The Atlantic Politics Channel: Staff Archives

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Jun 25 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/25

Today, Jenny Sanford put out a long, thoughtful statement on her husband; the U.S. Open sparked a climate change debate; and Dennis Ross was given a defined role.

We also considered whether Mark Sanford's admission will change politics; the new nomadism of economic displacement; how to read an Iranian news story; where Clarence Thomas would be if not for the Anita Hill scandal; Mitt Romney's image rehab; and whether fans will cheer or boo President Obama at the MLB All-Star Game.

Jun 25 2009, 6:00AM

Sanford's Style

As public admissions/apologies go, Mark Sanford's was remarkably open, perhaps verging on too much information. How does Sanford's press conference stack up to the historical likes of Clinton, Spitzer, and Vitter?

Jun 24 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/24

Today, we learned that Bill Richardson thought it was "fantastic" to have Manny Ramirez in New Mexico; Mark Sanford returned; held a press conference; said he'd been in Argentina and admitted to an affair; Sarah Palin ranked as America's most popular Republican; the Iranian government leveled allegations of terrorism and spying; and Nico Pitney explained his arranged conveyance of an Iranian question.

Jun 24 2009, 11:46AM

Quote Of The Day: Nixon On Looking For More Female Candidates

Understand, I don't do it because I'm for women, but I'm doing it because I think maybe a woman might win someplace where a man might not.

Jun 24 2009, 6:00AM

Obama The Pickup Artist

President Obama expresses undisguised contempt for the habits of the American media. And they luuuuv it. Do his low-grade insults make him irresistible? Who taught him this pop seduction technique?

Jun 23 2009, 7:30PM

The Day In Politics, 6/23

Today, we learned that the Obama administration is shutting down a domestic satellite surveillance program; Iran's Guardian Council says it won't annul the election results; a cheat site can help you understand health reform; health insurers are feeling the public drumbeat for a public plan; and President Obama held a news conference covering Iran, health care reform, and energy.

Jun 23 2009, 3:33PM

Quote of the Day: Obama on Neda Video

It's heartbreaking. Anybody who sees it knows that there is something fundamentally unjust about that.

Jun 22 2009, 6:40PM

The Invisible Primary, 6/22

Tracking the GOP race to 2012

Gov. Mark Sanford has gone missing, and his staff won't say where he is; John Ensign's approval ratings dropped after admitting to an affair with an ex-staffer, but he is still more popular than Harry Reid; Mike Huckabee will travel to Alabama tomorrow to raise money for a congressional candidate; he'll also keynote an event for radio trade publication Radio Ink in December; and Haley Barbour will travel to Virginia, New Hampshire, and Iowa this week for candidate and party events.

Jun 17 2009, 7:27PM

The Day In Politics, 6/17

Today, we learned that the Obama administration's stance on state secrets legislation is forthcoming; Tom Daschle and Bob Dole introduced a health care "compromise"; the White House granted some benefits to domestic partners of gay federal employees; and it released a white paper on regulatory reform; Kathleen Sebelius reiterated the pledge of deficit neutral health care reform; and Eric Holder and Sen. Russ Feingold sparred over the legality of warrantless wiretapping.

Jun 17 2009, 7:17PM

Quote of the Day: Obama on Regulatory Reform

Regulators were charged with seeing the trees, not the forest.

Jun 17 2009, 6:00AM

Iran Backlash

Will the protests and riots following Iran's disputed election have any impact on the nation's government? Assuming results won't be overturned, will the public backlash push the Ayatollah's regime toward a moderate posture?

Jun 16 2009, 6:56PM

The Day In Politics, 6/16

Today, we learned that Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) has backed Marco Rubio for Senate in Florida; Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) acknowledged an extramarital affair; and Rhode Island legalized medical marijuana stores.

We also considered President Obama's balancing act in commenting on Iran; the CBO's score of Sen. Ted Kennedy's health care plan as a gift to the GOP; whether criticism of the plan, and its score, are premature; another score of the plan; progress in childhood obesity; the difference between Obama's health reform push and President Clinton's; why Democrats aren't criticizing Bill Maher for criticizing Obama; as well as Al From's impact on the Democratic Party--and the GOP's need for some of the same.

