2010 Congressional

This past election cycle, the American people marched to the polls with a clear-cut message for their officials in Washington - stop.  Stop the rise of massive government.  Stop developing policy behind closed doors, through backroom deals.  And stop this anti-American agenda.   The results were a ‘shellacking’ for the party in power. Despite the clarity of voice with which the people spoke…

I've noted an interesting disparity in how the Associated Press, the so-called Essential Global News Network, has covered Democratic and Republican congressional victories in situations where the counting has gone on well past Election Day. Let's contrast the amount of ink and bandwidth devoted to Republican Joe Walsh's victory over incumbent Democrat Melissa Bean in Illinois compared to the…

Would you ever in your wildest dreams imagine Chris Matthews flatteringly comparing Sarah Palin to former President Bill Clinton? During a lengthy opening segment about Palin's political future on the syndicated program bearing his name, Matthews said, "There’s one unlikely Democrat you might compare to Sarah Palin when it comes to being a natural: the generally incomparable Bill Clinton" (…

There are times when one has to think the Manhattan building that is the home of the New York Times doesn't have any windows, doesn't have any television sets, and doesn't have any doors that allow employees to venture out and actually see what's happening in America beyond the walls of 620 Eighth Avenue. Consider that after the impact the Tea Party has had on our nation's politics the past…

Barbara Walters on Friday allowed Barack and Michelle Obama advance the myth that presidents always lose Congress during midterm elections. This not surprisingly happened during a special "20/20" interview with the first family at the White House (video follows with transcript and commentary):

Charles Krauthammer on Friday tore into the liberal media for being obsessed with former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. After Krauthammer scolded the "editorial judgment" of the producers of PBS's "Inside Washington" for week after week prominently displaying her as the "only representative of conservatism of any importance" in this nation, the Washington Post's Colby King proved his point (…

How about that, there's someone on the airwaves more unhinged than liberal radio talker and MSNBC heat miser Ed Schultz. And go figure, that someone happens to be a frequent Schultz guest. But between his appearance on Schultz's radio show Nov. 22 and Schultz's MSNBC program several hours later, the caffeine apparently wore off for Mike Papantonio, a lawyer and co-host of the radio show "…

With all but one of the House races now resolved, Republicans have picked up at least 63 seats, the most in a midterm election since 1938. So, it might be fun on this Thanksgiving Day to recall how, just 18 months ago, Time's Michael Grunwald was arguing in a big cover story that demography and its "extremely conservative" philosophy meant the Republican Party could be on the verge of…

Pot calling the kettle clueless . . . On his MSNBC show this evening, Ed Schultz twice called newly-elected Republican congressman Allen West  "ignorant."  For good measure, Schultz said West "didn't have a clue." Schultz was incensed that West had observed that Washington, DC--home of big government--was relatively immune to the economic woes that have befallen the rest of the country…

Governor Ed Rendell (D-Pa.) said that Pennsylvania Democrats lost key House and Senate races in the midterm election because “voters don’t always vote on logical reasons,” adding that Democrats “understand” the reason for voters’ “anger” and “it’s pretty hard to quarrel with.” His comments were made while participating in a conference call sponsored by the Center for American Progress (CAP)…

Imagine the (justifiable) media and other outcry that would result if a previous presidential administration and congressional leadership had convinced gullible House and Senate members to pass a law which they weren't given time to read specifying the following about a new Military Spending Board. First, the Board appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate) sets a predetermined (…

Whoever said politics was boring surely had not paid attention to this past election cycle.  From witches to chickens to peanuts, this election might go down as more than just a “shellacking” of the Democrats.  From the outrageous to the bizarre, Republicans and Democrats reminded the public why campaign season can be so much fun.

Such is the peril borne by the serial flatterer -- the flattery just might clang. That's what happened when Lawrence O'Donnell appeared on MSNBC colleague Rachel Maddow's show on Nov. 18 to discuss possible repeal of the don't ask, don't tell policy regarding gays in the military. At the end of their discussion, Maddow thanked O'Donnell and said this (video after page break) --

The Republicans scored an historic victory on November 2, but New York Times columnist Frank Rich thinks former Alaska governor Sarah Palin had a dreadful election night. Such was written in Rich's most-recent hit piece published Sunday: