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Political Commentary

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April 11, 2008

Trying to be Safe By Susan Estrich

Every time I leave for a trip, my son makes me promise to come back safely. I try to hedge because I know it's not within my control, but even three-quarters asleep, as he usually is when I leave, he is never mollified. "Say you'll be safe," he says to me, and I usually do.

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April 10, 2008

The Democratic End Game By Rhodes Cook

One of the basic themes of the long-running Democratic nominating campaign between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton speaks to the need for a new era in American politics.

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April 10, 2008

Score One for Consumers By Froma Harrop

To anyone who has felt trapped in a circle of bad service: If you haven't heard the story of Mona Shaw, pull up a chair.

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April 10, 2008

Are We Closer to "Victory"? By Joe Conason

Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the American forces in Iraq, is more candid than his publicity agents.

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April 10, 2008

The Cleansing Power of Recessions By Lawrence Kudlow

Recessions are part of capitalism. They happen every so often. We've had two in the last super-prosperous 25 years. And it looks like we're entering a third one after Friday's jobs-loss report.

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April 10, 2008

Wall Street in D.C. By Robert D. Novak

At last Thursday's Senate Banking Committee hearing on the government's historic bailout of Bear Stearns, two questions were expected.

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April 9, 2008

Obama's Weakness is Weakness By Dick Morris

The USA Today/Gallup Poll of late March suggests a strategy for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the general election. The poll compared Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and McCain on certain key variables.

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April 8, 2008

How Green Was NAFTA? By Froma Harrop

About 17 years ago, a New England business reporter answered the phone and found a friendly Texan on the other end. She had recently written about how local manufacturers were coping with Environmental Protection Agency rules that sharply curbed what they could throw down their drains. Compliance was costing them.

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April 7, 2008

Obama's Gun Dance: A Commentary By Robert Novak

Barack Obama, who informs campaign audiences that he taught constitutional law for 10 years, might be expected to weigh in on the historic Second Amendment case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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April 5, 2008

GOP vs. Paulson: A Commentary By Robert Novak

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's plan for curing ailing financial markets received poor grades privately from House Republican leaders, though they mostly refrained from public criticism that would give Democrats ammunition in an election year.

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April 5, 2008

The Democratic Tribes at War: A Commentary By Michael Barone

Exit polls have shown that the contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama has produced deep divisions among Democratic constituencies. It looks something like tribal warfare.

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April 3, 2008

Obama and the Skeptic-Free Campaign By Froma Harrop

Big-time political writers are busy people. With all the blogging, the parties and appearances on TV, skeptical examination of widely accepted beliefs seems a waste of time.

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April 3, 2008

Heeding Labor's Demand?: A Commentary By Robert Novak

President Bush next week will send Congress a trade agreement forcing Democrats there to make an unpleasant choice. Will they follow the bidding of organized labor and reject a pact negotiated more than a year and a half ago with the country's strongest ally and best customer in South America?

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April 3, 2008

He's 'McSame' on Social Security, Too By Joe Conason

The most puzzling aspect of John McCain's political persona is his habitual attraction to George W. Bush's bad ideas. Their shared enthusiasm for invading Iraq and then escalating the war is why "McSame" will soon become the new shorthand for the Arizona Republican, replacing "maverick" -- but that isn't the only reason.

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April 3, 2008

What If Democrats Used Winner Take All? By Wesley Little

Even as the Obama and Clinton campaigns fight frantically to establish the appropriate yard-stick by which to judge the will of the American people, one fact has been largely ignored: Obama's significant delegate lead is largely a product of the Democrats' unique delegate allocation system.

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April 3, 2008

Superdelegate Math By Alan I. Abramowitz

It is becoming increasingly clear that the outcome of the Democratic presidential nomination will hinge on the votes of the party's so-called superdelegates, elected officials and party leaders who are automatically entitled to attend the Democratic nominating convention regardless of the results of the primaries and caucuses.

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April 1, 2008

Dems Can Go the Nine Innings: A Commentary By Froma Harrop

he Democratic contest lasts until the convention in late August, so what? That leaves two months for Democrats to "coalesce" around their candidate and fight the Republican. And even that shorter time frame will seem a month too long for voters.

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March 29, 2008

Missing a Generation By Michael Barone

Most people's views of the world are shaped by the times in which they came of age. That's why we speak of a baby boom generation or a Generation X. But some people miss out on the formative experiences of most of their peers.

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March 29, 2008

Portman for VP By Robert D. Novak

While Sen. John McCain will not decide on a vice president for many months, Rob Portman gets the highest marks inside the Republican presidential candidate's organization.

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March 28, 2008

Team We Can't Trust By Dick Morris

Bill Clinton made a significant admission in Corpus Christi, Texas this month - saying he had decided to pardon Puerto Rican terrorists back in 1999 "based on the stuff I was given by the staff."