There’s been quite a bit of talk — perhaps, too much — about whether leading Democratic presidential candidates have been careless in using “right-wing talking points.” I’m definitely sympathetic to the concerns — Dems should be running in 2008 in such a way as to strengthen the party and progressive ideas, and using “conservative frames” […]
I mentioned this briefly earlier, but the NYT had an interesting report today on the state of John Edwards’ campaign, and I suspect Edwards fans won’t find it at all encouraging. Even his closest advisers are acknowledging that he no longer expects to come in higher than third place, in the state where he was […]
Following up on an item from a month ago, when it comes to kicking Americans out of the military because they’re gay, the occasional defense — offered by conservatives who know the policy is absurd — is that the Pentagon is merely following the law. If Congress wants able-bodied, patriotic, American volunteers to join the […]
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: * The NYT reports today that the Republican presidential field is going all out in Florida. John McCain, who shut down his Florida operation last summer, opened six offices in the state yesterday […]
Obviously, we’ve never seen a political dynamic in this country in which a president’s spouse also ran for the White House. On a related note, we’ve also haven’t seen a former president take an active and assertive role in his party’s nominating process, directly attacking one of his party’s leading candidates during the primaries. It’s […]
One can learn all kinds of interesting things watching “Meet the Press.” For example, yesterday, Tom Brokaw claimed that Rudy Giuliani’s television ads airing in Florida “don’t mention terrorism.” “You know what it reminds me of now, Tim, is that in rural America, they have these quarter-mile dirt tracks, and they have wreck-’em derbies. And […]
Value judgments aside, it’s fair to say the Bush administration is not without lofty foreign policy ambitions. Sure, those ambitions may not be grounded in reality. And sure, the likelihood that the president will actually reach his goals is very small. But at least these guys have decided to aim high. Indeed, as of a […]
A few months ago, the Obama campaign hosted a gospel event in South Carolina featuring a homophobic entertainer — Donnie McClurkin, a Grammy-winning singer, who claims to have been “cured” of homosexuality, and believes other gays can overcome their “curse” by way of prayer. There were doubts, raised in some circles, about whether the campaign […]