http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs Fearless. Thoughtful. Witty. Canadian. And Opinionated. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:27:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en NEW YORK—It's probably a truism that every candidate, in every campaign, will eventually stretch the truth. But when a lie becomes too big, or too brazen, the news media temporarily moves beyond strict reporting and decides to call a foul. At least that's what happened over the past week in the ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/09/21/politicians-sometimes-lie-should-reporters-say-so/ This weekend, the Globe and Mail announced that it was freeing its columnists from the tyranny of the online subscriber wall. Get out of the harbour, Jeffrey Simpson; it's time to go out where the big ships float, Margaret Wente. By abandoning its Insider subscription program—or "retiring," if you care to ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/06/01/255-days-later/ NEW YORK—One of the best arguments for living in this city is the ability to hear, firsthand, American public intellectuals debate their country's politics. NEW YORK—One of the best arguments for living in this city is the ability to hear, firsthand, American public intellectuals debate their country's politics. At least, ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/05/27/i-only-care-about-politics-when-theyre-somebody-elses/ NEW YORK—Symbolic protest being just as good as any other kind, I have refrained from blogging these past weeks not out of laziness, but as an act of quiet resistance NEW YORK—Symbolic protest being just as good as any other kind, I have refrained from blogging these past weeks not out ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/05/25/in-this-race-the-news-is-someplace-else/ This week is the 40th anniversary of the occupation of Columbia University by Students for a Democratic Society, a group that makes today's wildest student activists look like doe-eyed puppies. Whether you think the decline of confrontational politics is a mark of a) growing civility or b) growing apathy, the ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/04/28/shameless-self-promotion/ After days of anticipation, Robert Mugabe seems ever closer to losing his hold on the people of Zimbabwe. This is cause for celebration: under Mugabe, a once-rich country has been racked by inflation rates of 100,000 percent. The U.S. State Department declared 2007 the worst yet for human rights in ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/04/01/mugabe-may-be-gone-but-hold-the-champagne/ Whatever kind of president John Edwards might have made, a decider he isn't. The Associated Press reports that Edwards made his first public speech today since dropping out of the Democratic primaries two months ago, and the most important part of the speech was what he didn't say. Speaking in North ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/29/john-edwards-just-cant-decide/ NEW YORK—Astute readers of this space may have noticed a certain lull this month. In part, I've been distracted by other things. But more importantly, a thrilling political winter has turned into a very dull spring. Slate judged the aptest sports metaphor for this year's Democratic nomination to be boxing: "a ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/20/a-long-slow-march/ NEW YORK—Hillary Clinton's campaign is moving in the wrong direction on every count: money, momentum, and delegates. Tonight's debate in Austin is one of her last chances to turn it around. Will she be able to? 8:06 -- The only question that matters tonight is whether Hillary Clinton decides to take ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/02/21/blogging-the-democratic-debate/ New York--For liberals who fancy themselves critical thinkers, or are simply wary of the appearance of groupthink, Barack Obama's long crescendo is becoming a bit of a pickle. After New Hampshire, when Obama's nomination looked uncertain, the fact that everyone I knew supported him seemed romantic, as if the entire population ... http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/02/21/barack-obama-stinks-a-contrarians-plea/