About a year ago, John McCain boasted that he knew the war in Iraq was “probably going to be long and hard and tough,” and that he was “sorry” for anybody who voted it thinking it would be “some kind of an easy task.” That night, MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann read off a list of McCain […]
Bush appeared alongside Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete for a press conference at Dar Es Salaam this morning, and was apparently annoyed that reporters were interested in a certain senator from Illinois who is running for president with African roots. Jennifer Loven of the Associated Press asked Bush a question about his AIDS relief plan and […]
As expected, the president devoted his weekly radio address to Congress’ unwillingness to give him all of the surveillance powers he wants. And, as expected, he made his argument by trying to scare the bejeezus out of people. “Some congressional leaders claim that this will not affect our security. They are wrong. Because Congress failed […]
A few days ago, Clinton strategist/pollster Mark Penn raised a few eyebrows when he argued that Barack Obama’s primary and caucus victories weren’t especially impressive, because he “hasn’t won any of the significant states.” Yesterday, Penn kept it up, with a related point. “Winning Democratic primaries is not a qualification or a sign of who […]
The NYT’s Nicholas Kristof’s column today is so odd, I had to read it a few times to see if he was kidding. I realize media adulation for John McCain is often embarrassing, even to the point of sycophancy, but this piece just doesn’t make any sense. Even for those of us who shudder at […]
I should admit from the outset that I don’t watch baseball, and I have no emotional investment in any of the players who now stand accused of steroid use. In fact, in light of the House Oversight Committee’s high-profile hearing this week, featuring pitcher Roger Clemens and his principal accuser, I tend to think Congress’ […]
As recently as a few weeks ago, disgraced former congressman Tom DeLay clearly positioned himself in the “no McCain, no way” contingent of the Republican Party, alongside luminaries such as Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, James Dobson, and Rick Santorum. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) lambasted Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) Thursday for “betraying” the […]
I mentioned the other day that I’ve looked, in vain, for a reasonable and compelling defense of the Bush administration’s position on the FISA revisions. So far, I haven’t come up with much. In fact, I haven’t come up with anything but bogus talking points predicated on misleading assertions. John Cole asked the other day, […]
The good news for Barack Obama is that John McCain is already acting like he will be the Democratic presidential nominee, which in turn may feed the “inevitability” narrative. The bad news for Obama is that McCain has decided to kick off his general-election strategy by picking an incredibly dumb fight. John McCain is accusing […]
First up from the God machine this week is the latest disconcerting evidence that the intersection of religion and the U.S. military is growing increasingly uncomfortable. Since his last combat deployment in Iraq, Jeremy Hall has had a rough time, getting shoved and threatened by his fellow soldiers. The trouble started there when he would […]