2004 Note Archives
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December 17, 2004 —LAST NOTE!: "The Crisis Is Now"
December 16, 2004 —"A Rare Public Appearance": Mehlman and Cahill (and Shrum!), Covered in Ivy
December 15, 2004 —Like Angels on the Head of a Pin . . . : How Many Newspaper Stories Can Fit on a BlackBerry Screen?
December 14, 2004 —(Still) Casting (About) and Counting: Who Will Play Which Roles in '05?
December 13, 2004 —"The Short List Is Said to Include . . . ": The Great Mentioner Takes a Break from Holiday Shopping
December 10, 2004 —Leader of the Pack (?): Or: Leader of the Laundromat? Or: Terry and the Pirates (of the Caribbean)
December 9, 2004 —"No Favorite Has Emerged . . . ": . . . For Anything
December 8, 2004 —Joe Momma: Sheryl Gay Stolberg Declares War on Jano Cabrera
December 7, 2004 —Bush Rules: Never Challenge Congress to Do Something, Unless You Are Pretty Sure You Can Get Them to Do It
December 6, 2004 —Warm in December: Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Off to Legislate They Go
December 3, 2004 —(White) House Rules: Entering the Big Casino
December 2, 2004 —Twin Children of Different Mothers: We've Been on the Run, Driving in the Sun, Looking out for #1
December 1, 2004 —The Head Shots of Which Four Men Appear on the Editorial Page of USA Today Today?: "Breathe Deeply, and Then Decide . . ."
November 30, 2004 —A Washington, D.C., Speculation Game: A/K/A "The Note"
November 29, 2004 —Big Country, Big Apartment: A 24-room Duplex at 740 Park Avenue, at 71st Street???!!!!
November 19, 2004 — Sentimental Journey: Thanks, Presidents, For Giving Us the Photo Op
November 18, 2004 — Solid As The Rock: The Little City Gets Big Again
November 17, 2004 — His Legacy and Her Future: "Those Things Change in a Hurry"
November 16, 2004 — The Note
November 15, 2004 — The Note
November 12, 2004 — The Note
November 11, 2004 — The Note
November 10, 2004 — The Note
November 9, 2004 — The Note
November 8, 2004 — The Note
November 5, 2004 — Political Eye-Teeth: Washington Is Different from Austin, No Question About It: the Restaurants Aren't As Good in Washington
November 4, 2004 — The Permanent Campaign: "All Fine Architectural Values Are Human Values, Else Not Valuable"
November 3, 2004 — The Speech He Never Gave: Day One of Overtime
November 2, 2004 — Judgment Day: The Speech He'll Never Give
November 1, 2004 — Bringing It Home: "Watch Returns and Throw Up"
October 31, 2004 — "Democracy Is the Score at the Beginning of the Ninth": Three Yards and an Infinite Number of Clouds of Dust
October 30, 2004 — Surprise Party: Uncertainty Layered upon Uncertainty
October 29, 2004 — It's Not Whether You Win or Lose, It's How You Play the Game: Or: Winning Isn't Everything; It's the Only Thing
October 28, 2004 — This Gun's for Hire: C'mon Baby, Give Me Just One Look
October 27, 2004 — A Tie Is Like Kissing Your Sister: A Loss Is Like Kissing Dolores Umbridge
October 26, 2004 — A Lifetime in Politics: Doubts and Discontent
October 25, 2004 — Lying in Wait …: … To Weigh in Late
October 24, 2004 — Either Side Can Win: The Gang of 500 and the Lust to Declare the Race Over
October 23, 2004 — Big 10 Saturday: Managing the Clock
October 22, 2004 — Who Do You Trust … Blah, Blah, Blah: "A Thought Is Often Original, Though You Have Uttered It a Hundred Times"
October 21, 2004 — Literally in Denial: If You Don't Have a Dream, How You Gonna Have a Dream Come True?
October 20, 2004 — Not for the Faint of Heart: You Can Go to Extremes with Impossible Schemes
October 19, 2004 — Je Vais Aider Les Americains: "We Must Separate Elections Administration from Political Shenanigans"
October 18, 2004 — Ooo and It's Alright and It's Comin' 'Long: We Got to Get Right Back to Where We Started From
October 15, 2004 — Cheap and Tawdry Political Tricks: "We Don't Understand This Election. No One Does"
October 14, 2004 — From Sea to Shining Sea: President of All the People
October 12, 2004 —"Face the Nation": "A Prospect Likely to Bring out the Worst in Both Men"
October 11, 2004 —"Myopic Misread of the American Electorate": Google News Search Our Headline to Find out Who Said It!!
October 8, 2004 —What It's Like to Live and Die: No Sneering, Sighing, or Watch Gazing
October 7, 2004 —What's Black and White (and Red, White and Blue) All Over?: Trust the Wisdom of the American People: the Last News Cycle Won by BC04
October 6, 2004— Beat Me in St. Louis: Trees Falling in the Cleveland Forest -- Even with Howard Fineman in the House
October 5, 2004— 28 Days Later: Strong Violence and Gore, Language (But No Apparent Nudity)
October 4, 2004— Focused and Pensive, Not Peevish or Irritated: Where X Represents the Number of Page Turns Before November 2
October 1, 2004— "Whuddya Think?": Answer: "We Are Reporters -- We Don't Think (Ha), We Ask Questions"
September 30, 2004— It Is No Longer Not Debatable: The Miami Blahs: What Is Conventional and What Is Wise?
September 29, 2004— The Eye of the Brahmin Tiger: Can Kerry Close Stronger Than Mariano Rivera?
September 28, 2004— A Little Less Macro, a Little More Micro: Faith in the Ground Game is the Last Refuge of the (Still) Optimistic Democrat
September 27, 2004— Before the Clash in Coral Gables: One Day Is Fine, Next Is Black
September 24, 2004— A Tool of Nobody: War-Time President, War-Time Election, and a Whole New Meaning for Right Track/Wrong Track
September 23, 2004— Against All Odds: There's Just an Empty Space
September 22, 2004— Peaks and Valleys: Tie Goes to the Runner (Part II)
September 21, 2004— Eye on the Ball: Karl Rove's Wall Calendar
September 20, 2004— Redirecting the Laser Beam: Over There, Over There
September 17, 2004— Simply the Best: A Lifetime of Promises and a World of Dreams
September 16, 2004— Dark Assessments: What Do Voters and "-gates" Have in Common?
September 15, 2004— Motown, Money, McCurry: Polls, Pundits, Pros(e)
September 14, 2004— TIME: If I Could Get Back to Politics?: KERRY: I Don't Talk Politics.
September 13, 2004— One from Column A: … and Another from Column A?
September 10, 2004— Playing for Harvard: The Second Draft of History Is Usually Better Than the First
September 9, 2004— The Worst Is Yet to Come: And Won't It Be Fine?
September 8, 2004— "I" Stands for "Iraq": "V" Stands of "Vietnam"
September 7, 2004— What Lurks in the Heart of the Media: The Overshadow Knows
September 6, 2004— Working Weekend: Two Hearts Are Better Than One
September 3, 2004— News Roulette: No Port in a Storm
September 2, 2004— The Choice: Mano a Mano, and Mano a Self
September 1, 2004— The Turtle and the Fence Post, Part III: Herculean in New York
August 31, 2004— Stop Lying About My Record: The Bushes, the Doles, and the Veterans Team Up
August 30, 2004— "We Can Go to the Country on This Issue": In the Immortal Words of Karl Rove …
August 29, 2004— College Math: On the Eve of New York, Making the Grade
August 28, 2004— Seared, Seared: Summer Nights: Tell Us More, Tell Us More
August 27, 2004— Not Ugly to Me: A Relaxed President Surveys His Kingdom
August 26, 2004— Accomplishing Missions: What History Will Show Got Done Between Boston and New York
August 25, 2004— Wise Counsel: Choosing up Sides
August 24, 2004— My Yesterday: Your Tomorrow
August 23, 2004— Speaking of the Truth: Good (Groundhog) Day, Saigon
August 20, 2004— Moving or Capable of Moving with Great Speed; Fast: Quick to Act or React; Prompt: Swift to Take Steps
August 19, 2004— We Hold These Truths...: Pick up Hazy Joely and Killer Joe
August 18, 2004— John E. O'Neill and John Cusack Agree: Say Anything
August 17, 2004— Old Hands on Deck: Should The Note Even Publish the Rest of This Week?
