-
Obama Tears Down the Wall
July 24, 2008
Barack Obama had several responsibilities when he embarked on the global tour that John McCain dared him to make.
The young senator from Illinois needed to establish himself as a credible world leader by going to Iraq and Afghanistan evidencing both his recognition of George Bush's manifest mistakes and his willingness and ability to wage a functional fight against legitimate terrorist threats. Check!
He needed to establish himself as respected commander-in-chief by not just appearing for photo-opportunities with troops in the field but by connecting with soldiers so that that all Americans who recognize their confidence in the man who seeks the authority to send these young men and women into life-and-death battles. Check!
(99) Comments -
Berlin Cheers Obama's America
July 24, 2008
When George W. Bush talks about "freedom," Europe groans. When Barack Obama invokes the same word, Berlin cheers.
To much of the world, Bush's talk of freedom is code for messianism, arrogance and empire. Obama reframed the debate--and reclaimed the word--with his spectacular speech in Berlin today, when he spoke of "the dream of freedom" as something both Americans and Europeans shared and could be proud of.
The visuals were stunning: the massive Victory Column behind him, speaking before a crowd of over 100,000 Germans, in a tree-lined park that resembled the Washington Mall.
(90) Comments -
Cindy Sheehan is Putting Impeachment on the Table
July 23, 2008
Does anyone seriously doubt that one of the reasons why a House Judiciary Committee hearing will at least discuss the "I" word on Friday is Cindy Sheehan's independent challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi?
Pelosi, famously, took impeachment "off the table" just before the 2006 election.
Then, this month, she edged it back on the menu – suggesting that the Judiciary Committee might take up the matter of Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich's proposal to impeach the president for using deception to draw the nation into an illegal and immoral war.
(75) Comments -
McCain Campaign: Obama is "Frighteningly Inexperienced"
July 22, 2008
Barack Obama is in the midst of one of the more successful global tours by an American political leader in recent history.
Foreign leaders are rearranging their schedules to meet with the man they think will be the next leader of the United States -- and signaling that they can and will work with the Democrat who would be president. U.S. troops are cheering Obama the candidate as they would a commander-in-chief. Reporters from around the world are suggesting that Obama is undoing the damage of the Bush-Cheney years and turning global opinion toward a more favorable view of the United States.
So what is the response of the campaign of Republican John McCain?
(109) Comments -
As World Embraces Obama, McCain Attacks
July 22, 2008
"I believe any partisanship ends at the water's edge," John McCain said when he visited Colombia in early July.
At least that's what McCain believes when he's across the water.
Since Obama departed overseas--on a trip McCain baited him to take--the McCain campaign has sent out a barrage of emails, statements and press clips attacking Obama. I counted five attacks this morning alone, ridiculing Obama for opposing the "surge" in Iraq and supporting a timetable to withdraw combat troops.
(109) Comments -
Netroots to Obama: Pick a Liberal Veep
July 22, 2008
If the Netroots Nation was picking Barack Obama's running-mate, the Democratic ticket would steer left.
The 2,000-plus progressive bloggers and activists who attended this year's gathering in Texas were asked in a straw poll to choose between two statements with regard to Obama's vice presidential pick:
Obama should pick someone politically similar to himself, reinforcing the dynamic nature of his candidacy and the urgent need for change, and keeping true to his liberal roots. -- 72%
(15) Comments -
Time and Hillary's "Hostile Netroots"
July 22, 2008
Markos Moulitsas responds to my Nation article about the Netroots Nation convention, which discussed how Time erroneously reported that Hillary Clinton was booed in a Q&A session last year:
It was clear that some narratives have set and won't be changed no matter what. I already fired off an email to Time asking for corrections to that [Clinton error] and several other glaring errors in that terrible piece. But as we've learned with Joe Klein, Time considers itself and its writers infallible, so there's slim chance of any corrections.
As I explained on Monday -- and last year -- Clinton was not booed in her Q&A session. I have now dug up a 42-minute audio recording of her entire Q&A appearance, which Time editors are welcome to review. (There is also extensive press coverage available from the event, corroborating the fact that Clinton was not booed during the session. She was booed during a much larger presidential candidate debate held on the same day.)
(5) Comments -
On Middle East: It's Obama-McCain vs. Peace Process
July 21, 2008
Barack Obama is preparing to travel to Israel this week.
As the Democrat who would be president does so, guess which campaign is highlighting the details of Obama's over-the-top speech to the American Israeli Political Action Committee, in which the likely Democratic nominee adopted a more hardline stance regarding the Middle East peace process than that of the majority of Israelis?
Here's a hint: It's not Obama camp, nor even that of Republican John McCain.
(27) Comments -
McCain Knows Iraq Better Than Iraqis
July 21, 2008
John McCain knows Iraq better than Iraqis do. At least that's what he asserted this morning. Said McCain on the Today show: "I have been there too many times. I've met too many times with [Nouri al-Maliki], and I know what they want."
McCain was more in touch with Iraqi public opinion back in 2004. He was asked that summer, "What would or should we do if, in the post-June 30th period, a so-called sovereign Iraqi government asks us to leave?"
Responded McCain: "I think it's obvious that we would have to leave."
(56) Comments -
Romney: McCain's “Not the Best Match-Up" Against Obama
July 21, 2008
It is only a matter of time now.
Soon, Mitt Romney will be praising Barack Obama.
Yes, of course, the former governor of Massachusetts, whose own campaign for the presidency gave new meaning to the term "costly misadventure" -- Romney loaned his quest $45 million losing so many key contests to Arizona Senator John McCain and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee that the blow-dried one finally had to admit Republican were just not that into him-- is currently leading the chorus of criticism of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
(15) Comments
- Atrios
- Arts and Letters Daily
- The Caucus
- Campus Progress
- Crooks and Liars
- The Daily Gotham
- Daily Kos
- FAIR
- Feministe
- Feministing
- Firedoglake
- Glenn Greenwald
- Gothamist
- In these Times
- Hendrick Hertzberg
- Huffington Post
- Matthew Yglesias
- Media Matters
- Mother Jones
- My DD
- New York Review of Books
- Openleft
- Pam's House Blend
- Political Wire
- The Progressive
- RaceWire
- Real Clear Politics
- Roberto Lovato
- Romenesko
- Talking Points Memo
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Tapped
- Tech President
- Tompaine
- The Washington Note
- Wonkette
