A lame duck is an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected.

Description[link]

The status can be due to

• having lost a re-election bid
• choosing not to seek another term at the expiration of the current term
• a term limit which keeps the official from running for that particular office again
• the abolishment of the office, which must nonetheless be served out until the end of the official's term.^[1]

Lame duck officials tend to have less political power, as other elected officials are less inclined to cooperate with them. However, lame ducks are also in the peculiar position of not facing the consequences of their actions in a subsequent election, giving them greater freedom to issue unpopular decisions or appointments. Examples include last-minute midnight regulations issued by executive agencies of outgoing U.S. presidential administrations and executive orders issued by outgoing presidents.^[2] Such actions date back to the Judiciary Act of 1801 ("Midnight Judges Act"), in which Federalist President John Adams and the outgoing 6th Congress amended the Judiciary Act to create more federal judge seats for Adams to appoint and the Senate to confirm before the Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated and the Democratic-Republican majority 7th Congress convened. In more recent history, U.S. President Bill Clinton was widely criticized for issuing 140 pardons and other acts of executive clemency on his last day in office, including two former close colleagues, donors, fellow Democratic members and his own half-brother.^[3]

Origins of the term[link]

The phrase lame duck was coined in the 18th century at the London Stock Exchange, to refer to a broker who defaulted on his debts.^[4][5] The first known mention of the term in writing was made by Horace Walpole, in a letter of 1761 to Sir Horace Mann: "Do you know what a Bull and a Bear and Lame Duck are?" ^[6] In 1791 Mary Berry wrote of the Duchess of Devonshire's loss of £50,000 in stocks, "the conversation of the town" that her name was to be "posted up as a lame duck".^[7] In the literal sense, it refers to a duck which is unable to keep up with its flock, making it a target for predators.

It was transferred to politicians in the 19th century, the first recorded use being in the Congressional Globe (the official record of the United States Congress) of January 14, 1863: “In no event . . . could [the Court of Claims] be justly obnoxious to the charge of being a receptacle of ‘lame ducks’ or broken down politicians.”^[8]

Examples[link]

Australia[link]

In Australia, regardless of when the election is held, the Senate (upper house) sits from the 1st of July following the election to the 30th of June three years later, while the newly elected members of the House of Representatives (lower house) take their seats immediately after an election. A Senate that is destined to lose its majority as a result of such a change is called a lame-duck Senate and often attracts criticism if it blocks Government measures introduced in the House of Representatives.

For example, after the 2004 election, it became clear that the governing Liberal Party/National Party coalition would gain a majority in the new Senate, which was due to sit the following July. In May, some months after the elections but before the new Senate came to power, the old Senate refused to pass new tax laws that had been passed by the House, which served to merely delay the passage of those laws until the new Senate assembled.

A recent example is that of minor party Family First Senator Steve Fielding who, on losing his seat at the 2010 election, threatened to block supply if the Labor Party was successful in forming a minority government.

United States[link]

The lame ducks depicted in this Clifford K. Berryman cartoon are defeated Democrats heading to the White House hoping to secure political appointments from then President Woodrow Wilson.

In U.S. politics, the period between (presidential and congressional) elections in November and the inauguration of officials early in the following year is commonly called the lame duck period. In regard to the presidency, a president is a lame-duck after a successor has been elected, and during this time the outgoing president and president-elect usually embark on a transition of power.

Until 1933, inaugurations occurred on March 4. Congress usually had two sessions, the second of which was usually held from the December after the election of the next Congress until March. This session was commonly called the "lame duck session". Criticism of this process led to the passage of the 20th Amendment in 1933, which moved the beginning of the new Congress to January 3 and the inauguration of the president to January 20, thus shortening the lame duck period.

A president elected to a second term is sometimes seen as being a lame duck from early in the second term, because presidents are barred from contesting a term four years later, and is thus freer to take politically unpopular action. Nonetheless, as the de facto leader of his or her political party, the president's actions affect how the party performs in the midterm elections two years into the second term, and, to some extent, the success of that party's nominee in the next presidential election four years in the future.

