Earlier today I read a fascinating article at Commentary Magazine called “The Past, Present and Future of Neoconservatism,” by Joshua Muravchik. I strongly advise you all to read it if you want to understand how neoconservatives think, what role they (say they) played and continue to play in the Bush administration and especially in its foreign policy, and if you want to know what neoconservatism’s future might look like.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign has disputed the Des Moines Register poll the results of which were published yesterday. The biggest problem with it: “The Des Moines Register Poll this time has 40% independent voters and 5% GOP voters in the poll when past independent participation has been 15% in 2000 and 19% in 2004, and the GOP has generally made up 1% of the vote. So they are depicting an unprecedented departure from historically established turnout patterns in the caucus.| MORE ›

Fox doesn’t give in to the pressure: the conservative news network isn’t willing to let Ron Paul participate in the forum (read: debate) it will organize shortly before the primary of New Hampshire.

The AP reports that “[t]he network said it had limited space in its studio — a souped-up bus — and that it invited candidates who had received double-digit support in recent polls.” (more…)

Bob Herbert draws some parallels between 1968 and 2008 today but it seems to me that his message is incomplete.

The Vietnam/Iraq comparison is obvious, of course, and somewhat appropriate. But there’s not going to be the equivalent of Tet in Iraq or even Afghanistan, unless we completely take our eye off the ball again, always a possibility, I know. Different wars, different outcomes.| MORE ›

UPDATED below

Please join us today for another PoliGazette Radio show at Blog Talk Radio. I say “we” because we’ll have two hosts from now onwards: Jason and myself. O, we’ll also do two shows a week.

The show starts at 1PM ET. That’s 7PM Dutch time. You can click on the link above or you can click on the little blue player in the right sidebar at 1PM so you can listen live. If you want to participate in the chat you’ll have to click on the link.

Our guests tonight / today: (more…)

So says Don Surber:

At the end of the year, the pacification of Iraq and the destruction of al-Qaeda in Iraq have come despite the House Speaker. (more…)

John Tierney has an excellent article in the NY Times science section about global warming and the science and reporting behind the climate change scare. A must read, IMO.

A year ago, British meteorologists made headlines predicting that the buildup of greenhouse gases would help make 2007 the hottest year on record. At year’s end, even though the British scientists reported the global temperature average was not a new record — it was actually lower than any year since 2001 — the BBC confidently proclaimed, “2007 Data Confirms Warming Trend.” (more…)

Gordon Brown has just shown why it’s wise not to allow the government to get too much involved in health care: once the government is the one who decides on everything, you’ll be severely limited in your freedom to live as you please.

Patients could be required to stop smoking, take exercise or lose weight before they can be treated on the National Health Service, Gordon Brown has suggested. (more…)

Is this what happens when moderate Islamists take over, even in a modern country like Turkey?

Allegations that a decision by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television to ban the popular showman Seyfi Dursunoğlu from appearing on screen in women’s clothes evokes intense reactions in society and the media. (more…)

The woman who wanted to kill former President Gerald Ford, Sara Jane Moore, has been released, after spending 32 years of her 77-year life behind bars.

Moore tried to kill Ford back in 1975. The President barely escaped. She was standing only 40 feet away from him when “she fired a shot at him on Sept. 22, 1975.” Luckily for Ford, a disabled former marine, Oliver Sipple, standing next to Moore pushed up her arm at the moment she pulled the trigger. “The bullet flew over Ford’s head by several feet.” (more…)