« December 2006 | Main | February 2007 »
January 30, 2007
The Breck Girl Comes Out Swinging
For those of you who have not yet discovered the new Web site -- The Politico -- check it out. This promising Internet experiment features prominent former journalists and others covering American politics in a fresh way.
Today's content features an interview with Democratic presidential hopeful (and 2004 Vice Presidential also-ran) John Edwards -- not the Crossing Over guy, the Two Americas guy.
Edwards, who was widely thought to be a disappointment on the 2004 ticket (he bombed in his one debate with Dick Cheney), and whose campaign botched his 2008 exploratory announcement last month, must be feeling the heat after the entrance of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama into the race. He came out swinging against them (and George W. Bush) in Roger Simon's piece this evening.
He was highly critical of Clinton's lack of contrition to date about her Iraq War vote and support (Johnny had his mea culpa on Iraq months ago), and was derisive of Obama's support for a non-binding Senate resolution against the Bush administration's planned "surge" in Iraq, likening him to a child throwing a tantrum. Interesting. Sounds like somebody's tired of not getting any news coverage.
Edwards seems to be seeking the depth as a candidate that eluded him last go-round. We'll see.
Posted by houtopia at 08:16 PM
January 25, 2007
Scooter's In A Pickle
Amid all the hoopla surrounding this week's State of the Union address, more bad news from Iraq, and the start of a new season of American Idol, the trial of a former aide to Vice President Cheney -- I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby -- has been relegated to secondary story status on the American news landscape.
Readers will recall that Mr. Libby was indicted for lying to prosecutors about where he learned the covert identity of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife -- CIA oeprative Valerie Plame Wilson. Libby, who may have leaked that classified information to reporters as part of an effort to smear Joe Wilson (who had the audacity to tell the truth about what his government-sponsored trip to Niger did -- or did not -- uncover about supposed yellow cake uranium there), told prosecutors he learned about Plame from a reporter.
Today, however, a serious flaw in that line of defense emerged. It seems another Cheney staffer -- former spokeswoman Cathie Martin -- has thrown Scooter under the proverbial bus. Ms. Martin testified today that it was she who told Libby and the Vice President of Ms. Plame's identity, days before Libby claims he learned it from a reporter. Whoops.
That Ms. Martin, a loyal Team Bush player who still works in the White House, plunged the knife in must cut especially deep for Scooter. Last we checked perjury was a jailable offense, and after Libby's unwillingness during his testimony this week to absolve administration higher-ups of any guilt in the matter, he may not want to count on that presidential pardon to bail him out of doing time. Sucks for him, huh?
Posted by houtopia at 08:15 PM
January 23, 2007
Ho Hum
State of the Union speeches are always major affiars in American politics. Once a year, all of official Washington gathers for the pomp and circumstance that characterizes this constitutionally mandated event. That said, one could sum up the 2007 SOTU offering by President George W. Bush thusly: more of the same.
President Bush, not a gifted orator, nonetheless has talented writers at his beckon call. Even with the departure of gifted wordsmith Michael Gerson, the president remains rhetorically well served. Well-honed phrases, however, wear thin when glaring problems abound.
George W. Bush's presidency is currently, and likely will be historically, defined by the war in Iraq. The war is not going well, to say the least. Well over 3,000 American lives have been lost (along with those of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis), nearly half a trillion dollars has been spent, and there is no end in sight. The American public has soured on this adventure, but President Bush cannot, for a host of reasons, let it go. He wants a troop increase while America wants out.
It was in this context that Bush stumbled, in his customary way, through the well-crafted prose of his speech. It was predictable and perfunctory applause that filled the hall this evening, not the spirited reactions -- positive and negative -- that have characterized recent State of the Union offerings. Over six years into the Bush 43 presidency, even Washington is through pretending.
Empty pitches about energy independence, health care and education could not dispel the pall the Iraq War cast over the room. Iraq was (other than the GOP standard-bearer at the podium) the enormous elephant in the room, and it wasn't doing the Republican president or his party any favors.
Posted by houtopia at 09:03 PM
January 18, 2007
Lesson Learned
The results of the 2006 midterm elections predicatbly prompted among Republicans the kind of recriminations and finger-pointed reserved only for Democrats over the last few years. GOPers have been publicly and privately asking themselves why they lost both houses of Congress, numerous governships and state legislative seats, though (unsurprisingly) a consensus explanation has yet to emerge.
Some Republicans believe the losses are explained by an abandonment of the party's core conservative principles. That makes sense, except different Republicans define those principles differently. Are they fiscal responsibility, limited government, prudent foreign policy, or strict adherence to the tenets of social conservatism? Depends on who you ask.
Some in the more pragmatic GOP camp attribute the negative election result to a drag at the top of the ticket -- a once popular president saddled with the baggage of an unpopular war that has no end in sight. Though not on the ballot during the midterm, as went Bush's fortunes so went his party's -- recall the opposite result in 2002, when Bush, soaring in the polls, delivered a big election victory for Republicans.
Then there were the scandals. We all remember Mark Foley, and his sad, revolting behavior undoubtedly damaged Republican prospects down the home stretch. Let us not forget, however, the house that Jack Abramoff built and that burned down over several months in broad daylight. A slew of GOP lawmakers, one after another, went down in flames (including a certain party leader from right here in Texas) over that dirty, dangerous word in politics -- corruption.
Every few weeks in 2006 it seemed, a new Republican corruption scandal emerged, and the cumulative effect was powerful. Poll after poll showed declining trust in Republican governance, based in part on policy failures, but also on the sleaze factor. And the Foley fiasco tipped it over the edge.
Funny then, that amidst all the post-election GOP navel gazing Republicans seem to have failed to see the role corruption played in their political demise, and the need to right the ship going forward. Case in point is yesterday's Republican hijacking of the new ethics reform bill in the U.S. Senate.
Fresh off an electoral ass-whipping, is blocking ethics reform really how Republicans want to begin their session in Congress?
It looks like GOP self-destruction could be the gift that keeps right on giving in for Democrats in 2007.
Posted by houtopia at 08:25 PM
January 16, 2007
The It Guy Is In
An elephant (or in this case donkey) in the proverbial American political room over the last several months has been Illinois Democratic Senator Barack Obama. The politically gifted, fresh-faced Obama has been wowing crowds across the country in recent weeks, as speculation about his entering the 2008 presidential fray has run rampant. Though only 45 and serving his first term in the United States Senate, Obama clearly has "it" politically -- meaning, he naturally and very effectively connects with people, whether speaking to them in person or on TV in their living rooms.
Today, Senator Obama took the first big step toward throwing his hat in the Democratic primary ring, announcing that he is forming the famous exploratory committee as a precursor to officially entering the race, likely next month. In other words, the it guy is in.
Obama's entry, while not unexpected, certainly shakes up the race -- if one can call it a race a year before the first caucus. The not yet entered candidate presumed by many to be the frontrunner (not by us) for the Democratic nomination, a certain junior senator from New York, may feel Obama's presence the most. For one thing, Obama will challenge Hillary Clinton for two big constituencies in the Democratic Party -- African Americans and antiwar liberals -- folks once thought to be a big chunk of Clinton's base.
As an impressive and accomplished African American candidate for president, it is natural that Obama would stand to do well gaining support from the black community. And Clinton's wishy-washiness on Iraq has cost her dearly with many liberal primary voters. She remains, however, a formidable presence in the party her husband once led, and will be tough to beat.
As a piece in the NY Times wonders, can Obama match the marketing, will he live up to the hype and be able to last in this marathon of a race?
We wonder if his and Hillary Clinton's battling for the same share of the electoral pie may offer another candidate -- already announced or still on the sidelines -- to emerge as an alternative.
No one knows at this date, of course, how any of this race will play out; it has only begun to take shape. For our part we are glad to see Barack Obama throw his hat in the ring, for a whole host of reasons. At the very least he will add a strong, fresh voice to the debate, and who knows, he just might win.
Posted by houtopia at 06:34 PM
January 15, 2007
Back In Business
We have had some technical difficulties over the last few weeks that we've finally gotten resolved. So, look for regular posting to resume immediately. We missed the bulk of the race for Texas House Speaker, as well as many other important goings-on over the past few weeks (installation of Democratic Congresss, Bush's Iraq speech, etc.)
We feel certain, however, that the future will afford us plenty to talk about. Glad to be back up and running.
Posted by houtopia at 05:47 PM