Examples[link]

Perhaps the most disastrous lame duck period in US history was the 1860–1861 transition from the administration of James Buchanan to that of Abraham Lincoln. Buchanan held the opinion that states did not have the right to secede, but that it was also illegal for the Federal government to go to war to stop them. Between November 6, 1860 and March 4, 1861, seven states seceded and conflict between secessionist and federal forces began, leading to the American Civil War between the Northern and Southern states.

The lame duck administration of Herbert Hoover, before the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt (November 8, 1932 — March 4, 1933) was a notably difficult period. After the election, Roosevelt refused Hoover's requests for a meeting to come up with a joint program to stop the downward spiral and calm investors, claiming it would tie his hands, and as this "guaranteed that Roosevelt took the oath of office amid such an atmosphere of crisis that Hoover had become the most hated man in America."^[9] During this period of essentially leaderless government, the U.S. economy ground to a halt as thousands of banks failed.^[10]

Canada[link]

Unlike the United States Congress, there is no "lame duck" session of Parliament in most Commonwealth countries between the general election and swearing in of elected officials. In almost all cases, the outgoing prime minister or premier hands over power directly to their designated successor after a leadership contest or general election. Usually, when the leader of a ruling party steps down, they also relinquish their caucus leadership role at around the same time, so there is no need for an interim caucus leader.

The transition between William Lyon Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent is perhaps the only lame duck example in Canadian federal politics. After resigning the leadership of the Liberals, King became parliamentary leader and continued as Prime Minister of Canada for some months following the leadership election of his successor, St. Laurent, who became party leader but continued as a member of King's cabinet during this time.

While Pierre Trudeau retired from politics in 1984, he directly handed power over to John Turner after the leadership contest. However, Trudeau recommended that Governor General Jeanne Sauvé appoint over 200 Liberals to well-paying patronage positions, including Senators, judges, and executives on various governmental and crown corporation boards, widely seen as a way to offer "plum jobs" to loyal party members. These appointments generated a severe backlash across the spectrum.^[11] Turner had the right to recommend that the appointments be cancelled: advice that Sauvé would have been required to follow by constitutional convention. However, he let them stand and made a further 70 appointments himself.^[11] Turner refused to produce a written agreement he'd made with Trudeau before taking office, documenting a secret deal that saw Trudeau step down early. This is seen by many as Trudeau attempting to exercise some lame duck influence before resigning as Prime Minister. ^{[11] [12]}

New Zealand[link]

In 1984, a Constitutional Crisis arose when the outgoing "lame duck" Prime Minister Robert Muldoon refused to follow the wishes of a new incoming government led by David Lange. This was the only time in New Zealand where a "lame duck" Prime Minister did not follow the wishes of the incoming government. The Constitution Act 1986 was passed to formally prevent this from ever happening again.

References[link]

See also[link]

Caretaker government

Look up lame duck in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Lame duck can refer to:

• Lame duck (politics), an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected.
• Lame duck session (United States), an interval of legislative inactivity^{[citation needed]} – not always because members are lame ducks
• Lame duck (game design), a player in a game who cannot win, yet remains in the game.
• Lame duck (tango), a position in tango
• Lame Ducks (TV series), a British sitcom
• Lame Duck Amendment, an informal name for the Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Ace Enders
Background information
Birth name	Arthur Carl Enders III
Born	(1982-04-19) April 19, 1982 (age 30)
Origin	Hammonton, New Jersey, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, indie rock, folk
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Vagrant, Drive-Thru, Regular Music
Associated acts	The Early November, I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business, Ace Enders and a Million Different People

Arthur Carl "Ace" Enders (born April 19, 1982 in Hammonton, New Jersey) is an American musician. Enders is the lead singer and guitarist of the band The Early November. He is also the lead musician, songwriter and co-producer in his side project, I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business. He has also released music under the name Ace Enders and a Million Different People. In 2010, Enders returned to the I Can Make a Mess name for a second studio album, entitled The World We Know. Enders is known for recording different versions of songs from The Early November and Ace Enders and a Million Different People under the name I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business.

