While introducing Paul O’Neill to the nation as his choice as Treasury Secretary in 2001, George W. Bush lauded O’Neill as “a straight shooter.” Bush didn’t know the half of it. Proving that hell hath no fury like a Treasury Secretary scorned, O’Neill, who was pushed out of his job in December 2002 as part […]
Here I am, just finishing up the last post about Dean’s new-found predicament in Iowa, when I learn that Sen. Tom Harkin has endorsed him. If Dean was hoping for some good news to get him out of a jam, this was it. Harkin is Iowa’s most popular politician with a vast network of activists. […]
Talk about bad timing. Two new polls out of Iowa, the first ones we’ve seen in weeks, show a fairly close race going into the final full week of campaigning. An SUSA poll still shows Dean in the lead, but with a significant drop from a month ago, and with Kerry and Edwards making big […]
Now that Tom DeLay’s obscene re-redistricting scheme appears to have passed legal muster, the real problems begin. Hard-working Democratic House members from Texas now have to figure out how to keep their jobs after the Republicans have underhandedly stacked the deck against them. Rep. Jim Turner, a four-term Democratic congressman from East Texas, for example, […]
The American Research Group daily tracking poll in New Hampshire has become a must-read. Today’s was particularly interesting, but not just because of the data. First, let’s look at the numbers. Obviously, it’s more good news for Wesley Clark. Dean — 35% Clark — 20% Kerry — 11% This is a quick and dramatic turn […]
My long-held respect and admiration of Colin Powell is all but gone. It’s not entirely his fault; Powell is in the untenable position of defending a Bush administration foreign policy with which he obviously disagrees. Nevertheless, watching Powell struggle through unpersuasive and half-hearted explanations is painful. The latest example of this was yesterday’s concession about […]
I think one of the reasons Wesley Clark’s campaign has been able to build some serious momentum in recent weeks is Clark’s positive message and his refraining from criticizing his Dem rivals. Particularly as the Iowa caucus vote draws nearer, and Dean, Gephardt, Lieberman, and Kerry take turns attacking each other, Clark has capitalized in […]
At the national level, it sometimes seems as if the Republican Party only deals with bizarre, hateful religious leaders. There’s Jerry Falwell, who believes liberals helped cause the terrorist attacks of 9/11; there’s Pat Robertson, who wants nuclear bombs thrown at the State Department and thinks God told him Bush is going to win in […]
I’m beginning to think the official unemployment rate is completely useless. Today, the Labor Department released what appeared to be good news. The unemployment rate fell to 5.7% in December, the lowest level in 14 months. Great, right? Alas, no. December’s rate fell, but the month only saw 1,000 new jobs added to the workforce. […]
You already know that last year’s federal budget deficit was almost $400 billion, the largest deficit in the nation’s history. Today we’ve learned, however, that we’re already on track to break last year’s record fairly easily. Congressional auditors announced this week that the deficit for just the first three months of the 2004 fiscal year […]