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Political Commentary

Most Recent Releases

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June 21, 2008

How to Hit Obama By Robert D. Novak

Leaders of Sen. John McCain's campaign are looking toward "527s" as their principal means of attacking Sen. Barack Obama because they have been given a green light by McCain. "I can't be a referee of every spot run on television," McCain told the Boston Herald in an interview published June 12.

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June 21, 2008

The Wives By Susan Estrich

Cindy Unleashed" screamed the headline on the Drudge Report. Did Cindy McCain really go after Michelle Obama? Not exactly, but close enough. There was only one right answer to the question Mrs. McCain was asked by Kate Snow on ABC's "Good Morning America" this week about whether Mrs. McCain was "insulted" by Mrs. Obama's comment some time ago that it was only with her husband's run for president that she was "really proud" of her country.

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June 20, 2008

Taxes, Integrity and Character By Joe Conason

Once upon a time, there was a fiscally and socially responsible senator named John McCain. Despite his presidential ambitions, the Republican from Arizona spoke out against the economic royalism of his party's leadership in the White House and Congress, and simply said no.

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June 20, 2008

My Friend and My Source By Robert D. Novak

A 26-year-old political operative from Buffalo on Daniel Patrick Moynihan's staff in 1977 was overshadowed by the all-star cast accompanying the newly elected senator to Washington. Not for the last time, Timothy J. Russert surpassed famous contemporaries.

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June 19, 2008

McCain Scores with Offshore Drilling Proposal By Dick Morris

John McCain has drawn first blood in the political debate following Barack Obama's victory in the primaries. His call yesterday for offshore oil drilling — and Bush's decision to press the issue in Congress - puts the Democrats in the position of advocating the wear-your-sweater policies that made Jimmy Carter unpopular.

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June 19, 2008

McCain Has Given Enough By Froma Harrop

"Dear Greg, I've been dating a guy since I was 23. I'm 28 now. We started talking about marriage two years ago, and he said he wasn't 'ready.' So we moved in together to help him get 'ready.' ... Does he need more time, or is he just not that into marrying me?"

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June 19, 2008

McCain: The Taxpayer-Friendly Candidate By Lawrence Kudlow

Sen. John McCain moved decisively to the supply side last week in a strong speech to the National Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

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June 18, 2008

The Sense of Loss By Susan Estrich

In the outpouring of tributes and anecdotes about the passing of Tim Russert, one item caught my eye. It was a note that recalled that this was the second tragedy in a matter of months for the Russert family: It was less than three months ago that Tim's sister Betty lost her husband, William Buckenroth; he was 61. Meanwhile, their father, Tim Russert senior or "Big Russ," continues to live in Buffalo.

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June 17, 2008

Vacation Shortage in Land of Plenty By Froma Harrop

As we watch the economy slip into second-rateness, another depressing thought rises. All the toil and stress we've put into making America great never translated into the Dolce Vita (sweet life) for ordinary folks.

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June 16, 2008

The Fed Doesn't Raise By Robert Novak

Speculation that the Federal Reserve is about to begin inflation-fighting interest rate increases appears to be dead wrong.

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June 14, 2008

In Defense of Lobbyists By Michael Barone

Barack Obama has long said that his campaign will not accept contributions from lobbyists, and now that he is the presumptive nominee, the Democratic National Committee won't accept them, either.

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June 14, 2008

Biden for VP? By Robert D. Novak

Before multimillionaire Democratic power broker James A. Johnson quit as Sen. Barack Obama's chief vice presidential screener, the name that came to the fore in his internal discussions was 65-year-old, six-term Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware.

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June 12, 2008

How To Pick A Vice-President By Dick Morris

Bill Clinton's selection of Al Gore changed forever the calculus presidential candidates need to use in choosing their running mates.

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June 12, 2008

McCain, Obama Have Some Base Building to Do By Rhodes Cook

For the first time in 40 years, the Democrats and Republicans are each on the verge of nominating a candidate who failed to attract even half of their party's primary vote.

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June 12, 2008

A Challenge Obama Should Accept By Joe Conason

To his credit, John McCain has invited Barack Obama to join him in a national "town hall" tour over the coming months, without the unneeded intrusion of celebrity journalists, network extravaganzas and all of their irrelevant impertinence.

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June 12, 2008

On Issues, Obama Poetry Won't Rhyme By Froma Harrop

Barack Obama is such a stand-up guy that he'll stand up twice -- once for each side of an issue. The poetry reading on change and hope is over. Now that he has to talk about real policy, there's little rhyme in the rhythm.

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June 12, 2008

Congressional Combat, Continued By Larry J. Sabato

Last December, when we first sketched out the upcoming House elections , we suggested that Democrats were likely to have a good year. Nothing has changed our forecast in the six months since, and if anything, we now see November 2008 as probably the best year Democrats have had in many a moon.

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June 12, 2008

Decline of the Senate By Robert Novak

Sen. Arlen Specter, at age 78 suffering from cancer, was feeling miserable Monday following chemotherapy the previous Friday. But believing the best antidote was hard work, Specter took the Senate floor with a speech different in kind from the partisan oratory now customary in the chamber.

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June 11, 2008

The Other Forty Percent By Susan Estrich

Everyone knows what the "right" answer is to the question of whether you would be willing to vote for an African-American for president. The "right" answer is yes. What's surprising is not how many people say yes, but how many don't.

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June 10, 2008

How Obama Can Win By Dick Morris

Most aspiring presidents and prime ministers face a myriad of challenges as they embark on their journey.