Jun 16 2009, 12:15PM

Quote of the Day: Mousavi At Rally Monday In Tehran

I came here to invite everyone to defend their rights calmly.

Jun 15 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/15

Today, we learned that health reform backers have launched a new TV ad; Mir Hossein Mousavi officially won two provinces, according to Iran's government tally; Mike Huckabee did an interview in a comedy club; Iranian newspapers led with quotes from Ahmadinejad and Khamenei; President Obama addressed the American Medical Association; Russ Feingold asked Obama to reject the justification for President Bush's wiretapping program; the CIA released redacted descriptions of interrogations; and the CBO scored Sen. Ted Kennedy's health reform proposal.

Jun 12 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/12

Today, the National Organization for Women condemned David Letterman's jokes about Sarah Palin and her daughter; Larry Summers defended his boss; and Organizing for America geared up for its big health care event.

We also considered possible outcomes in Iran, and what they could mean for the U.S.; an impassioned speech on gay rights from President Obama's Office of Personnel Management Director; Sen. Kent Conrad's health care pragmatism; what anti-obesity advocates can learn from the regulation of tobacco; Tim Russert, Matt Cooper, and the CIA leak case; Obama's affinity for DOMA; the GOP's looming Hispanic problem; the administration's state secrets claim in the Jeppesen case; and some corrections.

Jun 11 2009, 6:00AM

The Public Option

Republicans have warned that if the Obama administration pushes a health care with too much public coverage, it won't be bipartisan. Does Obama actually need GOP support, and can he win over skeptical Democrats? Will he succeed in passing a public option for health care?

Jun 10 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/10

Today, we learned that the administration is creating a new Executive Compensation Special Master; that he'll oversee executive pay for seven financial and auto companies; J Street raised $22 K to defend a freshman congresswoman; the DNC wants you to sign Sonia Sotomayor's cast; and Gordon Brown passed over Mark Penn.

Jun 10 2009, 6:00AM

Iran Vs. Virginia

With observers looking to Virginia's gubernatorial primary for domestic political significance, and with Iran slated to hold its elections Friday, we ask: which election should Americans pay closer attention to?

Jun 9 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/9

Today, we learned that a Guantanamo detainee was transferred to New York for trial;Sen. Bernie Sanders said some Democrats will never support single-payer health care; and we welcomed Matt Cooper to the politics channel.

Jun 9 2009, 1:37PM

Quote of the Day: Gingrich on Paganism

We are living in a period where we are surrounded by paganism.

Jun 9 2009, 6:45AM

Too Much Stimulus?

The "Roadmap to Recovery" is the latest public relations frame placed around the economic situation by the Obama administration. Critics are pouncing on what appears to be rising doubts about Obama's ability to fix the problems. The White House insists that the blip is temporary, and that Obama was always honest about the true state of the economy. It is also true that the White House sold the economic stimulus package as the first major step toward recovery. Did they fail to properly inoculate themselves by overemphasizing one fiscal policy? Are they making the same mistake twice?

Jun 8 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/8

Today, we learned of Lakhdar Boumediene's treatment as a detainee; Sarah Palin said "told ya so" to President Obama's economic policies; Obama praised Lebanon's elections; the Supreme Court inssued a ruling on a judicial election eerily reminiscent of a John Grisham novel; College Republicans are trying to find their way; Iran is preparing for its election and the 2008 election saw $1.8 billion raised.

Jun 5 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/5

Today, Mitch Daniels got more attention as a potential 2012 candidate; Newt Gingrich expanded on his criticism of Sonia Sotomayor; unemployment rose to 9.4 percent, with construction workers and black men seeing the worst of it; and the Justice Department launched an investigation into the shooting of Dr. George Tiller; and President Obama spoke about Middle East peace at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Jun 4 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/4

Today, President Obama delivered his long-anticipated speech to the Muslim world; Egyptian Twitterers said "trust, but verify"; conservatives abandoned the "apology tour" meme, even if they didn't like the speech; Palestinians liked it better than Israelis; a Lebanese Hezbollah MP said Muslims don't need a sermon from Obama; the White House bragged about Sonia Sotomayor's speed; and Ron Paul called on supporters to back his son's Senate bid.

