Thursday’s Mini-Report

Today’s edition of quick hits. * Given the pressures he’s facing in his House district, I suppose the timing was right for Dennis Kucinich to step aside: “Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is abandoning his second bid for the White House. In an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the congressman said he was quitting […]

The perception of who’s fighting fair (and who isn’t)

While the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue to trade shots, both sides are simultaneously characterizing the other as the aggressor. The motivation, of course, is obvious: voters have (some) tolerance for political disputes in the heat of a competitive presidential campaign, but no one likes a bully. Greg Sargent, in a terrific […]

When it comes to abortion, GOP leaders are happy to phone it in (literally)

This week saw the last “March of Life” of Bush’s presidency, as thousands of opponents of abortion rights gathered just a few blocks from the White House, as they do every year, to protest on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. As with every other year, Bush showed his solidarity with the crowd’s […]

Clinton pushes Obama into a catch-22

After a couple of weeks of dubious and misleading criticisms directed his way, Barack Obama’s campaign has decided to respond in kind, unveiling an aggressive new ad. It argues that Hillary Clinton is “making false attacks on Barack Obama,” and she “will say anything to get elected.” “The Washington Post says Clinton isn’t telling the […]

Officials strike deal on stimulus plan — but is it any good?

The good news is, Congress and the White House struck a tentative deal on an economic stimulus plan. The bad news is, Congress and the White House struck a tentative deal on an economic stimulus plan. House leaders and the White House on Thursday reached a tentative agreement on an economic stimulus package of roughly […]

Bush disregards Congress’ role in treaties

Last week, Hillary Clinton brought up a point at a debate that hasn’t generated nearly enough attention: “[Bush] has continued to say he can enter into an agreement with the Iraqi government, without bringing it for approval to the United States Congress, that would continue America’s presence in Iraq long after President Bush leaves office. […]

Ari Fleischer thinks facts have a liberal bias

Following up on an item from yesterday, the Center for Public Integrity and the Fund for Independence in Journalism unveiled a rather devastating report/database yesterday, documenting over 900 false statements from the president and his team on Iraq in the buildup to the 2003 invasion. The study concluded that the statements “were part of an […]

Thursday’s campaign round-up

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: * Following up on the latest Hillary Clinton radio ad, which is clearly misleading about the “party of ideas” flap, the Obama campaign is hitting back, turning Clinton’s attacks into a character issue […]

Roger Stone, Hillary Clinton, and ‘Citizens United Not Timid’

You may not know Roger Stone, but I’m sure you know his work. He is a right-wing hatchet-man extraordinaire, brazenly cynical, and free of any sense of decency or honor in a political career that began as Nixon’s “youngest Watergate dirty trickster.” Various reporters have referred to him as “a state of the art sleaze-ball,” […]

Pushing back against a possible Bush comeback

U.S. News noted a couple of weeks ago that the White House is eyeing a Bush comeback. The president’s team believes 2008 has the potential to be a “legacy year,” and the loyal Bushies “are predicting a remarkable poll shift to about 45 percent favorable by the time he leaves office next year.” If recent […]