A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll shows why Republican John McCain has long been perceived as the Democrats' biggest nightmare in their dream of recapturing the White House: it shows he'd beat both Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton if today were Election Day: As he emerges from a sometimes-bitter primary campaign, presumptive Republican presidential nominee … [Read more...] about Poll: Republican McCain Would Beat Democrats Obama Or Clinton
William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008)
Say what you will about William F. Buckley's contributions to conservatism and civil discourse. They were immense. But he picked a really lousy time to die. Republican conservatism today bears scant resemblance to the movement that Buckley nurtured over a half century as the founder and longtime editor of National Review, a widely read syndicated columnist and host of the … [Read more...] about William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008)
Life Imitates Art and Vice-Versa
A few bloggers and other media folk have noticed that this presidential campaign seems to strangely follow the last two seasons of NBC's The West Wing, where a fictional presidential campaign took place. According to Slate, the similarities of the character Matt Santos, an idealistic Latino congressman from Texas and Senator Barack Obama is not by accident. Check out this video … [Read more...] about Life Imitates Art and Vice-Versa
A William F. Buckley Jr. Sampler
I won't insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said. I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University. Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are … [Read more...] about A William F. Buckley Jr. Sampler
William F. Buckley Jr. dies at 82
From Yahoo News I grew up on Firing Line. He made such an enormous contribution to educating the world about conservative thought and civil discourse. I often disagreed with him but he made me think. If only the GOP would stay closer to his views of restrained government, people could benefit from a higher-quality public debate on politics. Addendum: I was just reading … [Read more...] about William F. Buckley Jr. dies at 82
Hillary Clinton’s Suggested Theme Song For Obama Campaign?
With the controversy over Senator Hillary Clinton's criticism of Senator Barack Obama's speeches and audience reaction to them, and suggestions elsewhere that Obama supporters are a kind of cult (yours truly does not believe it is a cult at all but that this is a charge being made to discredit Obama's support), perhaps this is song via Old Blue Eyes is one that Mrs. Clinton … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton’s Suggested Theme Song For Obama Campaign?
Reject vs Denounce: The power of words
During the debate last night, it was obvious that the moderators were focused (almost obsessively) on getting their questions answered. All by itself, that made the entire event much different from previous debates, and at the general level, they should be commended for it. It's been frustrating in the extreme to hear candidates wander off on tangents, and never get called … [Read more...] about Reject vs Denounce: The power of words
The Other Campaign Finance Reform
Marc Ambinder at the Atlantic comments on the implications of such a remarkable achievement and trend. "But if Obama gets 1,000,000 people to contribute $100 dollars for the general election, McCain will be forced to somehow construe that as a bad thing for democracy." … [Read more...] about The Other Campaign Finance Reform
Intellect Schmintellect
The third commenter on Steve Benen's debate wrap-up writes, "Rachael Maddow of Air America and a guest commentator on MSNBC called this debate a snooze-fest and I agree." Really? My wife and I watched the debate together last night, from start to finish, the first time we've made it all the way through one -- of either party's candidates -- without growing bored or … [Read more...] about Intellect Schmintellect
Live webcast: Obama, Clinton surrogates at Fighting Foreclosure Forum
Ohio Daily Blog has the live webcast here of the Fighting Foreclosure and Abandonment Forum in Cleveland today. Fred Hochberg will be attending for Senator Hillary Clinton and Mark Alexander will be attending for Senator Barack Obama. If you haven't been able to look, haven't seen enough or still feel that you don't know who this issue affect, I urge you to view this … [Read more...] about Live webcast: Obama, Clinton surrogates at Fighting Foreclosure Forum
Fresh Clinton – McCain, Obama – McCain polling results from Ohio Poll
The Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati has been conducting the Ohio Poll since 1981. Today's press release, not even 12 hours after the final Clinton-Obama debate before Ohio's primary on March 4, shows that the race in November will be close, regardless of the nominees. You can read the pdf here. FYI as you read from the release: A random … [Read more...] about Fresh Clinton – McCain, Obama – McCain polling results from Ohio Poll
Why Barack Obama Is Unfit To Be President
His father was a Muslim. He doesn't have to go first in debates. He sometimes dresses like a foreigner. He's too young. He experimented with drugs as a teenager. He's naïve. He has an unfair campaign spending advantage. He's not a war hero. He bought a house from a slumlord who once had a business deal with a former accomplice of Saddam Hussein. His middle name is Hussein. … [Read more...] about Why Barack Obama Is Unfit To Be President
The ‘Awakening’ of Muqtada al-Sadr: What is Iran’s Role?
