Read His Lips

"My opponent won't rule out raising taxes. But I will. And the Congress will push me to raise taxes and I'll say no. And they'll push, and I'll say no, and they'll push again, and I'll say, to them, 'Read my lips: no new taxes.' "Vice President George H.W. BushAug. 18, 1988George Stephanopoulos: [Y]our critics say it is a tax increase.Barack Obama: My critics say everything is a tax increase. My critics say that I'm taking over every sector of the...

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Winning By Losing

Occasionally in the past, I've heard it said that, at times, it is possible to win by losing.I heard that — or its equivalent — said a lot in the lead–up to today's Supreme Court ruling on the legal challenge to the so–called Obamacare legislation.Initially, I was inclined to think it was pre–emptive spinning — to mitigate defeat, not boast of victory.Because, you see, both sides seemed to be convinced — to some extent — that the High Court was going...

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Choosing a Running Mate

With the primaries over and the battle for the Republican presidential nomination apparently decided, political writers find themselves in an historically dreary period until the parties gather for their conventions.It is at this time when there is much speculation about the ultimate identity of at least one of the major parties' running mates.Of course, in 2012, we already know the name of one of the running mates. That would be Joe Biden, the incumbent...

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The Smoking Gun

In an historical context, it's ironic that Barack Obama should claim executive privilege this week.For two years, Richard Nixon got away with telling the American people that he was not involved in the Watergate coverup.As time passed, fewer and fewer Americans believed what Nixon said, but his story (until he was forced to acknowledge otherwise) was that he hadn't known of the involvement of high–ranking White House officials until long after the...

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Rose Mary's Boo-Boo

Rose Mary Woods re–enacts the "Rose Mary Stretch" for photographers.The official accounts of the Watergate break–in and its subsequent coverup all say that the Oval Office conversation in which the so–called "smoking gun" was found to be in Richard Nixon's hand occurred 40 years ago Saturday.But it's possible — if not probable — that the gun had been smoldering for a few days.Actually, all the evidence and testimony suggest that the Nixon White House's...

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My Goddaughter's Birthday

This is a special day.Today is my goddaughter Nikki's 25th birthday.I never had a sister, but I know from my experiences with my mother and my grandmothers that ladies don't like to disclose their ages — so I figure this is probably the last time Nikki will let me get away with that.But I want to mention it for two reasons really — a person's 25th birthday is an important milestone, one that I want to be sure to observe, and knowing how old she is...

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Forty Years Since the Watergate Break-in

"The absurdity of the idea still appalls in retrospect — the idea that there were secrets of value to anyone in the brawling, boisterous, open Democratic Party, whose appeal to the American people for so many generations had come from its air of humanity, its common vulgarity. The national Democratic Party is not a conspiracy; it is a continuing commotion, baffling to all logical, managerial–minded men. But the buggers and their superiors were insisting...

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The Challenge to 'Tear Down This Wall'

"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"Ronald ReaganJune 12, 1987Presidents are remembered for saying many things.In what tend to be their more honorable moments, presidents are remembered for statements they make in speeches.In what tend to be their less honorable moments, presidents are remembered for things they say in more private and confidential settings...

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The Age of Miracles

My father had a heart attack on Sunday.There was a time in my life when a heart attack or a diagnosis of cancer was the same as a death sentence.But, in my lifetime, I have seen so many conditions that conventional wisdom once regarded as terminal reduced to survivable by the march of medical science.My father is a prime example of that.He had his heart attack on Sunday. On Tuesday, he had bypass surgery, after which he was taken to intensive care, which is SOP. Tonight, he is in his room — apparently, he's been sleeping all day — and his doctor...

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Operating Without a Net

I realize it is foolhardy to make blanket assertions, but I feel relatively safe in saying that most Americans have probably been to a circus at some point in their lives — or at least they have seen video clips of a circus on television.There are all kinds of attractions at a circus. Some are relatively benign, but some of the most enduringly thrilling acts ever seen involve tightrope walkers and trapeze artists. Over the years, the phrase "death...

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The Silver Lining

As I have observed here before, I grew up in Arkansas.And when I was growing up, there was a saying that nearly everyone around me could be heard to utter, at one time or another: "Thank God for Mississippi!"I don't know how long they were saying that in Arkansas — and it's been awhile since I lived there, so they may well be saying it still ... for all I know. But it was always an article of faith, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it still is.It stemmed from the fact that Arkansas usually ranked 48th or 49th in nearly every category — but...

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You Can't Spin This

I've seen this countless times before — and, as Weird Al Yankovic put it in his parody of MC Hammer's hip hop song, I can't watch this. I feel as if I have seen this before, and I don't want to watch this again.But I don't really have a choice.The monthly jobless report was released today, and, in the wake of recent economic reports, it came as no surprise to learn that unemployment went up to 8.2% in May. It was, however, a bit of a surprise that only 69,000 jobs were added to the economy in May — and, considering the fact that job gains in recent...

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