The Friday Political Thread: "We Are All Neville Chamberlain Now" Edition

David Weigel | May 16, 2008

I'm on Inside Washington Weekly with esteemed Orange Line Mafia members Jamie Kirchick, Amanda Carpenter, and host David White. (I don't think any of us actually live on the Orange Line.) And if you live in or close to D.C., be sure to RSVP for reason's forum on the libertarian vote with Mike Gravel, Bobb Barr, Wayne Allyn Root, and Vern McKinley.

Unconvincing Quote of the Week
"Conservatism is alive and well in America; don’t let anyone tell you differently. And by conservatism, I don’t mean the warmed-over 'raise your hand if you believe …' kind of conservatism we see blooming every election cycle." - Fred Thompson, making his... uh... comeback.

The Week in Brief
- Bob Barr officially tossed his chapeau in the ring for the Libertarian Party nomination.
- Hillary Clinton ground Barack Obama into dust in the West Virginia primary, carrying all 55 counties.
- Republicans lost their third straight special election of the year as Democrat Travis Childers took Mississippi's first district—a seat whose voters went 62-37 for Bush over Kerry.
- John Edwards endorsed Obama. (The only ex-candidates who haven't endorsed so far are, I think, Biden and Kucinich.)
- The Senate passed the farm bill.
- George W. Bush baited Barack Obama into a three-way battle on foreign policy with John McCain. One of these guys, of course, would pop Cristal if his approval rating broke 30 percent.
- The Huckabee for vice president boomlet came to a thudding end.
- Mike Gravel and Wayne Allyn Root debated on Fox Business:

Below the Fold
- The people behind "Stop Her Now," claiming they've "cancelled her show," launch "Stop Him Now."
- Congress's lone atheist endorses Obama.
- RiShawn Biddle takes on the black church.
- Bill Kauffman reviews Ron Paul.
- Wayne Allyn Root, Bob Barr, and three other LP candidates get profiled (briefly) by Fortune.
- J. Patrick Coolican talks with Rick Perlstein, author of the brilliant Nixonland.
- FDR never talked to Hitler, except when he did.
- Brian Beutler accuses McCain of selling out vets.

I couldn't find a copy of the Robert Fripp-produced and enhanced "Hammond Song" by the Roches, so he's a folkier version for Politics 'n' Prog.

SATURDAY UPDATE: Bob Barr responds to Mike Huckabee:

Mike Huckabee showed incredibly poor taste when he joked about a gun pointed at Senator Barack Obama. His words were reckless, callous and harmful to the sports men and women of America and to those of us who fully support the Second Amendment.

Every candidate for public office inflames the passions of people who fervently disagree with them. To suggest, as Governor Huckabee did, the misuse of a fire arm toward a political candidate is reckless. His attitude toward proper, legal and safe use of fire arms was demeaning to all of us who advocate the right to bear arms. His reprehensible use of a threatening and violent scenario involving a firearm at the NRA's National Convention was vile beyond belief.

I call on all supporters of the Second Amendment and all supporters of civil discourse in our political races to demand a public apology from Governor Huckabee.

He knows whereof he speaks.