Topic: Democrats

The Presidential Party Switcheroo, in One Chart

AP

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee is switching parties to become a Democrat. Why? Because President Obama is enjoying decent approval ratings, and Rhode Island is a Democratic state. We plotted the timing of politicians' party switching along the president's Gallup polls — and found that White House approval is a pretty good guide for when these guys will jump ship.

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 26, 2012

Claire McCaskill Joins the Ranks of Red State Democrats Not Going to the DNC

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill won't go to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this September, joining several other red state Democrats, Talking Points Memo's Pema Levy reports Tuesday. 

Comments | 794 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 25, 2012

Diplomat Mean Girls Whisper: What's Hillary Ever Done?

Hillary Clinton is more popular than ever, and maybe that's because no one knows what she does.

Comments | 3,880 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 25, 2012

GOP Can't Decide If Immigration Ruling Is Their Victory or Feds' Failure

The Supreme Court's ruling on Arizona's controversial immigration law was confusing for the press, who couldn't decide whether it was a major defeat for President Obama or a victory for the federal government. But Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer was not conflicted at all.

Comments | 2,697 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 19, 2012

Obama's Step-by-Step Plan to Make the GOP the Party of Old Straight White Men

The Obama campaign is hoping the idea that the Republican Party is a party for "old, straight, white men" will catch on outside college dorm rooms, and President Obama has made a series of policy decisions to spread the perception.

Comments | 2,433 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 18, 2012

Obama Campaign Takes the Romney-Kerry Comparisons Way Too Literally

The Obama campaign hopes to turn Mitt Romney into the John Kerry of 2012 by November. In the meantime, it's turning John Kerry into Mitt Romney, asking the senator to stand in for Romney during President Obama's debate prep.

Comments | 446 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 15, 2012

Colbert: Will Stoners Put on Pants, Swing Election for Obama?

Stephen Colbert discussed The Atlantic Wire's post, "Is Legalizing Weed Obama's Secret Weapon?," on Thursday's show, wondering whether marijuana initiatives on several state ballots could swing a close election for the president.

Comments | 2,342 Views

By John Hudson

Jun 8, 2012

Here's the Email That Saved, Ruined Health Care Reform

For good or bad, a recently published email exchange between the White House and Big Pharma during the height of the 2009 health care reform debate, is one of the most important documents from that epic legislative struggle.

Comments | 2,261 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 7, 2012

Conservatives Go to War with the Obama They Have, Not the Socialist They Want

The latest nugget in conservatives' "vetting" of President Obama is the revelation by the National Review's Stanley Kurtz that in 1996, a pro-union third party called the New Party named Barack Obama as a member in meeting minutes.

Comments | 2,126 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Jun 7, 2012

A Presidential Oral Sex Joke Is in the Eye of the Beholder

There are four ways to interpret what President Obama meant Wednesday when he said that his wife "doesn't go all the way down" at last night's fundraiser at the home of Glee creator Ryan Murphy.

Comments | 14,291 Views

By John Hudson

Jun 6, 2012

Bill Clinton Is a Great Advocate—for Himself

For the second time in less than a month, Bill Clinton has undercut President Obama's re-election campaign by pushing policies that directly contradict Obama's stated positions.

Comments | 1,035 Views

By John Hudson

Jun 4, 2012

Harry Reid's Ultimatum Just Might Be Working

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's threat to let steep cuts hit the Pentagon seems to be working, as some staunchly anti-tax Republican Senators appear to be warming to revenue increases.

Comments | 1,207 Views

By John Hudson

May 31, 2012

Some Suggested Small Talk for When Bush Visits the White House

George W. Bush is visiting the White House today and the Washington press is obsessed with how awkward the occasion will be given that President Obama routinely trashes the Bush administration. But it doesn't have to be that way!

Comments | 340 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

May 31, 2012

Artur Davis Is Now a Republican

Apparently changing your party affiliation and making big, swirling political moves can all be done through a blog post.

Comments | 347 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 25, 2012

What Cory Booker Got Out of His Big Week

Newark Mayor Cory Booker's gaffe -- when he said attacks on Mitt Romney's Bain Capital record were "nauseating" -- was probably not a gaffe at all. Let's assess how it all turned out.

Comments | 1,795 Views

By John Hudson

May 24, 2012

'War on Women' Won't Extend to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington's never-ending gender wars will not extend to the country's Nuclear Regulatory Commission thanks to the nomination of George Mason University professor Allison Macfarlane as chairman today.

Comments | 345 Views

By John Hudson

May 24, 2012

Democrats Are Finally Learning How to Negotiate

Ever since the Republican took over the House in 2010, Congressional Democrats have been out-maneuvered in almost every way. But now that's beginning to change as the Senate's top Democrat rallies his troops behind a plan to tame Republican maximalism. 

Comments | 2,759 Views

By Dashiell Bennett

May 23, 2012

'Uncommitted' Beats Obama in Half of Kentucky

President Obama easily won the Kentucky Democratic Primary last night, but the vote was much closer than it should have been considering he was running unopposed.

Comments | 6,145 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 22, 2012

Arkansas Protest Votes Against Obama Are Going to an Occupy Supporter

When Arkansas Democrats issue their protest vote against President Obama's liberal agenda -- and polls show a significant number will -- they'll be voting for a guy who calls himself a "progressive," who is campaigning against Wall Street and the Pentagon and who ran some kind of ad against Newt Gingrich defending the Palestinian people.

Comments | 2,091 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 22, 2012

Cory Booker Has Accomplished a Lot for Himself in the Last Two Days

This has been a very good couple days for Cory Booker. After the Democrat equated President Obama's attacks on Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital with Republican attacks on the Rev. Jeremiah Wright -- both are "nauseating," Booker said -- he has accomplished four things.

Comments | 2,931 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 21, 2012

Cory Booker's Private Equity Gaffe Is Going Great for Cory Booker

Newark Mayor Cory Booker's appearance on Meet the Press in which he condemned attacks on Mitt Romney's career at Bain Capital as "nauseating" and urging Democrats to "Stop attacking private equity" went great -- for Cory Booker.

Comments | 3,290 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 21, 2012

Super PACs Make It Easier for Rich People to Waste Money on Bad Ideas

One of the most annoying parts of running for president for guys like Mitt Romney and Barack Obama -- men who are not natural back-slappers like Bill Clinton -- is that they have to pretend to be interested in all the terrible ideas offered by the rich guys who donate tons of money to their campaigns.

Comments | 400 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 18, 2012

Three Elections Worth of Bain Attacks on Romney

Every time Mitt Romney has run for office, his Democratic opponent has made a big deal about his career at Bain Capital.

Comments | 3,449 Views

By John Hudson

May 18, 2012

The Right Swoops in to Defend Eduardo Saverin

Today, as Facebook co-founder and United States citizenship-renouncer Eduardo Saverin becomes an even bigger billionaire, he's also become a hero of the conservative media establishment.

Comments | 5,638 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 18, 2012

Ad Watch

The Simple, Easy, Pleasant First Day of the Romney Administration

Today in Ad Watch: Mitt Romney fantasizes about President Romney, President Obama loves higher-ed because he loved his mom, Karl Rove's Super PAC gets into the Nebraska Senate race, and Democrats gloat over the negative coverage of Romney's business career.

Comments | 2,188 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 16, 2012

Poll Watch

Obama's Having a Bad Polling Month

President Obama has had a bad streak in polls after doing pretty well against Mitt Romney in April, and Republicans are looking strong in Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Comments | 2,669 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 11, 2012

Ad Watch

The RNC Remembers the Recession; Obama Remembers the Recovery

In today's Ad Watch: The Republican National Committee says Obama forgot the recession, while Obama says you guys just don't know how far we've come. Plus, the worst political ad all year.

Comments | 1,672 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 10, 2012

The Benefits and Risks of Supporting Gay Marriage

What President Obama's endorsement of gay marriage didn't do: Allow a single new gay couple to get married. What it did do: Inspire waves of campaign donations, attack ads, and a symbolic but ultimately meaningless congressional vote.

Comments | 3,180 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 9, 2012

All We Know About the Convict 40% of West Virginia Democrats Prefer to Obama

This year the Democratic presidential primaries are only interesting when President Obama doesn't do well in them.

Comments | 3,104 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 8, 2012

Big Liberal Donors Still Think Super PACs Are Icky

Big liberal donors are meeting in Miami to strategize how to live up to a couple classic liberal cliches -- instead of trying to compete with the conservative Super PACs (and their ads) that helped Republicans retake the House in 2010 and helped Mitt Romney win the primary, they're going to pour their money into wholesome community-focused get-out-the-vote groups.

Comments | 428 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 4, 2012

Ohio Is Everyone's Favorite Place to Find Racists

There are many parts of the country where the local culture makes people unafraid to be quoted saying something racist, but not many of these places are interesting during the general election -- as in, not many of them are in swing states.

Comments | 4,179 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 3, 2012

Sunrise, Sunset: Obama's 'Julia' Becomes Our Mom Right Before Our Eyes

If President Obama and Democrats want to portray themselves as on Team Woman, why are they making us feel as much anxiety as any insecurity-inducing women's magazine?

Comments | 2,290 Views

By John Hudson

May 2, 2012

Bill Clinton Is Obama's Ultimate Armchair Critic

The former president (and husband of the secretary of state) is already telling Obama how to run his re-election campaign, now he's telling the president how to govern.

