Special Coverage: Election 2008

McCain's Palin Gambit: Are Americans Weary of the Culture Wars?

Sanho Tree, AlterNet. September 6, 2008.
Sarah Palin's acceptance speech was heavy on rhetoric but light on substance. But ginning up the culture war may not work this time around.

From the blogs

Is Palin a Step Backwards for Women in Power?

by Suzanne Braun Levine, SuzanneBraunLevine.com

Sarah Palin is a milestone, for we achieve true gender equality when an incompetent woman goes as far as an incompetent man.

Fox News: 'McCain's TV Commercials Contain ... Out-Right Lies'

by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly

Wait, we're seriously talking about Fox News? The Fox News?

Van Halen, Heart, Others to GOP: Stop Using Our Songs!

by Dave Burdick, Huffington Post

GOP ignores copyrights, raises ire of multiple recording artists.

The McCain Campaign's Big McMansion Mystery Mistake

by dday, Hullabaloo

What exactly was that giant building on the screen behind John McCain last night?

McCain's Speech: Worst Acceptance Speech in Almost 30 Years?

by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

It was the same damn speech I've heard at every GOP convention for my entire life injected with a shot of POW.

The Republican Priorities: What The GOP Focused On (And Ignored) During The Convention

by Staff, Think Progress

A breakdown of what was mentioned, and what was avoided, at the RNC.

Republican National Convention: Whitest in Forty Years

by Blue Texan, Firedoglake

As America diversifies, the GOP goes against the grain.

Talk About Bad Planning: McCain to Speak Tonight, the Start of Football Season

by Steven Reynolds, The All Spin Zone

McCain has got some big time competition tonight on the TV dial. Talk about bad planning.

Giuliani and Palin Use Racist Dog Whistle in Speeches

by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

Treating 'activist' like a dirty word is bad, using it to invoke racism is much, much worse.

Steelworkers President Slams Palin: 'Stop Using Your Husband's Membership in the USW as a Prop'

by Ali, Think Progress

The head of the United Steelworkers union (USW) isn't pleased.

As Vets Take to the Streets to Protest the War, McCain Snubs IVAW at the RNC

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. September 6, 2008.
"War hero" McCain voted against healthcare funding for veterans in 2003, '04, '05, '06 and '07. Now veterans are confronting him on his record.

Obama's Biden Pick Signals 'More of the Same' Stupid Drug Policies

Paul Armentano, AlterNet. September 6, 2008.
Joe Biden authored the laws establishing the White House drug czar and random drug testing of public employees, among others.

Exposing Five Dangerous Lies in McCain's Big Speech

AlterNet. September 6, 2008.
McCain's falsehoods on health care, oil companies, trade, taxes and worker training were egregious and covered up his pro-corporate positions.

Why McCain and the GOP Are So Afraid of Discussing the Economy

Frances Moore Lappe, Huffington Post. September 5, 2008.
Whether rich, poor or somewhere in between, Americans always do better economically under Democrats.

GOP's Plan for Palin: Reignite the Culture Wars

Jay Rosen, Huffington Post. September 5, 2008.
Republicans will try to spin Palin's shortcoming into strengths, by revving up the culture wars.

Amy Goodman: Why We Were Falsely Arrested

Amy Goodman, Truthdig. September 5, 2008.
Government crackdowns on journalists are a true threat to democracy.

Palin Pick Is GOP Hypocrisy at its Best

Laura Flanders, AlterNet. September 5, 2008.
Will the media test her on substance or let her play "Ms. Congeniality?" It is up to the public to see through the fact-free diet we're being fed.

McCain Uses His Big Speech to Give Us a Tour of His Vietnamese Prison Cell

David Corn, MotherJones.com. September 5, 2008.
Number of sentences in John McCain's RNC speech about being a POW in Vietnam: 43. Number about his 25 years in the House and Senate: 8.

Country Club First: Walking Around in the RNC's Wonderland

Andy Kroll, AlterNet. September 4, 2008.
A visit inside the GOP bubble mindset.

Palin's Speech Tactic: Substitute Cultural Symbols for Actual Policies

Robert Kuttner, AlterNet. September 4, 2008.
In this strategy, every Democratic misstep is inflated into a cultural parable, while gaping holes in the Republican story are neatly sidestepped.

Palin: The Latest GOP Distraction the Dems Shouldn't Buy

Bob Herbert, The New York Times. September 4, 2008.
Sarah Palin may look like an easy target, but the Democrats should be cautious of how far they push.

Readers Write: What the Palin Pick Means for America

Tana Ganeva, Isaac Fitzgerald, AlterNet. September 4, 2008.
AlterNet readers weigh in on McCain's pick of Gov. Sarah Palin, the many skeletons in her closet, and what it all means for the country.

Palin Fails by Her Own Standards

Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet. September 4, 2008.
Palin went on attack Wednesday night, deriding Democrats, mischaracterizing Obama and insulting Americans, who she must think won't know any better.

The Battle Between McCain and Bush: The Cancelled First Night, The "Furious" President and the Palin Gambit

Sidney Blumenthal, Huffington Post. September 3, 2008.
The cancellation of the first night of the Republican National Convention marks the renewal of the rivalry between George W. Bush and John McCain.

Palin Helps Alaska Get Rich Off Oil While the Rest of the Country Suffers

Robert Scheer, Truthdig. September 3, 2008.
We're all part of one nation. So why do the people of Alaska get a cut of oil company profits when the rest of us don't?

A Peek Inside Obama's Formidable Ground Campaign

Susannah Vila, AlterNet. September 3, 2008.
A visit to a Camp Obama training session reveals a focus on using volunteers to talk about issues with potential voters.

Palin Has Chosen to Exploit Her Own Daughter's Pregnancy

Bonnie Fuller, Huffington Post. September 3, 2008.
If Palin succeeds in "normalizing" her daughter's pregnancy, will other teen girls look at this and say what is the problem with having a baby?