The Carpetbagger Report

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, appearing on “Meet the Press” yesterday, talked a bit about his search for a running mate. “I think the most important thing, from my perspective, is somebody who can help […]

Have you ever been to a child’s birthday party in which there’s a pinata? It’s a pretty straightforward exercise — the birthday boy/girl gets blindfolded, is handed a big stick, is spun around to cause minor disorientation, and is then encouraged to swing the stick wildly in every direction, in the hopes of hitting a […]

We talked yesterday about the new ad from the McCain campaign, which marked a new, dishonorable low in an already-embarrassing presidential campaign. The 30-second spot features one deceptive claim after another. Reporters no doubt realize that the scurrilous ad is a work of fiction, but as Greg Sargent noted today, news outlets are simply unwilling […]

In March, in his first major address on foreign policy, John McCain stated his intention to kick Russia out of the G-8. In rather belligerent tones, reminiscent of the Cold War, McCain blasted Russia and suggested the country is no longer a democracy. The policy always seemed like a very bad idea, and the foreign […]

A few months ago, Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican and former chairman of the NRCC, told the WaPo, “The House Republican brand is so bad right now that if it were a dog food, they’d take it off the shelf.” Has the GOP “brand” improved since? Apparently not. Nine of 12 targeted Republicans running […]

I keep expecting John McCain to become a better candidate. Part of me assumes it’s inevitable — the more he campaigns, the more time he has to learn about the issues, receive policy briefings from aides, get prepped for media interviews, etc. And yet, McCain, oddly enough, seems to be going in the opposite direction. […]

Before we get into the day’s news, a quick word on Carpetbagger Report advertising. As a rule, I maintain a strict firewall between my content and my advertising. In almost every instance, if a sponsor wants to advertise on the site, I’m going to accept it. Without pointing fingers or getting into specifics, last week, […]

In light of the McCain campaign’s ridiculous new ad, the Obama campaign is sending around a speech John McCain delivered on the Senate floor in May 2007: “How can we possibly find honor in using the fate of our servicemen to score political advantage in Washington? There is no pride to be had in such […]

There are two competing, conservative, anti-Obama smears going on at the same time regarding Barack Obama, his trip last week overseas, and U.S. troops. Both are completely wrong. The first is the basis of the McCain campaign’s new television ad, which argues that Obama blew off wounded troops to go to the gym, because the […]

It’s a study in contrasts. Two months ago in the Oval Office, President George W. Bush, coming to the end of a two-term presidency and presumably as expert on Israeli-Palestinian policy as he is ever going to be, was accompanied by a team of no fewer than five advisers and spokespeople during a 40-minute interview […]