I realize we could probably run a whole “Whatever Happened To…?” series. But here’s my entry for today. While reading the Washington Post’s story on the Pentagon and morning-after pills, I noticed that it placed the Plan B decision alongside other pro-abortion rights policy moves, including “[an announcement]…rescinding a federal …
obama
The Pentagon’s Plan B
Just days after taking office a little over a year ago, Obama checked off an item that had long been on the pro-choice community’s to-do list when he repealed the so-called Mexico City policy prohibiting foreign family planning groups from receiving U.S. funds if they provided abortions or even referred patients for abortions.
On …
Great Political Television
President Obama just spoke before the House Republican caucus and then took questions from members – live. It was amazing television – watchable, interesting, feisty and even a little dramatic. I was reminded of the campaign when, in a single speech in Philadelphia, Obama neutralized the Jeremiah Wright issue that could have sunk his …
In the ArenaUncategorized
The War on Al Qaeda
Peter Baker has a solid, timely piece about Obama and terrorism coming in the NY Times magazine–so timely that the magazine jumped its publication date by two weeks and posted the story on the Times’ website today.
The piece is detailed, and excellent, in describing the similarities and differences between the Bush and Obama …
Is Obama Only Reaching Out to Dems?
Here’s a story from me about the latest in the Senate on health care reform. I was surprised to hear that the White House hasn’t been wooing any other moderate Republicans aside from Maine’s Olympia Snowe:
During the summer of discontent the White House stopped reaching out to some key potential votes: the other senator from Maine,
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Health Reform: How Much Help Will People Need?
We are in the season of high drama where everyone–understandably–is focused on the politics of getting health legislation done. But it’s important not to take our eyes off the substance of what is being talked about as well. That’s why Jordan Rau’s story today on Kaiser Health News is so important. It takes a look at one of the …
A Final Palin Post
I’m back from the Last Frontier with this week’s dead tree cover story on Sarah Palin, written with the very excellent editor-at-large David Von Drehle. I don’t think this will be the last we hear from the soon-to-be-former governor. To me, one of the most interesting aspects of the story is how vehemently the Palin camp blames Barack Obama.
Lewis Finally Makes Up His Mind
He’s for Clinton. He’s for Obama. He’s for Clinton. He’s not saying. And, wait, yup, he’s for Obama.
John Lewis FINALLY makes up his mind, telling the Atlanta Constitution Journal that neither Clinton nor Obama are returning his calls at this point.
“I did it because I felt I had to support Mrs. Clinton because of our friendship,”
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Ickes’ Sticky Memory
At a Washington DC breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor this morning reporters did their utmost to get Clinton senior advisor Harold Ickes to admit the campaign has failed to meet even their own goals laid out in near daily conference calls since Super Tuesday.* Ickes played the expectations game like a maestro.
One …
Kerry-Obama, Full Circle
Four years ago John Kerry took the stage on a rainy April evening in Chicago. It was the day after the Illinois primary – the contest that put Kerry over the 50% threshold of Democratic delegates and made him nominee presumptive. He was there to campaign on behalf of the newly minted Democratic nominee to represent Illinois in the …
Obama v. McCain
Obama this morning held a press conference with reporters in Los Angeles where he made it clear that he believes that the increasingly likely candidacy of Senator John McCain in the GOP race will help Obama win the Democratic contest. Obama made his case on two fronts. First, that his early opposition to the war in Iraq is much more …
Some thoughts on today’s primary
Winning and losing primaries is not a clear-cut, black-and-white issue. A candidate can essentially win by coming in second as long as he defies expectations. Conversely, if a candidate is unable to attract enough of a key group of voters, he can be judged to lose a race even if his name is tops in the final vote count. The latter is the …
President Clinton in the Thicket
Following last night’s debate, I asked President Clinton this morning: “Is Obama running against you, or Hillary Clinton or both of you?” Forty-two again hit Obama for admiring Republican ideas — a sore spot for Obama who said in last night’s debate that he praised Reagan as a president able to cross the partisan divide NOT …