In the dead-tree TIME that is about to hit newsstands, I have this story looking at where things stand in her bid for the Senate. UPDATE: The AP reports that Gov. David Paterson is considering appointing a “caretaker” to hold the Senate seat for two years, which would leave everyone who is interested in the [...]

The Pew Internet & American Life Project released results yesterday from a survey on voter engagement post-election. During the primaries, some skeptical observers questioned whether the excitement about Obama’s candidacy would translate into turnout. And during the general election, they wondered whether Obama supporters could sustain their engagement after the long, closely-contested primary season. Now, [...]

Casualty of war.

The brilliant Israeli writer David Grossman has an op-ed in the New York Times today calling for a unilateral cease fire by the Israelis in Gaza. I agree with him.  It is significant that Grossman, who tends toward the peaceable and writes with the authority of a father who lost his son in the 2006 [...]

It turns out that it isn’t your imagination. 2008 is in fact an unusually long year. How do you plan to spend your extra second?

Commenter sgwhiteinfla asks: How can Reid stop Burris from being seated even if he wanted to[?] That’s a good question. Jeff Greenfield, looking at the precedents, doesn’t think he can: In the past, the Senate has ruled on appointments where the power of an outgoing governor to make an appointment was unclear. But as of [...]

Showing he’s still really good at thinking things all the way through, Blago has picked Roland Burris no doubt in part because he thinks Senate Democrats would have a tough time refusing to seat a man who would be the Senate’s only African-American member. He’s right to think they wouldn’t be thrilled about it. But [...]

Harry Reid has warned that the Senate will not seat anyone appointed by disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Now comes word that the Governor has picked former Illinois AG Roland Burris, who would be the only African-American in the Senate: Shortly after Obama’s Nov. 4 victory, Burris made known his interest in an appointment to [...]

As of this morning, Al Franken holds a 50-vote lead over Norm Coleman in the latest Minnesota Senate race tally. Next week the state Canvassing Board will declare a winner–or not. But if the margin remains this close, state law does provide the option of just drawing straws to see who gets to represent Minnesota [...]