Greg Mitchell on media, politics, film, music, TV, comedy and more. "Not here, not here the darkness, in this twittering world." -- T.S. Eliot
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Great Debate: Here's what happened
Update #2: Nearing end, debate takes a very bad turn for Hillary when asked about her vote for the war. She refuses to say it was mistake, argues that there was a "credible" case for WMD and that she only wanted to threaten force and couldn't imagine Bush was that obsessed with attacking. Blitzer asks if that means she was "naive." She denies, and then mentions "credible" again. Obama jumps in and says that everyone knew at time that it was an authorization for war not just a threat and that's why we need a new mindset. Very bad moment for her. Final question: Would they consider forming a "dream ticket"? Both have fun with idea and do not rule it out. Amazing conclusion: Obama gallantly pulls back her chair so she can rise and then they speak warmly in each other's ears and nearly embrace.
Meanwhile, you can't beat this video: John McCain as Gen. Buck Turgidsen.
Montel Williams hits Fox -- Fox stations ax him?
Where is Borat when we really need him?
Deliverance: My new book finally arrives

"Greg Mitchell has given us a razor-sharp critique of how the media and the government connived in one of the great blunders of American foreign policy. Every aspiring journalist, every veteran, every pundit—and every citizen who cares about the difference between illusion and reality, propaganda and the truth, and looks to the press to help keep them separate—should read this book. Twice."
— Bill Moyers
"With the tragic war in Iraq dragging on, and the drumbeat for new conflicts growing louder, this is more than a five-year history of the biggest foreign policy debacle of our times—it's a cautionary tale that is as relevant as this morning's headlines. Read it and weep; read it and get enraged; read it and make sure it doesn't happen again."
— Arianna Huffington
"In war truth is too often the first casualty, and it is not just a President or a Secretary of Defense or assorted official spokesmen who do the killing. Our brothers and sisters in the media also participate in the execution. Greg Mitchell has taken that as his lesson and in so doing has done a service to future generations in our business."
--Joseph L. Galloway, military reporter and co-author, We Were Soldiers Once...and Proud
"Anyone who cares about the integrity of the American media should read this book. Greg Mitchell asks tough questions about the Iraq war that should have been asked long ago, in a poignant, patriotic, and thoughtful dissection of our war in Iraq. Mitchell names names and places blame on those who’ve blundered. Examining the most complex issue of our time, he connects the dots like no one else has."
— Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America and author of Chasing Ghosts
“The profound failure of the American press with regard to the Iraq War may very well be the most significant political story of this generation. Greg Mitchell has established himself as one of our country's most perceptive media critics, and here he provides invaluable insight into how massive journalistic failures enabled the greatest strategic disaster in the nation's history.”
— Glenn Greenwald, Salon.com writer and author of A Tragic Legacy and How Would a Patriot Act?
Bombshell 9/11 commission book coming
www.washingtondecoded.com
Nature calls
Suicides among U.S. soldiers soar
http://www.washingtonpost.com
MY NEW COLUMN: Iraq is 'so over 'as an issue -- really?
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003704650
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
McCain cruises -- while Obama kicks the Big Dog
Obama argued that the Democratic race is a contest of "the past versus the future," and warned against "nominating a candidate who will unite the other party against us," rather than "choosing one who can unite this country around a movement for change." But maybe the blast that set off the alarms is that he mocked the Big Dog himself: "I know it is tempting, after another presidency by a man named George Bush, to simply turn back the clock, and to build a bridge back to the 20th century," Obama said, paraphrasing an old slogan of Bill Clinton. Let's see if his wife can keep off the campaign trail after that.
On The Daily Show tonight, Peggy Noonan really acted stumped by Rudy's fall -- she can find "no discernible" reason for it and she hopes "books will be written about it" so we can all figure it out. Jon Stewart, like nearly everyone else in the country, doesn't need to wait for that. Voters, he said, simply decided: "That guy -- I don't like him."
Murdoch's 'N.Y. Post' Backs Obama, Rips Hillary

