On the Hill, Rep. Marty Meehan’s Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, continues to slowly build stronger and broader support. As of this week, the bill (H.R.1059) has 89 co-sponsors, three of whom are Republican, and six of whom have signed on within the last few weeks. […]
When the Bush administration hired Armstrong Williams, they not only found a second-rate pundit who’d sell his integrity for $240,000, they also managed to find one of the rare syndicated columnists who hasn’t learned to use Google. In a column published yesterday, Williams wrote: The government cannot raise our kids. As Abraham Lincoln observed 130 […]
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers: * The ongoing struggle among Michigan Republicans to find a challenger for Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has taken yet another turn. After several recruited candidates said no (and unwanted candidates said yes), Republicans […]
Over the holiday weekend, the investigation into the scandal surrounding the White House and Valerie Plame took an entertaining turn when reports surfaced that Karl Rove was, in fact, one of the leakers who exposed the identity of an undercover CIA agent. The e-mails surrendered by Time Inc., which are largely between Cooper and his […]
We’re barely a few days into the political debate over the future of the Supreme Court. Bush probably won’t announce his nominee until next week, at the earliest. And yet, the fight has already turned in at least one very odd direction. While some focused on whom Bush’s choice will be, others mapped out strategy […]
I think it’s fair to say that Republicans are getting a little nervous about the stem-cell research bill pending in the Senate. GOP lawmakers seem all-too-aware that the public backs this bill, but Bush’s inflexibility makes it unlikely the legislation will become law. Some are looking ahead to the political consequences and wondering if kowtowing […]
The fact that Corporation for Public Broadcasting Chairman Ken Tomlinson hired an outside consultant to monitor PBS programs for alleged liberalism is odd. And the fact that he did so without consulting the CPB board of directors is disturbing. But even if we put all of that aside, the story doesn’t get really strange until […]
Bush, speaking in Morgantown, W.Va., this morning: “The history we celebrate today is a testament to the power of freedom to lift up a whole nation. On Independence Day, we remember the ideals of liberty that led men from 13 colonies to gather in Philadelphia and pen a declaration of self-truths. And we remember the […]
The Washington Post had an interesting item yesterday to honor the 4th by revisiting the Pledge of Allegiance. So few words, so many arguments. Yet the Pledge of Allegiance has never been static. On this July 4 weekend, Outlook offers 19 variations on the theme. Like John Cole, I think Christopher Buckley’s submission was by […]
Since Friday afternoon’s revelations that Karl Rove may very well have been of the White House staffers who leaked Valerie Plame’s identity to reporters, Robert Luskin, Rove’s attorney, has been working the phones furiously, insisting that his client has done absolutely nothing wrong. Some of Luskin’s denials have been surprisingly categorical, which gives them the […]