Overview for News

What Were You Doing at 15?

Jonathan Krohn is at the 2010 Values Voter Summit with his mother handling his engagements and a gaggle of French reporters in tow. Jonathan Krohn is at the 2010 Values Voter Summit, and his mother is handling his engagements with the French media, who have apparently traveled all the way to …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Friday September 17, 2010

Romney Stays Mum on Hot-Button Social Issues

In his Values Voter Summit address today, Mitt Romney focused on the economy, failing to pay lip service to the social conservatism popular with the audience. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney delivered a Values Voter Summit address heavy on foreign policy and economic issues today, …

Written by Tim Mak on Friday September 17, 2010

Pence: GOP Will Keep Blocking Obama's Agenda

At the Values Voter Summit, Rep. Mike Pence praised the GOP caucus for opposing Obama's agenda, but offered few hints about what the GOP would do in power. Rep. Mike Pence knows how to get the crowd in the Values Voter Summit room standing on their feet. “America Stands With Israel” gets a …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Friday September 17, 2010

2010 Voters: Anti-Moderate Not Anti-Incumbent

Pundits claim we're witnessing a wave of anti-incumbent anger directed against all Washington. In truth, the anger has only been aimed at both parties' moderates. In their quest to impose a narrative onto the primary season, pundits and newscasters have latched onto the idea that we're witnessing …

Written by Alex Knepper on Friday September 17, 2010

DeMint to GOP: Don't Drop Social Issues

In a speech to the Values Voter Summit, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint argued that standing for God meant standing for smaller government. The challenge facing the Values Voter Summit is how it can keep social issues relevant when Republican candidates in many races are emphasizing economic and …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Friday September 17, 2010

Huckabee: Financial Meltdown is a "Moral Crisis"

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee kicked off the 2010 Values Voter Summit with a speech targeting Wall Street "greed". Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee kicked off the 2010 Values Voter Summit with a mixed message, arguing both that government shouldn’t interfere with American families …

Written by Tim Mak on Friday September 17, 2010

What's Behind Rove's Anti-O'Donnell Comments?

Why is the GOP elite still protesting the O'Donnell nomination win? Why not just pay her lip service, give her some cash, and let her quietly lose? Byron York asks some good questions on Twitter this morning. Why is the GOP elite still protesting the O'Donnell nomination win? Why not just pay her …

Written by David Frum on Friday September 17, 2010

America’s Birthday Gift to the Sheiks

This week was the 50th anniversary of OPEC. Thanks to the United States Congress, overseas petro potentates have had plenty to celebrate. September 14 was the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ 50th anniversary. OPEC has plenty to celebrate on its golden jubilee, thanks to the …

Written by Jim DiPeso on Friday September 17, 2010

Kirk & Giannoulias Deadlocked in Illinois

After months of gaffes by both campaigns, Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias are stuck in a dead heat in Illinois Senate race. For many months now, Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias have been doing their best to hand victory to their opponent via an almost laughable array of follies made on both …

Written by Jeb Golinkin on Friday September 17, 2010

Fenty’s Defeat Won’t Kill School Reform

With the defeat of D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty, education reformers will need to find ways to bypass the teachers' unions in their effort to fix our public schools. Adrian Fenty’s defeat in the Democratic primary for Washington, D.C. mayor not only ends his career, it has also set the stage for …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Thursday September 16, 2010

Fearful Dems Punt Budget to Post-Election Season

The secret that was never a secret is out: no appropriations bills for FY 2011 will pass Congress before the start of the new fiscal year. The secret that was never a secret is out — no appropriations bills for FY 2011 will pass Congress and be sent to the President before the October 1 beginning …

Written by Steve Bell on Thursday September 16, 2010

GOP Gets It Right... In Alternate Universe

Try to imagine another reality: one where conservatives emphasize fiscal and personal responsibility, thoughtful rhetoric and sober policy analysis. This dispatch has just come in from an alternative universe: Following the recent GOP primary victories, the Responsibility Movement appears …

Written by Kenneth Silber on Thursday September 16, 2010

The Tea Party's Low Expectations

Tea partiers admirably call for fiscal responsibility, honesty and openness. Yet in Delaware they have backed a candidate who hasn't shown any of these traits Christine O’Donnell’s showing in the Delaware GOP Senate primary was a victory for the Tea Party movement, a defeat for Republican …

Written by Clifton Yin on Thursday September 16, 2010

Is Palin Now the 2012 Front-Runner?

Writing at Power Line, Paul Mirengoff makes the case that Sarah Palin is leading the pack in the GOP 2012 presidential race. Is this 1964 all over again? I haven't wanted to believe this ... but Paul Mirengoff is looking prophetic today. [I]f Sarah Palin seeks the presidential nomination, it …

Written by David Frum on Thursday September 16, 2010

Who's Afraid of the EPA? Not Voters

Republicans trying to handcuff the EPA are mistaken if they think painting the agency as a big government bogeyman will win them votes. The scuttlebutt on Capitol Hill is that Senate Republicans are planning to use a markup of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) annual spending bill to try …

Written by David Jenkins on Thursday September 16, 2010

Reid's Play for Women Voters Backfiring

Harry Reid's attack ads have driven up Sharron Angle's negatives amongst female voters. Yet, at the same time, Angle's share of women voters has risen. The new Rasmussen poll on the Nevada Senate race continues to show something approximating a tie between Majority Leader Harry Reid and …

Written by Brent R. Orrell on Thursday September 16, 2010

Tea Party to GOP: Our Way or the Highway

Tea Party Republicans cannot deem mainstream Republicans the supreme enemy – and then demand that they salute the flag of party unity. My latest column for The Week examines the unequal relationship between mainstream Republicans and Tea Party Republicans: Christine O’Donnell had barely …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday September 15, 2010

Hoffman Hangs On

Politico has called the GOP primary in NY-23 for Matt Doheny. But with some ballots still uncounted, rival candidate Doug Hoffman is keeping his campaign alive. In New York’s 23 rd congressional district, Hoffman is trailing businessman Matt Doheny by 612 votes with 99.2% of precincts reporting…

Written by Tim Mak on Wednesday September 15, 2010

A Big Night for the Tea Party

Last night's upset should put the GOP on notice that TARP and the bailouts are toxic to the party's base: ultimately, these issues did in Mike Castle's Senate bid. What profiteth a man if he loses his soul and gains the whole world? Apparently Delaware primary voters thought Mike Castle would …

Written by John Vecchione on Wednesday September 15, 2010

Big Primary Turnout Shows Energized Republican Base

One factor united primary races across the country: the higher turnout and voter enthusiasm evident on the Republican side. The smoke is still clearing in the New Hampshire primary (really, you’d think one thing New Hampshirites would know how to do is count votes) but some of the outlines of …

Written by Brent R. Orrell on Wednesday September 15, 2010