"Bill Clinton's thuggishly self-centered campaign antics conjure so many bad, sad memories that it's hard to know where to begin. Suffice it to say that his Peck's-Bad-Boy smirk - the Clinton trademark - wore thin a very long time ago. Far more to the point, Sen. Clinton could have reined him in at any time. But she chose not to - which tells the nation all it needs to know about what a Clinton II presidency would be like....A return to Sen. Clinton's cattle-futures deal, Travelgate, Whitewater, Filegate, the Lincoln Bedroom Fire Sale, Pardongate - and the inevitable replay of the Monica Mess? No, thank you." Here's more:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003704589
Remember when Bill Kristol said Obama would have opposed Abraham Lincoln?
"We're electing a war president in 2008," Kristol declared on February 11, 2007, just after Obama launched his campaign with a speech that included a call for an Iraq pullout. "If I can come back to Obama and Lincoln for just one second. Lincoln's 'House Divided' speech in 1858 was a speech saying we cannot live as a house divided on slavery and he implicitly says we'll have to fight a civil war if necessary on this. Obama's speech is a 'Can't we all get along?' speech -- sort of the opposite of Lincoln. He would have been with Stephen Douglas in 1858: Let's paper over these differences, rise above politics, and all get along. That's not Giuliani's mode." Here is the link:
Attorney General: Waterboarding not so bad....
The Edwards exit speech
Atrios at his Eschaton blog notes wryly: "Maybe if Edwards had announced his exit from the race every week he would have gotten more media coverage." Over at Talking Points memo, Edwards' top guy, Joe Trippi (the former Howard Dean honcho) is claiming that people with Obama and Hillary are “banging down the doors" seeking an endorsement. Given his speech, I doubt it will be coming any time soon, if at all.
The end of torture: No small thing
AP: Edwards dropping out
In other momentous news, the Wall Street Journal reports that Arlo Guthie has endorsed...Ron Paul, stating, “I love this guy....Dr. Paul is the only candidate I know of who would have signed the Constitution of the United States had he been there.”
A 'Hill' of a victory

Amusing Dana Milbank column in Washington Post today on the Clinton "win" in Florida: "Cheering supporters? Check. Election returns on the projection screen? Check. Andrea Mitchell and Candy Crowley doing stand-ups? Check and check. In fact, the only piece missing from Hillary Clinton's Florida victory party here Tuesday night was a victory....But in a political stunt worthy of the late Evel Knievel, the Clinton campaign decided to put on an ersatz victory party that, it hoped, would erase memories of Obama's actual victory Saturday night in South Carolina's Democratic primary. 'Thank you, Florida Democrats!' Clinton shouted to the cheering throng. 'I am thrilled to have this vote of confidence.' It was a perfect reproduction of an actual victory speech, delivered at a perfectly ersatz celebration at a perfectly pretend location: a faux Italianate palace with lion sculptures, indoor fountains and a commanding view of Interstate 595."
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Endless war -- Bush may halt reductions
McCain takes Florida, Rudy to quit, Hillary tries to let Sunshine in
Obama campaign sends out email: "Breaking… Obama and Clinton tie for delegates in Florida. 0 for Obama, 0 for Clinton.” New reports surface that Hillary wanted to sit with Obama at the State of the Union address for sake of party unity, and he rejected it. His campaign denies this. In more excitement, see the new Caroline Kennedy TV spot for Obama below. I am updating at E&P:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003703646
Bombs away: The most overlooked Iraq story
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174887
Finally, it's Goodbye Rudy Tuesday -- still we're gonna miss ya?
'Daily Show' scribes review 'State of Union' speech
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/state-of-the-union-a-shocking-omission/?hp
Obama as 'target': Harry Smith raises assassination threat with Ted Kennedy
Kennedy seemed to not know what Smith was hinting at -- although he did stutter a bit -- and offered a bland reply about a "new generation." Smith then tried again: "I just, I think, what I was trying to say is -- sometimes agents of change end up being targets, as you well know. And that was why I was asking if you were at all fearful of that." This time Kennedy, who certainly does well know, surely understood what he meant but again evaded the question, just referring to Obama as an "agent of change." Good for him. Smith also tried to get Teddy to reveal what went down in his now-famous phone conversation with Bill Clinton regarding the pending endorsement. Kennedy chuckled heartily and said, no way. Here's complete video of yesterday's Kennedy and Obama speeches:
Monday, January 28, 2008
A Barry good column
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004145895_dbarry28.html
Va Tech student in famous photo sits with Laura Bush tonight

