Poppy and Lee Today's history lesson --- at least for you young'uns -- is about Lee Atwater, the daddy of the South Carolina Republican primary as we know it and prototype for Karl Rove and every dirty-trick political consultant to come down the mud shoot in the last 25 years. It was Atwater who mastered some of the slimier aspects of modern American politics, including … [Read more...] about Atwater’s Gone But His Song Lives On
Over 200 Years On, Washington is Still ‘Broken’
Is there anything new about American presidential candidates railing against a misguided, power-mad Washington? According to this analysis of the city's history of abuse from France's Le Monde newspaper, 'It isn't surprising that the capital is receiving some bad press. This, so to speak, is in its genes. The press immediately denigrated the city. Even in 1801, with 109 brick … [Read more...] about Over 200 Years On, Washington is Still ‘Broken’
Gave Up Politics for Good, for Good?
Often the simplest explanation really is the best. A translated article , "White House can do Little about the Environment", in the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, written by an interviewer of Gore, asserts that Gore is not running in 2008 for the right reason: ... the last time that Gore bivouacked in the White House, he was not able to make any progress against earth … [Read more...] about Gave Up Politics for Good, for Good?
When Even the Religious Right Give Up
Stories of failure don't usually excite me, as I'm not a schadenfreude kind of guy... But this interesting commentary from Italy's La Repubblica, translated on Watching America.com tells of two mutually supporting failures that offer exciting prospects. The failures? Bush's failure to deliver on a religious agenda, and the religious right's failure to choose someone who … [Read more...] about When Even the Religious Right Give Up
The male vote factor in Clinton v. Obama: is it the Clinton, or is it the female?
Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, published this blog entry tonight that examines the male vote behavior related to Democratic presidential candidates and U.S Senators, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The gist of his findings: ...a strong plurality of men [back] Obama. According to the Edison/Mitofsky entrance polls in Iowa, 35 percent of male … [Read more...] about The male vote factor in Clinton v. Obama: is it the Clinton, or is it the female?
Hillary Clinton’s Political Skills Are Rapidly-Blossoming
Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton's foes such as Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republicans everywhere take note: if you were counting on Mrs. Clinton to be brittle, not quite likable and seemingly talking by rote you are underestimating her and could suffer the political consequences. Before our very eyes, Hillary Clinton is evolving into a smooth, skillful world-class … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton’s Political Skills Are Rapidly-Blossoming
Friday Night Lights. Or Roundup
What's on the browser of yours truly. … [Read more...] about Friday Night Lights. Or Roundup
Huckabee: Back to the Future
Half a century ago, after the Supreme Court desegregation decision, an Arkansas governor named Orval Faubus stood in the doorway of Central High School in Little Rock with National Guard members to keep African-American teenagers out. Now Mike Huckabee is doing a Faubus impersonation in South Carolina. “You don’t like people from outside the state coming in and telling you … [Read more...] about Huckabee: Back to the Future
No Love In The Middle East
It's quite possible, as Marc Lynch notes, that Bush's latest trip will go down in history as "one of the strangest and most pointless visits to the Middle East of any world leader." Indeed, it's hard to come up with any concrete achievements either on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, or with regards to containing Iran. Lots of talk, much shaking of hands and kissing of cheeks, … [Read more...] about No Love In The Middle East
A Centrist’s POV: National ID
It seems to me that my grasp of issues and my opinions reflect an average moderate independent voter pondering our complex world and challenging choices. To me it is reasonable that each participant in our society be required to establish their identity in order to access any of the rights and benefits of our culture: voting, banking, social security, air travel, driving, … [Read more...] about A Centrist’s POV: National ID
At Last! Signs of Progress in Iraq
As it has turned out, George Bush's Forever War has been more about oil than WMD, spreading democracy or punishing those bad Iraqis who flew hijacked jetliners into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. This was further confirmed when Bush and Prime Minister Al-Maliki announced that they had cut a sweetheart deal under which the abjectly corrupt Baghdad government gets a … [Read more...] about At Last! Signs of Progress in Iraq
Crazy Train Pop Quiz
Disclaimer: This post is about politics, not Ozzy Osbourne. Question: How do you make Rudy G., Johnny Mac, Mitt the Hair, and Law-and-Order Thompson look sane and reasonable? Answer: Stand them next to the Huckster and He of Two First Names. Disclaimer #2: Now that I think about it, maybe this should be an Ozzy Osbourne post. Some of the lyrics of his song, "Crazy … [Read more...] about Crazy Train Pop Quiz
Canadian foreign ministry flags U.S. as “country that potentially tortures or abuses prisoners”
Maybe Canada just wants the U.S. to know how it feels to be on one of the less desirable lists. But is the implication in the statement in the title - that the US may torture or abuse prisoners - true or false? And if it's true... That's what I started to think about after I read this New York Times' article, "Canadian Manual has U.S. on Torture List." A training manual … [Read more...] about Canadian foreign ministry flags U.S. as “country that potentially tortures or abuses prisoners”
To Know Them is to Fear Them
Shaun Mullen and Michael Stickings have already chimed in today on Mike Huckabee, so I won't. What I will chime in on is the larger context in which people like Huckabee operate. In short, they believe in the reconstruction of everything around them -- from government to science to media -- so those things fit their interpretation of their bible. Anything that is not thus … [Read more...] about To Know Them is to Fear Them
Bush’s Message Fails to Take Hold …
Why is it that President Bush's "message of freedom" during his recent tour of the Middle East seems to have fallen on deaf ears? According to this op-ed article from Germany's Frankfurter Rundschau, President is not only a lame duck that lacks credibility, but the Gulf states don't share his penchant for a confrontation with Iran, preferring instead dialog and coexistence with … [Read more...] about Bush’s Message Fails to Take Hold …
A Most Welcome Trend For Giuliani
America's Mayor finally has some real momentum -- downward. More here from pollster.com … [Read more...] about A Most Welcome Trend For Giuliani
Robert Gates: A Very ‘Candid’ Speaker …
While some of America's NATO allies appreciate the candor of Defense Secretary Robert Gates about the mission in Afghanistan, they don't necessarily agree with his conclusions. According to this editorial in the NRC Handelsblad of The Netherlands, while the Americans want Europeans to do more of the life-and-death fighting, the Dutch at least are more interested in preventing … [Read more...] about Robert Gates: A Very ‘Candid’ Speaker …
Meet Mike Huckabee: Financial Guru
You can add financial guru to Mike Huckabee’s deep resume of talents and accomplishments. Turns out that the Republican presidential wannabe is on the board of directors of Flagship Global Health, which claims that it "does what health insurance does not do - connect you to the best doctors, quickly, regardless of network affiliation." Flagship says that it is not an … [Read more...] about Meet Mike Huckabee: Financial Guru
Crazy Like Mike
Mike Huckabee rose to prominence seemingly out of nowhere, skyrocketing up the polls, capturing Iowa, and emerging as the presumptive frontrunner, all the while becoming a media darling -- remember that Frank Rich called him the Obama of the GOP -- but, as his star fades, as the phenomenon withers, as his candidacy collapses, the man is getting more and more extreme, more and … [Read more...] about Crazy Like Mike
Only Love Can Break a Campaign
Way back on December 17 – which seems like an eternity in this strangest of presidential campaign seasons -- I wrote that: "Bill Clinton is one of Mrs. Clinton’s greatest strengths – and weaknesses. He was absolutely the most adept politician that I saw on the stump in the eight presidential campaigns that I covered. Had Al Gore not kept him at arm's length in 2000, he … [Read more...] about Only Love Can Break a Campaign