The Theory of Change Primary
In December of last year, Mark Schmitt argued that hope and bipartisanship are not things that Obama naively believes are present and possible -- they are a tactic, a method of subverting and breaking the unified conservative power structure.
December 21, 2007 | By Mark Schmitt
Solidarity Politics
After so many years with "white male" as the default political identity, we're all suddenly forced to think about how much a candidate's race, gender, and background should matter.
February 27, 2008 | By Ann Friedman
Why the Pennsylvania Primary Will Register in November
The prolonged battle for the Democratic nomination has swelled voter registration rolls in states that don't usually get a say in the primary process.
April 22, 2008 | By Holly Yeager
Can Identity Politics Save the Right?
In response to their standing in the polls, the GOP is falling back on identity politics, branding itself as the party of "Real Americans." How far can this take them?
May 27, 2008 | By Mark Schmitt
How Democrats Can Beat McCain
Democrats need not panic about running against John McCain. The war, the economy, and the Bush Legacy are aligned against him, and he's never had his centrist credentials attacked from the left.
April 29, 2008 | By Paul Waldman
Seven Ways Hillary Clinton Changed Our Politics.
Political writers and policy thinkers weigh in.
August 4, 2008
Obama's Racial Catch-22
For Barack Obama, countering racist attacks means acknowledging that racism is alive and well -- which poses a threat to his hope-based campaign.
August 4, 2008 | By Adam Serwer
It's His Party
Barack Obama might be running on a post-partisan platform, but he is more focused on building the Democratic Party than any other candidate in recent history.
August 18, 2008 | By Dana Goldstein and Ezra Klein
McCain's Sexist VP Pick.
The GOP seems to think women will eagerly vote for any ticket that includes a member of their gender. That's Republican tokenism and pandering at its worst.
August 29, 2008 | By Ann Friedman
What to Expect When You're Expecting a Majority
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is poised for a rare achievement: a second consecutive cycle of sizable gains. But with more Democrats may come more conflict.
October 1, 2008 | By Tim Fernholz
The Personalities
Where Does Palin Fit in Alaska's Culture of Corruption?
Alaska politics at both the state and national levels are rife with bribery, corruption, and scandal. Has Sarah Palin stayed out of the fray?
September 9, 2008 | By Laura McGann
What Hillary Means Now
In August, Dana Goldstein argued that Hillary Clinton's DNC speech showed that in defeat, she has become a sort of patron saint of the Democratic Party.
August 27, 2008 | By Dana Goldstein
The Obama 15
A guide to the fifteen political operatives who run Obama's world.
January 3, 2008 | By Dylan Matthews
Larry Johnson's Strange Trip
How a onetime hero of the liberal blogosphere and the Democratic Party spread perhaps the most damaging anti-Obama smear of the primary.
June 24, 2008 | By David Weigel
The Appeal of Joe Biden
Joe Biden's supporters are adamant that this election is about foreign policy and are wild about the senator's experience on the world stage.
January 3, 2008 | By Dana Goldstein
The Issues
It's the Green Economy, Stupid
Populism is the theme of the year for Democratic candidates. Oil companies are the problem and green energy is the solution.
October 14, 2008 | By Harold Meyerson
Are Motherhood Politics a Good Idea?
Sarah Palin is not the only candidate reclaiming the political authority of motherhood -- but are mommy politics bad for women?
September 16, 2008 | By Kara Jesella
The Democratic Education Divide
A pre-convention education event was full of anti-union rhetoric, even as teachers' union members remain among the most loyal of Democratic constituencies.
August 25, 2008 | By Dana Goldstein
Labor: United and Divided
A fractured labor movement is throwing everything into its campaign for Barack Obama.
August 28, 2008 | By Harold Meyerson
The Elusive Politics of Reform.
Once again, a new administration and Congress will try to bring us universal health insurance. This time, despite urgent cost pressures, will they do it right?
May 7, 2008 | By Ezra Klein
The Militarist
Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain may protest that he hates war, but no American leader has promoted it more avidly. McCain is not only the most hawkish neocon on the horizon; he genuinely sees war as America's most ennobling enterprise.
April 28, 2008 | By Matthew Yglesias
The Year of the Organizer
The Obama campaign's commitment to the principles of community organizing has proved decisive to their victories so far. It has also brought new voters to the political process who could swing the general election.
February 1, 2008 | By Kelly Candaele and Peter Dreier
