WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
Screen gems: Karl Rove's Crossroads group enters HHS video contest promoting Obamacare
They just want the young and restless to see "the ugly side" of Obamacare. Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies - a non-profit advocacy group co-founded three years ago by GOP strategist Karl Rove - has entered the Dept. of Health and Human Services contest offering $30,000 in tax payer funded prize money for the best videos promoting the Affordable Care Act to young audiences.
Allen West to attend the Republican Party's commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus will host a commemorative event to mark the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, on Monday at a choice Capitol Hill location.
President Obama lauds the 'nonviolent resistance' and 'fierce dignity' of the 1963 March on Washington
The TV towers and broadcast infrastructures are in place at the Lincoln Memorial. The networks and news organizations are gearing up for extensive coverage of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington over the next five days. But what's in store for President Obama's upcoming speech to recognize the event?
NSA and Director of National Intelligence respond to Wall Street Journal and the press: they 'mischaracterize'
Their statement: "Press reports based on an article published in today's Wall Street Journal mischaracterize aspects of NSA's data collection activities conducted under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The NSA does not sift through and have unfettered access to 75 percent of the United States' online communications."
Drama with news: Al Jazeera America files lawsuit against AT&T
The brand new network was only on the air for a matter of hours before drama intersected with news coverage. Al Jazeera America, which went live at 3 p.m. Tuesday, announced it had filed a law suit against AT&T just six hours later.
Half of Americans say U.S. should cut off military aid to Egypt and President Obama not 'tough enough'
It is a fluid situation in Egypt with many moving parts, and the diplomatic nuances are many. Still, half of the nation prefers U.S. military aid be cut off to Egypt, and an equal number think President Obama has not been "tough enough" on the Egyptian military as violence continues against anti-government protestors.
Memo to Reince: Here comes the fancy Hillary memoir
Though Republican National Committee chairman Reince Preibus has had much success protesting a pair of exquisitely timed Hillary documentaries on CNN and NBC, here's a project he can do little about. Her big memoir is due out in June.
What other decade would you live in? Most Americans choose the 1950s
Americans continue to harken to the call of the bodacious, idyllic, post-war, big-finned, fabulous '50s. Given a choice of any decade in the century, the public would most want to live in the 1950s, this according to a new YouGov/Economist poll.
Christie and Gingrich headline the GOP's strategic summer meeting in Boston
Now underway, it's Republican National Committee's three-day summer camp in Boston, which is weighty with agenda, pointing to disarray among Democratic rivals.
Three fourths of Americans insist it's 'essential' that immigrants learn to speak English
The language question persists from sea to shining sea. “Seventy-two percent of Americans say it is essential that immigrants living in the United States learn to speak English," reports Gallup poll analyst Jeffrey Jones.
Lawmaker leisure? 82 percent of voters say Congress does NOT deserve a vacation
Approval ratings of Congress have just about bottomed out. Voters have much fatigue with lawmakers who appear to have more interest in sword rattling and political theater rather than practical problem solving or reasonable compromise. Why should they take a summer break?
Pro-lifers to march against media censorship of 'gruesome' abortion
ABC News will have some unexpected visitors with much on their minds on Thursday afternoon. The network’s headquarters in the nation’s capital will be the focal point of the Life March on the Media rally, an event organized by pro-life factions who are weary of what they deem press "censorship" of abortion.
Just say nyet: senators wonder why DOD gave a $572 million contract to Russia
A dozen senators are not happy with a recent $572 million Defense Department contract with Rosoboronexport, a Moscow-based military-aircraft manufacturer that will now supply 30 helicopters destined for Afghanistan.
Bison, lions and bears, oh my: they're top contenders for the 'national animal'
If the bald eagle weren't our 'national animal,' what would be the most popular choice for the role? The bison wins, with a stampede of other contenders ready for action. Nothing microscopic, though.
Gallup: liberals have one of the highest rates of marijuana use in America
Marijuana use appears to be a partisan affair according to a new Gallup poll, which finds that liberals and Democrats are more prone to use it than conservatives and Republicans.
