In the final week of the 2004 campaign, President Bush was barnstorming across Florida. During the last of six Sunshine State speeches Karl Rove was joking with a group of reporters about Osama bin Laden’s October surprise and how the videotape had boosted Bush’s poll numbers. Yes, Rove told us, I’ve been keeping bin Laden in my …
Foreign Policy
Well Done
It is early days yet in the investigation of the Times Square bombing, but not too early to be impressed by the quick and excellent work done by the FBI, NYPD and the Joint Terrorism Task Force in picking up the prime suspect, Faisal Shahzad, from a flight to Dubai last night. We in the media were quick to jump all over the federal …
Military Candor
One of the big changes in the U.S. military over the course of my career has been the diminution of happy talk and propaganda designed to hoodwink the public about the true situation on the ground in war zones. There are no more 5 o’clock follies–a reference only those of us old enough to remember Vietnam will understand (it refers to …
And the Winners Are…
The deadtree cover this week is TIME’s annual 100 most influential people of the year. Who’d we miss? Who shouldn’t be on this list? Let the debate begin.
Update:
Even better: TIME’s least influential list. Hysterical.
Talk to the Taliban
Ahmed Rashid, perhaps the best informed journalist in the world when it comes to Afghanistan and Pakistan, confirms my belief that Hamid Karzai’s recent maneuverings are part of a reconciliation strategy with the Taliban:
According to U.S. and Afghan officials, Karzai’s first question when he arrives will be whether Washington supports
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Morning Must Reads: Green Shoots
JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
–As I noted yesterday, Democrats have Senate Republicans in somewhat of a headlock over financial reform. From the Wall Street Journal:
Nerves appeared to be fraying among Republicans faced with the increasingly unappetizing prospect of opposing new curbs on Wall Street.
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Republican aides
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What’s in a Debate?
An excellent primer lies below from TIME’s London bureau chief, Catherine Mayer, of what to expect from Thursday night’s second ever debate of British prime ministerial candidates. The first debate catapulted Nick Clegg into newfound stardom – he’s even overtaken or tied Prime Minister Gordon Brown in some polls — so it’ll be …
In Taliban Country
Tempted to call this…”On the Ground in Afghanistan.” But when I wasn’t falling down on patrol, I managed to report and write this story, which–without making judgments–says a lot, I think, about the difficulties American troops are facing in this war. I’ll have broader observations, and opinions, about the war in a few days, …
Morning Must Reads: The First Act
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–If Mitch McConnell raised the curtain on this season of financial reform political theater yesterday, then the White House serves as backdrop for the first act today. Obama is set to meet with Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid, Senator McConnell, Rep. Boehner and Rep. Hoyer at the White House …
Morning Must Reads: Making Their Case
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
–Mega-scoop from Ben Smith: Andy Stern reportedly plans to step down as president of the Service Employees International Union. Stern is a titan of the labor movement and the American left, not to mention an intimate ally to the White House. Marc Ambinder
New Details Emerge From Foiled Zazi Plot
Amid all the hand-wringing over how would-be underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab somehow slipped through security gaps on Christmas Day, it’s easy to forget that anti-terrorism officials did yeoman’s work last fall by thwarting Najibullah Zazi’s plot to detonate bombs in New York City’s subway system. Zazi, an airport-shuttle …
Morning Must Reads: Hu’s In Town?
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Leaders from 46 countries have descended on Washington for this week’s nuclear summit. Whether anything beyond mere symbolism can be achieved is not yet clear.
–The meeting to watch today? Obama’s sit-down with Chinese President Hu Jintao. He needs to lock up China’s support for U.N. …
Morning Must Reads: The Hot Hand
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Bart Stupak is expected to announce his retirement today. The heat generated from an arduous year of health reform debate and his role in forging a compromise on abortion language seems to have taken their toll on the 18-year vet.
