In the ArenaGovernment
The Obama Cabinet
I don’t have a dog in the Secretary of State hunt.* But I do have an idea about how to get both John Kerry and Susan Rice into the Cabinet.
Klein's latest book is Politics Lost.
Joe Klein
Joe Klein is TIME's political columnist and author of six books, most recently Politics Lost. His weekly TIME column, "In the Arena," covers national and international affairs. In 2004 he won the National Headliner Award for best magazine column.
Articles from Contributor
In the ArenaGovernment
In the ArenaIn the Arena
Benghazi Baloney
Scott Shane has a fine piece of analysis today about the real issues involved in the Benghazi imbroglio–which is to say, the issues not being raised by the vindictive John McCain.
In the ArenaIn the Arena
In Praise of Earmarks
I have a new print column about Steven Spielberg’s splendid film Lincoln–which is an advertisement for a greasier, less puritanical form of politics.
In the ArenaIn the Arena
Lincoln Lessons
Seems everyone in the political world was talking about Spielberg’s splendid Lincoln this weekend. It turns out to be a movie about a living, breathing, horse-trading, occasionally mendacious genius of a politician. It resurrects the noble greasiness of politics at an incredibly appropriate moment: we’re in desperate need of some …
In the ArenaTaxes
Rattner Refutes Laffer
In 1974, the economist Arthur Laffer drew a protuberance on a napkin at a White House meeting “demonstrating” that the higher the tax rates are, the lower the revenues they produce. Thus, the birth of supply side economics, a theory that has been disproved dispositively over the past 40 years. The reason why the Laffer Curve is nonsense …
In the ArenaControversies
TV Kerfuffles
I’ve gotten into some trouble on TV twice in the past 24 hours–yesterday on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, regarding raising the age for Medicare eligibility; just now on Morning Joe, about whether the Benghazi consulate attack was an Al Qaeda operation. I stand by what I said in both cases.
In the ArenaUncategorized
Condi’s Middle East
Condoleezza Rice has a scarifying op-ed in the Washington Post today in which she argues correctly that the Middle East may be on the brink of a rejiggering of borders — and, incorrectly, that if we don’t become more active diplomatically, Iran will be the big winner.
In the ArenaUncategorized
The Benghazi Circus
Well, I’ve been on a desert island since the election–and I return to find the tawdry sadness of David Petraeus‘ resignation after a lifetime of service to our country. And the even more tawdry attempts by various Republicans to create a scandal over the tragic deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others in the Benghazi terror attack.
In the Arena2012 Election
Obama’s Mandate For Moderation
We have reached a turning point in American history. It is no longer possible for a rural, regional, racially monochromatic political party to win the presidency. We are now, manifestly, a different country. The South, though a …
In the ArenaUncategorized
Reality Wins
It’s always fun to check in with Rush Limbaugh after a big Republican loss–and today was no exception. He was whiny apoplectic, especially when it came to the difficulty of appealing to non-white voters. Isn’t Condoleezza Rice enough? He screamed. Isn’t Marco Rubio enough?
In the ArenaUncategorized
Closing Arguments
This week’s print column is a look back at the frustrating election that was, and a peek into the future, no matter who wins.
In the ArenaUncategorized
NeoCon Job
Over at Politico, Dylan Byers is reporting that a extremist Israelophile political action committee, led by Bill Kristol, is sending out robo-calls that feature a phony debate between Barack Obama and Bibi Netanyahu.
In the Arena2012 Election
I Don’t Know
Over the past week, everyone’s been asking me who’s going to win. Beats me. I really don’t know.
