Source: The New York Times | Author: Judith Warner | Date: 6 Jun 2008

Warner delivers a shot to the gut with her Domestic Disturbances blog and this stinging indictment of rampant American misogyny. The juxtaposition of the collapse of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign with the smash-hit success of "Sex and the City" is more powerful and decidedly less cutesy than the headline suggests. A brief walk through the sexist cottage industry that sprung up around Sen. Clinton (nutcrackers, anyone?) brings the point home, as does a collection of nasty quotes from assorted talking heads. "It’s nothing other than an expression of woman-hate — and the degree to which such expressions have flourished ... has added up to be a real national shame."

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Source: The New York Review of Books | Author: Thomas Powers | Date: 20 May 2008

“Invading the Middle East is the kind of imperial overreach that breaks the spine of great powers.” That’s the point Powers repeatedly brings home in this lengthy essay. Drawing from ten books about current and past Middle East wars, Powers is pessimistic about America’s prospects for success in Iraq and Afghanistan. He further argues that even though the Democratic presidential candidates have pledged to begin troop withdrawals in their first year in office, political realities will make that impossible and we will be having the same argument in four years' time. There's nothing fun about this essay, but it feels important nonetheless.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Dana Milbank | Date: 14 May 2008

If you're a Monty Python fan, you've likely already guessed the story here. Milbank compares Hillary Clinton to the deceased parrot in the legendary sketch -- specifically the insistence that her campaign is still alive. The press corps is deserting the campaign trail, and her predictable win in West Virginia was about as much a reviving force as nailing a dead bird's feet to a perch. It's an entertaining piece and a creative way to present a widely made argument.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: George McGovern | Date: 14 May 2008

George McGovern writes an article in which he clearly has experience: He notates several instances in which the Democratic party divided, giving elections to the Republicans. Although he commends both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for continuing their campaigns, he is concerned that the same thing could happen again in this election. As a solution McGovern proposes that the two candidates campaign without criticize one another and make quick stops each state with a remaining primary to strengthen the party.

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Source: Tavis Smiley | Author: Tavis Smiley | Date: 14 May 2008

Bill Moyers speaks intelligently about his interview with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and says it's "tragic" that modern political guilt-by-association attacks had forced a parishioner to disown his pastor -- something that’s never before happened in American politics -- but affirming that Barack Obama made the right decision to do so. He also sympathizes with Wright for devoting his life to preaching at a small church in Chicago's South Side (instead of going into academia), growing its congregation from 60 to 600 -- and then having his life's work judged on a 30-second sound bite.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Calvin Woodward & Nancy Benac | Date: 14 May 2008

At the outset of the nomination race, Hillary Clinton looked like an inevitable winner, armed with experience, money, connections and dogged determination. However, these advantages turned out to be more of a liability for Clinton, spurring an overconfidence that, combined with the "love her or hate her" view Americans have about her, ruined her chances. In this massive piece, the authors discuss Clinton's rise and fall, analyzing her appearances and weighing what went wrong. While this thorough feature is well-written and informative, it may be too lengthy for readers already exhausted from the extended nomination battle.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Richard Cohen | Date: 13 May 2008

Hamas leader Ahmed Yousef has praised Barack Obama for his JFK-like vision, even though Obama himself considers Hamas a terrorist organization. McCain has latched onto the comments to practice some dirty politicking of guilt by association, and claiming he himself is "Hamas' worst nightmare." Most editorialists would fashion a pretty good column from that, but Cohen skillfully propels the debate from mudslinging to the deeper issue of which candidate truly has the chops: "The Middle East needs supple minds that are not mired in the past," Cohen remarks, noting that McCain's admirable qualities aren't suited to solving persistent diplomatic wrangles.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Bob Herbert | Date: 13 May 2008

"Millenials," people born in the '80s and '90s, are likely to bring about a tectonic shift in politics in coming elections. The young generation is the first to face a lower standard of living than their parents, marked by an evisceration of well-paying middle-management jobs from the workforce with bleak outlook for improvement, and an increasing lack of employer-provided health insurance. It's because of this that the Millennials are the most politically progressive generation in history, and Herbert predicts -- perhaps too rosily -- that soon their influence will loosen the stranglehold that conservatism has held on American politics.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: David Brooks | Date: 13 May 2008

Scientific revolution can change public culture, Brooks writes, and the atheism debates from Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and others highlights the effect neuroscience research is having on belief in God and religion. Some would argue that people perceive God's existence because their brains have evolved to confabulate belief systems, but as neuroscience advances, meaning, belief, and consciousness remain mysteries. A human's sense of fairness, empathy and attachment are based on deep instincts yet to be explained. As science gains respect for spiritual states, God may become more personal and religion less integral to spiritual experience, Brooks writes in this well-developed, engaging essay.

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Source: Commentary | Author: Kevin Shapiro | Date: 13 May 2008

Nobel laureate James Watson may have infuriated the world with apparently racist comments late last year, but Shapiro wonders what took the world so long. In reviewing Watson's latest memoir, Shapiro summarizes bits of Watson's life story, from his early love of bird-watching to his only-slightly-later interminable search for "a suitable blonde." But while Watson seems an unsympathetic character -- for example, he uses his first memoir to insult Francis Crick, with whom he unraveled DNA -- his behavior rarely seems outrageous. Shapiro argues, reasonably enough, that Watson wanted the last word on DNA (now that all his colleagues have died), but few of his other arguments rise above insinuation.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Anne Applebaum | Date: 13 May 2008

For Burma's generals to refuse international aid is despicable -- and perfectly logical once you realize they are more concerned with their political survival than their citizens' lives. That means we have to assume they won't relent their blockade, even when cholera and dysentery become widespread killers. Politically, no one country can act alone on the issue, but the time has come for an international coalition to deliver aid directly, perhaps by helicopter drops. Applebaum's article doesn't make for comfortable reading, but she offers a sharp, pragmatic assessment.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 13 May 2008

This article is little more than a list of the British prime minister's problems; that it's possible to fill a column that way pretty much sums up the Economist's position. Some things have been beyond his control -- the revival of the opposition Conservative party and the global economic slump -- but many problems, including the collapse of Northern Rock, stem from his own actions as Chancellor. It's not really credible that he'll be replaced before the next election, but he's going to have to do a much better job expressing what he stands for if his party is to avoid electoral carnage.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 13 May 2008

With infant mortality at 76 of 1,000 births and one-third of the country living under the poverty line, Myanmar is among "the world's neediest and least-helped countries," not least because its leadership is more interested in its own survival than its citizen's prosperity, The Economist effectively criticizes. In the wake of a devastating cyclone, the editors call for wisdom in humanitarian aid, as well as for pressuring China and Thailand to approach the junta about its scheduled constitutional referendum. Providing an excellent analysis of the post-cyclone crisis, the editors roundly condemn the junta for its "criminal" neglect of its citizens.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 13 May 2008

