October 2009 Archives
Oct 31 2009, 11:09PM
Even More Lessons From New York 23
Analogizing races in politics is like eating pizza slices. Someone has too many; others are left hungry for at least one more slice.
The analog of NY-23 that comes to mind is the Florida GOP Senate primary, and this shows the promise and the limits of analogies. Like NY-23, conservatives have been protesting the GOP establishment's decision to rally around not-so-conservative but ostensibly popular Gov. Charlie Crist at the expense of challenger Marco Rubio. Rubio, like Hoffman, has been winning grassroots straw polls. Rubio, like Hoffman, has run as a populist conservative. Crist has some inherent vulnerabilities that, thanks to Rubio and to an aggressive Florida press corps, are beginning to be exploited. Similarities end, though: Rubio is a professional politician. He's crisper on the hustings. He knows the issues of the state. He's a plausible governor, having been mentored by Jeb Bush, Crist's predecessor. There are no third-party dynamics here, just a bunch of conservative activists who don't want Charlie Crist to be their senator. Late word from Florida tonight: Crist's popularity has dropped. The tag of "Empty Chair Charlie" -- referring to what pollster Tom Eldon calls his "uneventful" three years in office as well as, flirtatiously, to Crist's reputed intellectual fogginess.
Oct 31 2009, 10:04PM
Question Of The Weekend: A Third-Party Wave?
If Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman wins in New York's 23rd district special election, will we see more conservative third-party challengers in 2010?
Oct 31 2009, 11:39AM
Dede Drops Out!
Just four days before the election, Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava abandoned her campaign for the congressional seat in New York's 23rd Congressional district. Why? "It was time to do the right thing, which is to release the Republican County chairs, they've stood by me this entire time, and let them do what's best for the Republican Party," she told a local TV station. A series of polls showed Scozzafava in third place, well behind Democrat Bill Owens and, suddenly, Conservative Doug Hoffman, who had stolen about half of Scozzafava's base. Where do the rest of her votes go? CW says that most go to Hoffman, but I'm with Jonathan Martin: I think half go to Democrat Bill Owens or they stay home. GOP registration exceeds Democratic registration by nearly 50,000. This is a Republican district that is likely to remain Republican, -- only significantly more conservative than it's been.
Oct 30 2009, 8:12PM
State Secrets Invoked -- With A Rare, Almost Apologetic Explanation From The AG
Generally, the Attorney General doesn't comment on routine procedural matters in ongoing cases. But Shubert et. al v. Obama is not routine, and the procedure in question -- the State Secrets Doctrine -- is politically sensitive for the administration. Late today, the Department asserted the privilege to prevent the National Security Agency from having to disclose information about its domestic collection activities after the disclosure of the Terrorist Surveillance Program, or TSP, in 2005. The plaintiffs allege they were caught up in a "dragnet" of NSA surveillance that included unwarranted massive collection of domestic phone calls, e-mails and other data.
Oct 30 2009, 6:14PM
Cheney on Plame, Wilson, Etc.
We've finally got the release of Dick Cheney's interview with the FBI from the Valerie Plame investigation thanks to the folks over at Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington (CREW). I've just taken a quick glance at the documents, but already it's interesting, if not shocking. Cheney describes the situation at the CIA as "amateur hour," not only for its dispatch of Joe Wilson to Niger but also for its handling of the Iraqi intelligence. It'll take awhile to comb through all this but feel free to get started here and tell us what you think. For what it's worth there's only a passing reference to me and my conversation with Scooter Libby about the Plame affair. My take on the case can be found here and here.
Oct 30 2009, 6:00PM
The Case for Selling the Lincoln Bedroom
One of the overlooked stories of the week was The Washington Times account of big donors getting special visits and perks at the White House. No reports of the Lincoln Bedroom being used, but the efforts of the Times to stir the outrage that fueled conservative anger at the Clintons in the 90s is not surprising. But it is misplaced. Big donors or bundlers will always be with us, even in the McCain-Feingold era. They will get special treatment from presidents. The question is what kind of perks they get. If they get an NSC briefing or sleepover--not as a direct quid pro quo but as some sort of gesture of gratitude--seems reasonable to me, especially versus say writing legislation. If you have to give them something ego flattering, why not some time in America's house?
Oct 30 2009, 4:36PM
The Little-Guy Agenda
The Obama administration came into this summer with a sweeping plan for financial regulation--its proposals for how to prevent another meltdown after the mortgage crisis and the wave of bank failures that led up to President Obama's inauguration and continued to dominate discussion during his first months in office.
Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner rolled out a package of proposals that included the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, regulation of derivatives, and an answer to "too big to fail"--setting up government regulators as a stopgap against gigantic banks taking on too much risks.
Obama and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner rolled out a package of proposals that included the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, regulation of derivatives, and an answer to "too big to fail"--setting up government regulators as a stopgap against gigantic banks taking on too much risks.
Oct 30 2009, 4:06PM
Orszag: Yeah, It Was The Stimulus
In a non-political, budget-wonk kind of way, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag tells Black Enterprise in an interview that, yes, according to other people's projections, the stimulus package was responsible for all 3.5 percent of the GDP's third-quarter growth, which was reported yesterday. From the interview:
How much of the current growth in the third quarter is the result of stimulus-related activity spurred by the federal government?
Well, the overall growth rate was 3.5% and you can take a variety of models. For example, Goldman Sachs suggests that the Recovery Act added 3.3%. Mark Zandi [economist and co-founder of Moody's Economy.com] says 3.6%. The President's Council of Economic Advisors also says 3.6%. The Congressional Budget Office gives a range of between 2% and 5%. So, average that and call it 3.5%. Basically, they're all in the 3% to 4% range. Therefore one could say that all the growth in the third quarter is attributable to the impact of the recovery act. Another way of putting is, without the recovery act--given these estimates of its impact--the economy would have been flat rather that growing during the third quarter.
Oct 30 2009, 2:26PM
The Stimulus Saved 650,000 Jobs? I'm Not Impressed.
Any minute now, recovery.gov will have a report that touts 650,000 jobs have been saved or created thus far by February's $787 billion stimulus package. In fact, the White House is already bragging about this on its blog. Am I the only person who's completely unimpressed?
Oct 30 2009, 2:04PM
Ethics Committee Gone Wild
Being in the right place at the right time matters in life, and that seems to be what happened at The Washington Post. The Post noticed that some confidential documents from the House ethics committee had been put on a public server, and they got themselves a big scoop--a list of lawmakers being examined by the committee. Such information is supposed to be kept confidential because it doesn't take much for the committee to examine a member, at least in an informal way. But it was later revealed that a junior staffer, working from home, had not followed the necessary security protocols, and so the list got leaked. It shows no fewer than seven members of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee under scrutiny. Does that mean these members have broken the law? Not necessarily. Does it raise long-familiar questions about what Eisenhower famously called the military-industrial complex?
Oct 30 2009, 1:45PM
The Protesters Are Back
Not that they ever officially left, but Politics Daily's Shahzad Chaudhary reports an uptick in anti-war protest activity as President Obama weighs his options in Afghanistan, including more arrests at the Capitol this year than last:
With waning public approval of the Afghanistan war, however, antiwar groups have noticed an increase in support. "We've had a lot of decentralized action in October," said Gael Murphy, co-founder of Code Pink.
Antiwar actions such as the committee hearing protest, in which Blome and Hubert participated in earlier this month, have slowly started to reemerge. So far this year there have been eight official "disruption of Congress" arrests, compared with only four in all of 2008, according to Capitol Hill Police. These types of protests are likely to increase, said Murphy.
Oct 30 2009, 1:31PM
What the NY-23 Special Election Is Really About
In the span of a few short weeks, the special election in New York's 23rd congressional District has become the one result that the savviest church members are polishing off our sharpest metaphors for.
But what would a victory by the Democrat, Bill Owens, or the Conservative, Doug Hoffmann, actually mean? And is it possible that the political community will over-interpret the consequences? Most certainly. We're all lit-crits now; on Wednesday morning, the real lesson will be decided by whose explanation triumphs in a contested arena: Republicans versus Conservatives, Governing Conservatives versus Theoretical Conservatives, Palin-Beck Crazies versus Sane Modernists.
Before you get there, though, go here:
But what would a victory by the Democrat, Bill Owens, or the Conservative, Doug Hoffmann, actually mean? And is it possible that the political community will over-interpret the consequences? Most certainly. We're all lit-crits now; on Wednesday morning, the real lesson will be decided by whose explanation triumphs in a contested arena: Republicans versus Conservatives, Governing Conservatives versus Theoretical Conservatives, Palin-Beck Crazies versus Sane Modernists.
Before you get there, though, go here:
Oct 30 2009, 11:03AM
Polls: Lincoln, Bayh Could Face Campaign Troubles If They Oppose Public Option
Two Senate Democrats who represent swing votes on health care are also up for reelection in 2010, and polls commissioned by a liberal campaign group show they could be in trouble if they vote with Republicans to block health reform that contains a public option.
The Progressive Campaign Change Committee, a group dedicated to electing liberal lawmakers, has released polls testing the health care waters for Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Evan Bayh (D-IN), and both surveys, conducted by Research 2000, show that Democrats and independents will be less likely to support them in 2010 if they join a filibuster.
The Progressive Campaign Change Committee, a group dedicated to electing liberal lawmakers, has released polls testing the health care waters for Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Evan Bayh (D-IN), and both surveys, conducted by Research 2000, show that Democrats and independents will be less likely to support them in 2010 if they join a filibuster.
Oct 30 2009, 10:44AM
$50 Billion For Intelligence
The Director of National Intelligence, Dennis Blair, informed the press today that the National Intelligence Program, the primary account used to fund intelligence activities (and Hamid Karzai's brother's activities?) was $49.5 billion for FY 2009. Blair's required by law to disclose the number, which tells us... very little, actually, about spending across the intelligence community, except for the fact that we're spending a lot of money on intelligence. In 2008, the NIP budget hovered around $47.5 billion. In 1997, the figure for the comparable program was about $27 billion.
Oct 30 2009, 10:39AM
Metaphor Of The Week: Harry Reid's First Down
When Sen. Joe Lieberman told reporters that he wouldn't hesitate to join a Republican filibuster against closing debate on the health care bill, it was widely interpreted as a slap in the face of Democrats, Lieberman's Senate colleagues and the majority leader, Harry Reid. It was so obviously that, right? NBC's Ken Strickland has a different point of view. Lieberman, in fact, gave Harry Reid a victory. He said he wouldn't vote against bringing the bill to the floor -- which is really all that Reid expected of him. What Lieberman intends to do four weeks from now when the political atmospherics are almost certainly different -- that's anyone's guess. Here's Strickland's metaphor:
Point is, Reid needs first downs before he can get to the end zone or even the red zone. And right now, he doesn't even have the votes for that first down. So let's not get too far ahead of ourselves and try to predict what will happen in the red zone -- if Democrats carry the ball that far.
Oct 30 2009, 6:44AM
Lieberman Wants Senate-Confirmed Cyber Coordinator
Good timing for Sen. Joe Lieberman: the night before he's slated to lay out his vision for a comprehensive remake of the nation's cybersecurity laws, his colleagues on the House Ethics Committee were dealing with the fallout of a major cybersecurity breach.
In a speech this morning at the Chamber of Commerce, Lieberman, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, will outline legislation that includes the step of making president's cyber coordinator a Senate confirmed position. The White House, which has not named its cyber coordinator, wants the position to be accountable only to the National Security Adviser.
In a speech this morning at the Chamber of Commerce, Lieberman, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, will outline legislation that includes the step of making president's cyber coordinator a Senate confirmed position. The White House, which has not named its cyber coordinator, wants the position to be accountable only to the National Security Adviser.
Oct 30 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Is 10,000 Enough?
Is 10,000 more troops--the number Americans support sending to Afghanistan according to a recent poll--enough to significantly affect the war?
Oct 30 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/30
It's another day of consideration of Afghanistan for President Obama, who meets with his Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss the war. Obama has been spending a lot of time consulting with his national security team over the past month, but he's expected to hold off on announcing a troop decision until after Afghanistan holds it's presidential run-off Nov. 7...to Dick Cheney's chagrin.
If you've been burned by overdraft fees, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) is your new hero: the House Financial Services Committee, which he chairs, will hold a hearing on overdraft protection legislation--part of the Democratic agenda to slap consumer-protection regulations on banks and credit card companies after the financial crisis made us all so miserable.
If you've been burned by overdraft fees, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) is your new hero: the House Financial Services Committee, which he chairs, will hold a hearing on overdraft protection legislation--part of the Democratic agenda to slap consumer-protection regulations on banks and credit card companies after the financial crisis made us all so miserable.
Oct 30 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/30
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Some Iowa GOP activists don't like the idea of paying $100,000 for a Sarah Palin appearance; Haley Barbour jumped into the Texas gubernatorial race with an endorsement of conservative Gov. Rick Perry (R) over primary opponent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), campaigning with Perry in the state; Bobby Jindal reportedly traveled to Fresno, California to raise money for his gubernatorial re-election; Tim Pawlenty announced he'll travel to Mexico on a trade trip in November and meet privately with President Felipe Calderon; Pawlenty and Jindal signed onto a letter urging the Senate to pass the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act; and Mitt Romney won't take sides in New York's 23rd district special election.
Some Iowa GOP activists don't like the idea of paying $100,000 for a Sarah Palin appearance; Haley Barbour jumped into the Texas gubernatorial race with an endorsement of conservative Gov. Rick Perry (R) over primary opponent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), campaigning with Perry in the state; Bobby Jindal reportedly traveled to Fresno, California to raise money for his gubernatorial re-election; Tim Pawlenty announced he'll travel to Mexico on a trade trip in November and meet privately with President Felipe Calderon; Pawlenty and Jindal signed onto a letter urging the Senate to pass the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act; and Mitt Romney won't take sides in New York's 23rd district special election.
Oct 30 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/30
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Democracy Corps has Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading his re-election race 43-38 over Republican Chris Christie; but a Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll shows Christie moving into a 42-41 lead; another Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll shows a dead heat between Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election, with Republican Dede Scozzafava trailing them by double digits; Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) got an endorsement from Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R); Dick Cheney, meanwhile, endorsed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Perry's primary opponent; and former Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) is running for governor.
Democracy Corps has Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading his re-election race 43-38 over Republican Chris Christie; but a Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll shows Christie moving into a 42-41 lead; another Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll shows a dead heat between Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election, with Republican Dede Scozzafava trailing them by double digits; Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) got an endorsement from Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R); Dick Cheney, meanwhile, endorsed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Perry's primary opponent; and former Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) is running for governor.
Oct 29 2009, 6:08PM
Plouffe Time
David Plouffe, the Obama tactician, has a new book out and it's excerpted in Time. Crossing genres between political memoir and business advice book, it's called "The Audacity to Win." The new excerpts seem appropriately kind to the boss who brilliantly takes charge of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright affair with an oh-so-brilliant speech on race and who magnanimously considers Hillary Clinton for veep even while Plouffe and David Axelrod don't take the idea seriously. The weighty presence of Bill Clinton pushes her out of the final cut which includes no women--just three guys, Joe Biden, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Evan Bayh--who may become this generation's Dianne Feinstein, considered every four years and never getting the nod. Plouffe takes a gentle shot at Biden's famed locquaciousness but makes it clear that the veteran senator's experience and candor more than made up for it. I'd thought at the time that Obama would go with Kaine and double down on change in lieu of experience, and Obama did seem to consider it. I can't say the excerpt made me wanna read the whole thing, but I don't think we'll get a very revealing or cutting memoir from an Obamaite anytime soon.
Oct 29 2009, 4:50PM
Gallup: Obama Not Changing Racial Attitudes
There's some interesting new polling out from Gallup showing that, despite the election of the first African-American president, there hasn't been a big shift in racial attitudes. I suppose at some level that shouldn't be surprising. The election of Obama himself represented a thaw in racial attitudes, certainly since the civil rights era, but also since the 80s and 90s--the L.A. Riots, O.J. Simpson trial, etc. It's probably wrong to expect that after 10 months in office it would be much different. And the questions that Gallup poses are pretty crude measures: Do you expect America's race problems will end? That percentage is about the same as it was in 1963--55%--after dipping at the end of the O.J. trial to 29 %. Not surprisingly, African-Americans are more likely to say that racism exists now than whites. The more supple measures of race relations--intermarriage, friends of a different race, interaction, neighborhood and school integration--probably haven't changed perceptibly in the last year either, but those metrics will be interesting to watch in the coming years.
Oct 29 2009, 4:20PM
Grijalva: Progressives Will Push For Changes To House Bill
Liberal Democrats in the House of Representatives can get behind the health care bill Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled today, but they'll press Democratic House leaders to make changes to it, according to one of the leaders of the House Progressive Caucus.
Progressive lawmakers are "obviously disappointed" that Pelosi's bill didn't include a stronger public option, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), one of two co-chairs of the House Progressive Caucus, said in a phone interview.
"There's a level of satisfaction that we've brought [the public option] back from the dead, but a level of disappointment that it's not what we think the mechanism should have been," Grijalva said.
Progressive lawmakers are "obviously disappointed" that Pelosi's bill didn't include a stronger public option, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), one of two co-chairs of the House Progressive Caucus, said in a phone interview.
"There's a level of satisfaction that we've brought [the public option] back from the dead, but a level of disappointment that it's not what we think the mechanism should have been," Grijalva said.
Oct 29 2009, 3:36PM
Blast From The Past Newt: Reagan Revolution's Civil Rights Failure
In a way, Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, predicted the Current Crisis in the Republican Party as early as 1989. In an interview that year with the Ripon Society, a still-on-his-vertical-trajectory Gingrich projected that the conservative movement would split between those who favored a "governing conservatism" and those conservatives who want to keep conservatism theoretical. Gingrich in 1989 sounds a lot like Gingrich in 2009, with some differences -- he supported a "living wage" back then. The interview, which you can find here, began with Ripon's moderator noting that Gingrich's ascension to the post of Minority Whip was built on the work of moderate Republicans.
Responded Gingrich: "There's no question that I would not be House Republican whip if activists in the moderate wing had not supported me. I carried New England by seven to three: I was nominated by Bill Frenzel; Olympia Snowe seconded my nomination; and others like Steve Gunderson and Claudine Schneider played major roles. So I regard my election as a coalition victory for activists of all the ideological views of the Republican Party."
Responded Gingrich: "There's no question that I would not be House Republican whip if activists in the moderate wing had not supported me. I carried New England by seven to three: I was nominated by Bill Frenzel; Olympia Snowe seconded my nomination; and others like Steve Gunderson and Claudine Schneider played major roles. So I regard my election as a coalition victory for activists of all the ideological views of the Republican Party."
Oct 29 2009, 3:08PM
Virginia Governor's Race: More Lessons Learned
Yesterday, I offered my first impressions about why Republican Bob
McDonnell is so handily beating Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia. Here
are some additional lessons that Republicans and Democrats are learning.
1. Culture Warriorism Don't Work. At least not in this environment. Deeds's internal polling showed that the number one issue, by far, for voters across state but in Northern Virginia in particular, was the economy, jobs and infrastructure improvement. This is no different than in previous elections, but the salience of these issues were all the more acute. Virginia remains the best place to do business (says CNBC) and its unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation. No surprise that Bob McDonnell focused his ads, like a laser beam, on these issues without referring to the incumbent.
1. Culture Warriorism Don't Work. At least not in this environment. Deeds's internal polling showed that the number one issue, by far, for voters across state but in Northern Virginia in particular, was the economy, jobs and infrastructure improvement. This is no different than in previous elections, but the salience of these issues were all the more acute. Virginia remains the best place to do business (says CNBC) and its unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation. No surprise that Bob McDonnell focused his ads, like a laser beam, on these issues without referring to the incumbent.
Oct 29 2009, 3:02PM
The Nuclear Stockpile Flashpoint
Last week, in writing about President Obama's decision to take a more hands-on approach to his Nuclear Posture Review, I implied that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used a public speech to throw a dart at the Defense Department and Secretary Robert Gates by attempting to redefine what it means for the U.S. to be confident in the nuclear stockpile it has.
I quoted Clinton as saying that "General [Kevin P.] Chilton, Commander of U.S. Stratcom, has said repeatedly that he doesn't need new nuclear weapons capabilities -- but he must be confident in the capabilities that we have."
A senior defense official called to dispute the view that Clinton's comment amounted to a challenge to the Pentagon.
I quoted Clinton as saying that "General [Kevin P.] Chilton, Commander of U.S. Stratcom, has said repeatedly that he doesn't need new nuclear weapons capabilities -- but he must be confident in the capabilities that we have."
A senior defense official called to dispute the view that Clinton's comment amounted to a challenge to the Pentagon.
Oct 29 2009, 2:27PM
House Bill Wins Over Progressives
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's newly unveiled health care package isn't as ambitious as what most progressives have called for, but they're praising it as a big step toward passing a reform package that includes a public option.
"Today, House leadership proved it is on our side with a bill that makes health care much more affordable, ends egregious insurance industry abuse, and injects real choice and competition with the inclusion of a national public health insurance option," said Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager for Health Care for America Now!, the conglomeration of liberal interest groups that makes up the progressive-advocacy side of the health care debate.
"Today, House leadership proved it is on our side with a bill that makes health care much more affordable, ends egregious insurance industry abuse, and injects real choice and competition with the inclusion of a national public health insurance option," said Richard Kirsch, national campaign manager for Health Care for America Now!, the conglomeration of liberal interest groups that makes up the progressive-advocacy side of the health care debate.
Oct 29 2009, 1:47PM
Stimulus Spending, Before Your Very Eyes
The government watchdogs at the Sunlight Foundation have released a new iPhone 3GS/Android phone app that uses the phones' "augmented reality" function--which is probably the spookiest technology that exists today, outside the guided-missile acumen of predator drones--to conjure floating representations of stimulus contracts, wherever you are.
Oct 29 2009, 12:20PM
Obama Praises Deficit-Neutral Public Option
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's public option isn't quite what President Obama originally stumped for, but he congratulated the Speaker on including one in the House health care package she unveiled today at the Capitol--and on keeping the bill deficit neutral as she did it.
From his statement on the bill, released this morning by the White House:
From his statement on the bill, released this morning by the White House:
Oct 29 2009, 11:00AM
Pelosi: Health Care Bill Reduces Deficit, Spends More Than Senate Bill
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) says the conglomerated House health care reform bill--rolled out today at a news conference outside the Capitol--will be deficit neutral, a key qualification for getting moderates on board.
"The bill is fiscally sound, will not add one dime to the deficit," Pelosi proclaimed.
"The bill is fiscally sound, will not add one dime to the deficit," Pelosi proclaimed.
Oct 29 2009, 10:30AM
With Billions In The Balance, Clinton Tells Pakistan To Step It Up
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been in Pakistan this week, and, in a meeting with editors in Lahore, she essentially accused Pakistan's government of knowing where al-Qaeda leaders are and choosing, of their own volition, not to go after them. From Bloomberg:
"Al-Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002," Clinton told a group of editors in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. "I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to. Maybe that's the case; maybe they're not gettable. I don't know."
Oct 29 2009, 9:28AM
His Brother's Keeper
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother to Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai, is on the Central Intelligence Agency payroll. While the explanations are not expressly damning (C.I.A. and U.S. Special Operations forces rent a compound from him, and often use him as an intermediary to communicate with the Taliban), it's clear how the news will be received in the region. Theories that Afghanistan is a puppet state of the West are confirmed. Rumors that Hamid Karzai's interests rest with American hegemony are bolstered. And it exacerbates a "crisis of confidence" in the Afghanistan government, as experienced by the Afghan people and described by General Stanley McChrystal in his Commander's Initial Assessment. It is, by every measure, a catastrophe for the Karzai administration. And it comes a week before runoff elections strong-armed by the United States.
Ahmed Karzai isn't just a crony governor of a failing state in a spiraling war. He's the opium kingpin of Afghanistan, the Pablo Escobar of the Hindu Kush. According to General McChrystal, the war cannot be won so long as the illicit opium trade remains unfettered. ISAF has spent eight years torching everyone else's poppy fields, and yet, it seems, Ahmed Karzai has a C.I.A. paystub and a free pass. A U.S. official tells the New York Times, "There's no proof of Ahmed Wali Karzai's involvement in drug trafficking, certainly nothing that would stand up in court." The only thing missing is a wink and a knowing smile.
Ahmed Karzai isn't just a crony governor of a failing state in a spiraling war. He's the opium kingpin of Afghanistan, the Pablo Escobar of the Hindu Kush. According to General McChrystal, the war cannot be won so long as the illicit opium trade remains unfettered. ISAF has spent eight years torching everyone else's poppy fields, and yet, it seems, Ahmed Karzai has a C.I.A. paystub and a free pass. A U.S. official tells the New York Times, "There's no proof of Ahmed Wali Karzai's involvement in drug trafficking, certainly nothing that would stand up in court." The only thing missing is a wink and a knowing smile.
Oct 29 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: The Levi Factor
Oct 29 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/29
House Democratic leaders will roll out their health care plan today, holding a rally on the West Front of the Capitol, which should give progressives many opportunities to cheer for the public option, as Pelosi's version is expected to be of the robust variety...though a compromise over reimbursement rates might draw only polite liberal applause.
A point of interest for any foreign-affairs buffs, Israel supporters, citizens of the world, or nuclear eschatologists: Iran will give its formal reply to the UN Atomic Energy Agency's proposed deal, which would see the country's low-grade enriched uranium shipped to Russia for further enrichment and returned.
A point of interest for any foreign-affairs buffs, Israel supporters, citizens of the world, or nuclear eschatologists: Iran will give its formal reply to the UN Atomic Energy Agency's proposed deal, which would see the country's low-grade enriched uranium shipped to Russia for further enrichment and returned.
Oct 29 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/29
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
More than seven in 10 respondents to a CNN poll said Sarah Palin isn't qualified to be president, but respondents do think she's honest; the same poll showed Mike Huckabee leading the field of big-name 2012 hopefuls; Palin blasted Levi Johnston for his upcoming Playgirl shoot; the Iowa Family Policy Center says it's working on bringing Palin back to Iowa for a speaking engagement; Mitt Romney stumped for gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell (R) in Virginia Wednesday; Huckabee appeared at a New York Conservative Party dinner in upstate New York Tuesday night, but he hasn't endorsed their candidate, Doug Hoffman, in the 23rd district special election; according to the blog Race 4 2012, Mike Pence will endorse Kansas Senate candidate Todd Tiahrt (R); snubbed by the quasi-phony "Entrepreneur of the Year" awards being doled out by Newt Gingrich's group, American Solutions for Winning the Future, the owner of a Dallas strip club will name a shelter for pitbulls in Gingrich's honor.
More than seven in 10 respondents to a CNN poll said Sarah Palin isn't qualified to be president, but respondents do think she's honest; the same poll showed Mike Huckabee leading the field of big-name 2012 hopefuls; Palin blasted Levi Johnston for his upcoming Playgirl shoot; the Iowa Family Policy Center says it's working on bringing Palin back to Iowa for a speaking engagement; Mitt Romney stumped for gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell (R) in Virginia Wednesday; Huckabee appeared at a New York Conservative Party dinner in upstate New York Tuesday night, but he hasn't endorsed their candidate, Doug Hoffman, in the 23rd district special election; according to the blog Race 4 2012, Mike Pence will endorse Kansas Senate candidate Todd Tiahrt (R); snubbed by the quasi-phony "Entrepreneur of the Year" awards being doled out by Newt Gingrich's group, American Solutions for Winning the Future, the owner of a Dallas strip club will name a shelter for pitbulls in Gingrich's honor.
Oct 29 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2012, 10/29
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Polls from Rasmussen and Virginia Commonwealth University have Creigh Deeds (D) trailing Bob McDonnell (R) in Virginia's '09 gubernatorial race by 13 and 18 points; a group of Doug Hoffman supporters is airing an ad in New York's 23rd district calling Republican Dede Scozzafava "the best choice for progressives"; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent another $244,000 helping Democrat Bill Owens in that race (H/T Swing State Project); Quinnipiac shows New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading his re-election race against Republican Chris Christie 43-38; a Franklin & Marshall College poll shows Sen. Arlen Specter (D) sliding with a 28 percent approval rating but still ahead of his challengers; and another Connecticut Republican--former Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley--is airing ads against Sen. Chris Dodd (D).
Polls from Rasmussen and Virginia Commonwealth University have Creigh Deeds (D) trailing Bob McDonnell (R) in Virginia's '09 gubernatorial race by 13 and 18 points; a group of Doug Hoffman supporters is airing an ad in New York's 23rd district calling Republican Dede Scozzafava "the best choice for progressives"; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent another $244,000 helping Democrat Bill Owens in that race (H/T Swing State Project); Quinnipiac shows New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading his re-election race against Republican Chris Christie 43-38; a Franklin & Marshall College poll shows Sen. Arlen Specter (D) sliding with a 28 percent approval rating but still ahead of his challengers; and another Connecticut Republican--former Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley--is airing ads against Sen. Chris Dodd (D).
Oct 28 2009, 7:44PM
"The Legacy of a Legacy"
Chris Geidner is a lawyer who lives in Washington, D.C., and writes at Law Dork, voted the Best Law Blog in 2005. He also has written for Salon, The Washington Blade and FindLaw's Writ and has guest blogged at Wonkette, the ThinkProgress Wonk Room and the ACSblog. You can follow him on Twitter.
Eleven years ago this month, Matthew Shepard was killed. A bill that had been slowly gaining support in Congress -- the Hate Crimes Prevention Act -- soon became associated with Matthew, his memory and the legacy of his death that is his mother's work.
Oct 28 2009, 3:41PM
Crazed Anti-Obama Fantasies, In A Video Game
Wow. I clicked on one of those banner ads on the Drudge Report, which are usually right-wing but innocuous enough. This one, though, was for some crazed game called "The United States of Earth," a computer game that imagines an Obama coup that suspends civil liberties, sees Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh imprisoned and Cass Sunstein die. Sicko stuff. See it here.
Read a gamer mag's take on it here. Wow.
As one who covered nuttiness like the Jerry Falwell implication that Bill Clinton was involved in murders, I thought I'd lost my capacity to be shocked. Have you seen other things like this? Let me know.
Read a gamer mag's take on it here. Wow.
As one who covered nuttiness like the Jerry Falwell implication that Bill Clinton was involved in murders, I thought I'd lost my capacity to be shocked. Have you seen other things like this? Let me know.
Oct 28 2009, 3:18PM
What Did Congress Know About Wali Karzai?
What did Congress know about Wali Karzai? The C.I.A. isn't obligated to report the identity of every agent or recipient of its laundered funds, but given the importance of W. Karzai to the operation and given how much money he seems to have gotten, good lawyers at the agency probably would have suggested that the notification be made, at least to the "Gang of 8." Reporters aren't having any luck getting members of the intelligence committees to comment.
And why aren't Republicans jumping on the news, framed by some in this way: that the Obama administration propped up one of the biggest (alleged) opium dealers in Afghanistan -- opium that is funding Taliban forces committed to the death of American soldiers?
I suspect it's because Republicans like the idea of the CIA being aggressive. Or they don't know all the facts...and don't want to inadvertently confirm a story that isn't true.
Incidentally: how hard is it going to be for the CIA to promise anonymity to lower-level Afghan Taliban leaders and potential sources now?
Oct 28 2009, 3:16PM
Blowing Wali Karzai's Cover: A Wall Of Silence
A wall of silence met inquiries about the New York Times' revelation that the Ahmed Wali Shah Karzai, the brother of the President of Afghanistan and a suspected opium lord, has been on the CIA payroll since 2001.
Oct 28 2009, 2:30PM
Newt Makes the Case for Moderates
Even politicos sometimes forget how much Newt Gingrich and Tom DeLay and the GOP House leadership of the 90s was liked by moderates. They may not have agreed ideologically, but the aggressive conservatives always took care of moderate members, making sure they were protected on their right flanks, not pushing them into too many painful votes. DeLay was known as the Hammer, but he was also a courtier, too. That tendency is on display today as Newt Gingrich makes the case for his support of the GOP nominee, Dede Scozzafava, in that contested congressional race in New York state where the likes of Sarah Palin and Dick Armey (an exception, perhaps, to the DeLay-Gingrich reign) and other prominent conservatives have endorsed the Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman, over the Republican. Gingrich makes the case that moderates were key to the House Republican successes of 1994 and shouldn't be shunned. He makes the argument here. The seat is vacant because Barack Obama tapped John McHugh, a Republican congressman, to be secretary of the Army. For what it's worth, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, told me last month that he reassured the White House that McHugh would be a great "team player"--which is what LaHood himself has turned out to be.
