Chris Weigant

Pay-To-Play: Inauguration Tickets, Only $12,500 Each!

Chris Weigant | Posted 01.07.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congress, Cronyism, Burris, President Obama, Feinstein, Leon Panetta, Ceremony, Washington, Andy Rooney, Dianne Feinstein, Obama, Difi, Blagojevich, Presidential Inauguration Committee, Politics, Change, Halle Berry, Steven Spielberg, Inauguration, Pay to Play, pic2009, Inauguration Tickets, Inaugural, Swearing-In, 50000, Panetta, Roland Burris, Ticket, Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Transparency, Chris Weigant, Change We Can Believe In, Tickets, Capitol, Obama's Inauguration, Pic, Politics News
Chris Weigant

This doesn't sound a whole lot like "change we can believe in." This sounds more like same-old-same-old cronyism and pay-to-play.

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Burris, Race, Religion, And The Senate

Chris Weigant | Posted 01.05.2009 | Politics

Read More: Mormon, Burris, Impeachment, Blaggy, Representative Rush, Lord Has Ordained, Obama, Reconstruction, Race, Republican, Blagojevich, Politics, Revels, Bobby Rush, Senate Seat, Wallace, Reed Smoot, Religious Bigotry, Rush, Racism, Qualifications, Black, Faubus, Mississippi, Plantation, Reid, Illinois, Hiram Rhodes Revels, Appointment, Smoot, Garrett Davis, Roland Burris, Kentucky, Democrat, Appointee, Senate Appointment, Barack Obama, Yellow Dog, The Lord, Racial Politics, Hiram Revels, Religion, Chris Weigant, African American, Appointer, Harry Reid, Plantation Politics, Utah, Obama Senate Seat, Senate, Bull Connor, Politics News
Chris Weigant

"I am now the junior senator from the state of Illinois. . . . Friends, we're going to have to have some powerful prayer. . . . They can't deny what t...

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Friday Talking Points [59] -- New Year's Resolutions (For Democrats)

Chris Weigant | Posted 01.02.2009 | Politics

Read More: Left, Lefty, Senator, Transition Team, Al Franken, New Years, Illinois Legislature, New Year's Resolutions, Blagojevich, Pelosi, Transition, Senate Seat, Clinton, House Democrats, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democrats, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Legislature, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Bloggy Left, Reid, Illinois, Blogosphere, Bill Clinton, House, Franken, Democrat, Democrats, 2008 Election, Blogger, Constitution, Mddotw, Hillary, Cabinet, Chris Weigant, Obama Transition, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Senate, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Happy New Year 2009! Because I've always felt it is more amusing to make new year's resolutions that others should follow, today's Friday Talking Poin...

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Is Rick Warren Beyond The Pale?

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.29.2008 | Politics

Read More: Anti-Semitism, Misogyny, Church, Proposition 8, Beyond the Pale, The Pale, Obama, Gay, Pastor, Civil Unions, William White, Barack Obama, Invitation, Warren, Clinton, Dadt, Gay Rights, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Chris Weigant, Secretary of the Navy, Inauguration, Rick Warren, Saddleback, Purpose Driven Life, Racism, Defense of Marriage Act, Doma, Gay Marriage, Invocation, Politics News
Chris Weigant

While I understand the anger from the gay-rights community over the Warren issue, I myself am waiting to see some solid results from Obama before judging him.

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My 2008 "McLaughlin Awards" [Part 2]

