Dan Froomkin noted yesterday that Jeffrey K. Tulis, a government professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of “The Rhetorical Presidency,” recently explained that George Washington “was intent on establishing the precedent that the president was chosen to represent the whole country, not just his partisan supporters.” Things sure have changed from […]
Bush returned to an issue that’s near — if not entirely dear — to his heart yesterday, speaking at the annual Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Leadership Conference about his support for his beleaguered initiative. The president may have strayed from his original text, however, and accidentally told people the truth about his intentions. “…If you’re […]
I saw a headline in Roll Call this morning that read, “GOP Leaders Reaching Out.” Immediately, I assumed the article was about Republicans trying to strike a deal with Joe Lieberman on Social Security, or asking Ben Nelson to endorse a ban on gay marriage. But I was missing the point entirely. The Republican leaders […]
I didn’t think it was possible, but Halliburton is the subject of yet another federal criminal probe. The Justice Department is looking into whether former Halliburton Co. employees conspired with other companies to rig bids for large overseas construction projects, according to the company. The antitrust probe has grown out of a continuing investigation into […]
Yesterday’s ruling prohibiting the execution of minors made for a good read, but part of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s reasoning is likely to catch the attention of conservatives in a big way. “Our determination,” Kennedy added, “finds confirmation in the stark reality that the United States is the only country in the world that continues to […]
Everyone knows the Supreme Court will hear arguments today on the constitutionality of government support for the Protestant version of the Ten Commandments. I won’t bother reciting the many reasons this is a no-brainer (though I did write a top-10 list on the subject a few years ago), but I will respond to a ridiculous […]
Number of times Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) recommended an unprovoked nuclear attack on Syria: 2 Number of daily newspaper articles to report the remark: 0 Number of newspaper editorials and op-eds to comment on the remark: 0 Number of reports on Johnson’s comments on CNN: 1 Number of combined reports on Johnson’s comments on ABC, […]
Almost 20 years ago, then-President Ronald Reagan routinely forgot the names of his top generals and cabinet secretaries, particularly towards the end of his second term when his health took a turn for the worse. In one notable example from 1988, Reagan seemed to have no idea who Samuel Pierce was, despite the fact that […]
Like Dick Cheney accusing Dems of using “scare tactics,” Tom DeLay stressing the need for ethics in government, or George W. Bush emphasizing fiscal responsibility, there are some moments of hypocrisy that just take one’s breath away. Media Matters reported yesterday on another such moment. Rush Limbaugh, doing his show from Afghanistan last week, lectured […]
Last night at the National Building Museum in DC, Senate Dems and other well-wishers gathered for one final sendoff for the former Dem leader in the Senate, Tom Daschle. And while most of the revelers enjoyed amusing stories about Daschle’s tenure, and avoided even mentioning Senate Republicans (all of whom were invited, but none of […]