2008 President Election

America’s historic choice

by Paul Woodward 11.05.2008

Barack Obama’s victory speech By Barack Obama, November 4, 2008 If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. [...]

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Election Day – November 4, 2008

by Paul Woodward 11.04.2008

Live election coverage on MSNBC: Turning the page By Uri Avnery, Antiwar.com, November 4, 2008 In a world where a person like Barack Hussein Obama can appear from nowhere and advance within a few years to the highest levels of world politics, nothing is predictable, and therefore everything is possible. Today, it seems at the [...]

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NEWS & VIEWS ROUNDUP & EDITOR’S COMMENT: November 3

by Paul Woodward 11.03.2008

Marathon man: for McCain, a final burst of enthusiasm By Libby Copeland, Washington Post, November 3, 2008 It seems fitting that John McCain woke up Sunday morning in a hotel populated with lanky runners getting ready to run the city’s marathon. This weekend was the very last mile of the presidential marathon, a race we’ve [...]

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NEWS & VIEWS ROUNDUP & EDITORIAL: October 31

by Paul Woodward 10.31.2008

Moving beyond opposition By Paul Woodward, War in Context, October 31, 2008 In any presidential contest between two candidates there are essentially six ways in which each ballot can be cast. In the current election, this means you can vote in one of the following ways. Vote for Obama because of who he is and [...]

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NEWS & VIEWS ROUNDUP & EDITORIAL: October 30

by Paul Woodward 10.30.2008

A change of tone By Paul Woodward, War in Context, October 30, 2008 Barack Obama’s interview with ABC News’ Charlie Gibson last night can be viewed as standard fare in what we’ve come to know of the Obama candidacy. But what might now seem familiar is something that should neither be taken for granted nor [...]

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NEWS & VIEWS ROUNDUP & EDITOR’S COMMENTS: October 28

by Paul Woodward 10.28.2008

Like, socialism By Hendrik Hertzberg, The New Yorker, November 3, 2008 Back when the polls were nip and tuck and the leaves had not yet begun to turn, Barack Obama had already been accused of betraying the troops, wanting to teach kindergartners all about sex, favoring infanticide, and being a friend of terrorists and terrorism. [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08: Why I won’t vote for John McCain and why I believe you shouldn’t

by Paul Woodward 10.26.2008

Why I won’t vote for John McCain and why I believe you shouldn’t By Lt. General (U.S. Army, Retired) Robert G. Gard, Jr., PhD, War in Context, October 26, 2008 The economy has become the priority issue for voters. But my principal reason for refusing to vote for John McCain has nothing to do with [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 EDITORIAL: The McCain-Qaeda connection

by Paul Woodward 10.22.2008

The McCain-Qaeda connection By Paul Woodward, War in Context, October 22, 2008 With less than two weeks until election day, if you still haven’t decided how to vote, the McCain campaign has some advice: base your choice on al Qaeda’s choice. If you’re convinced al Qa’eda wants McCain to win, vote Obama. If you think [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08: The Great Schlep and a lame retort

by Paul Woodward 10.05.2008

Fair and balanced: Sarah Silverman vs. Jackie Mason By Paul Woodward, War in Context, October 4, 2008 Just remember, if you belong to the target audience for Sarah Silverman’s video, make sure it’s the message — not the video, absolutely not the video — that you pass along to your Floridian relatives Readers should note, [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENTS: Be careful what you wish for…

by Paul Woodward 10.03.2008

Free Sarah Palin Editorial, Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2008 Maybe John McCain should fire the advisers who won’t let Sarah Palin do more interviews. The Alaska Governor has faced two major campaign challenges — her acceptance speech and last night’s debate — and each time she’s shown herself worthy of the national stage. Let [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08: The McCain smirk

by Paul Woodward 09.27.2008

The smirk: Could McCain’s facial gestures define debate? By Nico Pitney and Sam Stein, Huffington Post, September 27, 2008 As the spin of Friday night’s debate settled in and both sides staked a claim to victory, one media narrative began to take hold: while Obama may have been over-complimentary of McCain, the GOP nominee was [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08: Reforming the regulatory system for America’s financial markets

by Paul Woodward 09.19.2008

Regulation vs. deregulation By Paul Woodward, War in Context, September 19, 2008 John (“I am a deregulator“) McCain can’t completely turn his back on the bedrock of his faith (“I believe in deregulation”) so instead of denouncing deregulation, he’s opting to blame the regulators — hence his silver bullet for dealing with the financial crisis [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: Popularity breeds popularity

