The New Republic

Libertarian candidate for president Bob Barr held a press conference at noon today at the National Press Club. The audience was a little thicker, and a little hotter under the collar than they’d be for your average Barr-Wayne Allen Root avail; an earlier presser and photo-op starring Ron Paul, Cynthia McKinney, Ralph Nader and Chuck Baldwin had made the question of Barr’s insurgent credentials topic A on the long-shot READ MORE >>

Robert Bryce, writing in the Guardian, is dead on about Barack Obama's wimpy and anti-intellectual track record on corn ethanol: READ MORE >>

I highly recommend reading David Frum’s sharp and provocative analysis in the New York Times, on the “Vanishing Republican Voter,” who is, despite other ideological underpinnings, falling prey to the siren call of Democratic economic policies. It’s easy, especially these days, to throw culture and grievance into the bag of READ MORE >>

The Guardian reports a bold step forward in the race to find clean and abundant energy for our swiftly tilting planet: A demonstration of carbon capture technology—the first of its kind—is upon us. Starting next week, a power plant in Germany will serve as guinea pig for a $100 million project that will take thousands of tons of CO2 and drive it almost two miles underground, beneath a spent natural gas field just off-site. READ MORE >>

I’ve been stewing over this Sarah Palin thing in a number of ways, with friends male, female, and Alaskan, far-flung family (my sister, in Nigeria presently, is taking heat for the bumbling electioneering in the US) and with many, many politicos who just can’t understand what’s up. I sought greater understanding with this piece, which argues that Palin was in fact a defensive pick--not in READ MORE >>

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DENVER --Though Hillary Clinton gave an extraordinary address yesterday night--relaxed and emotive and far more impassioned than at the fine auto-eulogy I saw her deliver in June--I'd like to declare Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer the MVP of Tuesday night. Not only was Schweitzer's delivery emphatic and simple--his mien was entirely genuine, a reality only enhanced by his bolo tie. The governor, an irrigation specialist and practicing Catholic, got the meat of these two identities across without being pedantic, speaking of READ MORE >>

DENVER-- Swilling coffee at an Emily’s List briefing and breakfast this morning, I was reminded repeatedly that poor Mark Warner will probably be an afterthought tonight. Today is ladies' choice at the DNC—a slew of female elected officials are speaking shortly, culminating in the much-anticipated address by Hillary Clinton to her wounded warriors. At the Colorado convention center, the EL leadership makes it clear that beyond those stars at the podium tonight, there are many more amazing, talented, dedicated Democratic women running up and down the ticket across the country. READ MORE >>

More than any politician in recent history, Barack Obama’s national career began with a speech--his keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. On the eve of the convention that caps the journey begun that night, it’s remarkable how little is understood about how he obtained his historic break--and who really deserves credit for it. READ MORE >>

There's nothing more wrenching than having a bike nabbed. It's almost like having a child kidnapped—or, er, a child you had padlocked to a metal bar while you went grocery shopping. Which is why this story in today's New York Times, about a pathological, industrial-strength bicycle thief who has terrorized the greens of Toronto—one of the most bike-friendly cities in North America—makes my blood run cold. Igor Kenk has made off with over 2800 bikes in the last several years. READ MORE >>