
American Politics
Is 'Game Change' Fair To Sarah Palin? You Betcha
The HBO made-for-TV movie, which focuses on John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate in the 2008 election, has already been attacked by conservative groups. But TV critic David Bianculli says the movie is fair -- and balanced.
'Ides Of March': These Days, All Politics Is Lowball.
An idealistic campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself in the middle of a scandal that could threaten his candidate's chances of becoming president.
'Girls Don't Cry': Beware 'Campaigning While Female'
Rebecca Traister's incisive analysis of misogyny and gender roles in the 2008 election takes on Tina Fey's satire, "Iron my Shirt" T-shirts and Hillary Clinton's "Night of the Imaginary Tears."
In The Center Ring: Michael Moore Vs. 'Capitalism'
Film critic DAVID EDELSTEIN reviews Michael Mooreâs newest documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story.
Candidates' Prescriptions for Health Care Reform
If there's one thing the presidential primary candidates agree on, it's that the American health-care system could use some treatment — if not a complete overhaul. Political scientist Jonathan Oberlander diagnoses the ailments and examines the remedies offered by each candidate.
Flip-Flopping Coverage.
TV critic David Bianculli reviews the election night coverage.
Fiction is Duller than Reality in the Case of "Primary Colors."
Film critic John Powers reviews "Primary Colors."
There's More to "Primary Colors" than the Question "Who Dun' It?"
Maureen Corrigan reviews the new book, Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics, the fiction book based on the Clinton presidential campaign, by Anonymous. (Random House).
How Bilingual Education Became Controversial
Language commentator Geoff Nunberg reviews a new book by James Crawford which examines the history of bilingual education. Despite the contemporary controversy surrounding the issue, Nunberg and Crawford point out that such curricula was once considered a valuable way of helping immigrant children learn English and assimilate into American culture -- a view once shared by conservatives in the 1970s.
Presidential Candidates in the Ring
TV critic David Bianculli compares the recent Bush/Dukakis presidential debate to a boxing match, filled with verbal jabs. He considers the efficacy of their attacks -- one-liners, put-downs, and pre-written ad-libs -- in highlighting their policy differences.