Campaign

Divided Politics = Divided Country

Simon Sinek | Posted 09.05.2008 | Politics

Read More: Dnc, House of Representatives, Mudslinging, Congress, John McCain, Rnc, 2008 Presidential Campaign, Rudy Guiliani, Joe Biden, Campaign, Democrats, Speeches, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Senate, Politics of Division, Sarah Palin, Republicans, Politics News
Simon Sinek

In Iraq, the Sunnis and the Shiites don't get along well enough to affect any sort of functional government. America implores them to get work togeth...

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"I Just Think I'm Gonna Barf."

Chris Weigant | Posted 09.03.2008 | Politics

Read More: Troopergate, Francis McDormand, Bristol Palin, Record, Feeding Frenzy, Media, Campaign, Pasty, Republican, Fargo, Fiancé, 2008, Sexism, 2008 Campaign, Media Bashing, Pasties, Victim, Issues, Alaska, John McCain, Pregnant, Minnesota Pasties, Marge Gunderson, 2008 Elections, 08, Bridge to Nowhere, 2008 Election, Republican Convention, Minnesota, Barack Obama, Election, I Just Think I'm Gonna Barf, Barf, 08 Election, Mainstream Media, Morning Sickness, Elections, I Just Think I'm Going to Barf, Access, Fiancee, 08 Campaign, Levi, Margie, Palin, Sarah Palin, 2008 Presidential Race, Fiance, Republican National Convention, Politics News
Chris Weigant

"Oh, I just think I'm gonna barf...."-- Marge Gunderson (Francis McDormand), from Fargo   I open today with that Fargo quote for many reasons. T...

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Framing Sarah Palin

Chris Weigant | Posted 09.01.2008 | Politics

Read More: Troopergate, Vice President, Fired, Creamery Board, Ted Stevens, Small Town, Commander-in-Chief, Comics, Baby, Matanuska Maid, Cheney, Agriculture, Bristol Palin, Leno, Campaign, Bush-Mccain, Sarah Palin, Lieberman, Hail Mary, Brother-in-Law, Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service, Hurricane, Vp, Miss Congeniality, Alaska First, Charisma, 2008, Katrina, 2008 Campaign, Country First, Matanuska Maid Dairy, Police Chief, John McCain, Alaska, Tax Increase, Dairy, Pregnant, Running Mate, Letterman, 2008 Elections, Fire, 08, Bridge to Nowhere, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Muckraking, Gonzales, 08 Campaign, Tax, Palin, 2008 Presidential Race, Hypocrisy, 527, Alberto Gonzales, Alaska Independence Party, Republican National Convention, Earmark, Aip, Wasilla, Sarah Palin Reaction, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Democrats should stay away from the baby stories. They must resist the urge to comment at all on it. Let the media do the muckraking.

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Friday Talking Points [45] -- Lessons Democrats Should Learn From Obama's Speech

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.29.2008 | Politics

Read More: Gets It, Ninety Percent, Speech, Experience, Judgment, Cheney, Football Stadium, Maverick, Campaign, Denver, Give 'Em Heck Harry, Bush, Personal Responsibility, Out of Touch, Nation of Whiners, Change, Defense, Doesn't Get It, 2008, Details, Midotw, I Love This Country, Old, Drilling, Phil Gramm, Katrina, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Country First, Pre-Existing Condition, Celebrity, We All Put Our Country First, Health Care, Mental Recession, Eight Is Enough, Uninsurable, Democratic Convention, John McCain, Democratic National Convention, Hope, Optimism, Backbone, 2008 Elections, 08, Acceptance Speech, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Stadium, Acceptance, Stand Up, Elections, Patriotism, Access, 08 Campaign, Mddotw, Convention, 2008 Presidential Race, Oil, Harry Reid, Incompetence, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I know that just about the entire blogosphere is talking about John McCain's pick of Sarah Palin (who?) for his running mate, but I, for one, refuse t...

