Ever since Bill Clinton made himself a Democratic star with his televised rebuttal to the 1985 State of the Union address, hacks from both parties have been treating the response speech as a kind of "American Idol" for politics. From Bobby Jindal to Kathleen Sebelius to Bob Dole, the slot gets reserved for the presumptive Next Big Thing. But, as on "American Idol," the speakers often fall flat on their faces. Click through this TNR slideshow for a look at some of recent history's unfortunate State of the Union fizzles.
There's a certain art to the defiant farewell speech. After NBC announced its plan to push the "Tonight Show" to 12:05 a.m., in order to make room for Jay Leno at 11:35 p.m., Conan O’Brien decided to take a stand: “I sincerely believe that delaying the 'Tonight Show' into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting,” he wrote. But Conan's revolt is small potatoes--the best (or worst) such farewells have always occurred in the field of politics.
When CIA handlers brought Humam Khalil Muhammad to Forward Operating Base Chapman last week, they thought he was a spy from Jordan, our trusted ally. But it turned out—tragically—that he was a double agent, recruited by Jordan to spy on Al Qaeda, but ultimately loyal to the terrorist organization. Click through this TNR slideshow to see some other famous double agents.
“It's not that I've got summititis here,” joked President Obama during the Fiscal Responsibility Summit last February. But doesn’t he? Since then, Obama has held at least 15 summits, including the "Beer Summit" and the "Distracted Driving Summit." Click here to read Jason Zengerle’s take on Obama's summit obsession and click through this TNR slideshow to see how summits have been devalued over the years.
Is this the end of Dubai's construction boom? Over the past decade, the tiny emirate has been on a tear, building the world's most ambitious hotels and luxury towers. But last fall, the financial crash strangled the country's credit lines, causing the cancellation or postponement of many of those exotic building plans.
Today is Thanksgiving, the holiday in which Americans count their blessings by binge eating, seeing family, and watching television. But we aren’t the only ones who mark time with massive feasts. Click through this TNR slideshow to see holidays from around the world in which other cultures stuff themselves.
The fate of Obamacare now rests with the Senate, and it will pivot on Harry Reid's ability to overcome one measure in particular: the filibuster. It wasn't always so easy to block legislation using this tactic, since senators no longer have to remain on the floor and read out loud until their wills--or their bladders--give out.
Ahh, the pundit-driven presidential boomlet. Every so often, a Washington prognosticator like David Brooks will latch on to an obscure figure--someone like the attractive, socially-conservative nonentity Senator John Thune--and extol his (or her) virtues to the heavens, explaining why only this person can redeem the party and become the next president. Admittedly, it sometimes works, but it's often just a passing fantasy.
This week, "Sesame Street" kicks off its fortieth season on air. But the TV show's transition to middle age hasn't been entirely smooth.
Where have all the RINOs gone? Not long ago, the GOP contained a number of recognizably liberal politicians, often identified as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only). But they've been hounded out of the party by movement conservatives, who have campaigned relentlessly against what they consider ideological apostasy. Click through today's TNR slideshow to see the last few members of this vanishing species.
In a world without third-party candidates, Jon Corzine would be losing New Jersey's gubernatorial election. He's not an inspiring figure and his poll numbers have been stalled around 40% since April. Yet, ever since independent candidate Chris Daggett joined the race, he has been merrily siphoning votes off of Corzine's opponent. Now it looks like Corzine could win.
According to Obama administration officials, Al Qaeda's capabilities have been severely degraded by a deadly combination of U.S. intelligence operations and unmanned aerial drone strikes. Now, the White House is reportedly considering a strategy that relies on these targeted assassinations over a troop increase in Afghanistan. Click through this slideshow to see some of the militants who have been killed by U.S. drones.
This week, the District of Columbia's city council introduced a bill that would authorize same-sex marriages within its boundaries. According to the Associated Press, the measure "appears unstoppable"—garnering support from most council members, the mayor, and a lack of opposition from the Democratic Congress. Depending how you count, that would make D.C. anywhere from the fifth to the eighth U.S. jurisdiction to legalize gay marriage.
Nine months into Barack Obama's administration, a few of his appointees still haven't been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. What's the hold up? Click through this TNR slideshow for a rundown on some of the remaining people who haven't been confirmed, and why
It seems like everyone involved in Afghanistan policy is pulling a different direction. To name just a few: General McChrystal wants a major troop increase, Robert Gates has flipped positions, Biden is skeptical, and Hamid Karzai is preoccupied with the fate of Hamid Karzai. Click through this TNR slideshow for a catalogue of who wants what in Afghanistan
My Saturday began on the West lawn of Capitol Hill, where conservative activists were mounting one final, desperate effort to block health care reform. They came by the thousands, carrying flags and pushing strollers, in a demonstration of genuine grassroots fervor. They chanted “Kill the Bill,” over and over again, in a vaguely menacing tone that, perhaps, foretold a bit of ugliness to come.
per the Washington Post. They'll do a straight vote on the Senate bill and then reconcile, which is what I've wanted.
Okay, I've finally found somebody more optimistic than me. After weeks of being more optimistic, Nate Silver has shot past me:
Via Ron Brownstein:
What a way to run a government:
Here is the ultimate paradox of the Great Health Care Showdown: Congress will divide along partisan lines to pass a Republican version of health-care reform, and Republicans will vote against it.
Yes, Democrats have rallied behind a bill that large numbers of Republicans should love. It is built on a series of principles that Republicans espoused for years.
Mitt Romney lays out his plan to repeal Romneycare... I mean, Obamacare:
Shortly after Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou took office last fall, he learned that he’d inherited a massive booby prize: a budget deficit that was twice the amount the previous government had disclosed. But, when Papandreou came clean and promised to address the problem, the financial markets reacted violently. Interest rates soared, adding billions in debt-service costs to an already dire budget picture.
