Outside the Beltway

Last night’s debate was indeed the low point everyone anticipated it would be, but it seems unlikely to change the status quo.

Ben Carson announced today that he is skipping the next GOP debate and admitted that he does not see a viable path forward for his campaign. However, he didn’t formally withdraw from the race for the Republican nomination.

Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz landed some punches on Donald Trump last night, but it’s doubtful that they changed the nature of the race.

For now at least, the Bush Dynasty has seen the end of its involvement in national politics.

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

Has the legislative branch abdicated its responsibility in US foreign policy?

TNR makes the worst possible case for a proposition that’s almost certainly right.

Polarization is not the cause of our problems.

Ken Cuccinelli still hasn’t called to congratulate Terry McAuliffe. Why does this odd custom continue?

The Texas Legislature is putting up its controversial abortion bill again, but don’t expect things do end the way they did last week.

Virginia’s Governor’s race may be about to get very interesting.

Last night’s debate was rough and tumble, but it’s unlikely to change the state of the race.

There’s no doubt about it, our political culture is pretty horrible.

Mitt Romney’s initial response to the attacks in Egypt and Libya displayed a tendency to jump the gun rather than wait for the facts.

A POLITICO analysis finds that “Obama and his top campaign aides have engaged far more frequently in character attacks and personal insults than the Romney campaign.”

Yesterday it became clear that the Presidential campaign is headed into the mud.

The official portrait of George W. Bush, the 43rd president, was unveiled at the White House yesterday. The ceremony was a rare display of political humor and grace.

Michael Fumento becomes the latest prominent conservative to criticize what conservatism has become.

Ted Nugent, whose music I really liked when I was in junior high school, said something vile and crazy.

Animal’s Joel Johnson declares “Comments are Bad Business for Online Media.”

Cal Thomas made a tasteless joke at Rachel Maddow’s expense. He describes the lesson in civility he learned.

Watching last night’s debate, you would have been surprised to learn that Mitt Romney has any real opponents in the Republican race.

America’s greatest statesmen fear America’s political paralysis endangers our ability to lead the world.

Is Mitt Romney’s religion returning as an issue for Republican voters?

“Straight talkers” like Chris Christie make for lousy leaders.

Is there a trade-off in being polite?

Vice President Biden has called Congressional Republicans and their Tea Party backers “terrorists.”

News that Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik was a fan of anti-Islamist sites, including Robert Spencer’s Jihad Watch and Pamela Geller’s Atlas Shrugs has opened a big can of schadenfreude.

Is Jon Stewart a useful idiot?

Rick Santorum is upset that a Google search for his name produces a string of unflattering material. You should be, too.

No, the legislation does not in any way “suggest that some kind of rape that would be okay.”

As the night of the State Of The Union Address approaches, the silliness in Washington has been taken up a notch.

Inevitably, the Nazis made an appearance during yesterday’s debate over health care reform in the House. It’s time for it to stop, or at least time for the rest of us to stop taking seriously anyone who resorts to such arguments.

More on the strategery of civility.

Now that Republicans have the House, wouldn’t they be better off playing nice?

Bipartisan seating at the State Of The Union is a pointless act of political theater. Then again, so is the State Of The Union Address itself.

After five days of nonsense, President Obama’s address in Tucson last night struck exactly the right tone.

The relationships between inflammatory rhetoric and political violence is complicated.