Scorn has been heaped on ABC News anchors Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos for their work on this week's debate between Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Obama, his supporters, and some pundits have been critical of the two for using more than half of the debate to pose what they regard as "gotcha" questions, rather than ones dealing … [Read more...] about Presidential Debates: Can’t We Do Better?
Education Reform
Or: A Series of Ineffective but Obvious Quick Fixes for Complex Problems Let me begin, if I may, with two items on that oft-quoted report from 1983, A Nation At Risk: the first from Carrie's Nation basically calls out the fact that several of the key assertions actually had very little data to support them; the second from the Economic Policy Institute manages to cram in … [Read more...] about Education Reform
Tibet, China, the Olympics, and Protests
There are certainly valid issues here, but I doubt that the protests are doing Tibet, China, or the Olympics any good whatsoever. Imagine if all that energy were directed in constructive channels. NPR: Tibet Protests Stir Chinese Nationalism Audio for this story will be available at approx. 7:00 p.m. ET All Things Considered, April 18, 2008 · Internet death threats and … [Read more...] about Tibet, China, the Olympics, and Protests
Obama Debate Fallout? Clinton Within Three Points In Gallup Tracking
It is often said that polls are snapshots -- or see-saws and that trending matters. But the latest Gallup Tracking poll, coming within days of Senator Barack Obama's widely-panned performance in his Pennsylvania primary debate with Senator Hillary Clinton is a sign that the debate hurt Obama in terms of imagery. If this continues and is a sign of what's to come in the … [Read more...] about Obama Debate Fallout? Clinton Within Three Points In Gallup Tracking
Voyage to America: The Papal ‘Vote’
Why is it that Popes don't usually visit the United States during presidential election years? Lucas Mendez writes for the BBC Brazil, "As neutral as the papal robe is, his messages can and will be used by the candidates ... every time Benedict XVI opens his mouth, Democrats and Republicans will interpret and "spin it," according to their own political 'gospels'" … [Read more...] about Voyage to America: The Papal ‘Vote’
The Coming “Nonpolarity”
Are we moving towards a "nonpolar" world? … [Read more...] about The Coming “Nonpolarity”
Carter Meets with Hamas
High up on the controversy meter is Carter meets Hamas chief over Israeli, US objections. I don't believe that President Carter's intention is to legitimatize the tactics of Hamas but rather to legitimatize some of the issues that motivate Hamas and the people who voted them into power. That Hamas is belligerent and refuses to acknowledge the right of Israel to exist is a … [Read more...] about Carter Meets with Hamas
Key Keystone Endorsements for Obama
I mentioned the other day that Obama had picked up the glowing endorsement of Dan Rooney, chairman of my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers (while Clinton picked up the quasi-endorsement of right-wing media baron Dick Scaife, a telling contrast). (And, of course, he has also picked up the endorsement of The Boss, New Jersey's favourite son, Bruce Springsteen.) Well, the key … [Read more...] about Key Keystone Endorsements for Obama
Virginia Tech One Year On: America’s ‘Silent Scandal’
A year after the massacre at Virginia Tech by the troubled Cho Seung-Hui, what has been done to address the root causes of that event - the worst at any American educational institution? Dietmar Ostermann writes for Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau, "The debate over gun control erupts loudly and often, yet it's a discussion without consequences. The way people with psychological … [Read more...] about Virginia Tech One Year On: America’s ‘Silent Scandal’
Following The Bush Administration Torture Trail: Were War Crimes Committed?
(Above, from left) Douglas Feith, David Addington, Alberto Gonzales, George Bush, Dick Cheney; (below) The infamous Haynes Memo It had been widely assumed that the decision to torture enemy combatants and other detainees in the so-called War on Terror began with military commanders and interrogators at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The Bush administration has taken refuge … [Read more...] about Following The Bush Administration Torture Trail: Were War Crimes Committed?
Blog Controversy (What Else?): Did Obama Give Hillary Clinton The Finger?
Iraq. The economy. Terrorism. Foreclosures. Taxes. Education. These among the issues facing the U.S. but a new firestorm has started sweeping the blogosphere via a You Tube embed: Did Democratic Senator Barack Obama give Democratic Presidential nomination rival Hillary Clinton the finger? Did he try to signal it to the crowd? Wasn't that a knowing look? And, it stands to … [Read more...] about Blog Controversy (What Else?): Did Obama Give Hillary Clinton The Finger?
