The 7-10: Palmer on Politics

• CNN: A Network in Crisis

  Number of comments: 5
  CNN has earned a reputation for being the place to go for major breaking news stories. It has consistently been seen as the most credible of the cable news stations, although its credibility ratings, like those of the other cable networks, have declined in recent years. [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 9:02pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Chicago Olympics and Health Care

  Number of comments: 3
  The International Olympic Committee announced today that Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Along with Tokyo and Madrid, Chicago had also been vying to host the Games. President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama took the unique step of flying to Copenhagen, Denmark, to make Chicago's' [...]
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  Posted: October 02, 2009, 2:25pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama vs. Wilson: A Public Relations Perspective

  Number of comments: 9
  President Obama delivered an hour long address to a joint session of Congress tonight. In his speech, he spoke with greater specificity regarding which elements he wanted included in his vision of health care and health insurance reform. He attempted to reassure seniors and Americans who currently have insurance [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 12:34am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Toxic Republican Rhetoric and Leadership

  Number of comments: 3
  The summer of 2009 has been a bruising one for President Barack Obama, his administration, and his agenda. His poll numbers have fallen to more earthly levels, support for his health care proposals is eroding, liberal Democrats are feuding with conservative Democrats, and his Republican opponents have succeeded in muddying [...]
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  Posted: September 04, 2009, 1:17pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Decoding Sarah Palin

  Number of comments: 3
  Sarah Palin's announcement that she would resign from her position as Alaska's governor took the political world by surprise and fueled intense speculation about her motives. Why did she announce this right before the Independence Day holiday weekend? Why did she not take any questions at her press conference? [...]
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  Posted: July 10, 2009, 12:54pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• An Opportunity for Libertarian Conservatives

  Number of comments: 5
  Disgraced Senator John Ensign of Nevada and Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina have shined a new spotlight on the role of social conservatism in the Republican Party. Social conservatives form a critical part of the GOP, given its support of traditional marriage and a greater public role for [...]
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  Posted: June 27, 2009, 5:23pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Iran's Political Crisis: On Politics vs. Governance

  Number of comments: 2
  What many casual political observers and even a few respected political analysts lament about modern politics is a lack of purpose and seriousness. There seems to be too much of an emphasis on political tactics at the expense of meaningful political leadership.
  
  The civil unrest after the recent [...]
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  Posted: June 23, 2009, 4:16pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Republican Relevance

  Number of comments: 9
  President Obama is benefiting from high approval ratings. This is likely a combination of several factors. He is still basking in the glow of his honeymoon, his visibility makes him seem like he is engaged in the issues, his recent trip to Europe received good reviews, and President Bush [...]
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  Posted: April 10, 2009, 12:58pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama vs. Limbaugh Revisited

  Number of comments: 13
  A battle is raging within the Republican Party over its future direction and what it should stand far. This is not uncommon for parties after they lose an election, especially as decisively as the GOP did in 2006 and 2008. Being locked out of power in the House, the Senate, [...]
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  Posted: March 05, 2009, 5:25am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Assessing the Judd Gregg Fallout

  Number of comments: 3
  Shortly after last fall's election, I analyzed Barack Obama's aims of bipartisanship, the ways he could go about achieving it, and how it could benefit his administration by keeping it from overreaching and governing too far from the left in the eyes of voters.
  
  Three months have passed [...]
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  Posted: February 15, 2009, 1:58pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Stimulus and Republican Rhetoric

  Number of comments: 9
  President Obama is wrangling with Congress over the economic stimulus bill currently being negotiated. In addition to providing new information about Obama's management style, his influence, and his control over congressional Democrats, the debate has also revealed a new power center in the Senate: moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats.
  [...]
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  Posted: February 07, 2009, 8:28pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Obama vs. Limbaugh

  Number of comments: 4
  Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh set off a firestorm of controversy earlier this month when he said that he "hopes Obama fails" because a successful Obama presidency and a conservative agenda cannot coexist. This comment received a lot of attention in the blogosphere which is now having renewed [...]
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  Posted: January 28, 2009, 10:11pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Bipartisan Approach, Partisan Aims?

