When conservative scholars denounce the president’s warrantless-search program, that’s one thing. When conservative lawmakers raise serious doubts about the surveillance, that’s something else. But when Grover Norquist, perhaps the most powerful conservative activist in DC, takes an aggressive, principled stand against Bush’s domestic spying, it should raise eyebrows throughout the political word. (via TP) Norquist, […]
Newsweek’s Richard Wolffe and Holly Bailey had an interesting item today in response to the president’s State of the Union. Ultimately, I think they’re at least half-right. The State of the Union was a tale of two presidents. One was gracious about his opponents, seeking common ground for the sake of the nation’s future. The […]
Josh Marshall noted today that the New York Daily News had an interesting nugget in its story about Scooter Libby (remember him?), his legal defense, and Patrick Fitzgerald’s prosecution. Fitzgerald, who is fighting Libby’s request, said in a letter to Libby’s lawyers that many e-mails from Cheney’s office at the time of the Plame leak […]
Earlier this week, David Stevens, executive director of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, said medical professionals need to be able put their personal beliefs ahead of their professional responsibilities because of new scientific advances that could “violate their consciences.” What are these advances? “We are moving into a brave new world of cloning, cyborgs, […]
Literally within hours of being sworn in as a Supreme Court justice, Samuel Alito sat alongside his new colleagues at the State of the Union. His impact as on the high court itself may not be quite that quick, but we may not have to wait too long before Alito makes a lasting impression. Justice […]
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: * Republican billionaire Tom Golisano announced yesterday that he will not run for governor in New York this year, despite pleas from several party leaders. Golisano’s decision boosts former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld’s […]
Think whatever you want about Cindy Sheehan; there isn’t much of a defense for this. Peace activist Cindy Sheehan was arrested Tuesday in the House gallery after refusing to cover up a T-shirt bearing an anti-war slogan before President Bush’s State of the Union address. “She was asked to cover it up. She did not,” […]
I suspect readers are getting tired of seeing it — I know I’m tired of writing it — but as long as the president continues to misrepresent his warrantless-search program, I feel compelled to call him on it. And since his latest defense was featured in such a high-profile setting last night, it seems particularly […]
It was perhaps the most memorable phrase in the State of the Union, and it’s already been picked up far and wide by a soundbite-starved media: “Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy. And here we have a serious problem: America is addicted to oil, which is often imported from unstable parts of the world.” Indeed, […]
There was an episode of The Simspons a few years ago in which Springfield faced one of its many crises. Mayor Diamond Joe Quimby called a townhall meeting and pledged to create a “blue-ribbon commission” to investigate and address the emergency. One character responded earnestly, “Did he say a blue-ribbon commission?” Prompting another to say, […]