Political Animal
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en-us2009-11-20T15:50:50-05:00Norah O'Donnell's reasonable question
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021097.php
NORAH O'DONNELL'S REASONABLE QUESTION.... A clip made the rounds this week of MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell appearing live in Michigan, at a bookstore where Sarah Palin fans had lined up to get their copy of "Going Rogue" signed. The video seems...Steve Benen2009-11-20T15:50:50-05:00Trent Franks' short memory
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021096.php
TRENT FRANKS' SHORT MEMORY.... Six years ago this month, the floor of the U.S. House was the scene to one of the more embarrassing moments in the history of the institution. It was when the Republican majority brought Medicare Part...Steve Benen2009-11-20T15:00:31-05:00Coburn's cravenness
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021094.php
COBURN'S CRAVENNESS.... Sen. Tom Coburn, a right-wing Republican from Oklahoma, is apparently not above callous opportunism. He saw headlines about mammogram screening, headlines about a proposed tax on elective cosmetic surgery, and in his drive to kill health care reform,...Steve Benen2009-11-20T14:00:07-05:00Cloture watch
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021092.php
CLOTURE WATCH.... Senate Democrats need 60 votes to bring health care reform to the floor for a debate. As of this morning, three Dems -- Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) -- had not yet committed...Steve Benen2009-11-20T13:30:03-05:00The dangers of illiteracy
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021090.php
THE DANGERS OF ILLITERACY.... OK, so most Americans have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to the deficit. How are they when it comes to understanding stimulus efforts? Arguably, on this, they're even worse. Rasmussen has a...Steve Benen2009-11-20T13:05:54-05:00Jukebox John plays a new tune
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021089.php
JUKEBOX JOHN PLAYS A NEW TUNE.... Sens. John Kerry, Lindsey Graham, and Joe Lieberman -- a tri-partisan group -- have been crafting a climate change bill that can generate broad support in the Senate. All three are personal friends with...Steve Benen2009-11-20T12:35:34-05:00Friday's campaign round-up
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021088.php
FRIDAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP.... Today's installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn't generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers. * Doug Hoffman has once again lost the congressional special election in New York's 23rd....Steve Benen2009-11-20T12:00:41-05:00No appetite for procedural hurdles
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021087.php
NO APPETITE FOR PROCEDURAL HURDLES.... It's not especially realistic to think voters will appreciate the nuances of congressional procedures. Words like "filibuster," "cloture," and "motion to proceed" are not well understood. That said, when one breaks down the concepts for...Steve Benen2009-11-20T11:05:05-05:00Take a bow
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021086.php
TAKE A BOW.... Fox News polls are notorious for asking nutty questions that mainstream outlets would be too embarrassed to consider, but the network's latest (pdf) survey only includes one oddity. "When the president of the United States is traveling...Steve Benen2009-11-20T10:25:34-05:00Heating up in the Sunshine State
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021085.php
HEATING UP IN THE SUNSHINE STATE.... In January, when it looked Florida Gov. Charlie Crist would face former state House Speaker Marco Rubio in a Republican Senate primary, a poll showed the governor with a commanding lead, 57% to 4%....Steve Benen2009-11-20T09:45:31-05:00When the majority is misguided
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021084.php
WHEN THE MAJORITY IS MISGUIDED.... A new CNN poll shows more Americans shifting their blame for the Republican recession away from the Republicans. As recently as May, 53% said Republicans are "more responsible for the country's current economic problems," while...Steve Benen2009-11-20T08:50:04-05:00They're not above lying
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021083.php
THEY'RE NOT ABOVE LYING.... The Senate's health care reform plan is not without flaw. Indeed, the subsidy rates for low-income families remain a major point of concern. But true to form, Republicans don't want to talk about the legislation's actual...Steve Benen2009-11-20T08:25:56-05:00Saturday night live in the Senate
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021082.php
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE IN THE SENATE.... As of late yesterday, we have a reasonably strong sense of what to expect in the Senate with regards to the health care debate. We don't yet know how it's going to turn out,...Steve Benen2009-11-20T08:00:18-05:00Thursday's Mini-Report
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021080.php
THURSDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits: * Pakistan: "A suicide bomber killed 16 people Thursday outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan, the latest attack in an onslaught by Islamist militants fighting back against an army offensive in the nearby...Steve Benen2009-11-19T17:30:52-05:00Bending the proverbial curve
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_11/021079.php
BENDING THE PROVERBIAL CURVE.... For some conservatives, including some center-right Democrats, the very point of tackling health care reform is to get health care costs under control. Ezra Klein has a great item today, explaining how the Senate reform bill...Steve Benen2009-11-19T16:45:32-05:00