http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/atom.aspxCommunity Server2008-07-18T21:43:02Zhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/crooks-and-liars-gramm-whines-about-resigning-from-mccain-s-campaign-moveon-pushes-back-on-mccain-s-gramm-economic-principles.aspx2008-07-19T17:00:01Z2008-07-19T17:00:01ZPhil Gramm is officially gone from the McCain campaign, but not without a little whining of his own: Former senator Phil Gramm announced last night that he has stepped down as cochairman of John McCain's presidential campaign to end the caused by his remarks the nation was filled with who complain about the economy. It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Senator McCain on important economic issues facing the country , Gramm said in a statement the McCain campaign issued. That kind of distraction hurts not only Senator McCain's ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country's problems, it hurts the country. However, even if he is gone from the campaign, MoveOn PAC doesn't want you to...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/19/gramm-whines-about-resigning-from-mccains-campaign-moveon-pushes-back-on-mccains-gramm-economic-principles/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/the-moderate-voice-quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain.aspx2008-07-19T14:57:05Z2008-07-19T14:57:05ZThe Quote of the Day from Marc Ambinder: This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue. Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor. This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot: what's left to argue? to argue against Maliki would be to predicate that Iraqi sovereignty at this point means nothing. Obviously, our national interests aren't equivalent to Iraq's, but Malik isn't listening to the generals on the groundbut the hasn't been to Iraq line doesn't work here. So how will the McCain campaign respond? Read ALL of his postwhich is extremely blunt (it contains a word we don't use on TMV but one that some TMV readers have used...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/the-moderate-voice-vanity-thy-name-is-krauthammer.aspx2008-07-19T11:43:04Z2008-07-19T11:43:04ZIt's all part of the Republican Smear Machine's ongoing efforts to brand/label Obama. Hillary helped out during the primaries, desperately trying to make the case that he isn't ready to be president, but the Republicans are on to the next stage of the game. The Rev. Wright story had some staying power, though Obama diffused it both with his brilliant speech on race and by effectively distancing himself from his former pastor. With McCain running on his experience, as if being around a long time is qualification enough to be president, the Republicans are, like Hillary before them, arguing that Obama is unprepared. Which should be a worry for Obama. Whatever McCain's actual record and policy positions, the media have accepted his claim...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://themoderatevoice.com/george-w-bush/21172/vanity-thy-name-is-krauthammer/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/talkleft-gore-no-formal-role-in-next-administration-will-keep-his-focus-on-climate-change.aspx2008-07-19T10:25:01Z2008-07-19T10:25:01ZAl Gore's new project, We Can Solve the Climate Crisis . America must commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and other clean sources within 10 years. On a related note, Gore said today at Netroots Nation he will not accept a formal role in the next President's Administration: [More...] He said that the highest and best use of whatever talent and experience he has is to focus on trying to enlarge the political space within which politicians can address the climate crisis. I have seen first hand how important it is to have a base of support out in the country for the truly bold changes that have to be made now, he said. That is why he is devoting my life to bring about a sea change in public...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/7/19/172513/213">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/crooks-and-liars-the-ap-s-shift-isn-t-sloppy-it-s-deliberate.aspx2008-07-19T10:00:01Z2008-07-19T10:00:01ZThe Associated Press hasn't been having a good year. It’s been striking, in part because it’s unexpected — the AP has not exactly earned a reputation of being the Fox News of wire services. For the AP to do so many poor reports in such a short time made it seem as if the outlet had undergone some kind of deliberate shift. As it happens, it has . [Ron Fournier,the new head of The Associated Press’s Washington bureau]is a main engine in a high-stakes experiment at the 162-year old wire to move from its signature neutral and detached tone to an aggressive, plain-spoken style of writing that Fournier often describes as “cutting through the clutter.” Fournier calls the trend “accountability journalism” and “liberating the truth.” In...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/19/the-aps-shift-isnt-sloppy-its-deliberate/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/hot-air-in-the-tank-worshipping-media-to-follow-obama-around-the-world-update-bump-aol-hot-seat-poll.aspx2008-07-19T08:50:04Z2008-07-19T08:50:04ZThis content requires the most recent version of the Adobe Flash Player...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/19/in-the-tank-worshipping-media-to-follow-obama-around-the-world/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/the-moderate-voice-iraqi-pm-maliki-endorses-obama-s-withdrawal-plan.aspx2008-07-19T08:28:00Z2008-07-19T08:28:00ZLost amidst the hoopla of Obama's overseas trip is a statement issued by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to the German magazine Der Spiegel . U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes. To understand how significant this is, consider for a moment what would have happened if Maliki had endorsed McCain's position. Ezra Klein gets it right: To really understand the importance of Maliki's comments, you need to consider their opposite. Imagine if Maliki had walked in front of the cameras and said, at this stage, a timetable for withdrawal is unrealistic, and we hope our American friends will not bow to...