The Chicago Tribune’s Frank James noted today, “We American reporters aren’t sure why our British cousins don’t stand when they ask questions of our president or their prime minister like we do. But they sure have a suave way of asking the impertinent questions we reporters are duty bound to ask the powerful.” Indeed, they […]
Bloomberg had an item today explaining how Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) is successfully recruiting far-right supporters by positioning himself as an electable alternative to John McCain and Rudy Giuliani. “In Romney,” Bloomberg reported, “who is courting social and religious traditionalists, they see a candidate who can energize Christian conservatives, stay on message and, in […]
At yesterday’s White House press conference with Tony Blair, the president used one phrase six times in reference to the war in Iraq: “the American people.” Bush kept referring to the electorate — the American people want Dems and Republicans to work together; the American people need to know we can’t quit in Iraq; 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: * For about an hour yesterday, it appeared that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) was an admitted presidential candidate. Fox News reported that the governor had told an FNC reporter that he […]
I know I’ve been harping on congressional Republicans wrapping up the 109th with a dud, and then childishly pouring salt in the soil to screw things up for Dems next year, but there was an entertaining twist today. House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) compared the GOP’s behavior on the Hill to the Bush administration’s management […]
Way back in June, congressional Democrats gave Republican an ultimatum: raise the minimum wage or forget about this year’s cost of living adjustment to congressional salaries. “Congress is going to have earn its raise by putting American workers first: A raise for workers before a raise for Congress,” said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of […]
Maybe it’s my imagination, or maybe it’s still a little early in December, but the “war on Christmas” doesn’t seem to be quite as big a deal this year as the last few years. Bill O’Reilly is still a little worked up and burdened by an oddly misplaced victim complex, but at least thus far, […]
In one of those issues Bill Kristol would almost certainly like to take back, the Weekly Standard ran mocked critics of the war in Iraq in 2003, right around the time American troops helped topple Baghdad’s Saddam statue. The Standard proclaimed, “The Cassandra Chronicles: The stupidity of the antiwar doomsayers.” Oops. As Paul [tag]Krugman[/tag] noted […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * The House failed to pass its so-called “fetal pain” bill yesterday, though it won surprisingly strong support. In fact, a 250 to 162 majority backed the legislation, though it was short of the two-thirds majority required under rules in place at the time. The American College of Obstetricians and […]
When John Kerry mentioned in passing during a 2004 presidential debate that Dick Cheney has a lesbian daughter, it was considered scandalous. Lynne Cheney questioned Kerry’s character and said “he is not a good man.” If Kerry’s an awful person for simply acknowledging the Cheneys’ gay daughter, I’m anxious to know what Dick and Lynne […]