GOP’s baseless attacks on independent liberal organizations

It’s no secret that the Bush-Cheney war chest is enormous. These guys are the most prolific fundraisers in the history of democracy. As far as I can tell, collecting checks from fat-cat donors is about the only thing in which this White House really excels. Of course, there’s an end to these means. BC04 needs […]

White House counsel contacted 9/11 Commission members before Clarke testimony

I’m not sure what to make of this, but it sure doesn’t smell good. Part of having an independent commission studying the Sept. 11 attacks is the members’ independence. There are new questions, however, about whether the White House respected the panelists’ neutrality and objectivity before Richard Clarke testified last week. The Washington Post reported: […]

We’ll see your ‘no’ and raise you a subpoena

Nothing is quite as entertaining as watching House Dems, demoralized by their minority status and unfair treatment, playing political hardball. Dems on the House Ways and Means Committee have effectively been raising hell over the ongoing Medicare scandal. They even convinced the GOP to hold a hearing on the administration’s cover-up, which in and of […]

Bush learns that governing is harder than campaigning — Part MCXXVIII

On the campaign trail in 2000, Bush made it sound so easy. When gas prices are too high and OPEC is under producing, Bush said he would utilize his notorious charm and “jawbone” OPEC producers by getting “on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say, ‘We expect you to open your spigots.’” OPEC would […]

The Bush administration was asleep at the wheel

OK, a quick fill-in-the-blank quiz. On September 10, 2001, about 18 hours before terrorists used airplanes as missiles to kill 3,000 Americans, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld launched a sweeping new Pentagon initiative. He called it a “War on _________.” Was it: a) Terrorism b) Al Queda and Osama bin Laden c) The Ballistic Missile Threat […]

The single most ironic quote in the history of the world

Bill O’Reilly, talking about the new Air America radio network: O’Reilly said on his Fox News show that “this whole liberal network scheme is just plain stupid…. These pinheads backing the venture will lose millions of dollars because the propaganda network is simply tedious and tedious doesn’t sell.”

You never know what you’ll find at a DC Starbucks

Oh, this is a good one. As most of America slept early last Sunday morning, the Bush Administration hustled and bustled to prepare for the Sunday morning talk shows — among others Colin Powell was appearing on Face the Nation and Donald Rumsfeld was booked on Fox News Sunday. Condi Rice was not scheduled to […]

FactCheck makes a good catch in response to latest Bush ad

Gas prices are reaching all-time highs and OPEC is cutting output, so Bush is getting a little nervous. Naturally, this means it’s time for Bush’s campaign to roll out the latest attack ad against John Kerry. This one’s titled, “Wacky.” (Really, that’s the name the campaign gave it.) Some people have wacky ideas. Like taxing […]

Medicare scandal forces distance between White House, GOP Congress

If Bush is hoping for political cover from his buddies on Capitol Hill over the Medicare scandal, he can forget it. Congressional Republicans are going out of their way to distance themselves from the controversy. Republican lawmakers are distancing themselves from the still raging Medicare scoring controversy by chastising the Bush administration for withholding information […]

Let’s chip in and get Ron Hutcheson an award

As I may have mentioned before, one of the most frustrating features of political journalism, for me, is an unnecessary aversion to conclusions. Articles will note what the Dems said, then what the GOP said, but never tell readers who’s right (assuming there’s an objective truth available). Knight Ridder’s Ron Hutcheson, therefore, probably deserves a […]