This brief, pragmatic editorial recommends a wait-and-see approach to dealing with new Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. For one thing, Vladimir Putin is still around as Prime Minister, and he may hold the real executive power. How Medvedev manages looming economic troubles, including problems with oil production, and chooses policies for relations with Western nations will determine whether the new regime is liberal or stuck in neutral, reluctant to modify attitudes toward free speech, political prisoners, or neighboring Georgia. What this bear (Medvedev) does, more than what he says, will make things clear soon enough.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 13 May 2008

With mathematics against her, the only reason for Hillary Clinton to continue to fight is if she genuinely believes Barack Obama would be either unelectable or a poor President. The Economist, while still skeptical about Obama's policies, argues that his primary performance shows he has leadership capabilities. Further, claims that race will lose him votes seem overstated -- and in any case, he's proven he can bring new voters to the polls. While a well-balanced editorial in its own right, the real highlight is the reasoned and articulate debate in the site's comment section involving readers from around the world.

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Source: Time | Author: Joe Klein | Date: 13 May 2008

In this compact political analysis, Klein confesses he thought Hillary Clinton had the advantage over Barack Obama in Indiana and North Carolina. With the wisdom of hindsight, Klein realizes he and his press colleagues fell for Clinton's "bowling and tamale-eating" and "shameless populism" while Americans focused on substance. Meanwhile, Obama simply seemed more honorable than Clinton, denouncing her proposed gas-tax holiday as pandering and patiently enduring the Jeremiah Wright flap. Klein advises Obama to maintain his reputation for honor by sitting down with John McCain to negotiate sane ground rules for the general election and urges candidates and reporters alike to focus on substance over style.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: David S. Broder | Date: 12 May 2008

Broder queries Senate majority whip Dick Durbin on why nearly half of the Democratic senators have yet to endorse a presidential candidate. Warning that "time lost can never be completely recovered", Broder helpfully details underpublicized consequences of the long primary, including how John McCain is using time out of the national spotlight to target diverse interest groups (an option unavailable to Obama). Broder draws parallels to the 1968 election, where an exhausted Hubert Humphrey lacked time to catch Richard Nixon.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Jim Hoagland | Date: 12 May 2008

Hoagland argues that Chinese President Hu Jintao's five-day visit to Japan heralds a new era of friendliness between the two countries. He extensively cites an interview with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who emphasizes the importance of economic utility over traditional political enmity. Over the last five years, Japan's economic growth has been bolstered by its exports to China, which is now Japan's largest trading partner and potentially more important to Japan's economic future than the oversaturated markets of the West. In the years to come, Japan must strike a careful balance between promoting China's stability and preserving its own political and economic leverage.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Alan Wolfe | Date: 12 May 2008

The media coverage and public involvement in the Democratic primary race has brought a resurgence in democratic participation and civic duty; voter efficacy is high, and people are interacting with the government in record numbers. Wolfe responds to criticisms of the Democratic Party's indecisiveness by listing the benefits to democracy as a whole, and discussing the major factors that have shaped the race for the White House, such as legitimate policy discussions. Wolfe joins the "that which does not kill us" chorus of pundits -- citing mostly the same talking points -- but he adds a little with predictions of Republicans' likely strategies to portray Barack Obama as an extreme liberal.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Deborah Howell | Date: 12 May 2008

Howell points out the Washington Post's tendency to misplace factual corrections to their stories. Examples include Eddie Araujo being called gay when he was really a transgender heterosexual; failing to distinguish between progesterone and progestin, similar but not identical drugs; and goofed statistics such as referring to Babe Ruth's "historic 715th home run" (he hit 714). The paper runs corrections, but they're not always seen by the readers. Howell's critique at time seems like nitpicking, but her ideal of accuracy and accountability should be what everyone can expect from such an esteemed newspaper.

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Source: Fox News Sunday | Author: Chris Wallace | Date: 12 May 2008

Hillary Clinton's top strategist Howard Wolfson continues to push the campaign rhetoric that she will be the eventual nominee. Wallace asks why Clinton continues to attack Obama, expressing concerns about hurting the Democratic Party. Wolfson eloquently replies that this spirited campaign has been great for Democrats -- bringing new, passionate voters into the process that will unite behind one nominee against John McCain. The strategist reveals that Clinton has $20 million in campaign debt, but he evades questions about retiring the debt, or who would fill the vice president slot, calling them premature as Clinton focuses on winning in West Virginia on Tuesday.

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Source: Foreign Policy | Author: Christopher Hitchens | Date: 9 May 2008

Hitchens discusses what a public intellectual is and decides that it's a term for someone who "makes his or her living through the battle of ideas," a title earned by the approbation of others. The nature of public intellectualism is changing, no longer strictly tied to the left or secularism. Television has become a battleground of mere pundits and opinion makers, while the Internet "selectorate" has driven down the standards of intellectualism. Hitchens keeps the article from drifting into hagiography by being self-effacing even while glorifying the intellectual.

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Source: Foreign Policy | Author: Richard Lacayo | Date: 9 May 2008

Many of the best and most daring architects in the world are working with the most restrictive governments, such as China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The reason, paradoxically, is freedom; the architects are given carte blanche, and their often stunning visions are not hampered by zoning boards, environmental concerns, or community groups. These architects hope their forward thinking will help these restrictive governments evolve, or that the governments will evolve without them. Lacayo worries these futuristic designs will only encourage other developing nations to continue their less-than-democratic ways. The author hopes that top architects stop working with totalitarian governments, but that doesn't make his argument of why they do so any less compelling. Great pictures, too.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Maureen Aung-Thwin | Date: 9 May 2008

It's tough to imagine an upside to thousands of deaths, but Aung-Thwin writes that the Burma cyclone's fallout puts the global spotlight back on the country's military dictatorship. There's growing outrage as relief teams from 18 different countries wait for permission to enter the country. And the anger is further fueled by reports that the government had two days' warning of the storms but failed to prepare the public. It's a tragic column, made all the more depressing because Aung-Thwin clearly isn't confident anything will really change.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Eugene Robinson | Date: 9 May 2008

According to Robinson, Hillary Clinton's assertion that Barack Obama doesn't have a wide enough appeal to carry a national election is dangerously close to playing on racism. Her argument seems to be that most black voters will vote for any Democrat, while working-class whites are at genuine risk of defecting -- unless she's the candidate. But to assume poor white people are racist, while blacks will blindly back her, typifies the arrogant attitude that has left her desperately scrambling to stay in the contest. The article does employ a few straw man arguments, but it's a well thought-out opinion.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Judith Rodin | Date: 9 May 2008

