As the Donald Trump phenomenon continues -- the press is constantly wrong about his durability, the head of Fox News kowtows to him and doesn't completely stick up for his organization's star anchorwoman who dared to ask him tough questions like journalism profs teach their students to do, polls show him in the lead -- could it be that he's on a path to losing the GOP … [Read more...] about Is Donald Trump Winning The Polls — And Losing The Nomination?
Cartoon: Hillary and Trust
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Hillary and Trust
Klein: Why Trump Won’t Go Away
Ezra Klein lists the ways Donald Trump differs from prior flash in the pan GOP Presidential candidates on vox.com. Thus far, the assumption of pretty much everyone in politics and the media has been that Trump will burn out, and soon. The analogy is to 2012, when candidates ranging from Herman Cain to Newt Gingrich to Rick Santorum to Michele Bachmann found themselves atop the … [Read more...] about Klein: Why Trump Won’t Go Away
Fox News Surrenders to Trump (UPDATED WITH ROUNDUP)
Josh Marshall provides the ugly details on Talking Points Memo. We were told it was a fight Trump could never win - a picked battle with the most trust institution in conservative America: Fox News. The numbers made it clear. Trump was done. It was only a matter of time. And yet here we have it: Fox's unconditional surrender. Fox Capo Roger Ailes was forced to … [Read more...] about Fox News Surrenders to Trump (UPDATED WITH ROUNDUP)
The letter
My partner Karen died March 10, 2006. Before moving to Florida to be with me four years, six months and ten days earlier, she had lived in New Hampshire and worked for a company in Massachusetts. I was born in Massachusetts. Karen and I had been friends when we were much younger. We lost touch a few years before I moved to Florida and had not spoken for over a decade before … [Read more...] about The letter
TMV Comedy Break: The Interview
People need an occasional hiatus from the serious side of life. So, the following comedy break is presented. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Welcome to this comedy edition … [Read more...] about TMV Comedy Break: The Interview
I Was Not Prepared For ‘Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck’.
5/5 I have yet to return from Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. I left the cinema three nights ago, yet my mind is still there, taking in the splendor, oxidizing in the sadness. The film is extraordinary, as much as any documentary I’ve ever seen, not because of all it shows but because of all the things it doesn’t. It features no retrospective thoughts on Cobain’s death, nor is … [Read more...] about I Was Not Prepared For ‘Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck’.
Did Fox News Create the ‘Trump Monster’?
At the Daily Beast, Michael Tomasky “confirms” what many have been suggesting: That the Republican Party, abetted by Fox News, "created the Trump monster." First, Tomasky dives into all kinds of polls showing the “Tasmanian Devil candidate” still going strong, still on the rise -- you can read the numbers here-- and expresses his opinion that, if he and the polls are … [Read more...] about Did Fox News Create the ‘Trump Monster’?
Perry campaign death watch? Perry stops paying his staffers
Make your bets now on how much longer Texas Gov. Rick Perry's campaign will go. He never recovered from his "Oops!" brain-freeze moment four years ago when he came to the campaign amid great punditry hype declaring him a power house that had only seen in the cases of President Rudy Giuliani and President Fred Thompson. He fizzled, later said it was due to being on back … [Read more...] about Perry campaign death watch? Perry stops paying his staffers
Political Chaos
In an Op Ed below Eugene Robinson does a good job of summing up the political chaos we are experiencing today. At 69 I am familiar with the political chaos that resulted from the Vietnam war and later Watergate. But this is somehow different. Even in the late 60 s and early 70 s I don't think people totally lost faith in their government, Today on the Republican side we … [Read more...] about Political Chaos
Help Trump marginalize himself (Guest Voice)
NOTE: This is a substitute column. Due to a technical issue it runs under EJ Dionne's byline in the embedded byline. Help Trump marginalize himself by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- In the first Republican debate, the klieg light that Donald Trump always carries around with him revealed four or five presidential candidates … [Read more...] about Help Trump marginalize himself (Guest Voice)
A Party in Turmoil
WASHINGTON -- The Republican Party is in total chaos. Democrats aren't there yet but may be approaching the neighborhood. It's time to acknowledge that our political system simply isn't doing its job. Once again, following Thursday's debate and its messy aftermath, the GOP establishment confidently predicts that the Donald Trump phenomenon is over, done with, finished, … [Read more...] about A Party in Turmoil
Coca-Cola takes heat for funding ‘energy balance’ group
ATLANTA — Coca-Cola found itself on the defensive Monday after a report said the beverage giant had been secretly funding a "scientific" group that says Americans are getting fatter because of a lack of physical fitness — not sugary drinks. The group, Global Energy Balance Network, bills itself as a not-for-profit "dedicated to identifying and implementing… … [Read more...] about Coca-Cola takes heat for funding ‘energy balance’ group
Managing Oneself
The image above is of me walking my daughter down the aisle at her wedding two months ago. It was one of the best days and nights of my life. No doubt. Click to enlarge. The day before (at a run through) images of she and I show that I had a smile ear to ear. It was real. I love Alex, my son in law. I have known him for near nine years. The image above shows my … [Read more...] about Managing Oneself
Trump’s Republican Support Holds Strong Post-Debate: Reuters/Ipsos poll
By Andy Sullivan and Steve HollandWASHINGTON (Reuters) - There is no sign that Donald Trump's raucous first presidential debate is hurting his support among party voters, with the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll showing he still has a big lead over his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination.Trump's staying power is defying predictions of political doom and leading some … [Read more...] about Trump’s Republican Support Holds Strong Post-Debate: Reuters/Ipsos poll
Obama vs. the Cavaliers of Unilateralism
WASHINGTON -- If you wondered why President Obama gave such a passionate and, yes, partisan speech on behalf of the Iran nuclear deal Wednesday, all you had to do was tune in to the Republican presidential debate the next night. Anyone who still thinks the president has any chance of turning the opposition party his way after watching the candidates (or listening to … [Read more...] about Obama vs. the Cavaliers of Unilateralism
We must let our voices be heard in 2016
I love the United States of America. I love our Constitution and Bill of Rights. I love our flag. I love our planet and all of creation. I want to see our country continue to move forward, however slowly that may be at times, to what it can become and not slip backward to what it never was. I don't want to see our country turn back to a time when the only people who had … [Read more...] about We must let our voices be heard in 2016
Where are you on the Political Compass?
“... the Political Compass helps a new generation in particular to get a better idea of where they stand politically ...” – PoliticalCompass.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Welcome to this first edition of Middle Mayhem, a look at politics … [Read more...] about Where are you on the Political Compass?
Trump to be interviewed on Fox News tonight to be treated “fairly” (Trump wins Fox News “war”)
You could suggest "the fix is in." There's a truce in the war (that some said was really only cosmetic and not a war) between Fox News and Republican Presidential nominee frontrunner Donald Trump. According to reports, Trump will be interviewed on Fox News "fairly" tonight -- read that, given lots of softball questions or a hardball question that really isn't hardball but … [Read more...] about Trump to be interviewed on Fox News tonight to be treated “fairly” (Trump wins Fox News “war”)
Trump v. Fox News Explained
Ezra Klein explains why Donald Trump felt betrayed by Fox News on vox.com. It's not just about what happened at Thursday's debate. It's also about the way Fox News had, until Thursday, been inflating the Trump bubble, and the broader tension between Fox News's role as a ratings-obsessed cable network, an actual journalistic outlet, and one of the most important institutional … [Read more...] about Trump v. Fox News Explained