Rudy Giuliani recently argued that U.S. military generals, by virtue of their service, necessarily have more credibility than practically anyone else. With that in mind, I wonder what Giuliani and others who share his approach to foreign policy have to say in response to the 20 generals who have defied tradition and rejected the Bush […]
Shortly before the 2004 presidential election, the Rev. George F. Regas, the former rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, told his congregation about his perspective on the president and the war in Iraq. Regas imagined Jesus participating in a political debate with Bush and Kerry and said that “good people of profound faith” […]
I can certainly understand that the Bush White House is going to have less than kind words for Barack Obama. The Illinois senator is running for president, vowing to undo Bush’s mistakes. But of all the possible criticisms for the president’s team to make, this might be the single most ridiculous. As for Obama, a […]
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: * NYT reports from the Sunshine State: “The Florida Democratic Party announced Sunday that it would move ahead with its plan to hold its presidential primary on Jan. 29 despite the national party’s […]
Sen. David Vitter’s (R-La.) extra-curricular activities recently got him into a little trouble — he’s conceded making use of a prostitution service — but he apparently has a plan to keep himself in the religious right’s good graces. Vitter has decided to throw some pork-barrel spending at a bizarre Louisiana creationist group. Sen. David Vitter, […]
As a presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani signature campaign issues are counter-terrorism and national security. His pitch consists of two main prongs — his performance on 9/11, and his expertise on what he describes as “Islamic terrorism.” Combined, Giuliani says that he, and he alone, understands the threats against the United States. He’s used this con […]
If the presidential race came down to which side of the aisle backs up its ideas with details, it would be a landslide. The Democrats who are running for president are flush with policy proposals, position papers and fact sheets. The leading Republican contenders, not so much. Rudy Giuliani has his “12 Commitments.” Mitt Romney […]
The controversy surrounding recent events in Jena, La., and the criminal charges against the Jena Six, stems in part from the shocking qualities of the story. Most decent people across the country look at the systemic and ugly bigotry, and wonder how these conditions can still exist in the 21st century. Paul Krugman makes the […]
The New York Times laments the fact today that today’s presidential candidates are sharing too much information about themselves. Barack Obama gets morning breath. Elizabeth Edwards felt her rib pop during some good loving with her husband, John. And Rudolph W. Giuliani, by the testimony of no less than his third wife, is a really-high-testosterone […]
In April, when U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Rachel Paulose was appointed, the controversy was almost immediate. First, her predecessor, Thomas Heffelfinger, resigned under suspicious circumstances. Second, Paulose treated herself to an elaborate “coronation,” complete with a Marine Corps honor guard and choir. Third, she clashed with her top three deputy prosecutors, all of whom resigned […]