Posts by Doug Mataconis

Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

French ‘Burkini’ Ban Provokes Backlash

For largely irrational reasons, French police are arresting women on the beach for wearing swimsuits that are compatible with their faith.

Donald Trump’s Immigration Flip Flop

Donald Trump is signaling a big shift in his immigration position.

Summer Olympics Were Lowest Rated Since 2000

Despite being much more conveniently located for viewers in the United States, viewership for the just-concluded Olympics were the lowest they’ve been in sixteen years.

D.A. Henderson, Leader Of Effort To Eradicate Smallpox, Dies At 87

A true, albeit largely anonymous, hero of humanity has passed away.

Evan McMullin’s Presidential Campaign Not Going So Well

The “independent conservative” running for President is finding it hard to even get on the ballot.

With Eleven Weeks To Go, Hillary Clinton Appears To Be Unstoppable

It’s eleven weeks — just 77 days — until Election Day, and things are looking pretty good for Hillary Clinton, and pretty bad for Donald Trump.

Federal Court Blocks Department Of Education Guidelines On Bathroom Access For Transgender Students

A Federal Court has barred the Federal Government from enforcing guidelines on the rights of transgender students in public schools.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Is Trump About To Flip-Flop On Immigration?

A report over the weekend raises questions about whether or not Donald Trump is changing positions on a central tenet of his campaign.

Even If Clinton Wins, Don’t Expect Supreme Court Justices To Start Retiring Immediately

Early indications are the Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other older Justices don’t plan on leaving any time soon.

What Happens To The GOP If Trump Loses?

A Trump loss in November could lead to battles inside the GOP that could take years to resolve.

Obama Under Attack For Not Visiting Louisiana In Wake Of Flooding

President Obama is being criticized for remaining on vacation while Louisiana deals with historic flooding.

A Donald Trump Pivot? Don’t Count On It

One speech isn’t going to make up for what we’ve seen so far.

The Election Isn’t Over Quite Yet

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the election is “over,” because it isn’t.

Keeping Control Of The Senate Just Got More Difficult For Republicans

GOP control of Indiana’s Senate seat appears to be in jeopardy, and that will have serious implications for the battle to control the Senate.

John McLaughlin, McLaughlin Group Host, Dead At 89

A precursor to modern cable political news with an interesting past has passed away at the age of 89.

Trump Campaign Shakeup

After weeks of bleeding, the Trump campaign is undergoing a shake up, but it’s unlikely to fix what’s really wrong.

Clinton Is Crushing Trump Among Younger Voters, And The GOP Is Paying The Price

America’s largest voting bloc is heavily turned off by Donald Trump, and that is posing long-term problems for Republicans in general.

Clinton Continues To Show That Virginia Probably Isn’t A Swing State This Year

Another poll confirms that Virginia is firmly in the pocket of Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump’s Attacks On The Media Are Irresponsible And Irrational

Donald Trump has spent more time recently attacking the news media than anything else. He ought to be condemned for it.

Latino Voters Overwhelmingly Favor Clinton Over Trump

Not surprisingly, Latino voters are heavily turned off by Donald Trump and seemingly quite eager to vote against him in the fall.

Inside The Trump Implosion

Things aren’t pretty inside the House of Trump these days.

Donald Trump: The Only Way I Lose Pennsylvania Is If Democrats Cheat

Another day, another round of irresponsible demagoguery from Donald Trump.

Another Round Of Battleground Polls Puts Clinton In The Lead

Donald Trump’s path to 270 Electoral Votes is becoming less likely by the day.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Trump: I Was Being ‘Sarcastic’ When I Called Obama A Founder Of ISIS

Donald Trump’s strange relationship with reality continues to come to light,

GOP Control Of The Senate At Risk As Trump Flounders

With Donald Trump floundering, there are a whole lot of nervous Republican Senators up for re-election.

Trump Barely Leading In South Carolina?

A new poll shows Donald Trump barely winning in a state that should be solidly red.

Donald Trump Calling Obama The “Founder” Of ISIS Requires One To Ignore History, And Reality

President Obama’s ISIS policy has been far from perfect, but to call him a “Founder” of ISIS is to ignore both history and reality.

Wisconsin Unlikely To Go Republican In 2016

Republican hopes that Wisconsin might go Republican this year seem to be slipping away.

Emails Revive Issues Regarding Clinton Foundation And Clinton Led State Department

Allegations of influence peddling by Clinton Foundation donors are being rehashed thanks to the release of a new batch of emails.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Trump Polling Worse Among African-Americans Than Any Republican Since Barry Goldwater

Donald Trump’s support among African-Americans is at historic lows, and seems unlikely to recover.

Trump Losing Support From Republican Women

It just keeps getting worse.

Donald Trump: “Second Amendment People” May Be Only Way To Stop Hillary Clinton On Judges

Did Donald Trump really suggest assassination as a political weapon, even as a joke? It sure sounds like it.

More Bad News For Trump From State-Level Polling

New polling from the states has good news for Hillary Clinton, and an even less plausible path to 270 for Donald Trump.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Susan Collins Joins Other Republicans In Opposing Trump, But What Took So Long?

More Republican officeholders are distancing themselves from Donald Trump, but it’s time to start wondering what took them so long,

Anti-Trump Republicans Get Behind Campaign Of Some Guy Nobody’s Ever Heard Of

The latest desperation bid from anti-Trump Republicans is guaranteed to make a GOP civil war more likely.

Virginia Not Exactly Looking Like A Battleground State

The Old Dominion seems like it’s going to be even more firmly Democratic in 2016.

Another Poll Brings More Bad News For Trump

The first round of post-convention polls is now complete, and it’s not looking good for The Donald.

Clinton Starting To Gain Ground In States Romney Won in 2012

In a sign of just how bad the trends are right now for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton is gaining ground in states that Mitt Romney won four years ago.

July Jobs Report Shows Solid Jobs Growth Continuing

The July Jobs Report was largely a continuation of the good news from June, but the question is how long that can last.

Donald Trump’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

It’s been a bad week for Donald Trump, something he can ill-afford with less than 100 days left until Election Day.

Donald Trump’s Electoral Map Isn’t Growing, It’s Shrinking

Post-convention polling at the state level holds some bad news for the Trump campaign.

Chaos In Trump Land And The RNC As Donald Trump Continues To Fiddle While Rome Burns

Donald Trump continues to be Donald Trump. Which is quickly turning into a political disaster.

Delaware Supreme Court Strikes Down Death Penalty As Unconstitutional

The death penalty appears to be effectively dead in Delaware thanks to a decision by the State Supreme Court.