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• R. Kelly Teaches You About The Legal System

  This may sound strange, but we'd like to strongly encourage you to read the Chicago Tribune's "gavel to gavel" report from R. Kelly's child pornography trial. Not only because it is awesomely hilarious, with lines like: "During some jurors' interviews, Kelly has been observed bopping his head in a manner that suggests he's grooving to a beat that only he can hear." Mostly because it's providing a detailed glimpse into the court system that is a lot different from the one seen on, say, Law and Order. There have already been something like 10 posts on the jury selection process (one prospective juror blamed R. Kelly for 9/11), explaining everything in detail. Plus there is R. Kelly and the child pornography, which makes the added bonus of learning about jury selection just salacious enough to keep reading about.
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  • Date: May 16 2008
  • Posted by Morgan Clendaniel

• Obama And Edwards In Grand Rapids, MI

  We've been following the presidential candidates a bit recently to bring you an audience member's perspective of their public appearances. Yesterday, GOOD intern Sarah Schutzki attended a rally for Barack Obama in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The audience exploded in applause when John Edwards made a surprise appearance to endorse Obama. So much for Edwards' claim, less than a week ago, that voters wouldn't care who he supports.
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  • Date: May 15 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice

• Strong Words

  In response to President Bush's laughably disingenuous Politico interview, Keith Olbermann dishes out 12 minutes of reasoned vitriol. One can't help but wonder what the President's response to this might be, should he actually sit through the whole thing.
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  • Date: May 15 2008
  • Posted by Patrick James

• West Virginia And Southbound Odds

  Hillary Clinton will win the West Virginia primary tonight and pick up a few pledged delegates. In response, Obama may well try to keep the mercurial media grounded by announcing the support of a few more superdelegates (rumor has it he may have saved a few for a rainy day).
  
  Meanwhile, as CNN points out, "Clinton trails Obama in delegates won, states won and the popular vote this primary season. Clinton also now trails Obama when it comes to the support of superdelegates, and her campaign is $20 million in the red." That's what they call a laundry list.
  
  It's not realistic to think she'll ever catch Obama in the pledged delegate count. Even if she wins all of the remaining primaries by West Virginia margins (63% to 30%) she'd still need three out of every four undecided superdelegates to win. Convincing the vast majority of superdelegates that she's the only one who can beat McCain is her only hope. But we don't see that happening.
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  • Date: May 13 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice

• Things Younger Than McCain

  We're not sure that John McCain's age—he's 71—is the most relevant issue. He doesn't seem senile, so what's the big deal? But it's still pretty fun to browse through this list of things that are younger than John McCain. Bugs Bunny, the AARP, the state of Alaska: all younger than John McCain.
  
  Thanks Folkert.
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  • Date: May 12 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice

• Incomprehensible Tragedy In Burma

  The cyclone that tore across Burma's southern coast last Saturday has left a tragedy in its wake that we can't wrap our heads around. As disease and starvation spread, the death toll—estimated at 100,000 now—may double or triple, approaching the entire number of civilians killed in Darfur. "Inhumanly cynical, power-hungry, and callous" doesn't begin to describe the response of Burma's ruling military junta. More news and resources:
  
  -The odious ruling junta is barring most aid workers from entering the country. It's also writing the names of generals on the aid packages it does let in, and going ahead with a coerced vote to solidify its power.
  
  -A Burmese blogger in Rangoon gives us a glimpse inside the country here.
  
  -Dan Rivers sneaked into Burma and delivered this report for CNN.
  
  -TIME.com argues it may be time to "give war a chance" and invade Burma unilaterally to help.
  
  -Bill Gates has pledged $3 million in aid. According to our calculations this is .00517% of his wealth. If you can pitch in, try Global Giving.
  
  -Conceived pre-cyclone, the Burma: It Can't Wait campaign enlisted Hollywood heavyweights to help raise awareness in a series of web videos.
  
  -Our thoughts are with the country's people, their families, and their friends.
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  • Date: May 10 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice

• Entrenched Power Roundup

  In Russia Dmitri A. Medvedev is now president but "Parliament overwhelmingly confirmed Vladimir V. Putin as prime minister on Thursday, completing a carefully managed departure from the presidency in a manner that left him the country’s dominant politician and with a clear grip on power." In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, who runs everything else, returns to running the government. "Correspondents say the new government's most pressing challenges include breathing new life into Italy's ailing economy and finding a solution to the untreated rubbish mountains in Naples."
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  • Date: May 08 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice

• Clinton Speaks To Mooresville, NC

  Before the May 7 primary contests Hillary Clinton stopped by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of fame in Mooresville, (population: 18,823). After an introduction saturated with car racing metaphors, Clinton focused on the economy and education. A promise to end the No Child Left Behind Act drew especially enthusiastic applause. Video by Sarah Schutzki
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  • Date: May 07 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice

• N.C. and Indiana Primaries

  As we suspected last night, Barack Obama does in fact roll in North Carolina—winning 56-42, and extending his delegate lead despite a two-point victory for Hillary Clinton in Indiana.
  
  Some politicos feel the critical showing diminishes the punch of Hill's charge to superdelegates to override Barack's voter lead and hand her the nomination instead—so that maybe this thing won't end in a tie.
  
  In case you're in the mood for something more decisive, John McCain ekes out a nail-biter over Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, et al. in both states—though the runners up happens to combine for a substantial 24% of the vote in N.C. and 23% in Indiana.
  
  Never has North Carolina been so significant: deemed the game-changer for the Clinton camp and its recent momentum, yet ultimately, perhaps, the game-clincher for Obama. Next up in the strange spotlight of the national stage: West Virginia, next Tuesday.
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  • Date: May 07 2008
  • Posted by danielriley

• Networks Call North Carolina

  CNN is calling North Carolina for Obama with, as of this writing, 0% of precincts reporting. Indiana is still too close for the networks to call at this point, even though it looks like there are more results in from the state. This suggests to us that North Carolina may have been a blowout.
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  • Date: May 06 2008
  • Posted by andrewprice