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The Hillary laugh debate
After Jon Stewart mocked Hillary Clinton’s laughter during interviews, Patrick Healy wrote an entire New York Times article about “The Cackle” that has now launched a mini-frenzy of coverage, including a “body language expert” calling it “evil laughter” on Fox. The implications of this debate for American democracy are so obvious and depressing that I
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Bill Clinton calls Obama inexperienced
The latest phony salvo in the Hillary camp’s claims about experience comes from Bill, who described Obama as less experienced than he was in 1992: Former President Bill Clinton said he was far more experienced when he made his successful 1992 White House run than Senator Barack Obama is today. “There is a difference,” Clinton
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Bush’s dissembling on SCHIP
If you’re not already, you need to read McClatchy’s DC news reporting. It’s the only place you’ll find clear fact-checking like this analysis of the debate over the SCHIP bill that President Bush just vetoed: President Bush claims that the bipartisan bill to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program “would result in taking a
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Obama: 13 innocents
executedon death rowAndrew Sullivan posted a Barack Obama speech at Howard University that included this striking claim: Because when I was a state senator in Illinois we have a death penalty system that had sent 13 innocent people to their death–13 innocent men that we know. My understanding is that it’s never been proven that any person
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Ron Paul: Still nutty
Ron Paul may be a trendy presidential candidate among elite libertarian types, but he’s still pandering to the fringes. A recent fundraising letter to supporters included this passage claiming US sovereignty is under attack and the United Nations wants to take away our guns: And yes, he did handwrite the letter. I’m afraid my scan
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Weird Obama fundraising tactics
My friend Ben Fritz reports that Obama’s fundraising script claims that he will give his leftover funds to the party nominee if he loses. Has anyone else heard that? And has he made that pledge publicly?
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CNN editor wrong on Newt money
It’s annoying to hear the political editor of CNN, which touts itself as “the most trusted name in news,” botching basic facts. During the Race to ’08 podcast on Friday, CNN’s Mark Preston said Newt Gingrich “came out with the goal that if he could raise $30 million in three weeks he would get into
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More supply-side nonsense from Giuliani
Continuing his recent descent into supply-side boosterism, Rudy Giuliani told supporters listening to a National House Party Night webcast on Friday that tax cuts increase revenue (23:55 in the clip): Remember, you collect more money with lower taxes than you do with higher taxes. I reduced the income tax in New York by twenty-four percent,
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Is Barack Obama the next Bill Bradley?
TNR’s Michael Crowley has written an excellent piece on Barack Obama’s failure to draw sharp contrasts with Hillary Clinton. As Crowley points out, Obama seems to have a personal hangup about negative campaigning and it’s hurting his ability to close the gap with Hillary. The parallel Crowley draws to Bill Bradley is especially striking: There’s
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Oprah’s health care activism
Yesterday Michael Moore appeared on Oprah for a second time to talk about health care in America. Setting aside my issues with Moore, what was striking about the episode was the extent to which Oprah herself has been converted to the cause. The format of the episode was stacked — it was Moore and the