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.26.2008 | Politics

Read More: Stuart Bowden, Ted Stevens, Jesse Jackson Jr, Ron Paul, Guantanamo, Al Franken, Best Government Dollar Spent, 50 State Strategy, Mccain, Primary Schedule, Awards, China, Worst Political Theater, Drill Baby Drill, Sarah Palin, Most Overreported Story, Andrew Cuomo, First Cat, Howard Dean, Socks the Cat, 2008, Bailout, Sofa, Condoleezza Rice, Katie Couric, Worst Political Scandal, John Edwards, Status of Forces, Sorry to See You Go, Health Care, Aids, Global Warming, Gravel, Election 2008 Coverage, Alaska, Bobby Jindal, Thomas Tamm, Reconstruction, Joe the Plumber, Tony Snow, Bernanke, Democrat, Letterman, Socks Clinton, Most Underrated, Democrats, Barack Obama, Best Idea, Predictions, George Carlin, 15 Minutes of Fame, Honorable Mention, Michigan, Hybrid, Wiretapping, Fred Thompson, Hillary Clinton, Executive Experience, Maliki, Caribou Barbie, Best Spin, Stuart Bowen, Destined for Political Oblivion, Kucinich, Jesse Helms, Private Jet, Beijing, Truth Commission, Going Green, Iraq, Most Overrated, Isaac Hayes, Spitzer, Caroline Kennedy, Bush, Wright, Blagojevich, Paulson, Bo Diddley, Mclaughlin, Unemployment, Inauguration, Destined for Political Stardom, Biggest Government Waste, Snl, Florida, Socks, Primary, Africa, Whistleblower, Best Political Theater, Most Underreported Story, Boldest Political Tactic, Castro, David Plouffe, Jeremiah Wright, Olympics, Harvey Korman, Beau Biden, Bernie Mac, Free Speech Zone, Wall Street, Chris Weigant, Oil, Most Honest Person, Socialism, Michael Crichton, Arthur C. Clarke, Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey, Worst Idea, David Letterman, Tamm, Wurzelbacher, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Love her or hate her, you have to admit that John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin for the Republican ticket this year was without any doubt the boldest political tactic of the year.

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Mr. Claus Goes To Washington

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.24.2008 | Politics

Read More: Humor, Washington, Christmas, Sit on Santa's Lap, Elf, Elf Incident, Santa, Politics, Elf Security, Chris Weigant, Satire, Santa Claus, Political Satire, Politician, Mr. Claus Goes to Washington, Political-Humor, Holiday Season Commentary, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I would rather be at home now than covering the annual "sit on Santa's lap" photo-op for politicians, but I seem to have annoyed my editor, so here I am -- your intrepid holiday reporter.

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Make Wall Street Take The Same Deal The Autoworkers Get

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.22.2008 | Business

Read More: Private Jets, White House, Autoworkers, Economics, 350 Billion, Private Jet, Bailouts, Jets Corporate Jet, Christopher Cox, Gail Vida Hamburg, Charles Schumer, Income, Bush, Krugman, Automakers, Big Three, Auto Bailout, Goldman Sachs, Politics, Jet, Bailout, Treasury, Paul Krugman, Big 3, Tarp, Union, Detroit, Comparison-Shopping, 700 Billion, Sec, Gm, Investment Banks, Bruce Raynor, Executive, Compensation, Car Companies, Chrysler, Nobel Prize, Schumer, Wall Street, Chris Weigant, Ceo, Salary, Banks, Fox News, Unions, Senate, Republicans, Ponzi, Business News
Chris Weigant

If we're going to minutely examine autoworkers' wages, and dictate the travel plans of one industry we are bailing out, then it seems eminently reasonable to do the same for the banking industry.

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My 2008 "McLaughlin Awards" [Part 1]

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.19.2008 | Politics

Read More: Ted Stevens, Gold Medals, Begich, Ron Paul, Ramsey, Mccain, Awards, China, Sarah Palin, Cindy Sheehan, Turncoat of the Year, Miss America, Enough Already, Mark Begich, 2008, Sofa, Dennis Kucinich, American Taxpayer, Turncoat, Status of Forces, Shinseki, Prime Minister, America Does Not Torture, Obama Wins, Edwards, Obama Is a Muslim, Barack Obama, Fred Thompson, Best Comeback, Taliban, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Maliki, Worst Politician, Styx, George Bush, President, Jon Benet, Beijing, President Elect Barack Obama, Iraq, Obama, President-Elect, Most Original Thinker, Spitzer, Bush, Lieberman, Michael Phelps, Blagojevich, Paulson, Mclaughlin, Stevens, Clinton, Bummest Rap, Pirates, Most Stagnant Thinker, Most Defining Political Moment, Shoes, Bill Clinton, John McCain, Rush Limbaugh, Biggest Loser, Somali Pirates, McLaughlin Group, Most Boring, Person of the Year, Jesse Jackson, Throwing Shoes, Worst Lie, Capitalist of the Year, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Richardson, Olympics, Best Photo Op, Biggest Winner, Chris Weigant, Palin, Best Politician, Fairest Rap, Ramseys, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Welcome to our annual awards! For the past three years, this column has paid homage (translation: "ripped off their gimmick") to the McLaughlin Group...