Biography[link]

Introduction to music and The Early November[link]

Enders began playing guitar after being inspired by watching his step dad, Robert Gazzara play in a band. Enders taught himself how to play his step dad's old guitar.^[1]

In February 2001, Enders along with guitarist Jim Sacco, bassist Sergio Anello and drummer Jeff Kummer formed The Early November. In 2003, after the release of their first two EPs For All Of This, and The Acoustic EP, the band released their debut full length album The Room's Too Cold.

In 2004, Enders started his own solo project I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business, releasing the self-titled album on October 26, 2004. Enders has stated that I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business "was a one-album thing".^[2]

Recording of the third Early November album began in February 2005. The album, titled The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path, was a triple disc concept album with an entwining plot of a torn family, from the perspective of a growing child. The album took over a year to complete due to a multitude of issues. Before conceptualizing The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path, Enders contemplated leaving the music business and possibly going into retail or construction.

Enders, along with the rest of The Early November, have reunited and began playing shows, as well as begin working on a new album due out in the Spring of 2012.

Ace Enders and a Million Different People[link]

Enders performing at Australian music festival, Soundwave, in Melbourne, 2009.

Ace Enders announced in Alternative Press magazine that he planned on recording a solo album,^[3] and began a new project named Ace Enders and a Million Different People.

In the summer of 2007, Enders took out a loan to build a studio in the basement of a shopping center. After three weeks of work, building finished and Pink Space Recording was created. After the studio was finished, Enders spent two straight days making demos that would later be named "From a Daze" and "Emergency". Enders signed on with manager Lucas Keller to work on Ace Enders and a Million Different People. He opened for the full Angels & Airwaves US tour in early 2008. On June 13 of that year, Enders put out an 8-track album called The Secret Wars available for free download on Fuse TV.^[4] He recorded them in his own studio.

In December 2008, Ace Enders and a Million Different People released the single "Bitter Sweet Symphony", a cover of The Verve song, on the iTunes Store. The song involves multiple artists including Mark Hoppus, Aaron Marsh, Craig Owens, Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, Bryce Avary, Kenny Vasoli, Matt Thiessen, and Duane Okun. All of the proceeds from the song went to VH1's Save the Music Foundation.

Ace Enders and a Million Different People released its second album, Enders' third solo album, on 17 March 2009, through Vagrant/Drive-Thru Records. The album is titled When I Hit the Ground.^[5]

Ace Enders and a Million Different People went on tour with The All-American Rejects on the I Wanna Rock Tour starting in early April 2009.

Return to I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business[link]

Enders released his second album under the I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business name on March 23, 2010, entitled The World We Know.^[6] Afterwards he went on tour to promote the album.

On September 16, Enders released the third Mess album "Dust'n Off The Ol' Guitar". The album featured redone versions of many Early November songs, as well as a couple Ace Enders & A Million Different People songs. The album also featured a new song titled "Growing Pains". There's also three songs from the album that will be released once the sales reach 5,000. These songs include "Pretty Pretty", a remix of "1000 Times A Day", and a full length version of "Decoration".^[7][8]

On December 15 Enders released a Christmas-oriented EP titled "Happy Christmas". The EP contains one original song titled "Season's Greetings", as well as a cover of "Christmastime Is Here" from the film A Charlie Brown Christmas, and a cover of Charles Brown hit Please Come Home For Christmas. The EP was released Digitally.^[9]

Enders released the fourth "I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business" album, “Gold Rush” on May 5, 2011.

