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Friday Talking Points [39] -- Republican Elitism Edition

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.18.2008 | Politics

Read More: Al Gore, Timetable, Cindy McCain, Gas Tax Holiday, Campaign, Withdrawal, Ubs, Tax Haven, N-Word, Pete Stark, Nuts, UBS Bank, 2008, Condoleezza Rice, Dennis Kucinich, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, Contraception, Swiss Bank, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Carl Levin, Health Care, Override, Abortion, The Pill, Elitist, John Conyers, Impeach, Time Horizon, Private Plane, Barrel, Non-Carbon, Congress, Joe Biden, Green, 08, Imperial Presidency, Barack Obama, Election, Ted Kennedy, 08 Election, Elections, Birth Control, Mddotw, Elitism, Contraceptive, Maliki, Gas Prices, Impeachment, Iraq, Arizona, Diplomacy, Bush, Iran, Electricity, Elite, Phil Gramm, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Hhs, Health and Human Services, Offshore Account, John McCain, War, Let Them Eat Cake, 2008 Elections, Jesse Jackson, 2008 Election, Golf, 08 Campaign, 2008 Presidential Race, Aspirational Goals, Oil Prices, Medicare, Veto, Fundraising, Politics News
Chris Weigant

For only the fourth (or fifth, depending on how you count) time in his presidency, George W. Bush had a veto overridden by both houses of Congress thi...

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War Is Over (If Maliki Wants It)

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.16.2008 | Politics

Read More: October Surprise, Timetable, United Nations, Sovereignty, Iraq, Campaign, War Is Over if You Want It, Withdrawal, Bush, Iran, 2008, Sofa, Bridge Agreement, War Is Over, 2008 Campaign, Un, Status of Forces Agreement, Prime Minister, John McCain, Time Horizon, Yoko Ono, War, 2008 Elections, Democracy, 08, 2008 Election, Agreement, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, John Lennon, 08 Campaign, Sovereign, Bridge, Sadr, 2008 Presidential Race, Bilateral, Purple Finger, Nouri Al Maliki, Aspirational Goal, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Without a microscopic examination of the seething cauldron of Iraqi partisan politics, it's safe to say that Maliki knows which way the wind is blowing. The Iraqi people want to know -- "when is the U.S. leaving?"

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Reading The Pictures: Lieberman Co-Chairs The Disappropriation Committee

Michael Shaw | Posted 07.16.2008 | Media

Read More: Republicans, Campaign, Democrats, Senate, Greg Sergeant, Lieberman, Media News
Michael Shaw

2008-07-16-lieberman.jpgPlanted between these two chairs, the suggestion in this NYT image is that Lieberman is straddling between the two parties.

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Obama Frames Iraq Right, Bush And McCain Slow To React

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.14.2008 | Politics

Read More: Al Qaeda, Troops, Timetable, American, Iraq, Campaign, Withdrawal, Military, Surge, 2008, Occupation, 2008 Campaign, Status of Forces, Parliament, John McCain, War, 2008 Elections, Congress, Democracy, 08, 2008 Election, Surrender, Election, Barack Obama, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, 2008 Presidential Race, Maliki, Politics News
Chris Weigant

McCain's going to have to come up with some new spin to explain why Obama and Maliki are now singing from the same songbook on timetables for withdrawal.

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Friday Talking Points [38] -- Whiners And Cheeseheads

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.11.2008 | Politics

Read More: National Convention, Timetable, Pow, Fisa, Immunity, Campaign, Withdrawal, Telecom, Rnc, Nuts, 2008, Sofa, Mccain Flip-Flop, Dennis Kucinich, Midotw, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Status of Forces, Leni Riefenstahl, Football, Amnesty, Democrat, Nuremberg, 08, Acceptance Speech, Platform, Democrats, Barack Obama, Election, Sister Soulja, 08 Election, Stadium, Elections, Mddotw, Martin Luther King, Whiners, Maliki, Russ Feingold, Cheesehead, Speech, Senator, Impeachment, Iraq, Pittsburgh, Anniversary, Denver, King, Republican, Lion of the Senate, Phil Gramm, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Mental Recession, Green Bay Packers, John McCain, Mlk, Prisoner of War, 2008 Elections, Jesse Jackson, Green Eggs and Ham, 2008 Election, Teddy Kennedy, Recession, 08 Campaign, Convention, 2008 Presidential Race, I Have a Dream, Telecommunications, Medicare, Steve Schmidt, Flip Flop, Steelers, Broncos, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Welcome back to Friday Talking Points, after a one-week hiatus! While plenty has happened in the past two weeks which bears close and careful analysis...

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What Would Abbie Hoffman Have Thought Of The Flag Lapel Pin Debate?

