Is President George Bush laying the groundwork to ignore parts of the finding and recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group? The Washington Post:President Bush formally launched a sweeping internal review of Iraq policy yesterday, pulling together studies underway by various government agencies, according to U.S. officials. The initiative, begun after Bush met at the … [Read more...] about Bush Starts His Own Iraq Study Review

One week ago I was celebrating a Democratic takeover of the House, and waching the Senate races in Virginia and Montana with a mixture of anxiety and optimism. Everything was breaking the right way, except Tennessee and a few key House races, and the Dems looked poised to control both houses of Congress. Happy, happy times. And now? Everything seems to be fine in the Senate, … [Read more...] about What the [bleep] are the Dems doing?

Mississippi Senator Trent Lott has rebounded from his bout with foot-and-mouth disease that had led to a (partially weblog fanned) firestorm that ended in him being denounced by people from both parties and his exit from the Senator Majority Leader's post. Now he's back in the political saddle again. Senate GOPers have elected Lott to be second-in-command to newly elected … [Read more...] about Trent Lott Regains A Key Senate Republican Leadership Post (UPDATED)

Life, death, and kidnapping: Armed men in Iraqi police uniforms and driving police vehicles kidnapped as many as 150 people from a government agency on Tuesday, and several senior police commanders were arrested in connection with the abductions, Iraqi officials said [yesterday]". Thankfully, all the hostages were released or freed by police. Prime Minister Maliki said that the … [Read more...] about The reality of today’s Iraq

UPDATE: Netanyahu's speech on Monday was carried on Israel's Army Radio and the transcript has been reproduced in Ha'aretz. I urge you to read or watch his speech. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Former Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu made a speech yesterday at a major Jewish convention in Los Angeles CA. Netanyahu was Ariel Sharon's … [Read more...] about UPDATED & MOVED UP: About Iran’s Ambitions

The Huffington Post is running a memo it says is from the Vice President of News at Fox News that that this former staff reporter considers to have one of the most damning lines he has seen in journalism. According to the Huffington Post, it's written by Fox News' vice president of News on the day the Democrats won control of both houses of Congress. The line is this:And … [Read more...] about Memo Reportedly Says Fox News Was Seeking Insurgents’ Quote Welcoming Democrats’ Victory

Remember ABSCAM? John Murtha was one of those bribed - not directly with cash but with investment in his district. Although he ended up not being indicted, his ethics seemed questionable. UPDATE: Howard Kurtz addresses this in today's WP Media Notes. … [Read more...] about Murtha Appears to Have Sunk Himself

Finally, we are having the sort of debate we need on the future course of Iraq. Now that the vast array of critics have won the argument over whether or not we are "winning" (answer: we are not), politicians and policy analysts can openly debate what course change is most beneficial to the Iraqis and to America's interests. There are three issues at stake here. First is the … [Read more...] about Iraq: Double or Nothing

Yesterday TMV did four shows in two cities near Los Angeles in his other incarnation and drove some 5 1/2 hours. So his posts today will resume after 7 a.m. PST. … [Read more...] about TMV’s Own Posts Start Later This Morning

The 2006 Weblog Awards are now open again. You can nominate any site (this or any others) by CLICKING HERE. … [Read more...] about 2006 Weblog Awards Are Open

From moderate cartoonist Tom Briscoe: … [Read more...] about 2006 Election Results

The new Senator from Vermont has his own video game. … [Read more...] about Bernie Sanders 64

He is a Senator from Alabama, and the favored candidate by the right-wing base for Chair of the Republican Policy Committee. Among other things. … [Read more...] about Who is Jeff Sessions?

THIS JUST IN from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz:Kerry Botches 'Yo Mama' Joke Omits Words 'Mama' and 'Yo' in West Point Appearance Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) found himself in the middle of another botched joke controversy today as the 2004 Democratic nominee for president misread a classic "yo mama" joke while making a speech to military cadets at West Point. After his … [Read more...] about This Just In!

All I have to say is Go Saul Arellano! … [Read more...] about What About The Seven Year Old?

Whether or not the US should begin withdrawing from Iraq is a difficult question. But, should the Democratic Congress support that policy, it would be difficult to argue they don't have a mandate for it. … [Read more...] about A Mandate to Withdraw?

As you all might have noticed, I am quite addicted to reading. As such I try to read two or three 'extra' books per week (extra as in not required reading material for my study). Anyway, I am wondering whether you all have any suggestions for good and interesting books (for me to read): works of fiction, (auto)biographies, poetry, books about / related to politics... all … [Read more...] about Books, Books, Books

Kinda. … [Read more...] about Objective Reporting

The Godmother of the Democratic party? It seems that Nancy Pelosi calls the shots: House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will ensure that Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) wins his race for majority leader, a key Murtha ally said Monday night. "She will ensure that they [the Murtha camp] win. This is hard-ball politics," said Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.), a longtime Murtha supporter. … [Read more...] about Pelosi Calls the Shots

(For my comments on the GOP leadership, see here.) In a recent post, I argued that with respect to Iraq Democrats would be unwise to pursue a formal policy of redeployment, or phased withdrawal, largely for political reasons looking ahead to '08. And now I find that Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi has expressed support for Jack Murtha's candidacy to be the next House majority … [Read more...] about Pelosi promotes Murtha