  Number of comments: 13
  President Obama is meeting with congressional Republicans to get them on board with his economic stimulus plan, as their resistance is holding up progress on this bill. Obama's meetings with Republicans might be surprising to Democrats who clearly have enough votes in both chambers to pass this bill without' [...]
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  Posted: January 24, 2009, 11:05am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lame Political Discourse: The Politics of Small

  Number of comments: 8
  After a campaign that lasted almost two years, Barack Obama was officially sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. An estimated 1.5 million people crowded into the National Mall in Washington to see the transfer of power with untold millions of others watching from around the [...]
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  Posted: January 20, 2009, 10:47pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Three Faces of the Republican Party's Problem

  Number of comments: 11
  Former Virginia congressman Tom Davis recently penned an excellent essay detailing Republicans' problems and how the party can get back on track. Coming from a Republican, his essay is well worth reading. But I think the Republican Party's problems can be summarized more succinctly by how three politicians embody [...]
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  Posted: January 18, 2009, 12:22pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Post-Election Cable News Landscape

  Number of comments: 3
  (Note: This post is a reassessment of the arguments I posed in The Future of Cable News last spring.)
  
  The holidays are over and a new political season is beginning after several weeks of downtime. This new political season offers many unique challenges and opportunities not just for [...]
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  Posted: January 09, 2009, 12:55am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Burris Burr

  Number of comments: 4
  Much to the horror of Illinois politicians and Democrats everywhere, the Rod Blagojevich scandal continues to thrive. While President-elect Barack Obama seems to have largely escaped being embroiled in the investigation surrounding the embattled governor, the governor's political antics have national Democrats pulling their hair out.
  
  Blagojevich's choice to [...]
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  Posted: January 06, 2009, 10:28pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Spend-Save Paradox

  Number of comments: 4
  It is no secret that the economy is hurting many people right now. Falling stocks, plummeting home prices, escalating credit card interest rates, disappearing banks, and investment scams have all contributed to a shrinking economy, declining asset values, and a decrease in spending.
  
  One criticism that I commonly hear [...]
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  Posted: January 02, 2009, 6:37pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• How the Religious Right is Politically Wrong

  Number of comments: 5
  Readers of The 7-10 know that I currently live in South Carolina while I pursue my doctoral studies. South Carolina is probably the most conservative state on the East Coast and is the only state on the coast that has not voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since [...]
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  Posted: December 29, 2008, 10:28pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Criticizing the Criticism of Obama's Cabinet

  Number of comments: 4
  President-elect Barack Obama has finished making the selections to his Cabinet. Per the Washington Post, Obama's Cabinet will have nine White males, five women, four Blacks, three Latinos, two Asians, and two Republicans. While this Cabinet's diversity has been praised by the media, there have been significant [...]
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  Posted: December 24, 2008, 11:55am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Overstating Republican Strength

  Number of comments: 7
  The normally reliable Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post recently wrote a column arguing that Republicans could be making a comeback. He cited Saxby Chambliss's victory in the Georgia Senate runoff, the surprise defeat of Democratic Congressman Bill Jefferson, and the Republicans' ability to narrowly defeat a conservative Democratic [...]
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  Posted: December 08, 2008, 5:18pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Senate Math: The 60-Seat Mirage

  Number of comments: 1
  As an observer of politics and the media, I have noticed that one of the dominant storylines in the media over the course of this election cycle is the possibility of the Democrats making it to 60 seats in the Senate. The media have correctly reported that it takes 60 [...]
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  Posted: December 03, 2008, 11:36am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• On the Political Relevancy of Religion

  Number of comments: 7
  I recently engaged in a debate with Rick Frea at his conservative-leaning blog Freadom Nation about the importance of religion and church attendance as they relate to the presidency. Frea lamented in a post called "A secular president" that:"It appears Mr. Obama is more concerned about himself" [...]
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  Posted: November 28, 2008, 1:24pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Big 3: Ideology and Reality

  Number of comments: 19
  Former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney penned a column in the New York Times this week entitled Let Detroit Go Bankrupt. This column was written in response to the financial difficulties General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler are experiencing. Their stock values are sinking, their plants are [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2008, 10:01am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Obama's Team of Rivals

  Number of comments: 7
  After Barack Obama's historic election victory, the media have switched from dissecting polls and envisioning plausible paths to 270 to speculating about his cabinet appointees. Much attention has been paid to the "team of rivals" concept Obama claimed to want to emulate. This approach to governance was popularized by' [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2008, 11:49pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Sarah Palin's Future

