Outside the Beltway

The front page of Sunday’s NYT profiled Valerie Jarrett, the power behind the throne at the Obama White House.

President Obama says he’s a huge Clint Eastwood fan and wasn’t offended by his performance at the RNC.

The Obama campaign clearly does not want Americans to consider whether they are better off now than they were four years ago.

Mitt Romney left one crucial piece out of his speech last night.

Not surprisingly, Romney campaigns staffers don’t seem to want to take responsibility for Clint Eastwood’s performance last night.

A clear victory for the Obama campaign in an Ohio Court, but will it stand on appeal?

The GOP (and our politics in general) will not be healed until there is an honest assessment of what government is (and is not).

I give it a C+/B- (adequate, passing, nothing exceptional).

Mitt Romney’s speech last night was the best he’s ever given, but it’s impact may have been undercut but several odd production decisions that preceded it.

After three days of buildup to a “mystery speaker,” the closing night of the Republican convention featured a rambling performance by Clint Eastwood and an empty chair.

The real story of Bain Capital is impressive. Mitt Romney chose instead to present an origin story that’s utter horseshit.

The GOP claims to be a party that favors limited government, but its foreign policy positions reveal this to be little more than a lie.

Over two days of speakers, not a single Republican has mentioned the Tea Party.

A legal setback for the Texas Voter ID law, but not much of a political setback for Voter ID laws in general.

Paul Ryan did what he needed to do last night, but in the long run his speech will be lost to history.

Tonight’s convention speech is the most important speech Mitt Romney has ever given.

Condoleeza Rice’s first trip onto the political stage was very successful last night. Where will she go from here?

Lindsey Graham: “We’re not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term.”

Seniors face a variety of economy-based difficulties–but let’s criticizes the media!

Once again, a Presidential election could be decided by the Buckeye State.

Paul Ryan pointed to a shuttered GM plant in his hometown as proof of Obama’s failed policies. The truth will make your head hurt.

Left with a choice between their hawkish foreign policy and their supposed commitment to fiscal conservatives, Republicans will, without fail, spend the nation into debt.

Today’s convention activities will include the opening salvos of an attack on the President’s foreign policy. This strikes me as a mistake.

Jeb Bush continues to speak the truth on the GOP’s position on immigration issues. Sadly, his fellow Republicans aren’t listening.

It’s official.

The political convention we know is a 19th Century relic. It’s time to modernize it and make it a lot shorter.

Security at the Republican Convention in Tampa looks more like a war zone than a political convention in a democratic republic.

Mitt Romney visited an Ohio coal mine to promote jobs in the industry, unwittingly showing why a job in the industry sucks.

Mark Levin provides the latest example.

The Republican Party has apparently solved all of the nation’s real problems and decided it can waste time on nonsense.

Brookings Institute scholar William Galston says election night might end early this year even if the race remains tight.