It looks like the Republicans have settled on a talking point. A GOP leader Sunday denied a double standard in pushing Sen. Larry Craig to resign after a sex sting guilty plea, while remaining silent over GOP Sen. David Vitter’s involvement with an escort service. A senior Democrat said a double standard by Republican leaders […]
Yesterday, Kevin Drum explained that independent of Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus has run a masterful, methodical p.r. campaign that effectively “outplayed” Democrats and other opponents of the president’s war policy. Atrios held lawmakers at least partially responsible, because they “have chosen to play along.” But in order to really change the conventional wisdom, Petraeus needed […]
As a rule, members of Congress try to avoid threatening their constituents, especially on tape. It’s one of the reasons a new controversy out of Denver is so bizarre. (via) A local couple is complaining that U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn left them two threatening voice mails after they wrote a letter criticizing his fundraising. Jonathan […]
As political scandals go, Sen. Larry Craig’s (R-Idaho) was incredibly efficient. The story broke late Monday; Craig resigned early Saturday. The start-to-finish timeline was almost impressive. That is, if it is finished. After his speech yesterday, a CNN correspondent asked Craig if he stood by his claim of innocence. “Absolutely,” he said, adding: “We’ll be […]
The Washington Post’s Dan Balz ponders seven key questions in the presidential race, and coming in at #6 is, “Do ideas matter in this election?” Joe Lieberman aide Dan Gerstein comes up with the single most Broderesque response imaginable. Dan Gerstein, a centrist Democrat and strategist, said: “The reality is both parties are brain-dead — […]
Let’s see, Sen. John Warner of Virginia is retiring, giving Democrats another key pick-up opportunity next year. Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho is resigning, and the DSCC is talking about making a serious run at that seat, too. Looking ahead, Dems also appear to be in a good position to pick up seats in Colorado, […]
In most interviews and press conferences, the president seems almost allergic to contemplation. Bush avoids discussion of his legacy, his previous decisions, his place in history, even what he might do after his presidency ends. Robert Draper, however, a former writer for Texas Monthly, spent hours with the president at the White House, getting Bush […]
When it comes to aides, staffers, and high-ranking officials, the Bush White House has had a reverse Midas touch. People who have reasonably good reputations before working for Bush, tend to leave humiliated. It’s as if the president’s inner circle is some kind of credibility-sapping black hole. Condoleezza Rice, for example, left Stanford with at […]
The fact that the sex scandals involving Republican Sens. Larry Craig (gay) and David Vitter (not gay) are being treated very differently has not gone unnoticed by the GOP establishment. The NYT’s Carl Hulse quoted some anonymous Republican insiders who offered an explanation. Despite such unusual steps against [Craig], Republicans took no punitive action against […]
A couple of days ago, the NYT reported that the White House “is growing more confident that it can beat back efforts by Congressional Democrats to shift course in Iraq.” It’s not because conditions in Iraq have improved, and it’s not because the president’s policy is producing results, but because the administration has “a sense […]