Staff Reporter, National Review
Staff reporter for National Review
PROFILE
Stephen Spruiell
Guest
FROM Stephen Spruiell
To the Point
A Subdued Republican Convention Kicks Off Opening day is a shadow of what the Republicans planned for their National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. George Bush and Dick Cheney won't be coming as scheduled. Hurricane Gustav has forced them to make other plans. John McCain has suspended political hoopla, at least for today, and the convention will conduct the minimum of official business. We get the latest from Louisiana and try to assess what it will mean for the legacy of President Bush and McCain's political future. We also hear Republicans debate the choice of Sarah Palin and a conservative platform that fails to mention McCain.
To the Point
The State of the Presidential Race after the Philly Debate Polls show the top issues for voters are the economy, including free trade and $4-a-gallon gas and the war in Iraq. But less than a week before the Pennsylvania primary , the first 50 minutes of last night's debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama , – the twenty-second in this presidential campaign -- were focused on personal gaffes, past associations and who could withstand a Republican onslaught before the November elections. Eventually, each candidate was forced to concede that the other could beat John McCain . ABC;s moderators are getting as much post-mortem attention as the candidates. Did anything happen to change the momentum in Pennsylvania? Are voters around the country better informed? What about the super-delegates who are likely to make the final decision?
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Zócalo's Connecting California
Too rich for our own good Affluent communities put their futures as risk when they become unaffordable for everyone but the wealthy.
Left, Right & Center
Sessions is adjourned Jeff Sessions is out as President Trump’s attorney general.
The Mixer
California catastrophe The fires rage on in our own backyard, and in Northern California, encompassing tens of thousands of acres each. In L-A and Ventura Counties, the Woolsey Fire has scorched everything in its path. To the north, in Butte County, the Camp Fire has charred and destroyed even more acreage, of trees, brush and everything else, north of Sacramento, and the town of Paradise is a scene of utter devastation and heartbreak.
The 805
Who will get displaced by a new Santa Barbara police station? The city of Santa Barbara says it needs a new police station, but building one means displacing either farmers or lawn bowlers. The Woolsey has not only destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to evacuate, but it’s displaced a diverse mix of wildlife. And a new contemporary art exhibition takes a deep dive into the most famous art heists in history.