The president’s speech in Cleveland yesterday wasn’t just a bizarre defense for the status quo in Iraq; it managed to also include some bizarre ideas about healthcare. This gem, for example, won the coveted Clueless Quote of the Day from Dan Froomkin. “The immediate goal is to make sure there are more people on private […]
‘Lieberman has taken an excursion into fantasy’
In response to Joe Lieberman’s assertions about all the terrific progress the U.S. is making in Iraq, Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) told CNN yesterday, “I don’t know where Sen. Lieberman gets his opinions about how well we’re doing.” In the same afternoon, on the same network, CNN’s Michael Ware was even more blunt. (thanks to […]
In or out
Stephen Biddle probably isn’t a household name, but he’s a pretty serious player on foreign policy. Biddle is not only a senior defense policy analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, but he’s also served as an advisor to Gen. David Petraeus. Today, in an important Washington Post op-ed, Biddle argues that lawmakers should stop […]
Republican obstructionists block Webb amendment
Of all the Democratic amendments to the Defense appropriations bill, the measure championed by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) was the most obvious no-brainer. The amendment, which was co-sponsored by another decorated war hero, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), didn’t have a direct impact on troop withdrawal or timelines, so it should have been easier for Republicans […]
Wednesday’s political 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: * The exodus from John McCain’s staff continued late last night, when Mary Kate Johnson, the finance director for the senator’s presidential campaign, joined the stampede. As Chris Cillizza noted, “With Johnson gone, […]
‘Why would you want to help those people?’
We talked a bit yesterday about how former Surgeon General Richard Carmona was disgusted by the politicization of his office by the White House. He told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that he wanted to use his stature as the “nation’s doctor” to speak out on public healthy issues, but the Bush gang […]
Chertoff’s ‘gut feeling’
The Department of Homeland Security has been subjected to quite a bit of ridicule in recent years, particularly when it comes to its color-coded threat level chart. Of course, the alert levels are clear and concise when compared to the insights of Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff (or, as the president called him, “Homeland guy“), […]
It depends on what the meaning of ‘abuse’ is
Yesterday, the WaPo had quite a damaging scoop about our embattled Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales. In 2005, the FBI prepared a series of reports for Gonzales, detailing multiple instances in which the agency illegally obtained personal information about Americans that agents were not entitled to have. Six days later, Gonzales testified to a Senate committee […]
Perhaps yesterday was Opposite Day
I’ve heard about young schoolchildren playing something called “Opposite Day,” in which those playing the game are expected to say and do things that are the polar opposite of what they should be saying and doing. It’s an awkward, hard-to-define exercise, which quickly grows tiresome. Nevertheless, watching the White House yesterday, one gets the sense […]
Tuesday’s Mini-Report
Today’s edition of quick hits. * According to Larry Flynt, Hustler magazine was behind the Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) revelations, following a “multi-pronged investigation launched” by the porn mogul. * Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy heard about Alberto Gonzales’ latest trouble with the truth and he’s not happy: “This inconsistency is a disturbing addition […]