NEWS ABOUT: party politics
party politics stories: 9 news briefs
Senate honchos fume as newbie prepares to leapfrog to top jobs
The Hill Apr 30, 09 2:20 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Some top Democratic senators are rebelling against the deal that brought Arlen Specter into the fold, the Hill reports. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the aisle-crosser he could keep the 28 years of seniority he gained as a GOP senator, infuriating long-serving Democrats whom Specter will now likely leapfrog over to the top of important panels.
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analysis
FiveThirtyEight Apr 28, 09 9:46 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Now that Arlen Specter is flying the Democratic colors, his new party can expect a tangible—if modest—change in his voting behavior, writes Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com. "Democrats have ample reason to be pleased," writes Silver, who crunched the numbers of all previous congressional party-switchers. "Nevertheless, odds are that Specter will line up squarely in the conservative half of the Democratic caucus and will probably leave room to his left for a primary challenge."
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analysis
Dramatic shift in electorate favors liberals: poll
The Hill Jan 29, 09 12:49 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
Blue states are far bluer than red states are red, says a new Gallup poll. Party registrations favor Democrats—they lead by 10 or more percentage points in 29 states and the DC, compared to four states where Republicans dominate—suggesting that Dems can expand on ther gains they made in last year's elections, the Hill reports.
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OPINION
Obama will be one of the most powerful presidents of the modern era, says Politico
Politico Nov 5, 08 11:41 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
The election of a relatively young black man to the presidency carries obvious historical significance—but beyond the symbolism, John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei write for Politico, last night marked one of the most momentous political transformations in modern American history. The rout of the Republican party means that Barack Obama will be the most powerful Democratic president since LBJ ushered in the Great Society.
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Dissenting Dems, GOP want different changes
Bloomberg Sep 30, 08 1:39 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Senators are scrambling to revive legislation for the financial bailout after its surprise failure in the House yesterday, but must strike the right balance to attract new House votes without driving away initial supporters, Bloomberg reports. House Republicans want an expanded role for the FDIC in the bailout and for the SEC to assess the real value of the troubled securities before the government buys them.
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OPINION
We still don't know how the candidates think: Noonan
Wall Street Journal Sep 26, 08 11:42 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Barack Obama is rising in the polls, but he still seems “exotic”; John McCain is playing the maverick but his maneuvering on the bailout may have been “too cute.” In a week with “all categories upside-down and out the window,” it’s time for both candidates to explain how they think, and why they believe in their respective parties, Peggy Noonan writes in the Wall Street Journal .
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Candidates' private lives 'shouldn't be part of our politics,' Dem says
Chicago Tribune Sep 1, 08 4:13 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
Barack Obama sharply denied today any connection to rumors about Sarah Palin’s family, the Chicago Tribune reports. A John McCain staffer said earlier sites with “Barack Obama's name on them” were among those spreading the rumor that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter was the real mother of her youngest child. “Our people are not involved in any way on this,” the Democratic nominee shot back.
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OPINION
An Obama win will energize the struggling party, but McCain won't accomplish anything in office
Time Aug 29, 08 8:46 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
A John McCain win in November would be the worst loss Republicans have endured in decades, Peter Beinart writes in Time . On the other hand, an Obama win—and subsequent torrent of liberal legislation—would reinvigorate demoralized Republicans. If McCain takes the White House, he will likely compromise with Democratic lawmakers and rob the GOP of its conservative fervor.
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OPINION
Obama, McCain both aim to redirect parties
CNN Aug 23, 08 12:16 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
The presidential nominees are already decided—so why have conventions? “Money and publicity," Bill Schneider writes on CNN. Gala events are prime opportunities to milk donors, and high visibility has led “both parties try to control every minute of the convention as if it were a television show—because it is a television show.” But this year, writes Schneider, the convention hoopla hides two major shifts.
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