Obamacare by Christmas?
Senator Reid suggested on Tuesday that the Senate may not pass healthcare legislation this year. If the Senate can't pass legislation before Christmas it seems unlikely that the sort of sweeping reforms touted by the White House will pass in an election year. With so much going on politically in …Forget Exit Polling, Look to ObamaWear
When I spotted this display at the political paraphernalia shops in Union Station, I couldn’t help but feeling that maybe the tide has started to change. Mr. Pavelyev is probably right in telling us not to celebrate too much just yet—the Republican Party still has a long way to go. But …
The Dems Healthcare Trap
The Blue Dog Democrats seem to be making a strenuous case for delaying and scaling back the Democratic approach on healthcare reform. What the Blue Dogs miss, of course, is what the party's liberals see clearly: failing to deliver universal coverage will result in the liberal blogosphere tearing …Steele at His Best
At his press conference at the RNC this morning, shrugging off claims that conservatives somehow won a victory in NY-23: "I don't see a victory in losing seats. I'm in the business of multiplication and addition. I want more Republicans. I don't buy that we somehow find victory in defeat." At …More Bad Strategy
Apparently unfazed by its failure to swing the New York 23rd to Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman (after pumping upwards of $1 million into the race), the Club for Growth is picking up right where it left off. Apparently unfazed by its failure to swing the New York 23rd to Conservative …Whatever Happened to Immigration?
My column for The Week traces the disappearance of yesterday's hot button issue... My column for The Week traces the disappearance of yesterday's hot button issue...A Welcome Win for the N.Y. GOP
While national attention focused on the bitter three-way congressional race in New York’s North Country, Republican Rob Astorino’s quiet upset over 12-year incumbent Westchester County Executive Andy Spano says far more about the future of the New York Republican Party. While national attention …Lesson for the GOP: Find Your Inner Policy Wonk
The lesson learned from last night’s election results is simple: substantive ideas matter most. To be successful, GOP candidates in 2010 and 2012 must articulate what they are for and formulate specific policies to address real voter concerns. What’s the real lesson learned from last night’s …The Next GOP Battleground
For the Republican party to regain national party status, it will need to embrace moderates and reach beyond its bases in the South and interior. How long has it been since the Northeastern United States really mattered from an electoral standpoint? In 1960, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller …Church Must Do More Than "Rock the Vote"
As the Catholic Church educates the faithful on their civic duties, it must take care to consider her tone, lest she come to be perceived as a mere appendage of the Republican party. The Catholic Church can never view voting as MTV does, an activity to participate in for the mere sake of participat…An Ethics Lesson in Black and White
Black congressmen under investigation by the House Ethics Committee have charged that they are being unfairly targeted because of their race. If lawmakers of any color don’t want to be investigated, they shouldn’t engage in what looks like unethical behavior. Everything isn’t about race. Black …Fiorina Announces Senate Run
Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina officially announced her candidacy for U.S. Senator from California today. Before facing Sen. Barbara Boxer though, Fiorina will need to knock off State Assemblyman Chuck DeVore in the GOP primary. Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina officially …Obama's Wake Up Call
Last night, by a 2 to 1 margin in Virginia and by almost as much in New Jersey, self-described independents sided with the GOP -- the same independents who backed Obama in 2008. I went to bed last night with a sense of satisfaction regarding my state of New Jersey that I haven’t felt in quite a …Hoffman's Loss, Kirk's Gain
After the Democratic victory in NY-23, the real winners may be Republican moderates like Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk. Hoffman's defeat dismisses the idea that the GOP can win moderate districts without the support of moderate voters. Doug Hoffman’s loss is Mark Kirk’s gain. The New York 23rd, which …The Next Open Seat?
Is Pennsylvania-19 the next New York-23? Is Pennsylvania-19 the next New York-23?NY-23: Wasted Money, Wasted Effort
The race in New York's 23rd served as a Phony War. It gave disaffected conservatives somewhere to spend their time and money, while the Republican establishment put it away on a grand scale in Virginia and New Jersey. The race for New York's 23rd Congressional district could have been so simple. …Chuck Todd's Take
"Republicans had a better night than conservatives." "Republicans had a better night than conservatives."McDonnell's Pollster Speaks...
...and it's worth hearing. He writes that his team "set out early to establish Bob as different than Republicans have been in the past few elections..." ... and it's worth hearing. He writes that his team set out early to establish Bob as different than Republicans have been in the past few …Want to Rephrase That?
Am I alone in thinking that "kill it dead" is an unpromising slogan for a group that opposes the Obama health program? Doesn't it sound exactly like what Rep. Alan Grayson is accusing Republicans of thinking? Am I alone in thinking that "kill it dead" is an unpromising slogan for a group that …