What’s the point of waiting for General David Petraeus’s report from Iraq on how the newish US policy is faring? Most of the right will welcome whatever good news can be gleaned from it while most of the left will denounce any such news as propaganda and deny that anything good or even half-way positive
Memo to Senator David Vitter: This is how you do it. Paddy Agnew, reporting from Rome for The Irish Times , writes: What does a public figure do when caught in flagrante with a prostitute? If you are an Italian deputy, the best line of defence would appear to be all-out attack, brazen it out
Not a great surprise that Dick Cheney should look kindly on Fred Thompson’s odd campaign for the Presidency, given that the Vice-President’s daughter has already signed up to this nonsense. Nonetheless it was good of Cheney to essentially confirm this on Larry King Live: “I’m totally neutral in the upcoming presidential contest. I will support
Fed up with Iraq? Want to knock some heads together to press for a political solution? Seeking leverage to do so? Here’s your chance… The reunited Spice Girls are letting “fans” vote to decide which unfortunate city should be added to their forthcoming world tour. In what is either an act of some bravura or
Brilliant. From the Sydney Morning Herald: After recent items on weird conditions for public transport there has been a flurry of mail, but we may have to close the correspondence after this, from Kim Meredith, of Ainslie, ACT: “My favourite ticketing system was in Mumbai, India,” Kim enthuses. “No one actually buys a ticket, but
British readers may not have seen this yet. The follow-up to the extraordinarily successful Obama Girl video pits the Democratic team against a posse of Rudy Giuliani’s admirers. It’s all good. How long before someone does a Brown vs Cameron version?
David Frum looks at the GOP’s slide in support amongst voters under 30 and doesn’t like what he sees: White young people continue to favor Republicans by a thin but real margin of 2 points. The Democrats owe their advantage among youth to a huge lead among young African-Americans (78 points) – and a very
One of the other great glories of the British press is cartooning. Drawing (ha!) their inspiration from a tradition that stretches back to Hogarth and Gillray, today’s cartoonists take pride in their often savage, scabrous wit. They take a proper pride in their lack of reverence – which is presumably why the stuffy New York
Of course I agree with Megan that dog-fighting is a bad, even wicked thing. Still, I was struck by her (cutting) question: did Michael Vick and his pals think that by – allegedly! – executing and torturing dogs that had lost fights this would be a case of pour encourager les autres? Voltaire’s famous quip
Remember that book, He’s Just Not That into You: The No-Excuses Guide to Understanding Guys? There are times when I think Britons should remember this message when they consider the nature of the so-called “Special Relationship” between Britain and the United States. Today is one of those occasions when one is reminded again – as
As so often I’m late to a brouhaha. The vexed question of the day is whether American Democrats should call themselves Progressives or Liberals. Well, the former has some advantages, not the least of which being that it would allow Adam Smith’s admirers to reclaim the liberal banner and wave it with ever-greater gusto. Still,
It looks like the Dirty Digger has won his battle to take control of The Wall Street Journal. Unlike many people I don’t believe this means the sky will fall. I’ve written about Rupert Murdoch and the gruesome Bancrofts here and here. Shorter version: Rupe has no incentive to change the Journal’s newsroom structure and
Naturally I should have mentioned this a month ago before the Tour de France began, not now that it’s finished – though thoughts on the Tour and the continued jackassery of much cycling coverage will be posted when my blood has recovered from a) boiling and b) my own EPO transfers (kidding). Anyway, sports buffs
Memo to terrorists: you’ve missed your opportunity. It’s too late now. Just pack up and go home. John Smeaton – the Pride of the Clyde and scourge of terrorists everywhere – returns to work today. Mr Smeaton, sharp-brained readers will recall, is the baggage handler who famously “set aboot” the lunatics who tried to bomb
While Gordon Brown visits Camp David for the first time as Prime Minister (on which more later), David Cameron takes stock. The Tories have been surprised by the goodwill that seems to have accompanied Brown as he begins his time in office. The Brown honeymoon has been all sweetness and joy, prompting thoughts that Broon
Quote for the Day: “In Washington, achievement is measured by how much legislation is passed and how much money is spent, not by whether the nation’s interests are advanced.” Cato’s Dan Griswold rolls his eyes (one assumes) at the House’s “great achievement” in passing the new and monstrous Farm Bill.
UPDATE: Welcome TNR Plank people. Nice to see y’all again… Gordon Brown’s approach to the United States has followed the traditional “Good cop, Bad Cop” approach. Having let his subordinates off the leash to disparage US foreign policy and hint that Washington should no longer be able to count on whole-hearted British support, Brown today
This interesting story about jury duty in Baltimore brought to mind that old and favourite line from an Irish judge: You have been acquitted by a Limerick jury and may leave this court with no other stain upon your character.
Sunday’s New York Times travel section has a 36-hour guide to what to do and see in Edinburgh. Unfortunately it’s terrible, listing rotten pubs and feeble restaurants. Though it’s a) questionable how much attention people pay to this sort of mini-guide anyway and b) I can’t hope to defeat the NYT, let me say that
Peter Suderman and Isaac Chotiner each highlight an interview with Matt Damon (who is promoting the latest Jason Bourne thrilla, The Bourne Ultimatum). I like Damon. He’s an increasingly interesting actor and his excellent performance in The Good Shepherd last year was every bit as under-rated as the movie itself. Nevertheless, he’s also an ass.