Delivering a speech on energy policy in California this morning, John McCain emphasized the importance of pragmatism. “Energy efficiency is no longer just a moral luxury or a personal virtue. A smarter use of energy is part of a critical national effort to regain control of our own energy future. And in this effort, practical […]
Two months ago, the Washington Post’s Richard Cohen noted in passing that John McCain has “fudged and ducked and swallowed the truth on occasion.” Cohen, however, said McCain deserved a pass because he had “understandable” reasons for his mendacity. And what, pray tell, were these “understandable” reasons? Cohen didn’t say. They were just, ipso facto, […]
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: * In the unlikely event there was any confusion or doubt, Bill Clinton’s office issued a statement today, explaining, “President Clinton is obviously committed to doing whatever he can and is asked to […]
Barack Obama’s efforts to reach out to religious voters have been well documented in recent months, and there’s ample evidence that the efforts are paying off. Mark DeMoss recently suggested Obama was positioned to win about 40% of the evangelical vote, and the Obama campaign has unveiled the “Matthew 25 Network“, a religious outreach initiative […]
When John McCain (among others) began pushing for a “gas-tax holiday” a couple of months ago, economists widely panned the idea as a rather obvious way of boosting oil company profits, without offering consumers much of anything. And I don’t just mean “economists” in the general sense — the Huffington Post tried to find an […]
By historical standards, Democrats have been very lucky when it comes to George W. Bush and the Supreme Court. In the modern political era, two-term presidents generally get to leave quite a mark on the high court. Truman named four justices to the court; Eisenhower had five; Kennedy/Johnson had four; Nixon had four; and Reagan […]
In 2004, in his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama briefly touched on the scourge of racial stereotypes: “The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don’t expect government to solve all their problems…. They know that parents have to parent, that children can’t […]
The notion of an “enthusiasm gap” between Democrats and Republicans this year is not new. In fact, it’s been a staple of the political landscape for most of the year. Democratic voters were excited about their presidential choices; Republicans kept wondering if someone new might throw their hat into the ring. Democratic turnout broke records; […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * Conditions in Zimbabwe are spiraling quickly: “Police on Monday raided the offices of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change party, arresting about 60 people — including women and children — on a day that world leaders condemned the actions of Zimbabwe’s government in increasingly strong terms.” * […]
Following up on an earlier item, Charlie Black, the lobbyist who now serves as the McCain campaign’s top strategist, told Fortune magazine with “startling candor,” that a terrorist attack on U.S. soil before the election would help give his candidate a boost. “Certainly it would be a big advantage to [McCain],” Black said. It was […]