Obama gains in latest Gallup -- but not so much?
"At the same time, Gallup analysis of interviewing conducted [only] Sunday shows Clinton is ahead by 10 points, not the immediately significant impact of Obama's overwhelming win in South Carolina that Obama supporters may have hoped for." He notes that endorsements by various Kennedys may now provide a boost.
"The Republican race appears to be tightening," he adds. "John McCain's lead over Mitt Romney is now only 8 points, from a recent high of 14 points in polling conducted early last week. Mike Huckabee remains slightly behind Romney, while Rudy Giuliani is in fourth place with 13% of the Republican national vote. The results of Tuesday's Florida primary could have a significant effect on the standing of the GOP candidates nationally."
Cruising for Hillary
Barack and Ted's Excellent Adventure

Obama in his own remarks talked about his father's arrival in this country and "that part of what made it possible for him to come here was an effort by the young Senator from Massachusetts at the time, John F. Kennedy, and by a grant from the Kennedy Foundation to help Kenyan students pay for travel. So it is partly because of their generosity that my father came to this country, and because he did, I stand before you today – inspired by America’s past, filled with hope for America’s future, and determined to do my part in writing our next great chapter."
Here is AP story:
http://www.examiner.com/a-1184399~Kennedys_endorsing_Obama__expect_to_campaign_for_Democrat.html
Video of the Week: Turn and face the 'changes'
Iraq war is so 'over' -- but killing continues
"A roadside bomb killed five American soldiers Monday in the northern province described as one of al-Qaida in Iraq's last strongholds, just days after a massive house explosion and suicide attack killed 40 people in the provincial capital."
"Influential members of Muqtada al-Sadr's movement have urged the anti-U.S. Shiite cleric not to extend a cease-fire when it expires next month, officials said Monday, a move that could jeopardize recent security gains."
Tony Rezko back in the news

Meanwhile, the California primary looms large as a key decider, and Obama has just picked up the endorsement of the San Francisco Chronicle. And, amusingly, he also gained the backing of novelist Toni Morrison -- the woman who dubbed Bill Clinton "the first black president," which led to a question on this matter for Obama at the last debate. On the GOP side, Florida vote looking like a beauty tomorrow -- McCain and Romney tied in most polls. Rudy may edge Ron Paul this time. And as I wrote one week ago: Goodbye Rudy -- Tuesday.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Bill and Ted's Not So Excellent Adventure

