The Center for American Progress found a great example of Tom Ridge, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, looking back at 2002 with a very selective memory. One might even say he’s relying on “revisionist history.” Ridge, marking the one-year anniversary of his cabinet agency’s creation, noted the following: [After 9/11, Bush] knew that […]
I saw a funny bumper sticker recently that said: “Impeach Bush — and we’ll call it even.” Apparently, however, there are at least a few folks out there who aren’t kidding about this. Roll Call reported yesterday that Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), who earlier in his career helped draw articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon, […]
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan’s press briefing yesterday featured a whole lot of questions about the president’s support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. One exchange, in particular, struck me as important. To put this in context, McClellan had argued that this amendment would protect marriage, and as a result, protect our “civilization.” […]
That’s not an entirely rhetorical question. I really want to know. As expected, the National Education Association demanded that Bush fire Education Secretary Roderick Paige, a day after the cabinet secretary called the nation’s largest teachers union a “terrorist organization.” We have heard from thousands of teachers and educators who came home from working in […]
There was an interesting article in the Boston Globe yesterday about John Edwards’ efforts to woo support from Howard Dean and his legions of fans. The more I think about it, though, the less sense it makes to me. Edwards is looking for a break that will give him some much-needed traction. Super Tuesday is […]
The good guys don’t win often at the Supreme Court anymore, so when it happens, it’s cause for celebration. This morning, the high court announced that a state can legally limit scholarships for religious instruction. The really shocking thing is that this was a 7-2 vote and Rehnquist, whose palpable hostility for church-state separation is […]
A couple of people emailed me to ask why I didn’t write anything yesterday about Bush’s support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The truth is, I found myself at a loss for words and hoped that I might be more articulate 24 hours later. I’m not, but I’ll share my thoughts anyway. I […]
Yesterday, three states — Hawaii, Utah, and Idaho — hosted the “Bermuda Triangle” of primaries. Candidates ignored them, focusing on Super Tuesday states, and turnout was pretty low in states that have small population bases to begin with. Two quick (and largely inconsequential) observations to share. One, Hawaii voters really seem to like it when […]
One of the more ridiculous proposals to ever come from the White House was floated in the latest Economic Report of the President 2004, which chronicles the administration’s take on the state of the American economy. As the New York Times noted last week, this year’s White House report “questions whether fast-food restaurants should continue […]
This year, we’re likely to hear Bush repeat the words “September 11” ad nauseum, but the phrase “small businesses” will probably be a close second. Last night, in his incredibly deceptive speech to the National Governors’ Association, Bush spoke repeatedly about his support for small businesses, using the phrase a half-dozen times. A week earlier, […]