It's late, and I have several discussion sections to lead in the early AM, so I'll make this brief. For now... 1. A basic hurdle most undecideds were looking for... [More]
October 1, 2004
Watch This One
This just in before I was heading off to bed... It seems that there is now some question over who wrote Prime Minister Allawi's glowing speech about our great progress... [More]
Freedom Really *IS* On The March
Saddam Hussein is going to run for office, and since he's innocent until proven guilty, we can't stop him. Will he become Baghdad's Marion Barry? It may not be as... [More]
The View From Abroad
From today's Financial Times: John Kerry made a biting and tightly-argued challenge to George W. Bush's leadership in the war on terror in the first presidential debate on Thursday night,... [More]
Post Debate Blogging...
Before I get to my personal reaction to the debate (it's actually an anectdote) here is a summary of what the blogsphere has had to say in the last 24... [More]
The Talking Heads
Via John Kerry's Rapid Response team, the reaction from the talking heads, both right and left, is positive: Mort Kondracke: “This is the President's turf, this is the place that... [More]
My Anecdote On The Debates
So... it's Friday. American Politics discussion day. What did my classroom full of undergrads think about the debate? I started with a poll. Or rather a series of them. 1.... [More]
What If Dan Rather Had Done THIS?
It seems that Fox News fabricated a series of ridiculous quotes from John Kerry, and then ran them this morning in an article as if they were real. But Josh... [More]
Spin Spin Sugar
The spin is nearly out of control in Kerry's direction. Even I wouldn't have predicted this - seems Andrew Sullivan thinks we had a 'man behind the curtain' moment last... [More]
More On Iraq
My TNR subscription comes in handy once again. Spencer Ackerman has a devestating critique of one of Bush's few factual statements in the debate last night: "The best way for... [More]
Allawi Lies. And Now We Have Proof.
Thanks to Josh Marshall for this side by side: "In Samarra, the Iraqi government has tackled the insurgents who once controlled the city." Iyad Allawi Address to Congress September 23rd,... [More]
More Conservative Bloggers React
Fine... I get it. I didn't present enough reactions from the right about the debate. I admit it. So here you go. Kos' compendium of responses, all in one post.... [More]
Scary Mental Images
Seems Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is in favor of orgies. I'm not kidding. “I even take the position that sexual orgies eliminate social tensions and ought to be encouraged,”... [More]
Pre vs. Post
Media Matters has an amazing array of pre-debate vs. post debate quotes from CNN Commentators. Read that and tell me with a straight face that CNN has a bias towards... [More]
No Comment
The Nation has an interview with a woman who says she has specific knowledge about why Bush left the Air National Guard. And if what she says is true... good... [More]
October 3, 2004
Back In Business
Thomas Friedman is back on duty over at the NYT, and damn does he mean business. Yet another clear case against the Bush administration for their abysmal conduct of the... [More]
Sick Of The Lies
I don't know if i has to do with Bush's limited intellect, or if this is just a cynical campaign ploy, but in the few days since the debate, Bush... [More]
October 4, 2004
The Blogs Are Humming!
Before the weekend, the conventional wisdom was that Kerry had scored a big victory in Thursday's debates. Knowing how quickly things can change, howeve, I had predicted that we'd have... [More]
A Quick Technical Update
A quick technical update.... I know a number of you have written in to complain that my commenting feature was broken, and after a few aborted attempts to locate the... [More]
What's Going On In That Head Of Yours???
Want to understand Bush better? Check out Noam Scheiber's latest piece in The New Republic. It's quite lengthy, but as I always say, well worth the time. Here's an excerpt:... [More]
Will Edwards Use This?
Via American Prospect Online, this comes from a speech Dick Cheney delivered to Seattle’s Discovery Institute in August 1992: And the question in my mind is how many additional American... [More]
More Polling Madness
Via Andrew Sullivan: It's about the incumbent, stupid: None of this implies that the current standings will determine the final outcome. Where the race ends up a month from now... [More]
October 5, 2004
Another One Bites The...
