Matthews: Hillary Jab Was 'Nasty'

MSNBC host's celebrity isn't all that, and Franken didn't exactly win, either

(NEWSER) - Chris Matthews seems determined to run for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2010, but beating Republican Arlen Specter isn’t his only problem, Steve Kornacki writes in the New York Observer. The MSNBC host is a cipher to 60% of the electorate, and there are other qualified, ambitious Democrats in the state. And Al Franken showed celebrity is no lock even in a winnable race. More»

Did Clinton, Palin candidacies move feminism forward?

(NEWSER) - If Barack Obama wins the presidency, we’ll have broken a major barrier—but not the glass ceiling, writes Anne Kornblut in the Washington Post. Hillary Clinton claimed millions of votes and Sarah Palin energized a lackluster conservative base overnight, but as their candidacies descended into chaos, Kornblut asks "whether the first woman's path to the White House was eased this year—or whether Clinton and Palin simply unearthed the land mines without defusing any." More»

NOW gives Dem its first nod since Ferraro

(AP) - Six women's rights groups endorsed Barack Obama for president yesterday, asserting the historic selection of Sarah Palin does not make up for John McCain's lack of support on issues important to women. One of those groups was the National Organization for Women, which has not endorsed a presidential candidate since Walter Mondale ran with Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. More»

But her rise has its benefits, Steinem says

(NEWSER) - Republicans may have thrown Sarah Palin a grand old party last night, but Americans can see through the bluster, Gloria Steinem opines in the Los Angeles Times. “This isn’t the first time a boss has picked an unqualified woman just because she agrees with him and opposes everything most other women want and need,” the feminist writes. More»

AK gov. steals Dems' after-glow; could attract indy, Hillary voters

(NEWSER) - John McCain turned heads by choosing Sarah Palin today as his running mate, and the Weekly Standard explains why she’s the right woman for the job.

• Democrats just wrapped their glitzy convention, but the Sunday talk shows will be abuzz with Palin chatter.
• The mother of five softens McCain’s “crotchety” image and revives his reputation as “fly-boy and gambler."