Study of what attracts readers to political blogs wins Broadcast Educ. Assn. top prize
Here's something the Clinton, Obama and McCain campaign consultants, advisers, strategists, directors or whatever they call themselves should read, from Idaho State University: Noting the growing popularity of blogs as an information medium, [assistant professor in the James E. Rogers Department of Mass Communication at Idaho State University, Daekyung] Kim focused on … [Read more...] about Study of what attracts readers to political blogs wins Broadcast Educ. Assn. top prize
To Make Memorial Day Memorable
In 1969, over Memorial Day, Life Magazine devoted an issue to pictures of 242 American soldiers who had died in Vietnam in a recent week. While the nation, the editors said, was being "numbed" by a "statistic which is translated to direct anguish in hundreds of homes all over the country, we must pause to look into the faces. More than we must know how many, we must know … [Read more...] about To Make Memorial Day Memorable
Tempers Are Not Just Frayed Among Politicians And Partisans In Campaign 2008
Fuses are exceedingly short among cable talking heads as well. Did MSNBC's Joe Scarborough walk off the set -- or did he merely choose not to participate any more in an on-the-air discussion with progressive talk's rising radio and cable star Rachel Maddow? Details and the video are HERE. Even if Scarborough did walk off, it's unlikely to hurt his standing with his … [Read more...] about Tempers Are Not Just Frayed Among Politicians And Partisans In Campaign 2008
Zogby Post-Debate Poll: Clinton Opens Up Small Lead In Pennsylvania
The latest Newsmax/Zogby poll taken after Wednesday night's debate that contained one of the weakest performances by Democratic Senator Barack Obama shows rival Hillary Clinton now opening up a small lead only days away from the Democratic Presidential primary. In recent weeks, as this chart shows, have shown Clinton keeping her lead in Pennsylvania but by narrow margins. … [Read more...] about Zogby Post-Debate Poll: Clinton Opens Up Small Lead In Pennsylvania
What Is A Destructive Cult? Who Joins? Warren Jeffs and Brother Hide Behind Women’s Skirts
Programming others to do one's will, or else... When I first trained in my field, veterans from Korea and those coming back from Nam who'd been POWs, had often suffered extensive efforts by the enemy... to rearrange their impulses, instincts and attitudes. At that time too, deprogramming had become a watchword, and thus we studied deeply the psychological effects of vulnerable … [Read more...] about What Is A Destructive Cult? Who Joins? Warren Jeffs and Brother Hide Behind Women’s Skirts
You Sure Don’t Need a Weatherman To Tell Which Way Hillary Clinton Blows
I'll get this turdball rolling by noting that I knew several members of the Weather Underground back in the day and am a longtime friend of one whom I invited into my home when he was a fugitive. But even in the context of those crazy times, the Weathermen were a bunch of zonked-out wannabe revolutionaries who ultimately diverted attention from their occasionally worthy causes … [Read more...] about You Sure Don’t Need a Weatherman To Tell Which Way Hillary Clinton Blows
(Updated) McCain Wants To Blackmail the Troops
UPDATE As this link shows and as a commenter indicated after this story was posted on Thursday, John McCain now seems to be vaccilating on whether to break with the White House and Pentagon on increasing educational benefits to veterans and is under pressure from some veterans groups to do so. Stay tuned. * * * * * John McCain was once a returning soldier – in fact … [Read more...] about (Updated) McCain Wants To Blackmail the Troops
The FLDS Church Based on Polygamy Now in Court
Over 400 children were recently transported by bus away from the isolated Texas commune built by Warren Jeffs (currently in prison for forcing a child to marry an older man) and his brother (currently in charge of all the wives and children back at the ranch)...the brotherly duo being self-acclaimed polygamists and self-anointed heads of their own renegade LDS (Church of the … [Read more...] about The FLDS Church Based on Polygamy Now in Court
Coming To A Town—But Only Until Tuesday—A Clinton (Guest Voice)
This Guest Voice post is by Walter Brasch, professor of journalism at Bloomsburg University and president of the Pennsylvania Press Club. He often writes on the blog The Democratic Daily. Coming to a Town—but only until Tuesday—a Clinton by Walter Brasch The Clintons are patrolling Pennsylvania as if they’re border collies herding all the stray sheep into … [Read more...] about Coming To A Town—But Only Until Tuesday—A Clinton (Guest Voice)