Posts by Joe Bodell

In his 2007 book “Framing the Debate,” author and blogger Jeffrey Feldman analyzed historic presidential speeches and found ways for today’s progressive activists to use the principles behind those speeches for modern advantage.
Feldman is back just a year later with his next offering: “Outright Barbarous: How the Violent Language of the Right Poisons American Democracy,” [...]

It’s not a matter of hard work and luck for Hillary Clinton anymore. It’s merely a matter of time, numbers, and perspective.

Numbers, because there is mathematically no way for her to win the nomination barring some massive (i.e., bigger than “bitter”) Obama scandal that sends hordes of superdelegates scrambling back her way. Time, because while [...]

Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s endorsement Monday of Sen. Barack Obama is bigger news for Obama’s press shop than it is for Klobuchar. Obama, who won 66 percent of the vote in the Minnesota DFL’s Super Duper Tuesday caucuses, already had the support of Democratic congressional colleagues Tim Walz, Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum and Jim Oberstar.

Nevertheless, the [...]

There were no embarrassing scandals or ugly fights at the House District 58 convention last weekend, but, still, two incumbents — Reps. Joe Mullery in 58A and Willie Dominguez in 58B — walked away without getting the official nod from their own party. Instead, activists in 58B chose Bobbie Joe Champion, and Wellstone Action staffer [...]

In addition to the 10 original cosigners, seven more Democratic congressional candidates from around the nation have signed on to the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq.

The Responsible Plan, touted as a progressive Contract with America, was unveiled this week at the Take Back America conference in Washington, D.C. The plan includes several [...]

A new SurveyUSA poll shows Norm Coleman leading DFL challenger Al Franken, 51 percent to 41 percent. Coleman also came out way ahead of Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, 57-28, and Darryl Stanton, 57-27.

According to the poll, Coleman leads Franken among women, 49-44, and among independents, 48-42. The poll represents a departure from recent polls, which showed a [...]

A group of Democratic congressional candidates is set to roll out a comprehensive plan to change the policy dialog on national security and the continuing occupation of Iraq.

The announcement was made Sunday by Darcy Burner (pictured), a candidate for Congress in Washington’s 8th Congressional district, and Matt Stoller, who blogs at OpenLeft.com, at a blogger [...]

Michele Bachmann has grabbed George Bush’s shoulder and claimed knowledge of double-secret plans to partition Iraq. Today she has given Minnesota more reason to be embarrassed at her presence in our congressional delegation, this time on the Foreign Intelligence Services Act.

The House this week passed a FISA amendment bill that provided fixes for several issues [...]

VoteVets.org, an independent political group focusing on electing military veterans to Congress, has endorsed Steve Sarvi in his bid to unseat John Kline in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District.

Continued: Click “Read more.”

It’s only tangentially related to Minnesota politics, but Andre Carson has won the special election in Indiana’s 7th Congressional district.  Carson replaces his grandmother Julia Carson, who died in December, in the seat.

In a statement released after the victory was announced last night, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen said in a statement [...]