National Journal’s Chuck Todd, in setting the stage for tonight’s debate, captured the significance perfectly. As clichéd as it sounds, this is the first debate in the most important election of our lifetimes on the most important issues of the day (Iraq and terrorism) in the most important battleground state (Florida). Overdramatic? Actually, no. Tonight’s […]
It seemed odd to many that Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s address to a joint session of Congress last week would dovetail so perfectly with the Bush campaign’s message. Coincidence? No reasonable person could think so. Naturally, all of the likely suspects — Karen Hughes, Dan Senor, David Frum — denied having anything to do […]
I think the most frequent comment I receive via email asks how so many Americans, despite all we’ve learned over the last four years, can still support Bush. It’s a reasonable question that I struggle over myself. While there are a variety of explanations available, I tend to believe the most obvious one: many voters […]
In case you weren’t absolutely convinced that Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly is a vapid hack masquerading as a “journalist,” consider this quote (via Atrios and Jon Stewart) from O’Reilly’s Tuesday broadcast, before his interview with Bush was aired. “The president did not receive the questions in advance, nor were there any restrictions on what I […]
In case you missed it, the Washington Post had a good item about missile defense yesterday, but with an unhelpful headline that read, “Interceptor System Set, But Doubts Remain.” That’s an outrageously forgiving way of saying, “Ineffective System In Place, No One Thinks It Can Work.” At a newly constructed launch site on a tree-shorn […]
White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett had a classic “Michael Kinsley Moment” last week: he committed a gaffe by telling the truth. In a departure from public pronouncements about the federal budget deficit, a senior aide to President Bush said last week that the record deficits have been caused, in part, by tax cuts. Administration […]
No wonder Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is hesitant to let reporters see and record his speeches; the guy has a penchant for saying odd things. At an appearance at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government this week, Scalia articulated quite a judicial philosophy. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says he believes “abstract moralizing” has led […]
Congressional Republicans appear anxious to use their limited remaining time left in session on burning issues such as flag burning and gay marriage, but the drive to pass a constitutional amendment mandating balanced budgets, fortunately, seems to be all-but dead. The timing seemed a bit discordant last week, when the House Judiciary Committee began considering […]
GOP heavy-hitters Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, who worked with Christian Coalition/Bush campaign golden boy Ralph Reed on some highly questionable lobbying activities for American Indian tribes, seem to be getting deeper and deeper into trouble. Former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and public relations executive Michael Scanlon formed a secret partnership that corruptly influenced Indian tribal […]
If the presidential race was based on the preferences of two-term Republican presidents’ sons, we’d be in great shape. Ron Reagan Jr., for example, seems almost desperate to vote for John Kerry in November, fresh off his appearance at the Democratic National Convention and his sweeping condemnations of Bush and his presidency. Yesterday, the list […]