Columns

WASHINGTON -- The current Journolist controversy that has the blogosphere heaving sparks, and Washington even more self-absorbed than usual, is weak tea -- a tempest in Barbie's teacup.

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama's considerable political capital, earned on Election Day 2008, is spent. Well spent, mind you, on the enactment of a highly ideological agenda of Obamacare, financial reform and a near trillion-dollar stimulus that will significantly transform the country. But spent nonetheless. There's nothing left with which to complete his social-democratic ambitions.

The surprise box-office boom for the cartoon "Despicable Me" is making it clear again to Hollywood this summer that family films are the most likely to be top-grossing films. "Toy Story 3" is No. 1 for 2010, not only among the critics, but among the people as well. "Despicable Me" already has broken into the top 10 box-office hits for the year to date with almost $130 million in ticket sales.

Difficult decisions are the only truly interesting ones. Sometimes we surprise ourselves, and others, too.

Many years ago, I was privileged to attend a dinner with James Rowe, one of the "passion for anonymity" young aides to Franklin Roosevelt, original author of the winning strategy for Harry Truman's 1948 campaign and close confidante of then-President Lyndon Johnson.

A wealth of opportunity is knocking on Floridas door. But over the past several legislative sessions, and again this week, our policymakers have not answered the call.

A decade ago, activist Ron Unz conducted a study of the ethnic and religious composition of the student body at Harvard.

Over the last eight years, most Democratic politicians have made a distinction between The Good War (Afghanistan) and The Bad War (Iraq). That very much includes Barack Obama.

Congress will be a bit busier this week after the new senator from West Virginia is sworn in as the 100th senator, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd.