FAQ
Was it something Anthony Weiner said?
A conversation with Politico reporter Maggie Haberman about Anthony Weiner's good week. More
(2)What do the Hillary 2008 people say about Hillary 2016?
A conversation with Washington Post reporter Jason Horowitz about the scattered, scarred alumni of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. More
Is Anthony Weiner past the punchline phase yet?
A conversation with "Up" host and Salon writer Steve Kornacki about the pre-candidacy of Anthony Weiner. More
(1)F.A.Q.: How did 'Argo' become impossible not to vote for?
A conversation with Entertainment Weekly writer and Daniel Day-Lewis superfan Sara Vilkomerson about the Oscars. More
(1)Why is Andrew Cuomo liberal now?
A conversation with Times Union political reporter Jimmy Vielkind about Cuomo's new agenda, and whether there's anyone left to stand in its way. More
(1)What's the point of being Speaker Boehner?
Steve Kornacki: I still think he's safe for now, and that the real question is how much longer he's willing to put up with living the life of a powerless House speaker. More
(1)When will Andrew Cuomo's abandonment of the Senate Democrats get awkward?
Jimmy Vielkind: You'll start to see a change in Cuomo's tune when major, core, New York-based Democratic constituency groups—think 1199—start calling him out. More
(2)What kind of debate does Joe Biden want?
A conversation with Salon political writer and MSNBC co-host Steve Kornacki about the vice presidential debate. More
What does Obama need from Bill Clinton?
Steve Kornacki: Clinton really is the perfect messenger for this, and the Republicans have contributed to it by making him a major part of their anti-Obama narrative. He's the "good" Democratic president, in their telling, the one whose legacy Obama has thumbed his nose at with his reckless spending and devotion to Big Government and partisanship. With Republicans singing his praises, Clinton has become one of the most popular public figures in the country. More
Is this why Romney was scared of picking Chris Christie?
Steve Kornacki: I would guess Christie's people have always been sensitive to the idea that angling for vice president might look bad at home, especially after all of the will he/won't he run drama last year. I mean, I still think he's in pretty decent shape for '13, but we're also still talking about New Jersey, too. Christie just doesn't have a big margin for error, and it won't help if they make it easier for Democrats to argue that he doesn't really want the job and is looking to get out. More
(2)F.A.Q.: Why is Chris Christie fit to be keynote speaker but not running mate?
Tom Moran: Christie speaks directly, from the gut, which is central to his appeal. But it also makes him dangerous. In one recent incident on the boardwalk, he was recorded taunting a critic, almost as if he wanted to fight. He insulted a Navy Seal veteran at another event. You can get away with that in New Jersey, but it could be costly in a national campaign. Also, Christie has thin experience, just half of one term as governor. He said himself that he's not prepared to be president, a statement Democrats would highlight. I wonder, too, if his weight was an issue. More
(2)F.A.Q.: Who's happiest about the Paul Ryan pick?
Steve Kornacki: Doubt there's much let-up on Bain. My sense is they see a natural link between that and the Ryan budget that they'll want to exploit. The idea is: these are exactly the kinds of governing priorities that a profits-crazed corporate raider who lives a pampered top-1 percent lifestyle free from the pain of the Great Recession would have. If anything, I'd say they think the Ryan stuff fleshes out the Romney narrative they're pushing. More
F.A.Q.: What do we know about the presidential race after Wisconsin that we didn't know before?
The way Walker approached collective bargaining, the ideological and political motives were obvious. He wanted to sap unions of their electoral clout and delegitimize then. Cuomo's being tough with unions, but he also communicates with them and frames what he's doing as purely budget-driven. He's signaling a basic level of respect that Walker never did, and obviously he gets some benefit of the doubt just from his party label. More
(2)F.A.Q.: Which campaign wants to have an election about gay rights?
Steve Kornacki: I'm sure we'll hear plenty of that, sort of like with the supposed Bradley Effect and Obama in '08, and if Obama ends up losing, maybe there'll be some impulse to blame this. What will really change it is when states start voting against bans like the one that passed in North Carolina yesterday (or start voting to legalize it). More
F.A.Q.: What can an event in Albany say about Obama, Cuomo and upstate New York?
Jimmy Vielkind: I think it shows just how strategic Cuomo is about, well, everything. There's what you mentioned. But there are also worries that the governor talks about, which I think have merit, about not being distracted from New York. A soaring speech moves him to a national stage when he's not done with his agenda at home. He knows the dangers of peaking early (See: Cuomo, Mario Matthew) as a prospective presidential candidate so yes, this does put him in a bit of a spot. More
