'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
There were some distinct shortcomings in press coverage marking the death of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. "This was a women who changed the world. And here we get journalists who are talking about her purse, her hairstyle or whether she flirted with Ronald Reagan. This treatment really is noting more than lazy shorthand, if not a complete intellectual deficit," historian and Reagan biographer Craig Shirley tells Inside the Beltway.
America's biggest right-wing teach-in/gabfest/fireworks show kicks off Thursday when the annual Conservative Political Action Conference convenes, 40 years after the U.S. withdrew from Vietnam, the Supreme Court issued Roe v. Wade and CPAC was born.
Though years in the brewing, the internal fight over the direction of the Republican Party has exploded onto front pages and political talk shows this month after strategist Karl Rove announced the formation of a new political action committee designed to promote more electable candidates.
A bristling group of 25 traditional conservatives are out to protect one of their own in a new push against the "establishment Republicans" of Karl Rove's American Crossroads.
"There's been a lot written about this movie; some of it has popped off the entertainment page to the news page. And from time to time, some of you might have wondered if we would have liked to comment on some of that coverage, and the answer is yes," said Mark Boal, writer of "Zero Dark Thirty," during his acceptance speech for best picture at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards on Monday.
Like clockwork, traditional-values voters are being blamed for the failure of a moderate GOP presidential candidate.
Rumors that Mitt Romney's campaign materials suffer disgraceful defacement around the nation appear to be true. And here's one more example. Solitary pro-Romney lawn signs in a heavily Democratic neighborhood have been draped with, uh, used doggie-doo disposal bags in recent days. This news comes from a comfortable enclave of supposed civility in the Maryland suburbs near the nation's capital.
Rip Torn, Richard Crenna and James Brolin are among the many actors who portrayed President Ronald Reagan in one Hollywood production or another. Now add Michael Douglas to the list.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has emerged as one of three Republican officeholders who political handicappers say have the most potential to unify the party and boost the fortunes of GOP standard-bearer Mitt Romney as a running mate in November.
Former first lady Nancy Reagan observed the eighth anniversary of her husband's passing Tuesday, sitting quietly by his grave site before a granite wall inscribed with a quote from Ronald Reagan that articulates the optimism so many Republicans now seek.
If Mitt Romney hopes to go toe-to-toe this fall with President Obama, the former Massachusetts governor needs to show he can fish for small-dollar donors as well as reeling in the big-cash catch.
It's 18 days until the next Republican presidential primary, leaving political junkies wondering what to do with themselves until April 24. A panacea? Surveys and nice wonkish takes on the old horse race ought to help.
Rep. Darrell E. Issa has set a deadline of Thursday for Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
Election fatigue: Seven out of 10 Americans can't wait for the 2012 presidential campaign to be over, preferring to "fast-forward" to the end, says Gallup analyst Jeffrey Jones.
When in doubt, say, "Ronald Reagan."
Craig Shirley, a Ronald Reagan biographer, said the internal fight goes back decades to the GOP's presidential nomination battles in 1952, 1964 and 1976, which pitted moderates against conservatives, and reflects a sense among some conservatives that big-government Republicanism has run roughshod over their own limited-government philosophy — in particular during George W. Bush's reign.
Tea partyers fight for right-thinking GOP; electability vs. principle at issue →
"Bushism," said Mr. Shirley, "is closer to Obamaism than it is to Reaganism."
Tea partyers fight for right-thinking GOP; electability vs. principle at issue →
