The New Majority

Clinton pollster Stan Greenberg joins those who believe GOP populism appeals to an increasingly narrow base:
In this poll, for example, when asked if homosexuality should be accepted or discouraged by society, moderates and liberals agree that it is a way of life that should be accepted by society by 65- and 33-point margins respectively, compared [...]

Brooks: “Nihilists”

An extraordinary columns today from the NYT’s David Brooks, pronouncing that the GOp has moved well beyond intellectual bankruptcy:
This generation of political leaders is confronting a similar situation [to the 1933 economic crisis], and, so far, they have failed utterly and catastrophically to project any sense of authority, to give the world any reason to [...]

Bail Out

Ross Douthat, in the wake of Monday’s House vote:
The most likely scenario, as of 3 PM this afternoon: The stock market continues to drop. Some version of the bailout passes in the next week. The American economy staggers into a recession, but passes through the storm without 1930s-style suffering; the Republican Party is not so [...]

Like I Said …

Republican women and Democratic women just don’t mix. The Washington Post:
In the new poll, it is underlying political attitudes that appear to dominate, just as they do in ratings of Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.), the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Eighty-five percent of Republicans view Palin favorably, and nearly nine in 10 approve of her selection [...]

Biden, Swinging

Sean Quinn at 538 was impressed:
In the hockey analogy, Palin wouldn’t get within a thousand miles of an NHL All-Star Game because she’s not a scoring talent. She’s a role player, an emotion-rouser. Emotion messes with the chalkboard-drawn game plan and thus achieves a specific strategic objective. She can make game-changing [...]

Thumbs Down

North Carolina’s two favorite blogging political heavyweights, Gary Pearce (aide to former Gov. Jim Hunt) and Carter Wrenn (aide to the late Sen. Jesse Helms) are not impressed by the Palin selection. Their reasoning differs slightly, but agrees on McCain’s weakness.
Pearce:
McCain panicked after the Democratic convention and Obama’s speech. He wanted to stop the momentum. [...]

Switching Places

Thomas Barnett notes how the major parties have changed approach on the way to explaining why he’ll vote for Obama:
When I look at the labeling now with parties, to me it all seems backwards. Republican presidents seem to be associated with huge deficits and more radical foreign policies, while Dem presidents seem to be associated [...]

Not Leaving the Trooper Alone

A long post from Washington Monthly blogger Steve Benen shows Democrats could well get themselves in trouble by making an issue of McCain veep pick Sarah Palin’s efforts to get her state-trooper brother-in-law fired. It’s clear Palin has been disingenuous about her activities and the former state public safety commissioner she actually did fire has [...]

So Far in the Convention

Blogging’s been a bit light around here (social obligations, plus things being soggy around here thanks to the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay) so I’m a bit late to commenting on the Dem’s big party. But these things stick out:

Hillary’s were-you-in-it-for-me-or-the-cause moment Tuesday night. Pitch perfect, and absolutely the right question. Eventually, the intended targets [...]

Hillary’s No PUMA

I think we’ll hear this in her prime-time speech. As David Byrne said in Stop Making Sense, does anyone have any questions?
Oh, and Steve Benen at Washington Monthly has only it partly right:
It’s almost as if the party “rift” has been exaggerated for effect by news outlets obsessed with the notion of [...]