Mark Mellman

From a referendum to a choice
Mark Mellman - 02/14/12 07:47 PM ET

The natural state of an election involving an incumbent, particularly a presidential election, is to be a referendum on that incumbent. 

Splitting the ticket not so rare
Mark Mellman - 02/07/12 08:03 PM ET

With a tight race expected for the White House, control of both chambers of Congress at stake and many of the marquee House and Senate contests taking places in traditionally red presidential states, discussions of split-ticket voting are everywhere. T

The 50 percent problem
Mark Mellman - 01/31/12 07:25 PM ET

What do job approval ratings portend about a president’s reelection prospects? 

Mean and extreme
Mark Mellman - 01/24/12 07:33 PM ET


I admit it: I underestimated Newt Gingrich, who has established himself as the Freddy Krueger of politics, repeatedly left for dead but always able to resurrect himself (at least, so far). 

Was reading this column worth it?
Mark Mellman - 01/18/12 11:45 AM ET

As a graduate student, I designed a research project that required me to watch hundreds of hours of network television news broadcasts from the 1960s and ’70s. 

Reinventing politics
Mark Mellman - 12/20/11 12:38 PM ET

During Newt Gingrich’s surge I was reminded that despite the egos in our little community, candidates count a lot more than consultants and staff. Gingrich languished at the bottom with his all-star team in place, only to rise without them. Meanwhile, they moved to Rick Perry, who promptly plummeted with the all-stars on board. I’m not suggesting a causal link, just that the ability of consultants to change the course of mighty political rivers and bend campaign steel in their bare hands is more than a little overstated.

Newt’s current slide imparts yet another lesson about candidates — to say they are important is not to say they are always right.

The Republican civil war
Mark Mellman - 12/13/11 08:02 PM ET

The Republican Party is now choosing between a candidate distrusted by its base and one despised by its elite. It’s developing into a civil war.

Strategy and structure, part II
Mark Mellman - 12/06/11 08:06 PM ET

Last week I began attempting to answer the question posed by a New York Times Magazine cover — “Is Obama Toast?” — arguing that dynamics, both structural and strategic, gave the president a better-than-even chance of reelection. 

Is Obama toast in 2012?
Mark Mellman - 11/29/11 06:46 PM ET

If Barack Obama is “toast,” as one now-infamous headline conjectured, why is the broadest-based forecast (Pollyvote) projecting the president will be reelected with 51.1 percent of the vote?

So much to be thankful for
Mark Mellman - 11/15/11 06:54 PM ET

While we cannot afford complacency in battling against privation and injustice, Thanksgiving offers an opportunity to express our gratitude for all that has been achieved in those struggles.

Current and Previous Articles

11/08/11 08:10 PM ET Myth of the Independent Voter
11/01/11 06:27 PM ET Moderate myths and facts
10/25/11 06:28 PM ET Ignore the Iowa caucus polls
10/18/11 05:38 PM ET Romney still likely to win GOP nod
10/11/11 06:14 PM ET Republicans should stick to traditions
10/04/11 06:25 PM ET In defense of political consultants
09/27/11 05:33 PM ET Crisis of confidence is widespread
09/20/11 06:10 PM ET True colors, big problems for GOP
09/13/11 06:09 PM ET Special elections’ magic math
09/06/11 07:06 PM ET Reelection doesn’t hinge solely on jobs
08/09/11 06:57 PM ET Burned on a teacup
08/02/11 06:43 PM ET At last, turning toward jobs
07/26/11 06:40 PM ET Great nations pay their bills
07/19/11 06:14 PM ET Debt-limit debate views
07/12/11 05:41 PM ET The Grand Old Party’s plan
07/06/11 10:43 AM ET Obama outperforms the economy
06/28/11 05:33 PM ET GOP gets it wrong on tax increases
06/21/11 07:10 PM ET Consultants prodding too many to run
06/21/11 07:08 PM ET A balanced regulatory approach
06/14/11 05:43 PM ET Our revenue and spending problems
06/07/11 05:28 PM ET Herman Cain’s poll numbers
05/31/11 06:47 PM ET Iowa, New Hampshire matter
05/24/11 05:52 PM ET Demanding stricter fuel economy
05/17/11 05:54 PM ET Winning the Medicare fight
05/10/11 05:43 PM ET Bin Laden rally goes by the book
05/03/11 05:55 PM ET Bin Laden and the rally effect
04/26/11 06:33 PM ET Fickle fate of Senate appointees
04/19/11 05:18 PM ET Praise for Latvia off the mark
04/12/11 05:34 PM ET Price of food, gas reverses fiscal gains
04/05/11 06:22 PM ET GOP duped seniors on Medicare
03/29/11 06:42 PM ET GOP turning off women voters
03/22/11 06:50 PM ET Wirthlin: The passing of a giant
03/15/11 05:15 PM ET The politics of cutting budgets
03/08/11 07:01 PM ET Warnings from Wisconsin
03/01/11 07:52 PM ET OPINION: Wisconsin governor is waging 'jihad' against unions
02/23/11 12:12 PM ET The new immovable GOP
02/15/11 07:31 PM ET Could polls predict uprisings?
02/08/11 07:44 PM ET Envisioning Egypt’s future
02/01/11 05:54 PM ET SOTU: Well liked but ineffective
01/25/11 06:05 PM ET The SOTU: Big audience, no bounce
 
1234567Next >End »
 
bloglogo

More Briefing Room »

More Congress Blog »

More Pundits Blog »

More Twitter Room »

More Hillicon Valley »

More E2-Wire (Energy) »

More Ballot Box »

More On The Money »

More Healthwatch »

More Floor Action »

More Transportation »

More DEFCON Hill »

Get latest news from The Hill direct to your inbox, RSS reader and mobile devices.