August 16, 2004— Calm After the Storm: A Week from Today, the Sprint Is On
August 13, 2004— If You Gotta Play at Garden Parties, I Wish You a Lotta Luck: Someone Opened up a Closet Door and out Stepped Johnny B. Goode
August 12, 2004— A More Sensitive Note: Winner Take All, Vol. II
August 11, 2004— Winner Take All: The Leader As We Head Towards The Back Nine and the Homestretch
August 10, 2004— Cooped Up: Advise and Consent
August 9, 2004— Ganged Up: Conspiracy at 18th and Swann, NW
August 6, 2004— Broken Heroes on a Last Chance Power Drive: But There's no Place Left to Hide
August 5, 2004— Closets Are For Hangers: Winners Use the Door
August 4, 2004— Point Blank: Living One False Move, Just One False Move Away, and They Caught You in Their Sights
August 3, 2004— Tomorrow Never Knows: Turn off Your Mind, Relax and Float Down Stream
August 2, 2004— Turning the Corner . . . : . . . And Being Surprised About What's There
July 30, 2004— The One in Which The Note Channels an Undecided Ohio Voter: A Necessary But Not Sufficient Step or a Hamster and a Watery Doom?
July 29, 2004— Stand and Delivery: The Studied Insouciance of the St. Paul's Man
July 28, 2004— Close the Sale: Turning the FleetCenter into Fleet Street
July 27, 2004— I Want This Job: And Shove It
July 26, 2004— You've Got to Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative: Latch on to the Affirmative, Don't Mess with Mister In-Between
July 25, 2004— Like Saint Patrick Driving the Snakes out of Ireland: Sox 11, Bombers 10
July 24, 2004— Boston Is Filling Up: Get (T)here Quickly...
July 23, 2004— Final Instructions: Let's Get This Party Convention Started
July 22, 2004— Notes Notes, Forsooth, and Something: There's Much Ado About ABC News Political Coverage
July 21, 2004— Sandy, the Angels Have Lost Their Desire for Us: They Won't Set Themselves on Fire for Us Anymore
July 20, 2004— The Ghost of Fawn Hall: July: Like a Firecracker All Aglow
July 19, 2004— Storms Encountered at Sea: Pulling into Port on Schedule
July 16, 2004— It Took a Rumor To Make Me Wonder: Now I'm Convinced We're Going Under
July 15, 2004— The New York Times and Rumors: What Democrats Hope and Fear
July 14, 2004— Inside Out: Leave to Find the Answer on the Road
July 13, 2004— Gone a Million Miles: To That Place Where You Can't Remember and You Can't Forget
July 12, 2004— Struggling to Do Everything Right: And Then It All Falls Apart
July 9, 2004— So Ready for This Fight: Cover the Ears and Eyes of Emma Claire and Jack
July 8, 2004— Thinking About Oreos: Glen Johson: Sucker for Cute Kids
July 7, 2004— Four Trials: Four (Partial) Verdicts
July 6, 2004— Happy Birthday, Mr. President: John Kerry Just Got You a Smooth-talking, Handsome, Charismatic, Rich Southern Trial Lawyer to Run Against!!!
July 5, 2004— Georgetown Alley Cat: From Face-to-Face to Cheek-to-Cheek
July 4, 2004— Doubles Partner for a Love Match: The Strength of Serena Williams, the Cleverness of Martina Hingis, and the Charisma of Anna Kournikova
July 3, 2004— Better Safe Than Sorry (?): 2 Poets Alone in the Woods (?)
July 2, 2004— An Old Washington Parlor Game: Like So Many Yakuza in a Bottle
July 1, 2004— The Definition of "Insanity": Winners Talk, Perps Walk
June 30, 2004— Reality Bites: A/k/a: What Don Evans Thinks About While He Shaves Each Morning
June 29, 2004— Presidential Precedents: A Bush in the Hand Is Worth...
June 28, 2004— Anchors Away: Calling an Audible on the Handover
June 25, 2004— Cheney Versus Leahy: Washington: a City in Which People Are Often Asked to Do the Impossible
June 24, 2004— Bought a Ticket to the West Coast: Now He Gives Them a Stand-Up Routine in L.A.