  Number of comments: 6
  The 2008 election provided the Republican Party with its second consecutive "thumping." In 2006, Republican scandals were primarily responsible for the party's political bloodbath. The Republican Party as a whole was the big loser of that election. 2008, however, produced several losers who emerged from the election in a far' [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2008, 10:42am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Republican Problem #2: Demographic Difficulties

  Number of comments: 3
  John McCain's defeat last week revealed some very serious problems plaguing the Republican Party and presidential politics. In my last post-mortem, I addressed the problem of electoral math and how safe Democratic states significantly outweighed safe Republican states as far as the Electoral College was concerned. In this second' [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2008, 12:12pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• Republican Problem #1: The Shrinking Map

  Number of comments: 11
  Over the next few days, The 7-10 will feature a series of essays dissecting the election results. Most of the political world's attention will understandably be focused on Barack Obama and his transition to the White House. However, that the Republican Party is in serious trouble cannot be denied. These' [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2008, 5:52pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The 7-10's Electoral College Predictions

  Number of comments: 8
  2008 is shaping up to be another wave election similar to 2006. Barack Obama has expanded the electoral map, Republicans are on defense in red states and in red congressional districts, Republicans only have one realistic Democratic target in the Senate, there is an enthusiasm gap between the parties, and [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2008, 7:46am EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The 7-10's Senate Predictions

  Number of comments: 1
  When looking at the electoral map, it is clear that Democrats are on offense this cycle. The lone Republican pickup opportunity, Senator Mary Landrieu's seat in Louisiana, seems to have slipped away or gotten buried in the upcoming Democratic wave. The 7-10 is predicting a pickup of 8 or 9' [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2008, 2:13pm EST
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Obama Infomercial

  Number of comments: 2
  Barack Obama bought 30 minutes of time last night on seven television stations to present an infomercial detailing his policy proposals and his vision for where he would like to take the country. The ad focused mainly on the economy, but also touched on energy independence, education, and health [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2008, 11:32am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• John McCain: A Case Study in Political Miscommunication

  Number of comments: 4
  In the lull between the early primaries and Super Tuesday in late January, I wrote about the presidential semifinals pitting Hillary Clinton against Barack Obama and Mitt Romney against John McCain. I was not bullish on the probability of an Obama-McCain general election matchup, but offered this warning in [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2008, 10:14am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Joe Biden: Gaffe #452 in Context

  Number of comments: 5
  Joe Biden stepped in it over the weekend by undercutting Barack Obama and suggesting that "he will need help" because "he will be tested" within his first 6 months in office by some sort of international crisis. These remarks suggest that Obama is not prepared to handle the rigors [...]
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  Posted: October 21, 2008, 9:18am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Impact of Powell's Endorsement

  Number of comments: 3
  Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman and Secretary of State Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama over the weekend on NBC's Meet the Press. There had been a lot of speculation that Powell would endorse personal friend and fellow Republican John McCain, give only a lukewarm endorsement of Barack' [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2008, 9:46am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama-McCain Third Debate Analysis

  Number of comments: 4
  The final presidential debate of the 2008 campaign season took place last night at Hofstra University in New York. Given Obama's favorable position in the polls and his growing momentum, his main goal was to hold his own and not make any fatal mistakes. The onus was on McCain' [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2008, 1:16pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain's Message Mess

  Number of comments: 10
  Election Day is three weeks away and most polls show Barack Obama with a comfortable lead over John McCain. State polls are also suggesting that Obama could amass more than 350 electoral votes in a Democratic rout. He is saturating the airwaves with advertisements and sending his wife, [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2008, 12:30pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On McCain's Negative Tone

  Number of comments: 5
  John McCain's campaign is in serious danger right now. Obama is now on offense in reliably Republican states like Indiana and North Carolina, and he is leading in the purple states of Colorado and Virginia. McCain's path to 270 requires him to run the table as far as the battleground [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2008, 8:41pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama-McCain Second Debate Analysis

  Number of comments: 9
  The second presidential debate took place tonight in Nashville, Tennessee. Unlike the first debate, this one was conducted in a town hall format which would incorporate questions from regular voters in the audience. Because John McCain had been criticizing Barack Obama for not joining him in town hall debates [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2008, 1:22am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Biden-Palin Debate Analysis

