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Political Commentary

Most Recent Releases

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April 7, 2008

Obama's Gun Dance: A Commentary By Robert Novak

Barack Obama, who informs campaign audiences that he taught constitutional law for 10 years, might be expected to weigh in on the historic Second Amendment case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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April 5, 2008

GOP vs. Paulson: A Commentary By Robert Novak

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's plan for curing ailing financial markets received poor grades privately from House Republican leaders, though they mostly refrained from public criticism that would give Democrats ammunition in an election year.

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April 5, 2008

The Democratic Tribes at War: A Commentary By Michael Barone

Exit polls have shown that the contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has produced deep divisions among Democratic constituencies. It looks something like tribal warfare.

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April 3, 2008

Obama and the Skeptic-Free Campaign By Froma Harrop

Big-time political writers are busy people. With all the blogging, the parties and appearances on TV, skeptical examination of widely accepted beliefs seems a waste of time.

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April 3, 2008

Heeding Labor's Demand?: A Commentary By Robert Novak

President Bush next week will send Congress a trade agreement forcing Democrats there to make an unpleasant choice. Will they follow the bidding of organized labor and reject a pact negotiated more than a year and a half ago with the country's strongest ally and best customer in South America?

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April 3, 2008

He's 'McSame' on Social Security, Too By Joe Conason

The most puzzling aspect of John McCain's political persona is his habitual attraction to George W. Bush's bad ideas. Their shared enthusiasm for invading Iraq and then escalating the war is why "McSame" will soon become the new shorthand for the Arizona Republican, replacing "maverick" -- but that isn't the only reason.

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April 3, 2008

What If Democrats Used Winner Take All? By Wesley Little

Even as the Obama and Clinton campaigns fight frantically to establish the appropriate yard-stick by which to judge the will of the American people, one fact has been largely ignored: Obama's significant delegate lead is largely a product of the Democrats' unique delegate allocation system.

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April 3, 2008

Superdelegate Math By Alan I. Abramowitz

It is becoming increasingly clear that the outcome of the Democratic presidential nomination will hinge on the votes of the party's so-called superdelegates, elected officials and party leaders who are automatically entitled to attend the Democratic nominating convention regardless of the results of the primaries and caucuses.

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April 1, 2008

Dems Can Go the Nine Innings: A Commentary By Froma Harrop

he Democratic contest lasts until the convention in late August, so what? That leaves two months for Democrats to "coalesce" around their candidate and fight the Republican. And even that shorter time frame will seem a month too long for voters.

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March 29, 2008

Missing a Generation By Michael Barone

Most people's views of the world are shaped by the times in which they came of age. That's why we speak of a baby boom generation or a Generation X. But some people miss out on the formative experiences of most of their peers.

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March 29, 2008

Portman for VP By Robert D. Novak

While Sen. John McCain will not decide on a vice president for many months, Rob Portman gets the highest marks inside the Republican presidential candidate's organization.

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March 28, 2008

Team We Can't Trust By Dick Morris

Bill Clinton made a significant admission in Corpus Christi, Texas this month - saying he had decided to pardon Puerto Rican terrorists back in 1999 "based on the stuff I was given by the staff."

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March 28, 2008

Political Suicide By Susan Estrich

It was bound to happen, I suppose, even if everyone knows better. The fact that all you accomplish when you cut off your nose is to spite your face doesn't stop people from doing it every day. So why should Democrats be different?

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March 27, 2008

Social Security Remains Star in the Gloom By Froma Harrop

The stock market hasn't been this nasty since the 1970s. House prices continue their dive, and consumer confidence has gone splat. The rocketing federal budget deficit will probably orbit Mars by the time the government finishes cleaning up the mess left by the housing bubble it so blithely let fester.

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March 27, 2008

Slap Down 'Free Market' Pirates By Joe Conason

For many years, Robert Morgenthau has warned America that the nexus of capitalism and criminality poses a serious threat to our prosperity, security and growth.

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March 27, 2008

Ben Bernanke Is My Kind of Guy By Larry Kudlow

I have really learned to like Ben Bernanke. He's the man. And his interest-rate cuts are vastly more effective than the so-called economic-stimulus rebate plan coming out of Congress and the White House.

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March 27, 2008

The Lash of Unfair Criticism By Larry Sabato

John F. Kennedy was correct about life and politics when he famously said, "Life isn't fair." Not only is politics unfair, it may be the least fair part of life. In many election years, if we had blue-ribbon selection panels charged with considering only the qualifications and likely performance of potential presidents, governors, and senators, the list of winners would likely be quite different from the ones actually elected by the voters.

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March 27, 2008

McCain's Payroll Prize: An Inside Report By Robert Novak

A major strategist in John McCain's campaign was asked privately this week whether his candidate might propose cutting the payroll tax.

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March 26, 2008

Hillary's History of Lies By Dick Morris

The USA Today/Gallup survey clearly explains why Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is losing.

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March 26, 2008

The Clintons' Truth Deficit Disorder By Michelle Malkin

Seinfeld's George Costanza famously quipped: "It's not a lie if you believe it." This is how a Clinton -- take your pick, Hillary, Bill or Chelsea -- makes it through the day. Better living through self-delusion.