Other projects[link]

Ace Enders runs a studio in his home town named The Living Room. Ace has recorded bands such as Backseat Goodbye and Move Out West (among many more).^[10]

Discography[link]

The Early November[link]

Albums[link]

• The Room's Too Cold (2003) US #107
• The Mother, the Mechanic, and the Path (2006) US #31

Extended plays[link]

• The 5 Song EP (2001)
• So is This Fun? (2002)
• For All of This (2002)
• The Acoustic EP (2005)
• The Early November/I Am the Avalanche (2005)

I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business[link]

• I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business (2004)
• Their cover of the song "Positively 4th Street" appears on Listen to Bob Dylan: A Tribute (2005), a tribute album.
• The World We Know (March 23, 2010)
• Dust'n Off The Ol' Guitar (September 16, 2010)
• Happy Christmas (December 15, 2010)
• Gold Rush (May 5, 2011)

Ace Enders and a Million Different People[link]

Studio albums[link]

• The Secret Wars (2008)
• When I Hit the Ground (2009)

Extended plays[link]

• The Australian EP (2009)

Ace Enders[link]

Extended plays[link]

• Share With Everyone EP (2012)

Unreleased[link]

• The Lost Album (2008)

Other work[link]

Featured in[link]

• "Please Me" by Car Party^[11]
• "These Are The Days" by Just Left
• "On My Own" by Just Surrender

References[link]

Rachel Maddow
Maddow hosting KPTK's "Changing the Media, Changing America" event in Seattle
Born	Rachel Anne Maddow (1973-04-01) April 1, 1973 (age 39) Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Education	B.A., Stanford University D.Phil, University of Oxford
Occupation	News anchor Political commentator Television host
Notable credit(s)	The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) The Rachel Maddow Show (Air America Radio)
Website
www.rachelmaddow.com

Rachel Anne Maddow (pronounced /ˈmædoʊ/; born April 1, 1973) is an American television host, political commentator, and author.^[1][2] Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC.^[3] Her syndicated talk radio program of the same name aired on Air America Radio. Maddow is the first openly gay anchor of a prime-time news program in the United States.^[4][5][6][7]

Asked about her political views by the Valley Advocate, Maddow replied, "I'm undoubtedly a liberal, which means that I'm in almost total agreement with the Eisenhower-era Republican party platform."^[8]

Early life and education[link]

Maddow was born in Castro Valley, California. Her father, Robert B. "Bob" Maddow, is a former United States Air Force captain who resigned his commission the year before her birth and found civilian work as a lawyer for the East Bay Municipal Utility District. Her mother, Elaine Maddow (née Gosse), is a school program administrator from Newfoundland, Canada.^[9][10][11] She has one older brother, David. Her father is of Russian and Dutch descent and her mother is of English and Irish ancestry.^[11] Maddow's mother was raised a strict Roman Catholic, and Maddow herself grew up in a community that her mother has described as "very conservative."^[12][13] Maddow was a competitive athlete and played three sports in high school.^[14] Referencing John Hughes films, she describes herself in high school as "a cross between the jock and the antisocial girl."^[13]

A graduate of Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, California, she attended Stanford University. While a freshman, she was outed by the college newspaper when an interview with her was published by the student newspaper before she could tell her parents.^[15] Maddow earned a degree in public policy from Stanford in 1994.^[16] At graduation she was awarded the John Gardner Fellowship.^[17] She was also the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship and began her postgraduate study in 1995 at Lincoln College, Oxford. In 2001, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in politics from Oxford University.^[18] Her thesis is titled HIV/AIDS and Health Care Reform in British and American Prisons (supervisor: Dr Lucia Zedner). She was the first openly gay American to win a Rhodes scholarship.^[19][20]

Radio career[link]

Maddow's first radio hosting job was at WRNX (100.9 FM) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, after she entered and won a contest the station held to find a new on-air personality.^[21] She was hired to co-host WRNX's morning show, The Dave in the Morning Show. She went on to host Big Breakfast on WRSI, in Northampton, Massachusetts, for two years. She left the show in March 2004 to join the new Air America.^[18] There she hosted Unfiltered along with Chuck D (of the hip hop group Public Enemy) and Lizz Winstead (co-creator of The Daily Show), until its cancellation in March 2005.^[22] Two weeks after the cancellation of Unfiltered in April 2005, Maddow's weekday two-hour radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, began airing; in March 2008 it gained an hour, broadcasting from 6 to 9 p.m. EST with David Bender filling in the third hour for the call-in section, when Maddow was on TV assignment. In September 2008, the show's length returned to two hours when Maddow began a nightly MSNBC television program. In February 2009, after renewing her contract with Air America, Maddow returned to the 5 am hour-long slot.^[23] Her last Air America show was on January 21, 2010, two weeks before its owners filed for bankruptcy.^[24]

