September 11, 2009 – 1:30 pm
More on White House speechwriting in September 2001. Though the period was obviously full of tension and concern, there were several lighthearted moments, too. For instance, at one meeting – it might have been on September 12th – when the speech staff was spit-balling ideas for the president’s sure-to-come address to the nation, one of […]
September 11, 2009 – 10:50 am
Quick story about the mechanics of speechwriting on September 11, 2001. On that day I was working as a research assistant in the White House speechwriting office. Later in the week, President Bush was to re-dedicate the Old Executive Office Building as the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Given the building’s history – it once housed elements of […]
September 10, 2009 – 9:10 am
Regardless of whether anyone was watching, or anyone watching was persuadable on the issue of health care, President Obama’s health care address last night will be chalked up as a victory for one reason: He lowered his expectations. The president confirmed last night that he doesn’t want health care reform anymore; he wants health insurance […]
September 9, 2009 – 6:24 am
In an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal, Sarah Palin goes head-to-head with President Obama on health care. While giving a wink (and a wave) to her “death panels” coinage that came to dominate public conversation, Governor Palin steers clear of any incendiary rhetoric, instead offering a solid point-by-point rebuttal of some of the president’s […]
September 8, 2009 – 11:11 am
Matt Latimer is trying to sell a book and to do that he’s employed two strategies that have worked for others: (1) take an idea with a kernel of reason and pop it into something “bold” and “contrarian”; (2) and this applies to former Bush Administration staffers trying to sell books – say something negative about […]
September 7, 2009 – 9:17 pm
President Obama’s socialist indoctrination script for schoolchildren was unleashed released today (Labor Day – workers of the world, indeed) and he offers just enough to raise conservatives’ hackles: You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and […]
September 4, 2009 – 3:03 pm
I don’t tend to agree with presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs, but I think he’s correct that criticism of President Obama’s plan to address the nation’s schoolchildren next week is “silly.” Conservatives should be careful where they tread on this issue. While skepticism of government intrusion is a conservative touchstone, so is respect for authority. Not […]
September 2, 2009 – 4:20 pm
Finally heeding my advice*, President Obama is planning to get more explicit about what he wants out of health care reform during an address to Congress and the nation Wednesday night. While much of the country may think, “Seriously? Again with the primetime?” the president could do himself some real good if he uses the forum […]
August 30, 2009 – 5:04 pm
John Kerry is like an old toy you don’t think you like anymore, but then you pick it up after six months and you’re like, “Oh, yeah, I remember how fun this was!” Case in point: Here’s John Kerry, talking to Time magazine this weekend about health care reform and what it means to be […]
August 28, 2009 – 9:40 am
New Washington Post-ABC News poll today that is supposed to be good news for President Obama and congressional Democrats, but probably isn’t. The details: Most Americans approve of the way President Obama is handling energy issues and support efforts by him and Democrats in Congress to overhaul energy policy — including the controversial cap-and-trade approach […]
August 26, 2009 – 10:56 am
Memories of Senator Ted Kennedy will be in many minds and hearts today and in the coming months. Here are links to two of Senator Kennedy’s more famous recent speeches: his endorsement of Barack Obama for president in the winter of 2008 and his rousing speech at least year’s Democratic convention. Both speeches exemplify the […]
August 25, 2009 – 11:27 am
It’s a tough time for financial services firms to hold their ground in favor of free market economics. Given their lack of popularity and their IV drip of government funds, most money companies don’t have any leeway to resist government overreach. Which is why it’s refreshing to see Chuck Schwab make a run at America’s […]
August 24, 2009 – 11:07 am
The Republican Party is out today with a new Seniors’ Health Care Bill of Rights. As described by party chairman Michael Steele in the Washington Post, the guarantees include: Protecting, not cutting, Medicare; Prohibiting government from getting between seniors and their doctors; Outlawing any effort to ration health care based on age; Preventing government from […]
August 20, 2009 – 6:46 am
The editorialists at the Wall Street Journal have been listening closely to President Obama’s town halls on health care and what they’ve heard implicates the president as his own fiercest opponent. A sample: Maybe you’re starting to fret about all those bureaucrats and bean-counters again. You shouldn’t, according to Mr. Obama. “The only thing I […]
