Republicans now: Some Republicans say Democrats crossed a line of decorum when they grumbled and hissed during President Bush’s State of the Union speech Wednesday night. “I think it was really inappropriate,” said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). “It’s foolish … They’re going to run [for reelection] on the plan for Social Security — which is […]
Unlike his religious right cohorts (Falwell, Robertson, et al), James Dobson is always careful about partisan politics. He seems all-too-aware that tax-exempt ministries, such as his Focus on the Family, cannot legally intervene in partisan campaigns. This is not to say that Dobson takes a hands-off approach to politics — he actually endorses candidates all […]
House Republican leaders waited until the day of the State of the Union, which is known to get a little media attention, to put the final touches on their scheme to turn the House Ethics Committee into a toothless, partisan operation. Former committee Chairman Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) was fired by Hastert & Co. for not […]
A few days ago, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) was on This Week with George Stephanopoulos when he was asked if he was planning to run for president. “I’m not ruling anything out or in,” he said. The question was hardly a surprise. Bayh has been playing a behind-the-scenes role in the DNC race, he took […]
Sorry to keep heaping effusive praise on Harry Reid, but he keeps doing things worthy of effusive praise. While it’s likely that the Dem response to Bush’s State of the Union was watched by a much smaller audience than that of the president, Reid unveiled a great new repackaging-line that will likely become a mainstay […]
It was probably a throw-away line, but as I was taking notes during last night’s State of the Union, there was a comment about the near future that stood out. “[B]ecause democracies respect their own people and their neighbors, the advance of freedom will lead to peace. That advance has great momentum in our time […]
Presidents almost always enjoy a post-State of the Union bump in the polls, and I suspect last night’s speech, which was one of Bush’s better addresses, will be worth at least a few points. That said, if you hear about the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, take the results with heaping grains of salt. President Bush’s […]
I enjoy political theater as much as the next guy, and the pomp and circumstance of a State of the Union is a great annual fix for grandeur. Bush’s speech last night was even topped by one of the more touching and emotional moments one will ever see in such an address. But as soon […]
All things being equal, Bush could probably think of better circumstances going into tonight’s State of the Union address. He won a second term by the narrowest amount for an incumbent in American history. Bush’s inaugural address confused the world, and the White House spent the week after the speech trying to explain what the […]
The relationship between the religious right movement and Republicans in DC hasn’t been going particularly well since Election Day. It’s reached a point in which religious right leaders like James Dobson have taken to threatening the White House with reprisals unless the movement starts seeing some progress. Why would Bush & Co. risk alienating the […]