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PUMA -- Endangered Species

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.27.2008 | Politics

Read More: Speech, Democratic, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsuit, Party Unity My Ass, Media, Campaign, Democratic Party, Crikey, Unity, Clinton, 2008, 2008 Campaign, United, Senate Majority Leader, Democratic Convention, John McCain, Democratic National Convention, Pbs, Democrat, Crocodile Hunter, p.u.m.A., 2008 Elections, 08, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, Puma, 08 Election, Unite, Elections, No Way No How No McCain, 08 Campaign, Hillary, 2008 Presidential Race, Convention, Hillary Clinton, Rodham, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Hillary made the case she needed to make to her supporters who were still sitting on the fence, and she did it perfectly, in a speech for the ages.

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Presidential Pardon

Michael E. McCullough | Posted 08.26.2008 | Politics

Read More: Apologies, Conflict, Forgiveness, War, Revenge, Campaign, President, Reconciliation, Politics News
Michael E. McCullough

The ability to control revenge and broker forgiveness among groups in conflict is a crucial, though underappreciated, element of statecraft. We need a president who can rebuild our reserves of this resource.

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A Historical Perspective On Divided Democratic Conventions

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.25.2008 | Politics

Read More: Dewey Defeats Truman, Blue Dog, Truman, 1964, Civil Rights Act, Thomas Dewey, Campaign, Civil War, Hubert Humphrey, Franklin D Roosevelt, South, Military, 2008, 1948 Convention, Do Nothing Congress, Plank, Ralph Nader, Lincoln, Democratic Convention, Dncc, Democratic National Convention, Dixiecrat, Alabama, States Rights, Democrat, Congress, Wwii, 08, Henry Wallace, Platform, Barack Obama, Election, Fdr, Yellow Dog, 08 Election, Elections, Lyndon B Johnson, Hillary, Gallup, Humphrey, Desegregation, Hillary Clinton, Lbj, Chicago Tribune, World War II, Party Unity, Strom Thurmond, 1948, Nader, Speech, Divided, Civil Rights, Harry Truman, Democratic, Democratic Party, Denver, Republican, War of Northern Aggression, Wallace, Clinton, Dadt, Alben Barkley, Lost the South for a Generation, Abraham Lincoln, 2008 Campaign, Johnson, Progressive Party, Naacp, John McCain, Give Em Hell Harry, 1948 Democratic Convention, 2008 Elections, 2008 Election, Puma, 08 Campaign, Don't Ask Don't Tell, 2008 Presidential Race, Convention, Democratic Convention 2008, Nominee, Gays, Roosevelt, Barkley, Dewey, Thurmond, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Don't buy into the media narrative that this is some sort of "divided party" -- because today's Democrats aren't. All true Democrats are pulling hard to defeat the legacy of George W. Bush.

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Friday Talking Points [44] -- McCain House Party!

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.22.2008 | Politics

Read More: Frickin Mansion, Pow, Cindy McCain, Campaign, Country Club John McCain, Prick, Out of Touch, Arugula-Eating Pointy Headed Professor-Type, 2008, Midotw, Tax Cuts, Condo, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Democratic Convention, Lieberman Prick, Elitist, Country Club Republicans, Democratic National Convention, Tony Rezko, Democrat, 08, Barack Obama, Election, Adoption, 08 Election, House, Investment Properties, Elections, RJ Eskow, Mddotw, Politico, Brave New Films, Personal Attack, Elitism, AFL/CIO, John K. Wilson, Wealthy, Houses, Economy, Middle Class, How Many Houses, Its the Economy Stupid, Democratic, Lieberman, Condominium, Millionaire, Elite, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Obama Fights Back, Housing Crisis, Celebrity, Brian Rogers, Keating Five, Country Club, Taxes, John McCain, Keating, Adopt, Homes, Millionaires, Beer, Afl-Cio, Heiress, 2008 Elections, Prisoner of War, Rich, 2008 Election, War Room, Mother Teresa, 08 Campaign, Tax Returns, 2008 Presidential Race, Convention, Charles Keating, Seiu, Cindy, Politics News
Chris Weigant

John McCain said something ridiculous to a reporter yesterday. I hasten to point out that the previous sentence should have been a major media headlin...

