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Campaign Trail of Tears

Menino's challengers look to capitalize on tragedy. Plus, council candidates try to meet the tougher new ballot requirements — set by an incumbent.
Mayoral candidates Michael Flaherty and Sam Yoon have looked a little like ambulance chasers of late, seizing on two recent tragedies for political gain.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | May 20, 2009

Generation Green

Once derided as tree huggers, eco-friendly youth are now the nation's most powerful (and feared) voting bloc. So why isn't the GOP listening?
Republicans have a lot to say about the immorality of saddling the next generation with our national debt. But when it comes to leaving them a wrecked, depleted, and rapidly warming planet, they are taking the exact opposite line.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | May 11, 2009

Swan song for Southie?

As circumstances have changed for Irish Bostonians, the political talent pool in South Boston has dried up. Plus, voting a black slate?
South Boston is famous for producing politicians the way Detroit is known for manufacturing automobiles.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | April 22, 2009

Is it Tim time?

As Deval Patrick flails, Tim Cahill is positioning himself to run. And that's a-okay with the Patrick team.
Whereas a few months ago it seemed that no one could pose a serious threat to any re-election campaign mounted by Governor Deval Patrick, a recent string of missteps has suddenly made him very vulnerable.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | April 01, 2009

Tone deaf

Can Gov. Deval hear the thunder of jeers?
March has not been kind to Deval Patrick.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | March 25, 2009

Cracking up

State legislators across the country are filing resolutions declaring state sovereignty just as they did the last time a Democrat won the White House
Republicans all over the country find themselves backed into an ideological and political corner: their dogma has brought the country, and their party, to ruin.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | March 19, 2009

Fistfight at the Coulter/Maher Speaker Series!

Bill Maher and Ann Coulter go head-to-head in the first installation of the Wang Theatre's 2009 Speaker Series
What happens when the country's most litigious conservative butts political heads with the man who champions pot and prostitution?

By SARA FAITH ALTERMAN | March 16, 2009

Capuano cornered?

Could a developing Washington probe hurt the Somerville congressman, and derail his Senate hopes?
Republican lobbying-ethics scandals helped convince voters to toss out the GOP and put Democrats back in control of the US House of Representatives.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | March 03, 2009

Youth infusion

The surprisingly diverse leaders of team DeLeo. Plus, do environmentalists have reason to worry?
In DeLeo's restructuring, white, non-Hispanic men older than 45 fell from power in droves.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | February 19, 2009

Can Sam Yoon win?

An Obama-loving city counselor aims to be mayor of Boston
Recent elections, as you may have heard, have been about change.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | February 11, 2009

Money talks

Can Beacon Hill reform itself when the State Senate President and the new House Speaker rake in so much lobbyist cash?
To hear our state legislators talk lately, Beacon Hill is all about reforming the sketchy, poorly governed relationships between lawmakers and lobbyists.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | February 06, 2009

Grading the cabinet

At the midway point of Governor Deval Patrick's first term, we issue a report card for his cabinet
As we watch President Barack Obama replace the federal government's old, unpopular, Republican department heads with fresh, bright talent, it's hard not to think back two years, to the start of Governor Deval Patrick's first term as governor of Massachusetts.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | January 29, 2009

The political virgins

With a crucial state-legislature session looming, Boston residents turn to untested newbies to fight for their share of the pie
At this incalculably critical time — with a fiscal nightmare threatening billions of dollars of state-government spending and momentous budget decisions to be made — everyone in Massachusetts wants to be represented on Beacon Hill by someone with clout.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | January 09, 2009

Silence of the Sam

Want to know what your city council does? Sorry, they can't tell you.
A seemingly simple attempt to provide Bostonians a small measure of good-government reform ran aground this past week.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | December 24, 2008

Free for all

Is Mayor Menino getting White-washed? Plus, Sam Yoon's not-so-friendly skies
Striking parallels emerge between the upcoming mayor's race and the historic race of 1983.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | December 12, 2008

OBAMA WINS!!!

Real-time coverage of Barack Obama's victory from Boston, Chicago, and Washington
Real-time coverage of Barack Obama's victory from Boston, Chicago, and Washington

By BOSTON PHOENIX STAFF | November 07, 2008

Rise of the political bogeyman

Impotent on the issues, the GOP turns to scare tactics. Be afraid!
The Republicans appear headed to a second straight national pummeling, which will leave it marginalized in the federal government and an increasing number of state houses. Many party faithful are already noting the need for the GOP to move back toward the moderate center to survive. But the conservatives with microphones are heading down a very different path — and their followers, who now dominate the Republican Party, are going right with them.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | November 03, 2008

Wacko patrol: America's 25 scariest conservatives

The Phoenix ranks the individuals who will hold the most sway over the right-wing message machine in 2009, and beyond.
Imagine what will happen once the relatively sane folks now running the White House and the Republican National Committee pack up and go home?

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | November 03, 2008

Lost in the sound of separation

Politics and other mistakes
While it’s true that candidates’ falsehoods, fibs, and fabrications make a columnist’s job easier, I could still eke out a living even if every politician in Maine suddenly became a fountain of factuality.

By AL DIAMON | October 29, 2008

Travels with Sarah

As Palin tours New Hampshire, signs of Biblical calling, talent on the stump, and a shot at 2012
Apparently, the idea of Palin as the Queen Esther for our time has made it to New Hampshire.

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | October 24, 2008

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Beam and Carr: playing the gender card so Coakley doesn't have to
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HOMEWORK: Assignment #3: Audrey Ryan
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Tiger Woods central: VM tapes, apology issued, CGI reenactment
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#Jackiessecret revealed: Liebergott to step down at Emerson in 2011
December 02, 2009 at 4:15 PM