Pundits Pile on Stumbling Mac

He's giving away a must-win fight on the economy

(NEWSER) - Taxes should be an easy issue for John McCain, as he’s running against a Democrat “who says matter-of-factly that he wants to raise” them. So the Wall Street Journal wonders why he appears to be giving away his advantage. Given a chance to voice his support for private retirement accounts, he told ABC only that “I am a supporter of sitting down together and putting everything on the table and coming up with an answer.” More»

Emotions ran high during health reform debate

(NEWSER) - As the health reform debate reached a fever pitch last year, so too did the threats against lawmakers. The FBI investigated at least 26 threats last year, according to documents obtained by the Hill, a significant upswing from the previous year, and more than any other year on record. Nearly half of those cases came in the weeks surrounding the health care vote in March, with many threats seemingly intent on influencing lawmakers' votes on the bill. More»

In new book, ex-prez discusses Lewinsky, Yeltsin's drunken caper

(NEWSER) - Between 1993 and 2001, historian Taylor Branch met regularly with then-President Clinton for a series of taped interviews. The transcripts form the basis of a new book, The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President, to be released next week. USA Today got a look and singles out some highlights:

• Secret Service agents had to corral a drunk Boris Yeltsin trying to hail a cab on Pennsylvania Avenue—wearing only his underwear. The Russian leader, who was bunking at Blair House, told them he wanted a pizza.

House votes tomorrow on measure to cut greenhouse gases

(NEWSER) - Al Gore is engaging in phone diplomacy today as the House prepares to vote on a landmark climate bill tomorrow. Original plans called for the former VP to appear in person, but Nancy Pelosi says lawmakers are close enough to an agreement that it's not necessary. Others offer a less optimistic take, telling the Hill the vote is so close, Pelosi needs Gore to wheedle recalcitrant Democrats one by one rather than wasting time traveling. More»

(NEWSER) - Republicans are slamming Nancy Pelosi for saying she felt she had no recourse when informed of harsh interrogation tactics in 2003, Politico reports. “If she felt it was wrong, she should have acted,” John McCain said. Some critics suggest the House speaker could have written a letter or requested a meeting with the president. A Pelosi aide said, “We were not in a position to change the policy.” More»