Europeans are watching the run up to Super Tuesday with a mixture of trepidation and bemusement after Barack Obama’s overwhelming win in South Carolina, where he captured 80% of the black vote. There is trepidation because the person and party that rule America have an extraordinary influence on the fate of Europeans, who are close military and economic allies of the US. … [Read more...] about Europeans watch Democratic primaries with trepidation
Endorsements: Ted Kennedy For Obama And Liz Cheney For Romney
Two significant political endorsements are breaking: Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy will endorse Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic Presidential nomination and Vice President Dick Cheney's politically-astute daughter Liz Cheney will endorse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination. Both go against what some conventional wisdom has painted … [Read more...] about Endorsements: Ted Kennedy For Obama And Liz Cheney For Romney
The Clinton-Kennedy Chasm
On the heels of Caroline Kennedy's paean to Oback Barama as the heir to her father's political ideals come reports that the family patriarch, Sen. Ted Kennedy, will endorse Obama, too. For weeks now, JFK's alter ego Ted Sorensen has been campaigning for the Illinois Senator, underscoring the continental divide in American politics between the dynasties. The famous picture … [Read more...] about The Clinton-Kennedy Chasm
It’s the Senate, Stupid
As disappointing as the Bush presidency is, and will be, it is not nearly all of his fault. He was enabled by morally weak GOP congresspeople who valued power, self interest and their party more than the well being of those they were elected to protect. Regardless of who wins for President, it is the Senate that will largely determine the rate of change and progress. … [Read more...] about It’s the Senate, Stupid
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
This photo ran in Thursday's New York Times under the article heading, "Kenya's Political Rivals Meet." But there's something odd here and it's not merely the fake smiles of Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga – it's the presence of Kofi Annan. That Annan, a former UN Secretary-General, is leading the international community's Kenya delegation is a testament to the limited clout of … [Read more...] about What’s Wrong With This Picture?
Super Tuesday (2/5): California
What's the ground look like in California right now for the primary candidates? For one thing, it's a pretty blue state, even if we're talking about Michael Bloomberg. From the California Progress Report: In a dizzying week of polls on all subjects near and dear to our state’s voters, today’s offering from the California Field Poll showing that only one in four California … [Read more...] about Super Tuesday (2/5): California
‘A President Like My Father’
June 1963: Boy's State delegate Bill Clinton and JFK shake hands "Over the years, I've been deeply moved by the people who've told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack … [Read more...] about ‘A President Like My Father’
Clintons play the Joe Lieberman card
No, I'm not talking about voting for the war. I'm talking about changing the rules in the middle of the game. What angered me about Joe Lieberman's Independent bid in 2006 more than anything else was his decision to entertain such an option only after losing the Democratic Primary. He decided that he would play by the rules of the Democratic Party and ask to be their … [Read more...] about Clintons play the Joe Lieberman card
Judge Learned Hand: An Appreciation
"Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes." -- LEARNED HAND Billings Learned Hand is probably the most influential American judge you never heard of. Hand served for many years as chief judge of and the … [Read more...] about Judge Learned Hand: An Appreciation
Onward & Upward: Super Tuesday Looms
The big surprise out of the South Carolina Democratic primary was that there were no surprises. That is good news for Barack Obama and not so good news for Hillary Clinton. After a series of unexpected results in early primaries and caucuses, the pollsters and pundits more or less got it right: Obama received 55 percent of the vote, Clinton a distant 27 percent and native … [Read more...] about Onward & Upward: Super Tuesday Looms
Barack Obama’s Victory Speech: A Plea For A New Kind And Tone Of Politics
Yes, you can almost now taste a generational shift in American politics...but like most generational shifts the old generation is going to battle and resist it tooth and nail. And it most assuredly did in South Carolina where former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton -- called the "Billary" campaign by some -- ran a conventional provoke-and-destroy … [Read more...] about Barack Obama’s Victory Speech: A Plea For A New Kind And Tone Of Politics
Barack Obama Campaign Jump Started By Massive Victory In South Carolina
In results that exit polls indicated widespread support and apparent backlash to former President Bill Clinton's highly controversial "gut fighter" role, Democratic Senator Barack Obama scored a huge victory over Senator Hillary Clinton and former Senator John Edwards in the South Carolina primary -- repositioning himself as a strong challenger to Mrs. Clinton as voters across … [Read more...] about Barack Obama Campaign Jump Started By Massive Victory In South Carolina
Democrats in France Impassioned Over Party Primary Race
Are expatriate Democrats as energized as their counterparts back home? According to this accountfrom France's Le Figaro newspaper, Americans on the 'front lines' internationally may be even more riveted than anyone to the U.S. primary race. "Americans abroad want someone who will extend a hand to the rest of the world. We feel that the United States has alienated … [Read more...] about Democrats in France Impassioned Over Party Primary Race
America’s new three little words: YES WE CAN
Obama is an excellent rhetorician. There's a large part of me that would like to see an Obama presidency just so I could listen to those speeches for, perhaps, eight years. The man is either extremely well prepared, or is an artist who can shape his spontaneity to his will and practical purpose. Or both. Either bodes well for a presidency. Alliteration, anadiplosis, … [Read more...] about America’s new three little words: YES WE CAN
Caroline Kennedy endorses Obama
Get a jump-start on Sunday's New York Times by reading this op-ed from Caroline Kennedy. I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around … [Read more...] about Caroline Kennedy endorses Obama
Bill: Asset or Liability?
Just in time for today's primary, Watching America.com is featuring this piece from one of the best U.S.-watchers who writes for the Netherlands' Elsevier newspaper. A couple of interesting observations from the piece. In her book, “For Love of Politics,” Sally Bedell Smith describes the Clinton’s as a major enterprise, with Hillary currently as chairman and Bill as … [Read more...] about Bill: Asset or Liability?
Bill Clinton As Victim: Says His Message is “99.99” Percent Positive
If you say something often enough ("It's a brand new pre-owned car!" "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction!" "Why, honey, that dress doesn't make you look fat!") you might get others -- and perhaps yourself -- to believe it. Perhaps that's what's behind former President Clinton's assertion that his message in the campaign has been "99.99 percent" positive. At the end … [Read more...] about Bill Clinton As Victim: Says His Message is “99.99” Percent Positive
Ohio primary will matter, say state & academic politicos
First, we have a Plain Dealer post on its political blog, Openers, that provides opinion from party people and analysts familiar with the Ohio scene. Many analysts have expected Ohio to matter in the Republican nominating contest, but most assumed the Democratic primaries would wrap up before Ohio. That's because more than 20 states, from New York to California, will hold … [Read more...] about Ohio primary will matter, say state & academic politicos
No love for South Carolina Jews in primary?
Shabbat doesn't end until 6:25pm tonight (so it just ended) but the polls are only open until 7pm. Sheesh. Jews cannot get any respect! How many voters will this issue affect? According to the Jewish Virtual Library, South Carolina has an overall population of 4,255,083 million people, with 0.3%, or just over 11,225 who are Jewish. Obviously, not all 11,000 Jews are … [Read more...] about No love for South Carolina Jews in primary?
Border Crisis: How Long Will Egypt’s Gazan Guests Stay?
One need not believe that good fences make good neighbors to think that broken fences – and ambiguous invitations – are bound to sour neighborly relations. At Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, the fence and Egypt’s stated security posture both broke down on Wednesday, as thousands of Palestinians streamed into the Sinai to buy goods that have become difficult or impossible … [Read more...] about Border Crisis: How Long Will Egypt’s Gazan Guests Stay?