Oct 28 2009, 2:00PM
Afghanistan Poll: Good News For The White House, A Split Decision For McChrystal
An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll today found that the public now supports sending more troops to Afghanistan...and not only that: a resounding 58 percent majority thinks it's best for President Obama to delay his final decision until after Afghanistan holds its presidential run-off election on November 7.
All this is good news for the White House: the American public supports Obama in exactly the two areas in which he faces political opposition. The left doesn't want more troops, while the right (embodied most recently by Dick Cheney and John McCain), have attacked the president for waiting too long to decide. Evidently, the public doesn't agree with either group of critics.
But the poll reveals more complex opinions on exactly how many troops to send and what mission they should undertake.
All this is good news for the White House: the American public supports Obama in exactly the two areas in which he faces political opposition. The left doesn't want more troops, while the right (embodied most recently by Dick Cheney and John McCain), have attacked the president for waiting too long to decide. Evidently, the public doesn't agree with either group of critics.
But the poll reveals more complex opinions on exactly how many troops to send and what mission they should undertake.
Oct 28 2009, 1:34PM
Public Option Options: The Unknown Unknowns
Here's a thumbnail guide to the public option options out there. For a great graphical representation, check out Nate Silver's work. For a tight look at the Senate's options, read Ezra Klein's.
To figure out what the public option will do, you first need to know
(1) Who pays for it -- the government or individuals through premiums?
(2) Who gets to participate? Everyone? Small businesses?
(2) Who gets to participate? Everyone? Small businesses?
(3) How much providers are paid, and who gets to set the rates?
(4) Do states get to opt-in, or opt-out? How large does a public option have to be in order to have any effect? What's the existing market like?
(5) Does it kick in immediately? Is there a trigger?
(4) Do states get to opt-in, or opt-out? How large does a public option have to be in order to have any effect? What's the existing market like?
(5) Does it kick in immediately? Is there a trigger?
Oct 28 2009, 12:11PM
Pre-Mortem: How Did Deeds Get Into So Much Trouble?
I could just as easily have titled this post "Why Bob McDonnell is winning." Let's start with the candidate. As Virginia uber-blogger Not Larry Sabato points out, to be a governor is to be a manager. Voters intuitively understand this, and so they look to the candidate who seems to be the best manager. Creigh Deeds (D) doesn't come off as a confident, crisp, efficient manager; Bob McDonnell does. The dynamics of an open seat, with a much narrower pool of voters, a re-energized Republican Party -- these conditions were expected, and they were satisfied. Deeds's climb would be uphill. Also: Virginians fell in love with Mark Warner. They fell in like with Tim Kaine. They seem underwhelmed by Creigh Deeds.
Here are six other reasons why Deeds is losing among, for goodness sakes, even women.
Here are six other reasons why Deeds is losing among, for goodness sakes, even women.
Oct 28 2009, 12:01PM
Schwarzenegger Sticks It To Assemblyman, Acrostic Style
Just a little eff you to to an ornery assemblyman from California's governor: Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter to the California Assembly on October 11 promising a veto of Assembly Bill 1176, which would deliver some state funding to San Francisco for waterfront restoration...and the first letter of each line spells out a special message, presumably for the bill's author, Democrat Tom Ammiano, who yelled "You lie!" at Schwarzenegger when the governor stepped up to the podium during an unannounced visit to a San Francisco Democratic Party gala earlier this month.
Oct 28 2009, 11:08AM
Ad Watch: Seniors Group Launches Multi-State Ad Against Democratic Health Reform
The 60-Plus Association, a conservative seniors group (which retains Pat Boone as its spokesman), has dedicated $2 million to running an ad against Democratic health reforms in eight states over the next week, pressuring moderate senators who will cast swing votes in the Senate on health care.
The subject of the ad: cuts to Medicare spending.
The subject of the ad: cuts to Medicare spending.
Oct 28 2009, 10:57AM
On 11/21 in Iowa, Biden v. Palin, One Round...
News that the Iowa Family Policy Center is trying to recruit former AR Gov. Sarah Palin to attend its major annual fundraiser sets up the media-drooling possibility of a Fight Night in Des Moines. The IFPC has rented the Wells Fargo Center downtown. Across the street, at Hy-Vee Hall, Vice President Joe Biden will attend the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner.
Oct 28 2009, 10:05AM
Steele Still On Board With Scozzafava
As high-profile Republicans (other than Newt Gingrich) flock to endorse Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election over the Republican in the three-way race, Dede Scozzafava (R) still has one prominent supporter besides the former Speaker: Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.
"I support the republican nominee as the republican party chairman, and that's the way it should go, right?" Steele told NBC's Chuck Todd this morning during an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe (video here--fast forward to 4:55).
"I support the republican nominee as the republican party chairman, and that's the way it should go, right?" Steele told NBC's Chuck Todd this morning during an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe (video here--fast forward to 4:55).
Oct 28 2009, 9:42AM
Palin's Honest But Unqualified, Americans Say
There's been some perturbation in Sarah Palin's orbit since the end of the presidential campaign. The new NBC News / Wall Street Journal poll finds a statistically significant drop in her favorability numbers since July; only 26% of Americans have a positive response to her versus 42% who regard her with suspicion. CNN's version of the same question lumps together the "mostlies" and pushes respondents to make an assessment. Palin's favorability rating rises to 42%; her unfavorability rating rises to 52%.
Oct 28 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: If Oprah Could Ask One Question...
What question would you most like Oprah to ask Sarah Palin when she appears on the talk show Nov. 16?
Oct 28 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/28
It's a day of ceremony, largely, for President Obama: he'll speak in the Capitol Rotunda at a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for former Sen. Edward Brooke this morning, then he'll sign the FY2010 defense authorization bill, with Defense Secretary Robert Gates in tow, and then he'll make a speech this evening at the White House commemorating the enactment of hate crimes legislation.
But, amid all the Obama pomp and circumstance...NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will make an appearance on Capitol Hill today, along with former NFL players Tiki Barber and Merril Hodge, who will testify along with a host of football and medical experts before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on legal issues related to football head injuries.
But, amid all the Obama pomp and circumstance...NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will make an appearance on Capitol Hill today, along with former NFL players Tiki Barber and Merril Hodge, who will testify along with a host of football and medical experts before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on legal issues related to football head injuries.
Oct 28 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/28
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Sarah Palin got an advance of $1.25 million for her memoir; Levi Johnston, meanwhile, says he plans to "leak some things" on Palin; the former Alaska governor also encouraged her supporters, via Facebook, to rally around the Republican Governors Association and the GOP's gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia; Rick Santorum addressed a FreedomWorks event in North Carolina and said Americans are living in "fear" in the Obama era; and Newt Gingrich criticized GOP support for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district as a "purge."
Sarah Palin got an advance of $1.25 million for her memoir; Levi Johnston, meanwhile, says he plans to "leak some things" on Palin; the former Alaska governor also encouraged her supporters, via Facebook, to rally around the Republican Governors Association and the GOP's gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia; Rick Santorum addressed a FreedomWorks event in North Carolina and said Americans are living in "fear" in the Obama era; and Newt Gingrich criticized GOP support for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district as a "purge."
Oct 28 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/28
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
In the '09 races...Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman got some more help as the Club for Growth cycled in a new ad for him in New York's 23rd district special election, as part of a $300,000 media buy announced last week; a Neighborhood Research poll commissioned by the Minuteman PAC finds Hoffman leading the race with 34 percent; a Washington Post poll shows Republican Bob McDonnell leading Democrat Creigh Deeds 55-44 in Virginia's gubernatorial race; SurveyUSA, meanwhile, has McDonnell up 58-41; Rasmussen finds Republican Chris Christie ahead of Gov. Jon Corzine (D) 46-43 in New Jersey; and in 2010 news...the National Republican Congressional Committee added 32 candidates to its Young Guns program; a Ron Paul supporter in Nevada launched a PAC opposing Sue Lowden, one of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) Republican challengers; and Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) is attracting some negative attention for calling a female Fed advisor a "K Street whore."
In the '09 races...Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman got some more help as the Club for Growth cycled in a new ad for him in New York's 23rd district special election, as part of a $300,000 media buy announced last week; a Neighborhood Research poll commissioned by the Minuteman PAC finds Hoffman leading the race with 34 percent; a Washington Post poll shows Republican Bob McDonnell leading Democrat Creigh Deeds 55-44 in Virginia's gubernatorial race; SurveyUSA, meanwhile, has McDonnell up 58-41; Rasmussen finds Republican Chris Christie ahead of Gov. Jon Corzine (D) 46-43 in New Jersey; and in 2010 news...the National Republican Congressional Committee added 32 candidates to its Young Guns program; a Ron Paul supporter in Nevada launched a PAC opposing Sue Lowden, one of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) Republican challengers; and Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) is attracting some negative attention for calling a female Fed advisor a "K Street whore."
Oct 27 2009, 10:18PM
Gore Vidal On Obama: "Experience Mattered"
In an interview with author John Meroney, provocateur Gore Vidal has some choice words about politics. In the primaries, he supported Hillary Clinton. Here's what he says about Barack Obama:
"... And I've always been very pro-African-American - or whatever phrase we now use. I was curious to see what would happen when their time came. I was delighted when Obama appeared on the scene. But now it seems as though our original objection to him - that experience mattered - was well-founded."
And here's Vidal on Ted Kennedy's legacy:
"... And I've always been very pro-African-American - or whatever phrase we now use. I was curious to see what would happen when their time came. I was delighted when Obama appeared on the scene. But now it seems as though our original objection to him - that experience mattered - was well-founded."
And here's Vidal on Ted Kennedy's legacy:
Read the rest, here.It's nothing. But I predicted that at the beginning, when Jack started backing him for his U.S. Senate seat. Historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., who was a loyal Kennedy courtier, agreed. But Jack was funny about it. He never took Arthur seriously. He always called him "the movie critic." (Imitating JFK's accent) "What does 'the movie critic' have to say about this issue?" He liked to tease Arthur.
Oct 27 2009, 6:36PM
Reality Check: Biden At 42% In Context
Joe Biden's less popular than Al Gore? Than Dick Cheney? Say it ain't so. OK, it ain't so. A new Gallup poll out this week suggests that Biden's favorability rating has reached its lowest level since the Democratic National Convention. It's now 42%, a full 13 points lower than President Obama's current rating and ten points below where Biden rated at the inauguration. Gallup measured the ratings of Al Gore and Dick Cheney over the course of 1993 and 2001, respectively, and found that Cheney averaged a 65% approval rating and Gore, a 55% approval rating.
Oct 27 2009, 5:10PM
The Weirdest Political Video On The Planet
In case you're wondering where to find the weirdest political videos on the planet, look no further than ACORN Man--a crudely rendered digital superhero who consorts with Missouri Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan (D), as well as fellow hero SEI-Ultra (a metonymy for the Service Employees International Union), to discuss secret payoffs and the construction of an underground lair, all in a computerized monotone:
Oct 27 2009, 4:15PM
Tacky, Tacky: Throwing Creigh Deeds Under The Bus
The throw-Creigh-Deeds-under-the-bus moment will be one of the more memorable from this off-year election. Last week, the Washington Post cited a White House official already distancing the president from the Virginia Democrat running for governor. Obama is in Virginia today, trying to drive up minority turnout in the Norfolk area. Polls, though, show Deeds is slipping and seems unlikely to win against his Republican rival, Bob McDonnell, who has portrayed himself as a moderate and seems to be doing a good job at it. Obama is not one to risk a lot for those pols in need. If he had gone to Minnesota to help Al Franken at the end of the 2008 campaign he probably would have avoided the runoff that Franken just barely won. Obama doesn't really appear on stage with other politicians generally. He throws out a few thank yous, but he's not a bear hugger with those in trouble. Maybe that's wise for him, but it's not the most generous tendency. That said, in Virginia, Obama's a mixed blessing, and he can't help as much as he can in New Jersey where the state is more Democratic and the Republican candidate is more hapless. Still, that quote in the Washington Post dissing Deeds was pretty awful and sends a message to 2010 candidates that the White House will help--but only so much.
Oct 27 2009, 3:57PM
The Fox Fight--A Base Rallier
The Fox News kerfuffle continues. Rachel Maddow made the point last night that Fox stopped being a regular news network when it moved into advocacy for the Tea Partiers. I'm not sure I buy that. If it wasn't an advocacy network before, that was hardly the turning point. I'm in the camp, as I've written, that most MSM journalists are: this was probably a mistake for the White House. That's not because I think Fox is fair and balanced--it's not--but because it looks small of the White House and it disses the Democratic and independent viewers who watch Fox. That said, one point I should have made: This sure has rallied the Democratic base, especially in the days before the public option got put in the Senate health care bill. If Obama was dragging on don't-ask-don't-tell and closing Gitmo and is about to add more troops in Afghanistan, well, this was easy red meat. I'm not saying the argument is wholly without merit, but it struck me as kind of a sideshow.
Oct 27 2009, 1:59PM
In Supporting Filibuster, Lieberman Plays For Power
How many Democrats instantly flashed back to President Obama's expansive attitude toward Sen. Joseph Lieberman after the 2008 elections, where Lieberman threatened to leave the party after Harry Reid tried to strip him of his Homeland Security Committee chairmanship? Publicly, the White House said that reconciliation was the order of the day. Privately, they sent word that Lieberman would be a reliable vote on the big issues of the day, like, um, health care. As Lieberman pal Chris Dodd put it at the time, Lieberman "is willing to be a member of your family," so why not let him in?
Oct 27 2009, 1:34PM
Snowe Explains Her Health Care Journey
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) wouldn't exactly say whether she'll ultimately oppose a health care bill that includes an opt-out public option today. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Snowe promised to "continue to work on issues as this bill comes to the floor." She said that she spoke to President Obama on Friday, and with Obama "basically indicating to me that it was likely you know that the public option would be considered as part of the integrated plan between the HELP and the Finance Committee but wanted to continue to work with me in the future." (BTW: This was before Democratic aides on the Hill leaked word to reporters that the White House was still trying to pressure senators to keep Snowe's "trigger" option viable.)
Oct 27 2009, 1:17PM
Prespinning November 3: A Good Night For....
Let's assume that Republicans win the Virginia governor's race, Democrats win New Jersey's gubernatorial race, Democrat Bill Owens wins the special election in New York's 23rd Congressional district, voters approve gay marriage in Maine and turn back domestic partnership benefits in Washington State.
Oct 27 2009, 12:55PM
Grayson Says Something Offensive...For Real This Time
Democrats had a good lighthearted chuckle when Republicans started calling for Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) to apologize after he suggested that the GOP health care plan was for Americans "to die quickly." Things got a little weirder when he launched a website called Names of the Dead to list Americans who've died because they don't have health insurance--a noble goal in progressive eyes...but sounds like a zombie movie. Now, he's really done it: in a month-old radio interview that's now making the rounds, he calls Linda Robertson, an advisor to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, a "K Street whore." This one will probably stick.
Oct 27 2009, 12:23PM
GOPWars: Newt Gingrich, RINO in Chief?
He was once a revolutionary himself, challenging the party structure, blasting away orthodoxies and storming to power. But former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich finds himself in the role of the old guy in the basement. Last night, appearing on Fox News's "Greta!" Van Susteren, Gingrich found himself urging conservatives not to forsake the adequate at the expense of a party that can win national elections.
This sounds like the debate that out-parties always have. Activists stress ideological purity and party apparatchiks stress coalition-building. Activists question the fidelity of the national party committees to principles (e.g., to quote Christ, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26 NIV)); the national party committees question the activists' relationship to reality.
This sounds like the debate that out-parties always have. Activists stress ideological purity and party apparatchiks stress coalition-building. Activists question the fidelity of the national party committees to principles (e.g., to quote Christ, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26 NIV)); the national party committees question the activists' relationship to reality.
Oct 27 2009, 12:18PM
More Help For Hoffman
The Club for Growth will start airing its second ad for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election, which has become the hottest off-year race in the country as conservatives have flocked to support Hoffman over GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava in their three-way contest with Democrat Bill Owens.
The Club launched its first ad for Hoffman last week, comparing him to the Republican Scozzafava; the new ad seeks to marginalize Scozzafava, asserting that the race "comes down to two very different candidates"--Hoffman and Owens.
The Club launched its first ad for Hoffman last week, comparing him to the Republican Scozzafava; the new ad seeks to marginalize Scozzafava, asserting that the race "comes down to two very different candidates"--Hoffman and Owens.
Oct 27 2009, 11:58AM
No Good Deeds Go Unpunished
Even more evidence that something went very very wrong with the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia:
The Washington Post notes that Bob McDonnell "has overtaken Deeds as the one more trusted to handle issues of special concern to women (7 points)."
Maybe Deeds should run a few more "thesis" ads...
The Washington Post notes that Bob McDonnell "has overtaken Deeds as the one more trusted to handle issues of special concern to women (7 points)."
Maybe Deeds should run a few more "thesis" ads...
Oct 27 2009, 11:29AM
The Yes Men Get Sued
It's all fun and games until somebody files a civil complaint.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed suit yesterday in federal district court against The Yes Men, the group of pranksters who perpetrated the fake Chamber press release last week claiming the business group had reversed its climate-change stance and announced support for Democratic cap-and-trade policies in a speech by its president at the National Press Club.
The Chamber says it filed the suit after its lawyers asked The Yes Men to dismantle a fake Chamber website it set up for the prank, which uses the Chamber's logo, and the pranksters refused.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed suit yesterday in federal district court against The Yes Men, the group of pranksters who perpetrated the fake Chamber press release last week claiming the business group had reversed its climate-change stance and announced support for Democratic cap-and-trade policies in a speech by its president at the National Press Club.
The Chamber says it filed the suit after its lawyers asked The Yes Men to dismantle a fake Chamber website it set up for the prank, which uses the Chamber's logo, and the pranksters refused.
Oct 27 2009, 10:44AM
Fox's Ratings Bump--Don't Just Credit The White House War
Business Insider has a comparison of Fox News ratings since the White House launched its campaign against the network, and it finds Fox's audience share among cable networks has grown nine percent in the past month. CNN, meanwhile, is now last among the cable news networks in prime time viewership.
The same ratings-bump phenomenon happened for Rush Limbaugh, whose ratings have hit record highs in some markets since the White House made him a target.
Rush's bump actually started before Democrats launched their organized campaign against him, which began during the first couple days of March with a coordinated effort to refer to him as the leader of the Republican Party. Improved ratings were reported around that time--including a 45 percent gain in New York and a 30 percent gain in LA--and were posed as evidence that the White House's campaign had backfired. But the numbers were actually from February, when tensions were mounting but the White House/Democratic messaging effort hadn't yet begun in full.
The same ratings-bump phenomenon happened for Rush Limbaugh, whose ratings have hit record highs in some markets since the White House made him a target.
Rush's bump actually started before Democrats launched their organized campaign against him, which began during the first couple days of March with a coordinated effort to refer to him as the leader of the Republican Party. Improved ratings were reported around that time--including a 45 percent gain in New York and a 30 percent gain in LA--and were posed as evidence that the White House's campaign had backfired. But the numbers were actually from February, when tensions were mounting but the White House/Democratic messaging effort hadn't yet begun in full.
Oct 27 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Would You Vote To Break A Filibuster?
If you were a Democratic senator opposed to the public option, would you vote to break a filibuster anyway? In other words, does a health care bill deserve to be voted on by the Senate, even if you don't like it personally?
Oct 27 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/27
After waking up in Florida and touring a solar energy center, President Obama will lend some campaign help to a Democratic candidate in need: Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, who has had some tensions with the White House of late and is trailing his opponent. Nonetheless, Obama will try to lend some his patented campaign magic at a rally for Deeds at Old Dominion University.
The American Bankers Association continues its annual convention in downtown Chicago, complete with protesters outside. The Service Employees International Union will march against the so-called fat cats and hold a rally, demanding that the little guy no longer be run over by monacle-wielding capitalists.
The American Bankers Association continues its annual convention in downtown Chicago, complete with protesters outside. The Service Employees International Union will march against the so-called fat cats and hold a rally, demanding that the little guy no longer be run over by monacle-wielding capitalists.
Oct 27 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/27
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Newt Gingrich said over the weekend that he'll decide in February 2011 whether or not to run for president in 2012; he'll also address the American Bankers Association's annual conference in Chicago this week; and he warned that supporting Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election is a "mistake"; Tim Pawlenty, coincidentally, endorsed Hoffman today; perhaps offering some advice for 2012 hopefuls, Rudy Giuliani said it was a mistake to skip Iowa in 2008; Mitt Romney sent out a fundraising email to PAC supporters, asking them to help him "spread the word" about Iran; and he'll head to Virginia this week to campaign for gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell (R) in the final days of his race.
Newt Gingrich said over the weekend that he'll decide in February 2011 whether or not to run for president in 2012; he'll also address the American Bankers Association's annual conference in Chicago this week; and he warned that supporting Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election is a "mistake"; Tim Pawlenty, coincidentally, endorsed Hoffman today; perhaps offering some advice for 2012 hopefuls, Rudy Giuliani said it was a mistake to skip Iowa in 2008; Mitt Romney sent out a fundraising email to PAC supporters, asking them to help him "spread the word" about Iran; and he'll head to Virginia this week to campaign for gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell (R) in the final days of his race.
Oct 27 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/27
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman scored an endorsement from Tim Pawlenty in New York's 23rd district special election; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, meanwhile, is going after him with a new ad; a poll commissioned by The Club for Growth, which is backing Hoffman, reports Hoffman has pulled into the lead; Democrats lost a recruit--former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack (D)--in Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R) reelection race; and retiring Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) has endorsed a successor.
Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman scored an endorsement from Tim Pawlenty in New York's 23rd district special election; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, meanwhile, is going after him with a new ad; a poll commissioned by The Club for Growth, which is backing Hoffman, reports Hoffman has pulled into the lead; Democrats lost a recruit--former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack (D)--in Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R) reelection race; and retiring Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL) has endorsed a successor.
Oct 26 2009, 6:09PM
VA GOV Race's About Deeds And Democrats, Not Obama
There's more evidence tonight that the Virginia governor's race shouldn't be interpreted as a referendum on President Obama. That doesn't mean that Democrats are out of the woods. As expected, Republican Bob McDonnell has a comfortable, eleven point lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds in the latest Washington Post poll. President Obama's approval rating is 54%, which suggests that a lot of folks who went to the polls for him in 2008 won't be bothered to vote for Deeds and / or that a number of Obama voters have decided to cast their ballot for McDonnell. The former explanation finds empirical support.
Oct 26 2009, 4:53PM
"An Amazing Thing To Watch"
Harry Reid weighed in on health care today, saying he'd advance a health care bill with a public option that allows states to opt out of the program. It seemed the surest way to hold together a coalition that could support a bill. The move must mean that Reid thinks he can keep 60 members of the Democratic caucus together to support bringing the bill to the Senate floor even if some vote against the measure on final passage. We'll see where all this goes in the coming days. Can Reid hold his people together? What happens when it's married to a House bill? What comes out of the conference between the two? For those of us who thought health care either wouldn't pass or the final bill would be much more stripped down, it's been a pretty amazing thing to watch, a healthy reminder that Washington still has the capacity to surprise. Paul Krugman pushes the argument forward today by optimistically arguing that a final bill, however flawed, is likely to work--that is, it will cut costs, get most everyone insured, etc. I guess I'm skeptical again about the laws of unintended consequences and that a bill of this size will take a lot of repair work no matter how complete it seems upon passage. But passage of something big and substantial now seems much more likely than I ever expected.
Oct 26 2009, 4:40PM
Insurers: Reid's Compromise Is A Roadblock
While Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is praised by the left today for, as they're explaining it, a gutsy maneuver to get a public option to the Senate floor, health insurers are casting his plan for a public option that lets states opt-out as exactly the opposite. The public option, even with the opt-out clause, is a "roadblock" to national health care consensus, they say. Here's the statement issued this afternoon by America's Health Insurance Plans President and CEO Karen Ignagni:
Oct 26 2009, 4:27PM
Liberals Cheer For Reid's Plan
It's not a full-on public option for the whole country, but liberals say they're happy with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's announcement that he'll seek to bring a health reform bill to the floor with a public option that lets states opt out of the government-run insurance plan.
Oct 26 2009, 4:00PM
Reid's Roll Of The Dice
With Sen. Harry Reid's decision to ask the Congressional Budget Office to score a public option that states can choose to use, he's betting against the prospect of any Democratic senator filibustering the end product of health care reforms. Reid decided not to submit a public option with a trigger mechanism -- the approach favored by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), calculating instead that he would be able to enforce party solidarity on what will certainly be an epochal vote. In order to induce at least one of those Democrats, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Reid said that the final Senate bill would include non-profit co-op experiments, but he did not provide details. Liberals will interpret Reid's decision as evidence that their pressure worked. Indeed, Reid seemed to acknowledge that the power of moderates was not nearly as acute as it had been -- or that he thought it had been. He noted that, almost any way the data is sliced, Americans support a "public option" and understand what it would do.
Oct 26 2009, 3:39PM
Pawlenty Endorses Hoffman
It's the latest trend for Republicans--endorsing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election--and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is now the latest to announce his support.
Pawlenty sent the following statement today to the conservative blog RedState, which got the exclusive:
Pawlenty sent the following statement today to the conservative blog RedState, which got the exclusive:
Oct 26 2009, 3:24PM
Obesity Policy Watch: Menu Labeling Results Are In
As of March of 2008, fast food establishments in New York City have been required to post fat and calorie counts on menu boards, with the idea being that consumers would at the very least pause and think for a moment before purchasing the same donut every morning. The law was vigorously resisted by food and restaurant companies; obesity researchers didn't know whether the law would lead to a decrease in calorie consumption or to a paradoxical effect known as "portion distortion," where diners and snackers increase the total amount of food they eat to compensate or reward themselves for choosing lower-calorie items. This isn't a parochial NYC issue anymore: both House and Senate health care drafts require most restuarant menus to mandatory calorie counts. The first round of data is now in, and it is, not surprisingly, equivocal.
Oct 26 2009, 2:56PM
Ballot Initiatives To Watch On 11/3
Citizen sovereignty will be alive and well next Tuesday, as voters decide more than two dozen ballot initiatives across six states. Here's a look at the five most interesting -- and potentially most consequential -- initiatives and referenda.
Maine -- Question 1 -- A People's Veto of Gay Marriage -- This is a big one. Last year, Maine's legislature passed a law permitting same-sex marriage. "Let the states decide" doesn't really work as a defense against gay marriage when states start legalizing it, of course, and so the new rallying cry is: "let the people decide." Mainers have the chance to veto the legislature's decision; if they fail to veto it, they ratify it, becoming the first state in the nation to affirm gay marriage by direct democracy. Major interest groups on both sides have spent millions. Opponents of same-sex marriage are determined to establish a a lagoon around marriage. They're also running ads linking gay people to sex, sex education, and anti-religious orthodoxy. In general, voters tend to be less willing to repeal laws already on the books than they do to create new rights, so No on 1 -- the "no" side would preserve the law -- have a psychological edge. They've also got an edge in recent polling. Note: a referendum in Washington State would allow a people's veto of a bill that expanded domestic partner benefits.
Maine -- Question 1 -- A People's Veto of Gay Marriage -- This is a big one. Last year, Maine's legislature passed a law permitting same-sex marriage. "Let the states decide" doesn't really work as a defense against gay marriage when states start legalizing it, of course, and so the new rallying cry is: "let the people decide." Mainers have the chance to veto the legislature's decision; if they fail to veto it, they ratify it, becoming the first state in the nation to affirm gay marriage by direct democracy. Major interest groups on both sides have spent millions. Opponents of same-sex marriage are determined to establish a a lagoon around marriage. They're also running ads linking gay people to sex, sex education, and anti-religious orthodoxy. In general, voters tend to be less willing to repeal laws already on the books than they do to create new rights, so No on 1 -- the "no" side would preserve the law -- have a psychological edge. They've also got an edge in recent polling. Note: a referendum in Washington State would allow a people's veto of a bill that expanded domestic partner benefits.
Oct 26 2009, 1:58PM
White House: We're All On The Same Page Here
The White House wants you to know: President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are on the same page when it comes to the public option.
Reid is trying to finalize a health reform bill that will get the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster, and he's reportedly weighing the inclusion of a public-option provision that would create a government-run health insurance plan but give individual states the ability to opt out.
The White House evidently wanted it known that this does not contradict its own stance on the public option--and to reinforce its denial of a report that it was seeking to weaken the public option--as Deputy Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer posted the following statement on the WhiteHouse.gov blog last night:
Reid is trying to finalize a health reform bill that will get the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster, and he's reportedly weighing the inclusion of a public-option provision that would create a government-run health insurance plan but give individual states the ability to opt out.
The White House evidently wanted it known that this does not contradict its own stance on the public option--and to reinforce its denial of a report that it was seeking to weaken the public option--as Deputy Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer posted the following statement on the WhiteHouse.gov blog last night:
Oct 26 2009, 11:34AM
Romer: Health Reform Can Save Us From Bush
Christina Romer, the chairman of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, will push for health care reform in a speech at the Center for American Progress today, and excerpts of the speech have been released. In it, she poses health care as a long-term fiscal necessity--something government must do in order to address federal deficits.
Oct 26 2009, 11:15AM
What Happens to Health Care (and Obama) after Reform?
Today Paul Krugman asks: What happens to health care after health care reform? (He assumes -- and I agree -- that its passage is a matter of when, not if.) Krugman writes:
If the Massachusetts experience is any guide, health care reform will have broad public support once it's in place and the scare stories are proved false. The new health care system will be criticized; people will demand changes and improvements; but only a small minority will want reform reversed.I think it's more complicated than that.
Oct 26 2009, 10:55AM
Romney: Help Me Spread The Word About Iran
After taking thinly veiled jabs at the Obama administration last week during a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, warning of the "unalloyed evil" of the Iranian regime, Mitt Romney used Iran today in a fundraising pitch to supporters of his Free & Strong America PAC.
"Iran represents the biggest threat to Israel and peace," Romney wrote in an email to supporters.
"Please help us spread the message about Iran, its reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and what that means for Israel with your most generous contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, or even the maximum $5,000, today," he wrote.
"Iran represents the biggest threat to Israel and peace," Romney wrote in an email to supporters.
"Please help us spread the message about Iran, its reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and what that means for Israel with your most generous contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, or even the maximum $5,000, today," he wrote.
Oct 26 2009, 10:10AM
Defending The White House
The White House has found at least one defender in its war against Fox News; while the rest of her media colleagues pounced on the administration's gall in attacking the organization, Politics Daily Editor in Chief Melinda Hennenberger writes:
My own reaction, on the other hand, was: Finally! And: How about saying some more true things, now that you're on such a roll?
Oct 26 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Biggest Issue Of 2010
Aside from economic recovery, what will be the biggest issue in the 2010 midterms?
Oct 25 2009, 2:16PM
The Sunday Shows In Five Bullet Points Or Less
1. As Florida goes, so goes...Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) played the cooling saucer a bit this morning, expressing pessimism about a robust public option but did not rule out voting for one in the final analysis. Would Nelson support a filibuster cut-off knowing that the underlying bill would include a public option? Said he: "I think, reckless to say I'll support the procedure without knowing what the underlying bill consists of. And it's not put together yet. It's a draft -- it will be a draft bill some time next week, submitted the Congressional Budget Office for the review of the cost."
2. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai thanked Sen. John Kerry for helping him make the decision to accept a run-off election, said that he would not be open to a unity government (and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said he wouldn't join one) but would welcome advice from his challengers, and did not agree that more American troops would necessarily be viewed as occupiers.
4. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) lauded the Obama administration's preparation for the H1N1 emergency and said that one reason why more people are going to the hospital is that public awareness has been sufficiently raised.
5. Prediction: Al Hunt believes that Sen. Olympia Snowe's vote will be critical to final passage and that she'll provide cover for moderate Democrats and even some Senate Republicans. And Newt Gingrich says he'll decide about 2012...in February of 2011.
2. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai thanked Sen. John Kerry for helping him make the decision to accept a run-off election, said that he would not be open to a unity government (and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said he wouldn't join one) but would welcome advice from his challengers, and did not agree that more American troops would necessarily be viewed as occupiers.
That is a legitimate concern, and that has to be taken very much into consideration, and that's why I emphasized two very important things. The arrival of forces must enhance the sense of protection of the Afghan people, and must give protection to the Afghan people. It must not be a capture and kill pursuit of the Taliban, it must be one that provides protection to the country, and must also lead to the enhancement of the abilities of the Afghan military and security forces. Therefore they have to come as liberators as they did in 2002 and not otherwise3. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) predicted that President Obama would have "trouble with the American people" if he sends 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Sen. Chuck Schumer said that "leader Reid is ... leaning towards ... putting a state opt-out public option in the bill."
4. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) lauded the Obama administration's preparation for the H1N1 emergency and said that one reason why more people are going to the hospital is that public awareness has been sufficiently raised.
5. Prediction: Al Hunt believes that Sen. Olympia Snowe's vote will be critical to final passage and that she'll provide cover for moderate Democrats and even some Senate Republicans. And Newt Gingrich says he'll decide about 2012...in February of 2011.
Oct 24 2009, 4:07PM
Can They Cover 350 Like They Covered Teabaggers?
There are protests all over the world today in support of reversing climate change. Sponsored by the organization 350, named after the parts per million of carbon dioxide. Scientists believe that's the limit for heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We're past that now and some scientists, as the New York Times notes today, think that's probably too ambitious a goal. The whole idea began with Bill McKibben, the environmental writer. Will these protests get teabagger-style coverage? Probably not. A good fight over crowd estimates always helps and so does having a television network devoted to revving up your cause. Meanwhile, it'll be interesting to see where Congress goes on climate change and how Obama handles the upcoming meeting on climate change in Copenhagen.
Oct 24 2009, 10:45AM
Question Of The Weekend: Pick Your Pundit
If you were to be trapped on a deserted island with one conservative talk show host, who would you want it to be?
Oct 23 2009, 6:08PM
White House Denies Report That It Wants To Weaken Public Plan
The White House is denying reports that officials are pressuring Sen. Harry Reid to scale back the scope of the "public option" that'll be attached to the Senate health insurance bill. Talking Points Memo reported, based on unnamed sources close to the negotiations, that the White House is "skeptical" of a public option that includes a state opt-out choice, preferring -- and advocating for -- a public option that would kick in only if the private exchange failed to lower costs.
"The report is false. The White House continues to work with the Senate on the merging of the two bills," said Dan Pfeiffer, a top White House aide whose portfolio includes health care. "We are making good progress toward enacting comprehensive health reform."
TPM notes that Sen, Jay Rockefeller sent out a seemingly unprompted press release rejecting the "trigger" option. It claims that the White House's pressure on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is based on President Obama's desire to accommodate the wishes of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), who supports a trigger-only public plan and who voted "yes" on the Senate Finance Committee's health care draft.
"The report is false. The White House continues to work with the Senate on the merging of the two bills," said Dan Pfeiffer, a top White House aide whose portfolio includes health care. "We are making good progress toward enacting comprehensive health reform."
TPM notes that Sen, Jay Rockefeller sent out a seemingly unprompted press release rejecting the "trigger" option. It claims that the White House's pressure on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is based on President Obama's desire to accommodate the wishes of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), who supports a trigger-only public plan and who voted "yes" on the Senate Finance Committee's health care draft.
Oct 23 2009, 5:25PM
Democratic Campaign Arm Rallies Support For Public Option
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has departed from the White House and its Democratic Party brethren: it's seeking to rally its supporters around the public option.
In today's edition of a semi-regular email to supporters, called @Stake, the DCCC asked recipients to sign a petition supporting the government-administered insurance plan, touting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's pledge to pass a bill with the public option and bring it to a House-Senate conference committee.
In today's edition of a semi-regular email to supporters, called @Stake, the DCCC asked recipients to sign a petition supporting the government-administered insurance plan, touting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's pledge to pass a bill with the public option and bring it to a House-Senate conference committee.
Oct 23 2009, 5:00PM
On Nukes, Obama Plans Hands-On Approach
President Obama plans to take a more active role in preparing America's nuclear weapons strategy, helping to ensure that the final document, due out next year, reflects his priorities, rather than just the institutional views of his government, administration officials said.
Mr. Obama was said to be unhappy when the Defense Department presented to him its decision to remove a long-range missile battery from Poland and a sophisticated radar system from the Czech Republic. Obama had little time to study the issue before the vagaries of the Pentagon's budget procedures forced his hand. Responding to concerns that the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) was being completed without enough input from his staff and from the State Department, Obama has decided to provide guidance directly, and plans to participate in several high-level meetings.
Oct 23 2009, 4:00PM
Fox News, Chapter 263
Mickey Kaus has a smart take on the Fox News flap here. He makes the point that there's a distinction between conservative and independent. Conservative doesn't bother him (or me) but lack of independence does, and thus the White House is right when it says Fox is not a standard news organizaiton, not because it's right-leaning but because it's a defacto arm of the GOP. Not entirely sure I buy the argument. But it's an intriguing nuance. In any event, I still don't see the upside to the fight for the White House unless it succeeds in galvinizing those who are bummed about closing Gitmo, deferring don't-ask-don't-tell and other compromises. Today's story in Politico that Roger Ailes himself might run for president is so absurd--I'm sure there's talk about it but the prospect is so absurd--that I hope it marks a coda to this chapter. I doubt it. Meanwhile, did all of this have the effect of deterring the MSM from going after Fox-style stories? We'll see.
Oct 23 2009, 3:34PM
Taking the Long View of the Stimulus
Oct 23 2009, 3:12PM
The World Series Might Arrest Daggett's Surge
Independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett is up to 19% and 20% in polls taken by SurveyUSA and Rutgers/Eagleton. If they're right, Mark Blumenthal tells us, the parrallels to former Minnesota Gov./independent Jesse Ventura's trial heat is intriguing. But Blumenthal cautions that there are at least six reasons why Daggett's climb may be more steep than Ventura's was.
One is this:
One is this:
• Baseball. If the New Jersey news hole in those markets were not already small enough, the prospect of a Philadelphia-New York World Series during the last six days of the race diminishes it even further (the Phillies have clinched, the Yankees are one game away).
Oct 23 2009, 2:33PM
Ailes For President
Evidently some of Fox News President Roger Ailes' friends want to take the White House vs. Fox confrontation a step further...and are encouraging Ailes to run for president of the United States in 2012, according to Politico's Mike Allen. As unlikely as this sounds, it would be interesting to see how it would work. How would the massive news agency and its opinion programs interact with an Ailes campaign? And what if he said something Glenn Beck didn't like? Perhaps, one day, we'll find out.
Oct 23 2009, 1:28PM
Third Party Watch: GOP's Approval Rating Lowest In Decade
Eager to please, ready to fight, but why do they go to extremes? According to a new poll by CNN, voters' feelings for the Republican Party have chilled to their lowest levels in a decade, with 36% expressing a favorable view and 54% expressing an unfavorable view. In contrast, Democrats enjoy a fairly healthy approval rating -- 53% -- though their Congress, in general, gets much lower marks. 38% say Democrats are doing a good job in Congress. 33% say Republicans are doing a good job in Congress. What this suggests: Americans think of Democrats and think of Barack Obama and others, not just Harry Reid. Americans think of Republicans and think of...Congressional Republicans.
Oct 23 2009, 1:20PM
J-Street's Ben-Ami Wants To Anger The Left, Too
The chief of J-Street, the liberal Middle East peace advocacy group, has drawn plenty of ire from conservatives. Maybe too much...On the eve of its convention, the head of J-Street, Jeremy Ben-Ami, tells Jeffrey Goldberg in a fiesty interview that J-Street isn't necessarily going to please liberals all of the time either.
One -- he favors the Right of Return, always and forever. He believes that American military aid to Israel should never stop.
"I hope that we have a very strong left flank that attacks us, that Jewish Voice for Peace and other groups that are consistently upset with us for backing Howard Berman's sanctions plan and for refusing to embrace the Goldstone report and for standing up for the right of Israel to defend itself or for its military aid -- I hope we get attacked from the left because I would characterize J Street as the mainstream of the American Jewish community."
BTW: Despite a New York Times assertion to the contrary, the Jews on his staff aren't intermarried (not that that's a bad thing!).
And boy, Ben-Ami doesn't seem to like Michael Goldfarb.
Oct 23 2009, 12:56PM
Rethinking Pawlenty's Iowa Caucus Strategy
Last week, I suggested that choosing to campaign in Iowa might not be the most feasible strategy for a Republican presidential candidate like Tim Pawlenty, who, while plenty conservative, would have to compete with two candidates -- Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, assuming they run -- who are bound to generate much more enthusiasm among Iowa Republican caucus goers. I'm going to elaborate a little.
Oct 23 2009, 12:35PM
The 87-Year-Old's Case for Gay Marriage
Did the fight for gay marriage just find a new hero? This video of an elderly Maine veteran--heterosexual, Republican, authentic--arguing for gay marriage is going viral on the web. I found it thanks to Taeggan Goddard's Political Wire. It's quite something.
Oct 23 2009, 12:02PM
Another Industry Report Says Premiums Will Go Up
A new study from health insurance company WellPoint finds, as did the widely criticized PricewaterhouseCoopers report commissioned by America's Health Insurance Plans earlier this month, that insurance premiums will go up if Congress passes health care reform.
It's a state-by-state analysis that looks at 14 states, finding that premiums for an average age/average health individual would rise anywhere from 19 percent to 172 percent in each state. If you average all the 14 states together, you get an increase of 92.4 percent, without weighting for population.
It's a state-by-state analysis that looks at 14 states, finding that premiums for an average age/average health individual would rise anywhere from 19 percent to 172 percent in each state. If you average all the 14 states together, you get an increase of 92.4 percent, without weighting for population.
Oct 23 2009, 10:42AM
Palin For Hoffman
Sarah Palin has endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd district special election. Palin posted a statement last night on her Facebook page (her medium of choice since stepping down as governor) announcing that her political organization, SarahPAC, will donate the maximum legal amount, $2,400, to Hoffman's campaign.
It's the second high-profile endorsement Hoffman has received of late, as former House Majority Leader Dick Armey spoke in support of Hoffman in upstate New York Wednesday night.
It's the second high-profile endorsement Hoffman has received of late, as former House Majority Leader Dick Armey spoke in support of Hoffman in upstate New York Wednesday night.
Oct 23 2009, 9:53AM
Will Senate Procedure Save The Public Option?
Here's an idea that ABC News' Jonathan Karl floated this morning--or, rather, that Democratic sources have floated to him: that the public option will pass in the Senate without 60 votes. Sources tell Karl that Reid thinks this will work.
Here's how: 60 votes aren't actually needed to pass health care reform--they're only needed to break a Republican filibuster and bring a reform bill to the floor. Once 60 senators vote in favor of cloture, another round of debate begins, and the Senate votes on the actual bill. At that point, Democratic senators who oppose the public option (of which there are several) would be able to rail against the public option to their hearts' content, eventually voting against it. But the bill itself will only need 51 votes to pass.
Here's how: 60 votes aren't actually needed to pass health care reform--they're only needed to break a Republican filibuster and bring a reform bill to the floor. Once 60 senators vote in favor of cloture, another round of debate begins, and the Senate votes on the actual bill. At that point, Democratic senators who oppose the public option (of which there are several) would be able to rail against the public option to their hearts' content, eventually voting against it. But the bill itself will only need 51 votes to pass.
Oct 23 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Antitrust Politics
Democrats are seeking to eliminate antitrust exemptions for insurance companies. Is this a good idea, a politically motivated hit job, or both?
Oct 23 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/23
In an attempt to prove how smart he is, President Obama will go to Cambridge, Massachusetts today to hold an event on the economy at MIT, where there will be more pocket protectors in the audience than at any of his other speeches this year, and he will probably be extra careful not to mix up his stimulus numbers.
Then, continuing the trend he's set this month at fundraisers in San Francisco and New York, it's back into campaign mode: Obama will lend his money-making magic to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) at a fundraiser this afternoon...and then ANOTHER fundraiser tonight for Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), who could use the help.
Then, continuing the trend he's set this month at fundraisers in San Francisco and New York, it's back into campaign mode: Obama will lend his money-making magic to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) at a fundraiser this afternoon...and then ANOTHER fundraiser tonight for Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), who could use the help.
Oct 23 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/23
Tracking the GOP race to 2012:
Yet another book about Sarah Palin is in the works, as a former aide during the Troopergate days is penning an expose on the former governor, though he doesn't have a publisher; President Obama leads major GOP hopefuls in prospective 2012 matchups, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey, though Mike Huckabee performs the best, trailing the president 43 percent to 47 percent; Rick Santorum published an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer criticizing President Obama's policies toward Iran; Tim Pawlenty raised money for his Freedom First PAC at the home of a lobbyist in Washington, DC last night, and he has another fundraiser lined up for Nov. 4 in Minnesota; and Newt Gingrich defended his endorsement of New York congressional candidate Dede Scozzafava.
Yet another book about Sarah Palin is in the works, as a former aide during the Troopergate days is penning an expose on the former governor, though he doesn't have a publisher; President Obama leads major GOP hopefuls in prospective 2012 matchups, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey, though Mike Huckabee performs the best, trailing the president 43 percent to 47 percent; Rick Santorum published an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer criticizing President Obama's policies toward Iran; Tim Pawlenty raised money for his Freedom First PAC at the home of a lobbyist in Washington, DC last night, and he has another fundraiser lined up for Nov. 4 in Minnesota; and Newt Gingrich defended his endorsement of New York congressional candidate Dede Scozzafava.
Oct 23 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/23
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Newt Gingrich defended Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate in New York's 23rd district special election, on satellite radio; though several conservative publications--including the National Review and The Washington Times--have called on her to withdraw; President Obama sent an email to the Organizing for America/Democratic National Committee list asking recipients to support Democrat Bill Owens in the same race; Dick Armey, meanwhile, is backing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee led all party committees in fundraising last month with $7 million coming in; former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka said he never actually endorsed Illinois Senate candidate Pat Hughes (D), Despite Hughes's claim to the contrary...and then he officially endorsed Hughes; and a Rutgers poll showed New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading his reelection race with 39 percent support, while 36 percent support Chris Christie (R) and 20 percent support independent candidate Chris Daggett (HT Swing State Project).
Newt Gingrich defended Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate in New York's 23rd district special election, on satellite radio; though several conservative publications--including the National Review and The Washington Times--have called on her to withdraw; President Obama sent an email to the Organizing for America/Democratic National Committee list asking recipients to support Democrat Bill Owens in the same race; Dick Armey, meanwhile, is backing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee led all party committees in fundraising last month with $7 million coming in; former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka said he never actually endorsed Illinois Senate candidate Pat Hughes (D), Despite Hughes's claim to the contrary...and then he officially endorsed Hughes; and a Rutgers poll showed New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) leading his reelection race with 39 percent support, while 36 percent support Chris Christie (R) and 20 percent support independent candidate Chris Daggett (HT Swing State Project).
Oct 22 2009, 4:40PM
Snowe Suggests Health Care Can Wait
Health care reform maybe shouldn't happen by the end of the year, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) suggests in an interview with Bloomberg's "Political Capital with Al Hunt," which will air this weekend. "Christmas might be too soon," Bloomberg quotes her as saying. "We should give it the time it deserves." Needless to say, Democrats do not want to wait that long, but Snowe is in a uniquely influential position as the only Republican who supports Democratic reform plans at this point.
And, just in case public-option supporters thought things might have changed as more polling shows the public in favor of a government-run insurance plan, Snowe says she won't support it--meaning it'll be up to Democrats to pass a public option without GOP support, if such a provision is in the cards.
And, just in case public-option supporters thought things might have changed as more polling shows the public in favor of a government-run insurance plan, Snowe says she won't support it--meaning it'll be up to Democrats to pass a public option without GOP support, if such a provision is in the cards.
Oct 22 2009, 3:46PM
Parsing The Responses To New Executive Pay Rules
Citigroup says:
"We have received the decision from the Special Master for the 2009 compensation plan for our senior executive officers and certain of our most highly compensated employees. We are pleased this decision has been issued and we will now work to comply with the plan's requirements."Yes sir. Right away sir. How high do you want us to jump?
Oct 22 2009, 3:45PM
Americans Grow Skeptical Of Global Warming. Why?
Over the last few years, consensus seemed to have coalesced around the presence of global warming: it was real, and politicians from both sides of the aisle--including the GOP's 2008 presidential nominee, John McCain--said so.
Now that consensus is slipping, according to new data from the Pew Research Center's last national survey.
While belief in climate change has been in the 70-percent range since 2006, now, only 57 percent of Americans think there is "solid evidence the earth is warming"--a drop of 14 percentage points since April 2008.
Now that consensus is slipping, according to new data from the Pew Research Center's last national survey.
While belief in climate change has been in the 70-percent range since 2006, now, only 57 percent of Americans think there is "solid evidence the earth is warming"--a drop of 14 percentage points since April 2008.
Oct 22 2009, 3:31PM
Another Celeb Quietly Takes An Administraton Position
Hunky Korean-American actor/lawyer/consultant Yul Kwon is now the deputy chief of the consumer and governmental affairs bureau of the Federal Communications Commission. His appointment has little to do with his 2006 Survivor win -- it's that the guy actually has extensive experience dealing with tech legislation and policy, having served as an aide to Sen. Joe Lieberman and worked on tech policy while a consultant at McKinsey. Kwon also has his J.D. from Yale Law School. He was a regular volunteer in Obama's campaign, much like Kal Penn, the actor, who is now a deputy public engager in Valerie Jarrett's White House shop.
Oct 22 2009, 3:25PM
What's The Matter With Texas?
Ron Brownstein's latest National Journal opus is illustrated here. Below, the Republican and Democratic districts with the highest number of uninsured Americans. It jumps out at you: a lot of these districts are in Texas, and a lot are represented by Democrats who oppose the public option and who might vote against health insurance reform.
"....the McCain Democrats are as likely as the Obama Democrats
to represent districts where the proportion of people without
insurance exceeds the national average. The share of the
uninsured is greater than the national average in 21 of the 49
McCain-Democrat districts, or just under 43 percent. The proportion
is about the same in the Obama-carried Democratic districts--
90 of 208, just over 43 percent.
Oct 22 2009, 3:08PM
What's The White House War Against Fox News All About, Really?
What's The White House War against Fox News all about, really? And could it backfire?
I've tried to ignore the questions because I'm pretty sure that no one outside the Beltway and outside Fox's audience could care one Don Whitman about it.
I've tried to ignore the questions because I'm pretty sure that no one outside the Beltway and outside Fox's audience could care one Don Whitman about it.
Oct 22 2009, 2:53PM
Net Neutrality: A Political Primer
Net Neutrality -- defined as the principle that users should control what they can access on the net -- or, from the supply side of things, that Internet service providers shouldn't be able to block content from some users or create a tiered service model. Today, the Federal Communications Commission started the long rule-making process by a unanimous vote.
It's a hot issue in tech -- one that could define the future of the net -- but it's also become a terribly important political issue. Here's why.
It's a hot issue in tech -- one that could define the future of the net -- but it's also become a terribly important political issue. Here's why.
Oct 22 2009, 1:56PM
Biotech: The Influential Health-Care Lobby No One Talks About
Time's Karen Tumulty and Michael Scherer chronicle the unseen hand of the biotech industry, which looks as if it will come out ahead in the high-stakes battle of health care reform. The industry produces biologics--drugs derived from living matter--and, since biologic drugs are expensive to research, develop, and produce, the industry stands to gain or lose a lot when Congress decides how many years of patent data exclusivity to grant to companies when they develop new ones, before competitors can use the data they have developed to produce generic versions.
As health insurers, hospitals, traditional drug-makers, and doctors have come to dominate talk of the health-care lobbying effort, biotech seems to have been lost in the wash.
The industry's clout has grown with time and technology: in 1998, the leading biotech industry trade group, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (commonly referred to as BIO), spent $1.7 million lobbying members of Congress; last year, it spent $7.6 million, and its spending has grown at a more-or-less linear rate.
As health insurers, hospitals, traditional drug-makers, and doctors have come to dominate talk of the health-care lobbying effort, biotech seems to have been lost in the wash.
The industry's clout has grown with time and technology: in 1998, the leading biotech industry trade group, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (commonly referred to as BIO), spent $1.7 million lobbying members of Congress; last year, it spent $7.6 million, and its spending has grown at a more-or-less linear rate.
Oct 22 2009, 11:50AM
Wall Street Journal Calls Out Sudan Groups
In an editorial this morning, The Wall Street Journal calls out Sudan activists in the U.S. for not criticizing the Obama administration's new policy on Sudan, announced last week, which includes new "incentives and disincentives"--which happen to be classified--for the Khartoum government:
The larger wonder is how all of this can go down so smoothly with those in the human-rights community who have championed Darfur and assailed the Bush Administration for not doing enough. Instead, they are congratulating Mr. Obama, in part because he didn't take the even softer line on Sudan being advocated by U.S. special envoy J. Scott Gration. Perhaps the Darfur activists should ask why Khartoum instantly praised the new policy for representing the "new Obama spirit."
Oct 22 2009, 10:35AM
Musicians Protest Music At Gitmo
A handful of musicians have joined up with the movement to close Guantanamo, protesting the reported use of loud music to soften up detainees for interrogation. The group includes Trent Reznor, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, David Byrne, Jackson Browne, Rise Against, Rosanne Cash, Billy Bragg, the Roots, Tom Morello, Michelle Branch, Steve Earlie, Rise Against, the Entrance Band, Joe Henry, Rise Against, and T-Bone Burnett.
According to accounts of detainee treatment, loud music was part of the regimen for some prisoners held there, as part of the U.S. government's reverse-engineering of the SERE program, which trains officers how to resist such techniques if captured by enemies. The selection has allegedly included Metallica, Britney Spears, Eminem and Dr. Dre, Bruce Springsteen, the Bee Gees, Nine Inch Nails, and Rage Against the Machine. Music has been used along with flashing lights to disorient prisoners and deteriorate their mental faculties.
According to accounts of detainee treatment, loud music was part of the regimen for some prisoners held there, as part of the U.S. government's reverse-engineering of the SERE program, which trains officers how to resist such techniques if captured by enemies. The selection has allegedly included Metallica, Britney Spears, Eminem and Dr. Dre, Bruce Springsteen, the Bee Gees, Nine Inch Nails, and Rage Against the Machine. Music has been used along with flashing lights to disorient prisoners and deteriorate their mental faculties.
Oct 22 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: U.S. Strategy And The Afghan Election
President Obama is waiting for Afghanistan to hold its run-off election Nov. 7 before he announces any chance in U.S. strategy. If the election goes well, is that a good reason to send more troops? If it goes poorly, is that a good reason not to?
Oct 22 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/22
President Obama will sign the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, while Vice President Joe Biden continues his trip to Eastern Europe, meeting with Romanian leaders before traveling to Prague. The former Eastern Bloc can be a cold place, but Biden will try to warm it up with some vice presidential smiles, diplomacy, and glad-handing.
In Congress, the Joint Economic Committee will hear from Christina Romer, who chairs the Council of Economic Advisers, on the national economic outlook.
In Congress, the Joint Economic Committee will hear from Christina Romer, who chairs the Council of Economic Advisers, on the national economic outlook.
Oct 22 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/22
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Tim Pawlenty reached out to his 49 fellow governors in a letter proposing an "Interstate Health Insurance Compact"; Mike Pence hired a new campaign finance director; Bobby Jindal remains popular in his home state, with a 64 percent approval rating; and Mitt Romney swung through Massachusetts to help raise money for fellow Republicans.
Tim Pawlenty reached out to his 49 fellow governors in a letter proposing an "Interstate Health Insurance Compact"; Mike Pence hired a new campaign finance director; Bobby Jindal remains popular in his home state, with a 64 percent approval rating; and Mitt Romney swung through Massachusetts to help raise money for fellow Republicans.
Oct 22 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/22
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds (D) each got some help from President Obama today, as the president spoke at a rally for Corzine in his home state and appeared in a TV ad for Deeds; Democrats lead Republicans 51-39 in generic 2010 congressional balloting, according to The Washington Post/ABC; Florida Gov. and Senate candidate Charlie Crist (R) won't appear with Obama when the latter travels there next week; meanwhile, Crist's conservative primary challenger, Marco Rubio, has cut Crist's lead in half according to Quinnipiac, as Crist now leads 50-35; and New York 23rd district GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava had a mildly awkward photo-op.
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds (D) each got some help from President Obama today, as the president spoke at a rally for Corzine in his home state and appeared in a TV ad for Deeds; Democrats lead Republicans 51-39 in generic 2010 congressional balloting, according to The Washington Post/ABC; Florida Gov. and Senate candidate Charlie Crist (R) won't appear with Obama when the latter travels there next week; meanwhile, Crist's conservative primary challenger, Marco Rubio, has cut Crist's lead in half according to Quinnipiac, as Crist now leads 50-35; and New York 23rd district GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava had a mildly awkward photo-op.
Oct 21 2009, 4:48PM
Bankers Meeting To Be Met With Protests
The American Bankers Association will hold its annual meeting in downtown Chicago next Sunday through Wednesday, and, when they do, they'll have some company: the Service Employees International Union is planning a march and rally on Tuesday, which, it says, will include 5,000 people from across the country, all there to protest the banking industry for abetting the financial crisis and opposing financial reforms.
(SEIU's rally won't be the only political happening at the ABA meeting: speakers at the convention will include Newt Gingrich and George Will.)
(SEIU's rally won't be the only political happening at the ABA meeting: speakers at the convention will include Newt Gingrich and George Will.)
Oct 21 2009, 3:25PM
Fox News III: Enemies List? Really?
Sen. Lamar Alexander weighed in on the Fox News controversy today, accusing the White House of "street brawling" and likening their actions to a modern day "enemies list." Alexander noted that he was a young aide in the Nixon White House who saw the culture of attack and paranoia infect the presidency. All I can say is, "Really?"
I've written that the attacks on Fox are misguided and likely to backfire. But it's hard to see how the White House's jostling with its political foes is anything like an enemies list. And if you look at the crazy attacks on the president from the right--socialist, foreign agent, etc--they seem like pretty small efforts to push back. The genial Alexander will get a lot of attention for his lengthy remarks and call for more bipartisanship. Does that ever go over poorly? But the Obama-Nixon parallel seems more than a little strained. What do you think?
I've written that the attacks on Fox are misguided and likely to backfire. But it's hard to see how the White House's jostling with its political foes is anything like an enemies list. And if you look at the crazy attacks on the president from the right--socialist, foreign agent, etc--they seem like pretty small efforts to push back. The genial Alexander will get a lot of attention for his lengthy remarks and call for more bipartisanship. Does that ever go over poorly? But the Obama-Nixon parallel seems more than a little strained. What do you think?
Oct 21 2009, 3:10PM
Heather Graham Runs For The Public Option
Heather Graham stars in a new TV ad for the public option, put together by MoveOn.org. It's set at an outdoor track, and Graham supplies a juxtaposition to the fat, lazy, anti-competition representations of health insurance CEOs:
Oct 21 2009, 2:44PM
Palin PublishPalooza In November
If you can't get enough of Sarah Palin or you can't get enough mocking of Sarah Palin, boy, are you going to love November.
No less than four major books on Palin will be released, including, of course, Palin's own tome, Going Rogue, where she promises a take-no-prisoners approach to the 2008 campaign and the story of her life. Palin plans to appear on Oprah on November 16, the day before her book is published.
Here's a brief guide to the rest of the books:
No less than four major books on Palin will be released, including, of course, Palin's own tome, Going Rogue, where she promises a take-no-prisoners approach to the 2008 campaign and the story of her life. Palin plans to appear on Oprah on November 16, the day before her book is published.
Here's a brief guide to the rest of the books:
Oct 21 2009, 1:50PM
Obama, Mainstream Reporters and Fox News, Pt. II
Yesterday's post on Fox News provoked an interesting discussion, and I wanted to follow up today with a few thoughts. Dave Weigel at the Washington Independent thought I'd missed the point of the White House's derisive comments about Fox. "You miss the point. It's specifically about the WH pressuring reporters not to take seriously/chase Glenn Beck scoops/stories," he Tweeted. Fair enough. The White House doesn't want less ideological news outlets going bananas over ACORN or the Czars. Media Matters has a very funny and telling video about Fox News here. But is the best way to "cauterize," to use Weigel's term, the wound a public attack on Fox? We'll see. Mother Jones's David Corn has his doubts, too. I think the whole episode will only elevate Fox. Politico has a much talked about story today that suggests the Fox comments are part of a larger White House effort to redefine the GOP.
Oct 21 2009, 12:41PM
Doug Hoffmann: The Next (Unlikely) Conservative Superstar
Here is Doug Hoffman's claim to fame: at the tender age of 27, he became corporate comptroller of the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games. That, and the 1955 Chevrolet he rebuilt when he was 16. Hoffman is an accountant, which makes him an unlikely public figure. He is even less likely as a political candidate, much less one who can win a nationally-watched special election in New York State. Less likely still is his new identity: conservative superstar of the future. And yet, here he is: a slow-talking, kindly-uncle-like, nerdy-looking optically challenged Republican Party savior. And he isn't even running as a Republican.
Oct 21 2009, 11:52AM
Get Motivated With George W. Bush
If you've ever wanted motivational tips from the former president of the United States, now's your chance: President George W. Bush will be the featured guest speaker at a Zig Ziglar "Get Motivated!" business seminar at the Fort Worth Convention Center this coming Monday, Oct. 26. The lineup will also include Colin Powell and Rudy Giuliani, both of whom have participated in Ziglar's events before, Giuliani between the end of his mayoral tenure and his presidential run. Laura Bush will join the Ziglar crew for an event in Jacksonville Nov. 2, so it's possible an ongoing affiliation between Ziglar and the Bushes will emerge.
Oct 21 2009, 11:16AM
Mr. Singh Goes To Washington
Chances are if you're brown or live in DC you've read this piece on the emergence of the Indian-American political scene, which was published Tuesday in Roll Call. I don't normally read RC since I have access to the vastly superior CongressDaily, but this piece does not serve as a great introduction to their work.
The article covers familiar ground, dealing mostly in stereotypes and the same cast of desi Democratic insiders who should be familiar to anyone who lives inside the Beltway. Toeplitz discusses three desi Democrats (two of whom are doctors, of course) running for Congress next year and their varying levels of success in fundraising. Again, nothing new here. I would be interested to know the source for this statement, however:
The article covers familiar ground, dealing mostly in stereotypes and the same cast of desi Democratic insiders who should be familiar to anyone who lives inside the Beltway. Toeplitz discusses three desi Democrats (two of whom are doctors, of course) running for Congress next year and their varying levels of success in fundraising. Again, nothing new here. I would be interested to know the source for this statement, however:
Oct 21 2009, 10:15AM
How Kevin Jennings Survived
A few weeks ago, Kevin Jennings was in trouble.
After social conservatives at the Family Research Council had opposed his nomination as director of the Education Department's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools earlier in the year, he came under a firestorm of criticism from conservative bloggers and Fox News pundits for counseling an underage student--a 15 year-old boy, it was reported--on a sexual relationship with an older man.
After social conservatives at the Family Research Council had opposed his nomination as director of the Education Department's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools earlier in the year, he came under a firestorm of criticism from conservative bloggers and Fox News pundits for counseling an underage student--a 15 year-old boy, it was reported--on a sexual relationship with an older man.
Oct 21 2009, 9:36AM
Igniting The Debate Over Obama's Secret War
Barack Obama's use of Predator drones in Pakistan represents, according to Hina Shamsi, a human-rights lawyer at the New York University School of Law, "targeted international killings by the state." In the New Yorker, Jane Mayer takes the first in-depth look at a major part of Obama's counter-terrorism strategy: the classified but widely reported-on CIA/Air Force program that targets Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders for death. As Mayer notes, since the beginning of the Obama administration, Predator strikes have dramatically increased, as has the conviction among many analysts that the rate of civilian casualties is backstopping radicalism and engendering hatred against the United States. Among Mayer's revelations: the CIA's counter-terrorism center (CTC) has the authority to decide whether its target is legitimate -- and then authority, without consulting the White House, to launch the Predator's Hellfire missiles.
Oct 21 2009, 7:34AM
Hero Of The Press Cycle: Sen. John Kerry
Has Sen. John Kerry ever had as good a press cycle?
He's Politico's "Man Of The Hour".
David Ignatius, the well-regarded spokes-columnist for the hard-bitten CIA case officer set**, called it Kerry's "Star Turn," noting how his outsider credentials and insider trust helped him with over Karzai and smooth tensions between Karzai and Richard Holbrooke, the Af-Pak emissary.
