I have whined incessantly this campaign season that the way we choose presidential candidates is badly broken. The major culprits are the obscene amounts of money that candidates must raise if they are to be competitive, the front-loading of small states on the primary-caucus calendar and the incestuous relationship between the candidates and news media. All of those factors … [Read more...] about The System Works! The System Works!
Bush’s Justified Call to Contain Iranian Influence
How concerned are people across the Persian Gulf about the Iranian threat? Judging from this op-ed article from Kuwait's leading Arabic newspaper, Al-Seyassah, President Bush's criticism of Iran during his current visit will likely fall on receptive ears. "Since the fall of the Shah all the way up to the present day, the international community and nations of the Gulf region … [Read more...] about Bush’s Justified Call to Contain Iranian Influence
The Great Migration
Has the end of the American century - and perhaps even the American United States - begun? The rise of Asia, and in particular China, has to many been "inevitable" for a long time. According to this Italian commentary, from La Stampa, translated at Watching America.com the inevitable has now begun, as the Chinese and others have begun buying up U.S. assets with state funds, … [Read more...] about The Great Migration
National Polls: Clinton And McCain Lead But More Contradictory Than Ever
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll reveals two things: Presidential campaign 2008 is a free for all-- and Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Barack Obama are picking up steam in the battles for their parties' nominations. Hillary Clinton narrowly leads Obama. But is that really what's happening? Because A CBS/New York Times polls shows Hillary Clinton is … [Read more...] about National Polls: Clinton And McCain Lead But More Contradictory Than Ever
Bush Surprisingly Firm in Middle East
The French newspaper, Liberation, claims that Bush is taking a surprisingly firm stance with both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, increasingly free to do so now that he is approaching the end of his presidency. On the one hand, Bush demanded, in perhaps the strongest terms of his presidency, "the end of Israeli occupation". The creation of a Palestinian … [Read more...] about Bush Surprisingly Firm in Middle East
Hillary, Just Be a Woman
Watching America has a piece from north of the border, translated from French in Le Devoir: The Battle of Hillary Clinton The subhead is the title of the Lenny Kravitz song, "Just Be a Woman". What is keeping Hillary up is Barack Obama, who carries the strong image of renewal in the face of a woman whose experience, instead of being an asset, is becoming a photo with … [Read more...] about Hillary, Just Be a Woman
Clinton-Supporting BET Founder In Flap Over Raising Obama Drug Use
Did he mean it, or didn't he? It's a question that has come up often with New York Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign for the 2008 Democratic nomination -- and it came up AGAIN in South Carolina as BET's founder made comments that some felt raised questions about Senator Barack Obama's admitted youthful drug use. He later explained that he was misunderstood. Here are the key … [Read more...] about Clinton-Supporting BET Founder In Flap Over Raising Obama Drug Use
Clintonian Tactics on Display
Hillary Clinton's "Meet the Press" appearance this morning was one of the most overt displays of the old Clintonian attack politics I've seen in this campaign. Her blatant and transparent attempts to blame Obama's campaign for "deliberately distorting" unfortunate remarks she, her husband, and others associated with her campaign have been making in recent days were, frankly, … [Read more...] about Clintonian Tactics on Display
Bill Clinton, An Embarrassment
As if race and gender were not complications enough in this critical Presidential contest, we now have Bill Clinton stepping up to remind us of how devious and disruptive he can be. For a year, he stayed dutifully in the background, but the man who can't help being Bill Clinton is now roiling his wife's campaign with the kind of hatchet work on her opponent that is normally … [Read more...] about Bill Clinton, An Embarrassment
Clintons Against the War Before For It
"What Ifs" proliferate in any discussion of how the Iraq war might have turned out differently, indeed whether there would have been a war at all. At the head of my list is what would have happened had influential Democrats opposed the war. They didn’t, of course, and the rest was history. This makes Bill Clinton's remarks that he doubts the sincerity of Barack Obama's … [Read more...] about Clintons Against the War Before For It
Benazir Bhutto’s Murder: ‘Elementary My Dear Watson’…!!!
