A handful of people in DC are following up on the story from earlier this week on the attempted bribe of a Michigan congressman for his vote on the GOP Medicare bill. To review briefly, Rep. Nick Smith (R-Mich.), who’s set to retire from Congress next year, had indicated to his party’s leadership that he […]
I’ve hesitated to wade into the discussion about Bush’s surprise two-hour trip to Baghdad on Thanksgiving because I don’t think I have much to add to the subject. I have to give the White House at least some credit — they’re excellent at political theater. Of course, theatrical productions sometimes need good props. Bush’s trip […]
Once in a great while, I make an accurate prediction. Not all of the time, of course, but it’s fun when it happens. Way back in April, I said that I believed Colorado’s statewide voucher plan for religious schools would be struck down for its inconsistency with the state constitution. “Article 9, Sec. 7 of […]
One of the House’s most notorious bigots, North Carolina Rep. Cass Ballenger (R), is being sued for defamation by a Muslim civil rights group the lawmaker accused of having terrorist ties. Ballenger and his wife had been living across the street from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). When the lawmaker’s marriage fell apart, he […]
Yesterday, we talked about Howard Dean’s decision to hide his gubernatorial records from public view and his admission that this was done for political considerations. Today we see reports that the Dean campaign is still trying to figure out what in the world to do about this up-and-coming controversy. At first, I was a little […]
Wesley Clark will be testifying at a war crimes trial against former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in two weeks, but thanks to the Bush administration, he’ll be doing so under heavy secrecy. On Meet the Press last month, Clark explained that he had been called to testify in Milosevic’s tribunal and will take a few […]
I’ve heard rumors that the White House realizes that it’s political vulnerable to charges of being anti-environment and is prepared to vigorously defend Bush’s environmental policies during the ’04 campaign. I just can’t figure out how they’ll be able to defend this record. The latest in a long line of attacks on the environment made […]
When considering the flaws in Bush’s so-called “faith-based” initiative, it’s hard to know where to start. There’s the obvious inconsistency with the First Amendment, plus the fact that it would lead to federally-funded employment discrimination, plus the very real possibility that religion could be forced on those who receive benefits, plus the inevitable government regulation […]
Several conservative outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Times, are abuzz with word that Howard Dean mistakenly referred to Russia as the “Soviet Union” on MSNBC’s Hardball this week. As far as I can tell, Dean did mess up, but I think there’s a little more to this. On Monday, Dean enjoyed […]
Not satisfied having ruined one presidential election, Ralph Nader is planning a return to the scene next year. Nader has created an exploratory committee and is beginning to raise money for yet another attempt to help the Republican Party control the White House. Theresa Amato, Nader’s 2000 campaign manager and a director of his new […]