The Carpetbagger Report

The night of the Iowa caucuses, during Barack Obama’s speech, the assembled crowd began shouting, “USA! USA!” TNR’s Frank Foer noted, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a crowd of Democratic primary voters erupt in a spontaneous display like this…. Liberals who credibly bathe themselves in patriotism greatly increase their chances — and, in this […]

I’m frequently amazed that conservatives, years later, still want to believe that there was some kind of important connection between Saddam Hussein’s regime and al Qaeda before the 2003 invasion. Someone even made the argument in the comments section a couple of weeks ago. The evidence has been overwhelming for years that these ideologues are […]

About a month ago, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D), a key Clinton backer and former DNC chairman, raised a few eyebrows when he waded into the dangerous waters of racial politics and the presidential campaign. Rendell told the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “You’ve got conservative whites here, and I think there are some […]

Within a few hours of the Spitzer scandal breaking, the comically desperate National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) hoped to connect the New York governor’s scandal to some of New York’s House Democrats. The NRCC, which is broke and in danger of sustaining more House losses, is grabbing at the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal like a […]

When the New York Times first indicated that New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) was “involved” in a prostitution ring, there were far more questions than answers. It soon became obvious that the governor had paid for sex with a prostitute, but the whole story lacked some pertinent details. Since then, the picture has become […]

Today’s edition of quick hits. * New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) held a press conference this afternoon, acknowledging that he had “acted in way that violates his obligation to his family,” but he did not answer questions and did not comment on his future plans. “I apologize first and most importantly to my family. […]

I’ve refrained from mocking Bill Kristol’s last couple of New York Times columns, but today’s piece, on John McCain’s difficult road to the White House, included one notable gem. In specific, Kristol notes that McCain could use a great running mate. Perhaps the most obvious way McCain could upend the normal dynamics of this year’s […]

His first year as New York’s governor has had some ups and downs, but Eliot Spitzer has maintained a reputation as a rising star. In some circles, it’s not unusual to hear talk about Spitzer as a likely presidential candidate at some point in the future. It’s probably safe to say we won’t hear that […]

The AP, reporting on Barack Obama’s comments in Mississippi this morning, said the senator “did not absolutely close the door to a second spot on the ticket, but it was his most pointed signal that he is not interested.” I think that’s putting it mildly. Greg Sargent offered this transcript of the relevant part of […]

House Democrats subpoenaed former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten to get their perspective on the U.S. Attorney purge scandal. They refused. House Democrats sought support from the Justice Department in enforcing congressional subpoenas. It refused. Today, left with limited options, the House Judiciary Committee filed a civil […]