True, the jubilation that has greeted President Bush in Africa is an impressive sight. But as one notes by reading this op-ed article from today's edition of the Ghanaian Chronicle, not all Africans welcome him as a Great White God. Samuel Okudzeto Ablawa writes, 'The gullible may believe this PR stunt - but not the majority of people around the world ... who will take to the … [Read more...] about Bush is No ‘Father Christmas of Africa’; It is He Who Needs Us!
Obama’s Introduction to Media Payback
David Brooks' New York Times column with its cutesy concept of "Obama Comedown Syndrome" is a sure sign that the familiar process has begun: media payback, wherein the over-hypers of MSM start a new cycle of anti-gush to meet their quotas of knowingness. In filling his space yesterday, Brooks describes Obama enthusiasts as victims of "intense surges of hope-amine, the brain … [Read more...] about Obama’s Introduction to Media Payback
Whitman for Vice President?
Whoever the Democrats nominate for president this year--Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, the initial excitement going into the fall campaign will be attached to that party's candidate. That's because, as everybody knows, either nomination will be historic, first woman nominated by a major party or first African-American. John McCain, straight-talking war hero though he is, … [Read more...] about Whitman for Vice President?
The Task for Huckabee and Clinton: Define Their End Games
Barack Obama and John McCain were the winners of their respective parties' presidential primaries in Wisconsin today. Obama appears ready to win the Democratic caucuses in Hawaii and McCain in the Republican caucuses in Washington, each candidate winning the sole contests happening in their respective party. The math is inexorable. Mike Huckabee cannot defeat McCain for the … [Read more...] about The Task for Huckabee and Clinton: Define Their End Games
Obama Projected Winner Of Wisconsin Primary With Big Margin
The networks have projected Senator Barack Obama the winner of the Wisconsin primary - -and the numbers on the screen indicate it won't be a nail-bitingly close election. Reports also suggest voters considered Obama more electable than chief rival Senator Hillary Clinton. ABC News: Continuing his winning streak, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has defeated Sen. Hillary … [Read more...] about Obama Projected Winner Of Wisconsin Primary With Big Margin
CNN And MSNBC: McCain Wins And Obama Leads In Wisconsin Primary
CNN and MSNBC have both called the Republican primary for Arizona Senator John McCain but are holding off projecting a winner in the Democratic primary -- but both organizations say Senator Barack Obama is ahead of Senator Hillary Clinton. CNN reports: Sen. John McCain will win Wisconsin's Republican primary, CNN projects. As polls closed, it was too early to call … [Read more...] about CNN And MSNBC: McCain Wins And Obama Leads In Wisconsin Primary
Badger Blogging
If anyone's interested, I'm live-blogging today's primary and caucus results, and especially Wisconsin, over at my place. Check there for frequent updates as the results come in. Click here. … [Read more...] about Badger Blogging
Will Barack Obama Really Appeal to Centrists?
Barack Obama fascinates me. He can give speeches like no one else in a long time. As I've said before, he reminds me of many a black preacher I heard growing up. He's a black man that seems to appeal beyond African Americans to persons from various walks of life and states that have low concentrations of African Americans. But he also troubles me. Not in some … [Read more...] about Will Barack Obama Really Appeal to Centrists?