How can Americans become richer, happier, and save the environment? According to Rodin the answer is fixing the roads. She argues that proposed programs to repair structurally deficient bridges and improve existing highways could create hundreds of thousands of jobs. They'd also mean commuters would spend less time in congested traffic -- and save the estimated 2.9 billion gallons of gas wasted in hold-ups each year. In the long term, though, the real solution is better, more affordable mass transit. The article makes a logical-sounding case, though the minute details sometimes get in the way of the big picture.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: David Brooks | Date: 9 May 2008

For decades British conservatives took cues from their American counterparts, but no longer: the British have "moved beyond Thatcherism, while American conservatives pine for another Reagan." As Brooks intelligently explains, the main focus of political debate has moved from the economy to society at large, with a conservative focus on "community, relationships, civic engagement and social responsibility" taking precedence over financial matters. Brooks details some of the policies under consideration in Britain, such as smaller, decentralized, interactive institutions, and wonders when a stubborn Republican Party and American conservatives will embrace them -- sooner, or later, "after a decade or so in the wilderness."

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: George F. Will | Date: 8 May 2008

Caustically preempting Hillary Clinton's potential arguments about the delegate counts, Will points out that that she might as well argue that a baseball team losing the World Series 4-3 could claim to have won on aggregate runs scored. And you can bet that if the Democrats had a winner-take-all system and she'd already clinched the nomination, she wouldn't be raising the issue of fairness. The column is let down by analogies that clearly aren't effective parallels, and there's a particularly nasty cheap shot on the race issue that references the three-fifths compromise.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Dana Milbank | Date: 8 May 2008

No, it's not a story about Iraq -- the headline refers to Hillary Clinton's continued campaigning in the face of mounting calls to stand aside. There are plenty of signs that the end is nigh, including a volunteer in one West Virginia town finding just five confirmed Clinton backers. But she's already got her route planned all the way to the convention -- with perhaps a stop-off in court to challenge the Florida and Michigan exclusions. The article doesn't bring up anything unexpected, though there's a neat phrase where a Clinton adviser says she'll defy the "punditocracy."

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Karl Rove | Date: 8 May 2008

In the wake of Hillary Clinton's disappointing showings in North Carolina and Indiana, Rove pronounces Obama the presumptive nominee and makes some observations, mostly recapping what the public's been hearing ad nauseam from the talking heads: Clinton will battle on until June; Michigan and Florida remain a problem; and the interminable Democratic primary season has revealed both candidates' weaknesses, particularly Obama's. Rove does make a few insightful points that haven't yet been flogged to death on cable news, arguing the prolonged nomination battle actually benefits the Democrats and noting that Clinton runs better against McCain than Obama does in key battleground states.

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Source: Esquire | Author: Chuck Klosterman | Date: 8 May 2008

Klosterman muses on the British "Sporting Giants" project, a nationwide appeal for tall people with athletic potential for the 2012 London games; 3,800 lanky folks applied and were tested for skills in four Olympic sports. Klosterman attempts to apply this concept to careers, wondering if the human process of self-selection is inherently flawed. Might most of us excel at something we've never considered? "It's simply impossible to be objective or insightful about the person you have always been," he writes, bizarrely arguing that employers should advertise for blind characteristics. An obscure and entirely unconvincing thought experiment.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Bryan Caplan | Date: 8 May 2008

Most economists say proposals to suspend the federal gas tax for the summer won't work: With the supply of gas pretty much fixed, retailers will pocket the difference rather than cut prices. But Caplan argues that John McCain and Hillary Clinton's plan, while meaningless in practical terms, is a cheap and relatively safe way to answer motorists pleas that they do something, anything, to fix the problem. And letting oil companies cash in now will make it easier when government inevitably hits them later, likely through windfall taxes. The article is an intriguing display of what might be termed real-world economics.

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Source: ESPN | Author: Scoop Jackson | Date: 8 May 2008

Basketball fans have watched Kevin Garnett give his all in the last game of every season, cry in interviews over not winning, and smile at the prospect of the playoffs this year, his best chance yet at a championship. Viewers want to cheer for the underdog and see him finally win one, but that feeling may have dissipated after the first round series between the Celtics and Hawks, in which Garnett's team eked out a game 7 win, the result of substandard play that will tarnish Garnett's all-out image. Jackson has a decent point, but executes it poorly.

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Source: Nature | Author: David Goldston | Date: 8 May 2008

While demonstration projects (also known as feasibility studies) are often hailed for the employment their large budgets bring communities, Goldston calls them some of the most "questionable activities in energy research and development." He points to the recent example of FutureGen, a project intended to further research into climate technology and hydrogen initiatives, but was canceled when the coal industry refused to pay the required 50 percent of the price tag. The author intelligently points out that such projects "are often driven more by politics than by science," ultimately leading to their failure.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Eric Schlosser | Date: 7 May 2008

Schlosser, the author of Fast Food Nation, details corporations that spy on protesters, most notably Burger King, who hired a private security firm to monitor members of the Student/Farmworker Alliance, which campaigns for better conditions for migrant workers in Florida. Schlosser points out that some corporations now have budgets larger than entire nations, and argues that they should face similar anti-snooping laws to those that affect governments. It's a thought-provoking piece, but the op-ed format means it's difficult to know how accurate it is without the firms having a chance to respond.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Dana Milbank | Date: 7 May 2008

Tuesday's primary results mean the Democrat roadshow looks ever more likely to complete its national tour. Bored pundits threw out two common clichés -- Barack Obama would close the deal or Hillary Clinton would change the game -- but neither came true. Perhaps the most accurate response came from Time's Joe Klein who, when asked whether the results would contain any "game-changers," replied "God, who knows?" Milbank finds a creative way to convey his boredom with the never-ending process, but that doesn't lend itself to compelling copy.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Patrick Fleenor | Date: 7 May 2008

High regional taxes create a black market for goods, so the taxes ought to be abolished. That's Fleenor's argument in a nutshell, as he explores the business of smuggling cigarettes into New York City. As cigarette taxes are raised (a new $1.25 per pack additional tax goes into effect July 1), organized crime responds -- not just the old-school mafia, but also street gangs and even terrorists, and their violent turf battles end in shootings and homicides. It's too bad Fleenor has such a heavy-handed approach to his subject; less fearmongering would have made his argument more credible.

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Source: New York | Author: Kurt Andersen | Date: 7 May 2008

As a member of the media elite, Andersen admits in this revealing piece that he knows few fervent Clinton supporters -- his tribe sees Obama as its home team. Though he takes a few unnecessary cheap shots at the Clintons, Andersen's sports analogy perfectly captures the current polarization in the race. Obama's thoughtfulness, ambivalence, and reserve, he argues, are what make him so attractive to the media and to young people. Working-class Clinton supporters, on the other hand, are alienated by Obama for the same reasons they feel alienated from the media; they're not part of either's worldview, except as tragic figures.