Indeed, most of the stories devoted to Kerry have the exact same analysis: Kerry was reluctantly thrust into the role of negotiator. Kerry developed Karzai's trust. Kerry had the diplomatic skills that current ambassador Karl Eikenberry lacked. Kerry's importuning proved to be the turning point. Oh, and it compares favorably to Kerry's brokering of a dialog between the U.S. and Syria earlier in the year.
He's Politico's "Man Of The Hour".
David Ignatius, the well-regarded spokes-columnist for the hard-bitten CIA case officer set**, called it Kerry's "Star Turn," noting how his outsider credentials and insider trust helped him with over Karzai and smooth tensions between Karzai and Richard Holbrooke, the Af-Pak emissary.
Indeed, most of the stories devoted to Kerry have the exact same analysis: Kerry was reluctantly thrust into the role of negotiator. Kerry developed Karzai's trust. Kerry had the diplomatic skills that current ambassador Karl Eikenberry lacked. Kerry's importuning proved to be the turning point. Oh, and it compares favorably to Kerry's brokering of a dialog between the U.S. and Syria earlier in the year.
Oct 21 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: How Significant Are '09 Races?
How significant, nationally, are the three major campaigns going on right now--the New Jersey and Virginia gubarnatorial races and the special House election in New York's 23rd district? Can we call them referendums on President Obama and Democratic governance, or are they only important in the states where they're taking place?
Oct 21 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/21
Vice President Joe Biden is in Europe today, working his Bidenly charms on Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Lech Kaczynski. Poland wasn't too happy about the White House's decision to pull out of Bush-era plans for a missile defense system partly based there; we'll see if Biden can put his foreign policy expertise and famed affability to work in allaying those concerns.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, will deliver a major policy address on nuclear nonproliferation to the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
With his deputies thusly occupied, President Obama will be in campaign mode: after attending a fundraiser for Democrat Bill Owens in New York's 23rd district last night, Obama will stump for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) at a rally at Fairleigh Dickinson University, seeking to boost the governor in his tight re-election race with some patented Obama eloquence.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, will deliver a major policy address on nuclear nonproliferation to the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
With his deputies thusly occupied, President Obama will be in campaign mode: after attending a fundraiser for Democrat Bill Owens in New York's 23rd district last night, Obama will stump for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) at a rally at Fairleigh Dickinson University, seeking to boost the governor in his tight re-election race with some patented Obama eloquence.
Oct 21 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/21
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Sarah Palin will appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," in an episode airing November 16; she'll also speak at a Wisconsin Right to Life event in suburban Milwaukee November 6; and at the College of the Ozarks in southwest Missouri December 2; Mitt Romney will help Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) raise money next week, appearing at a fundraiser in Charleston, South Carolina; and before Sarah Palin releases her memoir, Mike Huckabee will publish a book on Christmas.
Sarah Palin will appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," in an episode airing November 16; she'll also speak at a Wisconsin Right to Life event in suburban Milwaukee November 6; and at the College of the Ozarks in southwest Missouri December 2; Mitt Romney will help Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) raise money next week, appearing at a fundraiser in Charleston, South Carolina; and before Sarah Palin releases her memoir, Mike Huckabee will publish a book on Christmas.
Oct 21 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/21
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
In New York's 23rd-district special election, President Obama attended a fundraising dinner for Democrat Bill Owens last night; New York Gov. David Paterson still has terrible poll numbers in a new Siena survey, which reports a 19 percent approval rating; a Monmouth University/Gannett poll shows Chris Christie (R) and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) tied at 39 percent in the state's '09 gubernatorial contest; Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner (D) failed to raise more than $150,000 in the third quarter; and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) leads Democratic challenger Rep. Charles Melancon by 12 percentage points in his reelection bid, according to a Southern Media and Opinion Research poll.
In New York's 23rd-district special election, President Obama attended a fundraising dinner for Democrat Bill Owens last night; New York Gov. David Paterson still has terrible poll numbers in a new Siena survey, which reports a 19 percent approval rating; a Monmouth University/Gannett poll shows Chris Christie (R) and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) tied at 39 percent in the state's '09 gubernatorial contest; Ohio Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner (D) failed to raise more than $150,000 in the third quarter; and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) leads Democratic challenger Rep. Charles Melancon by 12 percentage points in his reelection bid, according to a Southern Media and Opinion Research poll.
Oct 20 2009, 4:00PM
50 Years Of Pentagon Studies Support Gay Soldiers
In a new paper on the efficacy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" published in this month's Joint Force Quarterly, Col. Om Prakash boils down half a century of Pentagon-commissioned studies on gays in the military into seven short pages. Reviewing the research, he finds that the facts of gay servicemembers' fitness to serve have changed little over 50 years. But the reports themselves reveal something more: The Defense Department's own criticisms of military policies toward gay soldiers have remained consistent, too.
The DoD has funded studies on the impact of gay servicemembers as far back as 1957, when the Navy's Crittenden Report found "no factual data" to support the idea that they posed a greater security risk than heterosexual personnel. Straight officers boasting secrets due to "feelings of inadequacy" were a realer threat, it found. Despite these findings, the report recommended no changes to dismissal policies, for a reason that would define the department's stance on open service into the 21st century: "The service should not move ahead of civilian society nor attempt to set substantially different standards in attitude or action with respect to homosexual offenders."
The DoD has funded studies on the impact of gay servicemembers as far back as 1957, when the Navy's Crittenden Report found "no factual data" to support the idea that they posed a greater security risk than heterosexual personnel. Straight officers boasting secrets due to "feelings of inadequacy" were a realer threat, it found. Despite these findings, the report recommended no changes to dismissal policies, for a reason that would define the department's stance on open service into the 21st century: "The service should not move ahead of civilian society nor attempt to set substantially different standards in attitude or action with respect to homosexual offenders."
Oct 20 2009, 3:54PM
So What If Fox Is Conservative?
On Sunday, two of Barack Obama's top aides took shots at the Fox News Channel. Rahm Emanuel said it was "not a news organization," and David Axelrod said it was "not really a news station." The White House is shunning the network. When the president made the rounds of Sunday shows recently he ostentatiously skipped Fox. White House Communications Director Anita Dunn has called FNC "an arm of the Republican party." Over at Slate, my friend Jacob Weisberg has urged mainstream journalists to avoid appearing on Fox. I think both the White House and Weisberg are making a mistake.
I wouldn't argue that Fox is "fair and balanced." It's a conservative news outlet, and to argue that it's not is ludicrous. That said, there's obviously a spectrum of bias ranging from the straight-style reporting of a Major Garrett at the White House to the rantings of Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, and some anchors are more Foxy than others. I like it when Media Matters for America calls Fox on its bias, although it's a little bit like calling Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for being anti-Israeli. I don't disagree that Fox News Channel is like the New York Post or The Weekly Standard, which was, until recently, another Rupert Murdoch property.
I wouldn't argue that Fox is "fair and balanced." It's a conservative news outlet, and to argue that it's not is ludicrous. That said, there's obviously a spectrum of bias ranging from the straight-style reporting of a Major Garrett at the White House to the rantings of Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, and some anchors are more Foxy than others. I like it when Media Matters for America calls Fox on its bias, although it's a little bit like calling Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for being anti-Israeli. I don't disagree that Fox News Channel is like the New York Post or The Weekly Standard, which was, until recently, another Rupert Murdoch property.
Oct 20 2009, 3:25PM
The Head Says Romney, But The Heart Says Palin
That's what Matt Lewis suggests in a column today at Politics Daily: that conservatives' heads will tell them to vote for Mitt Romney in the 2012 primary, but that their hearts will tell them to vote for Sarah Palin. It might feel better for conservatives to vote for Palin as an emotional favorite, and, since it's historically difficult to take down an incumbent president, Lewis asks the philosophical question: "If you're going to lose anyway, is it better to lose atop the horse you really want to ride?" It's a different question altogether who conservatives would actually want to be president; emotionally, even, and putting aside their respective chances of winning, Palin might not be tops in that regard.
Oct 20 2009, 2:58PM
Why Some 2012 Candidates Might Skip Iowa
Unless you're beloved by conservative Christians, don't bother campaigning in Iowa. That's one lesson learned by some strategists allied with several potential 2012 presidential candidates. Others see it differently. The question applies most to Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and Ex-Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA).
Oct 20 2009, 1:54PM
NRA's New Ad: McDonnell Protects You From "Them"
The National Rife Association's political action committee takes aim at gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds in new ad that's running across the state of Virginia. The spot isn't just about guns. And it doesn't actually mention Deeds -- who opposes gun control -- by name.
A deep-voiced narrator intones that "they" are creating "mountains of debt" and heavy spending and "unprecedented government intervention" that chips away at "Your Rights" and "Your Freedom," including "Our Second Amendment." Who's "them?" Not defined.
But, the viewer is told, "you can stop them right now." How? By voting for Bob McDonnell on November 2.
Kind of sneaky -- although sneaky in a fairly obvious way -- to cast Bob McDonnell as the defense against unknown malevolent forces who are trying to take away your guns...even though the reality is that neither Democrats in Virginia nor Democrats in Washington have any appetite for gun control legislation.
Oct 20 2009, 12:45PM
Conundrum Continues: Support For Public Option, Not For Congress's Plan
Another note on today's Washington Post poll: once again, Americans reportedly support the public option, but they don't back the overall plan being developed in Congress, just like the last time the Post polled on health care.
This cuts, pretty directly, against the concerns that both observers of the legislative process and key members of the Senate have voiced: that Democratic plans might go too far--that anything but the most conservative incarnation of Democratic health reform (the bill put out by the Senate Finance Committee) will be too liberal to earn consensus, i.e. the support of centrist senators like Ben Nelson (D-NE), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
According to the Post, that's not how the public sees it--they think Congress's current plans don't go far enough:
This cuts, pretty directly, against the concerns that both observers of the legislative process and key members of the Senate have voiced: that Democratic plans might go too far--that anything but the most conservative incarnation of Democratic health reform (the bill put out by the Senate Finance Committee) will be too liberal to earn consensus, i.e. the support of centrist senators like Ben Nelson (D-NE), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
According to the Post, that's not how the public sees it--they think Congress's current plans don't go far enough:
Oct 20 2009, 12:03PM
Political Hoaxes For Dummies
Probably because it didn't involve balloons, yesterday's hoax---in which several major media organizations, including Reuters, were duped into reporting that the Chamber of Commerce had suddenly embraced climate-change legislation--didn't get wall-to-wall cable coverage. But the stunt, perpetrated by a group of activists called the Yes Men, marked the latest in what seems to be a growing number of successful political hoaxes. First, hats off to the Yes Men for pulling it off. But I'm surprised that anyone fell for their bogus press release, since even a quick scan sends up all sorts of red flags. For example, the press release described the move as "an about-face on climate policy for the Chamber." As even the lowliest PR lackey is aware, press releases must always present even blatant shifts in policy as seamlessly following from whatever the organization was doing previously--the last thing any organization does in making an about-face is to describe what its doing as "an about-face." So dock some points for presentation.
Oct 20 2009, 11:26AM
Balance Of Power Clash At The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will decide whether the president can keep detainees in custody even after it acknowledges that they do not pose a threat to the United States. The case, Kiyemba v. Obama, asks whether courts ought to defer to the executive branch and Congress on all matter of detainee disposition. 17 Chinese Uighers were ordered released by a federal judge. 11 remain in custody. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said that courts didn't have the authority to force the U.S. to free the Uighers inside the United States. The court held, in essence, that once the Uigher's habaes corpus petitions were sustained, they became refugees -- aliens of some sort -- and U.S. courts have never had the authority to order the executive branch -- immigration officials -- to admit them legally into the United States.
Oct 20 2009, 11:17AM
That New Washington Post/ABC Poll
It's wrong to put too much stock in any poll of the moment or to get caught up in Washington's kerfuffle du jour. But the new Washington Post/ABC poll really is worth noting for the way it would seem to stand conventional wisdom on its head. 57 percent of respondents support a public option. More than half--51 percent to be precise--want it passed and don't care if it gets a single Republican vote. Only 20 percent of respondents identified themselves as Republicans, the fewest in 26 years. Such moments may prove ephemeral, but it's a reminder that the gyrations of elite opinion don't always match what's going on in the country. Certainly all the attention paid to teabaggers and other Obama haters wasn't entirely misplaced. There were and are real expressions of anger. Still, Obama's slow-and-steady approach seems to be paying off.
Oct 20 2009, 10:14AM
WaPo: The Public Still Loves the Public Option
Another opinion poll of the public option is out. And guess what? The public still loves it. This is surprising to nobody except, it seems, the Washington Post. Dan Balz writes:
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that support for a government-run health-care plan to compete with private insurers has rebounded from its summertime lows and wins clear majority support from the public.Those "summertime lows" were sixty-two percent support in June, 52 percent support in August, and 55 percent in September. Those would be summertime lows if they were measuring, say, Washington, DC, temperature in Fahrenheit, but as support for a "controversial" and revolutionary health insurance reform, I'd call it a lasting majority.
Oct 20 2009, 9:04AM
For His Decision On Troops, Obama Has Leeway, The White House Says
President Obama won't decide whether to send more troops to Afghanistan until the country's political disputes settle down, senior administration officials said. On the advice of several key members of his war council, including National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones and Vice President Joe Biden, Obama plans to wait until Afghanistan holds a run-off presidential election on November 7, these officials said. (Officials, later in the day, said that no hard decision had been made about when to make the decision; the president "will announce the decision when he's ready," an aide said.) Speaking to reporters late yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the new administration strategy couldn't wait on a new Afghan government because the political situation might not be resolved for months, according to the Associated Press.
Oct 20 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Can Fox News Be Ignored?
Rahm Emanuel told CNN on Sunday that his boss, President Obama, doesn't want "the CNNs and the others in the world [to] basically be led in following Fox." Fox News has interpreted this as a call to ignore the station outright. But can that be done? Even if you don't like Fox, is it possible to ignore it?
Oct 20 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/20
After raising $3 million in San Francisco last week, President Obama gets back into money mode as he hits the trail again today, attending fundraisers for Democratic 23rd-district congressional Candidate Bill Owens, and another for the Democratic National Committee, in New York.
Demonstrating a knack for unity of form and function, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will deliver remarks on cybersecurity via webcast, as cybersecurity awareness month continues.
Congressional committees turn a sympathetic eye to the little guy today, as the House Financial Services Committee marks up consumer financial protection legislation, while the Senate Judiciary Committee considers whether bankruptcy reform could help Americans dealing with medical debt.
Demonstrating a knack for unity of form and function, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will deliver remarks on cybersecurity via webcast, as cybersecurity awareness month continues.
Congressional committees turn a sympathetic eye to the little guy today, as the House Financial Services Committee marks up consumer financial protection legislation, while the Senate Judiciary Committee considers whether bankruptcy reform could help Americans dealing with medical debt.
Oct 20 2009, 5:30AM
The Invisible Primary, 10/20
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
A Rasmussen poll shows Mike Huckabee (29%) leading Mitt Romney (24%) and Sarah Palin (18%) in a prospective three-way 2012 presidential primary matchup; Mitt Romney gave a speech on Iran at an AIPAC forum in San Diego; Bobby Jindal traveled to New Jersey last night to raise money for gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie; Sarah Palin posted her resume on LinkedIn; she also posted a health care essay on Facebook; Tim Pawlenty addressed the Western Conservative Political Action Conference in California on Friday; and he'll also hold a fundraiser in Washington, DC on Thursday.
A Rasmussen poll shows Mike Huckabee (29%) leading Mitt Romney (24%) and Sarah Palin (18%) in a prospective three-way 2012 presidential primary matchup; Mitt Romney gave a speech on Iran at an AIPAC forum in San Diego; Bobby Jindal traveled to New Jersey last night to raise money for gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie; Sarah Palin posted her resume on LinkedIn; she also posted a health care essay on Facebook; Tim Pawlenty addressed the Western Conservative Political Action Conference in California on Friday; and he'll also hold a fundraiser in Washington, DC on Thursday.
Oct 20 2009, 5:00AM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/20
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
The Washington Post endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds in the 2009 Virginia gubernatorial race; The Club for Growth will start airing a TV ad today in New York's 23rd district supporting Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who is running against Republican Dede Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens; the DCCC outraised the NRCC 2-1 in September; conservative GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio scored an endorsement from Sen. James Inhoge (R-OK) in his primary against Gov. Charlie Crist; and Rasmussen has Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk tied in a putative race for President Obama's old Senate seat.
The Washington Post endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds in the 2009 Virginia gubernatorial race; The Club for Growth will start airing a TV ad today in New York's 23rd district supporting Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who is running against Republican Dede Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens; the DCCC outraised the NRCC 2-1 in September; conservative GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio scored an endorsement from Sen. James Inhoge (R-OK) in his primary against Gov. Charlie Crist; and Rasmussen has Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk tied in a putative race for President Obama's old Senate seat.
Oct 19 2009, 6:40PM
What Did The Moon Scientist Want To Tell The Israelis? Some Clues
There's nothing like a good, diverting spy scandal. The FBI today arrested an eminent space scientist, Stewart
David Nozette, and charged him with espionage. He allegedly agreed to sell information about American nuclear weapons to an operative of Israel's Mossad -- only the agent turned out to be an uncover FBI agent. Nozette was the principal investigator on the NASA team that discovered water on the moon. But he spent years as a top scientist at the Department of Energy, where he specialized in satellite technology. According to CBS News, his work for an Israeli defense/aerospace consulting company owned by the Israeli government -- work that involved providing unspecified but presumably sensitive technical assistance -- brought him to the attention of investigators. The affidavit alleges that Nozette secreted two computer drives out of the company and brought them to a third country. What he did with them -- and what was contained on those disks the FBI isn't saying. From
the FBI release, it's hard to figure out what he might have given the
Israelis when he worked for them. Left somewhat vague is what he tried to sell to the undercover agent. But his resume provides a clue.
Oct 19 2009, 6:17PM
It's Not (Overtly) About Race
Democracy Corps, in its 18-page report on "The Very Separate World Of Conservative Republicans," based on focus groups with conservative Americans and released today, outlines many beliefs and psychological facets central to the conservative Republican mind--and racism isn't one of them.
The study breaks down the contemporary conservative anti-Obama drive into several pillars--Obama's alleged deception and hidden agenda, the fast pace with which he's pushing that agenda, his desire to drive government to the brink of failure and exert governmental control over everything, and his alleged ultimate goal of socialism and an end to liberties. But, when given the opportunity to discuss race, even the older, white, non-college-educated Americans (who, the firm says, "score highest on scales measuring racial prejudice") didn't raise it as an issue. Rather, they brought up the media's consumption with race as a motivator of anti-Obama sentiment, and the notion that they can't criticize Obama on his merits because they'll be labeled racist.
The study breaks down the contemporary conservative anti-Obama drive into several pillars--Obama's alleged deception and hidden agenda, the fast pace with which he's pushing that agenda, his desire to drive government to the brink of failure and exert governmental control over everything, and his alleged ultimate goal of socialism and an end to liberties. But, when given the opportunity to discuss race, even the older, white, non-college-educated Americans (who, the firm says, "score highest on scales measuring racial prejudice") didn't raise it as an issue. Rather, they brought up the media's consumption with race as a motivator of anti-Obama sentiment, and the notion that they can't criticize Obama on his merits because they'll be labeled racist.
Oct 19 2009, 4:54PM
The Politics of David Rohde's Story
If you haven't been reading David Rohde's account of being held by the Taliban, you really should. It comes highly recommended by my colleagues Jeffrey Goldberg and James "Editor of the Year" Bennet, who found it particularly uplifting after the balloon boy fiasco. I must say I began to read it more out of duty than desire. I've read accounts of hostages before--FARC in Columbia, Hezbollah in Iran, crazy lone kidnappers--and I didn't really expect this to be more than the usual grim predictability. We're only up to day two and--without spoiling anything--the moving around, the question of who is actually holding him and what they want is endlessly interesting. It's not self aggrandizing and not self loathing either. It's really quite something.
I'm interested in the politics of it, too. Rohde is a straight-shooter reporter with no political agenda than I can discern. (We've never met, but I have friends who have worked with him at the Times and think the world of him.) But what he's written will, I think, give plenty for left and right to mull over. Keeping in mind that we're only at day two of the five day saga--and there's surely a book to come--here are a few points that struck me:
I'm interested in the politics of it, too. Rohde is a straight-shooter reporter with no political agenda than I can discern. (We've never met, but I have friends who have worked with him at the Times and think the world of him.) But what he's written will, I think, give plenty for left and right to mull over. Keeping in mind that we're only at day two of the five day saga--and there's surely a book to come--here are a few points that struck me:
Oct 19 2009, 2:57PM
Progressives: Vote Against Reid If We Don't Get A Public Option
As the Senate leadership gets ready to bring a merged health reform package to the floor, a progressive group is suggesting that Nevadans should vote against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) if that bill doesn't include a public option, and if it doesn't ultimately pass.
Oct 19 2009, 2:51PM
Mitt Romney On Obama's "Impotent" Outreach To The World
Read clips, of course, about Mitt Romney's stiff-backed challenge to President Obama on Iran. The former Massachusetts governor and 2004 presidential candidate wants "withering" sanctions to be levied on Iran. But his speech, delivered today to an AIPAC forum in San Diego, is worth reading in its entirety. It's a distillation of how conservatives see Obama's approach to foreign policy. Since Romney may well run against Obama in 2012, it's a useful guide to his thinking. RomneyAIPAC.doc
Oct 19 2009, 2:43PM
As Public Opposition Grows, Does Obama Have Leeway On Afghanistan?
"...[O]ne thing to watch for will be how the president himself addresses the importance of public opinion in explaining his eventual decision on how to proceed -- and how he explains himself should he decide to defy the public's wishes. It will give us an important glimpse into what this young and largely untested leader is made of and how he views his presidency."
That's from the Plumline's Greg Sargent, who notes CNN polling showing nearly 60% of the public opposes sending more troops to Afghanistan and that a small majority believes that the war is turning into Vietnam.
What is the picture inside of our heads about the war in Afghanistan? The American people seem to want their president to take public opinion into account. But does a president need to? Does it matter, firstly, whether a war can be just unless a majority supports it? Does public backing make it easier to prosecute a war? Does public opposition to a war increase the chances of defeat? How does public opinion track the progress of a war or conflict?
Oct 19 2009, 1:30PM
Who Punked The Chamber On Climate Change?
More details are emerging about the group that punked several journalists, including producers at CNBC and a writer at Reuters, with a fake press release alleging a turnabout by the Chamber of Commerce on global warming legislation.
Oct 19 2009, 1:25PM
Government Can Supress Torture Evidence...If It Wants
President Obama's May decision to declassify Bush-era legal memos does not require the government to give up more information on techniques revealed by those opinions, a judge ruled last week. The finding complicates efforts by civil liberties groups to obtain information about torture through Freedom of Information Act requests, and it could mean that some detainees who bring civil suits alleging they were tortured by the hands of U.S. interrogators may have a tougher time proving as much in court.
Oct 19 2009, 1:01PM
Sudan Advocates Like The New Policy...If It's Implemented Right
Sudan advocacy groups that have been critical of the Obama administration praised its newly announced policy on Sudan this morning, but they say they'll wait for its implementation--and for a newly invigorated push from the administration--before passing judgment.
"The Obama administration's new policy on Sudan that they've just issued today is worthy of considerably support, and the U.S., at the highest levels, needs to go and build an international coalition around this policy," John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project (which is part of the Center for American Progress), told reporters on a conference call this morning.
"U.S. policy objectives look very sensible on paper, but they'll go up in smoke as Sudan burns again if we don't pursue this policy to the letter," Prendergast said.
"The Obama administration's new policy on Sudan that they've just issued today is worthy of considerably support, and the U.S., at the highest levels, needs to go and build an international coalition around this policy," John Prendergast, co-founder of the Enough Project (which is part of the Center for American Progress), told reporters on a conference call this morning.
"U.S. policy objectives look very sensible on paper, but they'll go up in smoke as Sudan burns again if we don't pursue this policy to the letter," Prendergast said.
Oct 19 2009, 11:51AM
Who Should Have Been On GQ's Top 50 In DC
Since an Atlantic editor, Bob Cohn, was included in Gentleman's Quarterly's list of the 50 Most Powerful People in Washington, D.C., it would be churlish of this column to criticize the lad mag for getting it all wrong. Nonetheless, for those who work in the greater Metropolitan area, a few really powerful folks were nowhere to be found. Leaving aside movers and shakers who are almost totally unknown -- this guy is one of them -- here are some substitutes that GQ might want to draft for its next team.
Oct 19 2009, 11:26AM
Fake "Chamber" Press Release Dupes Reuters
The headline, if true, would be a news story indeed: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, according to a press release e-mailed to journalists this morning, had decided to reverse its opposition to strong climate change legislation. But that's false. Some unknown group decided to punk the Chamber. And in the process, at least one news organization, Reuters, fell for it.
Oct 19 2009, 10:32AM
New Guidelines For Medical Marijuana: A Step To The Right
The Department of Justice will distribute new guidelines to federal prosecutors today advising that it's not a good use of their time to prosecute medical marijuana users and distributors in states where medical marijuana is legal, as long as they're following state laws. It's been understood since before the election that President Obama intended to stop raids on medical marijuana users, and, with the exception of a few raids conducted in LA before the new leadership had gotten settled at the Department of Justice, that's been the effective policy so far.
But the new guidelines--a three-page memo going out to prosecutors in the 14 states where medical marijuana has been legalized in some fashion, as well as FBI and DEA officials--will set it down in formal communique. Glenn Greenwald points out that this policy is actually more conservative than that held by the Bush administration, which vowed to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws: it's a victory for states' rights, a loosening of the federal government's centralized grip.
But the new guidelines--a three-page memo going out to prosecutors in the 14 states where medical marijuana has been legalized in some fashion, as well as FBI and DEA officials--will set it down in formal communique. Glenn Greenwald points out that this policy is actually more conservative than that held by the Bush administration, which vowed to enforce federal anti-marijuana laws: it's a victory for states' rights, a loosening of the federal government's centralized grip.
Oct 18 2009, 2:00PM
The Sunday Shows In Five Paragraphs Or Less
1. White House officials had a double-barreled message: for the NATO strategy to work -- for an infusion of U.S. troops to have the possibility of success -- the government of Afghanistan must be seen as legitimate in the eyes of the Afghan people. Either a run-off election or a coalition government would do -- though it's President Karzai's choice. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said on CBS's "Face The Nation" that the U.S. government shouldn't be seen as influencing the election.
"...what would be worse is if the Afghan people thought that the course that was chosen was done by the determination of the United States. And then it would lose the legitimacy and the credibility to the Afghan people."
2. But Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), speaking for conservatives, said that while a stable government in Afghanistan was critical, it shouldn't be the linchpin of the U.S. strategy. "I hope President Karzai understands that our national security interests don't depend entirely on his decision there whether to allow a recount. Obviously the legitimacy of that government is an important component of it. My point is it shouldn't be the lynch pin for us deciding whether we're going to protect our national security interests in that region."
Oct 17 2009, 2:01PM
Rethink 1: Obama Doesn't Get Katrina?
It wasn't so much the brief duration of President Obama's trip to New Orleans that riled the Katrina-smarties -- the folks who've spent the past several years obsessing, healthily, about the destruction of an American city. It was that, when he spoke there, he got his facts wrong. And he got his facts wrong to such an extent that he convinced folks like Harry Shearer that Obama has no idea what really happened during Katrina.
Oct 16 2009, 5:00PM
Mickey Edwards On Olympia Snowe's "Betrayal"
Former GOP Congressman Mickey Edwards, now an Atlantic Correspondent, writes that "Olympia Snowe is guilty of no more than having taken her oath of
office seriously. It's something more of her colleagues should try."
Oct 16 2009, 4:07PM
Rethink 2: The Chamber's Not Powerful?
It's been a tough week for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A "lousy" week, writes Pulitzer-Prize-winning business columnist Steven Pearlstein. The Chamber's honesty was called into question when Mother Jones revealed that the Chamber routinely used a figure of 3,000,000 to describe the organization's membership when a more accurate figure is roughly a tenth of that. The Chamber's response is that, well, Mother Jones inflates its numbers, but besides that, the Chamber has regularly used both numbers, and accurately. It has 300,000 members but about 3,000,000 organizations are affiliated with organizations that pay national Chamber dues. It represents both types -- direct members, and companies that are represented by direct members -- in its lobbying activities. That's not an unfair point, although the Chamber is probably going to be quite careful about making the distinction in the future.
Oct 16 2009, 3:54PM
Remainders: What You're Missing On A Rainy Friday
The NSA is collecting so much data that a new number might have to be invented to describe the size of its database. (NY Review)
Binyan Mohamed torture documentation might soon be released to journalists. The UK government will appeal. The docs could shed light on how MI6 was complicit with the CIA in facilitating the torture of detainees. (The Telegraph)
More good news for Democrats on health care: the CBO score of two of the three House bills ends up at $905 billion or less. (Washington Post)
New HELP committee chairman Tom Harkin says the final Senate bill will include a public option. (TWI)
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) is speaking to the Western CPAC convention in Newport Beach (Orange County!) California. (TPM)
The Department of Homeland Security has no INTENTION of reading your e-mail. Capability? They'll have that. (NextGov)
Telecom immunity docs might soon be released, sans the names of the companies in question. (Politico)
Binyan Mohamed torture documentation might soon be released to journalists. The UK government will appeal. The docs could shed light on how MI6 was complicit with the CIA in facilitating the torture of detainees. (The Telegraph)
More good news for Democrats on health care: the CBO score of two of the three House bills ends up at $905 billion or less. (Washington Post)
New HELP committee chairman Tom Harkin says the final Senate bill will include a public option. (TWI)
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) is speaking to the Western CPAC convention in Newport Beach (Orange County!) California. (TPM)
The Department of Homeland Security has no INTENTION of reading your e-mail. Capability? They'll have that. (NextGov)
Telecom immunity docs might soon be released, sans the names of the companies in question. (Politico)
Oct 16 2009, 2:25PM
Obama Raises $3 Million In San Francisco
There's been a lot of talk about liberal discontent with President
Obama these days--mostly over health care, gay rights, and Afghanistan.
But it hasn't negated the president's ability to raise
money from Democratic supporters in one of the nation's liberal bastions.
Obama's fundraiser in San Francisco last night for the Democratic National Committee brought in an expected take of $3 million to the party's coffers, according to a party source.
Obama's fundraiser in San Francisco last night for the Democratic National Committee brought in an expected take of $3 million to the party's coffers, according to a party source.
Oct 16 2009, 1:45PM
Sex Roundup: Where They Stand
Nevada Senator John Ensign's fundraising has collapsed. After more details emerged in The New York Times about how he tried to bury an affair with a staffer and find work for her husband, he's seen his campaign fundraising fall to just $33,000 last quarter, down from almost 10 times that during the previous period, according to new campaign finance reports that Politico examined. So just to keep track of the sexually troubled: Mark Sanford is still governor of South Carolina, and that's not going to change anytime soon. Meanwhile, Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana looks like he's on track to be reelected next year. Vitter was the only sitting U.S. Senator to back Rudy Giuliani, who has had his own issues in this regard. He could be a strong candidate for governor of New York next year against David Paterson, whose troubled tenure began post Eliot Spitzer (!) when he disclosed his own extramarital affairs. So...lessons learned?
Oct 16 2009, 1:20PM
The Washington Post's Nobel Fetish
My colleague, James Fallows, made an excellent point about The Washington Post's op-ed lamenting that the Nobel peace prize didn't go to the martyred Iranian protestor. He noted that the award can't be given posthumously and thus never went to Gandhi and others who have been overlooked--a point that could have been checked rather easily. More Post weirdness today.
A different standard should probably apply to the opinion pieces. Authors should be given more latitude to hang themselves. But today the Post has a piece that says Obama's Nobel prize in unconstitutional because it violates the emoluments clause and constitutes an office from a foreign government.The piece by Ronald Rotunda and J. Peter Pham is here. A rather convincing takedown is here from Adam Blickstein at DemocracyArsenal.org. I won't rehash the arguments but suffice it to say that the knighthoods awarded by the British to Alan Greenspan and Norman Schwarzkopf survived constitutional muster. You do have to wonder why the Post wouldn't check out this piece more thoroughly. I'm not a constitutional scholar or an attorney but it seems pretty clear that Obama's nobel is constitutional just like Henry Kissinger's or Teddy Roosevelt's.