Some influential/powerful person has been avidly reading Sherlock Holmes in Pakistan. And so who else would be called to investigate Benazir Bhutto's murder but Britain's Scotland Yard. Even 60 years after the British rulers left the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan still believes that it is the White Man's Burden to solve the brown man's/women's murder on their own soil. What … [Read more...] about Benazir Bhutto’s Murder: ‘Elementary My Dear Watson’…!!!
“Government Sponsored” Antisemitism Grows Under Chavez
There are charges that Hugo Chavez's government in Venezuela is sponsoring blossoming antisemitism -- concerns that are reflected in the gradual flight of Jews from Venezuela. It fits with a long history of allegations that Chavez's Venezuela is becoming a hotbed of antisemitism. The latest comes via a Miami Herald article detailing the comments of journalist Sammy … [Read more...] about “Government Sponsored” Antisemitism Grows Under Chavez
Public Campaign Finance Roundup
Here are a few recent items related to Campaign Finance Reform From Public Campaign Action Fund: Connecticut A new survey in Connecticut shows that experienced candidates are likely to use the state’s new Clean Elections law this year in their races. Eighty-six percent of incumbents and 76 percent of returning 2006 candidates say they will participate, or are inclined to … [Read more...] about Public Campaign Finance Roundup
Iraq’s Future: Bushism Vs Petraeusism
I somewhat admire General David Petraeus - the chief of the US army in Iraq - who was handed over a thankless and tough task in the crisis-ridden West Asian country...a crisis which many believe was a direct creation of his commander-in-chief sitting in the White House. On his recent visit to Middle East President George W. Bush talked of 'hope and victory'; while General … [Read more...] about Iraq’s Future: Bushism Vs Petraeusism
Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
NOTE: This is the first in a series of special Election 2008 editions 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. Democrat Barack … [Read more...] about Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
Why Indian P.M.’s Daughter Embarrasses President Bush?
While India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was telling his partymen and allies that he felt let down by the country's climbdown on the nuclear deal with the US, his daughter --- the New York-based Amrit Singh --- was embarrassing the Bush administration about its human rights record. The Times of India reports: "An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), … [Read more...] about Why Indian P.M.’s Daughter Embarrasses President Bush?
Sugar Free Gum Can Be A Problem In The End
WARNING: If you chew too much sugar free gum it may not be healthy in the end. The sugar free gum craze (which has recently spread to a sea of cough drops that used to have sugar now being "sugar free") may have a bad bottom line: the sorbitol used in the gum and other sweets could cause severe bowel problems: … [Read more...] about Sugar Free Gum Can Be A Problem In The End
Don’t Democrats Call This Voter Suppression?
Isn't this the kind of thing Democrats (and we've done posts on it and decried it) denounce when Republicans do it to keep Democratic voters away from the polls? Nevada’s state teachers union and six Las Vegas area residents filed a lawsuit late Friday that could make it harder for many members of the state’s huge hotel workers union to vote in the hotly contested Jan. 19 … [Read more...] about Don’t Democrats Call This Voter Suppression?
Too Many Young People?
That's what Robert L. Strauss, a former Peace Corps country director, believes has gone badly wrong with Kennedy's organization: ...even if the Peace Corps reaches its goal of having 15 percent of its volunteers over 50, the overwhelming majority will remain recently minted college graduates. And too often these young volunteers lack the maturity and professional experience to … [Read more...] about Too Many Young People?
Obama Gets Nelson Endorsement
Centrist Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska has endorsed Barack Obama, National Journal's Hotline on Call reports. In a statement released by the Obama campaign, Nelson said of his colleague: Those of us on both sides of the aisle who have made it our purpose to set aside partisanship to address some of the important issues of the day want a president that will join the … [Read more...] about Obama Gets Nelson Endorsement