Crowd Control — international addition

Throughout every step of Bush’s presidency, his audiences have been carefully scrutinized to make sure he’s only exposed to loyal, sycophantic fans. With this in mind, it’s hardly a surprise the Bush gang would insist on the same policy overseas. Bush was originally scheduled to hold a town-hall meeting with regular German citizens today in […]

Bush’s new tax on gun owners

For an avowed tax cutter, Bush sure is picking some strange fights. First, the Bush White House announced a plan to raise taxes on air travelers with a new airport security tax. Then, Bush’s budget included a plan for a new health care tax on injured troops who need prescription drugs. But now Bush has […]

The AARP, congressional Dems, and an ongoing grudge

While the right gears up to destroy the AARP for its opposition to Bush’s plan to kill Social Security, the left is hoping to devise a way to defend the group against the Republican smear. But there’s a small catch: Dems are still a little peeved about the AARP’s recent past. Democratic anger with AARP […]

When spin and facts collide, omit the facts

The Economic Report of the President is supposed to chronicle the administration’s take on the state of the economy, international trade, and economic developments around the world. Because of the Bush White House’s approach to governing, the document is supposed to be sunny and upbeat at all times about all things, lest anyone get the […]

Cabin Fever

If there’s a group of people in America more obtuse than the Log Cabin Republicans, I’d love to see them. The Log Cabin Republicans, a lobbying group for gay Republicans, are regrouping after an election proved a national consensus against gay marriage has broadened its legislative goals this year. The group is reaching out to […]

Republicans can’t say they weren’t warned

I’ve been reporting for a while that Republicans believe re-redistricting is a new tool to expand the GOP majority in the U.S. House. I’ve also been reporting that it’s a scheme that can backfire — Dems can do it too. And now it seems an effort is underway to start leveling the playing field. House […]

The latest on Guckert/Gannon

Salon’s Eric Boehlert continues to move the ball forward on the James Guckert/Jeff Gannon story, this time explaining how the White House cleared the former male prostitute into the White House because he wrote for a partisan website, GOP USA. Guckert approached the White House in February 2003 seeking a pass for White House briefings. […]

Laughing at him, not with him

We all had a good laugh at the latest addition to the lengthy “Bushism” file yesterday. “[T]his notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table.” — Bush, yesterday, at the European Union’s headquarters The very idea of an attack […]

The perils of an uninformed electorate — Part MCXXVII

The latest national Harris Poll, conducted in the days after the Iraqi elections late last month, offered the kind of results that stopped being funny a long time ago. * 64% believe Saddam Hussein had strong links to Al Qaeda (up slightly from 62% in November). * 47% believe that Saddam Hussein helped plan and […]

Jonathan Chait explains why arguing with Bush conservatives seems pointless

Way back in 2001, when Bush was still lobbying on behalf of his first tax cut plan, the president was all over the map in explaining why the cuts would be worthwhile. On different occasions, Bush insisted tax cuts for millionaires are a good idea when the economy is bad, when the economy is good, […]