The murders at Virginia Tech are rightly regarded as a national tragedy.

Mr. Olbermann pointed out that (notwithstanding that tragedy, and with no intent to diminish its unspeakable horror and impact) that the same toll of American lives is taken every 10 days in Iraq.

I explicitly point out the contrast which Keith left eloquently implicit: issues of class and race pervade the media coverage and apparent national concern of these two stories. The deaths in Iraq are no less a national tragedy because they happen a bit more slowly. The deaths in Iraq are no less a national tragedy because they happen to kids who come from families that are a bit less affluent. The deaths in Iraq are no less a national tragedy because they happen to kids who are slightly less educated, or slightly less likely to be white. Where is the 24/7 coverage? Where is the nationally televised convocation? Where is the frightened, deeply personal horror and outrage? Where is the urgent demand for explanation and understanding?

I extend this contrast to the epidemic of violent death in our cities. The AP reports that Philadelphia’s murder rate rose to 1 per day for 2007. These deaths are no less a tragedy because they are a product of structural poverty or pervasive drug crime. Again the toll is the same, only the frequency changes: one day of insanity in Blacksburg, ten days of a misguided war of our choice in Iraq, one month of business as usual in the same city where our nation’s Constitution was drafted. Where is the outrage?

(Off topic: Thank you Mr. Halberstam, Vaya con Dios.)

With the Administration crawling away from the wreckage of another bad week, the DoD announces the capture of one of "al-Qaida's most senior and most experienced operatives".

Oh, by the way, he was detained more than 4 months ago.

Well, at least he's not yet another "#2 man"; we've already got the complete collector's edition of those.

January 20th, 2009.

"Everybody tells me so"--Paul & John

Poor Mitt, he'll have to go back down into to the Bain Capital asset-stripping mines to beef up his sons' trust funds....

The decline of the War Room bugs me, too--especially over the past few months. At the current slow rate of comments/updates I'm not sure my attention span is gonna last past November.

Over the weekend I looked for some analysis or comment on the Pakistan election--no joy. Lucky enough to catch some BBC as I headed off to bed. Which will survive longer: War Room or the Clinton Campaign??

For the sake of the Cuban people, I hope the coming transition is smooth. But since they were resilient enough to survive the early 90's I imagine they will handle any change easily.

For the sake of US domestic politics, I hope this announcement reduces the traction of the old Cuban right in Florida and increases the influence of the second/third generation Cuban-Americans.

The final sequence in "The Candidate" involved the Senator-Elect asking that question of his campaign manager in a hotel room, just before the Bill McKay is pulled out into an entire hotel full of energized optimistic supporters.

Sound like any present Democratic candidate?

Alone? In a limo? Yeah, kinda like that.

Click on Ascher's other letters: s/he's a self-proclaimed Rudy Guliani supporter.

Consider the source.

"Zogby, bitches!"

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1451

Your keyboard to God's ear (or server, pda, phone, whatever)!

Boy, jury selection! That's a highly substantive news story Alex.

I'm sure you don't want that bothersome Mark Penn item to appear as the top story on War Room for too long just one day before OH and TX....

Alex, this story's an evergreen!

If you comment on every procedural step in the Rezko trial, War Room can feature a story following each preliminary hearing, each motion hearing, heck each time either party files a piece of paper!

It could be like Dateline on the Iranian Hostage Crisis: Rezko/Obama Trial--Day 444!

Just make sure you dutifully reprint the Clinton Campaign "concern" press release, verbatim, with each new procedural "development".

Link: http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=177060&title=obama-in-iraq

Are there lethal skeletons in Jindal's closet or is he merely getting ahead of the traffic jam as the first rat off a sinking ship?

But when are stoners ever on time? Heh-heh....

'Sentence first - verdict afterwards.'

Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Ch 12.

Snap! And damn! (Hee-heee.)

1. Drinking tequila,

2. Thinking 'bout old girlfriends,

3. Putting faith in polls (especially "leaked" exit polls!).

Can it be November 5th yet, please? I can't stand it much longer!

Serious, irony-free question.

(Between penultimate semester at law school, the campaign, and roofers starting work early and loudly this week I'm a little bit sleep deprived.)

Because he was a losing primary candidate?

Because of his late decision between Clinton and Obama?

No dog in this hunt, but my impression of Richardson remains quite positive.

Thanks, ce. I guess Bill Richardson is paying the price for loyalty.

It seems simply hypocritical to me that Hillary "hard working white people" Clinton is deemed a winner, yet Richardson is deemed a loser for being late to the party. But what the heck, it's Joan's editorial world, faithfully executed by her subs Alex and Tom. Richardson displayed loyalty to a former boss, backed Obama when push came to shove, and can take some credit for delivering New Mexico. I agree w/GrammyPat, on my list he's a Winner

Concur with all the Winner nominations for Howard Dean, his national vision bore fruit. He is vindicated. This from a 2004 Kerry guy who heard a lot of derisive talk about Dean back then.