Essays & Opinion
Oil sheen spreading from new Gulf platform explosion
A mile-long oil sheen spread Thursday from an offshore petroleum platform burning in the Gulf of Mexico off Lousiana, west of the site of BP's massive spill. [Link]
Chris Christie picked the wrong guy to call a liar
You can certainly understand why Chris Christie threw his education commissioner, Bret Schundler, under the bus last week. After all, it was Schundler's department that botched the state's "Race to the Top" application, costing New Jersey five points on its application — the … [Link]
Jan Brewer: Bumbling politician of the year
Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, considered by many to be a rising star because of her immigration battle with the Obama administration, gave a painfully awful opening statement in a gubernatorial debate last night. [Link]
Earl threatens East Coast with weekend pounding
Hurricane Earl packed winds near 140 mph as it blew toward North Carolina on Thursday, putting the Eastern Seaboard up to Maine on alert for a Labor Day weekend pounding by waves, gales and rain. [Link]
Giuliani consulting firm winds down
Ever wonder what Rudy Giuliani's been up to lately besides campaigning against the "ground zero mosque"? [Link]
When the stock market doesn't matter
This originally appeared on Robert Reich's blog [Link]
The profound mystery of the "enthusiasm gap"
I'm somewhat pressed for time today, but wanted to note the following items just from the last 24 hours, all of which are significant in their own right and, taken together, make an important point: [Link]
The ever-expanding tentacles of the Glenn Beck brand
It’s been obvious for quite some time that Glenn Beck is not your typical conservative pundit. In the early days of Beckmania, style distinguished him from his Fox News colleagues more than content. He disseminated the same talking points as Hannity, O’Reilly and Cavuto, but he did it … [Link]
Astroturf U: Goldman's For-Profit College Battles Obama Crackdown
It's a classic move by an industry player feeling the squeeze of pending regulation: Hire a lobbying firm to create the appearance of widespread opposition via a carefully stage-managed astroturf campaign. One of the latest outfits to give this strategy a try: Education Management Corporation … [Link]
What's Killing the Babies of Kettleman City?
[Editor's Note: See a related photo essay here. ] THE FIRST BABY'S NAME was America. She was born in September 2007, with Down syndrome, two heart murmurs, and part of her upper lip missing. She couldn't suck from a nipple, so her mother, Magdalena Romero, would stay up through the … [Link]
Kettleman City's Toxic Web
In the small Latino farmworker community of Kettleman City, California, at least 11 babies in the past three years have been born with serious birth defects, and several infants have died. Residents blame the recent spate of tragedy on the vast hazardous-waste dump three miles from town. But … [Link]
Are Swing District Dems Toast?
As he walks the quiet Main Street of Farmville, Virginia, Rep. Tom Perriello has his work cut out for him. Wearing khakis, brown boots, and an open-collar shirt in the 100-degree heat, the freshman Democrat pops into stores and offices—he's not always recognized—and asks how … [Link]
Glenn Beck's George Washington Whopper
During his much-ballyhooed "Restoring Honor" rally on Saturday, Glenn Beck told a whopper involving the founding father who was supposedly unable to tell a lie: George Washington. Speechifying at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, the controversial Fox News host highlighted the legacy of … [Link]
Michael Winship: The Awful Price for Teaching Less than We Know
(Photo by Robin Holland ) Below is an article by Public Affairs Television senior writer Michael Winship. The Awful Price for Teaching Less than We Know By Michael Winship Watching Glenn Beck's performance Saturday at his "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington, DC, I thought of the … [Link]
We Are Not Invisible
As Fox News, the New York Post , and other right-wing media outlets are stirring up emotions over the so-called "terror mosque" planned near the site of the World Trade Center, I can't help but think back to the few days I spent in southern Ohio as a volunteer for the Obama campaign … [Link]
Art After the Quake
In this week’s magazine, Amy Wilentz writes about the upcoming Presidential election in Haiti , where a million people are still homeless or semi-homeless after the January 12th earthquake. The disaster brought destruction but also inspiration: here are some works of art made by Haitian … [Link]
Jules Feiffer, Sketchy Character
In his new memoir, Backing Into Forward , Jules Feiffer describes channeling dyslexia, anxiety, and a troubled childhood into a prolific career. "There's some brain damage," he jokes, "but I've never met a cartoonist who isn't quirky or weird in some ways." … [Link]
The Hardest Job in Washington
The office might be that of a regional sales director for a midsize company—a modest space, adorned by little more than family photos, a "Fightin' Phillies" banner, and a shelf of binders bearing labels like "Northeast" and "Midwest." Four blocks from the … [Link]
Politico Headlines:
