From today’s Progress Report: “I’m not seeing any indication the Taliban pose any military threat to Afghanistan.” – Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, 2/25/04 Taliban attacks “have reached their highest level since the collapse of the Taliban government. [They] are a serious threat, potentially eroding commitments to stability and progress in Afghanistan.” – Defense Intelligence […]
Kevin Drum noted an ABC News report yesterday that mentioned George W. Bush’s ongoing support for five constitutional amendments: 1. Flag burning 2. Victims rights 3. Abortion 4. Balanced budget 5. Gay marriage This, in and of itself, is disturbing. As Drum put it, Bush “really seems to think the Constitution is just a rough […]
Ed Gillespie, chairman of the RNC, appears to have settled on a line of attack against John Kerry, and according to the Republicans’ talking points, Kerry’s votes against weapons systems in the 1990s will be a center point of GOP criticism. But before he goes too far with this tack, Gillespie may want to read […]
The Center for American Progress found a great example of Tom Ridge, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, looking back at 2002 with a very selective memory. One might even say he’s relying on “revisionist history.” Ridge, marking the one-year anniversary of his cabinet agency’s creation, noted the following: [After 9/11, Bush] knew that […]
I saw a funny bumper sticker recently that said: “Impeach Bush — and we’ll call it even.” Apparently, however, there are at least a few folks out there who aren’t kidding about this. Roll Call reported yesterday that Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who earlier in his career helped draw articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon, […]
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan’s press briefing yesterday featured a whole lot of questions about the president’s support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. One exchange, in particular, struck me as important. To put this in context, McClellan had argued that this amendment would protect marriage, and as a result, protect our “civilization.” […]
That’s not an entirely rhetorical question. I really want to know. As expected, the National Education Association demanded that Bush fire Education Secretary Roderick Paige, a day after the cabinet secretary called the nation’s largest teachers union a “terrorist organization.” We have heard from thousands of teachers and educators who came home from working in […]
There was an interesting article in the Boston Globe yesterday about John Edwards’ efforts to woo support from Howard Dean and his legions of fans. The more I think about it, though, the less sense it makes to me. Edwards is looking for a break that will give him some much-needed traction. Super Tuesday is […]
The good guys don’t win often at the Supreme Court anymore, so when it happens, it’s cause for celebration. This morning, the high court announced that a state can legally limit scholarships for religious instruction. The really shocking thing is that this was a 7-2 vote and Rehnquist, whose palpable hostility for church-state separation is […]
A couple of people emailed me to ask why I didn’t write anything yesterday about Bush’s support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The truth is, I found myself at a loss for words and hoped that I might be more articulate 24 hours later. I’m not, but I’ll share my thoughts anyway. I […]