A different standard should probably apply to the opinion pieces. Authors should be given more latitude to hang themselves. But today the Post has a piece that says Obama's Nobel prize in unconstitutional because it violates the emoluments clause and constitutes an office from a foreign government.The piece by Ronald Rotunda and J. Peter Pham is here. A rather convincing takedown is here from Adam Blickstein at DemocracyArsenal.org. I won't rehash the arguments but suffice it to say that the knighthoods awarded by the British to Alan Greenspan and Norman Schwarzkopf survived constitutional muster. You do have to wonder why the Post wouldn't check out this piece more thoroughly. I'm not a constitutional scholar or an attorney but it seems pretty clear that Obama's nobel is constitutional just like Henry Kissinger's or Teddy Roosevelt's.
Oct 16 2009, 12:15PM
Obama: The Health Care Bill "You Least Like" Is Still Good
Another snippet from President Obama's Democratic National Committee fundraiser last night: the president sought to allay liberal concerns about the health care bills being hashed out in Congress right now, telling the crowd that even their least favorite bill in Congress isn't so bad.
The Senate Finance Committee's bill, which was passed earlier this week, has been criticized by liberals, as it's the most conservative of the five pieces of legislation that have been passed, with other bills and sections of bills coming from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the House Education and Labor Committee. According to consensus, it's the most likely blueprint for any merged package that will eventually pass.
The Senate Finance Committee's bill, which was passed earlier this week, has been criticized by liberals, as it's the most conservative of the five pieces of legislation that have been passed, with other bills and sections of bills coming from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the House Education and Labor Committee. According to consensus, it's the most likely blueprint for any merged package that will eventually pass.
Oct 16 2009, 11:38AM
Obama: Don't Tell Me I'm Holding The Mop Wrong
Even in the midst of a difficult and taxing health care fight, the president hasn't lost his sense of humor--especially when making fun of his opponents. Last night at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in San Francisco, the president offered an analogy for opponents of Demcoratic reforms: when I'm cleaning up your mess, don't tell me how to hold the mop...and don't tell me the mop is socialist. From a White House transcript of Obama's remarks:
What I reject is when some folks say we should go back to the past policies when it was those very same policies that got us into this mess in the first place. (Applause.)
Another way of putting it is when, you know, I'm busy and Nancy busy with our mop cleaning up somebody else's mess --- we don't want somebody sitting back saying, you're not holding the mop the right way. (Applause.) Why don't you grab a mop, why don't you help clean up. (Applause.) You're not mopping fast enough. (Laughter.) That's a socialist mop. (Laughter and applause.) Grab a mop -- let's get to work.
Oct 16 2009, 10:30AM
Applying Saudi Counterterrorism To The Afghanistan War
Expert opinion, public opinion, and even the White House are increasingly split between two camps on how we should proceed in Afghanistan: The doves, represented in the White House by Vice President Biden, call for targeted counterterrorism and a scaled down presence; while the hawks, with whom President Obama seems to side, insist that only boots on the ground and a strong counterinsurgency can tame the Taliban and restore stability. Divisions between the two are contentious and a clear path for success remains elusive. But an unusual program in Saudi Arabia may offer a way for both to come together.
Oct 16 2009, 10:13AM
Report Card: Which Groups Use Social Media?
Being tech savvy is a prized credential among the nation's top political organizations. As new social media tools have popped up over the past several years, the myriad activist coalitions and trade associations have started to use them to stay in touch with members and generate buzz. If you're a political activist, chances are someone has tried to reach out to you online.
But which groups use the most online media tools? And which tools get used the most?
In a contest among 102 of the nation's top pressure groups, cause organizations, and trade associations, the Sierra Club and Facebook are the winners.
But which groups use the most online media tools? And which tools get used the most?
In a contest among 102 of the nation's top pressure groups, cause organizations, and trade associations, the Sierra Club and Facebook are the winners.
Oct 16 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Will Afghanistan Decision Cause A Rift?
Arianna Huffington says Joe Biden should resign if President Obama sends more troops to Afghanistan. This is highly unlikely, but do you think Obama's decision--whatever he chooses to do--will cause a rift in his national security team?
Oct 16 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/16
At long last, some bipartisanship: President Obama wakes up in San Francisco this morning and heads to Bush Country. In College Station, TX, the president will participate in a community service forum at Texas A&M's George Bush Presidential Library Center, hosted by President George H.W. Bush. The discussion of community service will hopefully keep them off the topic of all the bad things Obama said about the latter Bush during the 2008 campaign.
With the Senate out of session and the House in a pro forma session (which is pretty much the same as being out of session), Capitol Hill will be quiet and sleepy--at least as quiet and sleepy as it can be in the midst of a major health care debate.
With the Senate out of session and the House in a pro forma session (which is pretty much the same as being out of session), Capitol Hill will be quiet and sleepy--at least as quiet and sleepy as it can be in the midst of a major health care debate.
Oct 15 2009, 7:22PM
Why Liberals Shouldn't Lay Off Obama
Judging from the headline, "Liberals, Lay Off Obama," Peter Beinart, in The Daily Beast, wants to make an argument about why liberal criticism of Barack Obama is counter-productive. He ends up making a different argument: Obama, it seems, is governing as a liberal, and doing a good job of it.
If he gets health-care reform, Obama will have done more to rebuild the American welfare state in one year than his two Democratic predecessors, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, did in a combined twelve.And that's true. And lots of liberals are happy. But that doesn't mean they ought to accept this blueberry pie and close their mouths.
Oct 15 2009, 6:00PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/15
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Mike Huckabee reportedly owes Chuck Norris $23,570 for travel expenses; President Obama defended Bobby Jindal from boos at his event in New Orleans today; former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) says Tim Pawlenty would make a great president; Newt Gingrich will attend an economic meeting in West Virginia; and sometime next year Sarah Palin will campaign for Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), as he competes against fellow Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in his reelection contest.
Mike Huckabee reportedly owes Chuck Norris $23,570 for travel expenses; President Obama defended Bobby Jindal from boos at his event in New Orleans today; former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) says Tim Pawlenty would make a great president; Newt Gingrich will attend an economic meeting in West Virginia; and sometime next year Sarah Palin will campaign for Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), as he competes against fellow Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in his reelection contest.
Oct 15 2009, 5:19PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/15
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will start airing TV ads in his home state tomorrow; Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) is outraising Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in that state's Senate race; Rep. Mike Castle (D-DE) and Delaware Attorney general Beau Biden (D) are in a statistical dead heat for Vice President Joe Biden's former Senate seat; as polling in Pennsylvania's Senate race continues to vary, Rasmussen shows Sen. Arlen Specter (D) trailing both GOP challenger Pat Toomey and his primary opponent, Rep. Joe Sestak (D); meanwhile, Siena shows Democrat Bill Owens leading in New York's 23rd district.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will start airing TV ads in his home state tomorrow; Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) is outraising Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in that state's Senate race; Rep. Mike Castle (D-DE) and Delaware Attorney general Beau Biden (D) are in a statistical dead heat for Vice President Joe Biden's former Senate seat; as polling in Pennsylvania's Senate race continues to vary, Rasmussen shows Sen. Arlen Specter (D) trailing both GOP challenger Pat Toomey and his primary opponent, Rep. Joe Sestak (D); meanwhile, Siena shows Democrat Bill Owens leading in New York's 23rd district.
Oct 15 2009, 3:50PM
The Administration's Latest Job Claims: Be Skeptical
Based on the thin slice of government data that's being reported today -- and, let's face it, based on the propensity of those in power to portray their own data in its rosiest light, it's wise to be skeptical of the administration's latest claims about the stimulus and the jobs it has created or saved. One would think that, having made projections about jobs that turned out not to be true, the administration would refrain from jawboning.
Oct 15 2009, 3:24PM
Did Limbaugh Get Burned?
Listening to Rush Limbaugh describe his involvement with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts' bid to buy the St. Louis Rams, it sounds like he (and maybe Checketts, too) got burned.
Last night it was announced that Limbaugh had been dropped from Checketts' bid group, following the barrage of criticism the talk-show host's participation had brought, after it became public last week. Criticism came from all segments of the NFL community--ownership, players, the NFL Players Association, Commissioner Roger Goodell, and the journalists and commentators that cover the league--making Limbaugh's involvement untenable from a business standpoint.
But Limbaugh said today that Checketts actually approached him in the first place, that he warned Checketts about the criticism that would descend on the bid group, and that Checketts actually assured him it had been "taken care of."
Last night it was announced that Limbaugh had been dropped from Checketts' bid group, following the barrage of criticism the talk-show host's participation had brought, after it became public last week. Criticism came from all segments of the NFL community--ownership, players, the NFL Players Association, Commissioner Roger Goodell, and the journalists and commentators that cover the league--making Limbaugh's involvement untenable from a business standpoint.
But Limbaugh said today that Checketts actually approached him in the first place, that he warned Checketts about the criticism that would descend on the bid group, and that Checketts actually assured him it had been "taken care of."
Oct 15 2009, 2:17PM
Hillary's More Popular Than Obama. Here's Why.
This datum reflects several factors. One is a natural/artificial drift downward for the president, the result of his being the president for eight months. Another is that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been fairly invisible to the public eye for the same period of time. And if there's one HillaryLand lesson that still applies, it's that when Clinton keeps her head down, focuses on the work and evinces no political ambition, people like her. A lot. Notice that Clinton's numbers have stayed about the same from January to October. It's clear that people don't associate her portfolio with President Obama's domestic agenda, which is the main artificial depredation. You might even extrapolate, on the basis of this datum only, that Obama's foreign policy agenda has weathered the events of the past eight months rather nicely.
Oct 15 2009, 1:45PM
Climate Change Reform Will Be Tougher than Health Care
As health care's passage shifts into not-if-but-when gear, we can all look forward to the next wild rumpus on Capitol Hill: Climate change reform. The conventional wisdom seems to be that the Democrats' cap-and-trade bill will have to run, skip and jump through the same obstacle course as health care: Socialism rumors, liberal in-fighting, special interests teaming, fake deadlines and pressure to scale back ambitions. Democrats will probably feel like Bill Murray waking up to "I Got You, Babe" for the umpteenth time in Groundhog Day. Except instead of inching closer to winning the affections of that Andie Macdowell character, the Democratic protagonists will find the next iteration of reform will be a lot tougher.
Oct 15 2009, 12:46PM
How To Earn A Nobel Prize
Time's Joe Klein suggests Middle East conditions are favorable for President Obama to prove he's worthy of his Nobel Prize with a sweeping gesture--the public announcement of a peace plan for Israelis and Palestinians to agree to. It's not Obama's style, Klein notes, and likely agreement may require some political realignment in Israel before they take effect. But the awards ceremony will be held in Oslo on Dec. 10...which leaves Obama with just under two months to make it happen.
Oct 15 2009, 11:32AM
The Chamber Of Commerce, Cut Down To Size
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has longed claimed, and I've probably printed, that they've got a membership roster exceeding 3,000,000 businesses. When a company like, oh, say, Apple, decides to dis-affiliate, the Chamber press shop has been able to say, apparently with a straight face, that 2,999,999 entities still support the group. The implication: Apple (and Excelon and Nike) are just a few crumbs off the side of a mountain. (Privately, Chamber officials contend that these companies caved to pressure from Democrats and are afraid of retaliation from the administration.)
Oct 15 2009, 11:21AM
What's Glenn Beck Up To? Something Big, He Says
Hey -- we like conspiracies too! Here's one, with some fact attached to it: conservative media icon Glenn Beck is planning something big -- very big -- for 2010. On his radio show yesterday, Beck alluded to a major nationwide mobilization project of some kind that he and some colleagues will soon announce. "If you think the 9/12 project was something...you ain't seen nothing yet," he said (roughly -- I didn't have a pen handy when he uttered this).
Oct 15 2009, 11:12AM
Is Eliot Spitzer Running For Comptroller?
Eliot Spitzer has waded back into politics with an op-ed today at Slate that lays out a vision for how state comptrollers can revamp corporate politics and lobbying in Washington, DC--perhaps hinting that he wants the job.
The antagonist of Spitzer's discourse is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which, using dues from its member companies (most publicly traded companies in the U.S.), pushes the conservative angle on the gamut of issues that affect business, including tax policy and carbon emissions.
It's up to state comptrollers, Spitzer says, to pressure businesses to drop their Chamber memberships, as Apple recently did over climate change. Public pensions funds own stakes in a lot of those companies, and the state comptrollers that run those funds can, as shareholders, pressure the boards of those companies to drop out of the Chamber.
It's an interesting idea that Spitzer poses. It's also interesting that, if Spitzer wants to get back into electoral politics in the near future, the 2010 New York state comptroller's race is a likely choice.
The antagonist of Spitzer's discourse is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which, using dues from its member companies (most publicly traded companies in the U.S.), pushes the conservative angle on the gamut of issues that affect business, including tax policy and carbon emissions.
It's up to state comptrollers, Spitzer says, to pressure businesses to drop their Chamber memberships, as Apple recently did over climate change. Public pensions funds own stakes in a lot of those companies, and the state comptrollers that run those funds can, as shareholders, pressure the boards of those companies to drop out of the Chamber.
It's an interesting idea that Spitzer poses. It's also interesting that, if Spitzer wants to get back into electoral politics in the near future, the 2010 New York state comptroller's race is a likely choice.
Oct 15 2009, 10:08AM
Why I'm Not Surprised Limbaugh Is No Longer Part Of The Rams Bid
Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts' bid to buy the St. Louis Rams. This should be completely unsurprising news. Here's why:
1. For starters, this is a business. Dave Checketts is a businessman, and he's looking to do a business deal. As soon as Limbaugh's partnership was announced, the maelstrom of criticism that descended on the bid threatened those efforts.
Checketts' bid, from all public indications--of which there have been very few--appears to have a very reasonable shot of winning. The Rams front office has declined to comment on the sale process, other than to say it's ongoing, so we don't know for certain what other bids are out there, though there are reportedly six of them in the mix. We do know that a sale is expected to take place sometime between now and 2015, when the team's lease agreement with the Edward Jones dome faces a critical plot point (the dome will be required to meet "top-tier" status among NFL stadiums, which it won't without a significant upgrade). But that's about it.
1. For starters, this is a business. Dave Checketts is a businessman, and he's looking to do a business deal. As soon as Limbaugh's partnership was announced, the maelstrom of criticism that descended on the bid threatened those efforts.
Checketts' bid, from all public indications--of which there have been very few--appears to have a very reasonable shot of winning. The Rams front office has declined to comment on the sale process, other than to say it's ongoing, so we don't know for certain what other bids are out there, though there are reportedly six of them in the mix. We do know that a sale is expected to take place sometime between now and 2015, when the team's lease agreement with the Edward Jones dome faces a critical plot point (the dome will be required to meet "top-tier" status among NFL stadiums, which it won't without a significant upgrade). But that's about it.
Oct 15 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Who Should Obama Listen To?
President Obama has a good deal of experienced leaders around him as he considers Afghanistan strategy--Robert Gates, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Richard Holbrooke, and Stanley McChrystal among them. To whom should he listen most closely?
Oct 14 2009, 5:50PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/14
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Sarah Palin will reportedly form a new political organization as her memoir hits bookstores in November; despite having predicted Palin would be a "catastrophic" nominee for the GOP in 2012, former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt defended the decision to pick her as VP nominee today; Tim Pawlenty addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition in DC today; Eric Cantor talked job-creation in a post at The Corner; Mike Pence met with local Republican activists and party officials in South Carolina this week; Rick Santorum will travel to North Carolina this month; Mike Huckabee will address the Conservative Party in upstate New York; and Newt Gingrich is getting sued by a photographer who claims he used her photos without permission in his 2006 book, Rediscovering God in America.
Sarah Palin will reportedly form a new political organization as her memoir hits bookstores in November; despite having predicted Palin would be a "catastrophic" nominee for the GOP in 2012, former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt defended the decision to pick her as VP nominee today; Tim Pawlenty addressed the Republican Jewish Coalition in DC today; Eric Cantor talked job-creation in a post at The Corner; Mike Pence met with local Republican activists and party officials in South Carolina this week; Rick Santorum will travel to North Carolina this month; Mike Huckabee will address the Conservative Party in upstate New York; and Newt Gingrich is getting sued by a photographer who claims he used her photos without permission in his 2006 book, Rediscovering God in America.
Oct 14 2009, 5:30PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/14
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Rep. Robert Wexler (D) will retire, leaving an open seat in Florida's 19th district; meaning an open seat in President Obama will head to New Jersey next week to stump for Gov. Jon Corsine (D); Joe Biden will appear with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in Reno on Friday to talk about stimulus progress; Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) got outraised by his GOP challenger, Rob Simmons, in the third quarter; and a Quinnipiac poll has Chris Christie leading Corzine by one percentage point.
Rep. Robert Wexler (D) will retire, leaving an open seat in Florida's 19th district; meaning an open seat in President Obama will head to New Jersey next week to stump for Gov. Jon Corsine (D); Joe Biden will appear with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in Reno on Friday to talk about stimulus progress; Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) got outraised by his GOP challenger, Rob Simmons, in the third quarter; and a Quinnipiac poll has Chris Christie leading Corzine by one percentage point.
Oct 14 2009, 4:39PM
Afghan Ambassador: More Troops Are Needed
But what impact, exactly, will it have on the debate going on in the U.S.?
Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., Said Jawad, told Voice of America that Afghanistan needs more U.S. troops, as President Obama weighs the recently posed request by Gen. Stanley McChrystal for up to 80,000 more to be sent there:
Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S., Said Jawad, told Voice of America that Afghanistan needs more U.S. troops, as President Obama weighs the recently posed request by Gen. Stanley McChrystal for up to 80,000 more to be sent there:
"We need space and room to train additional Afghan forces, and the current strength and composition of the Afghan and international forces are not adequate to confront the existing challenges," he said. "We do need additional troops, certainly. Afghans would like to see the enemy defeated, which is terrorism and extremism. They don't want to see the friends of Afghanistan being doubtful about their mission and resolution."
Oct 14 2009, 3:40PM
Michelle Obama, The Action Figure
It doesn't have Kung Fu grip, but Jailbreak Toys will sell a Michelle Obama action figure starting November 20, just in time for the holiday season, for $12.99. (You can preorder now.) The company already sells an action figure of Mrs. Obama's husband, as well as lots of pop culture/historical icons Che Guevara, Gandhi, and Charles Darwin. The Michelle action figure will come in one of three dresses...but none of them quite match up to the president's gold suit edition.
Oct 14 2009, 2:55PM
The Most Sensitive Subject In Washington
It's not national security. It's not Charlie Rangel. It's ... the currency.
Oct 14 2009, 2:28PM
Thanks To Snowe, Will Health Care Plans Get More Liberal?
Despite Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R) warnings that her "yes" vote on health reform in the Senate Finance Committee might not make floor passage a lock--"My vote today is my vote today. It doesn't forecast what it will be tomorrow," she said--The New Yorker's Steve Coll suggests Snowe will actually pull the debate leftward, wresting a more expansive bill from reluctant center-right Dems:
The "R" by Snowe's name may give some of the conservative Democrats some political cover if they can hold her to the end, but in truth Snowe has a more expansionist view of what health-care reform should accomplish than some of the Midwestern and Southern Democrats. The hope may actually be that she will pull some of the politically vulnerable Democrats a bit to left and produce a better bill in the final negotiating scrum. ... With Snowe's vote yesterday, I think we know one thing about the final legislation: it will be somewhat better than the Baucus legislation. It might be much better, but I doubt that...
Oct 14 2009, 12:13PM
After Industry Report, Democratic Party Goes After Insurers
Until now, the Democratic Party has shied away from hitting insurance companies during the health reform debate. But after after PricewaterhouseCoopers' insurance-industry-commissioned report on the Baucus health plan, that's changed.
The party sent an email last night to its full supporters list, 13 million strong, seeking to use the report to rally its support base. In it, Organizing for America Director Mitch Stewart blasted the report, asked supporters to sign a pro-health-reform petition to Congress, and supplied them with a link to donate.
Since the current health reform debate began, it was the first time the Democratic Party has sent its supporters an email criticizing insurers.
The party sent an email last night to its full supporters list, 13 million strong, seeking to use the report to rally its support base. In it, Organizing for America Director Mitch Stewart blasted the report, asked supporters to sign a pro-health-reform petition to Congress, and supplied them with a link to donate.
Since the current health reform debate began, it was the first time the Democratic Party has sent its supporters an email criticizing insurers.
Oct 14 2009, 11:55AM
Geithner's Aides Have Wall Street Ties. So What?
Bloomberg has an article this morning that reads like a hard-hitting investigative journalism piece. It turns out they've uncovered that some of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's aides earned millions of dollars working for Wall Street banks. Bloomberg might also be shocked to learn that former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson actually was the CEO of Wall Street behemoth Goldman Sachs, and consequently surrounded himself with his Wall Street kin as well. The fact that Geithner has drawn some talent from Wall Street is not surprising, newsworthy or even bad.
Oct 14 2009, 11:21AM
A Snapshot Of Tennessee: False Beliefs About Obama Persevere
A reputable poll out of Tennessee this morning shows how mere evidence and facts aren't enough to deter the perseverance of false beliefs. The quarterly Middle Tennessee State University Survey finds that 34% of adults believe that President Obama was born in another country. 47% of Republicans hold that belief. About a third -- 30% -- say Obama is a Muslim. 46% -- and this includes many Democrats and independents -- say he's a socialist. Put aside the socialist finding for a second. The first two claims -- that Obama is a Muslim and/or was born outside the U.S. -- have been definitely, repeatedly and loudly debunked by the press, by watchdog groups, and by Republicans. A reasonable person, looking at the facts and putting him or herself at a distance from whatever emotions entangle one's appraisal of Barack Obama, cannot help but come to that conclusion. Obama was born in the US; he's not Muslim. These facts are as fact-y as facts can get. And yet -- among adults in a major American state, false beliefs prevail and flourish. What are we to make of this?
Oct 14 2009, 11:12AM
The Curious Resignation Of Robert Wexler
Today, Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), a well-regarded young congressman with a good job and enough seniority to ensure that he is comfortable, will announce his resignation from the House of Representatives. The reason: he intends to perform other work in a "public policy" capacity. Initially, speculint (speculative intelligence) placed Wexler as the head of USAID at the State Department, or perhaps even as ambassador to Israel. But an administration official told reporters last night that, so far as he knows, Wexler wouldn't be joining the administration. Reports from South Florida
indicate that Wexler has decided to become the head of the Center for
Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.
Oct 14 2009, 10:10AM
The Campaign Against Limbaugh: A Rush To Judgment?
Along with Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has denounced Rush Limbaugh's participation in a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams, encouraging NFL players to speak their minds about Limbaugh and "embrace their roles not only in the game of football but also as players and partners in the business of the NFL." At least seven players have taken that advice. At Politics Daily, Carl Cannon points out that Smith is Obama supporter who has worked closely with Attorney General Eric Holder. Cannon points to Smith's campaign against Limbaugh, and concludes in part that there's too much politics going on here...that the NFL is supposed to be free of all that.
But Limbaugh's style and substance both are polarizing on their own. The pros and cons of Limbaugh-as-owner are a discussion the NFL was bound to have: it kind of makes one wonder if that campaign would have gotten underway on its own, without the help of a Democratic NFLPA leader. Encouragement from the union signals that it's okay to speak up, but the NFL is full of personalities, and lots of interviews happen daily. One has to wonder if just as many members of the NFL family would offer their opinions without anyone telling them it's okay.
But Limbaugh's style and substance both are polarizing on their own. The pros and cons of Limbaugh-as-owner are a discussion the NFL was bound to have: it kind of makes one wonder if that campaign would have gotten underway on its own, without the help of a Democratic NFLPA leader. Encouragement from the union signals that it's okay to speak up, but the NFL is full of personalities, and lots of interviews happen daily. One has to wonder if just as many members of the NFL family would offer their opinions without anyone telling them it's okay.
Oct 14 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Does Snowe's Vote Mean Something Passes?
Does Olympia Snowe's "yes" vote in the Senate Finance Committee mean that some form of comprehensive health care reform will pass?
Oct 14 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/15
Evidently sick of the political chatter and uncannily clean streets of downtown Washington, DC, President Obama will hit up two of America's cultural epicenters today: New Orleans and San Francisco.
Obama will fly to New Orleans this morning, where he'll visit a charter school and hold a town-hall meeting to talk about Katrina recovery. It'll be Obama's first trip to New Orleans as president, after a campaign where he promised an administration dedicated to rebuilding where the Bush administration had left work undone. Expect some criticism from Republicans of his efforts so far.
Obama will fly to New Orleans this morning, where he'll visit a charter school and hold a town-hall meeting to talk about Katrina recovery. It'll be Obama's first trip to New Orleans as president, after a campaign where he promised an administration dedicated to rebuilding where the Bush administration had left work undone. Expect some criticism from Republicans of his efforts so far.
Oct 14 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/14
With the Baucus plan approved by the Senate Finance Committee, now begins the fight over what the full Senate can pass. But, as the Senate leadership sketches out its plan for bringing health care reform to the floor, here's what else will be happening...all of which is probably less glitzy.
Oct 13 2009, 6:35PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/13
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Tim Pawlenty announced health care policy proposals at a news conference in Minnesota and a blog post at Big Government; he'll also be in DC tomorrow to speak at a luncheon hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition; Iowa has been relatively calm, with little traffic from GOP presidential contenders as compared to this point in the 2008 cycle; Mitt Romney traveled to Philadelphia to announce his endorsement for GOP Pennsylvania Senate candidate Pat Toomey; and Rick Santorum spoke at the Grand Rapids Right to Life's annual dinner.
Tim Pawlenty announced health care policy proposals at a news conference in Minnesota and a blog post at Big Government; he'll also be in DC tomorrow to speak at a luncheon hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition; Iowa has been relatively calm, with little traffic from GOP presidential contenders as compared to this point in the 2008 cycle; Mitt Romney traveled to Philadelphia to announce his endorsement for GOP Pennsylvania Senate candidate Pat Toomey; and Rick Santorum spoke at the Grand Rapids Right to Life's annual dinner.
Oct 13 2009, 6:02PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/13
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of).
Here's what's happening:
When asked in an editorial board meeting whether he thinks challenger Chris Christie is fat, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) patted his smooth head and asked, "Am I bald?"; elsewhere in the state, independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Dagget says ballot order will put him at a disadvantage; GOP challenger Rob Simmons raised $967,000 in his campaign to unseat Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT); Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), meanwhile, raised $2 million; but a Mason-Dixon poll showed him trailing possible GOP challengers; and a new poll shows Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) leading GOP challenger Pat Toomey in his reelection race; though Toomey scored an (unsurprising) endorsement and appearance from Mitt Romney.
When asked in an editorial board meeting whether he thinks challenger Chris Christie is fat, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) patted his smooth head and asked, "Am I bald?"; elsewhere in the state, independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Dagget says ballot order will put him at a disadvantage; GOP challenger Rob Simmons raised $967,000 in his campaign to unseat Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT); Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), meanwhile, raised $2 million; but a Mason-Dixon poll showed him trailing possible GOP challengers; and a new poll shows Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) leading GOP challenger Pat Toomey in his reelection race; though Toomey scored an (unsurprising) endorsement and appearance from Mitt Romney.
Oct 13 2009, 5:49PM
Insurance Lobby Miscalculated: Some Evidence
Let's get the chain of events correct:
Some insurance industry CEOs start to panic about reform. They press their DC lobby, America's Health Insurance Plans, to do something about it.
AHIP asks PriceWaterhouseCooper to score a few of the Baucus mark's provisions.
Sunday, the industry issues what would quickly become a widely debunked report about what health insurance reform would mean for your health insurance premiums. Even GOPers are reluctant to use the report as a talking point -- so effectively did the White House and Democrats discredit it.
Investors freak out and start selling off their health insurance stock. PriceWaterhouseCooper acknowledges that their report was partial and incomplete.
Today, unbowed, the Senate Finance Committee passes the Baucus bill.
Only then do health insurance stocks start to rebound.
Maybe it's foolish to look at the stock prices... But it doesn't seem as if AHIP's getting a lot of traction for their last-minute panicked attack.
Oct 13 2009, 5:18PM
What The Budget Scolds Are Saying
One of the paradoxes of health reform is that you have to spend money to save it. The current system is killing our long-term fiscal outlook, and so it needs reform, but to achieve such reform you have to spend more now in order to save money later. The same logic applied, in a way, to the argument that the stimulus package was fiscally prudent--spend now so the economy doesn't go off a cliff. After the Senate Finance Committee bill passed today, one of the leading budget scold groups--and I use the term affectionately because I think they're more right than wrong--the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget praised the overall direction of the bill but noted things that could make it even more fiscally prudent. Given that the bill is going to get married to more liberal versions in the House and Senate, I doubt that'll happen, but it's worth noting what they point to:
Oct 13 2009, 3:49PM
Health Insurers On Committee Vote: We Support Reform...Just Not This Reform
After the Senate Finance Committee passed Chairman Max Baucus's health reform plan on a 14-9 vote, America's Health Insurance Plans--hot off the controversy of the report it commissioned from PricewaterhouseCoopers--insisted that it does support comprehensive health care reform...just not the Finance Committee's plan.
AHIP's stance all along has been to support the ideals of reform publicly, even as the White House and liberal action groups attacked it. But after the study it released yesterday, which suggested Baucus's plan would raise costs over the long term, many observers suggested the gloves had been taken off.
AHIP's stance all along has been to support the ideals of reform publicly, even as the White House and liberal action groups attacked it. But after the study it released yesterday, which suggested Baucus's plan would raise costs over the long term, many observers suggested the gloves had been taken off.
Oct 13 2009, 3:00PM
Top Ten Reasons Why The GOP Website Relaunch Is Fizzlin'
10. In a section devoted to "future leaders," there were none.
9. In the subsequent rush to get up a "future leaders" page, they choose "you."
8. The last GOP accomplishment cited on the accomplishment page was from 2004.
7. The what's up page -- hip! starts with this sentence: ""the internet has been around for a while now"
6. Administrator passwords were accidentally posted.
5. When the RNC hosted a kick-off conference call, the website was down.
4. The website cites Jackie Robinson as a GOP hero. Robinson wasn't a GOPer, and he criticized the GOP on race. Robinson left the party because of its views on race. He had been, as a reader points out, a Republican for many years.
3. The first question on the conference call was from an Hispanic Republican who asked why the GOP site didn't have a Spanish-language page and noted that the White House had one.
2. Bragging about web redesigns is so 2004.
1. It's not timed with the start of any major advocacy campaign -- or political campaign. And it portrays itself as something it's not: diverse and ready to embrace new ideas. That may be what the party leadership aspires to, but, at least when it comes to diversity, a few pictures of Hispanics and African Americans doesn't make up for ... well, the history of the party.
Oct 13 2009, 2:37PM
Obama Isn't Counting Chickens
President Obama says he's pleased with Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R-ME) pledge today to vote "yes" on Chairman Max Baucus's health care bill in the Senate Finance Committee, but he says he's not going to count the bill's fate as sealed.
"Senator Snowe has been extremely diligent in working together so we can reduce the costs of health care...So I never count chickens before they're hatched, but this is obviously another step forward in bringing about another deal for the American people," the president told reporters during a brief availability after meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
"Senator Snowe has been extremely diligent in working together so we can reduce the costs of health care...So I never count chickens before they're hatched, but this is obviously another step forward in bringing about another deal for the American people," the president told reporters during a brief availability after meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Oct 13 2009, 2:13PM
Will Chris Daggett Fall Victim To The Ballot Order Effect?
New Jersey's independent, Springsteen-loving gubernatorial candidate, Chris Dagget, is on a roll. He's finally getting solid attention from the Manhattan television markets, he's getting major endorsements, and one of his opponents is making fun of another for being fat. But Daggett faces a ballot problem. Not ballot access itself ... he's on the ballot ... It's ballot design.
Oct 13 2009, 1:07PM
Snowe's "Yes" A Surprise
Sen. Olympia Snowe's "yes" vote today on the Senate Finance Committee's health reform mark is butter. A "no vote" would have been a kind of margarine. Snowe wants maximum leverage over the final bill. This committee vote is at least three steps removed from that end game. Voting "yes," at this moment, is a marker. Translated, it means, quite simply, that Snowe will vote "yes" on cloture after the House-Senate conference so long as the final bill roughly approximates the Baucus mark. The vote is a win for the White House, which has courted Sen. Snowe quite aggressively since the beginning of the year. It is a win, of sorts, for Baucus, because it means that his bill -- still to be reconciled with another Senate bill -- gains leverage.
Oct 13 2009, 12:49PM
GOP Gets A New Website
Can a new website bring a political party back to national competitiveness?
The Republican Party hopes so, as it launched a revamped website today aimed at making the party more accessible (read: "viral"?) through social networking utilities. The new GOP.com features an embedded, widgetized version of the party's Facebook page. It also cleverly asks if you want to sign in using your Facebook credentials (email and password)...at which point the site synchronizes itself with your Facebook account.
The Republican Party hopes so, as it launched a revamped website today aimed at making the party more accessible (read: "viral"?) through social networking utilities. The new GOP.com features an embedded, widgetized version of the party's Facebook page. It also cleverly asks if you want to sign in using your Facebook credentials (email and password)...at which point the site synchronizes itself with your Facebook account.
Oct 13 2009, 12:24PM
Limbaugh On Beck, Conservative Voices: "Look What I Have Spawned"
Rush Limbaugh says he's not intimidated by Glenn Beck or any of the other conservative media figures who have risen to prominence of late. In fact, he takes credit for paving the way--and he rather likes what conservative media has become following his success.
As he puts it: "Look what I have spawned."
NBC's Today show aired more of correspondent Jamie Gangel's interview with Limbaugh this morning, during which she asks the talk radio king what he thinks of the newly popular Beck.
Gangel: "Glenn Beck. Do you worry about the new guy on the block?"
Limbaugh: "No. In 1988, I'm the only national conservative voice. Now look at conservative media. Look what I have spawned. Glenn Beck, to me, is right on, daddy-o. Glenn Beck is a result of my success."
Oct 13 2009, 11:58AM
Corzine's Mean Jab Might Backfire
"Do you think Chris Christie is fat?" the reporter repeated, point blank.
The governor patted his pate and asked, "Am I bald?" without missing a beat -- eliciting lots of laughs from other reporters
Oct 13 2009, 11:56AM
The Guardian Gets To Speak, But Britain Deserves A Free Press
Here's something we can all agree on: after three hundred years of stalling, Britain deserves a better bill of rights. Twitter, functioning as a press cloud, found a way around a MP's pre-publication injunction against the Guardian newspaper from printing a story about a question that MP had submitted for consideration. It involved a powerful oil company, Trafigura, a very powerful and protective law firm and already public allegations of illegal dumping.
Oct 13 2009, 10:42AM
Government Delays uGov Migration After Protests
Intelligence community users of the popular "uGov" domain will to get to keep the service for at least another six months while the government reviews the impact of closing the domain.
Two weeks ago, an unexpected announcement of uGov's closure provoked a quiet but persistent e-rebellion among spies, analysts and techies, who flooded the home office -- that's the Office of the Director of National Intelligence -- with complaints and set up an internal protest wiki.
Two weeks ago, an unexpected announcement of uGov's closure provoked a quiet but persistent e-rebellion among spies, analysts and techies, who flooded the home office -- that's the Office of the Director of National Intelligence -- with complaints and set up an internal protest wiki.
Oct 13 2009, 10:23AM
Health Insurers = MLB?
The liberal activist group Americans United for Change compares the insurance industry to Major League Baseball in a new TV ad, as the gloves continue to be off (for the most part) between insurers and supporters of the Democratic health blueprint. The similarity? Exemptions from certain antitrust violations.
Oct 12 2009, 4:06PM
A Furious And Rapid Response To The Insurance Industry's Face Flip
It seems weird that the insurance industry, which had played so nicely with the White House for months -- their lobbying against the public option in August aside -- would suddenly embrace a facially flawed conclusion about the effects of health care reform. Electoral politics is probably the last thing the American Health Insurance Plan (AHIP) trade group wants to be accused of now -- and shifting gears on an increasingly popular health care reform bill at the last minute -- playing directly into the hands of Democrats who just knew that the insurance industry only a fair-weather friend -- stiffing Max Baucus's Herculean efforts to craft an acceptable bill without a public option (for the industry!) -- is a curious stratagem.
Oct 12 2009, 12:35PM
On the Diversity Of Opinion Among Democrats
From day one of his administration, the left has held Barack Obama's feet to the fire way more than the right ever did to George W, Bush -- at least until Bush's nomination of Harriet Meirs to the Supreme Court. Put another way: the diversity of opinion about Obama and his presidency among activist Dems far exceeds early Bush-era diversity of opinion among activist GOPers. Now -- a few caveats.
One -- this isn't just a case of a journalist discovering -- gasp -- that liberals aren't monolithic. It's an observation about a significant difference in the political context in which Obama governs. Democrats like and support Obama, as do liberals, but they're willing to be openly critical -- not always, but often enough, some more than others, in different forums.
Oct 12 2009, 12:02PM
Democrats, Administration Officials Don't Like The New AHIP Study
America's Health Insurance Plans has been circulating a new study that claims the Senate Finance Committee's health reform bill will raise costs over time--more so than under current law--and Democrats are not happy about it. The White House and the Finance Committee's Democratic office have accused it of skewed results for dishonest, political purposes.
"This is the type of self-serving and shoddy analysis you get from industry sponsored research," Office of Management and Budget spokesman Kenneth Baer said, echoing the White House message.
The study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, claims that single insurance coverage would be $1,500 more expensive on average in 2019 than under the current plan ($9,700 vs. $8,200), while family insurance coverage would cost $4,000 more ($25,900 vs. $21,900).
"This is the type of self-serving and shoddy analysis you get from industry sponsored research," Office of Management and Budget spokesman Kenneth Baer said, echoing the White House message.
The study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, claims that single insurance coverage would be $1,500 more expensive on average in 2019 than under the current plan ($9,700 vs. $8,200), while family insurance coverage would cost $4,000 more ($25,900 vs. $21,900).
Oct 12 2009, 11:29AM
"Take Off The Pajamas, Get Dressed"
An unnamed White House adviser had some choice words for liberal bloggers who've criticized the administration for failing to make progress on gay rights issues, CNBC's John Harwood said yesterday, and some are pretty upset about it.
When asked about "conversations about some things they thought would have been done but haven't," Harwood said that "[t]he White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe...And for a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition, one adviser told me today those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult."
When asked about "conversations about some things they thought would have been done but haven't," Harwood said that "[t]he White House views this opposition as really part of the Internet left fringe...And for a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition, one adviser told me today those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult."
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Oct 12 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: What Happens If Obama Doesn't Send More Troops?
If President Obama doesn't approve at least most of the 40,000 additional troops Gen. Stanley McChrystal has requested for the war in Afghanistan, will will be the consequences
-for McChrystal's tenure as top commander in Afghanistan?
-for Obama's public support and political capital?
-for the 2010 midterms?
-for the people of Afghanistan, troop commitments from U.S. allies, and the broader war effort?
-for McChrystal's tenure as top commander in Afghanistan?
-for Obama's public support and political capital?
-for the 2010 midterms?
-for the people of Afghanistan, troop commitments from U.S. allies, and the broader war effort?
Oct 11 2009, 12:45PM
The Sunday Shows In Five Bullet Points
1. Sen Dianne Feinstein urged President Obama to approve Gen. Stanley McChrystal's "middle" approach -- 40,000 more troops. On This Week:
2. Arianna Huffington joined the chorus of progressives who want Rep. Charlie Rangel to removed as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
The architect of the Iraq surge, Gen. Jack Keane (Ret.) said that, if he were in McChrystal's position and Obama rejected his advice, he would probably resign."I don't know how you put somebody in, who is as 'cracker jack' as General McChrystal who gives the president very solid recommendations and not take those recommendations if you are not going to pull out. If you do not want to take the recommendations then you put your people in such jeopardy."
2. Arianna Huffington joined the chorus of progressives who want Rep. Charlie Rangel to removed as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Oct 10 2009, 8:00AM
Question Of The Weekend: If Not Obama, Who?
If you think Obama's Nobel Prize was a bit of a reach, who do you think should have gotten it? And if you think he deserved it, who, in your mind, was second?
Oct 9 2009, 4:25PM
Kings Of The Twittersphere
Political types like to tweet. Just as for everyone else, it borders somewhere between fun, addiction, and self-promotion, and we know that it routinely leads to news--from Newt Gingrich tweeting that Sonia Sotomayor is a racist to Republicans tweeting from the House floor during the energy debate last year.
But how do all these political personalities interact? Do they tweet only to make news, or do they actually follow each other? Who's the most popular?
Earlier this week, the social-media analyzers at Sysomos broke down the top 168 political Twitterers, and who among them follow/are followed the most.
But how do all these political personalities interact? Do they tweet only to make news, or do they actually follow each other? Who's the most popular?
Earlier this week, the social-media analyzers at Sysomos broke down the top 168 political Twitterers, and who among them follow/are followed the most.
Oct 9 2009, 3:38PM
Divide On Obama's Policies, But Look Beyond Race
Unless you're prepared to do some serious regression analysis, it's hard to isolate race as a variable in any construct. For example: a new Allstate/National Journal poll out today finds a stark racial divide on the question of whether President Obama's policies are providing more opportunity "for people like you to get ahead." Only 31% of whites say yes; more than 75% of blacks say yes. 52% of Hispanics say yes; 70% of Democrats say yes; 10 % of Republicans say yes; independents are split down the middle -- a third say the policies won't change the level of opportunity they're afforded, 34% say "yes" and 30% say "no."
Oct 9 2009, 2:11PM
Limbaugh: Lord, Thank You For My Enemies
NBC's Today show is running an interview with Rush Limbaugh Monday morning, but they've released some very brief snippets Friday afternoon. In them, Limbaugh says he's not interested in being the leader of the Republican Party and confirms what everyone could already see: being targeted by Democrats--who made him the focal point of their messaging efforts for a few months earlier this year--has been good for business, boosting his popularity.
"I am not the leader of the Republican Party. Don't want to be the leader of the Republican Party...It's silly for them to keep talking about how I'm the leader of anything--it's just creating more curiosity about me," Limbaugh says. "21 years, more puopular than ever? Lord, thank you for my enemies." (video after the jump)
"I am not the leader of the Republican Party. Don't want to be the leader of the Republican Party...It's silly for them to keep talking about how I'm the leader of anything--it's just creating more curiosity about me," Limbaugh says. "21 years, more puopular than ever? Lord, thank you for my enemies." (video after the jump)
Oct 9 2009, 12:52PM
The GOP Speaks
Not the GOP that you're used to hearing--the Beltway GOP led by Michael Steele, Congressional leadership, and the top 2012 contenders--but the GOP that lives out in the rest of America: the state and local leaders that make up the Republican Party across the U.S.
In an attempt to get past the top-level messaging of DC-based party operatives, Conor Friedersdorf of The American Scene has been emailing a questionnaire to those who hold official rank as state GOP chairs, county GOP chairs, county vice-chairs, and members of county executive committees. He's posting the responses he gets, verbatim, at a new blog that's been aptly named The GOP Speaks.
Call it a pointillist pulse of the greater GOP.
In an attempt to get past the top-level messaging of DC-based party operatives, Conor Friedersdorf of The American Scene has been emailing a questionnaire to those who hold official rank as state GOP chairs, county GOP chairs, county vice-chairs, and members of county executive committees. He's posting the responses he gets, verbatim, at a new blog that's been aptly named The GOP Speaks.
Call it a pointillist pulse of the greater GOP.
Oct 9 2009, 12:42PM
What the Next Stimulus Could Look Like
As health care reform moves from historic longshot to fait accompli, Democrats can feel the next crisis percolating: It's the jobs, stupid. Unemployment is going to hit 10 percent, and it's going to stay there for a while. Nobody questions this inevitability, they can only wonder (1) how high over 10 percent it's going to get and (2) how long it will stick around double digits. With the 2010 election-cum-referendum on the Obama administration now about 380 days away, what are they doing to help the job market? Let's count possibilities:
Oct 9 2009, 11:40AM
His Elegant Remarks
I've laughed at the jokes this morning: This is what he gets for bombing the moon? Is he going to give the money to ACORN? Next year, Physics Nobel. And I was pretty stunned that he won. But I stick with original assessment that this is good for the president and that the right will look stupid if they keep slamming him. The ungracious condemnation from RNC Chairman Michael Steele contrasted with the gracious remarks of Tim Pawlenty and other Republicans. The president's remarks in the Rose Garden using the word "humbled" and recasting the award as "a call to action" instead of a reward for achievements put him in a good place. Elites may fret and wring their hands, but this can't hurt a president. It won't bring peace to Afghanistan or ease tensions with Iran or North Korea. But it gives Obama a boost at home and abroad that any president should savor. Andrew Sullivan makes a nice case for the award here.
Oct 9 2009, 11:34AM
Too Much Information, Not Enough Common Sense
A new Oklahoma law will require the details of every abortion to be posted on a public website.
Mothers -- or would-be mothers, rather -- will be prompted to answer 37 questions that range from her marital status and race to how many times she's ever been pregnant. One question asks for the woman's reason to abort, offering "relationship problems" as a possible check-off box, and it's difficult to ignore the judgmental and disapproving tone.
The website, which will cost $200,000 per year to implement, is intended to prevent or decrease the number of abortions in Oklahoma, but the bill has already raised considerable debate, attracting opposition from the Center For Reproductive Rights and former Oklahoma Representative Wanda Jo Stapleton, among others. This questionnaire not only forces doctors into an uncomfortable predicament -- failure to disclose this information would result in "criminal sanctions and loss of medical license," as Salon's Lynn Harris reports -- but, put simply, it shames women. "They're really just trying to frighten women out of having abortions," Kery Parks, director of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma, told Harris. Indeed, in a small town, probing details would easily identify the woman with a proverbial scarlet A.
Mothers -- or would-be mothers, rather -- will be prompted to answer 37 questions that range from her marital status and race to how many times she's ever been pregnant. One question asks for the woman's reason to abort, offering "relationship problems" as a possible check-off box, and it's difficult to ignore the judgmental and disapproving tone.
The website, which will cost $200,000 per year to implement, is intended to prevent or decrease the number of abortions in Oklahoma, but the bill has already raised considerable debate, attracting opposition from the Center For Reproductive Rights and former Oklahoma Representative Wanda Jo Stapleton, among others. This questionnaire not only forces doctors into an uncomfortable predicament -- failure to disclose this information would result in "criminal sanctions and loss of medical license," as Salon's Lynn Harris reports -- but, put simply, it shames women. "They're really just trying to frighten women out of having abortions," Kery Parks, director of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma, told Harris. Indeed, in a small town, probing details would easily identify the woman with a proverbial scarlet A.
Oct 9 2009, 9:45AM
Don't Overlook The Nuke Factor
The Nobel committee's citation includes a prominent mention of President Obama's endorsement of "global zero," the worldwide effort to dismantle the world's nuclear arsenal. This should give those who want to change America's nuclear strategy a boost in the arm...
The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations
Oct 9 2009, 9:08AM
But Should He Turn It Down?
At Slate, John Dickerson writes that the Nobel committee shouldn't have awarded the prize to Obama, and Mickey Kaus urges Obama to turn it down. Kaus's reasoning is politics: Obama's narcissism problem -- Kaus's bolds -- will be exacerbated.
This tracks with one argument I'm hearing and reading from Democrats and others who are skeptical of the prize: it will turn the volume and enthusiasm level all the way to the extreme end of the dial for conservatives -- overmodulating at 110%; the resulting hyperpolarization will hurt Obama's agenda. (Representative of this opinion: "I think it will feed not just conservative dislike but the growing concern of independents and elites, that he is a man of rhetoric, a work of imagination, but as of now an unaccomplished statesman. The smartest thing he could do is turn it down. It will backfire on him.'")
Another objection -- one that I'm hearing from smart folks from all ideological corners -- is less about politics and more about the prize: there are hundreds of human rights activists -- thousands -- who are more deserving the prize. It isn't just the prize of Arafat and Carter. Its the prize of Sakharov and Walesa, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ang San Suu Kyi and Shirin Ebadi -- people who risked their very lives for the sake of human dignity. A third objection -- mostly from some liberals -- is that Obama, on executive power, on transparency, on state secrets, is just like President Bush, and so an award that rewards him, or the country, for sin expiation is premature, at best, and moronic, at worst.
On the other hand, turning it down, even meant as gesture of humility, will not be interpreted as humility. Obama will probably say that he hopes that America lives up to the promise of the word.
This tracks with one argument I'm hearing and reading from Democrats and others who are skeptical of the prize: it will turn the volume and enthusiasm level all the way to the extreme end of the dial for conservatives -- overmodulating at 110%; the resulting hyperpolarization will hurt Obama's agenda. (Representative of this opinion: "I think it will feed not just conservative dislike but the growing concern of independents and elites, that he is a man of rhetoric, a work of imagination, but as of now an unaccomplished statesman. The smartest thing he could do is turn it down. It will backfire on him.'")
Another objection -- one that I'm hearing from smart folks from all ideological corners -- is less about politics and more about the prize: there are hundreds of human rights activists -- thousands -- who are more deserving the prize. It isn't just the prize of Arafat and Carter. Its the prize of Sakharov and Walesa, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ang San Suu Kyi and Shirin Ebadi -- people who risked their very lives for the sake of human dignity. A third objection -- mostly from some liberals -- is that Obama, on executive power, on transparency, on state secrets, is just like President Bush, and so an award that rewards him, or the country, for sin expiation is premature, at best, and moronic, at worst.
On the other hand, turning it down, even meant as gesture of humility, will not be interpreted as humility. Obama will probably say that he hopes that America lives up to the promise of the word.
Oct 9 2009, 8:54AM
The Promise (And Pitfalls?) Of Obama's Nobel Surprise
The political world awoke this morning to a collective, confused "What the..." Bottom line: the pressure
on President Obama to Get Things Done has just been ratcheted up by several orders of magnitude.
Let's stipulate that the response from political conservatives in America is going to be predictable and uninteresting. (The Swedes have a habit of awarding the prize to Democrats that most provoke the ire of conservative partisans. And to Yasser Arafat.)
Let's stipulate that the response from political conservatives in America is going to be predictable and uninteresting. (The Swedes have a habit of awarding the prize to Democrats that most provoke the ire of conservative partisans. And to Yasser Arafat.)
Oct 9 2009, 8:16AM
Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize. What Now?
Will it matter at home? The stunning news that Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize is bound to enhance his global reputation, but will it give him more juice domestically? I don't claim to know the answer but a few thoughts:
It Can't Hurt. By the end of the day, I'm sure Limbaugh and Hannity and the right chorus will have made fun of Obama for the win, cited it as proof of his European Socialist tendencies. But are many Americans going to feel offended that he's in the company of Teddy Roosevelt, who won for negotiating the end to the Sino-Russian conflict in 1905? Would any American feel embarrassed? Not really. By the way, doesn't this guarantee the president's third trip to Scandinavia, and a redemptive one? He went for the humiliating experience of lobbying for Chicago for the 2016 Olympics. I bet he goes back for the big climate summit in Copenhagen. Now he has to go and accept the prize. Kind of puts the Chicago episode in perspective.
It Can't Hurt. By the end of the day, I'm sure Limbaugh and Hannity and the right chorus will have made fun of Obama for the win, cited it as proof of his European Socialist tendencies. But are many Americans going to feel offended that he's in the company of Teddy Roosevelt, who won for negotiating the end to the Sino-Russian conflict in 1905? Would any American feel embarrassed? Not really. By the way, doesn't this guarantee the president's third trip to Scandinavia, and a redemptive one? He went for the humiliating experience of lobbying for Chicago for the 2016 Olympics. I bet he goes back for the big climate summit in Copenhagen. Now he has to go and accept the prize. Kind of puts the Chicago episode in perspective.
Oct 9 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Pick An All-Star Fundraiser
If you're a congressional candidate, who do you most want to come to the district and raise money for you? Both parties are included, so Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, President Obama, Sarah Palin and all the 2012 hopefuls are options.
Oct 9 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/9
President Obama will again meet with his national security team to talk about--you guessed it--Afghanistan and Pakistan. They've been getting together a lot these days, with the big decision looming over the president's head of whether or not to send the 40,000 more troops Gen. Stanley McChrystal has asked for; they'll discuss again today.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is out of the country. She'll be on a trip from today until the 15th, wherein she'll visit sunny London, tropical Dublin, luxurious Belfast, and idyllic Moscow.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, is out of the country. She'll be on a trip from today until the 15th, wherein she'll visit sunny London, tropical Dublin, luxurious Belfast, and idyllic Moscow.
Oct 8 2009, 6:00PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/9
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Bobby Jindal will travel to Texas to raise money for his 2011 gubernatorial reelection campaign; Alaska Democrats are following up on an unfulfilled public-records request for Sarah Palin's emails as governor; in 2012 non-news, Levi Johnston will pose for Playgirl; in slightly more substantial news, Tina Fey says she'll probably play Sarah Palin again; Mitt Romney took a swipe at cap-and-trade; Eric Cantor disputed the CBO's assessment that Max Baucus's health reform bill would save the government $81 billion over 10 years; he penned an op-ed for Politico on Afghanistan; and Tim Pawlenty may have been the Iowa GOP's second choice for the event he'll headline in November.
Bobby Jindal will travel to Texas to raise money for his 2011 gubernatorial reelection campaign; Alaska Democrats are following up on an unfulfilled public-records request for Sarah Palin's emails as governor; in 2012 non-news, Levi Johnston will pose for Playgirl; in slightly more substantial news, Tina Fey says she'll probably play Sarah Palin again; Mitt Romney took a swipe at cap-and-trade; Eric Cantor disputed the CBO's assessment that Max Baucus's health reform bill would save the government $81 billion over 10 years; he penned an op-ed for Politico on Afghanistan; and Tim Pawlenty may have been the Iowa GOP's second choice for the event he'll headline in November.
Oct 8 2009, 5:35PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/8
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
A Washington Post poll has Bob McDonnell widening his lead in Virginia's 2009 gubernatorial race; Republican Kelly Ayotte is outraising Rep. Paul Hodes (D) in New Hampshire's Senate race; Gov. Charlie Crist (R) reported $2.4 million raised in the last three months in his Senate bid; Bill Clinton called New York's 23rd district race a "referendum" on President Obama's agenda in a fundraising email for Demcorat Bill Owens; Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) could be in some trouble as the House ethics panel voted to expand its investigation of him; a new Field poll shows Democrat Jerry Brown crushing the opposition in California's gubernatorial race; Rasmussen has Sen. David Vitter (R) leading Rep. Charles Melancon (D) by 10 points in his Senate reelection race; and two new polls show a tightening race between Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and Chris Christie (R) in New Jersey's 2009 gubernatorial contest.
A Washington Post poll has Bob McDonnell widening his lead in Virginia's 2009 gubernatorial race; Republican Kelly Ayotte is outraising Rep. Paul Hodes (D) in New Hampshire's Senate race; Gov. Charlie Crist (R) reported $2.4 million raised in the last three months in his Senate bid; Bill Clinton called New York's 23rd district race a "referendum" on President Obama's agenda in a fundraising email for Demcorat Bill Owens; Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) could be in some trouble as the House ethics panel voted to expand its investigation of him; a new Field poll shows Democrat Jerry Brown crushing the opposition in California's gubernatorial race; Rasmussen has Sen. David Vitter (R) leading Rep. Charles Melancon (D) by 10 points in his Senate reelection race; and two new polls show a tightening race between Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and Chris Christie (R) in New Jersey's 2009 gubernatorial contest.
Oct 8 2009, 5:06PM
Bill Clinton: End The Cuba Embargo
I've written in the past about the idiocy of our embargo with Cuba. This isn't a novel or brave position, but it is, unfortunately, still American policy even if Barack Obama hinted at a thaw during the presidential campaign. His proposals would only have taken us back to the still-draconian restrictions of the 1990s, but that was better than nothing. Over at The Washington Note, Steve Clemons reminds us today that Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State George Shultz opposes the ban and in The Clinton Tapes, Bill Clinton tells Taylor Branch that the embargo is misguided and ineffective. I know the president has much on his mind, but hopefully the political space is there to end the embargo sooner than later. Pitch it as an economic stimulus package for Florida? Florida's Cuban community has seen a seismic shift on the issue. It doesn't help that Raul Castro hasn't made things easier for Obama to lift it, but lift it we should.
Oct 8 2009, 4:35PM
Committee Votes, Narrowly, To Extend PATRIOT Act Provisions
The Senate Judiciary Committee today narrowly passed a measure to extend three provisions of the PATRIOT Act set to expire in December. 11 senators (nine Democrats and two Republicans) voted "yes"; eight (three Democrats and five Republicans) voted "no."
The bill will have to be approved by both the Senate and House, and today's narrow margin foreshadowed what could be a tough fight on the floor of both chambers, particularly if the bill is subject to amendments.
The bill will have to be approved by both the Senate and House, and today's narrow margin foreshadowed what could be a tough fight on the floor of both chambers, particularly if the bill is subject to amendments.
Oct 8 2009, 4:19PM
Trying To Pacify The uGov Community
Here's an e-mail, sent today to intelligence community employees, from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence addressing concerns about the closure of the uGov unclassified e-mail domain. The message: there's nothing to see here.
The Intelligence Community (IC) Chief Information Officer (CIO) is
committed to providing protected, unclassified web capabilities that
support integration and collaboration among the IC and its partner
organizations. The IC CIO examined existing and planned capabilities
currently in use by a limited number of personnel and the resources
required to upgrade and increase the security of our operations.
As a result, a decision was made to gradually phase out ugov
unclassified email and implement web-based email within the IC
networks. ODNI will migrate ugov email customers to alternate
unclassified web-based email services. This transition will not
affect access to collaboration services, such as instant messaging,
search and discovery, wikis, blogs, document management services,
Intellipedia, iVideo and Gallery, currently offered by the ODNI.
The IC CIO is focused on providing collaborative services as an
integral part of the enterprise offering. The ODNI remains committed
to investing in and providing high-quality enterprise services for the
Intelligence Community.
Oct 8 2009, 4:13PM
Rep. Charlie Rangel? Yep, He's Got Some Trouble.
The House ethics committee voted unanimously to expand its investigation into whether Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), the chief taxwriter, deliberately failed to pay taxes on rental property, according to a paper statement. The committee says it's interviewed 34 witnesses and reviewed several thousand documents and held 35 investigative subcommittee meetings. This is a LOT of work. It suggests that the probe is big. Predictably, Republicans jumped on the news. The minority leader, Rep. John Boehner, asked: "What More Has to Happen Before Speaker Pelosi Does the Right Thing? The right thing, being -- asking Rangel to step down from his post as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. So far, the leadership is standing by Rangel, hoping that the investigation will exonerate him -- and is reluctant to catalyze dissension in the ranks -- something that Rangel's ouster would certainly cause. Plus, Speaker Nancy Pelosi doesn't seem comfortable with the idea of giving the Ways and Means gavel to fellow Californian Pete Stark, who has a bit of an independent streak.)
Oct 8 2009, 1:14PM
Clinton To Speak To Supporters
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will reconnoiter with some of her followers at a fundraising luncheon/policy converence in Washington, DC Nov. 6. Clinton will speak as part of a broader program that includes talks from Rep. Barney Frank (a Clinton backer during the '08 campaign) and Nancy Ann DeParle, the White House's Office of Health Reform chief who also worked on Clinton's 1994 reform push as health director at the Office of Management and Budget. (DeParle's office says she's not speaking.)
The event is being put on by NoLimits.org, a non-political 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in January by Clinton's backers, after she was confirmed as Secretary of State. It is headed by former senior Clinton campaign adviser Ann Lewis, and it retains Clinton's sizable campaign e-mail list.
The event is being put on by NoLimits.org, a non-political 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in January by Clinton's backers, after she was confirmed as Secretary of State. It is headed by former senior Clinton campaign adviser Ann Lewis, and it retains Clinton's sizable campaign e-mail list.
Oct 8 2009, 11:50AM
Conservative Talking Points, On Your iPhone
Say you're discussing the merits of health care policy with a conservative friend, and he pulls out his iPhone and starts thumbing around on it. He's not even paying attention to me, you think, when he looks up, eyes blazing, and fires off some fresh conservative rhetoric.
Your friend has probably purchased the Conservative Talking Points iPhone app, approved by Apple for sale and now available for $1.99 at the app store. It provides users with 250 talking points on everything from "America - The Greatest Nation Ever" to "Out of Control Spending" to ACORN to "Private Industries Taken Over (See Fascism in America)."
"Be armed with the Conservative Talking Points (CTP) iPhone App as your powerful arsenal to debate those emotional and ill-prepared liberals," it advertises in the pre-purchase info provided at the app store. It should make a nice pairing with the Glenn Beck Station Locator app, for anyone who needs to find Glenn Beck on the radio with haste.
Your friend has probably purchased the Conservative Talking Points iPhone app, approved by Apple for sale and now available for $1.99 at the app store. It provides users with 250 talking points on everything from "America - The Greatest Nation Ever" to "Out of Control Spending" to ACORN to "Private Industries Taken Over (See Fascism in America)."
"Be armed with the Conservative Talking Points (CTP) iPhone App as your powerful arsenal to debate those emotional and ill-prepared liberals," it advertises in the pre-purchase info provided at the app store. It should make a nice pairing with the Glenn Beck Station Locator app, for anyone who needs to find Glenn Beck on the radio with haste.
Oct 8 2009, 10:58AM
Corzine's Big, Fat Mistake? Blame Voters, Too.
David Kessler, the former FDA commissioner and anti-obesity activist, calls a new advertisement by Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) "cruel and intolerant." The ad describes how Republican Chris Christie, who is overweight, "threw his weight around" to get out of getting a ticket. (The New York Times finds this as "subtle as a playground taunt.") Apparently, voters, asked to describe what word comes to mind when they think of Christie, are more likely to say "fat" than any other adjective. Perhaps Corzine's specific ad mentioning "weight" -- called "if" -- is to be blamed. But watch the ad for yourself before you arrive at that conclusion.
Oct 8 2009, 10:56AM
The Atlantic's Boldest: Dept. Of Corrections
1. In a Wednesday post, I attributed an investigation about contractors in Afghanistan to CREW, instead to the Project On Government Oversight.
2. In the same post, I incorrectly stated that Media Matters for America, the liberal media watchdog group, has more employees today than it did during 2008. It has fewer.
3. And apparently, I've regularly, and repeatedly, misused the word "tranche," as a helpful reader points out:
2. In the same post, I incorrectly stated that Media Matters for America, the liberal media watchdog group, has more employees today than it did during 2008. It has fewer.
3. And apparently, I've regularly, and repeatedly, misused the word "tranche," as a helpful reader points out:
I guess more specifically it's been interesting to see this word gain currency in the last year since it started popping up in market obituaries and finger-pointing....and to see it slowly evolve from meaning a particular type of slice to the idea of a slice generically. what's beautiful about the word isn't that it means just part of a whole, but that it means a customized selection of of a whole that is already conceptually a composite. a tranche is a portion of a pool. (in some corners of finance, for example, a tranche is a slice of an index, an index itself already being an assembled collection of equities).
Oct 8 2009, 10:24AM
Romney Takes A Swipe At Cap-And-Trade
Mitt Romney took a shot at the Democrats' climate bill today in a web video launched by his Free and Strong America PAC, Romney's political fundraising and action group.
"President Obama has asked Congress to pass a cap and trade program. It would have a devastating impact on the families of America and on the economy," Romney says.
Cap-and-trade--the emissions regulation scheme under which greenhouse gas emissions would be capped, but emitters would be allowed to trade or purchase credits to emit more--has stalled in the Senate after the House narrowly passed it (on a 219-212 vote) in June. It's one of Obama's three major domestic policy priorities, along with health care and education, and it has received a split reaction in the business community, as Apple recently resigned from the Chamber of Commerce, and Nike resigned from the Chamber's board, over the Chamber's opposition to Democratic plans.
"President Obama has asked Congress to pass a cap and trade program. It would have a devastating impact on the families of America and on the economy," Romney says.
Cap-and-trade--the emissions regulation scheme under which greenhouse gas emissions would be capped, but emitters would be allowed to trade or purchase credits to emit more--has stalled in the Senate after the House narrowly passed it (on a 219-212 vote) in June. It's one of Obama's three major domestic policy priorities, along with health care and education, and it has received a split reaction in the business community, as Apple recently resigned from the Chamber of Commerce, and Nike resigned from the Chamber's board, over the Chamber's opposition to Democratic plans.
Oct 8 2009, 10:20AM
CBO Report Reveals an Un-Radical Health Care Bill
When the souffle cools and health care reform is a signed law whose success will be determined by reality rather than the CBO and judged by historians rather than bloggers, I think one thing that will come into focus is how fundamentally unrevolutionary the bill is. The standard Republican attack is that Democratic health reform is radical, that it "dismantles" the health care system, and that it represents the training wheels on the bicycle of socialism. It's just not so.
