Columns

It's not cute when reporters play dumb. Last year, when Barack Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court, CBS anchor Katie Couric said labeling her "won't be easy." CBS reporter Wyatt Andrews found "no clear ideology" in her public record.

Is it appropriate for government to increase the regulatory burdens and costs on Florida businesses during a recession?

WASHINGTON -- If Bill Clinton was our first black president, as Toni Morrison once proclaimed, then Barack Obama may be our first woman president. Phew. That was fun. Now, if you'll just keep those hatchets holstered and hear me out.

President Obama is being hailed for toughness in his firing of Gen. McChrystal and brilliance in his replacing him as Afghan field commander with Gen. David Petraeus, who managed the George W. Bush "surge" in Iraq that saved this nation from an ignominious defeat. Herewith, a dissent.

Congress will spend this final week beforeitbreaks for a week to celebrate our nations birthday spending more money, adding to our exploding debt and hoping to help small businesses expand and be able to borrow money. Well see how well they do when this writer submits the Friday column.

NEW YORK -- In the catalog of life-altering surprises, few compare to the query that came my way a few weeks ago from CNN/US President Jon Klein: How would you like to co-anchor a prime-time show on CNN?

WASHINGTON -- President Obama was fully justified in dismissing Gen. Stanley McChrystal. The firing offense did not rise to the level of insubordination -- this was no MacArthur undermining the commander in chief's war strategy -- but it was a serious enough show of disrespect for the president and for the entire civilian leadership to justify relief from his post.

This past week Congress played a tough game of tug-of-war between the House and the Senate. Here is how it all ended up.

WASHINGTON -- In 1932, during a lunch in Albany with Rexford Tugwell, an adviser, Gov. Franklin Roosevelt paused to take a telephone call from Louisiana Gov. Huey Long. When the call ended, FDR referred to Long as the second-most dangerous man in America. Who, Tugwell asked, is the most dangerous? FDR answered: Douglas MacArthur.