OBAMA’S FUTURE….For a man with only 11 months in the Senate under his belt, Barack Obama has a knack for impressing people. The sage of money and finance, America’s second-richest man, seldom becomes invested in politicians. But [Warren Buffett] has made an exception for the junior senator from Illinois, which is precisely why Obama has […]
Steve Benen
Follow Steve on Twitter @stevebenen. Steve Benen is a producer at MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. He was the principal contributor to the Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog from August 2008 until January 2012.
Posted inPolitical Animal, Politics
Quote of the Day
QUOTE OF THE DAY….I imagine it’s difficult for adamant supporters of the war in Iraq to understand when people change their mind about the value of the war, but when faced with grieving parents, who’ve lost sons or daughters in Iraq, members of Congress should probably avoid questioning the parents’ sanity. “You’ll have a parent […]
Posted inPolitical Animal, Politics
An innocent man?
AN INNOCENT MAN?….Discussions over the death penalty can include a variety of compelling angles, but one argument that’s tough get around is the fact that it’s one of the only forms of punishment that can’t be undone. It’s something to keep in mind when considering what happened in Texas to Ruben Cantu. Texas executed its […]
Posted inPolitical Animal, Politics
The Denver Three
THE DENVER THREE….The Bush White House’s “Bubble Boy” policies — which, for years, have excluded anyone from presidential events that isn’t a pre-screened sycophant — have become the stuff of legend. But there’s always been something a little different about the Denver Three. In March, Denver residents Alex Young, Karen Bauer, and Leslie Weise obtained […]
Posted inPolitical Animal, Politics
Who’s the Boss?
WHO’S THE BOSS?….Votes on symbolic resolutions are so common in Congress, they hardly ever spark any controversy at all. Lawmakers from both parties, in both chambers, honor someone from their district or state, they give a laudatory speech, and their resolution passes unanimously. It couldn’t be any more routine. Unless, that is, the resolution is […]
Posted inPolitical Animal, Politics
Good cop, bad cop
GOOD COP, BAD COP….Responding to a reporter’s question today in Beijing, the president seemed anxious to tone down the rhetoric. “People should feel comfortable about expressing their opinions about Iraq. I heard somebody say, well, maybe so-and-so is not patriotic because they disagree with my position. I totally reject that thought. This is not an […]