Even L. Paul Brener now admits that we didn't have enough troops on the ground when we went in to Iraq. The United States didn't have enough troops in Iraq... [More]
Slime and Sludge
Remember what the GOP did to Max Cleeland a few years back? They're at it again, this time with a recent vet back from the war in Iraq: NORFOLK, Va.... [More]
Not Quite A Call But Close
Looks like the aluminum tube controversy is gaining some traction. Or rather, some BIG traction. In its lead editorial today, the New York Times discusses the controversy in detail, ending... [More]
Priorities
A quick one before a long day of classes... This from Paul Krugman's latest in today's NYT: So far, Mr. Bush has paid no political price for his shameful penny-pinching... [More]
October 6, 2004
Memory Issues
Either Cheney forgot or lied when he claimed never to have met Edwards until tonight: It was a good one liner, except... like everything this administration says it simply wasn't... [More]
A Gathering Threat - The Truth!
Two days ago it was news that Condi either lied or didn't do her job when it came to pre-war intelligence. Then late yesterday a story broke that Paul Bremer,... [More]
One More Reason To Vote Kerry
4 of the current 9 Justices on the Supreme Court are over the age of 70. The next President may have the opportunity to nominate literally a sitting majority to... [More]
Trading Charges
Jonathan Chait over at TNR.com says it all: But substantively, none of those things can compare to two accusations Edwards landed. First, he pointed out that Bush invaded Iraq without... [More]
The Truth About Afghanistan
A stunning success in the worldwide march towards freedom? Yet despite the efforts of other nations and the reinforcement of deployed forces as the election approaches, one issue is particularly... [More]
Lies, Damn Lies, and Dick Cheney
24 hours after the debate and it's time to react. To borrow a phrase from the man of the hour.... "Well, it's hard to know where to start; there are... [More]
Flip Flopping Flip Floppers
Another Cheney whopper, this one courtesy of a Kos: Hey, has anyone picked up on the fact that last night Cheney both accused Kerry and Edwards of being inconsistent (the... [More]
In Case You Missed It
Fine. Your claims weren't that Iraq was an "imminent" threat. OK. "Gathering threat" were your words. How then do you explain this, Messrs. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld: Charles Duelfer, the... [More]
Beaten Afghan Brides
Nicholas Kristof's piece in today's NYT really hit home. The short version: Kristof vs. Cheney: KRISTOF: Inequality is so deeply embedded in this society that there are no easy solutions.... [More]
October 7, 2004
Learn Something New Every Day
A break from politics. Via Andrew Sullivan, I discovered a brilliant piece over on BeliefNet about the conflict (or lack thereof) between god and religion. Talk about mind altering.... Read... [More]
Finding An Old Friend
Completely by accident, I've run across a new blog from an old friend of mine from back in my AOL days, Jesse Kornbluth. Jesse is a brilliant writer and an... [More]
Another Revelation
Seems there's another huge revelation in the ongoing controversy over L Paul Bremer's recent remarks about the inadequacy of pre-war planning and post-war action. And it's one that has so... [More]
Newsweek's Lead
The Image: The Lead Story: Ninety Minutes Later, A New Race Game on: The Bush team went from cockiness to concern to resolution to stop Kerry's postdebate surge. How 'The... [More]
Why Vote For Bush?
Electablog has a brilliant summary of the case against a Bush reelection. Feel free to use this on your Bush supporting friends and see what they have to say: If... [More]
A Success Story?
