All Political Corruption is Local

Matt Yglesias is befuddled that Michael Bloomberg is ineligible for re-election as NYC mayor: It really does seem a bit odd that a mayor with a 67 percent approval rating should be forced from office because of a term limits law. I suppose I understand the theory that presidential-level term limits serve as a check on tyranny, but there doesn't seem ...

McCain and Obama Reject Exclusive, Moderated Debate

The campaigns of John McCain and Barack Obama have rejected a proposed opening debate proposed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg that would have been broadcast exclusively on ABC and hosted by Diane Sawyer. While Obama has accepted in theory McCain's suggestion that they have ten, unmoderated, town hall-style debates while suggesting that they be of the longer ...

Hillary Clinton Losing Millions

Hillary Clinton may take a hit to her personal finances in excess of $11 million, Bret Schulte reports for U.S. News. With rounds to fight running out, the self-described Rocky Balboa of politics will soon be forced to assess the damage sustained by the most expensive primary bout in history. Sen. Hillary Clinton doled out $6.4 million of her own money ...

Bloomberg Not Running, Nation Recovers Quickly

Michael Bloomberg says that he is not running for president but has an op-ed in the NYT purporting to show that he's smarter and more reasonable than those who are and it's therefore the nation's loss. WATCHING the 2008 presidential campaign, you sometimes get the feeling that the candidates — smart, all of them — must know better. They must ...

Mending the Economy (Updated)

Well, the income tax rebate has been signed into law WASHINGTON — The stimulus law signed by President Bush on Wednesday provides what he called a "booster shot" to the economy, but the medicine might not be strong enough to ward off a recession. The $168 billion package of personal tax rebates and business tax cuts will likely help shore up consumer ...

Caption Contest Winners

The Jerry Lee Lewis... Goodness Gracious... Edition OTB Caption ContestTM is now over. (AFP/DDP/Michael Urban) THE WINNERS First: radio free fred - Pakistan Security Forces Are Off To Their Next Assignment. Second: Steven Taylor - Heinrich! You misspelled "Fuehrer"! Now NaziFest '08 is ruined! Third: Bithead - Interestingly, the TSA didn't give Harvey any problem getting to his flight HONORABLE MENTION Gollum - ...

Ron Paul Phenomenon Not About Ron Paul

Joe Carter, in an interesting reflection on his 30 days working for the Huckabee campaign, makes this observation: The Ron Paul Phenomenon is Not About Ron Paul -- It will take a more astute political mind than I possess to comprehend this Ron Paul phenomenon. All I know is that it has less to do with the candidate than about ...

Bloomberg Readying Independent Bid

Talk of a Bloomberg candidacy won't go away -- mostly because Bloomberg won't shut up about it (and he owns a media empire). Buoyed by the still unsettled field, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is growing increasingly enchanted with the idea of an independent presidential bid, and his aides are aggressively laying the groundwork for him to run. Former Senator David L. ...

Rudy Giuliani ‘Shag Fund’ Scandal

While the right side of the blogosphere busied itself with outrage over planted questions in the YouTube debate, our counterparts on the left were exulting over news that Rudy Giuliani billed New York City taxpayers for security services and travel expenses for his then-mistress (now wife) back in 2000. TPM's Josh Marshall has dubbed this "Rudy's Shag Fund," ...

Remembering 9/11 Victims

The big story right now at YahooNews: "Heads bow in memory of 9/11 victims" Relatives of Sept. 11 victims bowed their heads in silence Tuesday to mark the moments exactly six years earlier when hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. The dreary skies created a grim backdrop, and a sharp contrast to ...