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.04.2008 | Politics

Read More: 4th of July, Bill of Rights, First Amendment, Flag, Red White and Blue, Free, Campaign, Fourth of July, Pat Schroeder, 2008 Election, Election, Barack Obama, Abbie Hoffman, Elections, Patriotism, Flag Shirt, Independence Day, Freedom, 2008 Presidential Race, American Flag, Flag Motif, July 4th Patriotism, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Flag lapel pins are all the rage these days, but the battle over wearing the flag is older than you may have thought.

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The Coming Together Of McCain And Obama On Iraq

Chris Weigant | Posted 07.02.2008 | Politics

Read More: Doublethink, John McCain, Petraeus, Timetable, Iraq, 2008 Elections, Media, Campaign, 08, Policy, 2008 Election, Withdrawal, Election, Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, 08 Election, Iraq War, Middle, Elections, Troop Withdrawal, 08 Campaign, Surge, Troop, 2008, 2008 Presidential Race, Victory, 2008 Campaign, Politics News
Chris Weigant

McCain knows that the electorate wants America out of Iraq, even faster than Obama has proposed. He also knows that his ties to Bush's foreign policy are an albatross around his neck.

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VIDEO: 2008: Web Video Odyssey

Matthew and Peter Slutsky | Posted 07.02.2008 | Home

Read More: Doublespeak, John McCain, 2008, Doublespeakshow, Internet, Campaign, Youtube, Hillary Clinton, Election, Barack Obama, Web Video, Offthebus, Huckabee, Mike Gravel, Obama Girl, Primary Election 2008, Obama Clinton, YouTube Snowman, YouTube Debate, Hillary Clinton Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, Democratic Primary Election 2008, Slutsky, Home News
Matthew and Peter Slutsky

Primary season 2008 was stamped in part by internet video. We've compiled choice excerpts, including snippets from the big hits that helped shape the campaigns.

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Electoral Math, From Knucklebiter To Landslide

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.30.2008 | Politics

Read More: John McCain, Election Day, Battleground States, Safe States, Landslide, 2008 Elections, 08, Campaign, Electoral College, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Electoral Math, 08 Campaign, 2008, Electoral, Electoral Map, 2008 Presidential Race, 2008 Campaign, Election Outcome, American Idol, Obama Landslide, Prediction, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I am ready to take a look at the map and do some electoral math. Now, we're still pretty far out from Election Day, but we've got to start somewhere.

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Friday Talking Points [37] -- Welcome, New Readers

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.27.2008 | Politics

Read More: GI Bill, Speech, Friday Talking Points, Fisa, Chris Dodd, Immunity, Campaign, Sewage Plant, Presidential Memorial Commission, Republican, Telecom, Bush, Talking Points, 2008, John Kerry, Midotw, Waste, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Spin, 2008 Campaign, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Grover Norquist, San Francisco, Tan, Sewage, John McCain, Beating His Wife, Amnesty, Democrat, 2008 Elections, 08, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, Mddotw, 2008 Presidential Race, Harry Reid, Democratic Underground, Flip Flop, Milquetoast, Du, Politics News
Chris Weigant

McCain flip-flops on torture, tax cuts, the religious right, Roe v. Wade, lobbyists, gay marriage, creationism, Iraq, talking to enemies, and just about any other subject you care to name.

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Precedent George Bush

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.25.2008 | Politics

Read More: George Bush, Party Loyalty, Speech, Loyalty Oath, Mister Precedent, Cheney, Chris Dodd, Campaign, Telecom, Presidential-Powers, 2008, National Security, Separation-of-Powers, 2008 Campaign, Independent Counsel, Justice, Stonewall, Commander in Chief, Executive Privilege, John McCain, War, Amnesty, Scientist, Congress, 2008 Elections, 08, Stonewalling, Justice Department, Soviet, Subpoena, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, Investigation, 08 Election, Precedent, Elections, 08 Campaign, Constitution, 2008 Presidential Race, Watergate, Executive Branch, Alberto Gonzales, Nixon, Party Card, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Bush's term in office will be remembered for the precedents it set, particularly in relation to the presidential power, and the separation of powers between the three branches of U.S. government.

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The Case for Hillary Clinton

Mike Bonifer | Posted 06.23.2008 | Politics

Read More: Bill Clinton, John McCain, Michelle Obama, Politics, Gender, Vice-President, Media, Mike Bonifer, Campaign, Democrats, Sasha Obama, Barack Obama, Obama-Clinton, Malia Obama, Ticket, Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Bonifer, Politics News
Mike Bonifer

As a believer that Barack Obama is the presidential candidate most likely to pilot the mothership that is the U.S. government away from the black hole...

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Friday Talking Points [36] -- End The Media's Pro-McCain Bias! Now!!