Multimedia

Jun 4 2009, 5:07PM

Obama's Cairo Speech

Highlights of President Obama's speech to the Muslim world

Jun 4 2009, 3:02PM

Quote Of The Day: Jeffrey Goldberg On Obama's Cairo Speech

An African-American President with Muslim roots stands before the Muslim world and defends the right of Jews to a nation of their own in their ancestral homeland, and then denounces in vociferous terms the evil of Holocaust denial, and right-wing Israelis go forth and complain that the President is unsympathetic to the housing needs of settlers. Incredible, just incredible.

Jun 3 2009, 7:30PM

The Day In Politics, 6/3

Today, we learned that Newt Gingrich has explain-ogized his comments about Sonia Sotomayor; President Obama supports Medicare cost-cutting with more teeth; Nancy Pelosi asked the GAO to investigate the GPO; you can follow Obama's trip on Twitter; and a rumor floated in Cairo that Obama had caused a mosque to close.

Jun 3 2009, 6:00AM

The Foreign Policy Test

President Obama came into office promising a new paradigm of foreign policy. As he travels to Saudi Arabia, we ask: will Middle East leaders be receptive--and where will it get him the first time around?

Jun 2 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/2

Today, we learned that an Army recruiter was shot and killed in Little Rock; President Obama nominated Republican Rep. John McHugh as secretary of the Army; the Saudi ambassador says reporters should cover whatever they want; a former colleague penned an op-ed backing Sonia Sotomayor; Americans are skeptical of the Muslim world; Tim Pawlenty is not running for reelection, and he says he doesn't know what the future will hold; the CIA paid tribute to an officer killed in the line of duty; and John McCain won the battle over Marine One.

Jun 2 2009, 7:00AM

The Abortion Debate After Tiller

The assassination of Dr. George Tiller has renewed a decades-old debate between pro-choice and pro-life activists about the fundamental nature of speech and protest, about slippery slopes and sacrosanct principles -- and about life and death. Will Tiller's death influence the American abortion debate?

Jun 1 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 6/1

Today, we learned that Sonia Sotomayor's former clerks are recommending her for SCOTUS confirmation; Democrats are hitting six Republicans for opposing the stimulus; the White House issued strict guidelines to reporters traveling to Riyadh; the GOP is whiter, demographically, than the Democratic Party; Nancy Reagan said President Obama could have scored points by inviting her to his stem cell announcement; Michael Moore said goodbye to GM; Obama recognized gay pride month; and Sarah Palin worries about the pro-life movement after the assassination of Dr. George Tiller.

May 29 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/29

Today, we learned that Organizing for America hopes to rally support for Sotomayor; GOP insiders say it's a bad idea to oppose her; Sen. Chris Dodd's first 2010 reelection ad features footage of President Obama congratulating him on the credit card bill; Obama is outpacing Clinton and both Bushes in approval; young conservatives attempted rap; cookies may have yielded crucial intelligence; and Democrats see an upside to attacks on Sotomayor.

We also considered Obama's new brand of capitalism; the intellectual honesty of discussing Sotomayor's race and gender; whether the government will influence auto design; what you need to know about cyber security; Sen. John Cornyn's pragmatism; and what happened in '08 and how things are lining up for 2010.

May 28 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/28

Today we learned that President Obama will travel to Landstuhl Regional Medical Facility in Gernamy next week, thereby visiting the center of an '08 controversy; Mitt Romney participated in a roundtable discussion in Arlington, VA; the public likes Sonia Sotomayor; Obama urged grassroots support for healthcare reform via phone from Air Force One; Arnold Schwarzenegger joked about Rush Limbaugh's weight; the NRCC cut a Pelosi/CIA ad; and a federal judge has given the government some classification guidance in the case of Waleed Said Bn Said Zaid.

