Following up on my earlier analysis of the address, I’ve seen a few suggestions this afternoon that the downside of Barack Obama’s speech on race today in Philadelphia, which emerged before he even uttered a word, is that Obama was putting race front and center, once again. Instead of moving on to other subjects, the […]
McCain continues to show confusion about the basics in Iraq
At some point, not too long ago, the political establishment decided that John McCain is an expert on international affairs and national security. I’ve never really understood why — by all appearances, McCain is frequently confused and bewildered by basic questions — but everyone seems to assume that the senator has developed an almost unparalleled […]
A peek into an odd and inexplicable perspective
So, Barack Obama just delivered an important — and, by some measures, brilliant — speech on race, religion, civil rights, American history, and the role each has played in his own personal story. Some will find the address moving, others less so. Either way, it’s going to dominate the discourse today, which is probably a […]
Obama offers nuance, context, and poetry on race in America — but is it enough?
Since his rise to national prominence, Barack Obama has been tasked with giving big speeches while facing high expectations. It’s almost unrealistic to expect any political figure to keep delivering one powerful and historic address after another, but Obama — love him or hate him, an extraordinary orator — has managed to follow through and […]
Tuesday’s campaign round-up
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: * Barack Obama’s speech in Philadelphia on race just wrapped up, and I’ll have a report shortly. Here’s the prepared text, which was similar, but not identical, to the delivered speech. * Interesting […]
Does anyone care about Paterson’s adultery controversy?
At a minimum, this is a little embarrassing. Just a week after Eliot Spitzer’s sex scandal, his successor publicly acknowledged having an adulterous affair several years ago. The thunderous applause was still ringing in his ears when the state’s new governor, David Paterson, told the Daily News that he and his wife had extramarital affairs. […]
The missing element of the Jeremiah Wright flap — an actual controversy
While the political world waits for Barack Obama’s speech on race in America to get underway in Philadelphia, it’s worth taking a moment to consider what, exactly, the “controversy” about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is all about. Because, at this point, I’m no longer sure. For example, John McCain appeared on Fox News late last […]
Cheney’s mendacity knows no bounds
What’s always bothered me most about Dick Cheney isn’t his dishonesty, it’s the ease with which he tells obvious and transparent lies. The VP seems to have an almost pathological disdain for veracity, and thinks so little of the public that he has no qualms about making ridiculous claims. Take Cheney’s comments at a press […]
‘Florida doesn’t want to vote again. So we won’t’
If Florida’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention aren’t seated, about 1.7 million voters who participated in the state’s primary will, in a way, be disenfranchised. If Florida’s delegates are seated, millions of Democrats who would have voted but didn’t because they’d been told in advance that their vote wouldn’t count, would also effectively be […]
Monday’s Mini-Report
Today’s edition of quick hits. * Would you believe the Dow Jones finished up today? “Wall Street ended a temperamental session widely mixed Monday after investors grappled with JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s government-backed buyout of the stricken investment bank Bear Stearns & Co. The Dow Jones industrials recovered from an initial drop of nearly 200 […]