Political Commentary

Most Recent Releases

July 10, 2012Where They Play, Rich Conservatives Like Zoning by Froma Harrop
The weekend's memorable photo is of Mitt Romney driving his massive powerboat past a privately built castle, not unlike his own, on New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee. On Sunday, he moseyed across the Long Island Sound to the beachy pleasure dome of billionaire conservative David Koch, in Southampton, N.Y. -- for a $75,000-a-couple dinner to raise money from like-minded Republicans. Not far away, Koch's brother Bill, a fellow funder of conservative causes, holds court in the exclusive waterfront enclave of Osterville, on Cape Cod.
July 9, 2012With Little to Say, Obama Eats Grits in Rust Belt by Michael Barone
"A step in the right direction." That's what Barack Obama said in Poland, Ohio, about Friday's Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment report, which showed only 80,000 net new jobs and unemployment remaining at 8.2 percent.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            July 6, 2012To Fix Health Care System, Put Consumers in Charge By Scott Rasmussen
Democrats were riding high in the polls in 2006 and 2008, and one of their big issues was health care. Then, after passing the president's health care law, the politics shifted, and the issue helped sweep the GOP to victory in the 2010 midterm elections. A few months later, Republicans had a 14-point advantage in terms of voter trust on the health care issue.
July 5, 2012Executive Women Are Not That Special, Either by Froma Harrop
Two cultural events have caught our attention this season. One is the stern graduation speech at Wellesley (Mass.) High School in which teacher David McCullough Jr. told pampered students, "Do not get the idea you're anything special." The other was an article in The Atlantic magazine by Anne-Marie Slaughter titled, "Why Women Still Can't Have It All."
July 5, 2012What If They Held an Election and Nobody Came? by Michael Barone
That's more or less what happened last Sunday in Mexico, at least as far as most American journalists (including me) are concerned.
July 3, 2012Obamacare Survives, but Political Playing Field Has Changed by Michael Barone
The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision upholding the Obama administration's health care legislation was a victory for the president, his administration and his party. Their most ambitious legislative achievement has not been nullified, and they are not left in obvious disarray.
July 2, 2012Obamacare Survives, but Political Playing Field Has Changed by Michael Barone
The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision upholding the Obama administration's health care legislation was a victory for the president, his administration and his party. Their most ambitious legislative achievement has not been nullified, and they are not left in obvious disarray.
June 29, 20122012 Gubernatorial Update: Republicans Aim For Their High-Water Mark By Geoffrey Skelley
A record-tying year could be in store for Republicans in 2012. No, we’re not talking about Mitt Romney -- even if he wins, Romney will not equal Richard Nixon’s 60.7% popular vote share in 1972 or Ronald Reagan’s 525 electoral votes in 1984. Rather, Republicans can tie a record in another category: the number of state governorships the party has held at one time.
June 29, 2012Fox's Brazen Star: Karl Rove Rebukes Obama on Executive Privilege Claim By Joe Conason
Forever incapable of embarrassment, let alone sober reflection, Karl Rove is very well suited to his current roles as Fox News commentator and Crossroads Super PAC smear sponsor. But he achieved a moment of near-perfection last Thursday when, appearing on a Fox morning news broadcast, he spoke up about President Obama's invocation of executive privilege against a House committee subpoena of Justice Department documents.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            June 29, 2012Supreme Court Keeps Health Care Law on Life Support By Scott Rasmussen
The U.S. Supreme Court's decision that President Obama's health care law is constitutional keeps it alive for now. But it's important to remember that the law has already lost in the court of public opinion. The Supreme Court ruling is a temporary reprieve more than anything else.
June 28, 2012Here's to the Yankee Doodle Liberal By Froma Harrop
In 1940, a Los Angeles jury released testimony linking James Cagney to the Communist Party, or at least to "communist members, sympathizers or heavy contributors." He had supported something called the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, apparently not knowing that it was a Soviet front.
June 28, 2012Supreme Court Sets Stage for Immigration Reform by Michael Barone
The Supreme Court's decision announced Monday in the Arizona v. United States case opens the way for sensible reform of our immigration laws.
June 28, 2012The House's 15 Closest Races By Kyle Kondik
The conventional wisdom in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives is that Democrats will pick up at least some seats, perhaps netting somewhere in the high single or low double digits, but won't pick up enough seats to seriously threaten John Boehner's speakership. Indeed, if we had to project the House right now, we'd say a net Democratic gain of less than 10 seats.
June 27, 2012In Praise of Discrimination By John Stossel
I'm scared. I fear that even if the Supreme Court overrules most of Obamacare (or did already, by the time you read this), Republicans will join Democrats in restoring "good" parts of the law, like the requirement that insurance companies cover kids up to age 26 and every American with a pre-existing condition.
June 26, 2012The War Against Battered and Confused Addicts by Froma Harrop
Rodney King's best statement isn't what he's famous for.
June 25, 2012Obama Backers Use Race as Alibi for Ebbing Support By Michael Barone
As Barack Obama's lead over Mitt Romney in the polls narrows, and his presumed fundraising advantage seems about to become a disadvantage, it's alibi time for some of his backers.    
His problem, they say, is that some voters don't like him because he's black. Or they don't like his policies because they don't like having a black president.
June 22, 2012Republicans Swoon Over Holder's 'Partisan' Leak Probers (and Forget Ken Starr) By Joe Conason
This week, Republicans on Capitol Hill opened yet another front in their continuous sniping against the Obama administration, the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder. Having demanded a federal investigation of intelligence leaks, they now claim to be outraged because Holder has asked two United States attorneys to conduct that probe -- and one of the two happens to be a Democrat.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
                                
                
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                            June 22, 2012The Introduction Is Key to a Successful Romney Veep Pick By Scott Rasmussen
Every summer, millions of Americans enjoy baseball, summer camps and vacation plans. But for the nation's political junkies, every fourth summer is filled with guessing games about the vice presidential nomination.
June 21, 2012The Long, Hot Summer of Work By Froma Harrop
With summer's arrival comes a journalistic convention that seems more and more dated. It is the "summer reading list" of books, often beside a graphic showing a bathing suit and sunglasses.
June 21, 2012Romney Needs Big Share of White Working-class Vote By Michael Barone
What's up with the white working class vote? For years, the horny-handed blue-collar worker was the star of the New Deal Democratic coalition. It was for him, and his wife and family, that Democrats taxed the rich, invented Social Security and supported militant labor unions.