May 28 2009, 6:00AM

2012's Crisis

Depending on the intentions of North Korea, their saber-rattling this week will result in a full-scale conflagration that President Obama will have to douse now -- or postpone the inevitable (a collapse of the regime) for a few more years. Either way, American policy will be the subject of intense debates among politicians. Will North Korea be a campaign issue in 2012?

May 27 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/27

Today, we learned that Bush v. Gore lawyers have teamed up to challenge Proposition 8; a liberal coalition has launched the first Sonia Sotomayor ad; Jeb Bush, Jr. (not the former governor) endorsed Marco Rubio in Florida's Senate race; Mike Huckabee sought to raise money on Sotomayor's nomination; former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) said Sotomayor "appears to be racist"; Newt Gingrich said almost the same; Vice President Joe Biden cracked a Teleprompter joke; and two liberal groups declared America "a center-left nation."

May 26 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/26

Today, we learned that President Obama has nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court--who was his favorite all along; conservatives hit Sotomayor for saying appeals courts are "where policy is made"; the White House has issued talking points to sell her; Arlen Specter likes the pick; Judicial Confirmation Network does not; neither does Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC); Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and RNC Chairman Michael Steele pledged a fair confirmation process; so did Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Jeff Sessions; Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) congratulated Sotomayor but promised scrutiny; the Chamber of Commerce will decide whether to endorse her; California's Supreme Court upheld the state's constitutional ban on gay marriage; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is okay with Guantanamo detainees in U.S. prisons; and October 2009 will be a time to reflect on Obama campaign artwork.

May 21 2009, 7:30PM

Question For The Day, Answered

Our question for the day--whether Obama's security speech would satisfy his base, receives a split decision: some liberal bloggers liked it; civil liberties and human rights groups did not.

May 21 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/21

Today, President Obama laid out his national security doctrine, which was panned by civil-liberties and human-rights groups and saw split reactions from bloggers; John McCain won a round in his long fight to overhaul the military's procurement process; Mitch McConnell said Obama should show "flexibility" on Guantanamo; and we learned that the FCC can search your house without a warrant.

May 21 2009, 6:30PM

The Invisible Primary, 5/21

Tracking the GOP race to 2012

Today, a Public Policy Polling survey finds that President Obama, in potential 2012 matchups, leads Newt Gingrich 53-36, Mike Huckabee 52-39, Sarah Palin 56-37, and Mitt Romney 53-35; Politics Daily profiles Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour as a potential candidate; a Bobby Jindal-backed bill to make gubernatorial records more transparent has passed the Louisiana Senate; Rep. Mike Pence will host three forums in three states to talk about GOP energy policy, along with other members of the House GOP American Energy Solutions Group he chairs.

May 20 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/20

Today we learned that, according to a federal judge, the government can't use "substantial support" to justify detention; President Obama broadcasted a White House meeting live; a hard drive containing sensitive information has gone missing from the National Archives; a new TV ad compares Obama to JFK; Newt Gingrich says Democrats should oust Nancy Pelosi; and Obama has rebuked his predecessor's doctrine of preempting state laws.

May 20 2009, 6:20PM

The Invisible Primary, 5/20

The day in 2012 news: "GOP Kingmaker" / top finance guy Fred Malek insists he's not leaning towards an endorsement of anyone right now, and that sounds about right; 59 percent of Minnesotans say its somewhat likely he'll run for president in 2012--according to Rasmussen; The New Republic's Zvika Krieger profiles Jon Huntsman and says he'll be biding his time in China; Bristol Palin and her son, Tripp, will appear on the cover of PEOPLE magazine, keeping the Palins in the public eye and promoting abstinence in her interview.

Tomorrow, Winthrop/ETV will release polling results of southerners on the short list of potential GOP presidential candidates.

May 19 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/19

Today we learned the details of the administration's CAFE announcement; two University of Chicago law profs think President Obama's SCOTUS pick will be center-left, not traditionally liberal; the CIA has hundreds of pages of records describing its destroyed interrogation tapes; faith groups have launched a health reform campaign, including radio ads; and Donald Rumsfeld says he had nothing to do with biblical references in classified briefings.