  Number of comments: 7
  Last week's debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin may not have lived up to the hype in that Biden didn't have to extract his foot from his mouth and Palin didn't experience a nuclear meltdown on stage. However, the debate was highly instructive in that it showed [...]
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  Posted: October 04, 2008, 7:26pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lamentations of an Educated Voter: Our Finances

  Number of comments: 5
  The stock market plummeted upon hearing the news about the economic relief bill that was defeated in Congress. But despite proclamations of doom and blood flowing in the streets, nobody really knows what the consequences of this congressional, economic, and presidential failure will be.
  
  I must admit that [...]
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  Posted: September 29, 2008, 11:31pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama-McCain First Debate Analysis

  Number of comments: 11
  Last night Senators Barack Obama and John McCain faced off in the first presidential debate at Oxford, Mississippi. That this debate even happened brought a huge sigh of relief to the debate's organizers and the McCain campaign in particular because of very real possibility that Barack Obama would have [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2008, 3:03pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On McCain's Campaign Suspension

  Number of comments: 8
  In a stunning political development, John McCain has suspended his presidential campaign, called for Friday's presidential debate to be delayed, and proposed suspending all campaign ads so he can concentrate on finding a solution to the nation's economic crisis. He called on rival Barack Obama to suspend [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2008, 6:45pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Revisiting the Bradley Effect

  Number of comments: 7
  Race has been one of the enduring subtexts of this long presidential campaign. After being at the front and center of our dialogue during the primaries, it has since taken a more peripheral role. People aren't talking about it as much, but it's still there. And nobody knows how that [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2008, 12:27pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain's Palin Problem

  Number of comments: 9
  After a rough two weeks, Barack Obama seems to be edging his way back into the lead in several battleground states. In addition to having a renewed focus on the economy and a few gifts from John McCain and some of his surrogates, he has someone else to thank [...]
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  Posted: September 18, 2008, 1:23pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Polling Mirages, Media Avoidance, and the 2000 Election

  Number of comments: 6
  With the party conventions long behind us, it is easier to take stock of the political landscape in the lull between the conventions and the debates. While both conventions were successful, John McCain clearly got more out of his convention than Barack Obama did because of the favorable media coverage [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2008, 12:24pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Hurricane Politics

  Number of comments: 6
  One of the most memorable sayings I've learned this campaign season is Tom Brokaw's UFO theory, which stands for "unforeseen occurrences" and shows why it's foolish to make long term political predictions. The political landscape can change in an instant, and these changes are often totally outside the control of [...]
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  Posted: September 13, 2008, 11:55am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Thoughts on the 2008 Campaign and a Presidential Endorsement

  Number of comments: 28
  This is a post I was planning to write in October, not September, because I wanted to wait until after the debates to make a more accurate judgment of the two presidential candidates. But this nonstory about lipstick forced my hand.
  
  I am angry. I am disappointed. And [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2008, 10:09pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Rise and Fall of Barack Obama (repost)

  Number of comments: 7
  (NOTE: This post was originally published in The 7-10 on August 1, 2007, long before the Iowa caucuses. While Obama did since win the Democratic nomination, it appears that his momentum is stalled for some of the same reasons I listed in this year-old post. Of course, things can [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2008, 7:15pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain and the Media: Part 3

  Number of comments: 6
  I have been critical of John McCain because of his failure to use the media to his advantage, either by avoiding good media opportunities that were presented to him or by not sufficiently preparing his staff to deal with interviews and losing control of the ensuing narratives that [...]
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  Posted: September 08, 2008, 12:46pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Problem with Palin's Speech

  Number of comments: 20
  Sarah Palin delivered a fiery speech at the Republican National Convention last night. This speech was important because it gave her the opportunity to reintroduce herself to Republicans and introduce herself to America as a whole. And because she was buffeted by the press, sometimes unfairly, as the media aggressively [...]
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  Posted: September 04, 2008, 10:38pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain and the Media: Part 2

  Number of comments: 4
  Back in July, I wrote about John McCain's failure to use the media to his advantage. The impetus for that post was McCain's nonattendance at the UNITY Conference in Chicago, a meeting of professional associations for journalists of color. McCain did not attend the conference because of "scheduling conflicts." [...]
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  Posted: September 03, 2008, 5:34pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Unintended Consequences: Alaska's Senate and House Seats

