In Washington today, President Bush launched Operation Stay Relevant II. Following up on his October strategy to wield the veto pen to "ensure that I am relevant," the wildly unpopular lame duck is holding 84 of his executive nominees hostage until he gets Senate blessing for the recess appointment of torture advocate Steven Bradbury. This […]

In much the same way that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, Ralph Nader is once again contemplating a presidential run. Exhuming his vanity candidacy every four years, Nader's interest in the White House increases in direct proportion to his ability to inflict lasting harm on the United States. The […]

Tonight, President Bush will mercifully deliver his final State of the Union address. According to press secretary Dana Perino, Bush's speech will "reflect the president's mindset that he is going to sprint to the finish." Given former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' similar promise to "spend the next year and a half in a sprint to […]

On the day of Mitt Romney's make-or-break speech regarding his Mormon faith, Americans would do well to consult the New Republic for background reading. Over the past year, the magazine in print and on its web site has explored in detail the implications - real or imagined - of Romney's faith on his campaign and […]

Pat Robertson's endorsement of Rudy Giuliani is the first sign that the religious right may be beginning to circle the wagons in the 2008 GOP presidential race. Despite threats by evangelical leaders to bolt for a third party conservative candidate, it appears increasingly likely they will hold their noses and support the socially liberal Giuliani. […]

Every once in a while in America’s consumer society, a company, product or service rises above its mere utility to achieve iconic status in the culture. Its very novelty, innovation, or just manufactured “cool” allow it to enter the daily American lexicon. As nouns, brands like Kleenex (facial tissues), Rollerblade (in-line skates), or Coke (any soft […]