Now that the man once described by the U.S. government and media as 'radical Shiite cleric' Muqtada al-Sadr, has extended the truce observed by his Mahdi Army Militia, some are wondering what could be behind his apparent embrace of peace. It may well be that the inter-Shiite violence that was ripping parts of Iraq apart was not to Iran's liking. Elias Harfouche of Lebanon's Dar … [Read more...] about The ‘Awakening’ of Muqtada al-Sadr: What is Iran’s Role?
Five British Hostages In Iraq “Alive”
An Arabic TV channel, Al-Arabiya, has aired a video claiming to show one of five Britons captured in Iraq eight months ago. A BBC report says: "The five men were seized from Baghdad's Finance Ministry by gunmen wearing police uniforms on 29 May 2007 without a shot being fired. He (the hostage) asks Prime Minister Gordon Brown to free nine Iraqis in exchange for the release of … [Read more...] about Five British Hostages In Iraq “Alive”
News Media, Pundit And Weblog Reaction To Obama Clinton Ohio Primary Debate
What was advance- billed as likely to be an "oh my" debate in Ohio turned out to be more of an "oh well" debate in Ohio where neither front-runner Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton scored a record-setting home run or embarrassingly self-destructed, in the view of many mainstream and "new media" analysts and observers. Will its timing before the pivotal March 4th Texas and Ohio … [Read more...] about News Media, Pundit And Weblog Reaction To Obama Clinton Ohio Primary Debate
The Brain-Dead Republicans
It's been nearly seven months since the bridge collapse here in Minnesota. Right or wrong, it has become a symbol of our crumbling transportation infastructure. For several years, transportation has been a burning issue. We were slow to light rail transit, and our freeways, built when the Twin Cities was a much smaller metro area, are full. Governor Tim Pawlenty (a … [Read more...] about The Brain-Dead Republicans
Live-blog post from Cleveland Debate: Make them play war games
They are all here - David Axelrod, David Wilhelm. Jesse Jackson, Ted Strickland. Andrea Mitchell, Candy Crowley. On and on. I've got lots of video and pictures that I feel confident no one else got - particularly the video. But what I'm also certain you won't hear is anything that isn't spin. You can hear it as you walk from cluster to cluster, how each politician or … [Read more...] about Live-blog post from Cleveland Debate: Make them play war games
Live-blog post from Cleveland Debate, 10:12pm EST
The Cleveland audience is listening intently but the atmosphere in the auditorium is somber. Brian Williams and Tim Russert play a game of good cop/bad cop. Sitting behind me: a college student who studies photography, got her ticket through the lottery and hadn't thought about the election until she heard about the debate. She is undecided but wants to hear about health … [Read more...] about Live-blog post from Cleveland Debate, 10:12pm EST
Obama speaks to members of Cleveland’s Jewish community
One of the things that's bothered me a great deal in this primary campaign is the hesitancy with which many Jews have approached Barack Obama's candidacy. I think it is rooted, first and foremost,, in steadfast support for Hillary Clinton among the Jewish community. I completely respect that relationship and I myself have always admired her. But I also think there are some in … [Read more...] about Obama speaks to members of Cleveland’s Jewish community
Who’s Live-Blogging Tonight’s Debate?
Our Very Own TMV Co-Blogger JMZ at Writes Like She Talks (Pre- & Post-Debate) http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/ ABC Political Radar http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/live-blogging-f.html Cleveland Plain Dealer http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/presidential_candidates/ … [Read more...] about Who’s Live-Blogging Tonight’s Debate?