The country is now 6 months past the insurrection on the Capitol inspired by the previous administration. And while Donald Trump is still telling anyone who’ll listen to him that he won the election, most other GOP lawmakers have moved on. The Republicans, though, are moving on by trying to pretend the insurrection wasn’t all…
In the 6 years he was in charge of the senate, Mitch McConnell wielded his power with an iron fist. The Kentucky lawmaker showed no interest in anything Democrats had to say. He pushed through 3 Supreme Court and a massive tax break for the richest Americans. Now that he is out of power, though,…
In a small sentence, Biden made a huge point. Let’s serve people, not presidents or politics.
President-elect Joe Biden campaigned aspirationally on a vision of uniting a country many see as severely, if not hopelessly, divided. After all, while Biden amassed over 80 million votes, the most votes ever tallied by any candidate in a presidential election in U.S. history, Trump hauled in the second-most votes ever, finding the support of…
Hours before his expected call for ‘unity’ during his State of the Union address, Trump dismissed former Vice President Joe Biden as “dumb,†called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer a “nasty son of a bitch†and mocked the disgraced Governor Ralph Northam for “choking like a dog,â€
Fox and Friends were flabbergasted that Americans trust President Obama more on foreign policy, education, terrorism, and unity.
On MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show, host Rachel Maddow traced President Barack Obama’s efforts towards political unity. She examined all of Obama’s failed bi-partisan efforts, and concluded that Obama is going to have change his strategy because he is going to get zero Republican support.
The right wing furor over President Obama’s back to school speech was revealed to be even more insane than initially thought after the text of the speech was released today. The speech emphasizes students’ personal responsibility for their own education. This is a principle that even the most conservative Americans should support.
Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) were on ABC’s This Week today where Kerry unloaded on former vice president Dick Cheney after Cheney blasted the decision to investigate CIA interrogation abuses. Kerry said, “Dick Cheney has shown through the years, frankly, a disrespect for the Constitution, for sharing of information with Congress…”
Reaction is still coming in from all over the political world to the news that Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) lost his battle with brain cancer and passed away last night. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter have all released statements remembering Kennedy.
After the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Al Franken should be certified the winner of the 2008 US Senate race in Minnesota, Republican Norm Coleman released a statement conceding the race, and congratulating Franken. Coleman said, “The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken and I respect its decision and will abide by the result.”
Today President Barack Obama released a statement about the Iranian government’s violent actions against its own people. Interestingly, Obama used a quote from Martin Luther King to voice his support for the Iranian people. The quote, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
In an interview with Radio America’s Dateline Washington Rep. Dana Rohrabacher claimed that the Iranian people are protesting because they want a democracy and that President Obama is a cream puff for not interfering in Iran. Rohrabacher believes that the US is missing an opportunity in Iran that they need to be exploiting.
On The Sean Hannity Show today host Sean Hannity claimed that Obama has remained silent after the Iranian election, and thousands of people are growing outraged with Obama. Hannity said that Obama doesn’t want to make Adolf Jr. mad. The problem is that President Obama was on television this morning talking about….the Iranian election.
In a startling bit of racism, Manuel Miranda, a former aide to Republican Sen. Bill Frist told conservative bloggers that, “We aren’t like African Americans. We think like everyone else.” This begs the question, for Mr. Miranda how do African Americans think differently from everyone else? I’d love an explanation.
Powerful Senate Democrats Max Baucus and Ted Kennedy released a joint statement today saying that they will have a healthcare reform bill ready before the Senate takes its August recess. The fact that Baucus, who opposes single payer, released a statement with Kennedy is a clear sign that single payer is in trouble.
President Barack Obama was warmly welcomed at Notre Dame’s commencement today. Obama used his speech to not only called for a reduction in abortions performed, and for two sides of a debate that will probably never agree on the issue, but they can have an open hearted and minded debate.
Conservative right wing talker Michael Savage threatened today to sue U.K. Home Office Sec. Jacqui Smith for banning him from the United Kingdom. Savage was banned for stirring up hatred that could lead to inter-community violence. Savage apparently has failed to see the irony in the fact that he regularly calls for Muslims to be banned from the U.S.
While serving as guest host of Bill Bennett’s radio show, RNC Chairman Michael Steele agreed with a caller’s description of President Obama as Barack the Magic Negro. This is in contrast to his condemnation of this attack when he was running for RNC chair.
President Barack Obama will mark his first 100 days in office this week. To mark the anniversary, here is a comparison of how Barack Obama and George W. Bush spent their first 100 days in office. You may be surprised to learn that both presidents were/are still popular after their first 100 days.
