There is no shortage of ideas for how best Congress can take on the White House over the war in Iraq, but according to the New York Times, Dem leaders in both chambers seem to believe a non-binding resolution is the way to go. Democratic leaders said Tuesday that they intended to hold symbolic votes […]
The fact that the president and military leaders are divided on how best to proceed in Iraq would be noteworthy under any circumstances, but it’s particularly striking given that Bush has sworn for years that he would not second guess the top military brass. “It’s important to trust the judgment of the military when they’re […]
Just to follow up briefly on the previous post, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow also had a gem yesterday about one of the more ridiculous photo-ops of recent memory. Q: Tony, this goes to your previous acknowledgment that the President is aware of public anxiety about the situation in Iraq. What would your guidance […]
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow made a comment yesterday — a series of comments, actually — that spoke volumes about how the Bush gang approach discourse on the war. Oddly enough, I’m thrilled to hear him make the remarks, because they help clarify the broader dynamic. The context came in response to a question […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * Guess which annual blog awards are now accepting nominations? * A whole lot of people spent a whole lot of time trying to track down a picture of George W. Bush and Jack Abramoff together. One finally came out. As CREW put it, “The White House did not want […]
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) gave a tremendous speech today in Washington, highlighting his new legislation that would require the president to get congressional authority before escalating the war in Iraq. He also offered a few White House quotes that bear repeating. Here’s a good one: “It became clear that if we were prepared to stay […]
Last week we learned that the White House issued another one of its infamous “signing statements,” this time asserting the power to open postal mail without a warrant or court approval. There hasn’t been too much response on the Hill just yet — though hearings hardly seem out of the question — but I was […]
In addition to the confusion about congressional powers mentioned earlier, there seems to be a general idea that Congress simply does not interfere with presidential war authority. For lawmakers to use the power of the purse to intercede on military operations is so unusual, the theory goes, that the very idea is to be considered […]
Newsweek’s Tom Curry speculates about an idea for a presidential ticket that’s almost too scary for words. Will McCain, now a leading contender for the 2008 GOP nomination, borrow Kerry’s idea and offer the vice presidency to Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut’s self-styled “independent Democrat”? The McCain-Lieberman duo showed a warm camaraderie Friday during their joint […]
I have a very hard time understanding why in the world former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore (R) is running for president. Jim Gilmore, Virginia’s former tax-slashing Republican governor, on Tuesday took the first step in a long-shot bid for the presidency. Gilmore filed papers with the Federal Election Commission in Washington to form the Jim […]