Posts by Doug Mataconis

Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Bernie Sanders Is Giving Hillary Clinton A Contest In New Hampshire, But Nowhere Else

Another poll shows Bernie Sanders doing will in New Hampshire, but there’s no evidence he’s catching on anywhere else in the country.

Reporter And Cameraman Shot To Death Live On The Air In Virginia

A reporter and cameraman for a local television station were killed, and a third person wounded, live on the air this morning.

Trump Continues To Lead The GOP Field, But Is His Support Overstated?

Donald Trump’s support in the polls appears to become coming largely from people who don’t typically vote in primary elections.

As Far As Europe Is Concerned, The Debate Over The Iran Nuclear Deal Is Over

Congress is set to debate the Iran nuclear deal next month, but as far as Europe is concerned the debate is already over.

State-Level Republicans Looking At Ways To Keep Trump Off The Ballot

Republican officials in three states are looking at ways to keep Donald Trump off the primary ballot unless he pledges to support the eventual GOP nominee.

Elizabeth Warren’s Supporters Aren’t Thrilled About Joe Biden, But Who Is Really?

Joe Biden may want to run for President, but does anyone else? It doesn’t really seem like it.

Stock Market Drop Leads Trump And Walker To Say Dumb Things About China

Yesterday’s stock market drop led some Republican candidates to say some particularly dumb things.

How Much Will Trumpism Damage The Republican Party?

Even if Donald Trump isn’t the Republican nominee in 2016, he could still end up causing real harm to the party’s chances of winning the White House and holding on to the Senate.

The Biden Speculation Continues

Thanks in part to a slow summer news cycle, the speculation about Vice-President Biden entering the race for President seems to be reaching a fever pitch.

Another Walker Flip-Flop On Immigration Amid Crashing Poll Numbers

Scott Walker is flip-flopping on immigration again, while his poll numbers sink like a stone.

Rand Paul Buys Himself A Caucus So He Can Run For Two Offices At Once

Thanks to $500,000, Rand Paul bought himself a caucus so he can run for two offices at once.

Don’t Expect The Republican Field To Shrink Very Much Before Iowa

For a variety of reasons, it’s unlikely that the Republican field will shrink significantly before the Iowa Caucuses.

As Hillary Clinton’s Poll Numbers Drop, Is A Biden Candidacy Becoming More Likely?

The reports about Vice-President Biden possibly entering the Presidential race continue to persist.

The “Anchor Baby” Myth

There are no “anchor babies,” there are only Americans.

Majority Of Americans Oppose Iran Nuclear Deal, But It Will Likely Go Into Effect Anyway

Another poll shows that a majority of Americans oppose the Iranian nuclear deal, but the effort to defeat it in Congress is still likely to fail.

Private Email Servers And Hillary Clinton’s Judgment, Or Lack Thereof

Hillary Clinton’s own campaign admits she “didn’t think it through” when she decided to use a private email server as Secretary of State.

Has Donald Trump Peaked? Possibly, But He’s Still Doing Pretty Good

There are some signs that Donald Trump has peaked in the polls, but at his current position he’s still in pretty good shape unfortunately.

Hillary Clinton Continues To Dodge And Dismiss Questions About Her Private Email Server

While new information seems to come out on a daily basis, Hillary Clinton would rather that everyone think that her private email server wasn’t really a very big deal.

Walker, Jindal, And Graham Endorse Donald Trump’s Plan To End Birthright Citizenship

It will never actually happen, of course, but some of Donald Trump’s fellow candidates for President have been eager to endorse his idea to abolish birthright citizenship.

Trump Continues To Lead A Fluid GOP Field

Donald Trump is still in the lead of the Republican circus, but the rest of the field remains uncertain in the wake of the first debate.

N.L.R.B. Denies Student Athletes’ Bid To Unionize

The National Labor Relations Board refused to certify an effort by athletes at Northwestern University to unionize.

Donald Trump’s Immigration Plan As Bad As You’d Expect

Donald Trump’s immigration plan is would create a police state, violate people’s rights, and hurt America’s economy. And his supporters will most likely love it.

Democratic Donors Not Eager For Biden To Get Into The Race

Top Democratic donors don’t really seem very eager for Vice-President Biden to enter the race for President.

Republican Race Shaken Up After First Debate, But Trump Still Leads

There have been some changes in the race for the Republican nomination.

Connecticut Supreme Court Declares Death Penalty Unconstitutional

Connecticut eliminated the death penalty several years ago, and now the state’s Supreme Court has ruled that the men remaining on death row cannot be executed.

Jeb Bush Is Willfully Blind To The Truth About The Iraq War

Like many Republicans, Jeb Bush continues to be willfully blind to the truth about the Iraq War.

Sesame Street Moves To HBO

So does this mean Big Bird will show up on Game Of Thrones?

Trump Leads In Iowa, While Walker Declines

Donald Trump is leading in Iowa, and very few things make sense anymore.

green road signs intersection church st and state st green road signs intersection church st and state st

Defying A Court Order, Kentucky Clerk Refuses To Issue Marriage Licenses To Gay Couples

A Clerk in Kentucky appears to be headed for a showdown with a Federal District Court Judge that she is destined to lose.

Mexico To Trump: No, We Won’t Pay For Your Wall

Donald Trump’s assertion that he will get Mexico to pay for his border wall is being laughed at in Mexico City.

Most Americans Support A Pathway To Citizenship For Illegal Immigrants

Another poll shows that most Americans, and even most Republicans, support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Scott Walker’s Crony Capitalism

“Fiscal conservative” Scott Walker is handing Wisconsin taxpayers a $400 million bill for a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bernie Sanders Pulls Ahead Of Clinton In New Hampshire Poll

A new poll shows Bernie Sanders ahead of Hillary Clinton, but within the margin of error, in New Hampshire. But a deeper examination suggests that Bernie-mentum is a mile wide and an inch deep.

Hillary Clinton Turns Over Server After New Classified Emails Are Revealed

Hillary Clinton has turned over her private email server in the wake of reports about highly classified information in her email.

Democrats Not Exactly Eager For Joe Biden To Run For President

Based on a recent poll, it doesn’t appear that Democrats are all that eager for Vice-President Biden to challenge Hillary Clinton.

Columbia House Files Bankruptcy, Many Surprised To Learn It Still Existed

A company you probably thought had died off years ago filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday.

Rick Perry’s Campaign May Be At The Beginning Of The End

Rick Perry’s campaign is already showing signs that it may not last long.

Trump Remains Defiant As Post-Debate Controversy Continues

Donald Trump isn’t backing down from his post-debate meltdown, now the only question is what the polls will tell us when they come out.

Is The Donald Trump Implosion About To Begin?

The fallout from Donald Trump’s debate performance, and his comments afterward, continues, and it’s leading some to wonder if we may finally be at the end of this ridiculous charade.

Colorado Jury Spares James Holmes From Death Penalty In Aurora Movie Theater Shooting Case

Somewhat surprisingly, a jury in Colorado was unable to agree on a unanimous death sentence for Aurora movie theater shooter James Holmes.

Jobs Report Points To An Anemic Economy, So Why Is The Fed Thinking Of Raising Rates?

The July Jobs Report indicates that while the economy is growing, it is not growing very much. This seems to call the Federal Reserve’s interest rate plans into question.

Chuck Schumer Comes Out Against The Iran Nuclear Deal

The Iran nuclear deal will probably survive it’s test in Congress in the end, but Chuck Schumer just made the Administration’s job a little more difficult.

The Trump Hurricane Hits The First GOP Debate

It’s a Donald Trump debate, where the facts are made up and the truth doesn’t matter.