New York Times on Monday, meanwhile, reveals, "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign team, seeking to readjust after her lopsided defeat in South Carolina and amid a sense among many Democrats that Mr. Clinton had injected himself clumsily into the race, will try to shift the former president back into the sunnier, supportive-spouse role that he played before Mrs. Clinton’s loss in the Iowa caucuses, Clinton advisers said....Yet some advisers expressed concern that Mr. Clinton might prove difficult to rein in."
Falling into a black hole in Iraq
http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/Jan/20080127News029.asp
Sunday transcendence
Dynasties Clash: Kennedys vs. Clintons
Hillary on "Face the Nation" affirmed that Bill would continue on the campaign trail with her, despite the growing backlash, explaining, "You know, he loves me just like, you know, husbands and wives get out there and work on each others' behalf. I certainly did that for him for many years. She added that "what he is doing for me is obviously out of a sense of deep commitment to me personally but also based on his experience as president as to who he thinks would best lead our country. And I know that in my own support of him going back some years, I sometimes got a little bit carried away. I confess to that."
Another hit Obama victory speech last night:
This is really Rich
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27rich.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
I'm gonna Obama your butt, boy
John Dickerson on Slate offers an amusing take on the surprising landslide in South Carolina. Under the headline, "Opening Up a Can of Obama," he observes, "Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton so badly in South Carolina it may spawn some new kind of Southern colloquialism. When Clemson spanks an opponent by five touchdowns it will be called an Obama. Fans will taunt the losing team as they walk off the field by making an 'O' against their foreheads."
'Once' not enough in Oscar race?
Well, here's the likely cause: The song, "Falling Slowly," appeared on two albums before the movie came out -- a big no-no for the Academy -- but the question is, was it written for the movie specifically and then ended up on the CDs as the film made its slow way to release? It appears on two excellent 2006-2007 CDs by the co-writer and male star in the film, Glen Hansard: One is from his band, The Frames, called The Cost, and the other is the duet album he made with his co-star in the flick, Marketa Irglova, The Swell Season. You can see The Frames do it via YouTube. He was definitely asked to write original songs for the movie (he wasn't supposed to appear in it himself at first) but whether "Falling Slowly" was one of them, I don't know. Damn shame if it's axed. When I saw the pair at a NYC concert a few months ago, Hansard was bubbling over the Oscar buzz.
Update: A commenter at Carr's blog writes that "Falling Slowly" was previously featured in a Czech movie called “Kráska v nesnázích” released in September 2006 in the Czech Republic. He includes a YouTube link to the trailer which includes the tune.
Here's the key scene in "Once" when Glen teaches Marketa the song:
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Caroline Kennedy op-ed in 'NYT'
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kennedy.html?hp
Update: Obama wins by "substantial margin"
Update: NBC says Hillary will beat out Edwards for 2nd. Bill Clinton is speaking from Missouri and refers to big vote coming up in Florida -- even though it is not supposed to count. He also refers to this as his "post-politics" years. NBC reveals that Caroline Kennedy will be endorsing Obama in the pages of The New York Times tomorrow More as night goes on over at E&P:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003702574
Five years ago: Predicting disaster in Iraq
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003702568
If you loved Bush/Cheney you'll love Clinton/Clinton?

Meanwhile, Colbert King in his op-ed at The Washington Post today also lays into the couple he calls "Billary," and wonders if they would have his and hers desks in the Oval Office. One sample: "To elect Obama would be to 'roll the dice,' sniffed the former president. When Bill Clinton ran for president in 1992, he was governor of a small state, had no foreign policy experience and didn't know how to salute. He got his on-the-job experience in the White House." Here's the link to the Garry Wills piece:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/opinion/26wills.html?ref=opinion
Robert Capa, Redux

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/arts/design/27kenn.html?ref=arts
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hillary one ups Bill -- she inhaled...
Merle has written a song that sort of backs Hillary's campaign, called "Put A Woman in Charge." Includes the lyric, "The country owes it to Hillary, and Hillary owes it to Bill." Here is Merle's perhaps drunken live version:
New Orleans JazzFest schedule out today!
Colbert -- and 'Scooby Do' -- on the Clintons
A media breakthrough?
Pam Fine, the openly gay managing editor of The Indianapolis Star, praised the appointment: "It's great to see it. I hope more companies will be less-afraid to pick gay editors."
Sympathy from the devil: McCain accepts 'NYT' endorsement
Speaking to reporters today, McCain said that any endorsement doesn't mean "that I necessarily share their views." He added: “In the case of the Romney campaign, which I understand is the one that is making most of it, in all due respect -- I got the endorsement of both of his hometown newspapers. The Boston Globe, which is known to be liberal, and the Boston Herald, which is very conservative. We got the endorsement of all the people who know him best, in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I appreciate anyone’s endorsement."
Boycott Chuck Norris -- at your own risk!

Does this mean you?

http://srreinardy.iweb.bsu.edu/burnoutcrisis/conclusions.html
Peggy's turn to cry
"Were there other causes? Yes, of course. But there was an immediate and essential cause. And this needs saying, because if you don't know what broke the elephant you can't put it together again. The party cannot re-find itself if it can't trace back the moment at which it became lost. It cannot heal an illness whose origin is kept obscure.... The truth will out, like steam from a kettle. It hurts to say something you supported didn't work. I would know."
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Obama does Letterman -- and Matt Lauer springs surprise on Hillary