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Source: The Nation | Author: Ari Berman | Date: 7 May 2008

It's hard to fathom that Barack Obama's service on the board of the Woods Fund, a small community organizing foundation in Chicago, would cultivate political criticism, but as this article indicates, it has done just that. Because former '60s radical and Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers also served on the Woods Fund's board, Obama's opponents have launched a guilt-by-association attack campaign similar to accusations that Hillary Clinton herself has weathered. Berman injects some sense into the controversy by exploring the Woods Fund's mission and explaining how it helped shape his political identity.

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Source: Details | Author: Ian Daly | Date: 7 May 2008

Daly argues that the psychological pressure of social-networking sites to join, amass dozens of friends, post ludicrous photos of yourself, and constantly update your profile is an addiction leading to regression into bygone adolescence. And there can be real-world consequences, too, as when prospective employers are disturbed by what they discover in posted, publicly accessible profiles. Though Daly has some articulate friends -- one reduces social networking to "bad attempts at being quasi-famous" -- his rehashed gripes are unlikely to faze current or future Facebook aficionados.

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Source: BusinessWeek | Author: Peter Coy | Date: 7 May 2008

The current federal funds interest rate of 2 percent, which followed the April 30 quarter-point slash, might have to go even lower to provide adequate stimulus for the economy, Coy writes in this jargon-free, neatly argued essay. Although recession fears have eased, new rumblings of inflation are giving rate-setters the jitters despite scant evidence of rising prices in sectors other than fuel and food, and no overall increase in the money supply. More significantly, financial services companies, hit hard by the credit crisis, are still not confident enough to expand lending policies necessary to rev up economic growth. Expect another cut.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Robert F. Worth | Date: 6 May 2008

Since Kuwait's unprecedented adoption of democracy, the nation has slipped from prominence in the Persian Gulf, overshadowed by its autocratic neighbors. As the nation nears its latest round of elections, many are alleging that democracy has created more problems than solutions, while nations such as Dubai, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are flourishing under absolute monarchies. Worth's intelligent, well-written piece analyzes Kuwaitis' main complaints -- the slow privatization of the national airline and the oil sector chief among them -- and speaks with citizens convinced that democracy is the source of all their frustration.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Richard Cohen | Date: 6 May 2008

Many have criticized Barack Obama's choice to not wear an American flag lapel pin as unpatriotic, but Cohen argues it's a sign of independent thinking. It's refreshing that he refuses to wear one just because it's the norm -- after all, such a pin was certainly no guarantee of unwavering loyalty to the constitution for Richard Nixon. And while Obama's common-sense declaration (like saying putting food on the table is more important than producing biofuels) may cost him votes, they are a refreshing change. Cohen writes clearly, though he's putting just as much hyperbole into the meaning of a lapel pin as those criticizing Obama.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Dana Milbank | Date: 6 May 2008

President Bush's influence is waning as public attention focuses on the campaign trail and political power shifts to Congress, Milbank notes in this humorous piece. The columnist chronicles a string of slow news days in the executive office -- the most important matters discussed include the president's opinion on the White House Grounds and the eligibility of football players from military academies. Milbank isn't the only one to take notice of the lack of excitement, though; yesterday's White House briefing only drew half of its expected attendance, and government officials "regarded the briefing with an equal level of ennui."

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Ian Shapira | Date: 5 May 2008

As a similarly-aged individual, Shapira offers an interesting perspective on Chelsea Clinton, noting that despite all of her college campus tours and the fact that she has a Facebook page, the former first daughter is rather antisocial. Instead of coming off as an approachable, "normal" 20-something, Clinton seems to be "touring colleges as a 28-year old saleswoman," shying away from social interaction and often talking down to her peers. But while Shapira would have the former first daughter act her age, he seems to miss how coached even the most "authentic" political offspring are.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: George F. Will | Date: 5 May 2008

Will admires President Harry Truman as a common man with uncommon vision, but he gently blames him for greatly expanding the powers of the president, citing in particular the establishment of the CIA and the NSA. He further implies that history hasn't yet fully judged the Truman presidency and the effects of greatly expanded presidential powers wrought by his tenure. This is a reasoned tribute to Truman in light of the 60th anniversary of several major events that occurred during his tenure, including the Berlin Airlift, the establishment of the state of Israel, and the desegregation of the military.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Arlen Specter | Date: 5 May 2008

Forty-nine states have some form of journalistic protection law, but there's no federal shield law protecting journalists from being ordered by courts to reveal their sources, which has led to several well-publicized cases -- including the New York Times' Judith Miller spending 85 days in jail for refusing to turn over her sources. Sen. Arlen Specter, the leading Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, persuasively advocates for the federal media shield bill he's trying to shepherd through Congress. Because Specter is normally supportive of Michael Mukasey, his divergence of opinion with the Attorney General lends credence to his arguments.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Stephen L. Carter | Date: 5 May 2008

Carter, a novelist, wishes he came up with the current story unfolding in the political arena. He likens the long presidential campaign slog to a thriller, rife with potential heroes and villains as well as captivating twists and turns. The analogy provides Carter with an opportunity to guess at what improvements he would make to the story -- namely, the media taking the role of a more substantive, impartial narrator, and the main characters engaging in a more informative debate. Carter uses a unique perspective to add some levity to the repetitive criticisms of frivolity.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Robert D. Novak | Date: 5 May 2008

By adopting some unconventional tactics, Nancy Pelosi is becoming one of the most powerful House speakers ever, Novak argues, and the Republicans are doing little to restrain her. She's using loopholes in the appropriations system to stop President Bush vetoing increased spending plans by Democrats. And she's allowed the House to suspend Bush-created rules to restrict Medicaid spending -- since they won't take effect again until next March, the plan seems to be that a Democrat president would then be able to ax them completely. Novak clearly knows the political system, but he does a poor job explaining the procedural niceties to those outside the Capitol Hill bubble.

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Source: The New York Times Magazine | Author: William Safire | Date: 5 May 2008

Prompted by a reader's question, Safire explains the difference between lying and "misspeaking." The difference is the intent of the speaker -- or the politician in most of the examples. The question that Safire finds more interesting is the ethics of calling a verbal blunder "misspeaking" to soften the impact of the original statement. He also shares comments by his contemporaries regarding "voguish" words: "frankly," "margin," and "detainee." In comparison to his recent columns Safire simply phones it in on this easy topic.

