The Nimble Books Blog

Condiment: Comment: The New Yorker

If McCain really wants to have it all—to refurbish his maverick image without having to flip-flop on the panderings that have tarnished it; to galvanize the attention of the press, the nation, and the world; to make a bold play for the center without seriously alienating “the base”—then he can avail himself of a highly interesting option: Condoleezza Rice.

Someone who is actually qualified to be President. I am getting tired of reading about governors who don’t have foreign policy experience. They have got to have some overseas seasoning before they are qualfiied to sit in the big chair.

Tags: U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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TheHill.com - It’s over

Suggestion for Obama:

The next time Hillary uses the recycled red phone ad, counter with one of your own. When the phone rings in the middle of the night, have a woman’s voice, with a flat Midwestern accent, answer it and say, “Hold on” into the receiver. Then she should shout, “Bill! It’s for you!”

Dick Morris is a chumbucket, but a smart one.

Tags: U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Hillary’s Math Problem | Newsweek Politics: Campaign 2008 | Newsweek.com

Hillary Clinton may be poised for a big night tonight, with wins in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. Clinton aides say this will be the beginning of her comeback against Barack Obama. There’s only one problem with this analysis: they can’t count.

I’m no good at math either, but with the help of Slate’s Delegate Calculator I’ve scoped out the rest of the primaries, and even if you assume huge Hillary wins from here on out, the numbers don’t look good for Clinton. In order to show how deep a hole she’s in, I’ve given her the benefit of the doubt every week for the rest of the primaries.

I love definitive articles like this one. Tip of the hat to Jonathan Alter.

Tags: Hillary, Obama, SHOULD BARACK OBAMA BE PRESIDENT?, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Although the admission was shrouded within a thicket of denial, I’m glad to see that Richard Armitage is man enough to admit that leaking Valerie Plame’s name to Robert Novak was foolish.

Armitage says he was ‘foolish’ to leak CIA agent’s name - CNN.com

However, that doesn’t take away from what Mrs. Plame said. It was foolish, yes.”

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Tags: Front Page, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Amazon.com: Torture and Democracy: Books: Darius Rejali

Darius was a friend of mine at Swarthmore. I learned more from him than from any other single person there, faculty included. This is an extremely important book.

Tags: Against A Dark Background, Friends & Family, Front Page, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Amazon.com: AMERICAN THEOCRACY Unpacked: Arguments Disassembled, Implications Explored, and a Way Forward Suggested: Books: W., Frederick Zimmerman

AMERICAN THEOCRACY Unpacked: Arguments Disassembled, Implications Explored, and a Way Forward Suggested (Paperback)
by W. Frederick Zimmerman (Author)

Availability: In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

And now ATU is available on Amazon.

Tags: AMERICAN THEOCRACY Unpacked, Front Page, What's New for Book-Lovers by admin
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BREAKING NEWS: Joseph Wilson Endorses Hillary Clinton

A conference call announcing the endorsement of Hillary Clinton by Joseph Wilson was just held with bloggers to hear the breaking news. This is a huge deal for Candidate Clinton and a big endorsement for her candidacy. That it was broken on the blogs sends a powerful signal.

Wow, this is a painful indictment of the liberal blogosphere…

This was the top story on Memeorandum, meaning that lots of political bloggers are linking to it …

I had to read the story to remember who Joseph Wilson is (the former Ambassador whose factfinding trip to Niger blossomed into the Plame scandal).

Who cares who he endorses?

Wilson’s endorsement will switch zero votes in the general election. This is strictly an Obama v. Clinton issue, and, to repeat, who cares? The unfortunate cynical truth is that the entire primary race is going to be decided by massive amounts of TV advertising in January 2008.

Technorati Tags: Joseph Wilson, who cares?, HIllary Clinton, Obama

Tags: Front Page, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Perspective on the Jewels From the C.I.A.s Chief Historian - Washington - News - New York Times Blog

For more than 30 years, the Family Jewels have clouded the C.I.A.’s reputation, even though most of their contents have long been known from official reports and ad hoc disclosures. William Colby — who oversaw the compilation of the Jewels while serving as the agency’s operations chief and director-designate — is the source of some durable misconceptions about them.

Calling a list of possible violations of the CIA Charter “the Family Jewels” was a huge mistake which should not be perpetuated. They are “family jewels” only in the sense in which a vulnerable man is held by “the family jewels.” Why not just release them as what they are?

“A List of Possible Charter Violations Committed Thirty or More Years Ago.”

Technorati Tags: CIA, Family Jewels, Colby, Central Intelligence Agency

Tags: Against A Dark Background, Front Page, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Journeys of a shared life - The Boston Globe

As the oldest son, Tagg Romney commandeered the way-back of the wagon, keeping his eyes fixed out the rear window, where he glimpsed the first sign of trouble. ”Dad!” he yelled. ”Gross!” A brown liquid was dripping down the back window, payback from an Irish setter who’d been riding on the roof in the wind for hours.
As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, [Mitt] Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station. There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway. It was a tiny preview of a trait he would grow famous for in business: emotion-free crisis management.