  Number of comments: 6
  Although Democrats are struggling with how to go on offense against her, the selection of Sarah Palin to be John McCain's running mate may have an unintended benefit for House and Senate Democrats. Alaska Senator Ted Stevens has been hobbled by a federal investigation into alleged ethics violations and will [...]
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  Posted: September 02, 2008, 11:06am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The 7-10: Frequently Asked Questions

  Number of comments: 1
  (Note: Due to several e-mails I have received over the past few weeks, I have decided to create a 7-10 FAQ to answer several common questions regarding this blog, guest-posting, and my own political preferences. This post will become a permanent fixture on my "recommended entries" list and will be [...]
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  Posted: September 01, 2008, 11:41pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Democrats' Missed Opportunity

  Number of comments: 7
  During the speculation leading up to Barack Obama's vice presidential selection, a lot of attention was being paid to Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia. Kaine and Obama have a good personal relationship and a Kaine selection would have burnished Obama's outsider and change messages. Kaine was even whom I [...]
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  Posted: September 01, 2008, 12:53pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Palin Standard: The Obama-Palin Experience Debate

  Number of comments: 7
  John McCain's bold selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has set off a firestorm in the media and the blogosphere about inexperience and hypocrisy in regards to Palin and Barack Obama. It has also led me to create a new entry that I will integrate into my own political lexicon: [...]
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  Posted: August 30, 2008, 11:33pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain-Palin Analysis

  Number of comments: 35
  John McCain surprised the political world by choosing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Palin had long been considered a dark horse candidate who was adored in conservative circles, but was often considered a far less likely selection than more established candidates with stronger national [...]
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  Posted: August 29, 2008, 1:18pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Phony Narratives and Media Reponsibility

  Number of comments: 3
  One of the enduring stories of the Democratic National Convention this week is what Hillary Clinton's supporters will do. Much has been made about the fact that a significant number of them have yet to rally behind Barack Obama. Popularly identified reasons for this have to do with Obama's perceived [...]
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  Posted: August 27, 2008, 1:01pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Introducing The 9th Frame

  Number of comments: 3
  The 7-10 now has a new sister blog: The 9th Frame.
  
  In politics, news happens fast. Given the nature of The 7-10 and how long it takes to research and write each individual post, I have often found myself unable to write about the latest political developments in [...]
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  Posted: August 25, 2008, 12:48pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama-Biden Analysis

  Number of comments: 6
  After a dramatic buildup, Barack Obama has chosen Joe Biden as his running mate. The senior senator from Delaware was long considered a frontrunner for the #2 spot on the ticket because of the ways in which he compensates for Obama's weaknesses. Early reaction to Biden's selection have [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2008, 11:49pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Veepstakes: Joe Biden (repost)

  Number of comments: 3
  (NOTE: This post was originally published on The 7-10 on July 19, 2008. Now that Barack Obama has officially chosen his running mate, this post should serve as a primer on who Joe Biden is and how he enhances his ticket. A second analysis examining the new Obama-Biden ticket will [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2008, 1:26pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Why Pundits Are Often Wrong

  Number of comments: 3
  All pundits dream of being the only analyst who gets it right. They want to be the only person to accurately call an election down to the actual margin of victory. It's a bit like filling out your brackets during March Madness. There are obvious favorites, sleepers, longshots, and underdogs [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2008, 11:39pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Obama Veepstakes: Predictions

  Number of comments: 8
  The major political buzz this week has centered around Obama's vice presidential selection. One of the main parlor games among pundits and the Washington crowd every four years is to guess the nominee and convey that they have more wisdom than the next guy in terms of identifying and disqualifying [...]
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  Posted: August 21, 2008, 9:40pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Fickle Democrats' Buyer's Remorse

  Number of comments: 8
  Several polls have indicated that the presidential race is getting considerably closer. Nervous Democrats are worried that Obama may choke and are giving him advice to right his ship. These Democrats are looking at the polls and are worrying that their nominee will blow the most winnable election [...]
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  Posted: August 20, 2008, 11:33pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Rick Warren Christian Forum Analysis