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Constitutional Coup Averted In Illinois

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.17.2008 | Politics

Read More: Vice President, Supreme Court, Law, Impeachment, Greg Harris, Cabinet, Twenty-Fifth Amendment, Military Law, Legal, I'm in Charge Here, President, Governor, Reagan, Blagojevich, Acting President, Amendment XXV, Succession, Constitution, Illinois, Impeach, Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Depose, Acting Governor, Chris Weigant, Rod Blagojevich, Al Haig, Coup, Unfit for Command, Lisa Madigan, Haig, Madigan, Politics News
Chris Weigant

The Illinois Supreme Court has just rejected what was in essence a coup attempt by the state Attorney General, which would have installed the Lt. Governor in Blagojevich's place.

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War Crimes and Incompetence -- the Real Shoes Thrown at Bush

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.15.2008 | Politics

Read More: Sere, Stuart Bowen, Inspector General, Abuse, Kucinich, Geneva Convention, Reconstruction, Guantanamo, Armed Services Committee, Bush, Detainee, Prisoner, Chris Weigant, Few Bad Apples, Abu Graib, Waterboard, Waterboarding, Iraq, Carl Levin, Shoes, Shoe, National Security Council, Senate, Torture, War Wire, Bowen, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Last week the Senate Armed Services Committee released a report which basically called Bush and his entire National Security Council war criminals.

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Friday Talking Points [58] -- [Expletive Deleted] Blagojevich

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.12.2008 | Politics

Read More: John Nance Gardner, Expletive, Expletive Deleted, Abuse, Feinstein, Guantanamo, Donald Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld, Mccain, Bowdlerize, Bailout, Condoleezza Rice, National Security, Midotw, Profanity, Spit, Big Three, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Levin, Carl Levin, Detroit, Sam Donaldson, Barack Obama, George Washington, Mddotw, Rod Blagojevich, Rahm Emanuel, World War II, Nixon, Piss, Senate, Auto Industry, Teddy Roosevelt, Cheney, Obama, Vitter, Blago, Bush, Euphemism, Bleep, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Andrew Malcolm, Big 3, John McCain, Go Fuck Yourself, Manufacturing, 2008 Election, Detainee, Warm Bucket of Spit, Prisoner, Gonzales, Go Cheney Yourself, Chris Weigant, Abu Graib, Leahy, Four Letter Word, Warm Bucket of Piss, Ass Backward, Torture, Vonnegut, Anglo-Saxon, Blaggy, Blag, Fitzgerald, Ashcroft, Politics News
Chris Weigant

The history of profanity in American political discourse is an untold story out there just waiting for someone to research and write about -- although...

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Inauguration News: D.C. Power Plays and Other Craziness

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.11.2008 | Politics

Read More: Scalping, Housing, Feinstein, Inauguration Day 2009, Ceremony, Last Call, Bar, Dianne Feinstein, Obama, Drinking Hours, Rental, Difi, Dc, Nightclubs, Inauguration Commandments, Alcohol, 2 AM, Scalped, Partying, Ebay, Rentals, Inaugural, Bars, Inaugurated, Closing Time, Swearing In, 5 AM, Washington DC, Congress, 3 AM, Drinking, Ticket, Barack Obama, Fraud, Scalper, Chris Weigant, Scalp, Tickets, Jccic, s3685, Politics News
Chris Weigant

With slightly less than a month and a half to go before Barack Obama's inauguration, Washington, D.C. has officially reached the "freakout" point on the Richter scale of event planning.

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A Close Look At The Iraq Status Of Forces Agreement [Part 1]

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.08.2008 | World

Read More: Bases, Troops, Jurisdiction, Timetable, Status of Forces Agreement, American Forces, Forces, Iraq, Agreement, Contractor, Bush, Iraq War, Soldiers, Chris Weigant, Sofa, Armed Forces, Blackwater, Security Contractor, Maliki, Status of Forces, Timetable for Withdrawal, Warwire, World News
Chris Weigant

What I found is that the Iraqis got almost everything they had pushed for, and the Bush administration got almost nothing of what they wanted.