Comments | 2,586 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 2, 2012

Obama Woos Wall Street as the Real Mr. Inevitable

President Obama's message to reluctant Wall Street donors is simple: Vote for me because I will win, and you want to be on the side of a winner.

Comments | 690 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

May 1, 2012

Ad Watch

The Swiss Bank Account: Yeah, Obama Is Going There

The general election has begun! And so has the onslaught of campaign ads. Which ones succeed? Which fail? In Ad Watch, we review them as they come out. Today: President Obama defends his jobs record by highlighting Mitt Romney's financial records.

Comments | 3,966 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 27, 2012

Osama bin Laden Is Still Most Wanted: As a Talking Point

Who was classier when bragging about taking out bad guys: George Bush or Barack Obama?

Comments | 1,615 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 27, 2012

Joe Biden's Bin Laden Mad Libs

Joe Biden's best line in the 2008 Democratic primary was that Rudy Giuliani's entire campaign was "a noun, a verb, and bin Laden." In the vice president's foreign policy speech Thursday, he said "bin Laden" 12 times

Comments | 3,597 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 27, 2012

Ad Watch

The General Election's Underway! What Kind of Cool Is Obama?

The general election has begun! And so has the onslaught of campaign ads. In today's Ad Watch: Bill Clinton makes the case that only President Obama can make tough national security decisions, while Karl Rove makes the case that Obama's an empty suit.

Comments | 4,979 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 26, 2012

Poll Watch

Karl Rove's Electoral Map Looks Pretty Good for Obama

Mitt Romney and President Obama are pretty close in national polls, but what really matters is who's winning in the right states. Here's our guide to today's polls and why they matter.

Comments | 12,760 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 26, 2012

Obama Begins Formally Campaigning in the States He's Been Visiting for Months

President Obama's campaign announced it would formally beginning its reelection campaign at a one-day tour of two swing state colleges the day after he ended his official, taxpayer-funded two-day tour of three swing state colleges.

Comments | 461 Views

By John Hudson

Apr 23, 2012

Meet Washington's Bloodthirsty Opposition Researchers

They're as young as they are ruthless and they're the warriors who wage Washington's political battles.

Comments | 690 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 23, 2012

The 1992 Memo That Explains Why Obama's Going on Jimmy Fallon's Show

President Obama will be on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC on Tuesday, and we can probably blame this on a 1992 memo from a Bill Clinton campaign staffer on the necessity of doing "UnPresidential" stuff to get voters to like the candidate.

Comments | 1,521 Views

By John Hudson

Apr 23, 2012

The New York Times Is Obama's Safe Haven

The New York Times has been going easy on President Obama, according to the newspaper's public editor, but studies show the rest of the mainstream media isn't following suit.

Comments | 690 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 23, 2012

Obama Expands Executive Power for Good, Not Evil

Although Sen. Obama campaigned against George W. Bush's expansion of executive power in 2008, President Obama has studied Bush for ways to do just that as he battles House Republicans to pass economic legislation, The New York Times' Charlie Savage reports.

Comments | 2,322 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 20, 2012

Obama Has 10 Times More Money Than Romney

Mitt Romney enjoyed totally dominating the other Republican candidates during the primary, but he's the relative pauper of the general election.

Comments | 2,676 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 16, 2012

Poll Watch

Two Polls Show A Very Different Race Between Obama and Romney

How is Mitt Romney doing against President Obama now that he's essentially done fighting the Republican primary? We're not sure. Two general election polls were released Monday showing very different results. Here'sour guide to today's polls and which ones matter.

Comments | 2,242 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 16, 2012

Who Wouldn't Want to Share a Beer With Hillary?

Sixty-four-year-old Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was spotted downing beers and dancing in Colombia Sunday night, and people love her even more for it.

Comments | 16,044 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Apr 16, 2012

Cartoon

Women Should Stand Their Ground

Cartoonist Tom Toles sees a threat on women's rights.

Comments | 568 Views

By John Hudson

Apr 13, 2012

Debbie Wasserman Schultz Has a New 'Do

She's been a called everything from an "angry perm," to a "hair hero" and now, the Democrats' chief soundbite peddler, Debbie Wasserman Schultz has a new look.

Comments | 7,070 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 12, 2012

The Many Careers of Hilary Rosen

Hilary Rosen has had a lot of jobs: a Napster-killing lobbyist, the Huffington Post's political director, Democratic talking head on CNN, and, on Wednesday night, she became conservatives' current Enemy No. 1.

Comments | 2,459 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Apr 11, 2012

Obama Hopes the GOP Primary Is Gone but Not Forgotten

Remember those crazy days when Mitt Romney was struggling to defend himself as conservative enough against Rick Santorum in the Republican presidential primary? When was that? Oh yes, yesterday.

Comments | 475 Views

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