Joe Scott 3: The Body Politic

Hillary Does Sunday Talk

24 September 2007 |permalink | email article

The Democratic frontrunner, in her first appearance in over two years on any Washington Sunday talk show, barnstormed on five major programs yesterday, surviving the gauntlet virtually unscathed.

ABC, CNN, CBS and Fox interviews were taped at her New… read full story

Fox News and GOP tilt

23 September 2007 |permalink | email article

The Rupert Murdoch-owned network aired a one-hour special Saturday night and again Sunday afternoon in promos that deified General David Petraeus as rising “from humble beginnings to a brilliant military leader.”

Petraeus has impeccable credentials as a field commander.… read full story

RomneyWorld

23 September 2007 |permalink | email article

How off message can the top tier Republican presidential candidates get on the campaign trail? Here’s one sample observation from a columnist at an influential conservative magazine.

Saturday, on National Review Online, David Freddoso credited Mitt Romney in… read full story

Rudy: NRA, “surprise” call

22 September 2007 |permalink | email article

Rudy Giuliani’s appeared before the National Rifle Association in Washington Friday – a powerful group he once called extremists – and while defending his past strong advocacy of tougher gun laws said he now opposes gun limits.

It was… read full story

MoveOn Ad

21 September 2007 |permalink | email article

The Senate finally got around to passing a resolution by 72-25 condemning the now famous MoveOn.org ad in The New York Times calling Gen. David Petraeus “General Betray Us.”

Shortly before the Republican-led vote, an aroused President Bush… read full story

Clinton File Probe: Problem for Hillary?

20 September 2007 |permalink | email article

Democrat Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, in an extraordinary concession to House Republicans, promised in a five-page letter to ask the National Achieves for more than 2 million pages of documents relating to President Bill Clinton’s… read full story

Gore endorsement

19 September 2007 |permalink | email article

One interesting 2008 question is the likely probability that popular former vice president Al Gore will endorse one of the Democratic candidates for president.

The courting began when both Barack Obama, who like him also opposed the Iraq war,… read full story

Health care reform: Clinton tries again

17 September 2007 |permalink | email article

There’s clear evidence that health care coverage is a very important issue affecting every American. The average cost of family coverage has risen 76% in the last six years alone. While major presidential candidates in both parties have outlined… read full story

Iraq war comment, analysis

16 September 2007 |permalink | email article

“What is this enduring relationship? What does it require in the way of troops, bases, and other resources? … Do the relationship’s elements include stepped up diplomacy with Iraq’s neighbors? None of these vital questions was broached, much less… read full story

In Iraq for 50 Years?

14 September 2007 |permalink | email article

A somber President Bush, in his eighth prime-time address on Iraq since the start of the war in March, 2003, argued that his plan for a gradual reduction of some troops – an oddly phrased “Return on Success”—could be… read full story

Iraq: Senate Hearings Comment

13 September 2007 |permalink | email article

I thought three of the most revealing comments involving Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker in their testimony on Tuesday came from two retiring Republican senators and one Democrat with Independent after his name.

Sen. John Warner of… read full story

This time, next year

12 September 2007 |permalink | email article

Matthew Doud, the respected chief strategist to President Bush in the 2004 campaign, but now a disillusioned independent, has posted his analysis about the war in Iraq, part of it here, on huffingtonpost.com

“In the public’s mind, the war… read full story

9/11: Hunt for Bin Ladin

11 September 2007 |permalink | email article

While the Republican presidential field, in baseball parlance, is well into its season, Fred Thompson is only now taking batting practice.

The “Law and Order” actor and former Tennessee senator is trolling for sensational headlines to get himself into… read full story

Iraq: No way out

10 September 2007 |permalink | email article

Gen. David Petraeus begins testimony to Congress today, the eve of 9/11, on conditions in Iraq. It ‘s the most anticipated appearance by an Army officer since Gen. William Westmoreland traveled from Vietnam 40 years ago to address a… read full story

Read ’em and weep

08 September 2007 |permalink | email article

“The road to our comeback is clear. The California Republican Party should be a right-of-the-center party that occupies to broad middle of California.” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to convince his party’s dominant right wing which he says is “dying… read full story

Mixed first take

07 September 2007 |permalink | email article

The Fred Thompson presidential show is not off to a great start.

On the Tonight Show he showed he’s not a smooth Arnold Schwarzenegger announcing for California governor by clearing his throat often and appearing nervous.

He’s attempting to… read full story

Fred’s In, Mocked in GOP Debate

06 September 2007 |permalink | email article

Thompson sat on the “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” couch and, aping Arnold Schwarzenegger who used the same prop to announce for California governor, said he’s running for president.

The former Tennessee senator denied that his late entry into… read full story

Change Over Experience Valued

06 September 2007 |permalink | email article

New Gallup Poll numbers suggest an interesting dynamic among Democratic voters in the see-saw battle over which quality—experience or change—is more important in the 2008 presidential primary campaign

When Democrats and Democratic leaning independents were asked which of… read full story

Third Clinton Term?

05 September 2007 |permalink | email article

There’s fresh confirmation, as if any more was needed, that Bill Clinton’s the co-pilot of Hillary’s campaign. It became even more evident with the release Tuesday of his new book, “Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World.” … read full story

B43: Up Close, Uncertain Legacy

04 September 2007 |permalink | email article

A must-read book, out today, offers startling details into Bush’s presidency, for example Karl Rove telling Bush before the 2000 election it was a bad idea to name Dick Cheney as his running mate.

“Dead Certain: The Presidency of… read full story

Accepting Responsibility: Football vs. Politics

03 September 2007 |permalink | email article

Michigan and Notre Dame, two of the most successful football teams in America, lost their season openers on Saturday.

Michigan, with the winningest program, was defeated by Appalachian State, two-time defending champions from Division I-AA in one of… read full story

Tancredo: End Katrina Aid

02 September 2007 |permalink | email article

You might expect Republican loyalists to be shaken by the admitted lewd conduct that forced Idaho Sen. Larry Craig to resign. Or, on a sad note, reacting to respected Virginia Sen. John Warner’s decision, at 80, not to run… read full story