When it comes to secrecy, it’s hard to match Dick Cheney. Man-size safes, used elsewhere in government for classified secrets, store the workaday business in Cheney’s office. No one is allowed to know who works in his office. The VP has even created his own classified designation for all of his documents — materials are […]
Last week, the Bush administration, predictably, balked at California’s request to impose greenhouse-gas regulations beyond federal requirements, and in the process, officials ignored the evidence completely. The EPA had been using the same standards for four decades on waivers for states, and in this case, California met them all. It didn’t matter. Better yet, Bush’s […]
Hillary Clinton offers voters a very compelling pitch about her years of service in public life, which invariably leads to poll results showing her with large leads over her competitors on the issue of experience. But part of this, of course, includes her eight years as First Lady, which historically has been far more of […]
It’s one of those conflict-of-interest dynamics that’s so obvious, it’s hard to understand how and why political leaders ever tolerated it in the first place. For a few decades now, Democratic presidential candidates hire media advisors who make millions encouraging their clients to follow campaign strategies that make them even more money. John Kerry’s 2004 […]
Guest Post by Morbo It’s Christmas, so there may not be a lot of people visiting blogs today. But if you’ve happened to stop by, the Carpetbagger and I appreciate that. If you celebrate Christmas, we hope you have a merry one. If not, then just have a great day. Isn’t it nice to have […]
First, my warmest holiday wishes to everyone. No matter what you’re celebrating, or whether you’re celebrating anything at all, I hope you’re enjoying the season. Second, a quick scheduling note. Posting will probably be very light today, in large part because it’s the slowest news day of the year. There will, however, be some content […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * TP: “Jose Rodriguez, the CIA official who reportedly ordered the destruction of the torture tapes, ‘has indicated he may seek immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying before the House intelligence committee.’ Rodriguez is ‘determined not to become the fall guy’ for the White House, according to intelligence sources.” […]
Widespread disappointment within the Republican ranks over their field of presidential candidates took a bizarre turn a couple of months ago when several leading conservative voices said the party should give up on the 12 or so politicians who want the nomination — and go after a general who doesn’t. Everyone from the New York […]
The NYT had an interesting historical item over the weekend over the kind of power grab that might even give Dick Cheney pause. A newly declassified document shows that J. Edgar Hoover, the longtime director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, had a plan to suspend habeas corpus and imprison some 12,000 Americans he suspected […]
As she departs the White House, and steps down as Bush’s chief terrorism adviser, Frances Fragos Townsend stopped to tell the NYT how disappointed she is with the political climate in DC. Promoted to domestic security adviser in 2004, she became a loyalist and said she was leaving wearied by the acrimony that hangs over […]