And veritably Bush 43-like powers of self-criticism and error correction.

Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney

Tags: Front Page, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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Not surprisingly, Jefferson maintains his innocence and claims that a precedent-setting raid of his Capitol Hill office was unconstitutional because it trampled on congressional independence and violated the constitutionally established separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.

A federal judge authorized last year’s 18-hour FBI search—the first ever at a Capitol Hill office–which led to the seizure of records, equipment and other incriminating evidence. Last month Jefferson argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that the raid was unconstitutional.

Judicial Watch filed an amicus brief stating that the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, which protects members of Congress from “intimidation by the executive and accountability before a possible hostile judiciary,” does not make the search of Jefferson’s office unconstitutional. The Speech or Debate Clause, the brief states, only protects members of Congress conducting legislative actions.

This does raise an interesting constitutional issue. Personally, I don’t want to see the FBI tromping all over Capitol Hill. But by the same token, Eliot Ness should not be completely forbidden to act. If only Alberto Gonzales was Eliot Ness…

Technorati Tags: FBI, Speech or Debate Clause, William Jefferson, Eliot Ness

Tags: Front Page, U.S. & Local Politics by admin
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CRUSOE AND SELKIRK: The Unique Autobiography of Robinson Crusoe and Alexander Selkirk, History’s Two Most Famous Castaways (Stevey Bruce) — June 2007

THE POTTER PENSIEVE: Fans look back at ten years of the Potter phenomenon (Erin Pyne) — July 2007

AMERICAN THEOCRACY Unpacked (W. F. Zimmerman): A searching, Christian, but not unfriendly look inside the controversial bestseller by Kevin Phillips — Summer 2007

AFTER THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (W. F. Zimmerman): Detailed chapter-by-chapter comments, analysis, and speculation on the series finale –Fall 2007

WORLD WAR II AND THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR (W. F. Zimmerman): First volume of the series deals with the interwar period through Poland, Norway, and France — Fall 2007

4xCO2 (W. F. Zimmerman) — adapting to the inevitable rise of global carbon dioxide levels to 4x historical levels, or 1120 ppm — Jan 2008

EXOPLANETS FOR KIDS (W. F. Zimmerman) — the most exciting era in the history of astronomy, explained for kids ages 7 to 777 — 2008

THE SOLOMON KEY UNVEILED: Detailed chapter-by-chapter comments, analysis, and research on the eagerly anticipated follow-on to THE DA VINCI CODE — three months after its publication — 2008?

Which forthcoming book sounds the most interesting to you?

• World War II and the Global War on Terror (28%)
• THE SOLOMON KEY Unveiled (21%)
• AMERICAN THEOCRACY Unpacked (20%)
• RELIVING THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (13%)
• 4xCO2: adapting to the inevitable rise of global carbon dioxide (8%)
• Crusoe and Selkirk (7%)
• Exoplanets for Kids (3%)

Total Votes: 71

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Tags: 4xCO2, AFTER THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, AMERICAN THEOCRACY Unpacked, CRUSOE & SELKIRK, Forthcoming from Nimble Books, Front Page, Science Phile, THE POTTER PENSIEVE, What's New for Book-Lovers, World War II and the Global War on Terror by admin
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Official Google Blog: Presidential campaign trail winds through the Googleplex

… we’ve invited all the presidential candidates to come visit our headquarters in California and share their ideas in town hall-style meetings with our employees.

In February we were honored to host Sen. Hillary Clinton on campus for the first candidate visit, and last Friday we welcomed Sen. John McCain as our second visitor. We’re flattered that the other candidates have responded positively to our invitations, and we’re working to schedule their visits over the next few months.

Just as the Internet poses interesting policy questions, it also helps empower citizens with more information. So, to help potential voters learn more about the candidates and their views on the issues, we’ve posted the complete, unedited videos of these candidate talks on YouTube. Take some time to check out Sen. Clinton’s talk and Sen. McCain’s (as well as a special interview that Sen. McCain did with YouTube’s CitizenTube).


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What? Obama hasn’t been to Google yet? That’s one of those events that seems so inevitable that it’s surprising it hasn’t happened yet.

Obama’s instinctive cautious progressivism will play well at the GooglePlex.

Here’s a hypothetical question for Google employees to pose at the confab: if Larry Page and Sergey Brin offer to let Obama use their 767, will he renounce his “no private jets” pledge?

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Technorati Tags: Google, Obama, Google Obama

Tags: Front Page, Google Stuff, SHOULD BARACK OBAMA BE PRESIDENT? by admin
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