Tag Archives: The Daily Beast


False Flags, Sharia Law, and Gun Grabs: GOP Lawmakers Embrace The Crazy – The Daily Beast

A few days after the Boston bombings, Stella Tremblay went to Glenn Beck’s Facebook page to express her conviction that the terror attack was, in fact, orchestrated by the U.S. government. “The Boston Marathon was a Black Ops ‘terrorist’ attack,” … Continue reading

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Mark Sanford Ditched by NRCC, but Counting Him Out Would Be Unwise – The Daily Beast

Leave it to the National Republican Congressional Committee to take a bad situation and make it worse. After the unwelcome revelation that former South Carolina governor and GOP congressional nominee Mark Sanford has been accused of trespassing by his ex-wife, … Continue reading

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A Time for Resilience – The Daily Beast

There, with the end in sight, two bombs exploded on Boylston Street. The shrapnel tore through the cheering crowd, knocking marathon runners down with the force of the blast, turning their moment of triumph into tragedy. Even hours later, still … Continue reading

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Obama Budget Catching Hell From Both Sides: Why That’s a Good Sign – The Daily Beast

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall catch hell from both sides.” So said a sign on the Justice Department wall of Burke Marshall at the height of the civil rights era. But it could also apply to President Obama’s … Continue reading

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Georgia Is Celebrating Confederate Heritage and History Month? Really? – The Daily Beast

I thought it was an April Fools’ joke. There in my inbox on the morning of April 1 was an email from something called Ray McBerry Enterprises announcing the official start of “Confederate Heritage and History Month” in Georgia. Apparently, … Continue reading

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Exclusive: Congressional Ethics Probe Adds to Michele Bachmann’s Political Woes – The Daily Beast

The Hindenburg. The Titanic. Michele Bachmann. Eighteen months ago, the Minnesota House member was considered an unlikely but undeniable Republican rising star, winning the Iowa straw poll that unofficially begins the primary season. Today, she is embroiled in a litany … Continue reading

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More Sarah Palin Than Ronald Reagan: CPAC’s Paranoid Style – The Daily Beast

There’s no place where the paranoid style in American politics mixes with presidential aspirants quite like CPAC. At this year’s conservative conclave, held at the Gaylord Hotel in Maryland, there is a mood of grim resignation after their rejection in … Continue reading

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The Elephant in the Room: Chris Christie’s CPAC Dig – The Daiy Beast

With the “Star Wars bar” of the Conservative Political Action Conference (in other words, a bunch of aliens) kicking off Thursday morning, it was no coincidence that among the first speakers were Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and Texas Congressman … Continue reading

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Is Jeb Bush Right About Campaign ‘Crack Addicts’? – CNN.com

“You guys are crack addicts.” That was Jeb Bush on “Meet the Press,” addressing journalists about their obsession with the 2016 presidential campaign, more than three years away. The former Florida governor was joking and it’s a fool’s errand for … Continue reading

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Rand Paul Kicks It Old School in Filibuster Marathon Over Drones – The Daily Beast

Give Rand Paul credit—he decided to kick it old school on the Senate floor and filibuster in person rather than simply filing a procedural motion. The result was the kind of spectacle we only see in Frank Capra films and … Continue reading

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Hostage to His Caucus, John Boehner Can’t Keep His Message Straight – The Daily Beast

It’s official. Washington has no idea how to get out of the mess it created with the sequester. That’s the message Speaker John Boehner sent with his Meet the Press interview that aired Sunday. “I don’t think anyone quite understands … Continue reading

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The Pro Freedom Republicans Are Coming: 131 Sign Gay-Marriage Brief – The Daily Beast

One hundred thirty-one Republicans signed an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court on Thursday arguing that marriage is a fundamental right that should not be denied to gay and lesbian Americans. That is nearly double the number of Republicans … Continue reading

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Joe Biden’s Shotgun Approach to Politics Good for Obama Administration – The Daily Beast

In the pop-culture presidency of the Obama administration, Joe Biden plays an outsize role. He’s the goofy white uncle, loose-lipped and earnest to a fault, who recently became the subject of an Onion biography that imagines the teetotaler as a … Continue reading

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The PowerPoint That Proves It’s Not Obama’s Sequester After All – The Daily Beast

With deep sequestration cuts just days away, Congress is on vacation. But they’ve still got plenty of time to play the blame game. The latest semantic spin is to call the looming $1.2 trillion in cuts, which could throw the … Continue reading

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This is How China Hacks America: Inside the Mandiant Report – The Daily Beast

The Chinese government just got caught with a smoking cyber gun. Cybersecurity consultant Mandiant released a much-anticipated report Tuesday morning, offering the most detailed look to date inside the Chinese People Liberation Army’s direct involvement in hacking into American government … Continue reading

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The Republicans’ Ugly and Shameful Chuck Hagel Filibuster – The Daily Beast

Since the election, Republican talking points have reflected the fact that they need to reach out beyond their base: to be positive rather than negative; appear more reasonable, less obstructionist. But how you act speaks more loudly than what you … Continue reading

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The Scandal of Former State GOP Chairman Jim Greer Is Classic Florida – The Daily Beast

Ah, Florida—the land of sun, sand, and scandal. On Monday, former state Republican Party chairman Jim Greer added his name to the long list of Sunshine State lowlights when, after years of proclaiming his innocence, he pleaded guilty to five … Continue reading

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With Plea Deal, Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Fall From Grace Seems Complete – The Daily Beast

Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. agreed Friday to plead guilty to charges of misusing campaign funds, in an apparent bid to an end a federal investigation that threatens to also implicate his wife, former Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson. Both had … Continue reading

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Super Bowl Blackout Should Help Build Momentum for a Smart Grid – The Daily Beast

The 34-minute Super Bowl blackout is just the most recent high-profile example of a growing national problem. Blackouts are on the rise across the United States, with major power outages doubling over the past decade. The problem is an aging … Continue reading

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Republican Conspiracy Nuts on Obama’s Skeet-Shooting Picture – The Daily Beast

The Obama years have been a boom time for conspiracy theories and associated catchphrases. During the first term, the “birthers” dominated this sad and sordid landscape, but in recent weeks we’ve seen the rapid rise and fall of the “Benghazi … Continue reading

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