June 23, 2004— And You Can Speak Your Mind: But Not on My Time
June 22, 2004— Sooner or Later You Sleep in Your Own Space: Either Way It's Okay, You Wake up with Yourself
June 21, 2004— Never Said You Had to Offer Me a Second Chance: Never Said I Was a Victim of Circumstance
June 18, 2004— "Dour, Worried and Withdrawn": Staking Out Number Two: "There Is No Separate Cheney P.R. Machine"
June 17, 2004— The Talented Mr. Ripley's Believe It or Nots: And the Fabulous Mr. Rove's Own Believe It or Not
June 16, 2004— "I'm Running for President Because . . . ": Between Tenderness and Brute Force
June 15, 2004— So Where Are the Strong?: "The Electors Shall Meet in Their Respective States . . . "
June 14, 2004— College Boys (and Girls): "The Electors Shall Meet in Their Respective States . . . "
June 11, 2004— "Not Even Sure Who Kerry Is": Steady As We Go
June 10, 2004— Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited: 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
June 9, 2004— Bold Strokes and Primary Colors: Assessing legacies past and present
June 8, 2004— Pop Goes the Weasel: Words Are the Physicians of a Mind Diseased
June 7, 2004— Reagan's Way: Not the Words of One Who Kneels
June 4, 2004— Feeding the Jackals: Washington Is Always the Same
June 3, 2004— Nous Aimons les Francais: Quelle Est la Reponse?
June 2, 2004— Parati Ad Bellum: Or, in the Vernacular: Let's Get Ready to Ruuuuuuuumble!!!!!
June 1, 2004— Calendar Boys: The Traditional Memorial Day Campaign Kickoff
May 31, 2004— The Mini Note: Politics and Remembrance
May 28, 2004— The Mini Note
May 27, 2004— The Mini Note: Kerry's Foreign Policy Vision
May 26, 2004— The Mini Note: Will Gore Foment Unrest on Kerry's Left?
May 25, 2004— The Vitally Important and the Meaningless: Password: "Ken Mehlman"
May 24, 2004— A Little Texas Cocky: Battered, Bruised, Scraped, and (Maybe) Ready to Go
May 21, 2004— Quiet Versus Storm: "DoleGingrich" Is No More or Less One Word Than "KerryPelosi"
May 20, 2004— Assigned Rolls: Thank God It's Not October
May 19, 2004— Ink by the Barrel: John and Ralph, Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G (?)
May 18, 2004— Sheer Madness: The Second-Most Famous Dress in American Political History
May 17, 2004— (Un)Civil (Un)Rest: What We All Need is Steady Leadership
May 14, 2004— Eye on the Ball: A Big Nation Has More Than Two Men
May 13, 2004— Presidential Sweet: John Kerry Closes Tough
May 12, 2004— Insider Account: Staying the Course
May 11, 2004— The Movie Has Just Started: But Everybody Wants to Cut to the Chase
May 10, 2004— Bubble Man: Up, Up, and Away
May 7, 2004— "If He Says Anything Arrogant, It's Over": To Whom Does That Apply?
May 6, 2004— Throw Rummy from the Train (?): The One Where All Politics Aren't Local
May 5, 2004— The Day After Yesterday: = The Day Before Tomorrow
May 4, 2004— From Touchdown to Take Off: Safer, Stronger, Better
May 3, 2004— On That Road, Somewhere in Some Bus or Train: "It's Sometimes Not Risky to Address the Thing That's Paramount on People's Minds"
April 30, 2004— If You Should Ever Find Someone New …: We Know He'd Better Be Good to You, 'Cos If He Doesn't, We'll Be There
April 29, 2004— We Keep Pretending That There's Nothing Wrong: But There's a Code of Silence and It Can't Go On
April 28, 2004— Now, Noted: Start Paying Attention
April 27, 2004— You Remember the Faces, the Places, the Names: You Know It's Never Over -- It's Relentless As the Rain
April 26, 2004— Bring . . . It . . . On!!! (Vol. XXVI): Power Play(ers)
April 23, 2004— Sovereign Nation: Power Play(ers)
April 22, 2004— "Seasonal Tribal Warfare": The Crowd Plays Ropa-DOPES
April 21, 2004— It Was a Dark and Stormy Day: Rolling Thunder
April 20, 2004— Kodak Moments: Big Russ' Hometown and POTUS
April 19, 2004— Chicken Salad Dripping from the Chin: Will 44 Talk to Woodward?
