“I said after I was elected in 1996 that 12 years in the Senate would probably be enough. It is…I will not seek a third term in the United States Senate, nor do I intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008.” Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) announces his retirement, which may just mean a return to the Senate for Bob Kerrey. (So, he’s not running…I guess the trial balloon popped.) In any event, I thought Hagel maddeningly buckled to party pressure more often than not when the heat was on, and I still hold his attempted poison-pill amendment to McCain-Feingold back in 2000 against him. But, he also possessed a definite maverick streak on the war and a penchant for speaking-truth-to-power every so often that’ll be sorely missed on his side of the aisle. So, farewell, Senator Hagel, and please give yourself at least a few weeks off before commencing the fundraising for 2012.
Tag: Republicans
Crossfire, Hard-Wired?
Is political conflict bred in the bone (or, put less charitably, do some among us just have an easier time with higher-order thinking)? A new joint NYU-UCLA neurobiological study finds once again that left- and right-leaning brains function differently, with liberal minds more receptive to change than their conservative counterparts. “Dozens of previous studies have established a strong link between political persuasion and certain personality traits. Conservatives tend to crave order and structure in their lives, and are more consistent in the way they make decisions. Liberals, by contrast, show a higher tolerance for ambiguity and complexity, and adapt more easily to unexpected circumstances…[In this case] respondents who had described themselves as liberals showed ‘significantly greater conflict-related neural activity’ when the hypothetical situation called for an unscheduled break in routine. Conservatives, however, were less flexible, refusing to deviate from old habits ‘despite signals that this…should be changed.’”
Right Said Fred?
“I’m running for president of the United States.” Really? No kidding. While his Republican rivals debated in New Hampshire, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson at long last officially entered the presidential race on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Given both his fumbling entry thus far and his pro-choice past, it’s hard to believe the conservative Republican base will find him any more palatable than Giuliani or Romney. That being said, could television gravitas translate into the real thing? Admittedly, there are a lot of Law & Order aficionados in this country, so he’s probably good for a lot of votes there (although, to be honest, not as many as Chris Noth might’ve pulled.)
Snow Blind.
“Snow has also been a chief spokesman for the Bush administration’s domestic agenda, forced to argue continually that the typical American is doing just fine, and bravely pushing the unpopular elements of Bush’s vaunted ‘ownership society’…And yet Snow’s own life in many ways symbolizes the downside of the ownership society — and suggests how much a government role in health and retirement benefits is necessary.” Slate‘s Daniel Gross explains how the unfortunate plight of Tony Snow exemplifies the problems with Dubyanomics.
And, Whoa, My Nights are so long.
In the big news this past week, the wheels continue to come off over at Team Dubya. First Karl Rove jumped ship. Then Tony Snow told us he’ll be off soon to make some money. And now, at long last, Alberto Gonzales has announced his resignation as Attorney General. “[W]ithin the past week, Justice aides and other officials said, Gonzales concluded that his credibility with Congress, his employees and the public was so shattered that he could not promise to remain through the end of Bush’s term, as the White House chief of staff had demanded of Cabinet officers.” Well, that, and there’s the matter of continuing investigations into Gonzales, which the Dems say will continue (and should, since there’s solid evidence he’s perjured himself.) At any rate, good riddance, Gonzales. Like too many Dubya appointments, you’ve embarrassed the nation, with your justifications for torture and illegal wiretapping as much as with your tortured evasions and denials. Frankly, this should’ve happened months ago.
Craig’s Lust.
As you’ve probably heard, Idaho Senator and GOP “family values” conservative Larry Craig was recently arrested for disorderly conduct, i.e. attempting to solicit an undercover cop for sex in a bathroom, at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. I don’t usually cover sex scandals here — for example, I didn’t post on Sen. David Vitter’s recent foibles when they emerged, even despite the patent hypocrisy of his case. That being said, the Craig case is starting to look like Mark Foley territory, in that his bad behavior may help the Dems pick up a seat in the formidably Republican bastion of Idaho. At the very least, let’s remember all this the next time the GOP tries to foment a constitutional crisis over illicit, consensual sex. Update: Sensing the blood in the water, the GOP pile on. If Craig does resign, Idaho’s GOP governor will pick a replacement (and, presumably, save the seat.)
Out of Sight, Out of Mind.
“Any anti-Bush demonstrators who manage to get in anyway should be shouted down by ‘rally squads’ stationed in strategic locations. And if that does not work, they should be thrown out…the manual outlines a specific system for those who disagree with the president to voice their views. It directs the White House advance staff to ask local police ‘to designate a protest area where demonstrators can be placed, preferably not in the view of the event site or motorcade route.’” Thanks to the efforts of the ACLU, the Dubya administration’s “Presidential Advance Manual” comes to public light, and it explains in detail how to deal with those pesky protestors. Namely, make sure Dubya never sees ’em…After all, we wouldn’t want “the Decider” subjected to differing points of view.
McNulty, Bunk, Freamon…Heaton.
It played its part against the Barksdale operation in Baltimore. Now it seems an undercover wire may have helped bring down GOP rep and Abramoff flunky Bob Ney. “‘Heaton’s substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution of Ney was critical to Ney’s decision to admit his involvement in the corrupt relationship with Abramoff,’ Butler wrote. ‘The tapes made by Heaton captured important circumstantial evidence that statements Ney had made to others about matters material to the investigation were false or intentionally misleading.’“
We’ll Go No More A-Roving?
“I’m leaving on my own terms and I’m leaving with a clear-eyed realism that this isn’t going to mean fewer investigations or subpoenas or weird comments by members of the Democratic caucus.” Well, Karl, we’ll always have hip-hop. One of this administration’s biggest rats leaps off the sinking ship as Karl Rove announces his resignation at the end of the month. But, not to worry. Dubya’s infamous consigliere will no doubt be back in the public eye when the investigations clear and the indictments come down. So, see ya soon, Turd Blossom, and sorry your grand visions of a Republican realignment turned to ashes. I’m sure we’ll still fit you in the history books…somewhere.
Here comes that awful feeling again.
“Are these accusations true? Was Bush’s much-praised chief speechwriter, a seemingly self-effacing and bookish evangelical Christian, truly the Eve Harrington of the West Wing? The anecdotes have a haunting specificity.” Is Michael Gerson (whom I’ve praised here before) an inveterate blowhard, or did the strong man kick sand into Matthew Scully’s cereal? Slate‘s Tim Noah referees a dispute between two veteran GOP speechwriters over the true authorship of Dubya’s better moments.