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.20.2008 | Media

Read More: Boeing, Tim Russert, Cindy McCain, Nuremburg, Pow, Fisa, Immunity, Campaign, Telecom, Contract, 2008, John Kerry, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, Glenn Greenwald, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Tax Return, Airbus, Amnesty, Nbc, Democrat, 08, Air Force, Democrats, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Martin Luther King, Mddotw, Gotcha, Tanker, Wiretapping, 60 Minutes, Warrantless, Russ Feingold, Thomas Eagleton, Cia, Clayton Williams, Jobs, Media, Bush, Republican, Vietnam, Bias, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, 2008 Campaign, Waterboard, Keating Five, War Crime, Hanoi Hilton, Keating, John McCain, Mental Health, Military Record, Rape, Mlk, Prisoner of War, 2008 Elections, War Criminal, Scandal, 2008 Election, Lobbyist, Meet the Press, Northrop Grumman, Prisoner, 08 Campaign, Steny Hoyer, 2008 Presidential Race, Telecommunications, 1972, Al-Libi, Form 180, Torture, sf180, Media News
Chris Weigant

McCain has joked that the media is "his base" of support. It was a funny line, but there is a truth at its core: the media has been hard on Obama but unbelievably light on McCain. And this has to stop. Now.

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Where Is Hillary On The Campaign Trail?

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.18.2008 | Politics

Read More: Polls, Concession, Speech, Clayton Williams, Poll, Campaign, Unity, Misogynist, Vp, Patti Solis-Doyle, 2008, Ohio, Donors, Veep, 2008 Campaign, Fundraiser, Women, Bill Clinton, Vice President, Michelle Obama, Florida, Rape, 2008 Elections, 08, Pennsylvania, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, Ticket, 08 Election, Work My Heart Out, Elections, Obama-Clinton, Baby Mama, 08 Campaign, Campaign Trail, 2008 Presidential Race, Hillary Clinton, Party Unity, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Hillary Clinton needs to start making some campaign appearances for Barack Obama and get on board the bandwagon in order to help this process along.

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Obama Should Go North To Alaska

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.16.2008 | Politics

Read More: Corruption, Ted Stevens, Ethan Berkowitz, Bribery, 50 State Strategy, Don Young, Campaign, FBI Raid, Republican, Bribe, Mark Begich, 2008, Ethics, 2008 Campaign, Graft, John McCain, Alaska, House, Democrat, 2008 Elections, 08, Bridge to Nowhere, 2008 Election, Democrats, Scandal, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, Earmarks, 2008 Presidential Race, Senate, Earmark, Anchorage, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Alaska is going to be very close this year. This stems from Republican office-holders apparently trying to take the "first in political corruption" award away from Louisiana.

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Barack Obama: "Black" Or "Biracial"?

BlackAndBrownNews | Posted 06.16.2008 | Home

Read More: America, African, Political Language, White, Media Coverage, Obama, Media, Campaign, Race, African American, Culture, Politics, Barack, United States, Black, Biracial, Society, American, News, Home News
BlackAndBrownNews

There is discussion now taking place between mostly white editors and producers in newsrooms on how to identify Senator Barack Obama now that he is the Democratic nominee.

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Friday Talking Points [35] -- Tim Russert Memorial Edition

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.13.2008 | Politics

Read More: White House, House Republican, Campaign Committee, Ron Paul, Mark Pryor, Tim Russert, Delahunt, Al Franken, Bob Barr, Campaign, Swiftboat, Bill Nelson, Virginia, Embezzling, New Mexico, 2008, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Midotw, Smears, Audit, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Electoral College, Larry Hunter, Gas, Impeach, Libertarian, Massachusetts, 08, Democrats, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, Oil Men, Constitutional Amendment, Mddotw, Arkansas, Obstructionist, Hillary Clinton, Senate, Popular Vote, Embezzlement, Gop, Mudslinging, Impeachment, Cheney, Dianne Feinstein, Democratic, Waxman, Swift Boat, Bush, Republican, Unemployment, Smear, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Obstructionism, 2008 Campaign, Wes Clark, Taxes, John McCain, Zombies, Rotting Corpse, Gas Tax, Windfall Profits, 2008 Elections, 2008 Election, Scandal, Oil Companies, Meet the Press, 08 Campaign, Tax, 2008 Presidential Race, Oil, Mtp, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Nobody seriously annoyed me this week, but I will launch a pre-emptive finger-wagging, to anyone on the left who can't resist the urge to be disrespectful of Tim Russert's memory right now.

