McCain and Graham Claim to Speak for Conservatives on Libya

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  June 20th at 08:36 AM  | 

Whenever we attempt to evince bold distinctions between ourselves and the Democrats, Lindsey Graham and John McCain can always be counted upon to muddle those distinctions.  Foreign policy, in particular, is a subject in which voters struggle to perceive clear differences between the parties.  Consequently, we must repel the rapturous support for the so-called Arab Spring emanating from Obama’s tag team of favorite Republicans. Back | Read More »

$30 million of pork–-err, catfish–worth killing

By: Beltway Whispers (Diary)  |  May 13th at 11:45 AM  | 

With a looming fight over raising the debt limit and how to get a handle on our $14 trillion debt, there is one issue that keeps popping up in Congress as a blatant example of government redundancy and pure waste: catfish inspection. Yes, you read correctly. There is a brewing fight over the regulation of catfish. Special interest groups slipped language into a bill that | Read More »

John Weaver Needs a New Playbook

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  May 12th at 01:01 PM  | 

John Weaver really needs a new playbook. In 1999-2000, newspaper headlines were filled with the titilating details of how “Democrats Fear a McCain Nomination.” In fact, one CNN report in early February of 2000, noted Democrats were worried because “conservative Democrats and Independents are voting for John McCain because they believe that he is the perfect person to replace Bill Clinton in the White House.” | Read More »

The Second Coming of John McCain

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  May 10th at 11:11 AM  | 

Some of you think I am too old fashioned in my post on Jon Huntsman. Silly me thinking a United States Ambassador should be loyal to a fault to the President of the United States he serves, regardless of party or person. For those of you who are not concerned with the loyalty of an American Ambassador to his country and President, consider this break | Read More »

What is America’s *Goal* in Libya?

By: Jeff Emanuel (Diary)  |  March 20th at 04:24 PM  | 

Update by Jeff 3/20/11 22:15: According to Jake Tapper, it now appears that SecDef Gates is warning against setting any goals for this action whatsoever. How’s that for clarity and sound military strategy? Update by Jeff 3/20/11 18:10: The muddling continues, as it’s being reported that SecDef Gates, who initially opposed any action in Libya, is now opposing any action that would specifically target Qaddafi. | Read More »

Moving RINOS Rightward is Good, Defeating them is even Better

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  February 24th at 09:47 PM  | 

Well, the dust has settled from the 2010 legislative session, and organizations like National Journal and American Conservative Union have published their annual voting reports.  So who are the ‘top conservatives’?  You’ll never guess. Here is a list of the ‘top conservatives’ from National Journal and the ACU, along with their composite conservative scores.  Check out this link for the description of ACU’s scorecard and | Read More »

Is John McCain Back to Being a Maverick Now?

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  February 3rd at 02:31 PM  | 

In Donald Rumsfeld’s new book, he characterizes John McCain as having a “hair-trigger temper” with “a propensity to shift his positions to appeal to the media.” McCain has struck back saying how happy he is that Rumsfeld was ultimately forced out. Of course this does not change Rumsfeld’s characterization. McCain is, after all, the man who claimed for years to be a straight talking maverick | Read More »

Today in Washington – November 18, 2010

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  November 18th at 12:15 PM  | 

Earmark reform hits phase two this week.  Now that House and Senate Republicans have promised not to earmark, the fight goes to the House and Senate Floor.  Expect votes in both the House and Senate over the next few months to ban the corrupting and wasteful practice of earmarking for the whole Congress. Today, The House is voting on Senate amendments to a telecommuting bill for | Read More »

Some Senate Republicans Push for Earmarks and Budget Busting Spending in Lame Duck

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  November 6th at 09:00 AM  | 

It didn’t take long for many in Congress to ignore the will of the American people on earmarking special projects for states and districts.  The Tea Party movement has a long way to convince members of both parties that the corrupting and wasteful practice of earmarking has to end.  Later this month, Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) are expected to | Read More »

McCain unloads on Boxer – ‘bitterly partisan’ and ‘anti-defense’

By: Dan Spencer (Diary)  |  October 17th at 06:31 PM  | 

Campaigning for Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina at a rally with San Diego area veterans at the Veterans Memorial and Museum in Balboa Park, Senator John McCain Arizonan called Barbara Boxer the “most bitterly partisan, most anti-defense senator in the United States Senate today.” McCain bases his assessment of Boxer on his “unpleasant experience of having served with her.” “When you hear her say that | Read More »

Taxpayers are Against Earmarks – Will Elites Listen?

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  October 13th at 03:00 PM  | 

Taxpayers are against earmarks because they waste money and corrupt the political process.  It is that simple. House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) authored an excellent Op Ed in Politico attacking earmarks.  Cantor writes today that in March Republicans imposed an earmark moratorium for this Congress — a moratorium that expires on January 3, 2011.  Cantor is showing some leadership by calling for the elimination | Read More »

The Times’s Nate Silver Punishing Pollsters?

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  August 25th at 02:30 PM  | 

So 538 moved to the New York Times this morning and in the process made Marco Rubio the favorite finally. But seriously, my issue with Nate Silver today comes from the old site and specifically, his primary night commentary.

Today in Washington – August 5, 2010

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  August 5th at 11:00 AM  | 

Transparency is a tough promise for President Obama to keep.  Politico reports today: Four times in the last week, President Barack Obama has quietly slipped into private, exclusive Democratic Party fundraisers around town, glad-handing well-heeled donors away from the eyes of the press – and contradicting his pledge to run the most transparent administration in history. The Senate will debate the nomination of anti gun activist Elena Kagan to | Read More »

Obama Stimulus Money to Study Dinosaur Eggs

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  August 4th at 07:00 PM  | 

Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) have put out Summertime Blues to show Americans how their tax dollars are being squandered by President Obama in the name of “Stimulus.”  Would you believe that they have found Stimulus money being used to study the effects of how monkeys react under the influence of cocaine?  No way.  How ’bout $1.9 million of your tax dollars to listen to | Read More »

Obama Stimulus Money to Study Dogs

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  August 4th at 03:00 PM  | 

The report Summertime Blues, a report issued by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ), on how your stimulus money is being spent is replete with wasteful programs.  Yesterday, Red State reported that $114,541 of your tax dollars are being spent to study the effects of how “monkeys react under the influence of cocaine.”  Earlier today, Red State reported that “the Coburn-McCain report indicates the | Read More »