The language of the victims

It makes a difference what language your victims speak.  By targeting foreigners and wealthy Indian elites, the Mumbai terrorists have received saturation coverage — at least in U.S. media.
Why?  For one thing, it is a national U.S. holiday, and there’s little domestic news to report.  But equally important — so many of the Mumbai victims [...]

Deepak Chopra, CNN Analyst

I always found the export of “Indian spirituality” to be a dubious industry.  Somewhere between the foreigner-oriented ashrams and the exchange of dollars into rupees, I smelled a little exotification.  Still, I maintained a healthy skepticism towards my skepticism.  In concept, there was nothing wrong with the idea of one nation’s ideas being exported to [...]

“India’s 9/11″

It is a curious thing, this business of labels.  The terrible attacks in Mumbai could easily be called 11/26, but instead, the corner of the screen says “India’s 9/11″.

Political video antics

This partisan stuff is fun to watch, but you shouldn’t take it too seriously:

McCain wanted to be president.  He opposed Bush … because he wanted to be president.  After he lost to Bush, he supported Bush … because he wanted to be president.

The Palin weave…

So now Governor Sarah Palin is talking about abortion.  At a time when the economy is front and center, why is Sarah Palin veering from the “Obama hangs out with terrorists” line to the “Obama is an abortion radical” line of attack?
Simple — it’s a headline.  And when two headlines compete for an editor’s biggest [...]

Palin: The attack behind the attack

The McCain campaign has been quite clear:  the gloves are coming off.  Governor Sarah Palin has already started leveling tired accusations of Obama hosting fondue parties with former 60s terrorists.
But why?  And why now?  Why right now?  Yes, McCain’s behind in the polls.  Yes, the economy is bad.  But there’s even more at stake:

The downside of “experience”

As we sat in the urban-chic diner, Michael ticked off the reasons why he thought the election was Obama’s to lose.   Among them?  Support for the Democrat in the media.
It was a funny moment — a liberal friend siding with the conservative accusation.
Later, as I did my nightly newsjunkie dance across the web, I once [...]

Debating the debates: The ploy behind the ploy

Was U.S. Senator John McCain really thinking he’d ditch this Friday’s presidential debate?  The more I think about it, the less likely it seems. The underlying goal appears to be something a bit more clever.
Most of the coverage has been focused on McCain’s proposal to postpone the presidential debates as an end unto itself.  “Is [...]

It’s time … for Bill O’Reilly

First, The View goes after John McCain.  Now conservative commentator Bill O’Reilly takes on Barack Obama.  And you know what happens?
We get some of the most interesting political debates that TV has to offer.
When media coverage is focused on talking points, America suffers.  When office-seekers have to dust it up with in-your-face hosts, the rest [...]

Eight years in four minutes

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own….
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemies’ eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
“Now the old king is dead, long live the king!”