U.S. & Local Politics

Op-Ed Columnist - Gail Collins - Obama’s Flip-Flopping - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

But if you look at the political fights he’s picked throughout his political career, the main theme is not any ideology. It’s that he hates stupidity. “I don’t oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war,” he said in 2002 in his big speech against the invasion of Iraq. He did not, you will notice, say he was against unilateral military action or pre-emptive attacks or nation-building. He was antidumb.

Very shrewd of Gail Collins. This is one nuance I didn’t pick up in my Obama book. I think she’s absolutely right.

Children Seen, and Heard - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times Blog

On Wednesday morning, in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show, Matt Lauer asked Mr. Obama whether he had made the right call in granting interviews with the girls. Mr. Obama said: “I think we got carried away in the moment. We were having a birthday party and everybody’s laughing and I didn’t catch it quickly enough … We wouldn’t do it again, and we won’t be doing it again.”

It’s absolutely ridiculous that he should feel the need to apologize for something so innocuous.

District of Columbia et al. v. Heller: Supreme Court Establishes an Individual Right to Bear Arms

The full text is available now in paperback at the link above.

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.

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.

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.

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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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.

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

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