"...which, I thought, belonged to the public"

Only non-cable. ABC, NBC, CBS, etc are leased and have to live by those pesky FCC rules.

The cable channels are owned and can do what they want. Hence the big shift in dollars and talent resources to cable and neglect of the other.

Posted at January 19, 2008 5:02 PM in response to Two Idle Thoughts for the Weekend

That's where my (imaginary) money is:

Brokered convention, a nation turns its lonely eyes to Newt - who is tanned, rested, and ready.

Gee, and how will the NBC boys handle that?

Posted at January 19, 2008 4:57 PM in response to Two Idle Thoughts for the Weekend

David, I have to disagree with you here. I really think (think, not believe) that this is coming from the Atwater-Rove wing of the Republicans party.

It is so pitifully easy to get liberals stirred up that all it takes is a word here or there to get them busy tearing each other up. Then they get to stand back, watch and profit from the uproar.

I wish that Sens. Clinton, Edwards, and some awfully important issues to deal with rather than the past.

And, finally, does the timing of this column have anything to do with Pres. Bush's repudiation of the NIE - taking our eyes off the ball?

Posted at January 15, 2008 10:09 AM in response to Playing With Fire: Smearing Obama Among Jews

But if Sen. Obama raises the issue of ther war and Sec. Clinton's votes, does he not risk creating problems for himself since their votes are almost identical and he was absent for the Kyl-Lieberman vote?

Posted at January 10, 2008 6:32 PM in response to How Could the Polls be so Wrong?

Sean Hannity is already playing this. On Tuesday, while he was crowing over Sen. Clinton's (at that time) presumed loss, he talked about "bringing Obama down next" and began some unpleasant spiel about his church.

(I listen to Hannity and Limbaugh each for about an hour a week, just to hear wht to expect - it's a nasty job, but somebody has to do it)

Posted at January 10, 2008 4:32 PM in response to The Hate Campaign Against Obama

Ellen, I'd guess it's the same delightful folks who brught us the "black baby" theme in 2000. We are heading for SC, afterall and there is a lot of swiftboat backer money floating around.

http://factcheck.org/articles/articleview.php?id=433

Posted at January 10, 2008 2:28 PM in response to The Hate Campaign Against Obama

Just as a historical aside, in modern times, most first-term presidents faced foreign challenges quite soon upon taking office. One exception was Eisenhower, but most of the others were challenged almost right away.

While I don't approve of fear as a tactic, after reading the Sibel Edwards (?) article over the weekend, I don't think it is out of line for any candidate to discuss this.

Posted at January 8, 2008 8:56 PM in response to How Could the Polls be so Wrong?

"...and he's rewarded with a column in the NYT"

Perhaps Kristol's column is the journalistic equivalent of the Medal of Freedom, so now Kristol is in the comapny of Bremer, Franks, Tenet, eetc.

Posted at January 7, 2008 7:40 AM in response to Kristol's First Times Oped: Neoconservatism For Idiots

Oh, dear, and what will Tweety Matthews do if neither of his "manly men" don't win-place-or-show?

Posted at January 3, 2008 9:39 AM in response to Happy Caucus Day!

The Orange Bowl with Kansas and Virginia Tech will be in the second half, siphoning off lots of football fans who aren't that committed to politics (first-timers, students and independents?). Also, I don't think too many voters will make their second choices based on what various campaigns tell them to do. Iowans seem more independent than that, so:

Edwards
Clinton
Obama

Huckabee
Romney
McCain

Posted at January 3, 2008 7:50 AM in response to Happy Caucus Day!