Just for kicks, I have put together a list of the top 5 Obama conspiracy theories. Many of these have been built upon since the election. Obama is now a fascist, who is a British citizen, who is also working on a long form forgery of his birth certificate.
The Institute for Politics, Democracy, and the Internet is giving out its Golden Dot awards today and tomorrow at the Politics Online Conference. The awards recognize the best intersections between politics and technology. Barack Obama and Ron Paul were named the Democratic and Republican online politicians of the year.
The organizers of the April 15 Chicago Tea Party claim that they rejected a request from RNC Chairman Michael Steele to speak at the event, but Steele claims that he never asked to speak. The real story here is that the GOP is trying to muscle in on the Tea Party Movement, but not all Tea Parties will be alike. Republicans will find themselves unwelcome at true grass roots events.
The state of Vermont has become the latest target for the wrath of social conservatives after the state legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto and legalized same sex marriage. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council blamed the veto override on, “wealthy homosexual activists.”
Last month journalist Seymour Hersh broke the story that the Bush administration used an executive assassination ring to go into countries and execute people on a hit list. Today on CNN’s The Situation Room, former Cheney aide John Hannah said that a list of targets exists and there are troops in the field who have the authority to capture or kill certain individuals.
Another sign of the big changes brought by President Obama came today as he announced that he is going to convene the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. In a little more than two months we have gone from an administration that resisted any climate change science to becoming a leader on the issue.
One of the founders of the plain English and simplification of contracts movement, Alan Siegel argue
You might think that with the nation mired in its worst recession in decades, now wouldn’t be the time
Today, Hershey closed down its Reading, PA plant after 23 years of production, and m
Here is a little fun fact that is really bad news for Republicans hoping to run against Barack Obam
The Obama Revolution by Alan Kennedy-Shaffer is the first book to be written by an Obama staffer a
Some times, some things are just too inane and trifling to comment upon.
Today at a speech at Georgetown University, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen.
New Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele argued on ABC’s This Week progra
The conservative consensus is creative people can’t change shit.
“I stand here today humbled by the task before us.” With these words began the historic presidenc
As millions of Obama supporters flood Washington D.C, an interesting thing has happened.
The House Appropriations Committee released their initial version of the $825 billion stimulus package, and not surprisingly it contains no money for food banks, which have seen a doubling of demand i
The conservative group the Institute for Liberty (IFL) is calling Democrats hypocrites on the issue of global warming because they estimated that President Elect Barack Obama inauguration will produce
During his statement to the new Congress, Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) waded into the disputed Minnesota Senate race by referring to Republican Norm Coleman as a former senator, and he called on him to concede, but Coleman said he will be filing suit to contest the certification of Al Franken as the winner.
The leadership vacuum in the Republican Party is providing president elect Obama with a unique opportunity. On Monday he is holding a bi-partisan meeting with the congressional leadership, while later in that same week Republican leaders will hold a meeting without the RNC. Could Obama become a force in both parties?
I’ll give Dubya this much, he’s pretty nimble for a man in his sixties.
Perhaps if only Ed O’Neill ran for office would a political story dealing with shoes make so many headlines across the globe.
So, on the eve of New Year’s Eve 2008, I put my baby down to sleep and turned off the TV for the night. And here I sit, with a goblet of aged, Spanish sherry…okay, it’s 30 year Scotch…okay, you got me, it’s really just a Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, but it’s 2001, a good year…oh, alright, it’s actually Franzia from a box…
It’s all I can afford on a teacher’s salary, sadly…
Please keep this in mind as you read through my article. A window company in Chicago decided to lay off its entire workforce due to financial issues. The large group of former employees decided to storm the business and are now refusing to leave until their demands are met. When this news first broke the first thing that came to many, as observed through my diligent evesdropping, was how the building must be in shambles now, and completely trashed. This tidbit of info may not make sense now, but just wait, it will come together. Now onto the rest of my op-ed.
Shadowy rooms with figures slipping in and out. Whispered words, plots, conspiracies.
A government at the side, eyes glancing, warnings being exchanged between members.
The government is at risk of falling; their adversaries are beginning to grumble louder and louder…El Presidenté might be deposed in short notice.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid held a joint news conference today where they made it clear that the auto industry has to come up with a viable plan to reorganize or they will not get a dime of federal money.
After Democratic Senate Caucus voted 42-13 not to strip Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman of his Homeland Security chairmanship, Lieberman admitted both that he owes Obama, and that he regrets some of the remarks he made about the president elect during the presidential campaign.
To say that expectations are high for the presidency of Barack Obama, would be an understatement. From the economy to Iraq, here are five changes that you can count on happening now that Democrats are back in control of the White House.
