Praying and Preying
by Maureen Dowd
Barack Obama has spent his life, and campaign, trying not to be the Angry Black Man.Early on, he wrote in “Dreams From My Father,” he discerned the benefits of playing against the ’60s stereotype of black militancy.“I learned to slip back and forth between my black and white worlds,” he said. “One of those tricks I had learned: People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied; they were relieved — such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn’t seem angry all the time.” |
Senator: Most superdelegates in Congress privately back Obama
by Raw Story
The battle for Democratic superdelegates in the Capitol's marble halls is over, according to a report early Wednesday."Capitol Hill insiders say the battle for congressional superdelegates is over, and one Senate supporter of Barack Obama is hinting strongly that he has prevailed over Hillary Rodham Clinton," Politico's Amie Parnes and Josephine Hearn report Wednesday. "While more than 80 Democrats in the House and Senate have yet to state their preferences in the race for the Democratic nomination, sources said Tuesday that most of them have already made up their minds and have told the campaigns where they stand." |
Political Theories Abound in North Carolina, but Don’t Ask John Edwards for His
by Julie Bosman
What will the Edwardses do?As the Democratic presidential candidates and their surrogates traipse through North Carolina in the final days before the state’s primary, some people here are wondering, why so quiet in Chapel Hill?That is where John and Elizabeth Edwards retreated after he dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination on Jan. 30. Neither Mr. Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, nor Mrs. Edwards, a political activist herself, has endorsed a candidate, despite the growing intensity of the race between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and the fact that the contest has now landed in the Edwardses’ backyard. |
Did Barack Obama finally do the Wright thing?
by CapitolHillBlue.com
On Monday, the pundits said Rev. Jeremiah Wright threw Democratic Presidential frontrunner Barack Obama under the proverbial political bus with more lurid comments about the sad state of affairs in a place called America.On Tuesday, Obama disowned his former minister and now the same pundits say the candidate tossed the preacher under the same bus. |
Jeremiah Wright and Miley Cyrus
by CapitolHillBlue.com
On Monday, I defended some of the controversial remarks made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Democratic Presidential frontrunner Barack Obama's bombastic former pastor.Then I watched Wright's disgusting, self-serving "all about me" performance at the National Press Club in Washington. |
"What's With Your 'Crazy' U.S Politics?" - A Letter to European Friends
by Bernard Weiner
Dear Wolfgang and Jacqueline:Finally some time to respond to your recent letter, where you asked me to explain the "crazy American political situation" and why "the U.S. is behaving so recklessly" with regard to Iran. Your terms are right on the mark. |
Justice Scalia, Do Your Manner and Tone Really Denote Fascism?
by Bill Hare
For any international historian who had been away for a time either on another planet or taking a Rip Van Winkle style nap, how would that person find contemporary America?That individual would have found the “60 Minutes” interview time that CBS generously bestowed on Chief Justice Antonin Scalia highly informative. He presented the term “originalist” as defining his philosophy on the U.S. Constitution, but after listening to him in detail the question would have to be asked whether what he presented is unstead unvarnished fascism. |
Donors to Clintons: We Gave at the Office
by Russ Wellen
"In a campaign of surprises," writes Daniel Henninger in a recent Wall Street Journal column, "none has been more breathtaking than the falling away of Clinton supporters, loyalists [and] friends. Why?"The answer, of course -- after all, this is the WSJ -- is "Money." |
Grain Market Manipulation = Petrofraud Redux
by Michael Fox
"This money is going to help Americans offset the high prices we're seeing at the gas pump, at the grocery store, and will also give our economy a boost to help us pull out of this economic slowdown.” President George W. Bush, Friday, April 25, 2008 announcing that the “stimulus package” tax rebate checks would begin to be distributed this week. |
Jeremiah Wright Delivers the Knockout Punch
by Mike Whitney
Reverend Jeremiah Wright appeared on PBS Bill Moyers Journal on Friday night and delivered a knockout punch to the bully-boys in the corporate media. It was an impressive performance that left the political assassins over at FOX News choking on their sausage-rolls. Wright showed that he is neither a fanatic nor an “America hater”; just an extremely well-read and principled man with an unshakable commitment to justice. Wright has also paid his dues; he's an ex-Marine who served in Vietnam when most of his critics were either hiding behind their student deferments or languishing in the "Champagne Unit" of the Texas National Guard. He's earned the right to say whatever he chooses. |
But does business really outperform government?
by Pierre Tristam
There it was, 463 words into Ronald Reagan's first inaugural address: "In the present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." With those words, spoken in 1981, a movement that had abscessed on the fringes of political chatter since the 1930s reclaimed power. The words meant nothing in themselves. Characteristic of Reagan's copious plagiarism, they weren't even new. They were a retread of the Harding-Coolige-Hoover slogan that "the business of America is business." |
The Myths and Harsh Effects of Bush's Economic Class War
by Larry Beinhart
George Bush came into office. There was a recession almost immediately. Officially it began in March of 2001 and, officially, it ended eight months later.The causes of that recession are vague and amorphous, generally credited to the "business cycle." |
Six Degrees of Barack Obama
by Cenk Uygur
The latest right-wing game is to pin controversial figures, who might have said or done anything objectionable at any point in their lifetimes, to Barack Obama. Then make him apologize for them. Then make him denounce and reject them. And then say he hasn't done enough to "distance" himself from them. |
McCain rejects 'big government' takeover of health care
by CNN
Sen. John McCain on Monday rejected a "big government" takeover of the health care system, saying he wants to empower families to make more medical decisions. "I've made it very clear that what I want is for families to make decisions about their health care, not government, and that's the fundamental difference between myself and Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton," McCain told reporters in Miami, Florida, referring to the two remaining Democratic presidential candidates, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. |
US troop deaths hit 7-month high in Iraq
by Kim Gamel
The U.S. military death toll hit a seven-month high of 50 on Wednesday — with more than half the losses in Baghdad as American forces wage growing street battles against Shiite fighters.Iraqi civilian deaths also remained high following the Iraqi government crackdown on Shiite militia factions — accused by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of using residents as human shields during close combat in the teeming Sadr City slum. |
Wright, Jefferson and the Wrath of God
by John Nichols
"Just maybe now as that dialogue begins the religious tradition that has kept hope alive for a people struggling to survive in countless hopeless situations will be understood."The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, April 28, 2008The right response to the controversy that has been generated with regard to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. is not to run away from the United Church of Christ pastor, to condemn him, or to try to apologize for him. |
Afghans link Karzai assassination plan to Pakistan
by Rahim Faiez
The plot to kill President Hamid Karzai over the weekend was hatched in lawless tribal areas of neighboring Pakistan, the Afghan intelligence chief said Wednesday.The accusation came just hours after Afghan security forces raided a Kabul hide-out of militants with suspected links to the attack on Karzai. Seven people died in the raid. |
Supreme Court Gives Republicans a Boost
by Jim Lobe
In a decision with major implications for the November national elections, the U.S. Supreme Court Monday upheld a controversial state law that Democrats and a number of national civil rights groups believe could undermine the right of tens of thousands of poor and minority voters to cast ballots.0429 03 1 |
