The Carpetbagger Report

Yesterday, in a rather odd conclusion, Time’s Mark Halperin concluded that John McCain had “won the week.” Noting all of the many problems McCain had this week, I, among others, argued that this analysis didn’t make any sense at all. What I’d neglected to remember, however, was that this was supposed to be the week […]

It’s one thing to flip-flop; it’s another to live in an alternate reality in which the flip-flop never occurred. Yesterday, on a McCain campaign conference call, Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) praised John McCain for his consistency in support of comprehensive immigration reform. In fact, with righteous indignation, Martinez can’t imagine why anyone would argue anything […]

While much of the talk was no doubt influenced by the ongoing negotiations between Iraqi officials and the Bush administration over a long-term security agreement, one of the major takeaways of the week was the frequent talk from Iraqi leaders about a U.S. withdrawal. Different officials referenced different timelines, but there was a common thread […]

The Los Angeles Times did some solid investigative reporting and published a very damaging item yesterday on John McCain’s personal background, which is of course a key part of his campaign. We learned that McCain turned his back on his wife after she was seriously injured in a car accident, committed adultery, and left the […]

First up from the God machine this week is an update on a report from April on the uncomfortable intersection of religion and the U.S. military. One soldier who is not religious has faced considerable pressure from those who are. And now, he has no choice but to go to court. Army Spc. Jeremy Hall […]

I wasn’t especially excited when Newsweek said Barack Obama enjoyed a 15-point lead over John McCain three weeks ago, and I’m not especially discouraged now that Newsweek shows Obama leading by three now. A month after emerging victorious from the bruising Democratic nominating contest, some of Barack Obama’s glow may be fading. In the latest […]

Earlier this week, a friend of mine in Pittsburgh, reader K.M., emailed me about John McCain telling a local television station, “When I was first interrogated and really had to give some information because of the pressures, physical pressures on me, I named the starting lineup, defensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers as my squadron […]

Tony Snow, dead at age 53. Conservative commentator and former White House press secretary Tony Snow has died of cancer, Fox News reported Saturday. Snow, 53, was a broadcaster for Fox News Channel and Fox News Radio when he replaced Scott McClellan as President Bush’s press secretary in May 2006. Snow served just 17 months […]

Today’s edition of quick hits. * Another unpleasant day for market-watchers: “Wall Street’s angst over the ongoing fallout from the credit crisis made for a turbulent end to a volatile week Friday — stocks tumbled, soared and then turned south again as investors tried to assess the dangers faced by the country’s biggest mortgage financiers, […]

There have been rumors all week that Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) might hit the campaign trail with Barack Obama. I expected that might include a rally in Nebraska or something. That’s not quite what these two had in mind. The buzz this week that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is planning to join Sen. […]