Barack Obama scored a key appointment for his administration today, as it is being reported that Rep. Rahm Emanuel has agreed to be Obama’s Chief of Staff.
While America is basking in the glow of the historic election of Barack Obama, one historic shift should not be overlooked. With his election, perhaps the era of red state/blue state 50/50 political division has been broken.
Two new LA Times/ Bloomberg polls released today of Ohio and Florida show Barack Obama leading John McCain, 49%-40% in Ohio, and 50%-43% in Florida, but the most telling statistic might be that 7% of those asked thought that Obama was a Muslim.
In Canton, OH today Barack Obama will lay out his closing argument to the voters about why they should support him. He will focus on the economy and change. Obama will ask Americans, “Will this country be better off four years from now?”
Well, we are done with the final debate between the candidates and going down the home stretch towards Election Day. And it looks to me like McCain and his campaign are making every possible dumb move that can be made, and no Rovian tactic can help them. In fact, it is the Rove-like maneuvers that are hurting McCain/Palin in the eyes of the American people.
Ever the cautious candidate, Barack Obama warned his supporters at a fundraising breakfast today not to get too cocky about their lead over John McCain, but due to his lead, Obama does have a chance to extend his campaign into more red states, to potentially give himself a mandate and extend the Democratic congressional majority.
The second presidential debate in Nashville, TN played out much like the first debate. Republican John McCain focused on character and leadership, while Obama talked about issues and policy. In an election year where Americans want change and a new direction, McCain missed an opportunity to America exactly what he would do if elected president, while Obama took another step towards the White House.
In her first solo network television interview Sarah Palin appeared clueless when asked about the Bush Doctrine by ABC’s Charlie Gibson. When Palin was asked about the Bush Doctrine, she appeared not to know what it was.
Here is the video:
Today Barack Obama, John McCain, and George W. Bush all spoke on the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and none of them mentioned Osama Bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader who is still at large. Why have our political leaders forgotten Bin Laden?
The event may have been largely ignored by the mainstream media, but Ron Paul hosted a press conference today that featured all of the major third party candidates, with the exception of Bob Barr, who is still trying to get Paul’s endorsement. The point of today’s event was to promote third party unity and call on Americans to reject the closed two party system.
During his interview on ABC’s This Week program this morning, Obama laughed off the idea that Sarah Palin has more national security experience than he does. He also took the Republicans to task for mocking his time as a community organizer.
I got home a little late tonight and got in just as Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett Packard, is speaking. I’ll leave her “comments” alone as I didn’t see all of it. I’ll start tonight’s “running diary” of the GOP convention with the first speaker I had the opportunity to fully observe.
8:08pm—Mitt Romney’s on stage. Wait, what? Romney’s on stage? Who decided to let him out of the Christian fundamentalist doghouse?
The convention is about to begin, and the cameras pan the conventioneers. First thing I notice: the audience is all white (actually, hard to miss that one).
Russian tanks have spelled victory and freedom for the world from Nazi tyranny, when the monstrous machines rumbled through the ruined streets of Berlin some six decades ago. We should all be thankful for the Soviet-Russian contribution to the Second World War for without it, I might be writing this column in German.
There were two purposes to Barack Obama’s acceptance speech tonight at Invesco Field.
As former President Bill Clinton took the stage, the moment of Democratic unity that so many have been waiting to see occurred, the long standing ovation Clinton got sent the message that the primary battle is forgotten, and all Democrats are behind Barack Obama.
This afternoon Democratic presidential candidate Barack put out a statement condemning Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.
Clinton advisor Maggie Williams and senior Obama advisor David Axelrod put out a joint statement this morning to refute a Politico story that there is still tension between the two
Unless you are a part of the McCain campaign, Barack Obama’s selection of Joe Biden as his running mate is drawing bi-partisan praise from Chuck Hagel, Dick Luger, Hillary Clinton, and Ted Kennedy.
After returning home from his weekend visit to the Republic of Georgia, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) said that Russia’s invasion of Georgia was based on false claims of atrocities, and that this was one of the most significant events to occur in Europe since the end of communism.
The press offices of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama issued a joint statement today praising the fact that both of their names will be placed into nomination at the Democratic convention.
Today, outspoken Republican Mike Huckabee criticized the idea being pushed by some members of his own party that Mitt Romney should be John McCain’s running mate. Not because Romney is a Mormon, but because he is a flip-flopper.
With the announcement Sunday night that Hillary Clinton will be the headline speaker for the second night of the 2008 Democratic convention, perhaps the few disgruntled Hillary Clinton supporters will stop whining about the lack of respect they have been getting from the Obama campaign.
Sen. Dick Durban (D-IL) was on Fox News Sunday this morning, and he had some interesting comments about Democratic Party unity and Bill Clinton.