Television career[link]

In June 2005, Maddow became a regular panelist on MSNBC's Tucker.^[25] During and after the November 2006 election, she was a frequent guest on CNN's Paula Zahn Now. In January 2008, Maddow became a MSNBC political analyst and was a regular panelist on MSNBC's Race for the White House with David Gregory and MSNBC's election coverage,^[26] as well as a frequent contributor on Countdown with Keith Olbermann.^[18]

In April 2008, Maddow was the substitute host for Countdown with Keith Olbermann, her first time hosting a program on MSNBC. Maddow described herself on air as "nervous." Keith Olbermann complimented her work, and she was brought back to host Countdown the next month. The show she hosted was the highest rated news program among people ages 25 to 54, a key demographic in ratings.^[27] For her success, the next Monday, Olbermann ranked Maddow third in his show's segment "World's Best Persons".^[28] In July 2008, while Olbermann was on vacation, Maddow filled in again for several broadcasts and, on July 21, for half the show.^[29] Maddow also filled in for David Gregory as host of Race for the White House.^[18]

[edit] The Rachel Maddow Show

In August 2008, MSNBC announced The Rachel Maddow Show would replace Verdict with Dan Abrams in the network's 9 p.m. slot the following month.^[30][31] Following its debut, the show topped Countdown as the highest rated show on MSNBC on several occasions.^[32][33] After being on air for more than a month, Maddow's program doubled the audience that hour.^[34]

Early reviews for her show were mostly positive. The Los Angeles Times writer Matea Gold stated Maddow "finds the right formula on MSNBC,"^[35] and The Guardian writes Maddow has become the "star of America's cable news."^[20] Associated Press columnist David Bauder said she's "[Keith] Olbermann's political soul mate" and the Olbermann-Maddow shows are a "liberal two-hour block."^[36]

Public image and publicity[link]

Maddow has been profiled in People,^[37] the Guardian,^[38] and the New York Observer,^[39] has appeared on “The View” and “Charlie Rose”^[40]

Keith Olbermann played a pivotal role in Maddow's hiring at MSNBC. Olbermann was able to pressure Phil Griffin to give Maddow Dan Abram's slot. A fan of Maddow's, Olbermann was able to use his influence, which had become greater as his ratings rose.^[41]

A 2011 Hollywood Reporter profile of Maddow said that she was able to deliver news "with agenda, but not hysteria.”^[42] A Newsweek profile noted that “At her best, Maddow debates ideological opponents with civility and persistence...But for all her eloquence, she can get so wound up ripping Republicans that she sounds like another smug cable partisan.". Baltimore Sun critic David Zurawik has accused Maddow of acting like 'a lockstep party member.'”^[43]

A Time profile called her a “whip-smart, button-cute leftie.” It said that she radiates an essential decency and suggested that her career rise might signify that “nice is the new nasty.”^[44]

Political views[link]

Distinguishing herself from others on the left, Maddow said she's a "national security liberal" and in a different interview that she's not "a partisan."^[45][46] The New York Times called her a "defense policy wonk" who is writing a book on the role of the military in postwar American politics.^[35][45] (The book, titled Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power, was published in 2012.) During the 2008 presidential election, Maddow did not formally support any candidate. Concerning Barack Obama's candidacy, Maddow said during the primaries, "I have never and still don't think of myself as an Obama supporter, either professionally or actually."^[47]

