American Politics

The brilliant but disgraced President Richard Nixon once gave a speech in which he spoke of the "silent majority" in American politics. These were the people, he observed, who didn't wave signs or march in the streets. Rather, they were the people who quietly went about their lives, going to work, raising their families and giving back to their communities. Nixon gave this speech in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War. But more than four decades later, his basic observation still rings true.

So much to say about the long-awaited visiting of justice upon Osama bin Laden. But there's one effect on U.S. domestic politics that deserves a thought: Here's hoping that we have at last seen the end of this ugly insinuation that there is something less than fully American about the black president with the exotic name. On Wednesday came the release of the long-form birth certificate that provided the final decisive refutation of the birther lie that the President Obama was born elsewhere than the United States.

The Fourth of July finds American politics in a lull between the end of the primaries and the start of the general election campaign -- in other words, a good time to catch up on the story so far. From Bush vs. McCain and Gore vs. Bradley to the Senate races and congressional hearings, CNN's Bill Schneider looks back at the biggest political fireworks shows in this campaign year to date.

The mass shooting in Arizona has raised a political challenge for the Republican Party. Party leaders have spent the last few days rebutting charges from liberals that extreme rhetoric from the right had something to do with inspiring the rampage. At this point, there is no evidence that the gunman went on his horrendous shooting spree as a result of political rhetoric from the right or the left. The alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, had enrolled as an independent voter.

It's not often that ordinary citizens can force government to do their bidding. When it does happen, it's the political Play of the Week. The groups formed by many families of 9/11 victims have turned into a political force to be reckoned with. As 9/11 commission Chairman Thomas Kean acknowledged on Thursday saying, "You demanded the creation of this commission. You have encouraged us every step of the way as partners and as witnesses. " The rule in American politics is, if you don't push for what you want, you won't get it. The 9/11 families wanted an independent commission, not a congressional inquiry.

Bush, a fine man in all sorts of ways, ran a disgusting campaign that year Issue One was racist, Issue Three was bogus, and Bushs mantra on Issue Two was notoriously insincere. He of course betrayed that promise by raising taxes once elected. But working the big bogus vein has a way of paying off in American politics. If 1988 was a gridiron, the Democrat, poor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, was playing high school football. Bush was doing it the way they do it in the NFL rough stuff and the killer instinct.

American politics has a photogenic new face with a troubled past of bad finances, potential fraud and a flirtation with witchcraft. A previously unknown conservative activist named Christine O'Donnell is a sudden political sensation and Washington is trying to figure out what to make of her. "Certainly she has some explaining to do," Republican Congressman Mike Pence said this week. O'Donnell is a new Republican Party nominee for November's Senate election. She defeated a better-known career politician for the nomination with support from the Tea Party movement.

Maybe there's something in the water -- or lack of it -- that affects United States senators from the state of Arizona. In its relatively brief history, the state has produced two men who have left an indelible impression on the Senate and on American politics. The first, Barry Goldwater, almost single-handedly changed the political definition of the term "conservative. " The second, John McCain, succeeded Goldwater and has dedicated his career to redefining the role money plays in politics.

Raymond Strother is one of the nation's first modern political consultants. He's a Democrat with strong views on individual politicians and fellow consultants. And none of those views is muted in his new memoir called "Falling Up: How a Redneck Helped Invent Political Consultants. " In an interview with CNN's Judy Woodruff this week, Strother explained the significance of what he learned in Louisiana, his home territory, in a place he called a fox hole. The following is an edited transcript: Raymond Strother: I learned there that politics could be dangerous, as well as fun. It was a lot of fun in Louisiana.

The brilliant but disgraced President Richard Nixon once gave a speech in which he spoke of the "silent majority" in American politics. These were the people, he observed, who didn't wave signs or march in the streets. Rather, they were the people who quietly went about their lives, going to work, raising their families and giving back to their communities. Nixon gave this speech in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War. But more than four decades later, his basic observation still rings true.

So much to say about the long-awaited visiting of justice upon Osama bin Laden. But there's one effect on U.S. domestic politics that deserves a thought: Here's hoping that we have at last seen the end of this ugly insinuation that there is something less than fully American about the black president with the exotic name. On Wednesday came the release of the long-form birth certificate that provided the final decisive refutation of the birther lie that the President Obama was born elsewhere than the United States.

The mass shooting in Arizona has raised a political challenge for the Republican Party. Party leaders have spent the last few days rebutting charges from liberals that extreme rhetoric from the right had something to do with inspiring the rampage. At this point, there is no evidence that the gunman went on his horrendous shooting spree as a result of political rhetoric from the right or the left. The alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, had enrolled as an independent voter.

American politics has a photogenic new face with a troubled past of bad finances, potential fraud and a flirtation with witchcraft. A previously unknown conservative activist named Christine O'Donnell is a sudden political sensation and Washington is trying to figure out what to make of her. "Certainly she has some explaining to do," Republican Congressman Mike Pence said this week. O'Donnell is a new Republican Party nominee for November's Senate election. She defeated a better-known career politician for the nomination with support from the Tea Party movement.

After a losing presidential campaign, it became clear to Edward "Ted" Kennedy that his true calling was to help shape the country's political future from the U.S. Senate. The turning point came in 1980 when Kennedy unsuccessfully challenged President Carter in the Democratic primaries. But Kennedy's loss was not necessarily such a bad thing, a top political historian notes. "I think partly it related to that time when he, after 1980, he realized that he was not going to be president of the United States ... and that being a United States senator was a pretty important and powerful job in which he could do good," said Stephen Hess, author of "America's Political Dynasties."

Students will learn about political parties in the United States. Procedure Ask students: What is a political party? What role do political parties play in the U.S. presidential election process? Point out that although the Democratic and Republican parties currently dominate the political scene, other parties have nominated individuals for president throughout U.S. history. Have students select a political party that has nominated a candidate for president at any point in U.S. history.

An Iranian-American woman detained in Tehran is being held illegally and has been repeatedly denied access to an attorney, Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi told CNN on Friday. Ebadi said that Haleh Esfandiari and other Iranian-Americans held in Iran are political prisoners. "Iran doesn't observe laws," she said through an interpreter in an exclusive interview while visiting the United States. Iranian officials have said Esfandiari, a scholar with dual citizenship, is being held in prison in Tehran while under investigation for "crimes against national security.

If age and illness are in fact ending Fidel Castro's reign, then nature will have accomplished something that 10 American presidents have tried and failed to do through a remarkable history that stretches back almost half a century. It was in January 1959 when the 32-year-old Fidel Castro led his insurgents into Havana (Eisenhower was president, color TV and rock 'n' roll were almost brand new). He quickly assumed full control over Cuba's political and economic life, and aligned himself with the Soviet Union when the Cold War was in full bloom.

A most improbable thing happened this weekend in the midst of a tumultuous, bitter contest for the U.S. presidency. The campaign trail fell silent. All eyes turned instead to Southern California, where Ronald Reagan traveled Monday for the next to last time to the presidential library that commemorates his eight years in the White House. There, in the rugged but beautiful Simi Valley Reagan's body lay in repose for two days as thousands of Californians and other Americans passed by to pay their respects.

It's not often that ordinary citizens can force government to do their bidding. When it does happen, it's the political Play of the Week. The groups formed by many families of 9/11 victims have turned into a political force to be reckoned with. As 9/11 commission Chairman Thomas Kean acknowledged on Thursday saying, "You demanded the creation of this commission. You have encouraged us every step of the way as partners and as witnesses. " The rule in American politics is, if you don't push for what you want, you won't get it. The 9/11 families wanted an independent commission, not a congressional inquiry.