The devastation caused by California’s wildfires is almost hard to believe. At this point, over 420,000 acres have burned, nearly 900,000 people have been evacuated, and nearly 1,200 homes have been destroyed. And CNN’s Glenn Beck is still focused on the patriotism, or lack thereof, of those in Southern California affected by the fires. Beck […]
Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a Senate panel yesterday that climate change “is anticipated to have a broad range of impacts on the health of Americans.” If that sounds a little vague and non-specific, there’s a good reason — the White House refused to let her say […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * Conditions in Southern California are truly scary: “More than a half million people had been ordered from San Diego County homes Tuesday as wildfires rage from the Mexican border to north of Los Angeles. Across Southern California, more than 1,300 homes had been reduced to ashes, officials said Tuesday. […]
So far, I hold Adm. Mike Mullen, the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in much higher regard than his predecessor, Gen. Peter Pace. A few weeks ago, he banned the use of the phrase “Global War on Terror” in his office, and prohibited using it “in any future correspondence.” A few weeks […]
Earlier this month, the NYT had a front-page blockbuster, highlighting secret legal opinions from the Bush administration, which endorsed “the harshest interrogation techniques ever used by the Central Intelligence Agency.” After insisting publicly that “torture is abhorrent,” administration officials “provided explicit authorization to barrage terror suspects with a combination of painful physical and psychological tactics,” […]
When Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said it is “entirely possible” that Saddam Hussein hid weapons of mass destruction in Syria prior to the 2003 invasion, that’s a gaffe. When he made the bizarre assertion that IAEA weapons inspectors were not allowed entry into Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, that’s a gaffe. When he said that military […]
One by one, prominent media figures, who’ve apparently grown weary of the top-tier Republican presidential candidates, are lining up to sing Mike Huckabee’s praises. David Broder boasts on national television of being “a Huckabee fan.” David Brooks wrote a gushing love letter to the former governor last week. And now Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter, whom I […]
Another blogging conundrum. Do I mention Richard Mellon Scaife’s ugly divorce, or do I ignore what is arguably a private matter with no political relevance? Tipping the scales is Scaife’s destructive role in financing every right-wing cause imaginable, including funding the Arkansas Project, created, of course, to dig up dirt on the Clintons’ personal life. […]
In mid-September, while campaigning in Florida, Fred Thompson was asked for his thoughts on the Terri Schiavo case from 2005. Thompson pleaded ignorance. “That’s going back in history,” he said. “I don’t remember the details of it.” It seemed a little odd. 2005 wasn’t all that long ago. In fact, Thompson helped prep John Roberts […]
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: * Politico: “The Obama campaign has scheduled a conference call with campaign manager David Plouffe and other top aides to re-assure gay donors and other backers who are angry at the inclusion of […]