  Number of comments: 11
  John McCain and Barack Obama participated in the Saddleback Civil Forum on Presidency hosted by Pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, last Saturday. The audience was comprised mostly of Christian conservatives. Pastor Warren conducted the forum in two parts: the first being a one-on-one with [...]
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  Posted: August 18, 2008, 8:03am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lame Political Discourse: Stupid Criticism

  Number of comments: 5
  Politicians must have thick skin. The very nature of their profession exposes all politicians to ridicule, confrontation, and scrutiny on a daily basis. If you take offense to every single barb thrown your way, you won't survive the campaign trail and the media circuit. However, there comes a point when [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2008, 8:04pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Clinton Convention Conundrum

  Number of comments: 5
  Like a festering wound, Hillary Clinton continues to make news that complicates Barack Obama's convention plans. After a few weeks of wrangling and negotiating, Clinton and Obama finally reached a deal that would allow Clinton's name to be placed into nomination at the convention to ensure that "all 35 [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2008, 10:49pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Russia and Georgia: What Really Matters

  Number of comments: 12
  Don Conley, a former speechwriter for Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, wrote an excellent column about the crisis in Georgia and how that should remind voters of what truly matters in this fall's election.
  
  He cites Obama's responses to the conflict, which have been [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2008, 4:18pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lame Political Discourse: Tire Gauges

  Number of comments: 5
  Fresh off of the controversy surrounding Paris Hilton in a John McCain attack ad, the latest episode of political nonsense stems from Barack Obama's suggestion that Americans ensure that their tires are properly inflated and that their cars are properly maintained so that they can improve their gas mileage and [...]
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  Posted: August 08, 2008, 1:21pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lamentations of an Educated Voter: Media Malpractice

  Number of comments: 12
  I was watching television with my wife last night while we were eating dinner. Pundits were still talking about possible racist overtones in John McCain's internet ad showing Barack Obama with Paris Hilton and Brittney Spears. The chief pundit then introduced two guests who had completely different views of the [...]
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  Posted: August 05, 2008, 3:58pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain Pickup Option 1: Michigan

  Number of comments: 3
  By now, everyone has heard reason after reason why the Democrats should win the White House and increase their majorities in Congress this year. Bush is unpopular. Iraq is unpopular. Gas prices are high. The economy is shaky. The natural political pendulum has swung right for the past 6 or [...]
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  Posted: August 04, 2008, 1:18pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Myth of Arrogance

  Number of comments: 5
  One of the more interesting criticisms of Barack Obama that has surfaced over the past few weeks is that he is both arrogant and presumptuous. This line of attack dovetails from the inexperienced and elitist charges that have dogged his campaign since he first entered the race. Of course, Obama [...]
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  Posted: August 01, 2008, 2:49pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Ted Stevens and an Opportunity for McCain

  Number of comments: 8
  Powerful Republican Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has been indicted for concealing gifts and services and making false statements. Even though he claimed to be surprised by this, he had been under investigation for many months. Sen. Stevens is well known for the funding he is able to secure [...]
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  Posted: July 30, 2008, 8:59am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain and the Media

  Number of comments: 11
  When conservatives and Republicans hear Blacks and other ethnic minorities complain about racism, they commonly tell them to work hard, do their best, and remember that in America all things are possible for people who refuse to stay down after they get knocked down.
  
  When conservatives and Republicans hear [...]
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  Posted: July 27, 2008, 11:05pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Visions of Elections Past

  Number of comments: 5
  There has been a Republican in the White House for the past 7 years, aided by a Republican-controlled Congress for 6 of those 7 years. This president is tremendously unpopular and has been for years. This year's Republican nominee has embraced this unpopular president and provided near 100% support of [...]
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  Posted: July 24, 2008, 7:14am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• John McCain and Obama's Trip: A Failure of Bravado

  Number of comments: 12
  John McCain and Republicans have repeatedly criticized Barack Obama for not visiting Iraq and consulting with the military and political leaders there. Many Republican officials and conservative bloggers mocked him by starting a clock keeping track of how many days it has been since Obama last visited Iraq. [...]
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  Posted: July 21, 2008, 9:00pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Veepstakes: Joe Biden

  Number of comments: 9
  Delaware Senator Joe Biden was probably the greatest candidate nobody heard of in the 2008 primary season. Even though Joe Biden was ranked as the secondmost underrated candidate after Bill Richardson last fall, the veteran senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was mired in the back [...]
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  Posted: July 19, 2008, 2:09pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Obama Caricatures Revisited

  Number of comments: 15
  The liberal magazine The New Yorker provided the latest bit of controversy with the cover of its latest issue. If you haven't seen this provocative cover by now, you can access it here.
  
