From Congress To The Cabinet()
November 24, 2008 It's not yet clear how many openings President-elect Obama will create in Congress as he assembles his administration. But in recent decades, many of those selected from the House and Senate by newly elected presidents saw their seats taken over by the opposite party.
Will Bill Clinton Doom Hillary For Secretary Of State?()
November 17, 2008 The latest buzz has Hillary Clinton as a potential choice for secretary of state in the Obama administration. But some of the same questions that surrounded Clinton during the vice presidential process are still around, and for the most part, they are about her husband.
Let The Obama Transition Begin()
November 11, 2008 Following the elections, the Democrats find themselves reveling in their wins, while the Republicans are rife with recriminations. Also, a look at how the Political Junkie fared with his predictions.
Prediction: Obama Wins; Dems Gain In Congress()
November 3, 2008 By Political Editor Ken Rudin's count, every state John Kerry carried four years ago is in Barack Obama's column today, and he is also ahead in several states that President Bush won. In addition, Rudin expects the Democrats to pick up seven seats in the Senate and 17 in the House.
Is 2008 The 'Year Of The Woman'?()
October 29, 2008 Some observers have christened 2008 that way, but if you look beyond Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, you'll find a landscape that is at best mixed for women. The outlook is not so great for Senate and gubernatorial hopefuls, although better for women competing in House races.
The Republican Party After Bush()
October 22, 2008 Regardless of what happens to John McCain on Nov. 4 — and, with two weeks to go, it's not promising — there's going to be a new Republican Party come Nov. 5. The GOP is likely to feel a post-election tug toward the right, but it could also turn into a tug of war.
Democrats Lead In Presidential, Senate Contests()
October 7, 2008 This election's October Surprise seems to be the severe crimp that the Wall Street collapse has put in John McCain's hopes of winning the White House. Going into Tuesday's presidential debate, the Political Junkie's predictions have Obama within a hair's breadth of the magic 270 electoral votes.
Low Expectations, Critical Role For Palin In Debate()
October 1, 2008 If Sarah Palin has a Dan Quayle-like deer-in-the-headlights moment on Thursday, it could very well decide who wins on Nov. 4. The vice presidential debate takes on added importance this time around because of John McCain's age and Barack Obama's relative lack of experience.
Debates Deciding The Presidency? It's Debatable()
September 24, 2008 What could decide the winner of this year's presidential campaign — perhaps once and for all — are the upcoming debates.
Palin Moved The Electoral Map, But For How Long?()
September 17, 2008 With 48 days to go, the presidential election is up for grabs. The race is once again focused on a very familiar list of states, just about the same from four years ago. The magic number of 270 electoral votes will be culled from these states.
About Political Junkie
How does media bias play into campaign coverage? Do you know the last time two candidates with the same first name ran together on a presidential ticket, or the only Native American to become vice president? Find out in "Political Junkie," a Q&A column written by NPR Political Editor Ken Rudin. 'Junkie' appears every Wednesday.
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