This morning on the Today show, Matt Lauer sprung a "gotcha" surprise on Hillary Clinton, putting up on the screen a photo of Hillary and her husband, obviously during their White House days, posing with the very "slumlord" she had linked to Obama in the last debate. She denied knowing him at all and said that, in any case, she did not have a 17-year relationship with him like someone else she could name. Here is link:
http://thepage.time.com/clinton-on-the-today-show/
Crying Wolfy
Not really blogging the GOP debate

At the close of no-fireworks debate -- with barely a jab thrown by anyone -- most of the MSNBC analysts called it for Romney, simply because he was able to pretty much deliver his stump speech without having to endure attacks, which generally make him "flinch" and "look terrible" as one put it. Yet he is the one who said he couldn't wait to take on the Democrats....Meanwhile, Huckabee, given a chance post-debate to clarify his statement on WMD, said they must have been taken to Jordan, our ally (when surely he meant, Syria).
'NYT' endorses Hillary, McCain

"By choosing Mrs. Clinton, we are not denying Mr. Obama’s appeal or his gifts. The idea of the first African-American nominee of a major party also is exhilarating, and so is the prospect of the first woman nominee. 'Firstness' is not a reason to choose. The times that false choice has been raised, more often by Mrs. Clinton, have tarnished the campaign." It also observed: "As strongly as we back her candidacy, we urge Mrs. Clinton to take the lead in changing the tone of the campaign."
The GOP one knocks all the candidates on the war and the Bush legacy but still says it's an "easy" choice to pick McCain, as he is "the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe." Here's the link to the Clinton one, and from there you can link right to the McCain one:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/opinion/25fri1.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Obama leads in S. Carolina but racial gap widens
While his edge his closer than in some other polls, Obama leads Hillary in South Carolina, "where their increasingly bitter rivalry has opened a deep racial divide among Democrats days before the party's first primary in the South on Saturday," McClatchy reports tonight in reviewing its new McClatchy-MSNBC poll. African-Americans break solidly for Obama, with 59 percent supporting him vs. 25 percent for Clinton, 4 percent for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and 12 percent undecided. White voters: 40 percent support Edwards, 36 percent back Clinton, 10 percent are behind Obama and 14 percent are undecided.
Things get 'Rocky' for McCain -- he can fly now
AP counts delegates -- says Super Tuesday won't decide anything
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080124/D8UC7RDO0.html
Kristol cleared: How did he get 'NYT' column?
http://tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=7b687811-caed-4ded-bda3-66d9c1b11f71
Hillary and the 'hit job'

And, if you can't wait, here at above right is preview of TIME's cover coming tomorrow. Jay Carney writes, “Now having won two important early contests, McCain finds himself burdened with the front-runner label for the second time in a month, the third time in the past year and the fourth time since the 2000 primaries ... Up to this point in McCain’s career as a presidential candidate, becoming the man to beat has meant, inexorably, that he was about to be beaten ... If McCain loses Florida, and the nomination, it will be because Republicans couldn’t overcome their doubts about him—and because McCain wasn’t willing to make it easy for them.”
McCain says, referring to potential Democratic presidential nominees, “I am confident we’d have a respectful debate with any of the three ... Why not? I’ve worked with them all. They’re all patriots.” Ken Duberstein, a former chief of staff for Ronald Reagan, tells TIME, “McCain has his flaws, but everyone is starting to recognize that he’s the most electable Republican out there.”
Another top editor exits
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Fox News: U.S. economy tanking because of fear of Democrats taking White House

He also played statements by numerous pundits hailing Fred Thompson's chances last summer, closing with Bill Kristol calling him truly "formidable." Stewart: "Oh, Bill Kristol, aren't you ever right?" He also suggested that the idea of Fred Thompson as candidate put him way up there in the polls but the reality made the poll numbers plunge. Ergo, now that he is out again, he may rise again and yet become the nominee. Lending credence to that: a National Review article today pointing out that a pro-Thompson uncommitted slate carried the Louisiana caucuses yesterday after he dropped out. The Fredmentum has started!
Best music of the week: On Colbert show?
Goodbye, Rudy -- Tuesday?
It's ain't the meat, it's the notion