In March 2010, Republican Scott Brown, the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, speculated that Maddow was going to run against him for his seat in 2012. He used this premise for a fundraising email that read "...The Massachusetts political machine is looking for someone to run against me. And you're not going to believe who they are supposedly trying to recruit — liberal MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow." Maddow said Brown's speculation was false. On her March 23, 2010, TV program, Maddow said, "I have the best job in the world. I am not running for office. Scott Brown didn't ask me if I was running or planning to run for office, before he wrote a fundraising letter with my name. No, it's completely made up by him." Despite her comments, the next day Brown continued along the same line, telling a Boston radio station, "Bring her on." To help put an end to the matter, Maddow ran a full-page advertisement in the Boston Globe confirming she was not running, and separately demanded Brown's apology. She added that despite repeated invitations over the months, Brown had refused to appear on her TV program.^{[48][49][50][51]}

Personal life[link]

Maddow lives in Manhattan and western Massachusetts with her partner, artist Susan Mikula.^[52][53] The couple met in 1999, when Mikula hired Maddow to do yard work at her home. Maddow was working on her doctoral dissertation at the time.^[52] Their first date was at a National Rifle Association "Ladies' Day on the Range" event.^[54] Although Massachusetts and New York recognize same-sex marriage, as of 2009 Maddow and Mikula had no plans to marry.^[13]

Honors and awards[link]

• Emmy Award in the Outstanding News Discussion and Analysis category for "The Rachel Maddow Show" episode "Good Morning Landlocked Central Asia!"
• Maddow was named in Out magazine's "Out 100" list of the "gay men and women who moved culture" in 2008.^[55]
• Maddow was voted "Lesbian/Bi Woman of the Year (American)" in AfterEllen's 2008 Visibility Awards.^[56]
• Maddow won a Gracie Award in 2009, presented by the American Women in Radio and Television.^[57]
• In 2009, Maddow was nominated for GLAAD's 20th Annual Media Awards for a segment of her MSNBC show, "Rick Warren, Change To Believe In?", in the Outstanding TV Journalism Segment category.^[58]
• On March 28, 2009, Maddow received a Proclamation of Honor from the California State Senate, presented in San Francisco by California State Senator Mark Leno.^[59]
• In April 2009, she was listed at number four in Out magazine's Annual Power 50 List.^[60]
• Maddow placed sixth in the "2009 AfterEllen.com Hot 100" list (May 11, 2009)^[61] and third in its "2009 Hot 100: Out Women" version.^[62]
• Maddow was included on a list of openly gay media professionals in The Advocate's "Forty under 40" issue of June/July 2009.^[63]
• In 1994, Maddow was an Honorable Mention in the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity Prize in Ethics.^[64]
• In June 2009, Maddow's MSNBC show was the only cable news show nominated for a Television Critics Association award in the Outstanding Achievement in News and Information category.^[65]
• In March 2010, Maddow won at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in the category, Outstanding TV Journalism- Newsmagazine for her segment, "Uganda Be Kidding Me".^[66]
• Maddow was the 2010 commencement speaker and was given an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree at Smith College in Northampton, MA in May 2010.^[67]
• In July 2010, Maddow was presented with a Maggie Award for her ongoing reporting of healthcare reform, the murder of Dr. George Tiller, and the anti-abortion movement.^[68]
• In August 2010, Maddow won the Walter Cronkite Faith & Freedom Award, which was presented by The Interfaith Alliance.^[69] Past honorees included Larry King, Tom Brokaw, and the late Peter Jennings.^[69]
• In November 2011, she was included on the list of "Over-Rated Thinkers" by the editors of The New Republic.^[70]
• In February 2012, Maddow was presented the John Steinbeck Award by the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at San Jose State University.^[71]

Bibliography[link]

• Maddow, Rachel (2012). Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power. Crown. ISBN 978-0-307-46098-1. 

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rachel Maddow

• Rachel Maddow on Twitter
• Official website
• Profile and show at MSNBC
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Rachel Maddow on Charlie Rose
• Rachel Maddow at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Rachel Maddow in libraries (WorldCat catalog)