For a couple of generations, every major presidential candidate, from both parties, has taken the same position on U.S. policy towards Cuba: keep the status quo. The embargo needs to stay in place in order to “keep the pressure” on Castro. Any thawing in relations would be a victory for a brutal thug, and would […]
Testing the integrity of The Bubble
As discouraging as Bush’s Bubble Boy policies have been, they have not gone unchallenged. In March 2005, for example, three Denver residents obtained tickets to a public town hall meeting on the president’s Social Security plan. Someone working at the event noticed an anti-war bumper sticker (“No Blood For Oil”) on their car, which prompted […]
Republicans produce a slate of overwhelmingly white candidates, again
There was some talk, early on in Bush’s first term, that the Republican Party really, truly intended to take minority outreach seriously. The chairman of the RNC appeared at an NAACP conference to apologize for the party’s past, and White House officials thought they could make a second term more likely if they could boost […]
For the select few, the ‘time is right for indulgence’
You may be under the impression that these are challenging economic times. Wages are stagnant; we’re in the midst of a credit crunch and a housing crisis; the economy has crawled to a stop; and the cost of everything from food to gas to college tuition to healthcare has ballooned. But perhaps that’s a myopic […]
McCain ‘kind of like Jesus Christ on the cross’
There’s been talk for years that many Bush supporters believe he was literally chosen by God to be president. We don’t hear as much about this lately — God wanted a U.S. president who would screw up everything he touches? — but the notion of divine intervention on behalf of Republicans has been a relatively […]
Monday’s Mini-Report
Today’s edition of quick hits. * AP: “The Pentagon on Monday announced upcoming deployments of more than 42,000 troops, including 25,000 active duty Army soldiers who would be sent to Iraq beginning in the fall to replace troops scheduled to come home by year’s end. The deployments would maintain a level of 15 brigades in […]
Former Clinton campaign manager weighing job with Obama
It’s not at all unusual for a presidential campaign, once it secures the party’s nomination, to pick some of the rival campaigns’ aides. It’s about promoting the best talent, and in some instances, about bringing the party together. Certainly, under the circumstances, Hillary Clinton’s aides are working under the notion that their campaign is still […]
Bill Kristol, the gift that keeps on giving
I suppose we could just ignore Bill Kristol — every Monday, I’d write a short item, saying, “Kristol’s latest NYT column is absurd” — but what fun would that be? In today’s edition, Kristol notes that Republicans have every reason to be discouraged right now, especially after last week’s third special-election defeat in Mississippi, but […]
The Iranian threat is tiny compared to the USSR
Over the weekend, responding to criticisms from Bush and McCain, Barack Obama explained his perspective on diplomacy. For those of you who can’t watch clips online, Obama explained, “Strong countries and strong Presidents talk to their adversaries. That’s what Kennedy did with Khrushchev. That’s what Reagan did with Gorbachev. That’s what Nixon did with Mao. […]
Changing the nature of the foreign policy fight
Political parties and leaders sometimes need to be reminded not to believe their own press releases. It’s one thing to spin and exaggerate; it’s another to actually buy into your own exaggerated spin. For example, Republicans in general, and Bush and McCain in specific, tend to seriously believe their strong suit is foreign policy and […]