April 16, 2004— Namby-Pamby Campaign: Who Among Us Doesn't Love NASCAR?
April 15, 2004— Is John Kerry Bill Clinton or Al Gore?: And How Would People in the Cleveland Suburbs Answer That?
April 14, 2004— Empty Words Embolden: Our Work May Become More Difficult
April 13, 2004— "Pick Out a Red Tie or a Blue Tie" : What You Wear All Depends on Where You Live
April 12, 2004— NANCY REAGAN: "Doing Everything We Can" : GEORGE BUSH: "I've Been Busy, All These Crises"
April 9, 2004— Fortitude in the Face of Adversity : Matzos, Macaroons, and Chicken: Winning Is Everything
April 8, 2004— Two-front War: Serious Spectacle
April 7, 2004— NOTED NOW: Brand Extension
April 6, 2004— From 200 Liberty to 229 W. 43rd . . . : . . . Everyone's a Critic
April 5, 2004— Elections Lasting More Than Four Months . . . : . . . While Rare, Require Immediate Attention
April 2, 2004— Headlines and Legends: You Can't Tell the Players Without Several Scorecards, Martinis and Job Numbers Take a Lot of the Pressure Off
April 1, 2004— No April Fooling: The Fortunate One
March 31, 2004— Perfect Is Not on the Ballot: Tall, Not Big
March 30, 2004— Visiting Hours: "What's a Ropeline?" . . .
March 29, 2004— New Discipline: The Distortions We Have Seen
March 26, 2004— I Wanna Do What Ain't Ever Been Done: I Wanna Win What Ain't Ever Been Won
March 25, 2004— The Drama of the Gifted Children: Call Me "Mr. President"
March 24, 2004— Anybody Can Just Take Them: The Most Important Part of the Reservation: The Holding
March 23, 2004— Of Trust Funds, Attacks, Commissions, Interviews, a Quiz, and . . .: . . . Baggages and Kings . . .
March 22, 2004— Cream Colored Ponies: An' Crisp Apple Strudels (Not)
March 19, 2004— French Connection: At the Yellow Rose
March 18, 2004— Mistakes Were Made: Regrets, I Have a Few, But Then Again . . .
March 17, 2004— It Isn't Bragging If You Can Do It: DE-fense, DE-fense!!!
March 16, 2004— Stewart's Charge: And Other American Dreams To Watch
March 15, 2004— An Object in Motion . . .: . . . Awaiting an External Force
March 12, 2004— Who Is John Kerry?: And Will He Have His Comeuppance Coming?
March 11, 2004— Why Can't We Give Love Give Love Give Love Give Love?: "Amid the Pressure of Great Events, a General Principle Gives No Help"*
March 10, 2004— Ohio Players: Rollercoaster -- Say What?
March 9, 2004— "When You Coming Home, Son?": "I Don't Know When, But We'll Get Together Then, Dad. You Know We'll Have a Good Time Then."
March 8, 2004— Starting a Conversation: Alleged Bipartisan Fabrications and Misrepresentations and Attacks, Oh My!
March 5, 2004— Instant Message: Bush Has One . . .
March 4, 2004— Turning the Corner: And Casting a Wide Net
March 3, 2004— Don't Mess With Texas: Go Toward the Light
March 2, 2004— If You Say It Loud Enough . . .: . . . . You'll Always Sound Precocious
March 1, 2004— Inches Rather Than Yards: This Is The Week That Is
February 27, 2004— The Matrix: Elections Are About . . . .
February 26, 2004— Will We Have Rainbows Day After Day?: The Future's Not Ours to See
February 25, 2004— Keep It Happy, Keep It Snappy: Keep It Gay!
February 24, 2004— Say One Thing: Do Another
February 23, 2004— Yin Versus Yang: Quisp Versus Quake
February 20, 2004— Past is Prologue: Up Periscope
February 19, 2004— I Came For You: But You Did Not Need My Urgency
February 18, 2004— Not So Fast John Kerry: Remember: "Regime Change Begins at Home"
February 17, 2004— Don't Waste Your Time Waiting: Lights Out Tonight (?), Trouble (?) in the Heartland
February 13, 2004— The (Democratic) Elephant in the Room : DEVELOPING(?) . . . : "The Answer Is 'No.'"
February 12, 2004— What's Past is Passed: Except When It Is Not
February 11, 2004— NoteLibs: Fill in the Blanks, 2003-2004
February 10, 2004— War President: Media, Darling (Part Deux)
February 9, 2004— War President: Media, Darling
February 8, 2004— The Macho Factor: What Is It About the Bushes and Those Newsweekly Covers?
February 7, 2004— How They Aced Their Midterms*:Laura, With the Smiling Eyes
February 6, 2004— Snapshot: How Long Before the First Commercial (Break)?
February 5, 2004— Defining Differences Between the Candidates: Can a 16-year-old Dog Hunt?
February 4, 2004— Paul Krugman's Smile: Could Will Rogers Have Been Wrong?
February 3, 2004— One from Column A . . . : . . . and One from Column B
February 2, 2004— The World Is Busting at Its Seams: And You're Just a Prisoner of Your Dreams
February 1, 2004— (February) Third Down Conversions: Don't Forget to Watch the Ads
January 31, 2004— Cash and Carry: How does one spend $40 million, anyway?
January 30, 2004— Not Too Far Ahead: Who Can('t) Read Bill Clinton's Body Language?
January 29, 2004— Kiss Me, Kate: When The Note Saw O'Connor And Trippi Spooning, And Other Memories
January 28, 2004— The Memos: It Almost Doesn't Matter If They Were Real or Not(e)
January 27, 2004— Rules Of The Road: Or, Road Rules
January 26, 2004— From the Seacoast to the Hills of Keene . . . : . . . A Struggle with Labels and Stereotypes
January 25, 2004— "Mr. Mission Not Even Legitimately Attempted": Center of the Universe
January 24, 2004— Great Expectations: Last Night, I Waved Goodbye; Now It Seems Years
January 23, 2004— Relentlessly Civil: The Luck of the (Kerry) Irish and an Adviser-vetted Defense
January 22, 2004— "Last September He Was Horrible, and Now He's Not": Shrum to Novak: We...Will...Win
January 21, 2004— "The Dynamic Is Untested": "A Slog of Delegate Accumulation"
January 20, 2004— Chaos and Control: Political Nature Abhors a Vacuum
January 19, 2004— M Versus O: The Two Psychologies of Iowa
January 18, 2004— If This Doesn't Register...: Nothing Ever Will
January 17, 2004— New Age Pop Ratherism: Hotter than the Extras on the OC
January 16, 2004— Pronounced "Luh-HAIN":The Essential Dynamic of Politics: Punch or Be Punched
January 15, 2004— In: Delegates: Out: Expectations
January 14, 2004— House Of Cards (?): House of Games, House of Mirrors
January 13, 2004— Fun with Dick and Jane: and Erik and Kim and Steve and Steve and Ed and Bill.....
January 12, 2004— Hoarse Voices, Sagging Faces and Short Tempers: Iowa, USA
January 11, 2004— I Want to Live in an America...: ...Where Gene Sperling and Bruce Reed Can Come Out of the Closet
January 10, 2004— The Bloggy, Bloggy Banks: 'Twas There that Trippi Parted...with CNN's Paula Zahn
January 9, 2004— Too Good to be True: Jenny Briggs and Laura Simms Are Getting Creeped-out by Howard Dean
January 8, 2004— What You Don't Know Can't Hurt You: ...Or Can It?
January 7, 2004— Ken Mehlman Plays GolfPolls Show : George Bush Was Like Larry Bird in the Fourth Quarter
January 6, 2004— "Exploit to a Fare-thee-well" : "A Teflon Candidate, Seemingly Impervious To Lasting Political Damage" (?)
January 5, 2004— The Moving Sidewalk Is Ending, Again : Or Is It Just Starting to Move?
January 4, 2004— Sunday SUNDAY Sunday: The Note v. Big Foot and Gravedigger