California's first lady Maria Shriver has just appeared as a special surprise guest at the rally for Barack Obama in Los Angeles to endorse him for President. It was aired live on CSPAN. "I wasn't on the schedule," she said. "I thought to myself when i woke up this morning there's no place I should be but right here today." She said this morning she told her daughter: "I … [Read more...] about BULLETIN: California’s First Lady Maria Shriver Endorses Barack Obama (UPDATED)
John McCain and the Military ‘Espirit’ of the United States …
Does American culture's profusion of military jargon help a candidate like John McCain? According to O Globo's William Waack, one of Brazil's best observers of foreign affairs and the United States, 'In a country where one of the worst offenses is to be called a 'loser,' it's useful to pay attention to that espirit (there is no better expression) that emphasizes combat, … [Read more...] about John McCain and the Military ‘Espirit’ of the United States …
Ernie Pyle, The WWII Grunts’ Storyteller
AP says today, a new/old photo has surfaced that shows Scripps-Howard war correspondent Ernie Pyle dead at the side of the road in Japan in 1945. There is much to-do in the big newspapers today about this memorial photo of a dead war writer. But no image of the photo yet. It is being held somewhere by someone until... what? enough money, enough positioning. Whatever. To me … [Read more...] about Ernie Pyle, The WWII Grunts’ Storyteller
Pro Clinton Push Poll Reported In California (UPDATED)
First, came the controversies about the innuendos about Senator Barack Obama, the apologies and the occasional resignation (after the info was thrust into the news cycle). Next came The Bill Clinton offensive and display of the race card. And now comes this L.A. Times' blog report about push polling -- again coming from supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton: [UPDATE: Talking … [Read more...] about Pro Clinton Push Poll Reported In California (UPDATED)
Seeing Politics in Perspective
I've been interested in politics since I was a little boy, at least since I was four years old. My love for politics, which is an extension of my love for people, continues unabated, as the pieces I write here and on my personal blog will attest. I think that it's important who serves us in the White House and in the local court house. Yet, on days like the one I had on … [Read more...] about Seeing Politics in Perspective
Super Tuesday Polls: Democratic Clinton Obama Horserace And McCain Leads
In what is shaping up as one of the most dramatic moments in American political history, pre-Super Tuesday primary polls show the race between Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination is tightening, while Republican Senator John McCain is apparently poised to solidify his hold as the front-runner for the Republican … [Read more...] about Super Tuesday Polls: Democratic Clinton Obama Horserace And McCain Leads
Barack Obama’s Yes We Can Music Video
Now making its way on the Internet: … [Read more...] about Barack Obama’s Yes We Can Music Video
Novak: Bill Clinton Helped Cause Ted Kennedy To Endorse Obama
It turns out that Senator Ted Kennedy had the exact same reaction as yours-truly when it comes to former President Bill Clinton's campaign behavior -- only Teddy has a tad more clout. Columnist Robert Novak reports: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy may have endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president anyway, but his support was hastened by Bill Clinton's disregard of Kennedy's plea … [Read more...] about Novak: Bill Clinton Helped Cause Ted Kennedy To Endorse Obama
Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
NOTE: Another special Election 2008 edition of our popular Around The Sphere link-fest where we offer readers links to weblogs of differing viewpoints -- and give you our comments on some of the political issues raised. This version will only contain election-related links. It will appear several times a week until Election Day. The Bitter Irony For Hillary Clinton: Taylor … [Read more...] about Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
Benazir Bhutto’s Posthumous Autobiography
Good public educational opportunity is the key to the economic and political progress of nations, and it can be so in the Islamic world as well. But in Pakistan $4.5 billion is spent on the military each year - an astounding 1,400 per cent more than on education. This is what Benazir Bhutto says in her posthumous book, Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West, (to be … [Read more...] about Benazir Bhutto’s Posthumous Autobiography
Democratic Debate in 60 Seconds
Hattip Mahalo.com. … [Read more...] about Democratic Debate in 60 Seconds
Republican Debate in 60 Seconds
Hattip Mahalo.com. … [Read more...] about Republican Debate in 60 Seconds
Book & DVD Reviews On Gram Parsons, Cosmically Tragic Musical Troubador
GRAM PARSONS WAS ON LOAN TO US FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT WE DIDN'T LOOK UP FAST ENOUGH -- MARK LEVITON I'm a fast reader and usually race right through books. But there's been a lot going on in my young life lately, and during the couple of weeks that it took me to read a book on Gram Parsons and then watch a documentary on him, I had the opportunity to listen to a lot of the … [Read more...] about Book & DVD Reviews On Gram Parsons, Cosmically Tragic Musical Troubador
Microsoft – Yahoo Takeover
Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com … [Read more...] about Microsoft – Yahoo Takeover
Mixed Doubles for the White House
Forget the Super Bowl. Here's a match for Pay-Per-View--the Clintons vs. the Obamas. Now that the candidates have shown in their last debate how well they bounce the conversational ball between them, why not schedule a round of doubles? As Hillary keeps explaining away embarrassments by Bill, she always notes that Barack too has a supportive spouse. Yesterday's Washington … [Read more...] about Mixed Doubles for the White House
Making Of A Terrorist: An ex-CIA Officer’s View
A new book by a former CIA officer, and now a senior fellow at the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute, "explodes many myths" about terrorists, and "provides an unsettling account of how al-Qaeda has evolved from the organisation headed by Osama bin Laden into an amorphous movement --- a 'leaderless jihad'." The Economist says: "Mr Marc Sageman has unusual … [Read more...] about Making Of A Terrorist: An ex-CIA Officer’s View
Brown Voters Don’t Want Black in the White House
It is interesting to see what aspects of the U.S. Presidential Race most interest foreign journalists. As the field narrows, the question of the impact of Latino antipathy toward blacks on support for Obama is being increasingly addressed by the foreign press. Most recent is this piece from The Netherlands' Elsevier daily, translated on Watching America.com, entitled … [Read more...] about Brown Voters Don’t Want Black in the White House
‘War On Terror’…It Forgets The Terrorist Within!!!
While a majority of our political leaders, and the media too, continue to scare the world out of us that every nook and cranny is filled with terrorists, somehow there are only a handful among them who remind the people of the terrorist within that is taking away their natural resistance to an assortment of physical, emotional and mental ailments. In the Indian subcontinent … [Read more...] about ‘War On Terror’…It Forgets The Terrorist Within!!!
Sarkozy & Bruni: ‘Until Death Do Us Part…’
Well it seems that the way has been cleared for Sarko and Bruni to visit the world famous monument of love... the 17th century Taj Mahal. Bruni had hinted earlier that Indian government was not exactly prepared to host an unwed VVIP (very very important person) couple when Sarko came visiting India recently. "The 53-year-old French president Nicolas Sarkozy and super-model … [Read more...] about Sarkozy & Bruni: ‘Until Death Do Us Part…’
Clinton Campaign Denies Bill Clinton Will Do Mea Culpa At Black Churches On Playing Race Card
Earlier today we ran THIS POST about a Washington Post report that said former President Bill Clinton was going to apologize to black churches for playing the race card in his campaign against Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton's chief rival for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. The Post has a new story now saying the Clinton campaign heatedly denies an … [Read more...] about Clinton Campaign Denies Bill Clinton Will Do Mea Culpa At Black Churches On Playing Race Card