Grover Norquist, for those who aren’t familiar with his work, is not just another right-wing player in Washington. He is the player. He helped write the Contract with America, he’s helped write the Republican Party platform in every election since 1988, he created the infamous K Street Project, he hosts the notorioous “Wednesday Meetings” with […]
Bush doesn’t answer a lot of questions from reporters, so when he does, there’s almost always something interesting that comes of it. Yesterday was no exception. Reuters reporter: “Mr. President, thank you. Why do you think the CIA’s assessment of conditions in Iraq are so much at odds with the optimism that you and Prime […]
Way back in May, the Bush administration sought a $25-billion emergency fund for the war in Iraq. At the time, it was called an “insurance policy” that probably would not be needed. Guess what. It’s needed. A relentless insurgency in Iraq has prompted the Pentagon to begin spending money from a $25-billion emergency fund that […]
As a friend of mine on Wall Street noted, Bush mentioned an important issue, in passing, at the United Nations yesterday: “Because we believe in human dignity, America and many nations have changed the way we fight poverty….” If you define “change the way” to mean “stop paying attention to it here at home,” then […]
It’s hard to keep up with all of the developments surrounding Congress’ most repulsive member, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, but scandals surrounding him are reaching fever pitch. One controversy may lead to a DeLay indictment, the other will probably lead to nothing. First, virtually everyone DeLay knows and works with in Texas is now […]
How bad has it become for Republicans trying to defend Bush’s Medicare scheme? They literally have to pay people to find seniors who like the president’s plan. A Republican lobbying firm is offering healthcare consultants almost $4,000 each to find senior citizens who are willing to speak out in favor of the Medicare drug discount […]
Since I’m frequently frustrated over the media’s inability (or disinterest) in playing any kind of political fact-checking role, I figure it’s only fair to point out when someone gets it right. Especially on TV. As Oliver Willis and my friend Poppy noted, ABC’s Peter Jennings did a straight-up piece last night, contrasting what Bush said […]
It wasn’t long ago — indeed, it was just four days ago — when the Bush campaign was practically giddy over John Kerry’s decision to focus the campaign onto the war in Iraq. White House communications director Dan Bartlett said that when the public compares Bush and Kerry on Iraq, they consistently put their faith […]
John Kerry said the right thing yesterday about the necessity of the war in Iraq, but it inevitably leads to an awkward question. “Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell. But that was not, in itself, a reason to go to war. The satisfaction we take in his […]
One of the biggest, most contentious House races in the country this year is in Texas, pitting two well-known incumbents against one another, thanks to Tom DeLay’s outrageous re-redistricting scheme — Pete Sessions (R) vs. Martin Frost (D). Roll Call noted yesterday that the two faced off in their first debate last weekend, and by […]