A Hero? You Bet. As noted in the previous post, another casualty of the Iraq war is that fewer medals and fewer medals of distinction for bravery are being awarded because they call attention to the war's bloody realities. A veteran blogger who has spent considerable time in Iraq tells me that: "Company commanders . . . complain that the awards they submit are … [Read more...] about Why So Few Medals of Honor in Iraq?
What Is “Truth” When It Comes To News Stories?
The Glittering Eye looks at the issue. A MUST READ. … [Read more...] about What Is “Truth” When It Comes To News Stories?
Can You Lose A War And Win A War?
From Sideways Mencken: Straws in the wind. Nothing conclusive. And bear in mind: they'll manage to hit us again. Hard. So I'm not saying it's over. It's a long way from over. But I think the tide has turned. I think Al Qaeda has jumped the shark. And I am starting to think that even while we lose one and a half small wars, we may win the big war. Usually the United … [Read more...] about Can You Lose A War And Win A War?
Movie Review: No End In Sight
There finally is a documentary movie about the Iraq war that the Bush administration should truly -- genuinely -- fear. It is NOT a movie about ideology. It is NOT a movie that has an entertaining showman/interviewer bursting with personality as an unofficial character. It is NOT a movie that hurls political adjectives at the policymakers who helped create what is now the … [Read more...] about Movie Review: No End In Sight
Guest Voice: On The Conservative Ascendancy Since The Great Society
The Moderate Voice runs Guest Voice posts by people who don't have their own weblogs, websites or who want to discuss something with TMV's ideologically diverse readership. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV. This is by Mark A. Smith, an associate professor of Political Science and an ajdunct professor of communication at the University of … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: On The Conservative Ascendancy Since The Great Society
Drunk Astronaut
Brian Fairrington, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Drunk Astronaut
Chutzpah! Sudanese Official Blames the Jews for Darfur
Talk about Chutzpah! Sudan: Jews behind Darfur conflict Sudan's defense minister, Abdel Rahim Mohamed Hussein, has accused "24 Jewish organizations" of "fueling the conflict in Darfur" last week in an interview with a Saudi newspaper. Hussein was interviewed during an official state-visit to the Saudi kingdom last week. A journalist from Saudi Arabia's Okaz … [Read more...] about Chutzpah! Sudanese Official Blames the Jews for Darfur
A Large-Hearted Woman
Hollywood activists are easy targets, often earnestly silly and self-congratulating, but a shining exception is Mia Farrow and her work to stop the genocide in Darfur. This week, her efforts provoked two world powers-—the People’s Republic of China and Steven Spielberg. During the YouTube debate, Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton, hemmed and hawed about … [Read more...] about A Large-Hearted Woman
Drunk Astronauts
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch … [Read more...] about Drunk Astronauts
A Sign Of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ Isolation
No conservatives will go on Fox News to defend Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The link also notes: no White House officials would go on the air to defend him, either... This is not just a sign of Gonzales' isolation. It is a sign of the increasing isolation of the Bush administration. If you cut away any journalistic diplomacy it boils down to this: Republicans are … [Read more...] about A Sign Of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ Isolation
The Tour: One Test Down, One to Go
Alberto Contador, a 24-year-old Spaniard and rider with the Discovery Channel team, has won the Tour de France. Given past experience, we must now await with bated breath whether Contador passes the drug test. More here . Photograph by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images … [Read more...] about The Tour: One Test Down, One to Go
Center of Attention
A round up of recent posts by a few centrist, moderate, and independent bloggers. At Booker Rising, Shay predicts "it may well be black folks who most undermine [Obama's] candidacy." Dave Schuler thinks the reports of the death of the DLC (Democratic Leadership Council) are premature. McQ offers "another reason to like Petraeus." Earlier, Joe posted on the subject … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Report Blocked By Bush Aide For Not Being Political
Add this to growing evidence (almost a story a day) that this administration is one of the most politicized in American history: A surgeon general's report in 2006 that called on Americans to help tackle global health problems has been kept from the public by a Bush political appointee without any background or expertise in medicine or public health, chiefly because the … [Read more...] about Report Blocked By Bush Aide For Not Being Political
Vice Presidential Material?
But which of the two parties or not-of-the-two-parties would he run on? … [Read more...] about Vice Presidential Material?
The Key To Winning Iowa Is Electability
Bill Steigerwald is a columnist at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. His column is made available here via Cagle Cartoons. The Key To Winning Iowa Is Electability' By Bill Steigerwald David Yepsen, the chief political columnist for The Des Moines Register, has been covering Iowa government and politics for more than 30 years. With Iowa’s corn already well-trampled by … [Read more...] about The Key To Winning Iowa Is Electability
The Right Hard Stuff
Jeff Parker, Florida Today … [Read more...] about The Right Hard Stuff
State Of Black America Report
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch … [Read more...] about State Of Black America Report
Republican Party May Face Serious Youth Vote Gap
A new survey indicates the Republican Party is now facing a major long-term problem: there is an increasing gap between its policies and youth. A new Democracy Corps/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner survey finds young people "profoundly alienated from the Republican party and its perceived values." Key finding: "Young people react with hostility to the Republicans on almost … [Read more...] about Republican Party May Face Serious Youth Vote Gap
Why Not Report?
In comments to this post, C Stanley asked about rates of reporting for police harassment (racial and sexual). I can't answer her question directly, but it does raise another important issue: why might certain wrongs be persistently underreported? Guest-starring an excerpt from the incomparable Professor Martha Minow of Harvard Law School (so you know you don't want to miss … [Read more...] about Why Not Report?
“Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?”
The immortal words of Casey Stengel come to mind for the Bush Administration’s latest moves in the Middle East. Casey’s incompetent Mets were only losing baseball games. This bunch is playing with our country’s future. The most recent tragi-comedy of errors is reported in today’s New York Times: “The Bush administration is preparing to ask Congress to approve an … [Read more...] about “Can’t Anybody Here Play This Game?”