A small taste of freedom, Afghan style: From The Nation dot com: Among a population estimated at 20 to 25 million, a total of 10.5 million Afghans have registered. That... [More]
A Thought
We now know definitively that Saddam had no WMD. Even Bush and Cheney are tacitly admitting it - after all, why turn to an abuse of the Oil-for-Food program as... [More]
October 9, 2004
The Debate
OK... I'll be honest. I thought Bush got torched again last night, at least in the first half of the debate. He took on that odd yelling/lecturing tone that he... [More]
"Terrorists Targeting Our Schools"
Remember that report a few days back about how terrorists were plotting to attack elementary schools around the US? Yup, you guessed it. Like just about every other advisory that... [More]
Mistakes
One specific debate point. At the end of the debate, the last question to Bush was on mistakes. Here's the give and take: GRABEL: President Bush, during the last four years,... [More]
Polling Data
The ever vigilant Ruy Teixeira has the goods on the first significant post-debate poll to hit the streets. And once again, it's fabulous news for Kerry. Two biggest highlights: ·... [More]
More Lineral Media Bias
Disgusting. The conservative-leaning Sinclair Broadcast Group, whose television outlets reach nearly a quarter of the nation's homes with TV, is ordering its stations to preempt regular programming just days before... [More]
Fact Checking
From the debate: Bush: Non-homeland, non-defense discretionary spending was raising at 15 percent a year when I got into office. And today it's less than 1 percent, because we're working... [More]
The Draft
I ran across this a few days ago, but at the time the link wasn't working. But it is now. I don't know much about Rep. Tim Ryan, but goddamn... [More]
Compare and Contrast
Let's go to the videotape: Bush: So I tried diplomacy, went to the United Nations. But as we learned in the same report I quoted, Saddam Hussein was gaming the oil-for-food... [More]
Back to Crawford
John B. Judis over at TNR.com has his take on what Debate #2 really means. The highlight: Yet as my colleague Jonathan Cohn pointed out to me afterward, Bush, not... [More]
Props Where They're Due
The vote in Afghanistan may not have been fair, but at least is was peaceful. And to be honest, that is a major accomplishment. So props where they're due. In... [More]
Facts on the Ground
Today's WaPo has a fascinating piece featuring interviews with Marines on the ground in Iraq. Obviously those on the right would say this is a biased piece, but hey... even... [More]
October 10, 2004
Split Screened
From a great piece in today's NYT on how Debate #1 changed everything: If anything, the first Bush-Kerry confrontation has given split-screen television a new vogue. Having defied the efforts... [More]
Liberal vs. Conservative
I've said this before, and I'll say it again here. I usually don't agree with much of what George Will has to say, but when I do, when he's on,... [More]
Getting Desparate
From the uber-conservative Union Leader: IF THERE’S one thing Granite Staters, in particular, all know from past experience, it’s that George W. Bush requires a long warm-up before he’s an... [More]
What Was That About Conservatives?
Hmm... I might be on to something. Bob Barr, a man so far to the right he often makes fellow conservatives blush, has come out against Bush. His reasoning? A... [More]
As If You Needed It
Today's WaPo has a devestating analysis of Bush's shifting rationale for the Iraq war. Taking quotes from before the war and today, they show with startling clarity just how drastic... [More]
Whodat?
So the Kerry camp wants to know.... Who exactly are the administration officials whose appointments were Bush's only mistake? --------... [More]
Policy Differences
Reason #52479 to favor Kerry over Bush - energy policy. Early in his term, Bush called energy policy his top concern: "We're in an energy crisis now," he said in... [More]
Conversation With a Conservative
Count another conservative out of Bush's column. Mother Jones has the first of a four part video series featuring interviews with prominent conservatives who are opposing Bush's reelection effort. I... [More]
October 11, 2004
What Won't They Do
There's a scandal brewing in New Hampshire. Today via Joshua Micah Marshall Longtime TPM readers will remember the election day 'phone-jamming' scandal in New Hampshire in 2002. The state Republican... [More]
Seeing Is Believing
A week or so ago, there was a story on the news wires that President Bush had postponed his annual physical until after the election. Although it was a bit... [More]
Impending Doom
Add this to my series of recent posts about the growing splits within the GOP. Washington Monthly's October cover story (which I somehow managed to miss until now) is all... [More]
Terrorism As a Nuisance
Sunday's NYT Magazine has an excellent, in-depth article on / interview with John Kerry. I hadn't yet had the time to read it when I stumbled upon this story: Bush... [More]
October 12, 2004
Terrifying
In a report to the UN, the International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that massive amounts of nuclear equipment and materials have gone missing in Iraq. MASSIVE amounts: Equipment and... [More]
Following up on my earlier
Following up on my earlier post about Kerry's "nuisance" line, Andrew Sullivan has a very thoughtful take on what it all means. As Andrew would say, here's the money quote:... [More]
A Dem Takeover???
