The New York Times’s Eric Lipton had a terrific front-page report yesterday on the stunning revolving-door policies that allow several dozen top officials from the [tag]Department of Homeland Security[/tag] or the White House Office of [tag]Homeland Security[/tag] to cash in by moving to the private sector that lobbies for domestic security [tag]contracts[/tag]. While the lucrative […]
TNR’s Michael Crowley recently noted the odd relationship between Rep. [tag]Jack Murtha[/tag] (D-Pa.) and his progressive friends. Noting Murtha’s generally center/right approach to several policy issues, Crowley understandably calls the congressman an “unlikely liberal [tag]hero[/tag].” But to understand how and why progressive blogs and a blue-collar “hawk” from Pennsylvania get along so well, consider Murtha’s […]
With [tag]Patrick Fitzgerald[/tag]’s criminal investigation into the [tag]Plame[/tag] scandal apparently over, the focus now shifts to [tag]Scooter Libby[/tag]’s criminal trial, which could be a major source of embarrassment for the Bush White House. That is, unless the president intervenes. Now that top White House aide Karl Rove is off the hook in the [tag]CIA[/tag] [tag]leak[/tag] […]
Democratic leaders from both congressional chambers laid out an agenda for the future this week, describing their plans for a “new direction” for the nation. There was, however, no mention of the war in Iraq — in the agenda or at the press conference. Now, this was not through neglect or oversight. The Dems’ roll-out […]
[tag]Karl Rove[/tag]’s role in the [tag]Plame[/tag] scandal seemed to fade pretty quickly after it became apparent that he wouldn’t get indicted, but to their credit, at least a couple of [tag]White House[/tag] reporters are following up with some reasonable questions. From [tag]Tony Snow[/tag]’s most recent briefing: Q: Let me ask a general question then. In […]
We all had a little fun yesterday poking fun at Rep. [tag]Lynn Westmoreland [/tag](R-Ga.), who wants Congress to endorse the [tag]Ten Commandments[/tag], but when asked by Stephen Colbert to name them, admitted, “I can’t name ’em all.” Reader D.C. alerted me this morning to the official response from Westmoreland’s office. [Reached Friday, Westmoreland press secretary […]
No matter how tempting it may be to keep certain books off shelves, this is the wrong way to go. Commentator [tag]Ann Coulter[/tag]’s incendiary words about outspoken 9/11 widows have led two state lawmakers to calls for a [tag]boycott[/tag] of her new book in the widows’ home state of New Jersey. Assemblywomen Joan M. Quigley, […]
First up from the God machine this week is a big shake-up within the biggest Protestant denomination in the United States — the [tag]Southern Baptist Convention[/tag] elected the Rev. [tag]Frank Page[/tag] as the group’s president this week. Never heard of Page? You will. …Page’s upset victory could be very significant, both to the nation’s religious […]
Guest Post by Morbo I’ve been saying for some time now that the ban on [tag]same-sex marriage[/tag] is just the beginning. Far-right fundamentalist Christians are determined to strip [tag]gay[/tag]s of as many rights as possible. My prediction is being played out in Arkansas this week. The Arkansas Supreme Court is considering the state’s ban on […]
Guest Post by Morbo Army Sgt. [tag]Patrick D. Stewart[/tag] was killed in Afghanistan on Sept. 25, 2005, when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by enemy fire. A member of Nevada’s Army National Guard, Stewart was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Oddly enough, however, there is one honor the Department […]