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Friday Talking Points [57] -- End Of Prohibition 75th Anniversary Edition

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.05.2008 | Politics

Read More: Weapons Inspectors, Marie Antoinette, Pardon, Autoworkers, Feinstein, Marijuana, Al Franken, Barney Frank, Medical Marijuana, Legacy, Difi, Prohibition, Jerrold Nadler, Bush Legacy, Northern Ireland, Midnight Regulations, Bailout, Norm Coleman, Midotw, Treasury, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Ireland, Health Care, Reid, Detroit, Cash Room, 2700 Year Old, Army Field Manual, Democrat, Congress, 21st Amendment, Right Wing, Visitors Center, Minnesota, Lie, Democrats, Santa, Barack Obama, Brian Williams, The Troubles, Liquor, Michael Medved, Constitution, Mddotw, Harry Reid, Recount, Hillary Clinton, Utah, Post-Partisan Depression, Capitol, Secretary of State, Senate, Grandstanding, Amendment, Gop, Senator, Obama, Democratic, Dianne Feinstein, Iraq, Anniversary, Drink, Bush, Republican, Paulson, Clinton, Charlie Gibson, Schedule I, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Schedule II, Wmd, House, Frank, Franken, Post-Partisan, 2008 Election, Tourists, Talk Radio, Chris Weigant, Smell, Prohibition Repeal, Stink, Torture, Medved, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Brian Williams, NBC's talking head extraordinaire, is probably a decent guy, a guy with whom you could sit down and have a beer. [More on the alcohol...

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How Will Obama Enrage The Left?

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.03.2008 | Politics

Read More: Populism, Left, Leftist, President Obama, Progressives, Fisa, Democrat, Left Wing, Democratic, Liberal, Obama, Barack Obama, Bush, Lieberman, Republican, Politics, Sister Souljah, Progressive, First 100 Days, Cabinet, Chris Weigant, Joe Lieberman, Socialist, Enrage, Populist, Annoy, Bush Mess, Torture, Barack Obama Cabinet, Obama Cabinet, Obama's Cabinet, Obama 100 Days, 100 Days, Obama First 100 Days, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Obama is going to do something to absolutely enrage leftists, progressives, and the few remaining Americans who actually call themselves liberals; and, furthermore, he's going to do it within his first 100 days in office.

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Political Parties Are Not "Checks" Or "Balances"

Chris Weigant | Posted 12.01.2008 | Politics

Read More: 60-Vote, Pardon, House, Impeachment, Filibuster-Proof Majority, Executive, Legislative, Democrat, Filibuster, Chambliss, Majority, Democrats, 2008 Election, President, Election, Checks and Balances, Politics, Constitution, Senator, George Washington, Political Party, Chris Weigant, Party, Branch, Georgia, Balance of Power, Runoff, Jim Martin, Saxby Chambliss, Separation of Powers, Senate, Filibuster-Proof, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I'm not worried about whether checks and balances will disappear if Republicans don't have more than 40 seats in the Senate. True checks and balances are more fundamental than party affiliation.

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Guest Column: Why Obama's Election Should Be Considered Historic

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.26.2008 | Politics

Read More: Chicago, Obama, Racial, CotyJarret, Race, LewDan, Barack Obama, President, Election, Personal History, Politics, History, Eisenstein, Historic First, Racial Legacy, Chris Weigant, African American, Racism, Black, Llewellyn Daniel, Historic, Politics News
Chris Weigant

For only the third time in this column's two-and-a-half year history (see note below), I am turning over my soapbox to a guest columnist. As with bot...

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A Response To Rep. Elijah Cummings

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.24.2008 | Politics

Read More: Business Expense, Loophole, Tax Code, Maximum Wage, Populism, Kucinich, Sherrod Brown, Corporate Tax, Stock Options, Corporate, Business, Wastefulness, Corporate Jet, Pelosi, Business Costs, Big Business, Bailout, Luxury, Taxable, Populist, Ceos, Deductibility, Taxpayer Money, Capital Gains, Reid, Detroit, Elijah Cummings, Auto Companies, Taxes, Greed, Citigroup, Democrat, Business Tax, Congress, Loopholes, Democrats, Income Tax, Profit, Resort, Fat Cat, Tax, Corporations, Chris Weigant, Ceo, Shareholder, Outrage, Business Meeting, Stadium Tax, Mets, Deductible, Stadium Naming, Deduction, Tax Deductible, Cummings, Politics News
Chris Weigant

The loopholes which allow such corporate excess were not exactly handed down to Moses on tablets -- each and every loophole was approved by Congress.