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John McCain and Russia

Murray Fromson | Posted 08.22.2008 | Politics

Read More: Russia, Russia Georgia Conflict, Poland, Gorbachev, Cold War, Iran, Mccain, Obama, Campaign, China, Russia Georgia War, Election, Peter Baker, Foreign Policy, Politics News
Murray Fromson

The latest campaign twister from John McCain is that he is not questioning Barack Obama's patriotism, only his judgment. But what kind of judgment ha...

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Electoral Math -- Obama Sure Could Use A Bump

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.20.2008 | Politics

Read More: Tossup, Polls, Chart, Elector, 2008 Electoral Graphics, Electoral Vote, John McCain, State, Poll, 2008 Elections, 08, Campaign, Abulsme.com, Charts, Electoral College, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Electoral Votes, Election, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, Vote, 2008, Electoral, 2008 Presidential Race, Samuel Minter, 2008 Campaign, Election Analysis, State Polls, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Obama has slipped below the magic 270 number for the first time since he became the Democratic presumptive nominee, and McCain has just about caught up with him.

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Friday Talking Points [43] -- And The Gold Medal For Snarkiness Goes To...

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.15.2008 | Politics

Read More: Strongly-Worded Letter, Patrick Leahy, American Federation of Labor, Campaign, China, Veterans, Military, 2008, Midotw, John Edwards, Veterans Administration, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Running on Empty, Rovezaleeker, Union, Hollow Words, Elitist, Where McCain Lives, Presumptuous, Nbc, 08, Barack Obama, Election, Influence, 08 Election, Elections, Mddotw, Presumptuousness, Corsi, Almost Half, Brave New Films, Blaws, Elitism, Vacation, Donations, GI Bill, Beijing, Va, Bush, Meghan McCain, Congress of Industrial Organizations, Foreign Lobbyist, Elite, Voter Registration, Ohio, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Gymnastics, National Enquirer, Keating Five, John McCain, Children's Book, 2008 Elections, Afl-Cio, War Room, 2008 Election, Beach Volleyball, Olympics, Lobbyist, Dhl, 08 Campaign, 2008 Presidential Race, Georgia, Another President, Jackson Browne, Leahy, Lockstep, 95%, Tinfoil Hat, Anteaterhomer, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I don't usually comment on sports, so take anything I say with a grain of salt. I'm no professional sports guy, nor do I play one on the web. But I h...

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In Praise Of The Biggest Political Sin

Lloyd Garver | Posted 08.14.2008 | Politics

Read More: Campaign, Flip-Flopping, Mccain Flip Flop, Obama Flip Flop, Politics News
Lloyd Garver

Why should it be an important quality for a politician to never change his or her mind? Why is it considered good if someone sticks to a position even if it's obvious to everyone that he or she is wrong?

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The Bradley Effect v. The Obama Effect

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.11.2008 | Politics

Read More: John McCain, Youth, Youth Vote, Poll, 2008 Elections, 08, Campaign, Undecided, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Pollsters, Obama Effect, Elections, Nate Silver, 08 Campaign, 2008 Presidential Race Polls, Opinion Poll, 2008, 2008 Campaign, Turnout, Young Vote, Cell Phones, August, Pollster, Bradley Effect, September, Opus, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Will Obama's white voter support in the polls be higher than his actual support on Election Day? Will this be a regional factor, or a nationwide factor? And how big a factor is it?

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Friday Talking Points [42] -- Get Up, Stand Up, Barack

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.08.2008 | Politics

Read More: GI Bill, Lies, Mudslinging, Wealthy, Cindy McCain, Drew Westen, Campaign, Swiftboat, Veterans, Soundbite, Wealth, 2008, Elite, Smear, John Kerry, Midotw, Distributor, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Student Loan, 2008 Campaign, Celebrity, Fight Back, Campaign Contributions, Elitist, Bill Clinton, Gas, Lying, John McCain, Strategy, Tony Sachs, Beer, Campaign Ads, Private Plane, Let Them Eat Cake, 2008 Elections, 08, Webb, Rich, Lie, 2008 Election, War Room, Barack Obama, Oil Companies, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Barack ObamaMost Impressive Democrat of the Week, Respectable Republican Cloth Coat, Get Up Stand Up, 08 Campaign, Mddotw, Budweiser, Tax Returns, 2008 Presidential Race, Credit Card, Elitism, Trash Talk, Attack Ads, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I have to assume if you're reading this that you're sick of the Olympics already. Wow, that was fast. Is NBC's coverage going to be twice as bad as ...

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6 Reasons Why I Would Vote for Paris Hilton Instead of McCain

Omid Memarian | Posted 08.07.2008 | Politics

Read More: U.S. Economy, John McCain, Campaign, Ad, Media, Foreign Policy, Paris Hilton, Iraq, President Bush, Politics News
Omid Memarian

She accepts the consequences of her actions, as shown by her stint in jail. McCain has never admitted that his support of the war has been harmful for millions of people and disastrous for the US economy.

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Electoral Math Charts Updated

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.06.2008 | Politics

Read More: Tossup, Polls, Chart, Elector, 2008 Electoral Graphics, Electoral Vote, John McCain, State, Poll, 2008 Elections, 08, Campaign, Abulsme.com, Charts, Electoral College, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Electoral Votes, Election, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, Vote, 2008, Electoral, 2008 Presidential Race, Samuel Minter, 2008 Campaign, Election Analysis, State Polls, Electoral College Map, Politics News
Chris Weigant

It's time once again to take a look at the Electoral College math from state-level polling. Nationwide polls are not completely meaningless, but they are pretty irrelevant as that's not how we elect a president.

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Bill Clinton, Middle East Envoy?

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.04.2008 | Politics

Read More: Vice President, Bill Clinton, Turkey, Running Mate, Palestine, Iraq, 2008 Elections, Legacy, Campaign, 08, Peace, 2008 Election, Palestinians, Election, Barack Obama, 08 Election, Iran, Vp, Elections, 08 Campaign, Clinton, 2008, Envoy, Middle East, Hillary, 2008 Presidential Race, Israel, 2008 Campaign, Hillary Clinton, Statesman, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Politically, this would give both the Clintons a personal stake in the race, and would go a long way towards healing the wounds inflicted in the primaries on both sides.

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Friday Talking Points [41] -- The Silly Season

Chris Weigant | Posted 08.01.2008 | Politics

Read More: Paris Hilton, Ads, Gas Prices, Mudslinging, Britney Spears, Homosexual, Iraq, Diplomacy, Media, Campaign, Withdrawal, Republican, California, Iran, Television, Specifics, 2008, Sofa, Midotw, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Celebrity, Status of Forces, Keating Five, Andres McCain, Rove, John McCain, Gas, Karl Rove, Gasoline, Deval Patrick, Timeline, War, Campaign Ads, Democrat, Massachusetts, 2008 Elections, 08, Gay, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Price of Oil, Elections, 08 Campaign, Mddotw, Convention, 2008 Presidential Race, Oil, Maliki, News, Britney, Media Bias, Gay Marriage, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I have a confession to make. I actually watch the network news. Maybe I should enter into a twelve-step program or something. But I don't watch the ...

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Reading The Celeb Video: Exploding Obama At The Subliminal Level

Michael Shaw | Posted 07.31.2008 | Media

Read More: Paris Hilton, Politics, John McCain, Campaign, Britney Spears, Celeb Video, Barack Obama, Media News
Michael Shaw

2008-07-31-shaw_mccain_celeb.jpgI think we are really being played if -- in analyzing the McCain attack ad -- we go so far as unearth the racist sexual stereotypes but overlook the possible allusions to violence itself.