Oct 8 2009, 9:53AM
15,000 Affected By Intelligence Community Server Shutdown
The impending shut-down of the unclassified uGov e-mail domain affects more than 15,000 members of the U.S. intelligence community -- not hundreds, as I wrote yesterday, and replacing it with a similar, more secure system will be difficult, according to senior intelligence officials, given how thousands of intelligence agency employees have come to rely on it for their daily work. Another official with direct knowledge of the decision said that, until reporters and agency employees began to ask about uGov, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) did not intend to say when -- or whether -- the system would be replaced after it first announced the termination.
Oct 8 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: A Health Care Victory?
If Max Baucus's health care bill passes, will it be a victory for President Obama? Or will it be viewed as a compromise in which the president's priorities were defeated?
Oct 8 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/8
It's a big day for the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will not only hold a markup of the Free Flow of Information Act, aka the media shield bill--the legislation, beloved in all corners of the news media, that protects journalists from having to reveal their sources in court--it will also hold its anticipated markup of the PATRIOT Act. They'll examine the three sections that are set to expire, which deal with rules for electronic surveillance and obtaining documents.
Privacy and civil liberties will likely be focal points of the debate (as they are wont to be in national security matters these days), as Chairman Patrick Leahy has thrown in some more court scrutiny for good measure.
Privacy and civil liberties will likely be focal points of the debate (as they are wont to be in national security matters these days), as Chairman Patrick Leahy has thrown in some more court scrutiny for good measure.
Oct 7 2009, 5:45PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/7
Tracking the GOP race to 2012:
Tim Pawlenty will get some prime face time with the Iowa GOP when he headlines an event in Des Moines in November; Newt Gingrich said that a victory of Obama's values "would mean the end of American civilization as we know it"; Sarah Palin weighed in on Afghanistan on Facebook; and Canadian David Morrill is reportedly trying again to sell his Palin-autographed X-Box on eBay.
Tim Pawlenty will get some prime face time with the Iowa GOP when he headlines an event in Des Moines in November; Newt Gingrich said that a victory of Obama's values "would mean the end of American civilization as we know it"; Sarah Palin weighed in on Afghanistan on Facebook; and Canadian David Morrill is reportedly trying again to sell his Palin-autographed X-Box on eBay.
Oct 7 2009, 5:25PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/7
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) polls ahead of Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) 48-39 in the state's Senate election, according to the Wisconsin Research Institute; Pennsylvania Senate hopeful Pat Toomey (R) raised $1.5 million in the last quarter; President Obama will try to work his fundraising magic for Democrat Bill Owens Nov. 20 in New York's competitive 23rd district race; and NBC's FirstRead suggests Beau Biden is getting cold feet, and possibly won't run for Senate in Delaware after all.
Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) polls ahead of Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) 48-39 in the state's Senate election, according to the Wisconsin Research Institute; Pennsylvania Senate hopeful Pat Toomey (R) raised $1.5 million in the last quarter; President Obama will try to work his fundraising magic for Democrat Bill Owens Nov. 20 in New York's competitive 23rd district race; and NBC's FirstRead suggests Beau Biden is getting cold feet, and possibly won't run for Senate in Delaware after all.
Oct 7 2009, 4:34PM
The Baucus Bill Cuts The Deficit
That loud sound you heard just a moment ago from Capitol Hill was the collective exhale of Democrats: Sen. Max Baucus's Finance Committee health care proposal won't add to the deficit over 10 years, according to the magical Congressional Budget Office. Read their score summary here: Baucus.pdf. In fact, it would reduce deficit projections by $81 billion, costing a total of $829 billion. The bill wouldn't achieve universal coverage -- excluding illegal immigrants, it would leave about 16 million non-elderly Americans without health insurance.
Oct 7 2009, 4:06PM
Pelosi Open to a Value-Added Tax
Here's something you don't have a chance to say every day: Nancy Pelosi and Alan Greenspan agree! They both think a value-added tax -- which is basically a tax on consumption -- is worth a good look to increase government revenues. On Monday, I considered a consumption tax to be a huge political challenge, despite Greenspan's support, but maybe a small VAT has a chance in Congress after all.
Here's the Pelosi exchange on the Charlie Rose show:
Here's the Pelosi exchange on the Charlie Rose show:
Oct 7 2009, 2:45PM
Oh, Andrew: A Response To The McCaughey History
I love my former boss and current colleague, Andrew Sullivan. But I think he makes a mistake today in his otherwise thoughtful account of his publishing Betsy McCaughey's 1994 piece on the Clinton health plan. He concludes the piece by saying: "There's one reason the Clinton healthcare bill failed and it isn't Betsy McCaughey. It's Hillary Clinton." But this is reductionist in the extreme. Clinton made mistakes as she's admitted. But the difficulty that President Obama is having passing health care reform under easier circumstances--a bigger Democratic majority, more frustration with the current system--shows that there's a reason presidents since Truman have been taking a shot at this and none has quite managed. One is the sheer size of the undertaking, and second, and more important, is the sheer tenacity of the opposition. Obama's done the opposite of Clinton. Instead of devising a bill in relative secrecy, albeit with consultation from Congress and interested parties, he let Congress figure it out. Instead of specifics, he offered broad principles. Nothing wrong with that. But the end result is that Obama is still fighting for his bill despite having 60--count 'em--Democratic senators and the House that Rahm and Pelosi built. It's tough. Hillary Clinton made plenty of mistakes, and you could argue she deserves the lion's share of blame for the '94 debacle. But to not mention the American Medical Association, Bill Kristol, Bob Dole, Newt Gingrich, Harry and Louise and all the other opposition to the plan is kind of myopic for someone with such good vision.
Oct 7 2009, 2:00PM
Why The White House Remains Skeptical Of A New Troop Surge
President Obama doesn't react well to ultimatums, but the interagency process he is using to review the new policy doesn't foreclose on the possibility that Gen. Stanley McChrystal will get exactly what he wants.
But the easiest way to understand the divide between McChrystal and the White House staff -- and it really is, at this point, between him and the staff, not between him and Obama -- is to look at the way the debate has been framed: for McChrystal, Afghanistan will dodder into chaos unless 40,000 more troops are in place within 10 months. For the White House, defeating the Al Qaeda ideology worldwide, with development, peacemaking and diplomacy -- delegitimizing it -- is just as important. There's a sense that the COIN (counter-insurgency) strategy cannot succeed unless the U.S. somehow interposes itself between Pakistan and Afghanistan and keeps Pakistani Pashtuns from intermingling. The supply of new fighters is outpacing the capacity to kill them -- and that might be true, even with 40,000 more troops -- assuming that 40,000 more troops can be mobilized and sent into battle within 10 months -- and assuming that, somehow, a large portion of the troop tranche will dedicate their time to training an Afghan army.
But the easiest way to understand the divide between McChrystal and the White House staff -- and it really is, at this point, between him and the staff, not between him and Obama -- is to look at the way the debate has been framed: for McChrystal, Afghanistan will dodder into chaos unless 40,000 more troops are in place within 10 months. For the White House, defeating the Al Qaeda ideology worldwide, with development, peacemaking and diplomacy -- delegitimizing it -- is just as important. There's a sense that the COIN (counter-insurgency) strategy cannot succeed unless the U.S. somehow interposes itself between Pakistan and Afghanistan and keeps Pakistani Pashtuns from intermingling. The supply of new fighters is outpacing the capacity to kill them -- and that might be true, even with 40,000 more troops -- assuming that 40,000 more troops can be mobilized and sent into battle within 10 months -- and assuming that, somehow, a large portion of the troop tranche will dedicate their time to training an Afghan army.
Oct 7 2009, 1:40PM
The Campaign Effect: The Catalist Evidence
Do campaigns matter? That debate among political scientists is largely solved. The answer is: "yes." But how and when they matter remains a subject of much academic research -- research which campaign professionals often don't know about, and research about which journalists never seem to write.
John Sides, a political scientist at George Washington University, notes the parallels between the Catalist findings I wrote about earlier and the latest social science. Most importantly: voter mobilization efforts -- telephone calls, door knocks, and literature -- work better on voters with a moderate propensity to vote than they do among voters with very high or very low propensities to vote. The reasons seem intuitive, but campaigns tend not to realize that the bulk of evidence supports this theory.
John Sides, a political scientist at George Washington University, notes the parallels between the Catalist findings I wrote about earlier and the latest social science. Most importantly: voter mobilization efforts -- telephone calls, door knocks, and literature -- work better on voters with a moderate propensity to vote than they do among voters with very high or very low propensities to vote. The reasons seem intuitive, but campaigns tend not to realize that the bulk of evidence supports this theory.
Oct 7 2009, 1:06PM
Pay Attention To Burma
The United States' recent decision to pursue a different tack with Burma has been cited by reports to be the reason for the unusual Chinese rebuke of the Burmese over a recent border spat. According to a recent Inter Press Agency article, the recent Chinese-Burmese border bust up may have been compounded by Chinese concerns over its long-time client state's future relations with the U.S.
Some background: This latest Chinese rebuke comes as the United States has moved rather aggressively in courting Burma in the last few weeks. Following Senator Jim Webb's trip to Burma in August, the U.S has announced a shift in its Burma policy, announcing its plan for engagement with the junta's reclusive leaders must be part of a "sustained process of interaction." This move, which has been strongly supported by Burmese opposition, has been quickly followed by a meeting between Kurt Campbell, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Asia, and Burmese health minister U Thaung on the margins of the UN General Assembly last Tuesday. These are the first such high-level talks in more than a decade.
Some background: This latest Chinese rebuke comes as the United States has moved rather aggressively in courting Burma in the last few weeks. Following Senator Jim Webb's trip to Burma in August, the U.S has announced a shift in its Burma policy, announcing its plan for engagement with the junta's reclusive leaders must be part of a "sustained process of interaction." This move, which has been strongly supported by Burmese opposition, has been quickly followed by a meeting between Kurt Campbell, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Asia, and Burmese health minister U Thaung on the margins of the UN General Assembly last Tuesday. These are the first such high-level talks in more than a decade.
Oct 7 2009, 12:53PM
Waiting For The Numbers
The Congressional Budget Office is supposed to come out with its scoring today of the Senate Finance Committee's health care measure. If it doesn't say the bill is deficit neutral, then the chairman, Max Baucus, and the White House have a big problem. Some conservative Dems could be all aflutter and this morning on Fox News, Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the committee, talked about starting all over again. I doubt that, but this is one of those moments worth paying attention to. Of course, scoring is an inexact science at best. No one can ever foresee how much a program will cost, especially when it's a new entitlement. But this is the best we've got, and that's what Congress will work with.
Oct 7 2009, 11:53AM
Independents Prefer GOP For Midterms
Another nugget of polling data from Gallup's latest survey: independent voters now prefer the GOP to the Democratic Party, according to the new numbers. Independents helped President Obama take the White House last year, voting for him 52-44 over John McCain according to CNN's exit polls, and Gallup gave Democrats the edge with independents in generic congressional balloting 46-39 just before they went to the ballots in '08. Now, when it comes to 2010 congressional races, Gallup says Republicans hold a 45-36 edge--quite a swing from last year:
Oct 7 2009, 11:42AM
2010: It's Close
Democrats and Republicans are neck-and-neck in generic balloting for the 2010 elections, a sign that all the prognostications of a tough midterm battle are correct.
Democrats retain a 46 percent to 44 percent lead over the GOP among registered voters, when asked which party they'll vote for in the 2010 congressional races, according to a new survey from Gallup. That's closer than it's been, for the most part, since Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, except for moments of party parity in late 2006 and just after the Republican National Convention in September '08.
But Gallup actually predicts that, if the elections were held today, Republicans would come out on top--something House Minority Whip Eric Cantor predicted not too long ago.
Democrats retain a 46 percent to 44 percent lead over the GOP among registered voters, when asked which party they'll vote for in the 2010 congressional races, according to a new survey from Gallup. That's closer than it's been, for the most part, since Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, except for moments of party parity in late 2006 and just after the Republican National Convention in September '08.
But Gallup actually predicts that, if the elections were held today, Republicans would come out on top--something House Minority Whip Eric Cantor predicted not too long ago.
Oct 7 2009, 10:36AM
Pawlenty To Iowa
First not running for reelection, then forming a PAC, and now a trip to Iowa.
The Iowa Republican Party announced this morning that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) will headline Leadership for Iowa, which the state party describes as its "signature fall event," on Saturday, November 7 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
This, of course, doesn't mean he's running for president. But, of all the possible GOP candidates, Pawlenty has perhaps taken the most aggressive steps toward a bid. The one thing missing from his portfolio was a trip to Iowa or New Hampshire, and now he'll be making one.
The Iowa Republican Party announced this morning that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) will headline Leadership for Iowa, which the state party describes as its "signature fall event," on Saturday, November 7 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
This, of course, doesn't mean he's running for president. But, of all the possible GOP candidates, Pawlenty has perhaps taken the most aggressive steps toward a bid. The one thing missing from his portfolio was a trip to Iowa or New Hampshire, and now he'll be making one.
Oct 7 2009, 9:45AM
When's He Getting to Gays In The Military? Or NAFTA?
There are a couple of things that Barack Obama promised in the 2008 campaign that he has not gotten to. Well, actually there are several but let's focus on gays in the military and NAFTA. On Sunday, Obama will speak at a big dinner for the Human Rights Campaign, but he seems unlikely to announce a repeal of the ban at the time--maybe reiterate his intention to repeal it but not the repeal itself. Over the weekend, Gen. James Jones, the national security adviser cast doubt that it would be soon. So if that's the case, how will the crowd react? Being a dressed-up Washington affair, I bet with polite applause but no catcalls.
Obama also promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. There was a kerfuffle in the primaries when his economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, was alleged to have said to Canadian officials that Obama didn't really mean it. Both Canadians and Goolsbee shot down the report. Still, no movement on NAFTA. The unions aren't putting much heat on Obama to get to this one, not with health care and the Employee Free Choice Act still on the table. But you have to wonder when he'll get to this one, too.
I'm not saying that Obama is spineless for holding off on these. It's probably the shrewd political move. But eventually he's going to have to address them.
Obama also promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. There was a kerfuffle in the primaries when his economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, was alleged to have said to Canadian officials that Obama didn't really mean it. Both Canadians and Goolsbee shot down the report. Still, no movement on NAFTA. The unions aren't putting much heat on Obama to get to this one, not with health care and the Employee Free Choice Act still on the table. But you have to wonder when he'll get to this one, too.
I'm not saying that Obama is spineless for holding off on these. It's probably the shrewd political move. But eventually he's going to have to address them.
Oct 7 2009, 6:41AM
Democratic Money Mandarins Meet In D.C.
The Mandarin Oriental plays host to the Democracy Alliance today, the gathering of philanthropic Democrats whose pooled money helped to catalyze the party's recent renaissance. The members of the Alliance, all wealthy donors, will hear from organizations and individuals who want their money. Tonight, they'll also hear from Jim Messina, the White House deputy chief of staff.
Oct 7 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Was Obama Right Not To Meet With Lama?
Was it the right move for President Obama to delay meeting with the Dalai Lama, who traveled to Washington yesterday to receive an award from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, until after he meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao in November?
Oct 7 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/7
Difficult decision time continues for President Obama on Afghanistan, as the commander in chief will meet with his national security team again today to weigh the possible strategies and Gen. Stanley McChrystal's request for 40,00 more troops.
In less grave matters, it's science day at the White House: Obama will award the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology at 1:30 p.m., and 150 middle schoolers will flood the White House tonight, along with their science teachers, astronomers, astronauts, and NASA staff to discuss/exhibit math and science education. Michelle Obama will host the event along with the president, as he will probably need the help.
In less grave matters, it's science day at the White House: Obama will award the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology at 1:30 p.m., and 150 middle schoolers will flood the White House tonight, along with their science teachers, astronomers, astronauts, and NASA staff to discuss/exhibit math and science education. Michelle Obama will host the event along with the president, as he will probably need the help.
Oct 6 2009, 6:20PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/6
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
The leadership skills of Mike Huckabee will be included in a new book entitled Master Leaders; Levi Johnston stars in an ad for pistachios; Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) is using Sarah Palin to criticize his Senate primary opponent, Sen. Arlen Specter; and Mike Pence says President Obama and Congress have lost touch with American voters.
The leadership skills of Mike Huckabee will be included in a new book entitled Master Leaders; Levi Johnston stars in an ad for pistachios; Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) is using Sarah Palin to criticize his Senate primary opponent, Sen. Arlen Specter; and Mike Pence says President Obama and Congress have lost touch with American voters.
Oct 6 2009, 5:58PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/6
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) announced he'll run for Vice President Joe Biden's former Senate seat; Rasmussen puts Republicans ahead of Democrats, nationwide, by a margin of 43-39 in a generic congressional ballot poll; the firm also has Chris Christie (R) leading Gov. Jon Corzine (D) 47-44 in the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial race; Marco Rubio (R), who is running against Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in Florida's GOP Senate primary, raked in $1 million in the third quarter; former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan released a poll that shows him as a contender in the state's gubernatorial race, indicating he'll probably run; and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions said the GOP is "far ahead" of where it was at this point in the 1994 election cycle.
Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) announced he'll run for Vice President Joe Biden's former Senate seat; Rasmussen puts Republicans ahead of Democrats, nationwide, by a margin of 43-39 in a generic congressional ballot poll; the firm also has Chris Christie (R) leading Gov. Jon Corzine (D) 47-44 in the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial race; Marco Rubio (R), who is running against Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in Florida's GOP Senate primary, raked in $1 million in the third quarter; former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan released a poll that shows him as a contender in the state's gubernatorial race, indicating he'll probably run; and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions said the GOP is "far ahead" of where it was at this point in the 1994 election cycle.
Oct 6 2009, 5:23PM
What Did Ailes Say To Axelrod? Here's A Hint.
Mike Allen reports that David Axelrod sat down with Fox News chairman Roger Ailes in New York a few weeks ago. No word on what the two discussed.
However ... last week, Axelrod, speaking at the First Draft of History Conference, recalled a conversation he had with a leading light of the Republican Party:
Axelrod said he spoke recently to a "very significant figure" on the right who told him that Obama "wanted to start a national police force." "What are you talking about," Axelrod asked. The GOPer sent him a 21-second clip from a speech Obama made in Colorado last year -- a speech on national service -- and in it, Obama said he wanted to create a civillian force that could go into countries and provide humanitarian services.... Obama used the word "civil force" -- "They took that 21-second bite .... and it has been taken as an article of faith that the president wants to create a national police force."
Oct 6 2009, 5:20PM
Swine Flu Vaccine, Pro And Con
Glenn Beck will air an hour-long special Thursday on the swine flu vaccine. He says he won't give his opinion on swine flu, but he will give viewers 30 minutes of medical doctors who say people shouldn't let their children get the vaccine and 30 minutes of the pro-vaccine side. Daily Kos's Jed Lewison posts the video of Beck explaining what the show will be:
Oct 6 2009, 4:20PM
Shutdown Of Intelligence Community E-mail Network Sparks E-Rebellion
The intelligence community's innovative uGov e-mail domain, one of its earliest efforts at cross-agency collaboration, will be shut down because of security concerns, government officials said.
The decision, announced internally last Friday to the hundreds of analysts who use the system, drew immediate protests from intelligence agency employees and led to anxiety that other experimental collaborative platforms, like the popular Intellipedia website, are also in the target sights of managers.
It follows reports that another popular analytic platform called "Bridge," which allows analysts with security clearances to collaborate with people outside the government who have relevant expertise but no clearances, is being killed, and indications that funding for another transformational capability, the DoDIIS Trusted Workstation, which allows analysts to look at information at a variety of clearance levels -- Secret, Top Secret, Law Enforcement Sensitive
-- is being curtailed.
Oct 6 2009, 4:11PM
Democrat Russ Feingold Criticizes White House Over "Czars"
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) has organized a Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee hearing on the administration's "czars"--a topic that has drawn a lot of criticism in conservative sectors. Feingold previously sent a letter to the White House seeking details on the czars, and was rebuffed. As a liberal Democrat, Feingold isn't a usual suspect for czar concern--a lot of the czar-related worry has been brought to prominence by Glenn Beck--but, while he reasons there's fewer than 10 people among those popularly referred to as "czars" who actually hold any kind of special position in the administration, in his opening statement today he criticized how the White House has handled matters of czar concern:
Oct 6 2009, 12:53PM
Castle's Decision Affects Republican Mood
Other race rankings from Daily Kos, the Hotline, and 538.com
With Mike Castle's announcement that he's running for the Delaware Senate seat vacated by Vice President Biden today, it's possible -- not probable but possible -- that the seats formerly held by Barack Obama (IL -- the incumbent is appointee Roland Burris), Hillary Clinton (NY -- the incumbent is appointee Kristin Gillibrand), Harry Reid and Biden could all be in jeopardy in 2010 ... this is a sign of Republican confidence, solid Republican recruiting (which reflects confidence), and fundraising parity. At the beginning of the cycle, it looked like Democrats would have to defend a few seats and had the chance to pick up even more -- but they're now defending at least as many tough challenges as the Republicans. How will Republicans exploit this opportunity? By matching the right type of candidate with the right state.
Oct 6 2009, 10:29AM
Rush Limbaugh Wants To Own Part Of The Worst Team In The NFL
Al Davis might get a run for his money as most controversial NFL owner. Mark Cuban may get some competition for most attention given to any American sports magnate.
That's right: Rush Limbaugh wants to own part of the worst team in the NFL--the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh joined a bid organized by Dave Checketts, owner of the St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirmed yesterday with NFL sources.
In a statement sent to KMOX radio, Limbaugh said: "Dave and I are part of a bid to buy the Rams, and we are continuing the process. But I can say no more because of a confidentiality clause in our agreement with Goldman Sachs. We cannot and will not talk about our partners. But if we prevail we will be the operators of the team."
So, while one might assume that Limbaugh would be a silent partner--if Limbaugh is capable of silence in any fashion--it looks as if he intends to have a role in the team.
That's right: Rush Limbaugh wants to own part of the worst team in the NFL--the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh joined a bid organized by Dave Checketts, owner of the St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch confirmed yesterday with NFL sources.
In a statement sent to KMOX radio, Limbaugh said: "Dave and I are part of a bid to buy the Rams, and we are continuing the process. But I can say no more because of a confidentiality clause in our agreement with Goldman Sachs. We cannot and will not talk about our partners. But if we prevail we will be the operators of the team."
So, while one might assume that Limbaugh would be a silent partner--if Limbaugh is capable of silence in any fashion--it looks as if he intends to have a role in the team.
Oct 6 2009, 8:57AM
The Scots-Irish Vote
The populist fury aimed at President Obama and his fellow Democrats may have roots much deeper than health care. In fact, it may be that it can be traced back to the emigration of the Scots-Irish, the first white group to settle interior America.
They've been called rednecks, hillbillies and crackers. In the modern parlance of political correctness, they've been referred to as the Bubba vote. They live in Sarah Palin's "real America," and they make up the majority of Reagan Democrats. They count as distant relatives at least twelve U.S. presidents, from Andrew Jackson to Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton and even to Barack Obama, yet the Scots-Irish remain largely ignored as an ethnic group in America.
The Scots-Irish were a group of Scots who moved to Ulster, in Northern Ireland, before moving to the U.S. and first settling in New Hampshire and parts of Maine. Within a generation, they had moved down along the Appalachian spine, from western Pennsylvania and southeastern Ohio down into West Virginia, western Virginia, North Carolina, northern Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and large parts of South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. Many moved further south and west, down to the Gulf Coast and out to Oklahoma, Arkansas, East Texas and beyond. Eventually they migrated out to the Bakersfield region of California (think The Grapes of Wrath), and up the Great Plains to parts of Michigan, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado (James Dobson and Tom Tancredo territory, not Denver and Boulder).
They've been called rednecks, hillbillies and crackers. In the modern parlance of political correctness, they've been referred to as the Bubba vote. They live in Sarah Palin's "real America," and they make up the majority of Reagan Democrats. They count as distant relatives at least twelve U.S. presidents, from Andrew Jackson to Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton and even to Barack Obama, yet the Scots-Irish remain largely ignored as an ethnic group in America.
The Scots-Irish were a group of Scots who moved to Ulster, in Northern Ireland, before moving to the U.S. and first settling in New Hampshire and parts of Maine. Within a generation, they had moved down along the Appalachian spine, from western Pennsylvania and southeastern Ohio down into West Virginia, western Virginia, North Carolina, northern Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and large parts of South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee. Many moved further south and west, down to the Gulf Coast and out to Oklahoma, Arkansas, East Texas and beyond. Eventually they migrated out to the Bakersfield region of California (think The Grapes of Wrath), and up the Great Plains to parts of Michigan, Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado (James Dobson and Tom Tancredo territory, not Denver and Boulder).
Oct 6 2009, 8:54AM
SEIU's Data Footprint In 2008
Part two in a three-part series of posts: The 2008 Data Wars, Re-examined. Yesterday: Data suggests that Democratic microtargeting efforts were successful. Late yesterday: Catalist's after action report, posted in full. Today: what the SEIU learned from its data-crunching.
For several cycles now, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has been among the most active progressive groups in the liberal firmament, spending in excess of $80 million to influence the 2008 election alone. According to an analysis of their efforts, the SEIU was in regular contact with more than 4.5 million voters in ten battleground states, including more than 1.2 million in Virginia alone.
For the first time, thanks to the data crunched by Catalist and the Analyst Institute, we can now figure out what, besides money, distinguishes SEIU's efforts from others.
Primarily, the data shows that 64% of all SEIU voter contact work was focused on live telephone calls to prospective voters and 24% on neighborhood canvasses. Both percentages are much higher than the average for all progressive groups, which tended to use less personal forms of contact, like automatic "robocalls" and direct mail pieces. But SEIU, able to pay for hundreds of its members to work full-time, largely eschewed mail and robocalls.
"Text messaging and face to face contact are really the keys to success," said Jon Youngdahl, the SEIU's national political director, in an interview. "Phones - [robocalls] -- dropped off in terms of effectiveness. They don't work for get-out-the-vote. They might be better as persuasion tools, rather than as get-out-the-vote tools," he said.
Oct 6 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: The Politics Of A Troop Increase
If President Obama sends more troops to Afghanistan, will it hurt him politically? What are the consequences of upsetting liberals?
Oct 6 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/6
It's a big week for President Obama and his strategy in Afghanistan: he's summoned congressional leaders to the White House to discuss. On the more public side of defense matters, he'll deliver remarks at the National Counterterrorism Center.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, meanwhile, will pay respects at the memorial service for Norman Borlaug at Texas A&M. If you don't know who Borlaug was, watch this video. He was the Johnny Appleseed of genetically modified crops and feeding world populations.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, meanwhile, will pay respects at the memorial service for Norman Borlaug at Texas A&M. If you don't know who Borlaug was, watch this video. He was the Johnny Appleseed of genetically modified crops and feeding world populations.
Oct 5 2009, 6:15PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/5
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Newt Gingrich says Tim Pawlenty should run; Mitt Romney has been on a fundraising tear; Bobby Jindal penned an op-ed for The Washington Post, declaring the debate over Democratic health reforms "over"; Mike Huckabee, on air at Fox News, directed viewers to a petition launched by his PAC; Todd Palin resigned from his oil job; and Louisiana Democrats say an illegal contribution from former Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS) to Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) was funneled through Haley Barbour's PAC.
Newt Gingrich says Tim Pawlenty should run; Mitt Romney has been on a fundraising tear; Bobby Jindal penned an op-ed for The Washington Post, declaring the debate over Democratic health reforms "over"; Mike Huckabee, on air at Fox News, directed viewers to a petition launched by his PAC; Todd Palin resigned from his oil job; and Louisiana Democrats say an illegal contribution from former Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS) to Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) was funneled through Haley Barbour's PAC.
Oct 5 2009, 5:45PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/5
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), the Republican (and thus darkhorse) candidate vying for President Obama's old Illinois Senate seat, hauled in a strong $1.6 million in the third quarter; Karl Rove donated to conservative upstart and Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio; Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), who will run against the winner of Rubio's primary against Gov. Charlie Crist, should benefit from a DC fundraiser hosted by Bill Clinton; and Rasmussen finds that Republicans could have a tough time hanging onto the Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY).
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), the Republican (and thus darkhorse) candidate vying for President Obama's old Illinois Senate seat, hauled in a strong $1.6 million in the third quarter; Karl Rove donated to conservative upstart and Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio; Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), who will run against the winner of Rubio's primary against Gov. Charlie Crist, should benefit from a DC fundraiser hosted by Bill Clinton; and Rasmussen finds that Republicans could have a tough time hanging onto the Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY).
Oct 5 2009, 5:30PM
Apple Leaves Chamber, Hot Over Climate
A few weeks ago, I noted an article explaining that yet another major firm was leaving the Chamber of Commerce over its climate change policy. That was a company called PNM Resources, notable because it was a utility company. Pacific Gas & Electric left the week before that. Several other notable companies like Nike and Johnson & Johnson have expressed concern. But none of that is quite as notable as today's news: Apple has been the latest departure from the Chamber. That's a pretty high profile firm to leave the largest business lobbyist.
Oct 5 2009, 4:18PM
What An Iranian Nuclear World Might Look Like
Anthony Cordesman, the acclaimed military expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has a new book out on Iranian weapons of mass destruction. Needless to say, this is not a happy picture, and a lot of the book's conclusions are what you'd expect. The prospect of Iran having nukes would likely set off a nuclear race in surrounding countries. The prospect of Iran putting nukes in the hands of terrorists is a possibility, although we've heard this one before a la Saddam in 2003. I'm not sure why any country would struggle so mightily to get nukes and then give them away to terrorist allies. Yes, I guess you could set off nukes without it being traced back to you, but that seems like a pretty unreliable gamble. Interestingly, Cordesman notes that throughout all of this nuclear buildup, Iran's conventional forces are actually pretty crummy, although its missile technology is more than enough to intimidate neighbors. And its capacity for so-called asymmetrical warfare by causing havoc through Hezbollah or Hamas or in Iraq remains pretty high. None of this addresses the question of whether the president is doing the right thing by negotiating with Iran more directly, but it is a timely reminder from a sober voice that an Iran with nukes is not a pretty picture.
Oct 5 2009, 3:34PM
HBO Airs Doc On Closeted, Anti-Gay-Rights Politicians
If you're intrigued, or perhaps even outraged, by closeted lawmakers who oppose gay rights, you may want to be around a TV at 9 p.m. Eastern tonight, when HBO will premiere OUTRAGE, a film about the very topic. It delves into the scandals of former Idaho Sen. Larry Craig and former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, as well as gay activist Michael Rogers, who founded a website dedicated to outing such allegedly hypocritical public figures. Rep. Barney Frank tells the filmmakers, "There is a right to privacy, but not a right to hypocrisy. It is very important that the people who make the law be subject to the law." From HBO's synopsis:
An official selection of the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, OUTRAGE investigates the hidden lives of some of the country's most powerful policymakers - from now-retired Idaho Senator Larry Craig, to former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevy - and examines how these and other politicians have inflicted damage on millions of Americans by opposing gay rights. Equally disturbing, the film explores the mainstream media's complicity in keeping those secrets, despite the growing efforts to "out" them by gay rights organizations and bloggers.
Oct 5 2009, 2:40PM
The Catalist After Action Report
Part two in a three-part series of posts: The 2008 Data Wars, Re-examined. Earlier today: Data suggests that Democratic microtargeting efforts were successful. Now: Catalist's after action report, posted in full. Tomorrow: Inside the Service Employees International Union's sophisticated targeting.
It was distributed to all 90 members, along with a specific appendix breaking out, for each group, the effectiveness of their individual contributions to the effort.
Here's a link to the after action report.pdf from Catalist, the big Democratic data warehouse, and from the Analyst Institute, about the 2008 election.
It was distributed to all 90 members, along with a specific appendix breaking out, for each group, the effectiveness of their individual contributions to the effort.
The data includes voter contact information for 16 states: CO, FL, GA, IA, IN, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NM, NV, OH,
PA, VA and WI.