The 'war' at the 'Wash Post' continues
Today, guess what? A front pager in the same paper by Amit R. Paley and Joshua Partlow relates, "Approved by parliament this month under pressure from U.S. officials, the law was heralded by President Bush and Iraqi leaders as a way to soothe the deep anger of many ex-Baathists -- primarily Sunnis but also many Shiites such as Awadi -- toward the Shiite-led government." However: "More than a dozen Iraqi lawmakers, U.S. officials and former Baathists here and in exile expressed concern in interviews that the law could set off a new purge of ex-Baathists, the opposite of U.S. hopes for the legislation."
Then there's the shockingly much-overlooked financial cost of the war: "Funding for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and other activities in the war on terrorism expanded significantly in 2007," the Congressional Budget Office said in a report released on Wednesday. War funding, which averaged about $93 billion a year from 2003 through 2005, rose to $120 billion in 2006 and $171 billion in 2007 and President George W. Bush has asked for $193 billion in 2008.
Bill Clinton announces he is running for president!
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/bill_clinton_screw_it_im_running
Incredible interest in study of false statements on war
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The falsehoods that led to war -- now in one place!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/washington/23database.html?hp
Another loss on Ledger

In this vein: photo at above right shows the famous incident when photogs in Australian sprayed the star with water pistols at Brokeback premiere. He left the country almost immediately and never looked back.
The delegate count: Obama leads (trails)
But this will seem trivial after California and New York vote in two weeks. And Hillary will win New York (trust me) and leads Obama by 12% in latest Field poll in California -- and seems to be gaining in picking up Hispanic votes (through racial politics or not). Hence: she left little South Carolina today and flew to California. Obama will get his must-win in South Carolina this weekend but he should be heading out to L.A. as well. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton said in South Carolina today, "I know you think it's crazy, but I kind of like to see Barack and Hillary fight....They're flesh and blood people and they have their differences -- let them have it."
Heath Ledger dead in New York
In a recent interview with WJW-TV in Cleveland, Ledger was asked how having a child (with Michelle Williams) had changed his life.“You’re forced into, kind of, respecting yourself more,” he said. “You learn more about yourself through your child, I guess. I think you also look at death differently. It’s like a Catch-22: I feel good about dying now because I feel like I’m alive in her, you know, but at the same hand, you don’t want to die because you want to be around for the rest of her life.” Here's a clip from Monster's Ball with (sorry) music:
No quiet on the Western front...
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003699789
Gallup: Voters satisfied with candidates this year

There's one big problem with these scenarios, Frank Newport, head of the Gallup organization, reports today: Voters are actually pretty darn happy with the choices they already have. The poll found, quite tellingly, that 84% answered yes when asked if there was alraedy someone running who would make a "good president." This compares with 71% in March 2000, 57% in May 1996 and 47% in April 1992.
After reviewing the January 10-13 Gallup poll, Newport concludes: "The data reviewed above suggest that the environment would not be nearly as propitious this year as it was for Perot that year. It is true that Americans are broadly dissatisfied this year with both the state of the nation and the economy, as they were in 1992. But Americans at this juncture seem much more willing to say that the current crop of candidates running in the major parties have discussed good solutions to the nation's problems and, as a result, there is a high level of satisfaction with those currently running. Thus, were Bloomberg to jump into the race, his first job would be to convince voters that he would bring to the table something that the major party candidates have not."
Almost 3 in 4 agree that the candidates as a group are "talking about issues you really care about." Again, this compares favorably with past races. And by a 58% to 36% margin, they say that one or more presidential candidates "have come up with good ideas for solving the country's problems."
Oscar mania makes brief appearance
Monday, January 21, 2008
Obama in debate goes after the Clintons -- and all hell breaks loose

A few minutes later Wolf gave Obama a chance to respond to the slumlord charge. He admitted he had done five hours of work in this regard long ago. He then hit HIllary for raising so many untrue charges against him and people might not trust such a person as president. She then charged him with not ever taking responsibility for his record -- producing boos from the audience. She then went into a litany of times he had voted "present" in Illinois. Obama responded heatedly about twisting his record and denounced those "willing to say anything to get elected." Here is a link to the rest of the debate, and below that, courtesy of Talking Points Memo, is the big Obama/Clinton flareup:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003699513
Colbert flushing out new visitors to National Gallery

Colbert has advised: "All employees must wash hands before returning to work."
Obama's best chance: Running against BILL Clinton?