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Friday Talking Points [56] -- Turkeys Everywhere!

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.21.2008 | Politics

Read More: Turkey Slaughter, Leadership, Turkey, Leadership Battle, John Dingell, Media, Charlie Rangel, Waxman, Chairman, Bush, Lieberman, Television, Pelosi, Last-Minute, Video, Midnight Regulations, Clinton, Regulations, Networks, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, Turkeys, Palin Turkey, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Leadership Fight, Reid, Detroit, Committee, Butcher, House, Framing, Charles Rangel, Homeland Security, Rules, 60 Days, Dingell, Democrat, Henry Waxman, Democrats, 2008 Election, Interview, Slaughterhouse, Rangel, Mddotw, Hillary, Chris Weigant, Palin, Sarah Palin, Leak, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Joe Lieberman, News, Meat, Leaks, Secretary of State, Senate, Politics News
Chris Weigant

While today is not officially Turkey Day, I will warn you in advance that it's going to be a theme running through today's column, like gravy through ...

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Is Hillary Nomination Offer A Red Herring?

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.19.2008 | Politics

Read More: Bill Clinton, Obama, Barack Obama, Red Herring, Clinton, Cabinet, Chris Weigant, Hillary, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, Sos, Politics News
Chris Weigant

You've got to ask yourself -- why is this the only story that has leaked in this fashion from the transition team?

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Memo To Right-Wing: Withdrawal Timetable Now Doubleplusgood

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.17.2008 | Politics

Read More: War on Terror, War Wire, Timetable, Nineteen Eighty Four, Democratic, Failure, Iraq, Withdrawal, Bush, Memory Hole, Doubleplusungood, Iraqi, Sofa, Ministry of Truth, Status of Forces, Orwell, 1984, White Flag, Time Horizon, George Orwell, Democrat, Right Wing, Surrender, Democrats, Chris Weigant, Lose a War, Doubleplus, Hypocrisy, Doubleplusgood, Newspeak, Maliki, Timetable for Withdrawal, Aspirational Goal, On the Ground, Minitrue, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I'm on a lot of strange press lists, so I get a lot of strange press releases, but this is the first time I've ever gotten one from another dimension, I have to admit.

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Friday Talking Points [55] -- "Bretton Woods II"? Not Quite.

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.14.2008 | Politics

Read More: Loan, Russ Feingold, Mormon, Proposition 8, Economy, World Bank, New Years, Redistribution of Wealth, Imf, Iraq, Obama, Plan B, President-Elect, Sarah Palin, Putin, Bush, Lieberman, Automakers, Paulson, Rnc, Economic Summit, Senator, Sarkozy, Bailout, Sofa, Bretton Woods II, Midotw, New Hampshire, Tax Cuts, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Taxpayer Money, Treasury, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Status of Forces, Mount Washington Hotel, Reid, Detroit, Taxes, Palin Clothes, Oath, Bretton Woods, Socialism, Speakeasy, Feingold, 2008 Election, Barack Obama, Constitution, Mddotw, Chris Weigant, Rahm Emanuel, Palin, Georgia, Harry Reid, President-Elect Obama, Secretary, Politics News
Chris Weigant

I have to begin here today by stomping all over a cutesy term the media has come up with for the upcoming economic "summit" George W. Bush is holding ...

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Anonymity Of "Obama Is A Muslim" Emails Constitutionally-Protected?

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.12.2008 | Politics

Read More: Supreme Court, Jaynes v Virginia, Mudslinging, First Amendment, Free Speech, Email, Spam, Constitutionally Protected, Obama, Anonymously, Jeremy Jaynes, Federalist Papers, Obama Is a Muslim, Barack Obama, Precedent, Virginia, Constitution, Anonymity, Chris Weigant, Constitutionality, Anonymous, Barack, Political Free Speech, Constitutional Question, Technology, Jaynes Virginia, Publius, Jaynes, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Emails saying absolutely anything about a candidate could not only be sent anonymously, but whoever sends them would actually be allowed to break any sort of anti-spam laws to do so.

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