Bush’s Visit is Like a ‘Performance Enhancing Drug’ for Benin President Yayi
It's hard to imagine the impact of a visit by an American head of state on an obscure country like Benin, but one can get a gist of it by reading the almost unimaginable local coverage of President Bush's visit. According to this article from Benin's Liberte, "An accurate accounting of the American Number One's praise is capable of raising the Boni Yayi regime to a … [Read more...] about Bush’s Visit is Like a ‘Performance Enhancing Drug’ for Benin President Yayi
Michelle Obama Speaks for Me
I have to say it. In response to the lovely and talented Taylor Marsh's "Michelle Obama Does Not Speak for Me": Michelle Obama speaks for me... For the first time in my adult life, I'm overflowing with pride in my country because of Senator Barack Obama's run for the White House. Oh I've been been brimming with pride in my country (post 9/11 unity) during my adult life. … [Read more...] about Michelle Obama Speaks for Me
Wisconsin Primary Day
Well, it's Wisconsin Primary Day, at long last, and the polls seem to suggest that Obama is ahead, but not by much, and perhaps not at all. Obama holds a 13-point lead according to Public Policy Polling, with a lead of 49 to 45 among Democrats and a huge 2-1 lead among Republicans and independents, and American Research Group actually has Clinton up by 6 points, but other … [Read more...] about Wisconsin Primary Day
Gallup Poll: Obama Gains Among Hispanics, Women And Middle-Aged
A new Gallup Poll reports that Senator Barack Obama is gaining "momentum" overall nationwide --and is making key gains in groups long thought to be pillars of support for his chief rival for the 2008 Democratic nomination Senator Hillary Clinton: The momentum in the Democratic nomination race has clearly swung toward Barack Obama. Not only has he won all of the post-Super … [Read more...] about Gallup Poll: Obama Gains Among Hispanics, Women And Middle-Aged
Pakistan Election Results: “Eternal Vigilance Is The Price Of Liberty”
Pakistan's private Geo TV network said the political party of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and another party led by former premier Nawaz Sharif had so far won 153 seats, more than half of the 272-seat National Assembly. While Pakistan's ruling party conceded defeat to the opposition Tuesday in parliamentary elections...that could threaten the rule of President … [Read more...] about Pakistan Election Results: “Eternal Vigilance Is The Price Of Liberty”
Has Obama Been Sufficiently Vetted to Survive the GOP Machine?
Larry C. Johnson of No Quarter has been arguing for quite some time that Obama is insufficiently vetted to withstand attacks from the right. In a recent piece in The Huffington Post, he discusses the basis of his concerns. And while I don't agree by any means with all Johnson's conclusions about Obama's candidacy or Obama himself, the warnings he has sounded and the red flags … [Read more...] about Has Obama Been Sufficiently Vetted to Survive the GOP Machine?
A Blogospheric Coming of Age Moment
The George Polk Award inevitably plays second fiddle to the Pulitzer Prize, but it commands just as much respect from journalists. This makes the award of a Polk this morning to Josh Marshall and his staff at Talking Points Memo -- the first time that a blog has been honored -- so sweet and well deserved. Josh started TPM back in 2000 as a bit of a lark, but it has grown … [Read more...] about A Blogospheric Coming of Age Moment
The Politico: Hillary Clinton Campaign Targets Obama’s PLEDGED Delegates (UPDATED)
Question: has the Democratic party EVER seen anything like this? The Politico: Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign intends to go after delegates whom Barack Obama has already won in the caucuses and primaries if she needs them to win the nomination. This strategy was confirmed to me by a high-ranking Clinton official on Monday. And I am not talking about … [Read more...] about The Politico: Hillary Clinton Campaign Targets Obama’s PLEDGED Delegates (UPDATED)
McCain Wiggles On Public Financing
Hat tip to the Talking Points Memo "As The Washington Post reported on Saturday, John McCain’s campaign struck a canny deal with a bank in December. If his campaign tanked, public funds would be there to bail him out. But if he emerged as the nominee, there’d be no need for public financing, since the contributions would come flowing. It’s an arrangement that no one has … [Read more...] about McCain Wiggles On Public Financing
Legitimate Doubts About McCain
E.J. Dionne writes that Dems Should Challenge McCain on Terror If McCain's central "transcendent challenge" to defeat radical Islamic extremists claim falls apart on close examination, the best rationale he has for his election would disappear. ...Presumably, he's saying that Islamic extremism is more important than everything else -- the rise of China and India as global … [Read more...] about Legitimate Doubts About McCain
Legitimate Doubts about Obama
David Brooks of the New York Times raises legitimate questions about Obama's trans-partisanship: Barack Obama vowed to abide by the public finance campaign-spending rules in the general election if his opponent did. But now he’s waffling on his promise. Why does he need to check with his campaign staff members when deciding whether to keep his word? Obama says he is … [Read more...] about Legitimate Doubts about Obama
Health Care? You Bet Your Life
In offering solutions for medical insurance, politicians of all stripes keep reassuring voters about their right to be treated by "the doctor of your choice" rather than some faceless bureaucrat in a white coat under socialized medicine. There are problems with this argument. Most Americans are now covered by HMOs, which present them with lists of "in-network" physicians … [Read more...] about Health Care? You Bet Your Life