Political Wire

  • Front Page
  • Members
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
  • Trending
  • Resources
    • Politics Extra
    • Political Job Hunt
    • Political Dictionary
    • Electoral Vote Map
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, trending news, a private podcast, no ads and more!


Jindal Governing with an Eye on 2016

February 17, 2013 at 6:54 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) “is laying the groundwork for a likely presidential run — and using his state as a testing ground for policies that play well with national conservatives,” Politico reports.

“He’s passed a sweeping school voucher plan, rejected the Medicaid expansion in Obamacare and proposed scrapping the state income tax.”

“But political observers who’ve watched Jindal up close for years say it’s become increasingly fuzzy where his governing ends and his presidential ambitions begin — whether the 41-year-old policy wonk’s plans are aimed at Louisiana’s problems or future GOP voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.”

Doing the Opposite

February 16, 2013 at 11:36 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Cloakroom: Maybe President Obama should use reverse psychology to get his agenda past Republicans.

Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Nipple Exposure

February 16, 2013 at 9:14 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

North Carolina state Rep. Rayne Brown (R) is defending her proposed legislation which define women’s nipples as indecent, WRAL-TV reports.

Said Brown: “We’ve had the most fun with this bill for about the past week and a half, and that’s OK. You need to laugh sometimes. But there are communities across this state, there’s local governments across this state, and also local law enforcement for whom this issue is really not a laughing matter.”

The bill was prompted by annual topless protest and women’s rally in Asheville, NC.

From our partner:

Fueling Political Wire, One Cup at a Time

Every morning before the sun’s up, I sit down to work on Political Wire with a cup of Trade Coffee beside me.

It’s become part of the ritual — opening the laptop, scanning the news, and taking that first sip of a roast matched perfectly to my taste. Trade connects me with small roasters across the country, delivering beans that are always fresh and far better than what you’ll find at the grocery store.

If you love coffee as much as I do, use this link to get a free bag of coffee and taste the difference for yourself.



Iowa Governor Blasts Karl Rove

February 16, 2013 at 9:12 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Turmoil deepened among leading Republicans over efforts to ward off controversial candidates in the next election, as Iowa Republican Gov. Terry Branstad blasted a new candidate-steering plan by Karl Rove and warned him to stay out of state and congressional races,” the AP reports.

Said Branstad: “I basically told Karl Rove that what he was doing is counter-productive and he needs to stay out of it.”

“In the aftermath of last fall’s disappointing election outcome for the GOP, party leaders have been focusing on fielding more candidates with broad appeal – and fewer unpredictable ones – but have split bitterly over how to do it, worsening party tensions.”

Holt Interested in Running for Senate

February 16, 2013 at 9:02 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) told Politicker NJ that he is interested in running for U.S. Senate.

Said Holt: “There’s no point in being coy. I’ve made no secret in previous years that I would consider the Senate at the right time. But an expression of interest should not be taken as a campaign announcement.”

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) have also indicated they’re looking at possible bids.

Hagel Filibuster Hinges on McCain

February 16, 2013 at 8:52 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Byron York: “Members of the Senate have left Washington for the President’s Day break, scheduled to return February 25. That means Republicans who voted to filibuster the nomination of Chuck Hagel to be Defense Secretary have ten days to search for new evidence against him and lobby colleagues to keep up the opposition.”

“With 41 votes needed to uphold a filibuster — exactly the number Republicans mustered against Hagel on Thursday — the GOP has no votes to lose. And the most critical of those votes appears to belong to Sen. John McCain.”

Washington’s New Bad Boy

February 16, 2013 at 8:39 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

In just two months, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) “has made his presence felt in an institution where new arrivals are usually not heard from for months, if not years,” the New York Times reports.

“Besides suggesting that Mr. Hagel might have received compensation from foreign enemies, he has tangled with the mayor of Chicago, challenged the Senate’s third-ranking Democrat on national television, voted against virtually everything before him — including the confirmation of John Kerry as secretary of state — and raised the hackles of colleagues from both parties.”

Lobbyists Use Campaign-Style Opposition Research

February 16, 2013 at 8:35 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Roll Call: “If a lobbying campaign is war, then opposition research is the equivalent of elite special forces. K Street deploys all sorts of quiet, behind-the-scenes tactics and troops to influence legislation and policy. The most clandestine and high-risk is the use of political-style operatives to dig up dirt on foes.”

