The president has said, in no uncertain terms, that his support for the Dubai Ports World agreement is intractable. Nearly all of the congressional leaders, from both parties, have said their opposition is equally rigid. Is there a way out? A growing consensus suggests Congress will have to blink first. Slate’s John Dickerson said lawmakers, […]
It’s been a while since we’ve last heard about a new boycott from the American Family Association’s the Rev. Donald E. Wildmon. His new target? ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” which Wildmon describes as “one of the most vulgar and tasteless programs on television.” (via Pam Spaulding) Wildmon said his goal is to identify advertisers and launch […]
Always a font of information, Fox News’ personalities have been particularly interesting this week. For example, Bill O’Reilly has joined the cut-and-run caucus. During the February 20 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Bill O’Reilly suggested that the United States “hand over everything to the Iraqis as fast as humanly possible” because “[t]here are […]
As part of my ongoing fascinating with Al Gore’s prospects in 2008, I find it interesting that every few weeks, a handful of new items pop up that add a little more fuel to the still largely non-existent fire. Just yesterday, two fairly high-profile Republicans said the former Vice President could be a major player. […]
Just to follow up on a post from earlier this week, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) insisted over the weekend, without proof, that “nobody with brains” denies that Saddam Hussein “was supporting al-Qaida.” The comment seems to have been dogging him ever since. For example, several experts have chided Hatch for his nonsensical claim. Michael O’Hanlon, […]
As part of an effort to convince Congress and the public that it really was on the ball on the whole port deal, the administration leaked word yesterday that it had included all kinds of secret conditions to the Dubai Ports contract that would further protect U.S. interests. There are, however, a couple of catches. […]
Reuters’ Alan Elsner raises a provocative point today about the port controversy that I haven’t seen elsewhere. Elsner seems to be an agnostic on whether the deal is worthwhile, but argues that the White House shouldn’t be surprised by the fear-based reaction the port deal has received — the Bush gang has been tilling this […]
When it comes to the UAE port deal, the administration has a relatively compelling defense. A review of the deal, the Bush gang says, was reviewed and cleared by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a body made up of officials from the Defense, State, Commerce and Transportation Departments, along with the […]
The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it would hear a case challenging the constitutionality of a 2003 federal ban on the procedure that critics call “partial birth” abortion. The WaPo described the case, Gonzales v. Carhart, as one that sets the stage for the high court’s “most significant ruling on abortion rights in almost 15 […]
Yesterday, Bush seemed fairly annoyed that members of Congress would question the UAE port deal. In responding to questions from reporters, the president was aggressive and unyielding. “They ought to listen to what I have to say about this,” Bush said. “They ought to look at the facts, and understand the consequences of what they’re […]