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Source: The New York Times 'Week in Review' | Author: Frank Rich | Date: 5 May 2008

John McCain took months to half-denounce Texas megachurch preacher John Hagee, who endorsed McCain, despite the preacher's assertion that God unleashed Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans as a punishment for gay pride. "A sonorous white preacher spouting venom just doesn't have the telegenic zing of a theatrical black man," Rich writes. And while McCain didn't spend 20 years listening to Hagee from the pews as Barack Obama did with Jeremiah Wright, he did seek out the preacher's endorsement. This far-reaching piece covers everything from rust-belt white voters to disaster relief to make a key point: candidates should not be judged by the actions of every person they associate with.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Jim Hoagland | Date: 5 May 2008

Hoagland writes a scathing critique of congressional Democrats, noting that recent efforts have accomplished the impressive task of not only out-pandering Republicans but allowing President Bush to "pose as a fiscally responsible, veto-wielding leader." Nancy Pelosi's and the party's burying of the Colombian free trade agreement and proposal of $300 billion in agricultural subsidies also threaten an already ailing economy. Hoagland picks out just one encouraging event: Barack Obama's rejection of the gas tax holiday, which would only encourage consumption and increase pollution, setting back America's agenda for efficient energy use.

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Source: Marketplace | Author: American Public Media | Date: 5 May 2008

The ranks of the uninsured and the self-insured are growing, finds a health care study by the Commonwealth Fund. Reporter Nancy Marshall Genzer finds out one big reason why: Companies, even large ones, are dropping health insurance for their workers. The net result is $45 billion paid by taxpayers for government-funded health care and unpaid hospital bills. Genzer uncovers only vague reasons for the increase, namely a tanking economy and skyrocketing costs. It's an unsatisfying story that would benefit from more details.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Deborah Howell | Date: 5 May 2008

Plagiarism has become disturbingly commonplace in professional journalism, and it seems that the bad habit has rubbed off on some readers, as this year's KidsPost poetry contest featured winning entries that were not original work. Despite a bold yellow warning declaring "Original Work Only," two winners plagiarized the work of Shel Silverstein and Louis Phillips. While such dishonesty is shameful, the more embarrassing fact is that the plagiarism slipped by the Post's editors. Howell's commentary is dry, but it's buoyed by responses from young KidsPost readers.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Josef Joffe | Date: 5 May 2008

"Fear ... is a tax," Al Qaeda has been the world's collector since 2001, and the US is paying the steepest price: 200,000 jobs, 94 billion tourism dollars, and the trust of other nations. Fewer tourists visit America, fewer international scholars come, and fewer foreign students stay on. Though visitors from China, India, and Korea are still arriving, visitors from richer countries are less likely to make the trip, deterred by policy changes and immigration hassles that Joffe argues represent a threat to the American character. A sobering look at the hidden costs of national security: "Never before have so few terrorized so many with so little."

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Source: The New York Times 'Week in Review' | Author: John Harwood | Date: 5 May 2008

With Barack Obama's penchant for de-emphasizing race and Hillary Clinton's rapport with minorities, the dueling Democratic candidates seem as though they'd be better off as allies than antagonists. Harwood notes that the divide between their supporters is the kind that usually separates Democrats from Republicans -- partially the product of a nomination process that caters to "component parts rather than the broad electorate." Many swing voters have abandoned Democrats as "out of the political mainstream," and those voting on the basis of race and economics can't seem to reconcile, Harwood notes in this well-written historical look.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Ahmed Rashid | Date: 5 May 2008

Rashid discusses the difficulties of achieving stability for the Pashtun tribes, which live along both sides of the Pakistan and Afghanistan border. This stability would help weaken both the Taliban's and Al Qaeda's hold on this area, unless the stability is created by the pro-Taliban Islamic extremists, he writes. Sadly, these seem to be the only people truly interested in helping local tribes. Though Rashid makes some good points, he seems to expect Pakistan to hold global interests above its own -- probably an unrealistic scenario.

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Source: The Washington Post 'Outlook' | Author: Peter Feaver & Anne Crossman | Date: 5 May 2008

Feaver and Crossman address the high school class of 2008 as they prepare to head to college, debunking some popular myths about the undergraduate experience. The two make clear that a major doesn't pinhole a student to a particular career and that with varied classes, a job in any field is possible, so pick classes with good professors, who can make even tedious subjects engaging. As for time outside the classroom, there should (and will) be breaks from studying, and a few extracurriculars are better than a packed schedule. As for getting stuck with a disappointing roommate, Feaver and Crossman remind students that there's life outside the dorm in this basic academic primer.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 4 May 2008

On the face of it, China's attempts to boost its world status with the Olympics have motivated citizens into a shared anger against what they see as Western hostility to the nation, particularly over Tibetan politics. But fueling such passions simply increases the risk that the Chinese population will turn its rage on the government over corruption, environmental recklessness, and land-grabbing. Nobody is expecting Western nations to ease up on the political pressure, but eventually China's rulers will no longer be able to deflect the public's blame overseas. The writers don't tie the piece up neatly, but that's more a reflection of political complexity than poor reporting.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 4 May 2008

Britain’s Competition Commission and Office of Fair Trading are both following America's lead in cracking down on increasingly sophisticated cartels. The four dominant grocery store chains are feeling the heat, with the latest in a string of investigations centering on claims stores used food companies as intermediaries in fixing prices. Theoretically it should be difficult to manipulate branded goods in this way -- which makes it even more important that regulators get to the bottom of the allegations. The piece reads well but struggles to reach any real conclusion because the investigation is at such an early stage.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 2 May 2008

With markets stabilizing and gold prices coming back down, it seems financiers have passed the panic stage -- perhaps in relief at the Bear Stearns bailout, which showed the Fed wouldn't allow systemic collapse. But the outlook is still shaky: banks still must pay uncomfortable premiums to borrow cash, corporate bond defaults are becoming a familiar sight, house prices are still slumping, and consumers are facing real pain from fuel and food hikes. This clearly written leader article offers a wealth of evidence to support its assertions.