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John McCain's Experience = Confused and Old

Blake Fleetwood | Posted 06.12.2008 | Politics

Read More: Rovian, Campaign, Mccain, Obama, Democratic Primary Electability, Barack Obama, Primaries, Clinton, John Kerry, Read More: 2008 Election, Democratic Nomination, Breaking Politics News, Clintonistas, General Election, Hillary Clinton, George Mcgovern, Hillalry Clinton, Political Jujitsu, Politics News
Blake Fleetwood

"Politics, as a practice, whatever its professions, has always been the systematic organization of hatreds." - Henry Adams This is not going to be a...

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The 269-269 Electoral Tie Scenario

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.11.2008 | Politics

Read More: Gop, House of Representatives, State, Majority, Campaign, Electoral College, President, Republican, Bush, One Vote, Electoral, 2008, 2008 Campaign, Elect, Constitution, John McCain, 2004, Electoral Vote, Democrat, 2008 Elections, Congress, 08, Electoral Vote Tie, 2008 Election, Democrats, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, House, Elections, 08 Campaign, Tie, Vote, Electoral Tie, 2008 Presidential Race, Republicans, Politics News
Chris Weigant

So what would happen if the Electoral College tied? Well, it goes to the House of Representatives. And since the Democrats have an advantage in the House, you'd think "President Obama." But you'd be wrong.

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The GameChanger and The Player

Mike Bonifer | Posted 06.10.2008 | Politics

Read More: Ho Chi Minh, John McCain, Campaign, Improvisation, Gamechangers, Barack Obama, Basketball, Vietnam, Performance, The Player, Tayshaun Prince, Jimmy Stewart, Bonifer, Tracy, Ned Beatty, Listening, Gamechanger, Game, Washington, Batman, Cagney, Hepburn, Ensemble, Grand Improvisation, Politics News
Mike Bonifer

The GameChanger is coming off a campaign that ran for seventeen months across the world's media networks, generating transactions worth what must have...

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Hillary Concession Broadcast To Delegates Bungled In Texas

David Chong | Posted 06.08.2008 | Home

Read More: Delegates, 2008, Volunteers, Hillary Clinton, Texas, Texas Democratic Convention, Campaign, Concession Speech, Barack Obama, Election, Home News
David Chong

Bringing Clinton supporters into the Obama fold will require a delicate courtship. But in Texas, early prospects for unity crashed along with her concession speech live big-screen feed!

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Clinton Won't Do Much for Obama as VP or on the Campaign Trail

Earl Ofari Hutchinson | Posted 06.06.2008 | Politics

Read More: Latinos, Blue Collar Workers, Church Hagel, Sam Nunn, Barack Obama, Repoublicans, Jim Webb, Campaign, General Election, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Ultraconservatives, Politics News
Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Clinton is a team player and while she won't get the VP nod, she'll hit the trail for Obama. Top Democrats will cheer her for it. Just be advised it won't do or mean much to or for him.

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Interview With Al Franken

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.06.2008 | Politics

Read More: Populism, Al Franken, Democratic, Democratic Farmer Labor, Campaign, Democratic Party, Paul Wellstone, Senator, Jesse Ventura, 2008, Populist, Norm Coleman, Snl, 2008 Campaign, 2008 Senate Race, Comedy, Rush Limbaugh, Comedian, Franken, Democrat, 2008 Elections, 08, DFL Party, 2008 Election, Minnesota, Democrats, Election, Interview, 08 Election, Nomination, Elections, Progressive, 08 Campaign, Nominee, Saturday Night Live, Senate, Dfl, Minnesotan, Politics News
Chris Weigant

For all the people who scoffed at the idea of a former comedian running for such a high public office, it can now be strongly stated that Al Franken's Senate campaign is definitely no joke.

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Hillary Supporters: Which Side Are You On?

Chris Weigant | Posted 06.04.2008 | Politics

Read More: Supreme Court, Strike, Pete Seeger, Iraq, Campaign, Democratic Party, Iran, Song, 2008, Protest, 2008 Campaign, Which Side Are You On, Mine, Abortion, John McCain, Roe v Wade, Abortion Rights, War, Labor, Democrat, 2008 Elections, JH Blair, 08, Democrats, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Election, 08 Election, Elections, 08 Campaign, Florence Reece, Harlan County, 2008 Presidential Race, Hillary Clinton, Roe Versus Wade, Party Unity, Pro-Choice, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Every time I visit an unabashedly pro-Hillary website and read the comments posted thereon, I keep thinking: Which side are you on?

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Pandering To Women Is The Opposite Of Feminist

MOMocrats | Posted 06.03.2008 | Home

Read More: Feminism, John McCain, Garance Franke-Ruta, Campaign, Election 2008, Carly Fiorina, Women's Issues, Momocrats, Blogher, Home News
MOMocrats

Sorry, John, simply talking to women, acknowledging their presence and inviting them to listen in on a conference call does not make one a friend of women or a champion of women's issues.

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