Two Takes On...
Balloons fall from the ceiling following U.S. President George W. Bush's speech accepting his party's nomination on the final night of the Republican National Convention September 2, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Do Political Parties Still Need National Conventions?
Necessary but Needing Reform
We should keep political conventions, even if they need a little modernizing.
No Interest, No Purpose, No Use
These assemblies are an outdated waste.
Data Points
Opinion Data points
Poverty Rate
Non-Hispanic whites have the lowest poverty rate.
8.2%: Poverty rate in 2007 for non-Hispanic whites
24.5%: ...for blacks
21.5%: ...for Hispanics
10.2%: ...for Asians
Blog Buzz
McCain's Speech, Palin Avoids Media
McCain's speech isn't a home run, in addition Palin's and Guiliani's comments offend community organizers.
Letters to the Editor
Opinion Letters
Has U.S. News Hit the Mark?
How remarkable, refreshing and unexpected it was to read in Brian Kelly's Editor's Note on Iraq's surge that our beleaguered president may have been right all along ["Journalism Critics Wanted," August 18-25].Continue Reading >>
Seriously?
"She's been the commander of the Alaskan National Guard that's been deployed overseas—that's foreign policy experience.... As she makes a decision as to how to equip, how to command the National Guard in Alaska, that is more experience and more of a judgment than Barack Obama's making on the campaign trail."
— McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds, explaining on CNN how Sarah Palin's role as commander of the Alaskan National Guard is an example of her foreign policy experience
Washington Whispers
Smoking Out Ciggies in Movies
The movie ratings system, which turns 40 this year, is going after smoking on the silver screen.