Oct 5 2009, 2:35PM
Obama Sees It Hillary's Way
Looks like the Senate Finance Committee won't get around to voting on health care for several more days. The Congressional Budget Office has taken longer than expected to tote up what the bill would actually cost. In the grand scheme of things this is no big deal, but it doesn't help matters when there's a delay, given all the forging and compromising and negotiating that needs to be done to try and get a bill through both houses of Congress by the end of the year. Odds are pretty good that the bill passes out of the Finance Committee on a party line vote, but Olympia Snowe, the Republican from Maine, could sign on, and Jay Rockefeller could opt out.
By the way, I don't think enough has been made of Obama's 180 degree turn on mandates since the Democratic primaries. As you may recall, Obama opposed mandates. Hillary favored requiring people to buy insurance. (To be fair, she opposed this back in '94 when the late Sen. John Chaffee proposed them.) This was one of the major issues dividing Obama and Clinton in a campaign that was more about gauzy themes of change and experience instead of real policy differences. Much was made in the elite media about Obama's reliance on the work of Cass Sunstein's book, "Nudge," about encouraging people to do the right thing. Mandates were paleogovernment in Obama's eyes. Now, um, not so much. As policy turnarounds go, this isn't on the order of, say, George W. Bush opposing nation building or Bill Clinton canceling the middle-class tax cut he promised in 1992. But it is a change, and it would probably be a bigger deal if Hillary Clinton were in the Senate instead of at State.
By the way, I don't think enough has been made of Obama's 180 degree turn on mandates since the Democratic primaries. As you may recall, Obama opposed mandates. Hillary favored requiring people to buy insurance. (To be fair, she opposed this back in '94 when the late Sen. John Chaffee proposed them.) This was one of the major issues dividing Obama and Clinton in a campaign that was more about gauzy themes of change and experience instead of real policy differences. Much was made in the elite media about Obama's reliance on the work of Cass Sunstein's book, "Nudge," about encouraging people to do the right thing. Mandates were paleogovernment in Obama's eyes. Now, um, not so much. As policy turnarounds go, this isn't on the order of, say, George W. Bush opposing nation building or Bill Clinton canceling the middle-class tax cut he promised in 1992. But it is a change, and it would probably be a bigger deal if Hillary Clinton were in the Senate instead of at State.
Oct 5 2009, 1:12PM
A Timely Hit On Ensign
Residents of Las Vegas and Reno will start seeing new TV ads today criticizing Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) for his votes against the public option in committee.
The progressive coalition Health Care for America Now! has announced a $100,000 media buy to run its ad for a week, after Ensign voted "no" to the public option last week in the Senate Finance Committee's (ongoing) markup of health reform legislation.
One might wonder: what's the point of pressuring a GOP senator everyone knows will vote against the public option, and probably against any Democratic plan, on the Senate floor--one who's not up for reelection until 2012?
The progressive coalition Health Care for America Now! has announced a $100,000 media buy to run its ad for a week, after Ensign voted "no" to the public option last week in the Senate Finance Committee's (ongoing) markup of health reform legislation.
One might wonder: what's the point of pressuring a GOP senator everyone knows will vote against the public option, and probably against any Democratic plan, on the Senate floor--one who's not up for reelection until 2012?
Oct 5 2009, 12:26PM
How Democrats May Be Helping Republicans Create A Corruption Narrative
The investigation into Rep. Charlie Rangel's alleged financial shenanigans is probably the most touchy question to pose to senior House Democrats and their aides these days. As the New York Times's Carl Hulse implied over the weekend, if Rangel were not the chairman of the Ways of Means Committee, if he were not a beloved figure among his colleagues, if fears of internal racial politics weren't in the mix, Rangel would be as good as stripped from his position. (Rangel says he's innocent and chides journalists who ask him about the investigation.) Rangel is one of several congressional Democrats who could plausibly become significant albatrosses around the neck of House incumbents next year, not the least of which because of his high-status position as the nation's chief tax writer. Events are conspiring with House Democrats to give Republicans a pretty solid anti-corruption narrative to run on. Of the 15 members of Congress who are under some sort of investigation, according to CREW, 11 are Democrats.
Oct 5 2009, 11:08AM
Bobby Jindal Declares Health Care Debate Over
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) pronounces the death of Democratic health reform in an op-ed published this morning in The Washington Post: "Washington is the only place in the country that doesn't realize that this debate is over," he writes, after calling Dems' plans "passe" and proclaiming that "[t]he people don't want it. Believe the polls, the town halls, the voters."
Jindal may or may not be right about the ultimate fate of Democrats' broader plans, but, not to beat a dead horse, the polling doesn't say Americans oppose Democratic reforms. At best, we can say it's a mixed picture. Of the most recent, reliable, non-partisan major polls--a Sept. 12 Washington Post/ABC survey, an Economist/YouGov survey released Sept. 15, and a Sept. 25 NY Times/CBS poll--only the first shows Americans opposed to Democratic plans (48 percent to 52 percent); the other two show Americans in favor, though NY Times/CBS found that 46 percent say they don't know enough to decide.
Jindal may or may not be right about the ultimate fate of Democrats' broader plans, but, not to beat a dead horse, the polling doesn't say Americans oppose Democratic reforms. At best, we can say it's a mixed picture. Of the most recent, reliable, non-partisan major polls--a Sept. 12 Washington Post/ABC survey, an Economist/YouGov survey released Sept. 15, and a Sept. 25 NY Times/CBS poll--only the first shows Americans opposed to Democratic plans (48 percent to 52 percent); the other two show Americans in favor, though NY Times/CBS found that 46 percent say they don't know enough to decide.
Oct 5 2009, 9:40AM
Exclusive: How Democrats Won The Data War In 2008
Part one in a three-part series: the 2008 Data Wars, Re-examined. Later today: Catalist's after action report, posted in full. Tomorrow: Inside the Service Employees International Union's sophisticated targeting.
Get-out-the-vote operations mounted by the Obama campaign, the Democratic Party and progressive organizations mobilized more than one million dedicated volunteers on Election Day. But it was buttressed by a year-long, psychographic voter targeting and contact operation, the likes of which Democrats had never before participated in. In 2008, the principal repository of Democratic data was Catalist, a for-profit company that acted as the conductor for a data-driven symphony of more than 90 liberal groups, like the Service Employees Union -- and the DNC -- and the Obama campaign.
The Atlantic has obtained Catalist's official after-action report, marked "proprietary and confidential." The Catalist data was crunched by the Analyst Institute, a DC-based organization that was set up to perform rigorous experiments like these on progressive voter contact methods.
According to the analysis, those registered voters contacted by Catalist member groups turned out at a rate of 74.6%; the voters who weren't turned out in proportions roughly equivalent to the national average -- about 60.4%. In four states, the number of new votes cast by liberals exceeded Obama's victory margin: in Ohio, Florida, Indiana in North Carolina. If you assume that only 60% of these voters chose Obama, the margin was still greater than Obama's in North Carolina and Indiana, both essential to his victory. With the caveat that correlation does not equal causation, the report provides convincing, if not absolute, evidence that the progressive/Democratic data-mining and targeting operation measurably helped elect Barack Obama.
Get-out-the-vote operations mounted by the Obama campaign, the Democratic Party and progressive organizations mobilized more than one million dedicated volunteers on Election Day. But it was buttressed by a year-long, psychographic voter targeting and contact operation, the likes of which Democrats had never before participated in. In 2008, the principal repository of Democratic data was Catalist, a for-profit company that acted as the conductor for a data-driven symphony of more than 90 liberal groups, like the Service Employees Union -- and the DNC -- and the Obama campaign.
The Atlantic has obtained Catalist's official after-action report, marked "proprietary and confidential." The Catalist data was crunched by the Analyst Institute, a DC-based organization that was set up to perform rigorous experiments like these on progressive voter contact methods.
According to the analysis, those registered voters contacted by Catalist member groups turned out at a rate of 74.6%; the voters who weren't turned out in proportions roughly equivalent to the national average -- about 60.4%. In four states, the number of new votes cast by liberals exceeded Obama's victory margin: in Ohio, Florida, Indiana in North Carolina. If you assume that only 60% of these voters chose Obama, the margin was still greater than Obama's in North Carolina and Indiana, both essential to his victory. With the caveat that correlation does not equal causation, the report provides convincing, if not absolute, evidence that the progressive/Democratic data-mining and targeting operation measurably helped elect Barack Obama.
Oct 5 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: GOP Cover For Obama?
Last week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) suggested Republicans could give President Obama the political cover he needs to send more troops to Afghanistan. If Obama wants to send more troops, does it help or hurt him more if Republicans endorse the move?
Oct 4 2009, 11:50AM
The Sunday Shows In Five Bullet Points
1. Gen. Jim Jones and Amb. Susan Rice were brought out to try and contain the growing sense that the flag officers in charge of fighting in Afghanistan have coalesced around a strategy that President Obama does not yet endorse. Jones said that the decision was "much more complex" than just "adding 'X' number of troops.
"The key in Afghanistan, as we said back in March, is to have a triad of things happen simultaneously. Security is obviously one reason, one important thing to take care of, but the other two are economic development and good governance in the rule of law and on that score, we have a lot more work to do and a Karzai government is going to have to pitch in and do much better than they have. But underlying that is, of course, the effort to build up the Afghan national security force, the police, and the army and that will be an important part of whatever we decide to do."
2. Jones also suggested that pulling troops out of Afghanistan wasn't an option, and said that Afghanistan was not in danger of imminently falling to the Taliban. On Face the Nation: ""Just like water running down hill. They're going to come back in. They had a safe haven there at one time. There's no reason to believe they wouldn't have a safe haven again. That's the purpose of this entire mission, to quell the al Qaeda and to make sure that the Taliban is not there to invite them back."
Rice, on Meet the Press, addressed the question of whether POTUS still saw Afghanistan as a war of necessity, as he said it was last August. The objective, she said, "was to prevent Al Qaeda from being able to launch attacks on the United States."
3. On Face the Nation, Gen. Anthony Zinni (ret) vented his frustration at the administration: "I don't understand why we are questioning the judgment of commander in Afghanistan." Sen. Carl Levin, chair of the Armed Services Committee in the Senate, pointed the ratio of stood up NATO troops to Afghan troops. ""I would not commit to more combat troops at this time. There's a lot of other things that need to be done to show resolve. What we need a surge of is Afghan troops."
4. Alan Greenspan is cautious about a second stimulus package for two reasons: "One, only 40 percent of the first stimulus has been in place. And there is a considerable debate going on in the economics profession about how effective this stimulus package is...Mainly because of the fact that as broad as it is and as effective as it will turn out to be, it still has got 60 percent left to go. So in my judgment it's far better to wait and see how this momentum that has already begun to develop in the economy carries forward."
5. On This Week, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. John Cornyn agreed on what a semi-second-stimulus might look like: they'd extend unemployment benefits and COBRA, and extend the housing tax credit (and perhaps expand it beyond $8,000 for first time purchasers.)
Quick takes: Jones said Obama will take his time on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. "Not years," he said, but "teed up appropriately."
Sen. Barbara Boxer confirmed that the Senate Ethics Committee is investigating Sen. John Ensign's shenanigans.
GOP strategist Mike Murphy doesn't much care for the "radio guys" in his party.
"The key in Afghanistan, as we said back in March, is to have a triad of things happen simultaneously. Security is obviously one reason, one important thing to take care of, but the other two are economic development and good governance in the rule of law and on that score, we have a lot more work to do and a Karzai government is going to have to pitch in and do much better than they have. But underlying that is, of course, the effort to build up the Afghan national security force, the police, and the army and that will be an important part of whatever we decide to do."
2. Jones also suggested that pulling troops out of Afghanistan wasn't an option, and said that Afghanistan was not in danger of imminently falling to the Taliban. On Face the Nation: ""Just like water running down hill. They're going to come back in. They had a safe haven there at one time. There's no reason to believe they wouldn't have a safe haven again. That's the purpose of this entire mission, to quell the al Qaeda and to make sure that the Taliban is not there to invite them back."
Rice, on Meet the Press, addressed the question of whether POTUS still saw Afghanistan as a war of necessity, as he said it was last August. The objective, she said, "was to prevent Al Qaeda from being able to launch attacks on the United States."
3. On Face the Nation, Gen. Anthony Zinni (ret) vented his frustration at the administration: "I don't understand why we are questioning the judgment of commander in Afghanistan." Sen. Carl Levin, chair of the Armed Services Committee in the Senate, pointed the ratio of stood up NATO troops to Afghan troops. ""I would not commit to more combat troops at this time. There's a lot of other things that need to be done to show resolve. What we need a surge of is Afghan troops."
4. Alan Greenspan is cautious about a second stimulus package for two reasons: "One, only 40 percent of the first stimulus has been in place. And there is a considerable debate going on in the economics profession about how effective this stimulus package is...Mainly because of the fact that as broad as it is and as effective as it will turn out to be, it still has got 60 percent left to go. So in my judgment it's far better to wait and see how this momentum that has already begun to develop in the economy carries forward."
5. On This Week, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. John Cornyn agreed on what a semi-second-stimulus might look like: they'd extend unemployment benefits and COBRA, and extend the housing tax credit (and perhaps expand it beyond $8,000 for first time purchasers.)
Quick takes: Jones said Obama will take his time on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. "Not years," he said, but "teed up appropriately."
Sen. Barbara Boxer confirmed that the Senate Ethics Committee is investigating Sen. John Ensign's shenanigans.
GOP strategist Mike Murphy doesn't much care for the "radio guys" in his party.
Oct 3 2009, 8:30AM
Question Of The Weekend: Olympic Glee
When the IOC announced that Chicago wouldn't get the 2016 Summer Olympics, some of President Obama's critics seemed elated. Was that un-classy? And: does the decision reflect on Obama in any way? i.e., Is this a "loss" for the president?
Oct 2 2009, 3:18PM
Nation Sways Back To Neutral On Abortion
That's what a new Pew study finds: after demonstrating solid support for legal abortions a year ago, Americans are now essentially split on the question.
Asked whether abortion should be legal or illegal "in all or most cases," the country favored abortion rights 54-41 in August 2008; now, opposition has gained ground, as Americans still want abortion to be legal, but only by a margin of 47-45.
Asked whether abortion should be legal or illegal "in all or most cases," the country favored abortion rights 54-41 in August 2008; now, opposition has gained ground, as Americans still want abortion to be legal, but only by a margin of 47-45.
Oct 2 2009, 2:35PM
Kevin Jennings: The Latest Embattled Appointee
First there were the tax problems that led Tom Daschle, and others, to withdraw before the administration even took effect; then there was Green Jobs Czar Van Jones and his affiliation with 9/11 truthers; then there was National Endowment for the Arts Communications Director Yosi Sergant, who allegedly sought to recruit artists to create pro-Obama works.
Now there is Kevin Jennings, director of the Education Dept.'s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools--who has come under attack for, in his young teaching days, counseling a15-year-old 16-year-old* student who sought advice on a homosexual relationship with an older man--the latest Obama appointee to receive an onslaught of conservative criticism, including calls for his job.
Now there is Kevin Jennings, director of the Education Dept.'s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools--who has come under attack for, in his young teaching days, counseling a
Oct 2 2009, 2:01PM
Rio Gets It...Is It Unpatriotic To Be Happy? A Moral Conundrum.
Maybe Pele's appearance in Copenhagen put Brazil over the top, but Rio de Janeiro has beaten out Chicago (first to be eliminated), Tokyo, and Madrid. If securing the games for Chicago would have given President Obama any boost in the U.S., the decision certainly gives one to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will bring South America its first-ever Olympic games, returning home as a sort of folk hero from the international stage.
"For the others it will be just one more Games. For us it will be an unparalleled opportunity," da Silva told the committee in his pitch.
"For the others it will be just one more Games. For us it will be an unparalleled opportunity," da Silva told the committee in his pitch.
Oct 2 2009, 11:57AM
Obama's Olympic Fail
I wrote a few days ago that it was a risk for Obama to go to Copenhagen, and now we know it didn't pay off. Will it be a big blow in the long run? I doubt it. It takes a whack out of his global superstar image, but if he had not gone and Chicago didn't get it, then he might have taken a hit, too. I suspect Obama's got to be angry that Chicago was eliminated so quickly and that the Americans clearly didn't have a sense of that, or he wouldn't have gone. No Illinois pol is going to dis the president for going. Now if he doesn't go to Copenhagen for the Climate summit this winter...
Oct 2 2009, 11:34AM
Energy Czar Raises Possibility Of EPA Implementing Cap-And-Trade
There's more than one way to get cap-and-trade, President Obama's energy czar said today.
Carol Browner, the former Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) administrator who now serves in the Obama administration's newly created role of energy czar, floated the possibility today of the EPA implementing cap-and-trade energy policies, during an interview at The Atlantic's First Draft of History symposium in Washington, DC.
"We also have the reality of EPA, under current law, moving forward...to start the traditional regulatory clock," Browner said when asked, during an interview with Atlantic Media Political Director Ronald Brownstein, about the difficulties of passing the stalled energy/climate bill--which would implement a cap-and-trade carbon emissions scheme--through the Senate.
Carol Browner, the former Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) administrator who now serves in the Obama administration's newly created role of energy czar, floated the possibility today of the EPA implementing cap-and-trade energy policies, during an interview at The Atlantic's First Draft of History symposium in Washington, DC.
"We also have the reality of EPA, under current law, moving forward...to start the traditional regulatory clock," Browner said when asked, during an interview with Atlantic Media Political Director Ronald Brownstein, about the difficulties of passing the stalled energy/climate bill--which would implement a cap-and-trade carbon emissions scheme--through the Senate.
Oct 2 2009, 10:09AM
Steele Ties Jobless Numbers To Olympic Pitch
With President Obama out of the country today to make his Olympic pitch, the Republican National Committee couldn't pass up an opportunity to accuse the president of ignoring his domestic responsibilities, as the national unemployment rate climbed .1% today to 9.8% total. Chairman Michael Steele's statement:
Oct 2 2009, 9:05AM
Steve Schmidt: Palin Would Be "Catastrophic" For GOPers in 2012
Steve Schmidt, John McCain's former chief campaign strategist, said today that if former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin were to be the Republican nominee, it would be "catastrophic" for the Republican Party.
"I think that she has talents, but my honest view is that she would not be a winning candidate for the Republican candidate in 2012, and in fact, were she to be the nominee, we would have a catastrophic election result."
"In the year since the election has ended, she has done nothing to expand her appeal beyond the base. ... Th[e] independent vote is going to be up for grabs in 2012. That middle of the electorate is going to be determinative of the outcome of the elections. I just don't see that if you look at the things she has done over the year ... that she is going to expand that base in the middle."
Oct 2 2009, 8:53AM
A Logical Quirk In David Brooks's Column
In this morning's New York Times, David Brooks makes the following two points:
Over the years, I have asked many politicians what happens when Limbaugh and his colleagues attack. The story is always the same. Hundreds of calls come in. The receptionists are miserable. But the numbers back home do not move. There is no effect on the favorability rating or the re-election prospects. In the media world, he is a giant. In the real world, he's not.
And then:
The Republican Party is unpopular because it's more interested in pleasing Rush's ghosts than actual people. The party is leaderless right now because nobody has the guts to step outside the rigid parameters enforced by the radio jocks and create a new party identity. The party is losing because it has adopted a radio entertainer's niche-building strategy, while abandoning the politician's coalition-building strategy.
Now -- Brooks cites empirical evidence to back up the claim that Rush Limbaugh's attempt to sabotage Hillary Clinton in the primaries didn't work very well. But he offers only assertions about the underlying premise. The contradiction is obvious: why, if Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck represent niche audiences that create noise but don't move the dials -- why, if Republicans know this -- and presumably, GOP strategists know this, and even accounting for the cynical possibility that strategists know they can earn a living by running candidates to the right -- why are Republicans beholden to this wing of the party? Brooks surmises that the GOP leadership is bamboozeled.
But the proposition that Brooks dismisses is arguable. Limbaugh and Beck may not represent a set of issue positions as much as an attitude about politics, one that is very common to Republican base voters, and one that, thanks to the contingencies of geography, demography, campaign finance rules and Congressional morays -- must be embraced by GOPers in most of the country in order to keep their seats. It is undoubtedly true that there is no Beck or Limbaugh "majority" -- and that the loudest voices on the right are those that tend to vote anyway -- objects in the mirror are farther away than it's supposed. I know that Limbaugh's GOP and Beck's GOP -- although Beck is really best described as a conservative who doesn't like the GOP -- is not Brooks's GOP. But it's the GOP distilled to its essence. And it's one reason why, midterm gains next year notwithstanding, Republicans must incorporate these elements into whatever coalition it builds for the future.
Oct 2 2009, 8:00AM
Live Coverage Of The First Draft Of History
It's the first draft of history. Or, rather, The First Draft Of History. Known as "F'DOH" internally.
Vital conversations, Thursday and Friday, between top journalists and top newsmakers, including Gen. David Petraeus, Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, the chairman of AOL....
Also: Larry Summers, Carol Browner, John McCain, Vikram Pandit, Eric Schmidt and David Axelrod.
The company is making money off of this, but all the events will be open to everyone and livestreamed -- nothing off the record. We are determined to grow wheat and not chaff, thank you very much, and while some of the sessions will probably be non-essential, others will be interviewing. We've got a bunch of the best interviewers and given them a lot of time and asked their subjects to do more than just recycle the type of answers they'd give on Sunday shows. Also: it's Michael Kinsley's debut performance as a member of the Atlantic family.
That's the idea, anyway. We'll see whether it works. There's always a bit of self-congratulation in events like these, and I know we are sensitive to it as an organization, but the line-up we've pulled together (along with the Newseum and the Aspen Institute) is pretty impressive.
http://firstdraftofhistory.theatlantic.com/ -- please follow along all day.
Oct 2 2009, 6:30AM
Question Of The Day: Should Grayson Apologize?
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) said Republicans want Americans to "die quickly" if they get sick and called problems with the health care system a "holocaust in America." Republicans want him to apologize; do you think he should? Are those things offensive?
Oct 2 2009, 6:00AM
The Rundown, 10/2
First and foremost, it's the final day of the First Draft of History symposium, being hosted by The Atlantic at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
But beyond that...
President Obama will make his big pitch to the IOC in Copenhagen, trying to leverage his international prestige (read: star power) to lock down the 2016 Summer Olympics for his adopted hometown of Chicago. If he succeeds, we'll see the upside to all that international "celebrity" status John McCain accused him of having, and Chicago will reap the reward.
But beyond that...
President Obama will make his big pitch to the IOC in Copenhagen, trying to leverage his international prestige (read: star power) to lock down the 2016 Summer Olympics for his adopted hometown of Chicago. If he succeeds, we'll see the upside to all that international "celebrity" status John McCain accused him of having, and Chicago will reap the reward.
Oct 1 2009, 8:53PM
Axelrod Is Serene, But Calls Discourse "Worrisome"
Closing the first night of the First Draft Of History Conference, without much prompting, Obama's senior adviser, David Axelrod, name-checks Tom Friedman's column -- comparing the atmosphere before Rabin's assassination to the atmosphere in America today -- calling it "interesting" -- and tries to explain why politics seem so polarized.
Oct 1 2009, 6:35PM
The Invisible Primary, 10/1
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Rick Santorum finally made his much-anticipated trip to Iowa today, telling the audience at an event hosted by the American Future Fund that he wants a role in the GOP's future--whatever that role may be; Tim Pawlenty launched his Freedom First PAC today; he also compared Democratic health care proposals to "a manure spreader in a wind storm"; Mike Huckabee asked how the U.S. would feel if Bejamin Netanyahu tried to tell New Yorkers who could live in the Bronx; and Newt Gingrich's group stripped a strip-club owner of its "Entrepreneur of the Year" award, which has been getting doled out a bit dubiously anyway.
Rick Santorum finally made his much-anticipated trip to Iowa today, telling the audience at an event hosted by the American Future Fund that he wants a role in the GOP's future--whatever that role may be; Tim Pawlenty launched his Freedom First PAC today; he also compared Democratic health care proposals to "a manure spreader in a wind storm"; Mike Huckabee asked how the U.S. would feel if Bejamin Netanyahu tried to tell New Yorkers who could live in the Bronx; and Newt Gingrich's group stripped a strip-club owner of its "Entrepreneur of the Year" award, which has been getting doled out a bit dubiously anyway.
Oct 1 2009, 6:06PM
Hurtling Toward 2010, 10/1
The 2010 midterms are just around the corner (sort of). Here's what's happening:
Quinnipiac puts GOP challenger Pat Toomey ahead of Sen. Arlen Specter (D), 43-42; Harry Reid pointed out that newly announced GOP challenger Sue Lowden used to be one of his supporters; Dede Scozzafava (R) narrowly leads the race for New York's 23rd district; Kelly Ayotte (R) leads Rep. Paul Hodes (D) 41-34 in New Hampshire's Senate race; and the Cook Report moved Rep. Alan Grayson's (D-FL) reelection race into the "tossup" column, although he doesn't actually have a GOP challenger yet.
Quinnipiac puts GOP challenger Pat Toomey ahead of Sen. Arlen Specter (D), 43-42; Harry Reid pointed out that newly announced GOP challenger Sue Lowden used to be one of his supporters; Dede Scozzafava (R) narrowly leads the race for New York's 23rd district; Kelly Ayotte (R) leads Rep. Paul Hodes (D) 41-34 in New Hampshire's Senate race; and the Cook Report moved Rep. Alan Grayson's (D-FL) reelection race into the "tossup" column, although he doesn't actually have a GOP challenger yet.
Oct 1 2009, 3:07PM
Lindsey Graham On Glenn Beck: Only In America Can You Make So Much Money Crying
The outspoken Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of John McCain's closest allies during the 2008 campaign, offered his thoughts on Glenn Beck during an interview with The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg at the First Draft of History, being hosted by The Atlantic at the Newseum today in Washington, DC:
"Only in America can you make that much money crying," Graham said, as he suggested conservative talk radio, in particular, has detracted form constructive political debate in America. "What do I think of Rush Limbaugh? Well, I think he makes hundreds of millions of dollars being able to talk on the radio for three hours a day. It is what it is, but here's what I worry about: how many people in my business are going to be controlled by what's said on the radio or in a TV commercial? Base politics is what we're talking about."
He continued: " Glenn Beck is not aligned with any party as far as I can tell. He's aligned with cynicism, and there's always been a market for cynicism."
"Only in America can you make that much money crying," Graham said, as he suggested conservative talk radio, in particular, has detracted form constructive political debate in America. "What do I think of Rush Limbaugh? Well, I think he makes hundreds of millions of dollars being able to talk on the radio for three hours a day. It is what it is, but here's what I worry about: how many people in my business are going to be controlled by what's said on the radio or in a TV commercial? Base politics is what we're talking about."
He continued: " Glenn Beck is not aligned with any party as far as I can tell. He's aligned with cynicism, and there's always been a market for cynicism."
Oct 1 2009, 2:58PM
Santorum In Iowa: "I'm Here"
Since former Sen. Rick Santorum (R) announced he'd be traveling to Iowa in October, he's been a darling of the 2012 speculation game, with the political world buzzing about the possibilities of a Santorum run.
Yes, it could be difficult: the last election Santorum took part in, he lost by 18 percentage points to Sen. Bob Casey (D), who succeeded him. But he's a pure conservative, and his time in the Senate gave him conservative credentials on a wide range of issues...so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
Well, the long-awaited visit is here: Santorum is in Iowa at last. Not only that, he sat for an interview with Radio Iowa's Kay Henderson. Apparently he's been Googling himself.
Yes, it could be difficult: the last election Santorum took part in, he lost by 18 percentage points to Sen. Bob Casey (D), who succeeded him. But he's a pure conservative, and his time in the Senate gave him conservative credentials on a wide range of issues...so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
Well, the long-awaited visit is here: Santorum is in Iowa at last. Not only that, he sat for an interview with Radio Iowa's Kay Henderson. Apparently he's been Googling himself.
Oct 1 2009, 2:33PM
Obama's Ad Hoc-ery On Afghanistan
Testifying before Congress yesterday, the U.S.'s chief commander in Iraq, Ray Odierno, pointedly refused to say whether he thought U.S. combat troops would be in Iraq past 2011. Whatever the remnant, it will be small. It's a mundane point, noticing that Iraq, which expanded to become an umbrella under which everything soaked by the Bush administration was discredited, is no longer an issue of relevance to the political debate. A quick distinction must be made between an important issue -- one that people care about -- and a relevant issue -- one that people vote about. Afghanistan remains an important issue, and yet there are signs that, by 2010, it will have turned into a relevant issue, even if the contours of the debate stay roughly the same. Relevance is related to salience and immediacy more than import. It's the type of issue that will raise the temperature of the partisan heat map in midterm elections, the sort of issue that independents will use to identify against the party in power.
Oct 1 2009, 12:37PM
A Call To Duty, Changes To Obama's National Security Staff
President Obama's longest-serving foreign policy adviser, Mark Lippert, has decided to return to active duty in the Navy SEALs, the White House announced today. Lippert, 36, is chief of staff to the National Security Council. He has presided over an intricate and occasionally thorny reconfiguration of the 200 person NSC staff to better reflect Obama's national security priorities. He joined Obama's Senate staff in 2005 and then served a tour as an intelligence officer for Navy Special Forces in Iraq. He has told friends that he has long felt the call of duty to return to the SEALs, but that he wanted to make sure the NSC staff was on a firm footing before he left the president's service. A White House official said that Lippert had discussed his desire with Obama before he joined the administration. The same official said that Lippert hoped to return to the White House after his tour was up.
Oct 1 2009, 11:43AM
McCain On Palin's Book
Sarah Palin's upcoming memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Story," is slated for release Nov. 17, and it should offer tons of biographical tidbits for Palin's followers to devour. So what says John McCain, the man who catapulted Palin into the upper echelon of political stardom, about its release?
Oct 1 2009, 6:56AM
Pawlenty Launches His "Freedom First" PAC
Yes, he really does call himself "T-Paw." Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) moves one step closer to the starting line for the 2012 presidential race today.
A team of veteran Republican consultants -- Terry Nelson of the Bush and McCain campaigns, Sara Taylor, the Ken Mehlman-trained ex-White House political director, and Phil Musser, a former RGA executive director who remains close to Mitt Romney -- and fundraisers will be announced as charter members of his Freedom First political action committee, which will allow him to perform the help-GOP-candidates-win-and-collect-presidential-chits two-step that is a necessary precondition before starting a campaign. Pawlenty has enlisted virtually every major Republican Web 2.0 consultant -- Liz Mair, Patrick Ruffini, Mindy Finn and Patrick Hynes, to help him create a website that is so 2.0y, it's like one of those supermarkets with every single specialty area.
A team of veteran Republican consultants -- Terry Nelson of the Bush and McCain campaigns, Sara Taylor, the Ken Mehlman-trained ex-White House political director, and Phil Musser, a former RGA executive director who remains close to Mitt Romney -- and fundraisers will be announced as charter members of his Freedom First political action committee, which will allow him to perform the help-GOP-candidates-win-and-collect-presidential-chits two-step that is a necessary precondition before starting a campaign. Pawlenty has enlisted virtually every major Republican Web 2.0 consultant -- Liz Mair, Patrick Ruffini, Mindy Finn and Patrick Hynes, to help him create a website that is so 2.0y, it's like one of those supermarkets with every single specialty area.
Oct 1 2009, 6:49AM
You Renamed Sarah Palin's Book
On Wednesday, Katharine Rust, who curates the Atlantic's facebook fan page, posed the
politics channel's Question of the Day to its fans: "What do you think
we'll learn about Sarah Palin from her memoir, "Going Rogue: An
American Story," slated for release Nov. 17? Anything? Bonus: suggest
an alternate title (please be civil)."
The winner of the contest that we're starting and ending at the same moment... now... is:
Steve Katcher: "Winksmanship: I Can See Your Country From My DoorStep." That's pretty funny.
Here's a list of some the more interesting responses:
Oct 1 2009, 4:18AM
Thursday Morning Quarterback: Executive Power
Item: Judge defers to administration in case of CIA videotapes.
Item: Obama administration wants a dramatically modified reporters' shield law, one that orders judges to defer to the executive branch and one that doesn't protect journalists from "significant" breaches of national security. Oh, and the executive branch determines what "significant" means.
If there's a thread that runs through virtually every
controversial national security decision made by this administration,
it's a belief in the prerogative of the executive branch to exclusively
determine what constitutes a national security fact and, crucially, the
sole right to determine how to protect that fact, and to whom that fact
can be disclosed. To be fair, this broad assertion of executive power
is as much as consequence of 25 years worth of accumulated
jurisprudence as it is a result of Dick Cheney and John Yoo's pet
theories of the national security state. Read more here.
Copyright © 2009 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All rights reserved.