Overview for FF Spotlight

A Liberal Lament: When Will Obama Do His Reagan?

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama failed to do what Reagan did during his first address in 1982: make an argument not merely for discrete policies but on behalf of his worldview. President Obama’s SOTU address was politically shrewd, but ideologically circumscribed. He sought to …

Written by Eugene Debs on Friday January 29, 2010

Debating Obama's Supreme Court Diss

Yesterday morning, I tweeted a link to a blogpost asking if any president had ever before so specifically criticized a Supreme Court decision in a SOTU? That tweet triggered a real-time debate between me and Glenn Greenwald. Yesterday morning, I tweeted a link to a blogpost here on the Supreme …

Written by David Frum on Friday January 29, 2010

Steele Hits Back at His Critics

At a press conference today at the RNC winter meeting in Hawaii, Republican Chairman Michael Steele took shots at his critics and defended his governing methods and fundraising efforts. Click here for all of Tim Mak’s reports from the RNC Summit in Hawaii. (Honolulu, HI) - At a press …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday January 28, 2010

Obama Lacking the "Vision Thing"

President Obama’s State of the Union Address last night may be the first sign that Americans may have begun to tune his words out. At some point in the George W. Bush Presidency, the majority of American citizens simply stopped listening to the President. That seemed to have begun early in …

Written by Steve Bell on Thursday January 28, 2010

McCain’s Stand Against Bernanke: Principle Not Pandering

Updated: Critics of Sen. McCain are wrong to suggest that his vote against the confirmation of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was motivated by politics. Today the Senate voted to confirm Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Sen. John McCain however voted against the nomination, as …

Written by Paul Craft on Thursday January 28, 2010

Tea Partiers Turn on Palin for Backing McCain

Many Sarah Palin supporters have criticized her endorsement of Sen. John McCain's reelection campaign, even comparing her to that most dreaded of creatures: a RINO. Sarah Palin supporters are divided over her commitment to endorse John McCain’s Senate reelection bid. Though some understand and …

Written by Paul Craft on Thursday January 28, 2010

No Israeli Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Despite Israel's incredible generosity after the earthquake in Haiti, many are just using the episode to once again heap criticism on the country. It’s been years since Israel has had such a good public relations week. The Jewish State established the first field hospital in Haiti after the …

Written by Martin Krossel on Thursday January 28, 2010

What if Bush Had Done It?

Our friend the Washington Insider called to ask: had any president before ever denounced the Supreme Court to their own faces in the way that Barack Obama just did? Our friend the Washington Insider called to ask: had any president before ever denounced the Supreme Court to their own faces in the …

Written by David Frum on Thursday January 28, 2010

How Scott Brown Stopped Andy Card's Senate Challenge

FF Exclusive: In September of last year, it seemed unlikely Scott Brown would win the Republican nomination if former Transportation Secretary Andy Card decided to take him on in a primary. Click here for all of Tim Mak’s reports from the RNC Summit in Hawaii. (Honolulu, HI) - Before …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday January 28, 2010

RNC Chairman Has Steel Grip on Members

FF Exclusive: Michael Steele has nothing to worry about. Even his supposed 'enemies' are praising his work at the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting in Hawaii this week. Click here for all of Tim Mak’s reports from the RNC Summit in Hawaii. (Honolulu, HI) - Michael …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday January 28, 2010

No Love for Rubio Amongst Florida RNC Members

FF Exclusive: At the RNC summit in Hawaii, FrumForum spoke with all three of Florida's RNC members and found a dearth of support for Marco Rubio's senatorial campaign. On the other hand, two of the Florida members came out strongly in favor Governor Charlie Crist. Click here for all of Tim …

Written by Tim Mak on Thursday January 28, 2010

Obama's Worst Lines

The president came across as battle-weary, on the whole, but he still managed to slip in a few particularly egregious remarks. The president came across as battle-weary, on the whole, but he still managed to slip in a few particularly egregious remarks: 1. Referring to Iran as "The Islamic …

Written by Alex Knepper on Wednesday January 27, 2010

GOP Should Pick its Fights

This election cycle is proving such a target-rich environment for Republicans that they are now at risk of missing the long-term requirements for creating a lasting Senate majority. A win is a win – but some wins are better than others. This election cycle is proving such a target-rich environment …

Written by Henry Clay on Wednesday January 27, 2010

Playing State of the Union Bingo

Here are a list of words and phrases that are likely to appear in tonight’s speech. Arrange them 5x5 in a standard bingo format and play along at home to make the speech go faster. Usually, everyone’s a winner. In the spirit of the late William Safire, who popularized the White House acronym …

Written by FF Washington Insider on Wednesday January 27, 2010

The James O'Keefe Arrest

I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict: the James O'Keefe/Landrieu phone interference case will be resolved with a very stern talking to by a judge, no criminal record, and 100 hours of community service each for the four arrested young people. I'm going to go out on a limb here and …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday January 27, 2010

Losing Faith in Karzai

Two classified cables authored by U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry and leaked to The New York Times provide startling details of just how little trust America's top diplomatic official in Afghanistan has in the Karzai government. Two classified cables authored by U.S. Ambassador …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Tuesday January 26, 2010

Not Listening

In today's online edition of Newsweek I argue that Obama has cut himself off from the centrist Republicans who gave him his margin of victory in 2008. In today's online edition of Newsweek I argue that Obama has cut himself off from the centrist Republicans who gave him his margin of …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 26, 2010

Enter Hayworth

Thirteen years ago, I followed Phil Gramm for The Atlantic . Along the way, he had an encounter with a local football star now running for Congress: JD Hayworth. Thirteen years ago, I followed Phil Gramm for 10 days for The Atlantic . Along the way, he had an encounter with a local football …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 26, 2010

Is Obama the New Hoover?

With his planned spending freeze, many are now viewing President Obama as the second coming of Herbert Hoover. Liberals see a well-meaning technocrat who can't put together a political coalition while conservatives see a president who made a stock market crash worse through a series of ill-timed …

Written by Andrew Gelman on Tuesday January 26, 2010

This Freeze Sounds Like a Slushy

Matt Yglesias reports that a senior Obama official informed a conference call of bloggers yesterday that the proposed budget freeze would not be an "across-the-board" freeze. If so, Obama will have to face the harsh paradox of government budgeting: You don’t cut good programs because they are …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 26, 2010