True, Hillary is a long way from locking it up, but she looks like a better bet now. The problem for Obama is that huge numbers of Democrats (probably including himself) actually like Hillary and/or think she is a fine candidate. However, a growing number either realize that they never really liked her husband, or never really forgave him, or loved him until recently -- when he started acting obnoxious on the stump -- or simply are now troubled as they finally realize that they don't really want to live through another eight years of gabby/grabby Bill and the Clintons' marital dynamic. Anyway: I see all this playing out on liberal blogs and some mainstream media sites and I wouldn't be surprised to see Obama keep hitting Bill -- while sweet-talking Hill.
Update: At a meeting today with editors of The State, the leading paper in South Carolina, Obama charged that the media had distorted his recent remarks about Ronald Reagan. And, the paper reports, "Obama continued criticism of what he says is a strategy by the Clinton campaign to use former President Bill Clinton to attack him. 'There is a concrete strategy by the Clintons,' Obama said, saying the former president has attacked his war record unfairly and with inaccurate information." If you haven't caught Obama's Ebenezer Baptist Church speech (now a YouTube sensation) here is the whole thing:
Did he jump or was he pushed?
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003699465
'L.A. Times' meets 'The Wire'

On the TV show last night, a very familiar scene showed the paper's publisher calling everyone together in the newsroom (see photo at right) to announce that because of revenue shortfalls and that damn free Internet, heads would have to roll, or at least buyouts ordered. Showing that the script is at least a little dated, there were suggestions that this was ordered "from Chicago." The editor, who physically looks not unlike actual Sun editor Tim Franklin, expressed his regrets while repeating the mantra of we-must-do-more-with-less. Much moaning ensued about the state of modern newspapers, along with references to a possible guild fight.
As often happens in real life, a veteran reporter refused a post on the copy desk and decided to accept a buyout, taking years of experience and insider knowledge with him. When the key younger reporter at the paper blithely suggested that the older fellow was just "dead wood" (wasn't that another HBO series?), he was promptly dissed by his editor. Partly in response, the young guy then made up a juicy quote for a story -- the second time he has done that this season. The first time he made up from scratch an appealing profile of a fan at an Orioles game, and hasn't been nailed for that yet. Prediction: a Jayson Blair-type scandal is fast approaching. We hope only on HBO.
Elsewhere on the show last night: another young reporter complained about her first front pager getting cut in half and moved to Metro. She had driven all the way to the paper's printing plant to get an early copy. And a mayor's aide leaked a police department story to the paper.
Campaign update: Rudy losing in New York, video of Obama messing with Bill
Obama and Clinton camps still trading charges of vote manipulation in Nevada. Here's the video of Obama hitting back at (Bill) Clinton on TV this morning -- with the Clinton camp claiming, again, that Obama is merely issuing right wing talking points.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
We will, we will, Iraq you -- seemingly forever
Chuck Norris: McCain may up and die on us

Obama to hit Bubba tomorrow
Life imitates art, again, at 'L.A.Times'
Bacevich vs. Gordon on Iraq

For a more sane commentary, try the redoubtable Andrew Bacevich at The Washington Post, one of the sharpest analysts (who also happens to have lost a son in Iraq, unlike virtually anyone else who writes about the war): "In short, the surge has done nothing to overturn former secretary of state Colin Powell's now-famous 'Pottery Barn' rule: Iraq is irretrievably broken, and we own it. To say that any amount of 'kicking ass' will make Iraq whole once again is pure fantasy. The U.S. dilemma remains unchanged: continue to pour lives and money into Iraq with no end in sight, or cut our losses and deal with the consequences of failure. In only one respect has the surge achieved undeniable success: It has ensured that U.S. troops won't be coming home anytime soon. This was one of the main points of the exercise in the first place."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/18/AR2008011802873.html?hpid=opinionsbox1