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 latest Zogby poll out of Iowa continues to show the top-tier Dems battling it out for the top spot. The poll showed Hillary Clinton ahead with 28%, followed by Barack Obama […]
There’s been ample discussion about the moral depravity of torture. And the illegalities of torture. And the impractical nature of acquiring information by way of torture. But what about the effect of torture on prosecuting suspected terrorists? This doesn’t usually get quite as much attention, but it appears prosecutors who want to put terrorists away […]
TV preacher Pat Robertson’s endorsement of Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign startled the political world yesterday, but apparently for all the wrong reasons. The media’s general take was, “Wow, a leading religious right figure is backing the least socially-conservative Republican in the race.” Perhaps the more appropriate response would have been, “Wow, Giuliani is taking a […]
After the stunning Sept. 16 incident at Nisoor Square, it appeared Blackwater’s reputation couldn’t get much worse. For that matter, the State Department’s oversight of its private army couldn’t get much more embarrassing. As it turns out, though, both assumptions are mistaken. Last Feb. 7, a sniper employed by Blackwater USA, the private security company, […]
A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before a Senate panel yesterday on the impact of climate change on public health, but the White House altered her testimony before it was delivered. References to potential health risks were removed; one CDC official said Gerberding’s […]
After several weeks of wrangling, the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider a revised FISA bill today, including the much-discussed provision that provides retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that illegally cooperated with the NSA on warrantless domestic searches. Perhaps the most notable player in the debate has turned out to be a retired AT&T technician most […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * This really isn’t good: “Wall Street suffered its second big drop in a week Wednesday, with investors worried about spreading fallout from the credit crisis at banks and about a dollar that just keeps getting weaker. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 360 points — just about […]
By some measurements, TV preacher Pat Robertson is perhaps weaker when it comes to terrorism than any prominent American in public life. If he were a liberal, Robertson probably would have been run out of the country by now. Just since Sept. 11, 2001, Robertson has blamed the terrorist attacks on Americans, and agreed that […]
There seems to be something of a pattern here. A study is commissioned to test whether abstinence-only programs are effective in affecting teens’ sexual behavior. Another study is commissioned, and we see the same results. And on and on. Those who are concerned with reality probably didn’t need more evidence, but we have some anyway. […]
Whenever the subject of torture comes up, the White House responds reflexively with a simple, categorical statement: “We don’t torture.” Occasionally, the president and his team will go even further in their denials, adding statements such as, “We do not render to countries that torture. That has been our policy, and that policy will remain […]