Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.) held a press conference yesterday on the Hill, and most of the questions focused on his scandal-plagued GOP caucus. McConnell, after several questions on Sen. Larry Craig’s (R-Idaho) predicament, characterized the controversy as a thing of the past. When a reporter noted rumors that Craig might reconsider resigning, a […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * The Culture of Corruption lives on: “‘GOP Rep. John Doolittle’s chief of staff and deputy chief of staff have been subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in a federal probe into ties between Doolittle, his wife and jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff.’ … The Sacramento Bee reported back in […]
With the release of the GAO report on Iraq already out, and positioning in advance of next week well underway, you’re likely to hear quite a few numbers being tossed around. When it comes to the surge, keep in mind that even the encouraging news is not quite what it seems. According to U.S. military […]
Actor/lobbyist/senator Fred Thompson has been running for president for several months, but doing so in a way that allows him to avoid debates, questions, reporters, and pretty much anyone who might confront him with a request for some kind of information. I have a hunch it’s because the poor guy doesn’t know very much, particularly […]
Last week, someone leaked an advance draft of a GAO report showing that under Bush’s “surge” policy, Iraq had successfully completed just three of the 18 benchmarks established by the White House and bipartisan majorities in Congress. Today, the GAO officially unveiled said report, and wouldn’t you know it, the results are practically identical. [The] […]
When it comes to the Bush administration’s national security policies, former Assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith has always been an important figure, but with the publication of his new book, we’re able to get some new insights into what he saw, and what the Bush gang was up to. In this case, that means more […]
I’ve been neglectful in writing about the scam to split California’s electoral votes based on congressional districts. In a nutshell, GOP activists in the Golden State have hatched a plan to help steal a presidential election by pushing an innocuous-sounding ballot initiative. If it passes, presidential candidates will win one electoral vote for each of […]
It’s obviously incredibly early in the election season — assuming we’re even in an election season — and November 2008 is far enough away that the political pendulum can swing back and forth a couple of times between now and Election Day. But I can’t help but notice an emerging theme. Take Bob Novak’s latest […]
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: * Over the weekend, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards pledged not to campaign in Florida, Michigan, or any other states trying to leapfrog the 2008 primary calendar. The NYT reported, “The […]
About once a week, U.S. politicians, generals, and troops visit the Dora market in Iraq. The bustling commerce, in a relatively safe area, is proof that the surge is beginning to have an effect. After all, if there were no progress, a stroll through the market would be impossible. There’s only one problem: it’s a […]