It seems the possibility of a Democratic takeover of the US Senate is getting more and more likely. Over the past few days, I've found these nuggets over at DailyKos... [More]
The Polls! The Polls!
Ruy Teixeira checks in to Donkey Rising to give us another one of his essential poll wrap-ups. The short version? The task for Kerry seems clear as he heads into... [More]
One More and Then Sleep
Too late and too little time to post the details myself, so I'm going to refer you elsewhere. Sinclair Media, an conservative media conglomerate that owns stations throughout the US,... [More]
Off With His Dred
Anyone else a bit baffled by Bush's reference to Dred Scott, the Supreme Court case from 1857 upholding slavery on the basis of private property rights? His comment that he... [More]
October 13, 2004
I Know How These People Think
Apparently not. Germany is sending signals that if Kerry wins, they could be convinced to send troops to Iraq: Germany might deploy troops in Iraq if conditions there change, Peter... [More]
What's On The Line Tonight
Zogby says it all... It's Kerry's to lose: Pollster John Zogby: "The two candidates go into the third and final debate tied. TIED!!! There is no major sub-group movement to... [More]
Spin This
Normally I wouldn't pass this kind of stuff along, but I hate this guy so much I won't hold back. If it's true, Bill O'Reilly is toast. --------... [More]
Wired For Sound
This story just won't go away. Was he wired? Wasn't he? Will we ever find out what's behind the bulge Speculation continues to run wild about President Bush's mystery bulge.... [More]
Protecting the Homeland
And America is safer because of this: WASHINGTON - The government agency in charge of airport security spent nearly a half-million dollars on an awards ceremony at a lavish hotel,... [More]
Eargasms
Two huge stories about your hearing from your friendly neighborhood PhDJ... Scientists Find Protein That May Be Key to Hearing Apparently they've found the holy grail of hearing: LONDON (Reuters)... [More]
October 14, 2004
Defining Moment
My quick opinion? the defining moment came here: KERRY: Yes. When the president had an opportunity to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, he took his focus off of them,... [More]
Scandal Alert
This is the kind of shit we're up against people: The state is investigating allegations that a Portland canvasser may have destroyed completed voter registration forms. A recent report says... [More]
Moving Polls
Some significant movement in the polls today. I'll defer to Ruy Teixeira on this, but here's the highlight: This was very much a personal victory for Kerry. There was a... [More]
Change the Metaphor
Remember my discussion about Kerry, the convention, and the ways he's successfully shifting the language of politics? At the time, Publius over at Legal Fiction was carrying on a similar... [More]
No Difference?
to those who say there is no difference between the Dems and the GOP, I say check this out. But for those willing to look behind the trite catchphrases of... [More]
Updates
Some updates on previous posts: Scandal Alert: The LA Times is reporting that Oregon has opened a criminal probe into the activities of consulting firm with direct links to the... [More]
From The "Democrats Can Be Idiots Too" File
I know the guy is 82 years old, but still, this is ridiculous: Fellow Democrats are livid with William Donald Schaefer, the irascible former Maryland governor who this week decided... [More]
Keep On Rockin In the Free World...
Heard this one on the radio coming home tonight... The Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Ed Gillespie, sent a letter to Rock the Vote yesterday demanding that "cease and... [More]
Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have ANOTHER Defector
And this one is HUGE. Robert A. George, an editorial writer for Rupert Murdoch's conservative New York Post, has gone public in TNR with his decision to oppose the reelection... [More]
Mary Mary...
So... About Kerry mentioning Cheney's daughter. Seems a whole host of people on the right are up in arms. But Andrew Sullivan nails this developing non-issue: All Kerry did was... [More]
Maybe There *ISN'T* Someone For Everyone...
Study: One in 100 adults asexual. LONDON, England (CNN) -- About one percent of adults have absolutely no interest in sex, according to a new study, and that distinction is... [More]