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Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 2 May 2008

When food prices were low, the farm lobby required subsidies to keep farmers from deserting the land. Now that food prices are soaring, farmers are seeking protection from foreign competition by blocking food imports. Some say Europe's common agricultural policy has needed reform for some time, and there has never been a better time than now, when farmers can make a living off their high-priced crops. Naturally the farmers want it both ways -- subsidies when prices are low, protection when prices are high -- but slashing subsidies would benefit consumers and taxpayers. The author makes a cogent argument, even if it's not an original one.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Robert Skeffington | Date: 2 May 2008

Noting the vehement global dismay at the prospect of a kangaroo cull in Canberra, Australia, Skeffington huffily counters that kangaroo meat is plentiful, tasty, and frequently offered on the menus of fine restaurants. Besides, Australia is home to more kangaroos than people -- so dealing with them as livestock is not all that bizarre. Another country emblem, the emu, is also an edible animal. On the other hand, no one in his right mind would want to eat a koala. This funny and only moderately incensed editorial suggests that hunting and eating kangaroos should not result in international opprobrium.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: David Brooks | Date: 2 May 2008

Globalization is a real trend, but politicians exaggerate its effects to make foreigners an easy scapegoat for America's woes, Brooks writes. US manufacturing output, both in raw figures and as a worldwide share, is actually rising. It's largely a product of technology, which means employers, both here and abroad, need fewer but better-skilled workers. Brooks tells politicians to stop using globalization as an excuse and concentrate on training people for today's needs. The language of the piece gets overly philosophical at times, but the overall point is clearly made.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: E.J. Dionne Jr. | Date: 2 May 2008

Inspired by the ongoing controversy involving Barack Obama's former pastor Jeremiah Wright, Dionne astutely investigates the apparent double standard between the treatment of white right-wing preachers and black left-wing preachers. Pointing to outrageous statements made by the likes of Bailey Smith and Jerry Falwell, Dionne illustrates that comments by white, conservative preachers rarely draw as much criticism as Wright has. And while Obama's relationship with Wright may be a source of the magnification, the pastor's critique of social structures also contributes, as white preachers often focus only on individual issues of morality.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Dana Milbank | Date: 2 May 2008

Milbank coolly observes the catch-22 the White House has itself caught in on yet another anniversary of the famous "Mission Accomplished" statement. On Wednesday, Dana Perino spun: "President Bush is well aware that the banner should have been much more specific, and said mission accomplished for these sailors who are on this ship on their mission." That brought laughs from lawmakers and reporters. Yesterday the White House ducked for cover and busied itself with "weapons of mass distraction," which only produce more questions. Milbank's litany of pithy lines from Democratic lawmakers swinging hard at a stationary piñata makes this a fun, if indulgent, column.

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Source: A.V. Club | Author: Scott Tobias | Date: 2 May 2008

Tobias offers an entertaining analysis of I Am Cuba, a 1964 Communist propaganda film that was "the strange, beautiful, misbegotten lovechild that resulted from the marriage" of Soviet and Cuban interests. While the film, which portrays greedy Westerners taking advantage of oppressed Cubans, flopped when it was initially released, Tobias hails the cinematographers, who made the most of the virtually unlimited resources provided to produce it. The film is awash with experiments with wide-angle lenses as well as "whooshing camera moves." However, not much else can be praised about the film, as its "politics are naĂŻve at best, and more often just laughable."

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Andrew Carroll | Date: 2 May 2008

Donating stimulus checks to charities supporting troops and their families is worthwhile whatever your view on the Iraq War, Carroll writes. Those backing the invasion can show their support, while critics can help the troops without agreeing with their deployment. Donations can fund anything from sending a soldier a phone card to giving a scholarship to the child of a fallen hero. Carrol's piece is a flat-out charity appeal, but even so could have been better written had he, for instance, included specific case studies.

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Source: Digg | Author: Marty Nemko | Date: 2 May 2008

Nemko offers some startling and discouraging statistics about American college students, noting that more than 40 percent of freshman at four-year schools don't graduate in six years. And those who do manage to graduate aren't automatically in the clear, as degrees offer less of a career advantage than they used to. In addition, the quality of a college education is dubious, as institutions are now run like businesses, with students being a cost item and research reeling in profits. To conclude this informative piece, Nemko offers a number of intelligent suggestions to reform the system, such as mandatory reporting of retention, safety, and student-satisfaction statistics.

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Source: A.V. Club | Author: Kyle Ryan | Date: 1 May 2008

Ryan offers an entertaining review of two culinary curiosities hailing from Japan: F-Cup Cookies and Oppai Jelly. As indicated by their name, the cookies also double as a breast-enhancement product, with each one containing 50mg of Pueraria Mirifica, a plant estrogen intended to give snackers "fuller, firmer breasts." Unfortunately, the cookies tasted dry and peculiar and came with a list of side effects including "loose bowels." The Oppai Jelly, a gelatin molded into the shape of breasts, had a decent taste, but its bizarre consistency was a turn-off for Ryan and his coworkers -- one noted that "the texture just made me absolutely gag."

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Gail Collins | Date: 1 May 2008

In this scattered piece, Collins appears to be drawing parallels between the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Bill Clinton: Both are dominant male figures who risk overshadowing the two candidates. Ironically, while Wright's ongoing commentary has caused problems for Barack Obama, it might be worth the political experience. Veteran Hillary Clinton would have condemned Wright's views as soon as he looked politically troublesome. Meanwhile the former President Clinton is still talking the ears off anyone who'll listen, at one stage hitting seven small North Carolina towns in a single day. But when she weaves in Miley Cyrus' Vanity Fair cover, she's spreading the column too thin, and falls flat.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Amelia Rawls | Date: 1 May 2008

Rawls, a first-year law student at Yale, provides an interesting, refreshingly honest look at the student body at the nation's top schools, noting that while many have displayed the highest level of altruism and scholarship, they are not necessarily "nice." She explores the contradictory character of some, who "will denounce world hunger but be unfriendly to the homeless" and often rise to prominence on the backs of equally competent, nicer people. Rawls laments that the focus on prestigious degrees and credentials doesn't do much for an individual's generosity, and wonders whether "our society is crippling itself by subjecting its youths to an almost-Darwinian college selection process."

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Karl Rove | Date: 1 May 2008

Barack Obama waves away the elitist label, but Rove writes, "It's not where you start life, it's where you end up." Rove advises Obama to retool his stump speech to bring back the magic of his early campaign days, when his words seemed to come from the heart. He urges the senator to act decisively in both his actions and his statements. While he will likely win the nomination, Democrats are nervous about the fall, Rove says, because he has "given them reasons to be." The famously calculating Rove adopts a "dust yourself off and get up" tone toward Obama that sometimes veers toward condescension.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Jake Caldwell | Date: 1 May 2008

Caldwell, who is in charge of agriculture policy at the Center for American Progress, argues against quick fixes for world food problems. He points out that the issue is a problem both at home and overseas: While every 20 percent price rise brings another 100 million people worldwide to the brink of starvation, America's food stamp program now covers a record 1.3 million people. President Bush and his G8 colleagues need to increase investment to improve agriculture in developing countries while working to remove unnecessary subsidies and tariffs. It's an interesting piece but doesn't do enough to tie together the domestic and international sides of the story.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Dahlia Litchwick | Date: 1 May 2008

Regarding Guantanamo Bay and torture, "High-ranking administration officials and enemy combatants may have broken the law, and their legal situations are weirdly parallel." The distinction? Cards are stacked against Guantanamo detainees -- government lawyers have admitted they will do anything to avoid acquittals, knowing the bad press holding innocent people for six years would generate. However, while Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, and others in the administration who approved of torturing Al Qaeda suspects have likely violated Geneva Conventions and committed war crimes, the Justice Department is loath to even investigate. Litchwick's well-organized editorial forcefully draws this damning dichotomy.

