Leave a Comment

Bush Administration Announces ‘Aspirational Timetables’ In Iraq; Will McCain Call It ‘Defeat?’
Think Progress — Yesterday, the U.S. agreed to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by next June and from the country by the end of 2011. According to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the two countries agreed on forming “aspirational timetables” for withdrawal: We have agreed that some goals, some aspirational timetables for how that might unfold, are well worth having in such an agreement. Although the 2011 target is “prospective,” the embrace of a timetable is a significant development for an administration that has for five years disparaged those advocating any fixed schedule or date for ...

McCain's big speech
Jonathan Martin's Blog — The notion that John McCain can't deliver a big speech is at odds with his performances at convention's past.  I spent a good bit of time digging into his star turns in 1988, 1996 and 2004 and sat down with his chief wordsmith, Mark Salter, to get a sense for how McCain can replicate his past success.  The video above, incidentally, was from McCain's powerful close at the convention four years ago in New York. It was made into McCain's first ad of the general election campaign, launched earlier this spring.  Story here: ST. PAUL, Minn. — It was “something close to magnificent.” ...