On Saturday rockets and mortars were fired towards the U.S.-protected Green Zone, leaving huge scars on the citadel of US occupation forces, and sending yet another strong signal that this immoral war begun years ago would have no end until the US troops go home. It is becoming clear that the continued US presence has spawned resistance groups that have become bolder by the … [Read more...] about Iraq Attack: From ‘Shock & Awe’ To ‘Duck & Cover’
Message In A Bottle: Scottish Thoughts on Election 2008 USA… Rock & Roll, Baby
This is one of the funniest/most cringe-poignant articles I've read recently. It's 'good medicine' after a week when a good deal of media 'news' about candidates looked somewhat like a two parakeet flap-fest going on inside a single-legged trouser. This article that bobbed across the ocean and landed on the shore of my desk, is about USA political contenders' tastes in … [Read more...] about Message In A Bottle: Scottish Thoughts on Election 2008 USA… Rock & Roll, Baby
Australia’s Murray River-System: A Looming Crisis…
The river-systems in the world are under heavy strain with many facing serious crisis owing to a variety of reasons. Many civilisations prospered on the banks of the mighty rivers...and then perished when the rivers suffered. Although Murray-Darling is Australia's longest river system, draining a basin the size of France and Spain combined, it no longer carries enough water to … [Read more...] about Australia’s Murray River-System: A Looming Crisis…
So Why Did Barack Obama Rise And Hillary Clinton Tumble?
The Christian Science Monitor looks at a question political scientists will be studying: why did Barack Obama suddenly rise and Hillary Clinton suddenly tumble in the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination race? You can boil down the answer to: a feast of the assumption on the part of the Clinton campaign that gave them food poisoning: What happened? On Clinton's part, … [Read more...] about So Why Did Barack Obama Rise And Hillary Clinton Tumble?
A question of leadership
Not much evidence of leadership in any of the three principal presidential candidates today. The closing question at the Austin debate addressed leadership, and what "leadership" meant at a time of crisis. I wanted to hear one of the candidates explain that leadership is principle-based, but situational, dependent on some combination of courage, integrity, confidence and … [Read more...] about A question of leadership
U.K.: Much To Be Sorry For Over CIA Rendition
Brits are not happy that they were, er, misinformed about the use of U.K. territory by the CIA for so-called rendition flights... From the British dailies, the Guardian and the Independent, the story is here; Official Apology after CIA "Torture" Jets Used U.K. Base and the reactions are here; The Excuse that America Didn't Tell Us Doesn't Wash Much To Be Sorry … [Read more...] about U.K.: Much To Be Sorry For Over CIA Rendition
Betting on a Dead Horse, Again
Political chaos in Pakistan could bring nuclear headaches for the US, and what our government is doing to prop up a failing regime recalls efforts three decades ago on behalf of our old ally, the Shah of Iran. The McClatchy Newspapers report: "The Bush administration is pressing the opposition leaders who defeated Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to allow the former … [Read more...] about Betting on a Dead Horse, Again
Instead of Primaries, U.S. Would Be Better Off ‘Drawing Straws’
Is the system of American electoral primaries really in the national interest? According to some on the other side of the Atlantic, the answer is an emphatic no. Philippe Marliere writes for France's Rue 89, that not only are people around the world 'exasperated,' and demanding to know, 'why the BBC is paying such costly attention to non-decisive votes more than ten months … [Read more...] about Instead of Primaries, U.S. Would Be Better Off ‘Drawing Straws’
Political Tea Leaves: Clinton Has Not Vowed To Continue Campaign Beyond March 4
Despite trial balloons that the Hillary Clinton campaign might go after 2008 Presidential nomination rival Barack Obama's pledged delegates and put a full-court-press on collecting Superdelegates if she fizzles out in the March 4 primaries, Mrs. Clinton now has some political pundits abuzz with a new twist: she reportedly avoided vowing to keep her campaign going after March 4. … [Read more...] about Political Tea Leaves: Clinton Has Not Vowed To Continue Campaign Beyond March 4
Mind the Gap — It’s Closing
New poll numbers, via The Plank: "The new ABC News/WaPo poll has Clinton ahead of Obama by 7 in Ohio and 1 in Texas. She had double-digit leads in both states last week. Meanwhile, Rasmussen has Clinton up three in Texas (last week he had the New York senator up 16)." RealClearPolitics is a good resource for state-by-state polling. Here are Ohio and Texas. The trend in both … [Read more...] about Mind the Gap — It’s Closing
