Whither the polls?
One of the biggest stories of the NH primary is the failure of the polls to have accurately predicted the results. It’s not that it’s so unusual for polls to be incorrect, but for so many to be incorrect in … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Politics
The comeback kids
I’ll leave it to other pundits to write reams about the NH primary vote. Let’s just say that NH is a small and quirky state that almost always gives results that are interesting. Often they’re even relevant to what happens … Continue reading →
Which comes first, democracy or security?
Which comes first, democracy or security? It’s a trick question, like the one about the chicken and egg. The truth is they must come simultaneously. And ay, there’s (as Hamlet would say) the rub, because in chaotic third-world nations—Pakistan comes … Continue reading →
The perils of being a frontrunner
Ah yes, the election. It seems I can’t ignore it after all. The news is all about the decline of the old frontrunners (Clinton, Giuliani) and the rise of the new challengers to frontrunner status (Obama, Huckabee), the candidates de … Continue reading →
Venezuela: the loser (and the winner) is—Chavez!
My first thought late last night on hearing the news of Chavez’s defeat in yesterday’s referendum was, “Great (and surprising)!” My second thought was a more cynical one: “How bad must the defeat really have been for Chavez to announce … Continue reading →
Framing the Rudd election
The headlines blared the recent Australian election news: “Bush Loses Another War Ally” (Chicago Tribune) and “Ally of Bush is Defeated in Australia” (NY Times) were typical. And true, as far as they go. Prime Minister Howard was indeed a … Continue reading →
Political posturing
Advice for the Democrats, from Clive Crook (love that name!) of the Financial Times: Up to now, Democrats have been stinting in their recognition that the situation in Iraq has improved: “Yes, violence is down a bit, but .”‰.”‰.” That … Continue reading →
Democrats: see no evil, see no good
Michael Goodwin points out that, in their latest debates, the Democratic candidates seem to be “sleepwalking through history” about the war on terror: What was once a bipartisan concern about the new phenomenon of lethal nonstate actors such as Al … Continue reading →
Politicial theater left and right
Reader Chris White comments sarcastically on yesterday’s thread: And the other big fault of Democrats in Congress is ”¦ they’re being politicians. Of course, there are no politicians on the right. On the right there are only pure patriots who … Continue reading →
Congressional motives: let’s not forget revenge—on Bush
I’ve written a great many posts on the tireless efforts of Democrats in this Congress to stop the Iraq War in the face of the fact that they simply don’t have the votes necessary to override Bush’s vetoes. I’ve described … Continue reading →
Hillary: “flailing?”
The problem that began for Hillary Clinton in the debate a week ago seems to be lingering on. According to Yuval Levin at The Corner and Mickey Kaus at Slate, the issue is not so much her position on the … Continue reading →
Giuliani and the Red Sox: strange bedfellows
Ah, the compromises politicians will make. Now it turns out that New Yorker Giuliani, the quintessential Yankee fan, is rooting for the Red Sox in the World Series. This has earned him no end of condemnation. It’s also a bit … Continue reading →