Clark will make announcement tomorrow

Looks like we’ll be able to add the former supreme allied commander of NATO to the ranks of Dem presidential candidates within about 24 hours. Barring any last-minute changes, Wesley Clark is in. The former general has scheduled an announcement for tomorrow in Arkansas. All indications are he will make his campaign official at that […]

The Bush administration discovers an easy way to ‘correct’ earlier mistakes

I know I should like him, but I have to admit that I usually don’t. Robert Scheer is the most liberal newspaper columnist at any major U.S. daily, but I consistently find his columns in the LA Times predictable, overly-dependent on rumors, and hesitant to break with ideological orthodoxy. Today, however, Scheer is on to […]

Santorum endorses ‘making people struggle,’ as long as they’re poor

To govern is to choose. In these economic times, and with our bleak budget picture, choosing often means deciding who will get fewer resources — and less help — then they were getting before. Only a very lucky (and very small) minority can expect to remain unscathed by inevitable cuts. Some will find their property […]

Gephardt uncovers Dean’s record of hostility for Medicare

On Friday morning, Dick Gephardt’s campaign staffers were circulating an email to political reporters that the Missouri congressman would make an important announcement about the campaign and a major domestic policy in a speech in Iowa. It turns out it wasn’t so much an announcement as it was an attack — against Howard Dean’s position […]

Bob Graham faces John Edwards’ dilemma

For whatever reason, Bob Graham hasn’t faced the same problem John Edwards faced, though both are in the same boat. Edwards’ Senate term ends next year while, at the same, the North Carolinian seeks the Dem nomination for president. Edwards would have enjoyed waiting to decide for certain which to choose — using the Senate […]

Congressional Republicans no longer willing to blindly follow Bush

When Bush’s approval ratings soared after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Republicans in Congress more or less became “yes men” — Bush made requests, Congress nodded and gave him anything he wanted. Now that Bush’s popularity has faded and his re-election no longer appears as certain, some of those same GOP lawmakers are developing a […]

Fact-checking Cheney’s appearance on Meet the Press

I’ll give Dick Cheney some credit — he’s very slick. When he speaks, he comes across as confident and informed. Whereas Bush appears clumsy and confused, Cheney speaks with authority and conviction. The problem is, however, very little of what Cheney has to say is true. The White House has begun its full-fledged defense of […]

Should ABC News be punished for demonstrating a weakness in domestic defense?

I wanted to point out a really interesting story about ABC News testing the nation’s security system by shipping depleted uranium around the globe, into the United States, to see if it was detected. Unfortunately, it was not. In fact, ABC News has tried this experiment twice in two years to see if the system […]

Clark speculation kicks into high gear as the general starts to assemble a staff

Yesterday’s front-page Washington Post story about Howard Dean chatting up Wesley Clark stokes the media fires over the retired general’s possible campaign, but additional reporting throughout the day made for an almost all-Clark, all-the-time news cycle. Unfortunately, none of the stories had definitive answers. CNN reported, for example, “Wesley Clark may announce for presidency next […]

Have I got a movie for you

I don’t usually do this, but I wanted to recommend that everyone run out this weekend to see a movie called Matchstick Men (opening today in theaters nationwide). First of all, it’s a great flick. As Richard Roeper, of Ebert & Roeper fame, said, “[I]t’s just a joy to see a film like this.” It […]