Will former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack become Hillary's VP? Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack has assumed a role in Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign unlike any of the New York Democrat's other national advisers. He campaigns for her in Iowa and other key states, spends hours each week on the phone with donors and elected officials and has helped forge policy ideas Clinton … [Read more...] about Vilsack: Hillary’s Number 2?
Memorial Day (Third Cartoon)
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post … [Read more...] about Memorial Day (Third Cartoon)
Center of Attention
A round up of recent reporting and commentary by a few centrist, moderate, and independent bloggers. And first, appropriately, a series of thoughts on Memorial Day ... Andrew Sullivan Stubborn Facts The Impolitic Mirror On America The Glittering Eye el machete And next ... Jeff Jarvis makes every one of us born before 1970 feel remarkably old. Daniel … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Richardson To Stop Using Name of Fallen Soldier
Governor Bill Richardson told MSNBC's Tim Russert that he would stop mentioning an American soldier who died in Iraq back in '04. Richardson shared the story of Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin on several occasions. Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin died a heroic death in 2004: The Marines were searching buildings in the war-torn Jolan neighborhood when they came under attack in one of the … [Read more...] about Richardson To Stop Using Name of Fallen Soldier
Memorial Day (Second Cartoon)
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune … [Read more...] about Memorial Day (Second Cartoon)
A Memorial Day of Whine and Roses
It is Memorial Day today in the U.S. The holiday originally was called Decoration Day and was a day of remembrance for Union soldiers who died in the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include soldiers who died in any war. As always, I've hung an American flag outside of Kiko's House this Memorial Day. As always, I will keep the day simple. I'll … [Read more...] about A Memorial Day of Whine and Roses
Triangle of Death Hostage Search: Day 16
Sixteen days after they were kidnapped in an Al-Qaeda-led ambush, the search continues for Specialist Alex Jimenez, 25, and Private Byron Fouty, 19. Please click here to read more at Kiko's House. Photograph by Michael Kamber for The New York Times … [Read more...] about Triangle of Death Hostage Search: Day 16
JFK: Bush, Wars and the Web
If he were still alive, John F. Kennedy would be turning 90 tomorrow. As an elder statesman, what would he think about our world? For a start, he would be puzzled by George Bush’s bubbled White House. Kennedy’s own curiosity was insatiable. He devoured books, took a speed-reading course to absorb more, wanted to know everything. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he … [Read more...] about JFK: Bush, Wars and the Web
Jewish G.I., Angel of Life: Memorial Day 2007
Nowadays, USA military recruitment posters portray square jawed men and women of all races. Will they ever have one with a little Jewish soldier guy on it? Maybe with a great headline: Oy Vey! Join up today! Ok, maybe not. But if they made a poster of U.S. Army Lieutenant Kurt Klein, they might consider adding wings to his shoulders, and running a line at the bottom … [Read more...] about Jewish G.I., Angel of Life: Memorial Day 2007
A Note To Readers On TMV’s Unusual Upcoming Week
NOTE TO READERS: This will be an unusual week for TMV for two reasons. (1) OUR NEW DESIGN should be in place by the end of this week. It better reflects what The Moderate Voice is now and what we hope it will become as we head into Election Year 2008. You may have already noticed that we have begun to phase in some new co-writers. (2) MY OWN POSTS WILL BE LIMITED AND … [Read more...] about A Note To Readers On TMV’s Unusual Upcoming Week
Memorial Day
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Memorial Day
An Interreligious Conversation with MvdG: Part One
TMV Co-Blogger Michael vdG will ask me questions on his own blog and I will answer them here as time permits. Michael begins by asking me what Jews believe about an Afterlife. My best answer is, it depends! When I was a child, this was not a topic we discussed at synagogue. Actually, I grew up Classic Reform and we called our house of worship "Temple" rather than … [Read more...] about An Interreligious Conversation with MvdG: Part One
UPDATE: An American Classic: The Indy 500
UPDATE: It's raining again so the winner is Dario Franchitti, who is somehow a Scotsman. Took the checkered flag after 166 laps when it began pouring. Here's the official AP coverage. UPDATE: The rain has stopped and they are drying the track - this takes awhile. UPDATE: The Race has been stopped after 113 laps due to rain. It's possible that it may be restarted if the … [Read more...] about UPDATE: An American Classic: The Indy 500
Undermining Hamas: A Pragmatic Strategy
How can we undermine Hamas and bolster Palestinian moderates? I discuss this question in a post at Foreign Policy Watch. … [Read more...] about Undermining Hamas: A Pragmatic Strategy
Al Jazeera: A Force for Change
Take a look at this clip from Al Jazeera: Despite all the criticism that it gets, only on Al Jazeera do you have such open, intense forums for debate where secular activists like Wafa Sultan can have their voices heard. This video, for instance, is a segment of a program with Faisal al-Qasim, the host of the political debate show, The Opposite Direction. On his show, … [Read more...] about Al Jazeera: A Force for Change
A Fascinating Website
David Greenberg sent me an e-mail earlier today, asking me whether I wanted to check out his website and to tell him what I think of it: the website is about Judaism, a subject I am greatly interested in. Of course, I headed over to his website immediately and found it to be fascinating. The website is called "Judaism Online". It contains many, many highly interesting articles … [Read more...] about A Fascinating Website
Waking Up From the American Dream
As Father’s Day approaches, a troubling question is raised by a new study: Will our children and grandchildren have a better life than our own? The “American Mobility Report†shows young men today worse off financially than their fathers were at the same age, a reversal of the generational progress that has made the “Land of Opportunity†a reality for two … [Read more...] about Waking Up From the American Dream
Al Qaeda’s al-Zawahiri Wants Jihad Exported By Iraqis
Al Qaeda bigwig Ayman al-Zawahiri has reportedly sent a letter urging Iraqis to export jihad -- with the goal of creating a "greater Syria," Times Online reports: THE deputy leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has urged supporters in Iraq to extend their “holy war†to other Middle Eastern countries. In a letter sent to the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq in the past … [Read more...] about Al Qaeda’s al-Zawahiri Wants Jihad Exported By Iraqis
Triangle of Death Hostage Search: Day 15
EXHAUSTED TROOPS TAKE A BREAK FROM SEARCH As the search for the two soldiers still missing after a May 12 ambush entered the third week, U.S. and Iraqi commanders said their troops have detained 16 people directly related to the attack. Three men disappeared after Al Qaeda-led insurgents attacked a U.S. military observation post in the Mahmoudiya area of the Triangle of … [Read more...] about Triangle of Death Hostage Search: Day 15
A Secret Jewish Sect
A fascinating episode in the history of Judaism: Far away from the eyes of the Jewish mainstream, in modern-day Turkey there live hundreds, if not thousands, of crypto-Jews — and today, one of their most sacred shrines is in danger. This is the hidden, fascinating tale of the doenmeh, descendants of the faithful followers of the 17th-century false messiah Sabbetai Tzvi, … [Read more...] about A Secret Jewish Sect