The Bush administration heard most of what it wanted to hear from the Supreme Court today, when the justices announced that it would not hear the Jose Padilla appeal. The decision was a victory for the White House, but only a partial one. The Supreme Court handed the Bush administration a significant victory today when […]
Just so readers know, the Koufax Award winners were announced this morning and it looks like I came up a little short. As the announcement post explained: We almost had a four-way dead heat in this category among The Carpetbagger Report, Crooks & Liars, FireDogLake, and Hullabaloo. Switching little more than a handful of votes […]
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: * Rep. [tag]Katherine Harris[/tag]’ (R-Fla.) Senate campaign endured a “staff revolt” over the weekend, with lead strategist Ed Rollins, campaign manager Jamie Miller, and spokeswoman Morgan Dobbs all moving on. Florida Today reported, […]
CNN is reporting that changes among the president’s top staff may include the end of Scott McClellan’s tenure in the briefing room. Presidential press secretary [tag]Scott McClellan[/tag] and Treasury Secretary [tag]John Snow[/tag] could be next in a [tag]shake-up[/tag] in the Bush administration, according to White House and GOP sources. The possible departure of both men […]
Last week, when the Senate passed a massive “[tag]lobbying reform[/tag]” measure, one of the more notable provisions was language that would lessen the “[tag]earmark[/tag]” appropriations that have flourished under GOP leadership. According to the Congressional Research Service, earmarks in spending bills for fiscal year 2006 totaled $64 billion. The reform bill approved by the Senate […]
The public health care system in Iraq was a mess before the U.S. invasion in 2003, as years of conflict and sanctions took their toll. When the Bush administration committed to rebuilding that system, it was undoubtedly a good decision. If only the administration were capable of succeeding. A reconstruction contract for the building of […]
Two weeks ago, Senate Minority Leader [tag]Harry Reid[/tag] (D-Nev.) labeled [tag]George W. Bush[/tag] “the worst president this country has ever had.” Last week, [tag]Reid[/tag] was at it again, describing [tag]Bush[/tag] as “[tag]dangerously incompetent[/tag],” and adding, “‘Stay the course, mission accomplished, bring ’em on,’ the American people are sick of that. We need to change course […]
In case you missed CNN’s Larry King show on Friday night, Air America’s [tag]Randi Rhodes[/tag] had a bit of an on-air confrontation with conservative talk-show host [tag]Martha Zoller[/tag]. It wasn’t terribly heated, but it’s worth noting anyway because it highlighted the kind of altercation — and liberal response — I’d like to see more of. […]
[tag]John McCain[/tag], less than six years ago, insisted that TV preacher [tag]Jerry Falwell[/tag] was an “agent of intolerance” to whom Republicans shouldn’t “pander.” Shortly thereafter, McCain said he “must not and will not retract” his remarks, noting that they were “carefully crafted” and “carefully thought out.” Now that McCain has decided to become chummy with […]
Consider a few newsworthy items from the last week or so, and the responses they generated from the national news [tag]media[/tag]. * The Boston Globe reported that President [tag]Bush[/tag] believes he is not obligated to follow the Patriot Act’s provisions that require him inform Congress about how the FBI was using the act’s expanded police […]