Recent Slate - "Way too squirrelly for Karl Rove"

On Sept. 11, the president was handed a historic opportunity. He ignored it.

Remember? The French newspaper Le Monde, never one for trans-Atlantic sentimentalism, proclaimed, "We are all Americans." The band outside Buckingham Palace played "The Star-Spangled Banner" during a changing of the guard, as thousands of Londoners tearfully waved American flags. Most significant, the European leaders of NATO, for the first time in the organization's history, invoked Article 5 of its charter, calling on its 19 member-nations to treat the attack on America as an attack on them all—a particularly moving gesture, as Article 5 had been intended to guarantee American retaliation against an attack on Europe.

... By the summer of 2003, it could fairly be said that most of the world hated the United States, or at least feared the current U.S. government.


The Baltimore Debate

All the Democrats were strong, except Lieberman, but Dean was near perfect.

If the candidates had debated a year ago, Lieberman would have been the heir apparent, and Dean would have been the one fighting for attention. Dean would have done the attacking, and Lieberman would have shaken his head in disappointment at such demagoguery.

Slate also has Doonesbury on political flash mobs - But couldn't it be used for evil? No, it's way too squirrelly for Karl Rove.