In New Hampshire Friday, John Edwards was offering his best Gary Hart impersonation. Like Hart in 1984, Edwards claimed his second place showing behind Barack Obama in Iowa had transformed the Democratic nomination into a two-man race. But no one is buying it, probably including Edwards himself. Sadly, Edward has misread the history and lessons […]

Lost in the media focus on the victories of the supposed "change" candidates in Iowa last night are the dramatic differences in the priorities of each party's voters. As Iowa Democrats headed to their caucuses in record numbers last night, the sputtering American economy topped their list of concerns. But in a disturbing hint of […]

The 2008 Iowa caucus is now one for the history books. But after just one presidential nominating contest, many of the outlines of the '08 race are becoming increasingly clear. 1. Mitt Romney is Finished Romney's campaign was mortally wounded in Iowa. From the beginning, his entire strategy hinged on the "Iowa Effect." That is, […]

In a devastating New York Times op-ed today, 9/11 Commission leaders Tom Keane and Lee Hamilton accused the CIA of stonewalling their panel. The chairman and co-chairman alleged that those in the Bush administration who knew about videotapes of CIA detainee interrogations but failed to inform the 9/11 panel "obstructed our investigation." But lost in […]

Lost in the pundits' pondering over Mike Huckabee's scam to show - and then not air - an attack ad against Mitt Romney is the former Arkansas Governor's apparent bloodlust. As Steve Benen and Michael Crowley note, Huckabee's spot takes Romney to task for a record in Massachusetts that included "no executions." In extolling the […]

With the Iowa caucus now just two days away, a new poll from the Des Moines Register suggests that Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are maintaining small leads. But while Thursday's vote promises to be a nail-biter for both parties, an even more compelling story line may be whether the result catapults the […]

From the beginning, God has been at the center of the Republican presidential race. And He has not been kind to the GOP or its would-be leaders. While John McCain back-tracked from his claim that "the most important thing is that I am a Christian", Rudy Giuliani left it to the priests to decide whether […]

As the 2008 campaign begins in earnest, one of the emerging storylines is so-called hyperpartisanship, the bitter and increasingly divisive conflict between Democrats and Republicans that is said to be fueling cynicism - and apathy - among voters. In Iowa, Barack Obama proclaims that he will transcend partisan cleavages, while John Edwards vows to fight. […]

On Saturday, President Bush scored a triple victory when he quietly signed a bill extending the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) through March 2009. First, the President teed up "socialized medicine" as the definitive 2008 GOP talking point in response to any new health care initiatives coming from the Democratic Party. Second, he added […]

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has given the White House hopefuls of both parties ample opportunities for grandstanding. While Hillary Clinton predictably played up her past relationship with Bhutto, John McCain touted his foreign policy experience. The co-chair of New Hampshire's Veterans for Rudy Giuliani declared his candidate would chase Muslims "back to their caves." […]