No matter what the circumstances, in politics or out, an employee who believes his or her job is on the line is going to behave a certain way. He or she will be on their best behavior, doing everything possible to impress those who might help decide his or her fate. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales […]
As you’ve no doubt heard by now, the House held two big votes on war funding last night, one on partial funding for two months and another on a near-total withdrawal of U.S. forces within nine months. The prior passed, despite a presidential veto threat, and the latter fell short, but the votes are worth […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced his retirement today after 10 years in office. He will stand down as PM on June 27 and is expected to endorse Gordon Brown as his successor. * There were a variety of fascinating moments during today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney […]
Randall Tobias’ tenure as administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) turned out to be rather embarrassing for the president. Tobias not only pushed an ineffective “abstinence-only” policy, drawing the ire of public health officials around the world, but he also had an unfortunate association with a DC “escort service,” which he used […]
Long time readers may recall that I’ve been following the bizarre tale of Janet Neff, a Bush judicial nominee for a federal District Court judge in Michigan. Generally, it’s Senate Dems who object to the president’s court nominees, sparking howls of “obstructionism!” by the GOP, but in this case, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) has blocked […]
For a variety of reasons (terrorism, crumbling infrastructure, boycotts, fear), Iraq’s parliament doesn’t meet very often to govern, but that doesn’t mean lawmakers don’t have noteworthy things to say. A majority of Iraqi lawmakers have signed onto draft legislation calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq and demanding a freeze […]
National Journal’s investigative reporter Murray Waas has been digging into the White House’s role in covering up its involvement in the prosecutor purge. This one looks like a doozy. The Bush administration has withheld a series of e-mails from Congress showing that senior White House and Justice Department officials worked together to conceal the role […]
The latest AP article about the White House’s position on war funding is filled with interesting tidbits, but lacks a few details. Let’s fill in the gaps. President Bush, under growing political pressure, said Thursday the White House will seek agreement with Congress on benchmarks to measure progress in Iraq. What the AP article didn’t […]
War supporters frequently try to focus in on “indicators” to suggest progress in Iraq is much further along than most Americans believe. When congressional Republicans fly over Baghdad and see some lights on, they say, “See? There’s progress.” When a delegation can travel from the airport to downtown in a heavily-armed caravan, they say, “See? […]
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: * ABC News reported last night that Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, donated $150 to Planned Parenthood in 1994. “Her positions are not terribly relevant to my campaign,” Romney said in response in Iowa […]