Schwarzenegger’s ‘girlie men’ flap obscures the bigger point

I haven’t been particularly worked up about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ridiculous criticisms of California Democrats — in which he called them “girlie men” — because like so much of California’s politics, it seems too absurd to be bothered. Yes, the phrase comes from a Saturday Night Live skit that, ironically, parodies bodybuilders like Schwarzenegger. Did […]

A man of principle — weak, malleable, and inconsistent principles

Nader campaign, last week: Presidential candidate Ralph Nader is shunning help from Republicans to get on Michigan’s ballot as an independent candidate. […] To qualify as an independent candidate, Nader needed to submit 30,000 signatures by Thursday. State Republicans had said they would make sure he had enough signatures if he wanted to get on […]

Krugman takes on ‘The Arabian Candidate’

Of all the campaign attacks levied this year, I think the most offensive is the notion that terrorists would somehow prefer a Kerry victory over Bush. The Kentucky GOP has distributed bumper stickers that read “Kerry is bin Laden’s Man/Bush is My Man.” Likewise, the website for the Washington Times, an admittedly ultra-conservative newspaper, is […]

I guess there wasn’t a rainbow above her in Vegas

I realize that Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 is generating some strong feelings out there, but this is ridiculous. Singer Linda Ronstadt not only got booed, she got the boot after lauding filmmaker Michael Moore and his new movie “Fahrenheit 9/11” during a performance at the Aladdin hotel-casino. Before singing “Desperado” for an encore Saturday night, […]

Bush may want to look to someone else for support

For whatever reason, the president continues to think David Kay is an asset in proving the necessity for the war in Iraq. Just last week, Bush said: “In 2002, the United Nations Security Council yet again demanded a full accounting of Saddam Hussein’s weapons programs. As he had for over a decade, Saddam Hussein refused […]

Bush complaints about Congress ring hollow

In 1996, as Bill Clinton was hitting the campaign trail to seek re-election, Congress passed a massive welfare reform law and a minimum wage increase, both of which Clinton signed into law. The president was able to remind voters that even with a Republican Congress, led by a rabid partisan like Newt Gingrich, he could […]

Afghanistan’s Taliban, still in business

Bush really wants us to believe the Taliban is a thing of the past… “One other thing about this job that I have is that when you say something, you need to say it clearly so people will understand, and you better mean what you say. And I meant what I said, and the Taliban […]

Roy Moore is campaigning, but it’s not for himself — or Bush

Everyone’s favorite theocrat, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, has fallen off the public radar screen of late. He generated plenty of attention for failing to follow a federal court order and getting stripped of his robes for violating judicial ethics, but some of us had fun contemplating a Moore run for the presidency with […]

Bush believes God speaks through him

I know this quote has appeared everywhere, but I wanted to pass it along anyway. President Bush met privately with a group of Old Order Amish during his visit to Lancaster County [Pennsylvania] last Friday. He discussed their farms and their hats and his religion. He asked them to vote for him in November. The […]

For an alleged religious leader, Falwell has some trouble with the truth

Jerry Falwell on Fox News Channel, Friday evening: “The fact is that ‘Old Time Gospel Hour,’ or any other ministry with which I’ve been associated has never lost its tax exemption.” Falwell on CNBC, two weeks ago, when asked if his group had lost its tax-exempt status: “Never. Never. Never. Not one minute. Not one […]