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Source: The New York Review of Books | Author: Wang Lixiong & Over 300 Others | Date: 1 May 2008

This letter, signed by Wang and a presumably growing list of other intellectuals (email addresses are provided so that supporters can add their names), is essentially a numbered list containing what the headline suggests. Some exhortations put the confrontation in a historical context: The government's language toward the Dalai Lama, they write, recalls the Cultural Revolution. Others beg for more information, like their two-sentence call to not exact widespread revenge on all of Tibet. Still others state the obvious: All parties should reject violence; and the government should respect the constitution's prescribed freedoms of speech and religion.

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Source: The Huffington Post | Author: Sen. Harry Reid | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Sen. Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, shares an excerpt from his new book, The Good Fight. He details his humble beginnings in Searchlight, Nevada, where he lived in a house made of railroad ties that were soaked in creosote to keep termites out (which made his house flammable). It also had a layer of plaster on the outside that his dad put up as a kind of stucco. His father worked in everything from carpentry to mining, while his mother was confident and loud -- and they both drank too much. Though this excerpt gives a fairly good portrait of Reid's early life, a more complete excerpt could have been chosen.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Matt Labash | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Labash irreverently and humorously escorts the reader through the outlandish exhibits at this year's V-Day in New Orleans, a festival celebrating the vagina, which he characterizes as an outfit intent on making female sexual organs a "political proclamation"-- and, supposedly, eliminating gender-based violence. Recounting his male impressions of the transformed Superdome (which he finds anatomically incorrect) and LGBT-support groups, he subtly ridicules the feminist participants' hypocrisy. He smartly concludes that the festival, far from anti-man, is actually anti-woman by exalting sexual organs above other female traits.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Whitney Blake | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Despite having tailored platforms to please their moderate constituencies, many of the freshman Democrats recently winning seats in the House on conservative platforms have found that the opinion that matters most is that of Nancy Pelosi. From immigration to free trade, taxes to terrorism, the so-called "Blue Dogs" have repeatedly caved to party leadership, seemingly ignoring their constituents in order to align with Pelosi's positions. Such weakness has had significant effects, Blake convincingly contends, resulting in killing a key national security plan and welcoming the largest tax increase in history, and will ultimately aid the election efforts of Republicans in two years.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: George F. Will | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Judging by this hard-hitting column, Will would make a great debate moderator, as the columnist illustrates that he's willing to ask the tough questions -- such as why insurance companies and drug companies should be expected to "give up their profits," since such action would likely result in "much preventable suffering and death." Will also points out that Obama criticizes John McCain for watching home prices decline, and wonders whether the candidate's disapproval of such a strategy indicates his support for the government propping up prices.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Kathleen Deveny | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Deveny decries the atmosphere of anxiety surrounding children and sexuality, lamenting the days when playing doctor was a harmless diversion. She cites several instances of unnecessary hysteria over childhood sexual development, like an incident in which school officials called the police after a 6-year-old smacked a classmate's bottom. "We need to relax a little," Deveny implores, maintaining that sexual curiosity is both natural and necessary for children. "It's their job to figure out how the world works and how they're different from their siblings and friends," she reminds us. A smart, levelheaded take on modern parenting.

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Source: Rolling Stone | Author: Matt Taibbi | Date: 30 Apr 2008

In this entertaining feature, Taibbi recounts his nightmarish experience at an "Encounter Weekend" hosted by the Cornerstone Church, as he sought to explore the secrets of Southern evangelical Christians by taking part in their "indoctrination process." Though the liberal Taibbi is morbidly afraid of being found out, he manages to blend in quite well, gaining the sympathy of others with a fictitious account of his father, an alcoholic circus clown who would beat Taibbi with his oversize shoes. There is plenty of hilarity in this sarcasm-tinged field study. The lesson? To evangelicals, politics are a non-issue; all that matters is "being full of the Lord and empty of demons."

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Reihan Salam | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Has Hillary Clinton's bitter Pennsylvania fight with Obama blazed an electoral trail that Republicans can follow in November? Perhaps, but many obstacles lie in the way, Salam argues. He provides a comprehensive, if pessimistic, laundry list of grim facts facing Republicans in November: less clout among Latino voters, a likely African-American landslide for Obama, a shrinking Republican coalition, poor presidential approval, and economic distress. John McCain is the most qualified to overcome these barriers, Salam maintains, but hedges that Republican success is quite unlikely.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Maureen Dowd | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Dowd analyzes Barack Obama's reaction to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's controversial comments at the National Press Club Monday, noting that the typically serene senator was, for once, enraged. However, while the pastor's statements were not supported by Obama, Dowd suggests that his anger is somewhat of an overreaction, as his attempt to "relate to the white lunch-pail set" made him more sensitive than he would have been otherwise. The columnist smartly suggests that Obama's attempt to navigate between two racial cultures is Obama's primary problem, as it allowed him to ignore the inflammatory nature of Wright's statements earlier in his life, an action that is injuring him now.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Robert J. Samuelson | Date: 30 Apr 2008

With oil prices soaring to $120 a barrel, it has become obvious that America can do little to influence OPEC, so Samuelson suggests that the US start producing its own oil instead. Surprisingly, the US is the world's third-largest oil producer, and could be producing up to 30 billion addition barrels if not for the outlawing of drilling in areas off both coasts, Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. By increasing our supply and limiting demand, Samuelson convincingly suggests that the price of foreign oil would drop and perhaps even encourage a surplus of production capacity.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Kelly Evans & Sudeep Reddy | Date: 30 Apr 2008

As government rebate checks begin rolling in, this interesting feature checks in with economists and average citizens to find out exactly where the funds will end up. Though some retailers, such as Sears and Radioshack have initiated marketing efforts to lure buyers, many Americans intend to use the rebates to catch up on previous payments or pay down credit card debt. In addition, a large portion of the money will most likely go toward gas, as the cost for a typical motorist has risen $600 this year, the exact amount of the rebate.

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Source: Newsweek | Author: Sharon Begley | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Noting food riots in the news, Begley takes an alarming look at the future of agriculture under the specter of ongoing global warming. Dismissing the laughably simplistic view that more carbon dioxide in the air means more airborne fertilizer, as purported by the coal industry's Greening Earth Society, the piece does an excellent job of describing some of the many variables that will come to bear on future farming. These include less glacier ice that feed rivers that in turn irrigate crops, rising temperatures in northern latitudes helping crops but hurting them in already-warm subtropics and tropics, and a generally more volatile climate.