Barack Obama spoke to the media and did his best to play down reports that there are still are still some bad feelings between himself and the Clintons.
Despite the supposed political neutrality that the Olympic Games carries within its very essence, some had come to question the morality and correctness of holding the games in a state with a questionable human rights record.
Nonetheless, the anticipation was tangible.
In an interview that aired on ABC’s World News Tonight Bill Clinton denied that he is angry at Barack Obama, but offered very little in terms of an endorsement and enthusiasm for the Democratic nominee.
At a town hall meeting on the economy in St. Petersburg, FL today Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was confronted by some hecklers who were upset with what they viewed as Obama’s lack of a stance on issues like the Jena 6, and Sean Bell.
The House Judiciary Committee cited Karl Rove for contempt for not appearing at a July 10 committee hearing related to the politicization of the Justice Department, but as has been her habit Speaker Nancy Pelosi could block a final vote.
Lost in all the coverage of Barack Obama’s interview that aired on Meet the Press today were his comments on race relations. Host Tom Brokaw asked Obama about the differing views between whites and blacks about racism in America.
Former vice president Al Gore was on NBC’s Meet the Press today and he talked about why hen thinks offshore oil drilling is a bad idea.
The Obama campaign announced this morning that they raised $52 million in the month of June. This means that the Obama camp more than doubled McCain’s $22 million for the month.
Here is Ralph Nader’s reaction to the Senate’s passage of a FISA bill today which granted immunity to the telecom companies who participated in George W. Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program.
As expected the Senate passed the FISA bill today complete with full immunity for the telecoms who participated in President Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program. The bill passed by a vote of 69-28.
Barack Obama spoke via satellite to the National Education Association today, and called John McCain someone who “has a pretty slim record on education.” Obama said that when his opponent has taken a stand on education, it has been the wrong one.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama released a statement reacting to new Labor Department statistics that revealed that another 62,000 people lost their jobs in June, “As we head into the 4th of July weekend, today’s report that our economy has lost another 62,000 jobs is a stark reminder that far too many Americans will spend this holiday out of work
As part of his national service agenda which he revealed in speech given in Colorado Springs, CO, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called for increasing the military by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. “In this young century, our military has answered when called, even as that call has come too often.
The Obama campaign announced today that Barack Obama will be making his first international trip as the Democratic nominee to the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Jordan, and Israel.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama came together for a rally in Unity, NH this afternoon where the theme was global monetary policy. (Just kidding, of course the theme was Democratic unity). Clinton delivered an outstanding performance in front of the crowd of 6,000 which made me wonder, where was this Hillary Clinton during most of the primary campaign?
According to a memo released by the Obama campaign this morning, today’s event in Unity, NH is designed to bring together a very unique coalition in American politics, young people, women, African-Americans, and Latinos. The message this rally wants to send is uniting to break barriers.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama gave what could best be described as a middle of the road reaction to today’s Supreme Court ruling in the D.C. gun ban case.
Ralph Nader made some controversial comments regarding Barack Obama to the Rocky Mountain News. Nader alleged that only Obama’s race makes him different from any of the recent Democratic presidential candidates.
The Obama campaign put out a memo about John McCain’s appearance with California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pressing him to ask John McCain about his support of offshore drilling, which he opposes.
The White man in Africa was once seen as the quintessential symbol of tyranny and oppression. Having swarmed the once-named “Dark Continent” over a century ago, plundering its riches and destroying its people along the way, Africa underwent tremendous suffering at the hands of various European taskmasters.
Today Barack Obama announced a four part plan designed to crackdown on speculation in the oil futures market. The centerpiece of his plan is the closing of the Enron loophole.
On Friday, June 20, the House of Representatives voted 239-129 in favor of HR 6304, more commonly known as the “telecom immunity bill.” The passage in the House is a victory for President Bush and right wingers everywhere.
By a vote of 293-129, Democrats in the House today sold out the civil liberties of all Americans when they gave in to the Republicans and the telecom industry, by including blanket immunity for all the telecoms who participated in President Bush’s illegal warrantless wiretapping program.
The Obama campaign announced today that Hillary Clinton will be campaigning with Obama next Friday. I am a little surprised to see Clinton out on the trail already, but here are three ways that Clinton will impact the campaign.
Today in Missouri, John McCain said that all of Obama’s solutions to energy problems involve raising taxes. “For his part, Senator Obama has a different outlook on all of this. Instead of new energy production, he wants new energy taxes,” McCain said.
During his speech on economic competitiveness today, in Flint MI, Barack Obama proposed that every American should have access to high speed broadband Internet service.
Rep.
In a surprise Sen.