Moments from the Democrats’ Debate
CNN debate anchor Anderson Cooper was intent on confrontation and stirring up rivalries
Lord of the House-Flies
Our little game of Political Survivor abruptly expanded to the House of Representatives last week, with potentially explosive results. Speaker John Boehner finally got so disgusted with his own tribe that he voted himself off the island, and now his presumed successor, California Representative Kevin McCarthy, has
Common Ground is the New Arctic Ice
In the U.S. recently: Pope Francis. Chinese President Xi Jinping. Russian President Vladimir Putin. And a political zombie—yet another threat to shut down the government, this time because radical Republicans want Planned Parenthood defunded. This last one has become really tiresome. John Boehner’s advance-notice resignation staved off
Walker Falls into the Fire
Yesss! We’re finally back to our ersatz Survivor season. We’ve endured months of chest pounding and breast beating on the beach, with the contestants attacking each other. Not much else to do, there’s no voting going on for another four months. There has been plenty of spending, which
Another Column about Donald Effing Trump?
Post-debate note: The political wind seemed to change at the second debate. So--praise cheeses!--this may be the last Trump-centric column. He’s what’s happening, baby! His poll numbers keep climbing, the TV coverage is non-stop, and the rest of us just want cover our ears and shout
The Summer of Magical Thinking
For me, the internet can be like standing in line at the supermarket. Oh, those tabloids! My eye is also drawn to the lurid headlines under the end of an online article, or to the movement in the far right column. And I end up
Do We Know What Matters?
What’s so embarrassing for me (an old white man) about watching an old white presidential candidate say—almost indignantly—“Well
The Bulworth Candidacy
In the 1998 film Bulworth, Warren Beatty played a disillusioned politician who puts out a contract on himself, and then feels free to say exactly what’s on his mind. What he says is of course politically incorrect, but it forges a visceral connection with the public
Debating at the Cat’s Table
Michael Ondaatje’s eponymous 2011 novel grants romance and intrigue to the lowliest dining area on a ship—The Cat’s Table. There was absolutely no romance and not much intrigue in the junior league debate Thursday night. And the Friday newspapers were filled with the other debate,
Pre-debate Prep from Political Survivor
Here’s a quickie to help you prepare for the Republican debate on Thursday August 9. In 2012, my wife and I noticed certain phrases being repeated and decided to make a list. That list follows. You shouldn’t consider it a debate drinking game—just drink and