I Did Not Plagiarize This Article
If the biggest hit that Barack Obama took during last night’s debate with Hillary Clinton was her repeating her already shop-worn plagiarism allegation, then her campaign is in even worst shape than I thought. Josh Marshall cites a great example of Clinton’s own phrase borrowing at Talking Points Memo: “I mentioned at the end of my debate blog that the pivot of … [Read more...] about I Did Not Plagiarize This Article
Florida’s Public Finance of Campaigns At Risk
State rethinks use of public money to help campaigns and causes In a move I would characterize as cutting off your nose to spite your face, The Florida Legislature may end the practice of giving public assistance to candidates for statewide office, as a remedy for a State budget deficit. Public financing -- which took effect in 1987 -- was supposed to limit the … [Read more...] about Florida’s Public Finance of Campaigns At Risk
Oops! They Lied Again
The number of occasions in which the Bush administration has resorted to deceit and lying to protect its own interests, as opposed to the national interest, is staggering, while the damage it has done to the U.S.'s image abroad is incalculable. The New York Times' John Burns reports from London that: "In tones freighted with frustration, Britain's foreign secretary, … [Read more...] about Oops! They Lied Again
Fact, Fiction, Fickleness, and Fanaticism
I've questioned some of Senator McCain's decisions, and I've retracted some of those questions. I've defended him, and later reconsidered some of my defenses. Accordingly, on the matter of the already (in)famous NYT story about McCain's relationship with a female lobbyist, I plan to generally withhold judgment until the matter has played itself out -- with the exception of … [Read more...] about Fact, Fiction, Fickleness, and Fanaticism
(Update 4) John McCain, D.C. Lobbyists & Fixating On the Bun, Not the Burger
My defense yesterday of The New York Times story on John McCain and lobbyist Vicki Iseman was pretty tepid. The story does, after all, have all the earmarks of an over-edited investigative mishmash with a fair amount of loaded “wink wink, nod nod” language from which the reader is to infer things that the story never comes right out and says. But one thing that the story did … [Read more...] about (Update 4) John McCain, D.C. Lobbyists & Fixating On the Bun, Not the Burger
Eyebrows Raised Over Hillary Clinton’s Final Dramatic Debate Statement
In last night's Democratic presidential nomination debate, one of the key highlights that brought the audience to its feet was Senator Hillary Clinton's dramatic and moving final statement. But now, in the wake of the issue that the Clinton campaign made about rival Barack Obama lifting parts of another politician's speech and calling that act plagiarism, some say her final … [Read more...] about Eyebrows Raised Over Hillary Clinton’s Final Dramatic Debate Statement
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: DEMOCRATS AND THE POPULAR VOTE
Popular Vote? It's in the eye of the beholder As the closely fought Democratic presidential contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama moves deeper and deeper into the primary season, there is a growing sentiment that the nomination should go to the candidate that ultimately wins the popular vote. Fair enough. Ever since the current primary-dominated era of … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: DEMOCRATS AND THE POPULAR VOTE
Great Comedians: Jack Benny And Mel Blanc Do The “Si” Routine
Jack Benny was one of the 20th century's most beloved comedians: a star of vaudeville, the golden age of radio, movies and television. He actually invented the situation comedy on radio. And he could milk a laugh by scanning (slowly turning and looking at) the audience -- extending a laugh seconds longer than any other comedian. He helped pioneer 20th century comedy that was … [Read more...] about Great Comedians: Jack Benny And Mel Blanc Do The “Si” Routine
About That Whole Plagiarism Thing
[HT: Instapundit] See our earlier and longer debate analysis and roundup HERE. … [Read more...] about About That Whole Plagiarism Thing
African Press on Bush’s Visit
Bush's visit to Africa is prompting a range of opining and writing in that continent that puts up an unusual mirror to the United States, and offers serious insights into Africa. Watching America.com has collected a wide range of this commentary. Interesting articles include A Tale of Two Elephants (Ghana) (The elephants are the U.S. Republican Party and Ghana's New … [Read more...] about African Press on Bush’s Visit