Month: March 2007
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Stanley Fish chooses a mystery novel
Talk about phoning it in — Stanley Fish just published a fascinating Times op-ed about how he picked a mystery novel at the airport (TimesSelect required). The world is a better place. Coming next time: Fish struggles to choose a rental car at the Avis desk.
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The problem with Obama’s goo-goo appeal
Like most people to the left of center, I’m excited about the potential of Barack Obama. One can’t help but be inspired by his personal story, especially after reading Dreams of My Father. And he’s bringing people into the political process at a remarkable rate. My sister recently went to a rally in Oakland, CA
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The downside of Freakonomics
The New Republic’s Noam Scheiber writes the Freakonomics takedown that needed to be written (TNR registration required). It’s a longer and better developed version of the rant I’ve been on for a year or so privately. Steve Levitt is a genius of clever research design, and it’s great in principle to expand the scope of
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Bill Richardson’s fundraising thermometer
Back in October, I highlighted my favorite fundraising thermometer ever — a GOP graphic that colored Ted Kennedy’s head pink: Now, New Mexico governor and presidential candidate Bill Richardson is trading on his Hispanic ethnicity to raise cash with a chili pepper graphic: As a friend asked, isn’t there something vaguely offensive about using a
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Breaking down the Iraq withdrawal vote
The political scientists Jeff Lewis (UCLA) and Keith Poole (UCSD) have estimated the spatial locations (essentially, the ideological positions) of members of the House in the 109th and 110th Congress in order to analyze the vote on Iraq withdrawal in the House on Friday. As it turns out, supporters and opponents separated almost perfectly along
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ABC News is classy
What does ABC News consider important enough “breaking news” to send me an email? Apparently, this: Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com: CORONER: ANNA NICOLE HAD NINE PERSCRIPTION DRUGS IN HER SYSTEM AND AN INFECTION IN HER BUTTOCKS CONTRIBUTED TO HER DEATH Thanks ABC! That’s news I can use.
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Marshall: DOJ followed Bush “plan”
In a post on Talking Points Memo, Josh Marshall demonstrates a common pathology of scandal debate: It is not too much to say that everything that has come out of Alberto Gonzales’ mouth on this issue has been a lie… And the president is fine with all of this. Fine with the fact that the
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Post: Sworn testimony not necessary
Jon Chait flags some classic inside-the-Beltway nonsense from the Washington Post editorial page: The Washington Post editorializes today on the prosecutor scandal. It turns out, as with most issues, that the blame here can be apportioned between the two parties in precisely equal measures. Funny how that keeps happening. The key part of the Post‘s
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Weisberg v. Weisberg on Gore
Are there two Jacob Weisbergs? The Slate editor seems to have trouble making up his mind about the myth that Al Gore said he invented the Internet. Consider the twists and turns in Weisberg’s writing on the matter documented by Jamison Foser of Media Matters: Slate.com's Jacob Weisberg, for example, took a familiar shot at
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George Will’s false equivalence
Phil Klinkner of Polysigh points out a classic case of false equivalence from George Will in the Washington Post: There are the tantrums — sometimes both theatrical and perfunctory — of talking heads on television or commentators writing in vitriol (Paul Krugman’s incessant contempt, Ann Coulter’s equally constant loathing). Is Paul Krugman contemptuous of Republicans?