by Paul Woodward 07.18.2008

In Iraq, mixed feelings about Obama and his troop proposal By Sabrina Tavernise and Richard A Oppel Jr., New York Times, July 17, 2008 A tough Iraqi general, a former special operations officer with a baritone voice and a barrel chest, melted into smiles when asked about Senator Barack Obama. “Everyone in Iraq likes him,” [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: The New Yorker has its head stuck up its umlaut

by Paul Woodward 07.14.2008

‘Scare tactic’ — Obama slams Muslim portrayal By Mike Allen, Politico, July 13, 2008 The Obama campaign is condemning as “tasteless and offensive” a New Yorker magazine cover that depicts Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in a turban, fist-bumping his gun-slinging wife. An American flag burns in their fireplace. The New Yorker says it’s satire. It [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 EDITORIAL: Obama pays his AIPAC dues — again

by Paul Woodward 06.26.2008

Obama pays his AIPAC dues — again By Paul Woodward, War in Context, June 26, 2008 Barak Obama gave a little pep talk to George Bush this week. The Washington press corps either never heard about it or possibly thought it was too thin on substance to bother reporting. My guess is they never heard. [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: Rising above the politics of fear

by Paul Woodward 06.24.2008

Muslim voters detect a snub from Obama By Andrea Elliot, New York Times, June 24, 2008 As Senator Barack Obama courted voters in Iowa last December, Representative Keith Ellison, the country’s first Muslim congressman, stepped forward eagerly to help. Mr. Ellison believed that Mr. Obama’s message of unity resonated deeply with American Muslims. He volunteered [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: The New York Times misreports Obama on undivided Jerusalem

by Paul Woodward 06.08.2008

Obama’s comments on Israel stir criticism in U.S. By Larry Rohter, New York Times, June 7, 2008 The morning after claiming the Democratic nomination, Senator Barack Obama spoke to skeptical members of a pro-Israel lobby and made a pledge that some of them found pleasantly surprising: “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: “Undivided” means open access

by Paul Woodward 06.06.2008

Obama clarifies united Jerusalem comment By Hilary Liela Krieger, Jerusalem Post, June 6, 2008 Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama did not rule out Palestinian sovereignty over parts of Jerusalem when he called for Israel’s capital to remain “undivided,” his campaign told The Jerusalem Post Thursday. “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: Obama pays homage to AIPAC

by Paul Woodward 06.05.2008

Arabs shocked by Obama speech Al Jazeera, June 5, 2008 Arab leaders have reacted with anger and disbelief to an intensely pro-Israeli speech delivered by Barack Obama, the US Democratic presumptive presidential nominee. Obama told the influential annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Council (Aipac): “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08: The predator state

by Paul Woodward 06.04.2008

Obama needs a better reading list By Thomas Frank, Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2008 For Mr. Zakaria, the truly enlightened Americans, the ones who understand the coming order, are apparently Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company and assorted business chieftains. When Mr. Zakaria writes that Third World leaders “have heard Western CEOs explain where the [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: How much does it hurt to be scolded by the NYT’s public editor?

by Paul Woodward 06.02.2008

Entitled to their opinions, yes. But their facts? By Clark Hoyt, New York Times, June 1, 2008 On May 12, The Times published an Op-Ed article by Edward N. Luttwak, a military historian, who argued that any hopes that a President Barack Obama might improve relations with the Muslim world were unrealistic because Muslims would [...]

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NEWS, CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: Talking to Iran

by Paul Woodward 05.22.2008

Petraeus: diplomacy, not force, with Iran By Karen DeYoung, Washington Post, May 22, 2008 Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, President Bush’s nominee to lead U.S. forces in the Middle East and Central Asia, supports continued U.S. engagement with international and regional partners to find the right mix of diplomatic, economic and military leverage to address [...]

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CAMPAIGN 08 & EDITOR’S COMMENT: Listening to rural America

by Paul Woodward 05.20.2008

A country voice on rural voters Dave “Mudcat” Saunders interviewed by Kate Philips, New York Times, May 20, 2008 Q: Let’s talk about the South, and about those regional, rural voters. You call yourself a rural advocate, albeit an avowed Democrat. In 2004, Senator John Kerry pretty much wrote off the South. As the electoral [...]

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OPINION & EDITOR’S COMMENT: The belligerent power

by Paul Woodward 05.20.2008

Who’s the real appeaser? By Fareed Zacharia, Newsweek, May 26, 2008 President Bush chose an odd place and time to claim that talking to “terrorists and radicals” in the Middle East is like appeasing Hitler in the 1930s. As Bush was speaking in Israel, his preferred strategy against such adversaries was collapsing next door in [...]

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