First up from the God machine this week is a big-and-getting-bigger religious dispute between one of the world’s preeminent spiritual leaders and one of the world’s biggest religions. It started this week when Pope Benedict XVI began a lecture in Germany by quoting a 14th-century dialogue between the Byzantine emperor, Manuel II Paleologos, and a […]
Guest Post by Morbo Had it been possible, I would have arranged to have been out of the country this past week — the farther away the better. Australian Outback? Sign me up. Expedition to the Galapagos Islands? I’m game. I’d have been happy to go almost anywhere to avoid the national round of media-driven […]
Guest Post by Morbo A few months ago, I noted that William Donald Schaefer, Maryland’s comptroller, had ogled a young female aide to Gov. Robert Ehrlich during a public meeting. I expressed my desire that this clown be booted from office during the primary election — but I was pessimistic that it would happen, as […]
Following up on an earlier item, I watched the president’s press conference this morning and jotted down a quick note every time I heard him say something that I knew to be false. Needless to say, I went through more than a couple of sheets of paper. * On the issue of military tribunals, Bush […]
I attended the Christian Coalition’s national conference in 2002 and saw then-House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) receive their heretofore unknown “Lifetime Champion of Family Values” award. In a short speech, Armey thanked the religious right movement for its support of him and the Republican Party, and then began crying while describing the sacrifice Armey […]
It sounded like progress. The House passed a measure yesterday that purports to improve transparency and accountability in federal spending by requiring lawmakers to attach their name to “[tag]earmarks[/tag]” contained in major [tag]spending[/tag] bills. Of all the Republican ethics-reform proposals unveiled earlier this year, this was the only measure to actually get a vote. It […]
The president’s Rose Garden press conference today featured a different Bush than we’re used to seeing. As Ezra noted, “Whereas Bush is generally petulant and unhappy at these events, he’s now snapping at reporters, straightforwardly insulting them, yelling from the podium, losing control, and generally evincing a combativeness and barely suppressed rage that I’ve never […]
I’m still skeptical that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) would launch a presidential campaign in 2008, and the senator himself has expressed no interest in the race at all, but if you listen to the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, a new “Obama ’08” boomlet is about to begin. After watching Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D) closely […]
To follow up on yesterday’s item about the anthrax letters for a moment, Jonathan Schwarz emailed me a terrific tip from Hubris on this very subject: In October 2001, [Wayne] Downing, [Paul] Wolfowitz, and other proponents of a war with Iraq thought they had yet more ammunition for the case against Saddam. A series of […]
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: * In Missouri’s closely-watched Senate race, the near-constant back and forth has swung once again, this time towards the challenger. In a new Rasmussen poll, state Auditor [tag]Claire McCaskill[/tag] (D) has now taken […]