Attacks versus Assessments

I was, honestly, not playing dumb when I asked for an explanation of how Clark’s comments were not “attacks” but Swindle’s were. I was actually being dumb. I just usually try hide it. Anyway, thanks for all the great answers, but I think OGLib put it the best (bonus points for not insulting me in the process!). The precise point:

So,

Faith Biased?

Obama gave a speech today outlining an expansion of government funding for “faith-based” charities, a move that some say “out-Bushes Bush” and seems to have caused some chin-stroking from lefty bloggers who worry about the separation of church and state and, you know, “out-Bushing Bush.”

In the speech, Obama criticized Bush for not …

The Cultivation of Victimhood

Down below, Ana gives a nice brief of today’s McCain conference call, which is the campaign’s attempt to keep the Wesley Clark comment in the news. Why, you ask, does McCain want to keep alive the idea that his military service does not qualify him for the White House?

Four words: The cultivation of victimhood.

It is not my phrase. I …

The Flip-Flop Obsession

It’s hard to remember now, but there was once a time when “flip-flop” was not the scarlet letter of presidential politics. I remember getting off the train in Boston, on my way to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, only to find two young Republican activists dressed like human-sized sandals. It took me a moment to understand that …

Wes Clark and The Military Credential

CJR has a piece out criticizing the media for its handling (or, it suggests, creation) of the flap around Wes Clark’s comments about John McCain’s service. But what about the merit of the basic argument that Clark seemed to be making: How well does being a military commander in wartime qualify a person to be Commander-in-Chief?

Though …

Servicing John McCain’s Military Service

The McCain campaign just finished up a conference call “to discuss Gen. Wesley Clark’s continued attacks on John McCain, and the Obama campaign’s response to them.”

The awesomely Dickensian (Thank you, P Mac!) named Orson Swindle (who was imprisoned with McCain in Vietnam) told reporters that the Obama campaign has not done enough to