Another Bad Week in Washington

February 16, 2013 at 8:25 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Cloakroom: Why Americans hate Congress.

FBI Investigates Menendez Prostitution Claims

February 15, 2013 at 10:45 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Washington Post: “A team of FBI agents has been conducting interviews in recent weeks in the Dominican Republic and the United States, looking into allegations that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) patronized prostitutes in the Caribbean nation, but has found no evidence to support the claim.”

“One person said agents have asked about whether a Florida eye doctor — a close friend and major campaign donor to Menendez — provided the senator with prostitutes on vacations there. Another person said investigators are looking into allegations involving underage prostitutes and sex parties.”

Dissecting the Rubio Debacle

February 15, 2013 at 5:31 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

James Carville and Stan Greenberg talk on the phone about the State of the Union response delivered by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), touted as a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

They were not impressed.

[Read more…]

Separate Vacations

February 15, 2013 at 5:27 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Weekly Standard: “The White House confirms today that President Barack Obama will be vacationing in Florida this weekend. His wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, will be in Colorado. The two daughters will be with Michelle.”

“While the rest of his family will be skiing, Obama is expected to be hitting the links with golf pros and buddies in Florida.”

Democrats Urge Sales of Cuccinelli Book

February 15, 2013 at 1:42 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ken Cuccinelli (R) has a new book out and the Washington Post notes Democrats are promoting it with the hope that it will help sink his Virginia gubernatorial campaign.

What’s Really Wrong with Congress

February 15, 2013 at 1:07 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Just out: Dangerous Convictions: What’s Really Wrong with the U.S. Congress by former Rep. Tom Allen (D-ME).

GOP Leaders Plot Their Way Back

February 15, 2013 at 12:37 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico reports that for the last few days GOP leaders “have met behind closed doors to both craft an agenda that confronts the ghosts of Congresses past and figure out a way to sell it to the American people.”

There is agreement on sanding down “the party’s rough edges” and to stop talking “like the world is going to end.”

But the GOP leadership “has become
increasingly alarmed at how many lawmakers in the meeting think the
party has a messaging problem, not a policy problem.

Jackson Implicates Wife in Plea Deal

February 15, 2013 at 12:17 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) implicated his wife, Sandi, in his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, CBS Chicago reports.

“Jackson will plead guilty to one felony count of misuse of campaign funds and then let a federal judge determine his punishment… Jackson’s deal calls for him to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars spent for things like travel and meals with a mistress and a $40,000 men’s Rolex watch he bought for himself. Jackson’s resignation from Congress was also part of the deal.”

“But Jackson’s pleading guilty to using campaign funds for personal expenses could expose Sandi, his campaign manager, to tax-fraud charges. The congressman’s guilty plea says Sandi knew about improper purchases that apparently include breakfast snacks, cosmetic services, even beds purchased for campaign workers.”

Vilsack Will Not Run for Senate

February 15, 2013 at 12:10 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Tom Vilsack (D) has ruled out running U.S. Senate in 2014, the Des Moines Register reports.

His decision clears the way for Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) “to press forward and raise money for what’s expected to be one of the most fiercely competitive races in the country.”

Warren Schools the Bank Regulators

February 15, 2013 at 11:51 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) had her first hearing as a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and put on quite a performance. It’s worth watching.

[Read more…]

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 7970
  • 7971
  • 7972
  • 7973
  • 7974
  • …
  • 8259
  • Next Page »

Get Smarter About Politics

Members get exclusive analysis, a trending news page, the Trial Balloon podcast, bonus newsletters and no advertising. Learn more.

Your Account

Sign in

Latest for Members

  • Weekly News Quiz
  • The Electability Myth Returns for 2028
  • Good Sportsmanship
  • The Price of a Pardon
  • Someone Really Doesn’t Want a Vote on the Epstein Files

Word of the Day

Patriot: A patriot is a person who loves, supports, and defends one’s country.

Read the full definition

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

Praise for Political Wire

“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”

— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”

“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”

— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”

— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.

Copyright © 2025 · Goddard Media LLC | Privacy Policy | Corrections Policy

Political Wire ® is a registered trademark of Goddard Media LLC