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://themoderatevoice.com/at-tmv/newsweek-blogitics/21167/iraqi-pm-maliki-endorses-obamas-withdrawal-plan/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/the-moderate-voice-24-hours-of-john-mccain-political-missteps.aspx2008-07-19T07:58:04Z2008-07-19T07:58:04ZThis hasn't been the best 24 hours for presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain. But the good news is that after 24 hours of news of stories that are unlikely to help him gain new voters, Democrat Barack Obama will now be under the media's vetting microscope in Iraq and McCain is unlikely to make the same number of blunders. And if he does, they won't get the same play. Here are three key McCain blunders. 1. BLUNDER NUMBER ONE: STICKING FAR TOO LONG WITH PHIL GRAMM It leaked out yesterday morning in a report from widely read conservative columnist Robert Novak that McCain had essentially accepted former Senator Phil Gramm's apology and that Gramm would remain a McCain adviser and campaign surrogate. Perhaps...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/john-mccain/21166/24-hours-of-john-mccain-political-missteps/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/talkleft-psychology.aspx2008-07-19T07:35:03Z2008-07-19T07:35:03ZAn amusing 60 seconds to brighten your weekend...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/7/19/143531/263">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/crooks-and-liars-john-mccain-takes-a-holiday-from-reality.aspx2008-07-19T05:30:03Z2008-07-19T05:30:03ZThe only thing worse than John McCain’s proposal for a gas-tax holiday is John McCain’s new proposal for a longer gas-tax holiday . John McCain said Thursday that his proposal to suspend the gas tax for three months this summer may need to be extended longer if high gas prices continue to take a toll on the economy. “I think we ought to seriously look at whether we need to have it be longer or not depending on what the economy (does),” McCain said, standing beside the Grand River. “I think we have to consider all options but the fact is we need a gas tax holiday. We need it, we need it, we need it very badly. The Americans that are hurt the most are low income Americans that are driving the oldest automobiles,” he said. I just find...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/07/19/john-mccain-takes-a-holiday-from-reality/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/the-moderate-voice-the-barr-factor-in-all-fifty-states.aspx2008-07-19T04:53:02Z2008-07-19T04:53:02ZFrom the beginning, Bob Barr's campaign admitted that it would be a serious challenge to get onthe ballot in all or even most of the fifty states. According to a recent communication from Barr's people, they feel they are on track to be on the ballot everywhere except West Virginia and Oklahoma. There are campaign representatives on the ground in West Virginia, but it seems that there is no organized Libertarian Party presence in the state. This is causing them to bring in volunteers from out of state to gather the required signatures, but they are also plagued by lagging fundraising. I didn’t think we would have the manpower to get the drive done, but now I think it’s a possibility. I have enough petitioners in the state and on their...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/bob-barr/21161/the-barr-factor-in-all-fifty-states/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/19/hot-air-hillary-bets-short-on-obama.aspx2008-07-19T04:49:01Z2008-07-19T04:49:01ZRead this post...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/19/hillary-bets-short-on-obama/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/18/talkleft-sunstein-s-dangerous-advice-to-obama.aspx2008-07-19T03:51:03Z2008-07-19T03:51:03ZSome folks are beginning to notice that Cass Sunstein is no defender of the rule of law. Via Glenn Greenwald , Ari Melber writes : Cass Sunstein, an adviser to Barack Obama from the University of Chicago Law School, cautioned against prosecuting criminal conduct from the current Administration. Prosecuting government officials risks a "cycle" of criminalizing public service, he argued, and Democrats should avoid replicating retributive efforts like the impeachment of President Clinton--or even the "slight appearance" of it. What people do not realize is Cass Sunstein has been defending the Bush Administration's illegal actions and the Bush Administration's preposterous claims for many many years now. This is who he is. I think that...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/7/19/105134/542">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/18/outside-the-beltway-mccain-outs-obama-iraq-trip-trying-to-get-him-killed.aspx2008-07-19T03:11:00Z2008-07-19T03:11:00ZThe Outrage of the Day comes to us from Josh Marshall , a pretty even keeled fellow. John McCain said this to reporters. I believe that either today or tomorrow and I'm not privy to his schedule Sen. Obama will be landing in Iraq with some other senators who make up a congressional delegation, McCain told a campaign fund-raising luncheon. Says Josh, [I]f Obama is going to be in Iraq this weekend, this is a major breach on McCain's part. Why? Because operational security (OPSEC) for VIPs traveling to dangerous areas involves blurring the details of trips so as to make it harder for the bad guys to do them harm. Josh concedes, Hypothetically, maybe McCain was just guessing. He continues, But even so it would still be a serious lapse...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008/07/mccain_outs_obama_iraq_trip_trying_to_get_him_killed/">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspxhttp://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/theruckus/archive/2008/07/18/talkleft-obama-in-afghanistan-iraqi-pm-endorses-obama-plan-of-withdrawal.aspx2008-07-19T01:43:02Z2008-07-19T01:43:02ZBarack Obama is in Afghanistan but the big political news imo is that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki told the German magazine Der Speigel that he agrees with Barack Obama's plan for Iraq : Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months. In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Maliki said he wanted U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible. "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes." Perhaps Maliki will start referring to it as a...<div id=ReadMoreLink><a href="http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/7/19/84326/7088">Read the full post on the contributor's blog</a></div>Anonymoushttp://blog.newsweek.com/members/Anonymous.aspx