Inquirer Columnist - Dick Polman

The American Debate:

It's crunch time for President Obama and the congressional Democrats. The political stakes are clear. If they want to ensure that they will be slaughtered in the November congressional elections, all they need to do in the weeks ahead is screw up their golden opportunity to pass health-care reform.

The American Debate: Read this, or just drop dead.

I remember when I first realized that the decline of civility had become a death spiral. The date was Jan. 20, 2009. Ted Kennedy, who was battling a brain tumor, collapsed at an inaugural luncheon - prompting many anonymous participants in our national conversation to rub their hands in glee and root for his death.

The American Debate: Tea'd off: Can the ire turn into a real party?

They spoke to me about the downfall of America, with fear burning in their eyes. It was vintage "tea party" talk, the kind of stuff we're hearing every day.

The American Debate: Change comes again

To really appreciate how far the political pendulum has swung, let's check in with Chris Matthews. Two winters ago, the TV host was all atingle about Barack Obama, to the point where "I felt this thrill going up my leg." But last Tuesday night, when a heretofore obscure Republican state legislator named Scott Brown jolted Obama by snatching T

The American Debate: Obama, like past leaders, a slow starter

Happy first anniversary, Barack Obama. Although happy is probably the wrong word. When he took the oath last Jan. 20 - nearly one year ago - Obama reiterated his campaign promise to be a transformational president who would cure our ills and cleanse our politics. In his inauguration speech, he proclaimed "unity of purpose over conflict and discord," and an end to "the petty grievances . . . the recriminations, and worn-out dogmas."

The American Debate: U.S. POLITICS: Setting the stage for a midterm showdown.

Farewell, 2009. Was that a fun year in politics, or what? Birthers and Blue Dogs and polls, oh my. A new president under fire from the left and right. A Republican Party galvanized by the audacity of "no."

Take these candidates, please!

Six weeks of bowling and Bittergate and Pastorgate and nonexistent Bosnian snipers....and for what? The Pennsylvania results have essentially changed nothing. There is seemingly no cure for the chronic Democratic migraine.

Polman, Dick

Cited by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the nation's top political reporters, and lauded by the ABC News political website as "one of the finest political journalists of his generation," Dick Polman is a national political columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is on the full-time faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, as "writer in residence." Dick has been a frequent guest on C-Span, MSNBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC. He covered the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 presidential campaigns.

ARCHIVES

All commentaries posted before April 18, 2008, can be accessed at www.dickpolman.blogspot.com.