May 18 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/18

Today we learned that President Obama will announce his SCOTUS nominee next week, according to administration officials; the House GOP continues its campaign against closing Guantanamo; the government is still resting on the state-secrets privilege in al-Haramain; Wolfram|Alpha doesn't know who Obama will nominate to SCOTUS; Judicial Confirmation Network is taking aim at three SCOTUS possibles; the Supreme Court refused to hear challenges to California's medical marijuana law; and that the ACLU is tired of the governent's "faux consultation."

May 15 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/15

Today we learned that President Obama wants to keep military commissions for detainees but expand detainee rights, saying commissions are "appropriate" and "legitimate"; Amnesty International and the ACLU are irate at the decision; Lakhdar Boumediene is on his way to France, where he'll face terrorism charges; 2,083 FISA court wiretaps were approved in 2008; the White House is trying to sell its tribunals policy to allies; CIA Director Leon Panetta told his employees that Pelosi got the truth and they should "ignore the noise" of the controversy; the Chamber of Commerce says it supports climate change legislation--but hasn't changed its stance that much; and what Mark Blumenthal has learned at the annual pollsters' convention in Hollywood, Florida.

May 14 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/14

Today we learned that the RNC is mocking Obama's efforts at credit card reform; Nancy Pelosi hit back at the CIA and her critics; Rahm Emanuel's Secret Service codename is Black Hawk; the Senate voted against two credit card reform measures; the CIA rejected Vice President Dick Cheney's request to release memos allegedly showing the fruits of harsh interrogation; the House Energy and Commerce Committee has drafted an outline of health reform legislation; and Obama's new drug czar wants to abolish the "war on drugs."

May 13 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/13

Today we learned that the Department of Transportation will cancel a Bush-administration plan to auction off runway time at New York City airports; AIG CEO Edward Liddy says AIG needs more money...unless the economy gets really bad; former FBI interrogator Ali Soufan told the Senate Judiciary Committee that harsh interrogation techniques don't work as well as regular ones; Condoleezza Rice's former top aide said the same; liberals in Minnesota set up a billboard calling on Gov. Tim Pawlenty ro certify Al Franken as a senator; and Carlos Moreno might be on Obama's short list for the Supreme Court.

May 12 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/12

Today in politics, we learned that Charlie Crist has the backing of his party's campaign arm, and that he's popular among GOP voters in his state; the Philadelphia Inquirer has hired John Yoo as a columnist; Liz Cheney thinks her father is right to speak out; new TV ads will pressure centrist senators on health care; President Obama plans to cut taxes for the rich; Pew and the Sunlight Foundation have mapped TARP's geographical influence; Arlen Specter receieved a warm--but not ecstatic--welcome from Philadelphia Democrats; and protesters interrupted a Senate hearing on health care reform.

May 11 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/11

Today we learned that health care industry leaders are pledging to work toward President Obama's goals; Iran has freed journalist Roxana Saberi; Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari thinks the U.S. deserves some blame for the Taliban threat; an overhaul of the corporate tax code likely isn't on the way; embryonic stem cell research funding could impact the national electoral map; the Defense Department named a new top commander in Afghanistan; "socialism" is everywhere; and Rep. Pete Hoekstra wants the CIA to release more information about when and who it briefed in Congress on interrogations (that, or he wants more trouble for Democrats).

We deliberated on the meaning of all of this, plus whether it's okay to laugh at the jokes told at the White House Correspondents Association dinner; Obama's SCOTUS short list; what message Republicans will run on in 2010; and claims of a health reform renaissance.

May 6 2009, 7:00PM

The Day In Politics, 5/6

Today we learned that Maine had legalized gay marriage (though the federal government won't recognize them); Bristol Palin campaigned for abstinence; Levi Johnston disagreed; one of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's former clerks said the left shouldn't look for a Scalia antidote; John McCain said detainees are war criminals, and can be held during war; the NRCC advertised its opposition's unchecked power; Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks it's time to have the marijuana debate; Gen. James Jones surfaced; Congress will hold its first hearing on the Bush interrogation memos; Nancy Pelosi is more concerned with jobs than gay marriage; and Eric Cantor claims his group is not on a listening tour.