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A Speech For Obama To Give... In Alaska

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.30.2008 | Politics

Read More: Paris Hilton, Corruption, Wounded Soldiers, False, Indict, Ted Stevens, Speech, Begich, Straight Talk Express, Indicted, Bribery, Campaign, Republican, Bribe, Mark Begich, Stevens, 2008, Liar, Ethics, 2008 Campaign, John McCain, Karl Rove, Gas, Alaska, Attack Ad, Bush, Campaign Ad, Democrat, Ad, 2008 Elections, 08, Lie, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, Oil Companies, Big Oil, 08 Election, Elections, Patriotism, 08 Campaign, Earmarks, Anchorage, 2008 Presidential Race, Oil, Oil Company, Senate, Alaskan, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Barack Obama made a campaign promise to visit the state of Alaska before the election. And what better time than right now to follow through on this promise?

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Reading The Pictures: A Crude Salute

Michael Shaw | Posted 07.30.2008 | Media

Read More: Politics, Flag Pin, John McCain, Melanoma, Cindy McCain, Drilling, Campaign, NAVY Hat, News, Oil Well, USMC Pin, Oil Derrick, McCain Oil, Media News
Michael Shaw

2008-07-30-mccain_cindy_oilderrick.jpg Conservatives obviously don't get the irony of having their presidential nominee and wife billboarding militarism while standing next to an oil derrick.

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Standing Up To Low Down Local Anti-Obama Racism

Zachary Pickens | Posted 07.29.2008 | Home

Read More: Affirmative Action, Apollo Braun, Obama Is My Slave, Racism, White, Black, Campaign, Doron Braunshtein, Barack Obama, Home News
Zachary Pickens

I went to the shop with the offending t-shirts and asked the designer: "Is there is no responsibility attached to the free speech?" I said I thought his shirt was disgusting and that he should be ashamed of himself.

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Sixty Years After Desegregation, Ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.28.2008 | Politics

Read More: 1948, Dewey Defeats Truman, Executive Order 9981, Homosexual, Civil Rights, Sexual Orientation, Harry Truman, Racial, Campaign, Race, 1948 Election, 9981, Dadt, Military, 2008, 2008 Campaign, Integration, Black, Democratic Convention, Dixiecrat, 2008 Elections, Gay, 08, 2008 Election, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Army, 08 Campaign, Morale, African American, Segregation, Don't Ask Don't Tell, 2008 Presidential Race, Desegregation, Elaine Donnelly, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Being gay should be no more of a barrier to serving the United States military than being black now is. My guess is that sixty years from now, people will wonder what took us so long.

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Friday Talking Points [40] -- Obama Shines, McCain Whines

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.25.2008 | Politics

Read More: New Orleans, Gaffe, Gop, Bill of Rights, First Amendment, Speech, Giants, Atlas, Pakistan, Berlin, Czechoslovakia, Free Speech, Whine, Canada, Democratic, Iraq, Campaign, National Convention, Minimum Wage, Redskins, Oil Spill, 2008, Midotw, Victory Column, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Democratic National Convention, Mississippi, Risk, Dncc, Tiergarten, John McCain, Germany, Football, Whiny, Oil Rig, Democrat, 2008 Elections, Democratic National Convention Committee, 08, Photo-Op, Nfl, Democrats, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Senior Moment, Presidential, Elections, Desperation, Free Speech Zones, 08 Campaign, Mddotw, Talking Heads, Convention, 2008 Presidential Race, Afghanistan, Burning Down the House, Mississippi River, Democrat-Lite, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Be careful what you wish for, John. That seems to be the message of the week for Senator John McCain. He took some campaign consultant's idea a few w...

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Charting The Electoral Math Looks Good For Obama

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.21.2008 | Politics

Read More: Tossup, Polls, Chart, Elector, Electoral Vote, John McCain, State, Landslide, Poll, 2008 Elections, 08, Campaign, Charts, Electoral College, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Electoral Votes, Election, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, Vote, 2008, Electoral, 2008 Presidential Race, 2008 Campaign, Election Analysis, State Polls, Politics News
Chris Weigant

It's been about a month since we last took a look under the microscope at the possible outcomes of the Electoral College vote this November, so it's time for an update.

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