  The New Yorker essentially took every false impression of Obama and meshed them together [...]
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  Posted: July 15, 2008, 11:32pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lamentations of an Educated Voter: On Whiners, Pragmatism, and Reality

  Number of comments: 3
  Barack Obama and John McCain are experiencing great difficulty keeping their surrogates in check and on message. Last week, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson got in trouble by making a vulgar remark in regards to his frustration with Obama. The media had a field day with this, as they [...]
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  Posted: July 14, 2008, 7:58pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Jesse Jackson Gaffe in Context

  Number of comments: 12
  Jesse Jackson stepped in it again this week by criticizing Barack Obama during what he thought was a private conversation. He was a guest on a Fox News political program and was talking with another Black guest when he was off the air. However, his microphone was still on and [...]
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  Posted: July 11, 2008, 11:37am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Veepstakes: Mark Sanford

  Number of comments: 6
  One name that keeps being mentioned as a rising political star is South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, a Republican currently serving his second term. Sanford may be the governor of a relatively small state, but he is far from a political unknown. After George Allen's "macaca" meltdown, some pundits [...]
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  Posted: July 10, 2008, 7:17am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Veepstakes: Hillary Clinton

  Number of comments: 11
  Any discussion about Barack Obama's potential running mates would be incomplete without Hillary Clinton. I first shot down the idea of an Obama-Clinton ticket back in February and have expressed reservations about it since then despite her obvious strength.
  
  However, time has bolstered Obama's political footing. He is [...]
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  Posted: July 07, 2008, 10:02pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Veepstakes: Mitt Romney

  Number of comments: 16
  The 7-10 wishes everyone a happy and safe Independence Day holiday.
  
  Given the holiday, political news has pretty much come to a standstill. After the holiday, although many people won't be paying attention to politics because of the dog days of summer, the main story will be the selection [...]
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  Posted: July 04, 2008, 11:26am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Wesley Clark Gaffe in Context

  Number of comments: 17
  Due to his military service, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the threat of terrorism, national security is John McCain's calling card and is the one issue where he outpolls rival Barack Obama. Using the strategy perfected by Karl Rove of attacking an opponent's strength, McCain's military service has [...]
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  Posted: July 01, 2008, 4:10pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• How Obama Can Lose the Election

  Number of comments: 15
  Voters' trust is the single most valuable commodity any politician can have. Trust is what prompts voters to donate their hard earned cash to a candidate's campaign, give a candidate hours of their precious time by working at a phone bank or voter registration drive, and win their support at [...]
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  Posted: June 28, 2008, 10:34pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Obama Caricatures

  Number of comments: 12
  Former Bush adviser Karl Rove launched the latest salvo against Barack Obama in an attempt to define him as unpalatable to the general electorate:

  "Even if you never met him, you know this guy. He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a [...]

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  Posted: June 25, 2008, 2:30pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Echoes of Katrina: A Case for Conservatism

  Number of comments: 8
  The major weather story this month concerns the terrible flooding in the Midwest. Torrential rains upstream have caused what is now being described as a 500-year flood. Communities all along the Mississippi River are being destroyed by floodwaters racing through breaches in levees, some of which may have [...]
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  Posted: June 23, 2008, 11:31pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain's Energy Policy and the Electoral Map

  Number of comments: 10
  The rising cost of oil has prompted politicians and President Bush to come up with various proposals to ease the pain caused by record high gas prices and rising demand from other nations. In addition to pursuing green energy sources, many of the proposed solutions center around increased domestic exploration--that [...]
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  Posted: June 21, 2008, 11:10am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Political Opportunism and Manufactured Controversies

  Number of comments: 6
  The 2008 presidential campaign is turning out to be the campaign of surrogates and guilt by association. John McCain, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and many other candidates have had to apologize for and/or distance themselves from some of their supporters who have made provocative, embarrassing, or downright offensive remarks. Some [...]
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  Posted: June 18, 2008, 10:55am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Plight of Black Republicans

  Number of comments: 8
  Black Republicans are a rare breed. About 85% of the Black vote goes to Democrats, so they are perhaps the most reliable voting bloc in America. Blacks' loyalty to the Democratic Party stems from several factors:
  
  1. Black voters tend to view the government as a protector, rather than [...]
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  Posted: June 15, 2008, 4:30pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Footprints of a Giant: A Tribute to Tim Russert

  Number of comments: 9
  This is a post I never expected to write--at least not for another 20 years or so.
  
