Bill Kristol isn't a fan of Barack Obama:

Nobody can contest that Senator Mc Cain is an honorable man.

 However, his claim to have been a Reagan "Foot Soldier" could be more harmfull than beneficial for his campain.

Americans forget just how tense the Cold War was. In triumph, there is often complacency, as if the outcome was foreordained. But two decades ago, conventional wisdom was anything but triumphalist. Too many elite opinion makers and policy wonks said the United States could never hope to defeat the Soviet Union; the best we could do was keep the Russians contained and maybe cut a deal. Well, 25 years ago this month, Ronald Reagan said nuts to that.

America has a new found fascination for Politics.

 Unfortunately, it is not only about the complex and critical issues in the balance, but more about soundbites and vague slogans. More a battle of images and perception than a real debate on ideas and practical solutions. A fuzzy love fest requiring politicians of all stripes to seduce voters like an actor or a rock star would.

It started with the Nixon/Kennedy debate.The sweat on Nixon lips made him look uneasy in front of the photogenic JFK...and America was falling in love with the dashing Irish man.

One of the pleasures of living in Lawrence is close access to the Dole Institute of Politics, a bipartisan center that, among other things, does a terrific job of presenting bright and interesting speakers from across the political spectrum.