I’ve seen a variety of news accounts since late yesterday that argue speakers at Coretta Scott King’s funeral “took jabs” at Bush. The president was “scolded,” headlines said. Eulogies included “bitter criticism” of Bush, another argued. Nonsense. Several speakers honored King, celebrated her life, and honored the values and principles to which she dedicated her […]
The New Republic’s Steven Groopman wrote a provocative piece today on “how liberals play into Karl Rove’s hands.” The Note suggested that Democratic members of Congress who didn’t “get it” before will “get it” after reading the piece, so my curiosity was piqued. After reading the piece, I’m not sure it’s Democrats who don’t “get […]
There are so few institutions left in the federal government that the electorate can count on to be neutral, free of bias, and independent. The non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), which essentially serves as Congress’ research arm, has always been such a body. So, naturally there are some congressional Republicans who are anxious to change […]
When the president brought up the line-item veto in the State of the Union, I more or less assumed it was empty rhetoric. Surely the president’s lawyers remember that Congress already passed a line-item veto, Clinton signed it in 1996, and the Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that it’s unconstitutional. Why bring up a tool […]
Insight, an off-shoot of Sun Myung Moon’s far-right Washington Times, continues to run strange items about the Bush gang. This week’s issue includes an article about hardball political tactics from Karl Rove. The White House has been twisting arms to ensure that no Republican member votes against President Bush in the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation […]
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: * Connecticut businessman Ned Lamont (D) continues to look like a serious candidate to take on Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D) in a primary fight this year. Yesterday, Lamont named a campaign manager, formed […]
In 2001, when the White House decided it would work with congressional Dems on No Child Left Behind legislation, Dems made one thing perfectly clear: no vouchers. Just about every possible reform measure imaginable was on the table, but there was simply no way Dems would support a federal plan that used public funds to […]
Things are clearly not going well for religious right golden-boy Ralph Reed, as his campaign for lieutenant governor in Georgia continues to struggle. Most of the Georgia’s Republican state senators want him to quit, he’s hurting in the polls, and he’s offering money to people to show up at rallies on his behalf. Obviously, Reed’s […]
This has to be one of my favorite metaphors of all time. Mr. Bush proposed an array of savings in domestic programs, including big reductions or cuts in 141 programs. Critics asserted those reductions would do little to ease the deficit even as they imposed real hardship on some people, constituting pain for little gain. […]
Office of Management and Budget Director Joshua Bolten held a relatively uneventful press briefing yesterday on the new White House budget, but one sharp reporter asked a question that needed to be asked. Q: Several years ago, [Former Army Gen. and Chief of Staff Eric] Shinseki was chastised for suggesting that the war in Iraq […]