  NBC Washington bureau chief and moderator of Meet the Press Tim Russert died today as a result of an apparent heart attack. He was 58.
  
  I found out about [...]
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  Posted: June 13, 2008, 7:06pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Gas Prices: A Failure of Conservatism

  Number of comments: 10
  Gas prices have become one of the most important political issues this year. When the average price of a gallon of gas first reached $2 a gallon, there was shock. When they reached $3 a gallon, there was disbelief. And now they have topped $4 a gallon. People are [...]
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  Posted: June 12, 2008, 8:04am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• What We Learned This Primary Season

  Number of comments: 11
  The primaries are over, the votes have been counted, and the nominees have all but officially been crowned. This year's general election will be between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. Both are senators, but have vastly different personal histories. These histories and their unique personal dynamics will be [...]
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  Posted: June 08, 2008, 1:11pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Hillary Clinton's Path to the Vice Presidency

  Shortly after the primaries in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia almost four months ago, I wrote about the problems Hillary Clinton and her campaign were having in terms of their brand image. Here is a brief summary from my original analysis:

  "To summarize, Hillary Clinton is running on [...]

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  Posted: June 07, 2008, 12:23am EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Obama Veepstakes: Defusing the Hillarybomb

  Number of comments: 15
  By now, everyone knows that Barack Obama will be the Democratic Party's presidential nominee. His victory in the Montana primary pushed him over the top, so he now has a majority of delegates.
  
  Obama gave a powerful speech about his victory last night addressing what lies ahead and [...]
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  Posted: June 04, 2008, 4:34pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Effect of Bob Barr's Candidacy

  Number of comments: 9
  The Libertarian Party is the largest third party in the United States. At its recent party convention in Denver, it nominated former Republican Congressman Bob Barr as its nominee. Barr hails from Georgia and is probably best known for his role in the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton. [...]
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  Posted: June 02, 2008, 4:19pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• On Religion, Politics, and Denouncements

  Number of comments: 11
  It seems that Barack Obama appeals to two types of people. The first type is traditional liberals and run-of-the-mill Democrats. They like his views on immigration, international relations, tax policy, and social issues. They are pro-choice. They are economic populists. They are more receptive to government intervention and regulation. They [...]
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  Posted: May 30, 2008, 8:05pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• The Future of Cable News

  Number of comments: 8
  (Note: This is a continuation of my previous post examining what "fair" and "balanced" mean. This post examines their impact on cable news.)
  
  In the case of MSNBC, Keith Olbermann's "Countdown" draws the highest ratings of any show on the network. Liberals may call this show "fair," [...]
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  Posted: May 27, 2008, 11:02pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Dissecting "Fair and Balanced"

  Number of comments: 7
  (Note: This is the first of two posts addressing the meaning of "fair," "balanced," and "fair and balanced." This post addresses what these terms mean and how they are flawed. The second post addresses their potential effects on cable news in the future.)
  
  CNN is "the most trusted [...]
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  Posted: May 27, 2008, 10:45pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• McCain's Veepstakes: Reassessing Romney

  Number of comments: 13
  Ever since John McCain effectively clinched the Republican nomination back in February, he has had trouble staying in the headlines and getting media attention. After all, the chess match between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has become quite a political spectacle. However, McCain recently grabbed headlines by revealing that [...]
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  Posted: May 22, 2008, 3:41pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer

• Lame Political Discourse: Part 4 (On Phony Sympathy)

  Number of comments: 12
  At an intense sports event, partisan fans go to great lengths to show their allegiance to their team and ridicule their rivals. We paint our bodies. We wear jerseys. We try to intimidate our opponents or make them lose their concentration. We wave pennants. We camp out for tickets. We [...]
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  Posted: May 20, 2008, 8:37pm EDT
  by Anthony Palmer