Partisan Politics: A Divided Electorate
With Obama's talk of unity and McCain known to reach across the isle, it might seem like the notion of partisan politics could soon be a thing of the past. But not so, says a new study. In fact, Americans are now more polarized than ever and the parties are identified as being on either one side of the idealogical spectrum or the other. Interview with Bill Galston, Brookings Institution. (5/13/08)
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Blogger Beat: Veepstakes
It s that time of the election year: the Veepstakes, the national guessing game as to who John McCain and Barack Obama will choose as their their number 2. (5/13/08)
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Federal Shield Law: Should Press Sources be Protected?
The House has strongly backed the right of reporters to protect the confidentiality of sources in most federal court cases, saying that right was crucial to a free and effective press. The White House is warning the Media Shield bill would encourage leaks of classified information, and thus threatened a veto. Interview with Paul Levinson, Communications Professor, Fordham University. (5/13/08)
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GOP Rolls Out New Slogan of "Change"
82% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track and are hungry for change. And so the National Republican Congressional Committee is rolling out its new slogan, "Change You Deserve," which also happens to be the trademarked slogan of the antidepressant Effexor. Any correlation to the current mood of congressional Republicans is coincidental. (5/12/08)
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Primary Focus: West Virginia
Hillary Clinton has built a huge lead over Barack Obama in West Virginia, but will even a wide-margin victory there be enough to convince Superdelegates to back her? Interview with Jake Stump, Charleston Daily Mail. (5/12/08)
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Clinton Marches On
Hillary Clinton is expecting to win yet another primary tomorrow and rejects any suggestion that she's dropping out of the race. At the same time she promises to support the Democratic nominee "no matter what happens." But how long can she stay in? Most analysts agree she'll have to drop out, at the latest following the last primaries on June 3rd. Interview with Democratyic strategist Dave Pollak. (5/12/08)
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Blogger Beat: Will West Virginia Matter?
With West Virginia and Kentucky both poised to come out big for Hillary, can they make a difference? And could the way she gets those big victories work against her with the Superdelegates? (5/12/08)
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Shortchanging Our Vets: GI Bill Battle
Congressional Democrats are pushing what could become the most dramatic expansion of college aid for military veterans since WWII, but many Republicans are upset about the cost. (5/12/08)
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Vito Fossella's Very Bad Week
With his recent DWI arrest in suburban Virginia and revelations the married father had a secret child with another woman, Staten Island's own Rep. Vito Fossella (R) has been having the kind of bad week normally reserved for guys named Spitzer. (5/12/08)
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Obama Moving on to General Election
Ignoring Hillary Clinton in his stump speech, Obama has been aiming his criticism directly at the man he would face in the general election, outlining his differences with McCain on the economy, health care and gas prices. (5/12/08)
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