Craig Thrown Under Bus

September 3, 2007 at 2:40 pm

Republicans moved quickly to stem the tide of bad publicity from the Larry Craig story. After Republicans called for his resignation, this weekend Craig stepped down. But what about David Vitter? Remember David Vitter? Vitter admitted to indiscretions in his past involving a Washington, D.C. prostitution ring. Have Republicans asked […]

Gonzales is Out, Who’s In?

August 28, 2007 at 3:19 am

Alberto Gonzales resigned today. In his press announcement, he did not say that he was resigning to spend more time with his family. In fact, he didn’t offer any reason as to why he was resigning. President Bush, when it was his turn to speak, characterized Gonzales as a man […]

Does Barack “Need a Little Seasoning”?

August 27, 2007 at 12:46 pm

I went to see Barack Obama last night interested to see how he would deal with the question of inexperience. Recently, Senator Clinton has been hammering him on this issue, calling his remarks about meeting with the brutal leaders of Iran, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba, “naive and … irresponsible.” […]

On Norman Mailer on Iraq

August 17, 2007 at 10:23 pm

I think I love Norman Mailer. Let’s look at a few things Norman Mailer does in this video clip to communicate his values. The question that was asked of him was to talk about “honor” and “shame” when it comes to Iraq. He talks about loving America as if he […]

Who’s Talking About Community?

July 10, 2007 at 9:19 pm

Driving back through South Carolina after the 4th of July, I happened across a gospel speaker on AM radio. Always curious I thought I’d give him a listen through the rest of the state. He spoke about the fact that Americans feel they’ve lost a sense of community. “Are you […]

The Importance of Vision

June 10, 2007 at 10:54 am

One of the things that people remember most about the Reagan years was his push for smaller government. This Republican mantra has served the party well because people believe in it. In fact, in many ways, it defines what it means to be a Republican. Whether Republicans are actually creating […]

Democrats’ Top Priority

June 4, 2007 at 10:37 pm

Democratic presidential hopefuls were asked what their top priority was in a recent CNN debate. Here’s a sampling of responses:

  • Edwards: “travel the world” and “re-establish America’s moral authority.”
  • Clinton: bring home U.S. troops from Iraq.
  • Obama: bring home U.S. troops and push for national health care.
  • New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: upgrade U.S. schools and push a $40,000-a-year minimum wage for teachers.

How to Win the Iraq Argument

June 2, 2007 at 10:42 pm

The majority of people believe that the war in Iraq is not being run or managed well. When discussing the Iraq War, a winning platform would be to emphasize a “successful end” to the war.

Lessons From the Iraq War Funding Fight

June 2, 2007 at 5:56 pm

Rich Galen, former communications director for Newt Gingrich, recently compared the Democrats fight to fund the Iraq War with the newly elected Republican house of 1995. His point was that both parties tried to set the agenda and introduce change by using the “will of the American people” argument. Newly elected leaders say things like they have a “mandate” from the people because a majority just voted for them. Political capital, they call it.

Prologue – Setting the Vision

June 1, 2007 at 8:42 pm

At first blush, this site may seem like it’s about politics. In a sense it is, but more importantly it’s about frames – or ways to articulate a vision, belief, or value. If George Bush understands one thing, it’s that the President sets the vision. Have you ever seen him […]