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Source: The New York Times | Author: Thomas L. Friedman | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Hillary Clinton and John McCain recently united in pushing for suspending the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon, for this summer's travel season. "This is not an energy policy," Friedman writes. "This is money laundering: we borrow money from China and ship it to Saudi Arabia and take a little cut for ourselves as it goes through our gas tanks." Barack Obama resisted this push because he says subsidies should be going to clean energy, but political bickering has left oil companies with tax credits. Friedman brings worthy attention and criticism to an issue that should be dominating headlines.

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Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Karl Rove | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Rove paints a prophetic portrait of John McCain, offering a number of anecdotes that speak to his and his wife's admirable character and great generosity. This moving piece chronicles several episodes occurring during McCain's imprisonment at a POW camp in Vietnam, including the tale of how McCain risked punishment to collect bamboo and build a splint for fellow prisoner Col. Bud Day, an action that prevented him from suffering permanent damage. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the only flaw Rove sees in the honorable McCain is his reluctance to reveal such personal stories, noting that it is essential for the candidate to "show his character, integrity and essential decency."

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Yousaf Raza Gillani | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Pakistani Prime Minister Gillani describes the difficult transition from an authoritarian-ruled nation to a developing democracy, noting that the government must be bold if it wants to accomplish its goals. In an effort to rebuild Pakistan's social fabric, Gillani has lifted press censorship and freed political prisoners, and he intends to strengthen Parliament and ensure that the needs of all sectors of society, even those in tribal areas, are addressed. Gillani vows to illustrate that "democracy works and is the best guarantee against terrorism, injustice and hopelessness," but the main significance of this piece is by virtue of who authored it.

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Source: The Washington Post | Author: Harold Meyerson | Date: 30 Apr 2008

If you can get past Meyerson's unfortunate analogy comparing the white working class to a huge, elusive white whale (with Barack Obama as its Ahab), you'll find a gem of political astuteness: The Democrats can bring the white working class back to the party by unionizing them again. White male union members vote Democrat by 20 points or more -- consistently -- over non-unionized working class white males. Why the disparity? Unions "remind their members what's at stake," like labor-friendly economic policy, health care, and trade policy. Support unions and positive labor law, Meyerson advises, and the Democrats will win working class support once more.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Jeffrey Bell | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Many people are so depressed about the war in Iraq that they have failed to notice the recent easing of violence in Sunni areas, thanks largely to the superior skills of Gen. David Petraeus. That President Bush has rewarded these skills with a promotion to Central Command is applauded by Bell in this perceptive analysis of the decision. In his new leadership position, the general will take over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and resume the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Long-time Petraeus supporter John McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate, may also reap political benefits from the promotion.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Frederick W. Kagan | Date: 30 Apr 2008

According to Kagan, success can be had in Iraq. He defines success as a stable state with representative government, in control of and capable of defending its territory, as well as a buffer against Iran that is favorable to western interests and a strong ally against militant Islamism. It's a tall order, but one that Kagan feels is achievable -- and he ably supports his thesis with evidence of measurable progress.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Fred Barnes | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Barnes' clever parsing of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's self-descriptions leaves us with the vision of a conventional politician who has a talent for words. Where Obama says he is not a liberal, Barnes finds contradictory evidence in the Senate voting records. Additionally, while agreeing that Obama's early years and living situation could not be characterized as elitist, Barnes points out that all Harvard Law graduates are presumed to belong to the upper class which is, by definition, elitist. Obama may be an exciting new face among the candidates, but according to Barnes' interpretation of his quotes, he is also a typical politician.

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Source: New York | Author: John Heilemann | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Heilemann gives a somewhat schizophrenic analysis of the latest phase of Barack Obama's presidential campaign in the wake of his loss in Pennsylvania. Heilemann first asserts that the loss has changed little in the run-up to the Democratic convention, with Obama's lead in both superdelegate and popular vote counts essentially unchallenged. However, the bulk of the article is an examination of Obama's eroding support among demographics that Heilemann feels are necessary for a Democratic candidate to win convincingly if they are to carry the presidency. Ultimately, however, Heilemann admits uncertainty, and ends the article with a look back at JFK, whose bid succeeded despite little support among traditional kingmaker demographics.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Michael Goldfarb | Date: 30 Apr 2008

With his recent signing of the Declaration on Climate Change with a handful of other governors, Arnold Schwarzenegger has emerged as a major figure in the environmental movement, railing against "enviro-wimps" who refuse to take tougher action on global warming. However, the governor isn't the only one going green, as President Bush recently set a target date for capping greenhouse emissions. And while it is no longer an option to ignore climate change, Goldfarb cynically suggests the new Republican rhetoric may be the next best thing, as declarations such as Bush's suggestion that "every major economy" sign onto an international climate agreement sound good but are unlikely to occur.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Matthew Continetti | Date: 30 Apr 2008

In this brief piece, Continetti succinctly criticizes former president Jimmy Carter for his decision to meet with Hamas, arguing that he never should have made contact with the group and that the "mission was a bust." Worse, negotiating with, and thus giving legitimacy to, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal undermines the peace process and proves that "Gazans are pawns in a larger conflict." Continetti notes that Barack Obama was one of Carter's many critics in regard to the diplomatic mission, but points out the hypocrisy in such a stance -- Obama previously stated he would be willing to meet with Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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Source: The Weekly Standard | Author: Andrew Ferguson | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Ferguson finds little to like about the newly opened Newseum in Washington DC. The architecture is boring, the $572 million price tag eye popping (especially given the current sorry financial state of the news business), and the pervasive presence of Walter Cronkite tributes just plain oppressive. It's scathingly funny, and, at times, insightful, but the sustained diatribe loses steam long before Ferguson finishes venting.

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Source: Rolling Stone | Author: Matt Taibbi | Date: 30 Apr 2008

Taibbi's pointed feature blasts Hillary Clinton for her controversial campaign finance strategy, which involves doling out as much federal pork as possible to secure future favors. Taibbi goes behind the headlines to find the real reason behind prominent black pastor Calvin Butts' endorsement of Clinton, revealing that she had directed $1.5 million to his Abyssinian Development Corporation. However, Butts wasn't Clinton's only beneficiary, as the senator has dished out more than $2.2 billion in earmarks between 2002 and 2006. Thankfully, Taibbi provides some comic relief to go with the anger he incites, noting that "the thing that's really vile ... is how cheaply we all get sold out."

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Source: Marketplace | Author: American Public Media | Date: