the Pentagon intends to headquarter its new African Command - and since it hosts a blossoming al-Qaeda presence - this is not an inconsequential matter. In the latest in a series of articles … [Read more...] about North Africa Nothing But ‘Butter in the Eyes’ of Bush
Political donation’s best bang for the buck
The Wall Street Journal reports that the DNC Is Low on Cash While donations to Democrats in general are at record levels, the Democratic National Committee finds itself bringing in less than specific focus entities such as the charismatic presidential candidates, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. I suspect … [Read more...] about Political donation’s best bang for the buck
Who Tried to Kill Hamid Karzai? …
Could the Northern Alliance - America's allies who helped bring down the Taliban Government in 2001 and bring Hamid Karzai to power - be behind the brazen attempt on his life during a military parade last week? This theory has been making the rounds in Russian circles and has been enunciated by analyst Pyotr Goncharov for Russia's Novosti news service. Goncharov writes in … [Read more...] about Who Tried to Kill Hamid Karzai? …
Conservative Court upholds public financing of judicial campaigns
Court upholds NC's public financing of judicial campaigns "You can't restrict the flow of that dirty money. But that doesn't mean that you can't add clean money to match it" The court had struck down limits on third party campaigns as, I assume, a limit on free speech. But they also validated the existence of public funding of campaigns. The remaining challenge is … [Read more...] about Conservative Court upholds public financing of judicial campaigns
Hillary Clinton’s Guam Primary Pitch: I Favor Presidential Election Voting Rights For Guam
ABC's Jake Trapper reports that Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton, in an effort to win the Guam primary, has come out for Presidential election voting rights for Guam -- and for reparations. This is NOT an Andrew Borowitz satire: Guam's four Democratic delegates (not to mention its five superdelegates) are up for grabs in Saturday's primary, and Democratic presidential … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton’s Guam Primary Pitch: I Favor Presidential Election Voting Rights For Guam
Disgruntled Republicans Crossing Over In Democratic Primaries Aren’t Just Obeying Rush Limbaugh
And now it moves to media center stage: the trend of Republicans crossing over to vote in Democratic primaries. But the New York Times reports that many GOPers aren't doing this because they're "dittoheads" obeying the wishes of mega-partisan talk show host Rush Limbaugh, but disgruntled Republicans who feel their party has left -- or is leaving -- them: INDIANAPOLIS - … [Read more...] about Disgruntled Republicans Crossing Over In Democratic Primaries Aren’t Just Obeying Rush Limbaugh
Zogby Daily Tracking: Clinton Gaining In North Carolina
Democratic Sentor Barack Obama begins a new week heading into the critical North Carolina and Indiana primaries with some bad news from Zogby polling: his rival for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination Senator Hillary Clinton is now within single digits of him in North Carolina and Obama and Clinton remain deadlocked in Indiana: Democrat Hillary Clinton made gains … [Read more...] about Zogby Daily Tracking: Clinton Gaining In North Carolina
Election 08: The Common Man and Woman
My wife and I went out last night to celebrate the birthday of our friend Jon. We met up with him and his fiancee, Stacey, along with our friends Tim and Carl at a local pub. Since I was there, the conversation around the billiards table quickly turned to politics. I had my pocket recorder going just in case the conversation got good. "So," I put out to the assembled crowd, … [Read more...] about Election 08: The Common Man and Woman
Why Liberation Never Felt So Good & Other Glorious News From Bush’s Forever War
There are 796 more reasons why the folks who declared the Surge a success should hang their sorry heads in shame. That is the number of Americans (52) and Iraqis (744) killed during the month of April in an uptick in violence that was going to occur sooner or later because the Surge has not been a "success" by any appropriate use of that term. As I noted back on February 1 … [Read more...] about Why Liberation Never Felt So Good & Other Glorious News From Bush’s Forever War
Sergeant Merlin German (1986-2008)
MORE HERE AND HERE. … [Read more...] about Sergeant Merlin German (1986-2008)
Colonel David Hackworth: An Appreciation
Hackworth (right) with S.L.A. Marshall in Vietnam (1966) There's a guy in virtually every organization who is a pop-off, and David Hackworth fit that description perfectly. But unlike most pop-offs, this man – the most highly decorated soldier in American military history – was reliably on target. So much so that his career ended with the threat of a court martial because … [Read more...] about Colonel David Hackworth: An Appreciation
Credit-Card Crackdown
Being held up at gunpoint is a minor problem for most Americans compared to having money stolen from them by credit-card companies. Now, as the economy worsens, regulators are finally bestirring themselves to prevent some of the theft. The Washington Post reports: "The Federal Reserve and two other banking regulators are set to unveil today one of the most aggressive efforts … [Read more...] about Credit-Card Crackdown
A Moment of Rest Away From The Whirling Whir of the World: A Lost Story
This is Abebe Bikila. He is from Ethiopia. He was overlooked and did everything wrong. His was not an auspicious beginning. His father was a shepherd, and it was expected Abebe would be a shepherd too. But, he decided there would be more food for him and his family if he joined the Regimental Bodyguards. He did so, but did not progress past the rank of private. He … [Read more...] about A Moment of Rest Away From The Whirling Whir of the World: A Lost Story