I have never been good at goodbyes.
I would like to begin by thanking all my loyal readers and those who have contributed to the discussion on this blog. Politics is as much about the discussion and ideas as it is about getting things done and change. [...]
Robert Samuelson has a brilliant piece on RealClearPolitics that looks at one of the most pressing issues of our time: global warming poverty.
Some excerpts:
What's the world's greatest moral challenge, as judged by its capacity to inflict human tragedy? It is not, I think, global warming, whose effects -- [...]
Chuck Todd has a great piece this weekend that lays out what will be happening within the Democratic Party on November 5th:
Whatever the reason, losing is not an option and an Obama loss would bring out the long knives inside the party walls.
A Democratic loss won't be blamed [...]
Three-time melanoma survivor John McCain appears cancer-free, has a strong heart and is in otherwise general good health, according to eight years of medical records.
Mayo internist Dr. John Eckstein, his longtime personal physician, lauded McCain's performance on a heart stress test — sweating [...]
Mitt Romney has formed a long term presidential campaign political action committee called Free and Strong America PAC:
Free and Strong America PAC will support officeholders and candidates who are dedicated to advancing social, fiscal and foreign policies that will strengthen America at this critical time [...]
Political Radar reports on foreign policy gaffes by Barack Obama yesterday in Missouri:
"We don't have enough capacity right now to deal with it -- and it's not just the troops," Obama, D-Ill., told a crowd in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Obama posited -- incorrectly -- that [...]
Reed Galen has a must read piece on RealClearPolitics that examines the personality traits shared by President Bush and Barack Obama and why it wins elections.
Some excerpts:
Ideologically speaking, Barack Obama and George Bush could hardly be more different. Theirs is a dichotomy of Democratic [...]
TIME has a good piece that outlines the various strategies the McCain campaign will use to define Barack Obama. While we hesitate to call Obama the Democratic nominee as Hillary Clinton is poised for a big win in the West Virginia primary tonight; the concerns about the Charlatan are [...]
John McCain appeared on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart where he received a tepid reception.
McCain did well in the interview and his performance will go a long way in defining his image among young people who are generally uninformed (i.e., get their news [...]
The New Republic has a piece today that reveals just what kind of damage has been done to Obama in the primary:
Ideology: In the Iowa Caucus, Obama defeated Clinton among "moderate" voters by 33 to 31 percent and barely lost "conservatives" by 22 to [...]
From the desk of John McCain:
There may be at least two vacancies on the United States Supreme Court during the next presidential term. As president, I will ensure that only those judges who strictly interpret the Constitution of the United States are appointed. I will nominate [...]
The Obama campaign is up with a classic negative that feels more like a general election ad:
Question to the peanut gallery: Which one looks more like "typical Washington"?
Mike Huckabee was in rural Mississippi campaigning for John McCain where he dropped one of his classic and subtle quips, per Jonathan Martin:
And when, during an event at an espresso shop in Tupelo (!), Huck's cell phone rang, he didn't miss a beat:
[...]
And just how contentious has the Democratic primary gotten?
A new "private corporation" called ObamaVotersForMcCain.com has been launched by a Barack Obama supporter(s) who vows to vote for, and encourage others to vote for, John McCain if Obama does not become the Democratic nominee:
April 30, 2008
Dear [...]
Jonathan Martin points to an interesting VP bracketology at CQ Politics over who will be John McCain's running mate. Many of the names we have mentioned before are included.
Some interesting match ups:
Condoleezza Rice vs. Chuck Hagel
Marsha Blackburn vs. Mitt Romney
Colin [...]
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright thrust himself into the center of the news cycle today appearing before the National Press Club kicking off a symposium on the "African American" religious experience. He provided the press with some memorable clips, and some quotes that seemingly undermine Obama's image of being [...]
The rising global price of rice is causing problems in the developing world. Rice is a dietary staple in the developing world and as its price rises, it forces households to spend a higher percentage of their budget on food.
And the problem is global. We are seeing the [...]
The North Carolina Republican Party is airing an ad tying Barack Obama and his pastor to some NC Dems:
The ad is a bit over the top.The latest Rasmussen poll has John McCain leading both Democrats:
McCain 47%
Obama 44%McCain 49%
Clinton 43%
And the Favorable/Unfavorable numbers are even more interesting:
McCain: 52/44
Obama: 49/49
Clinton: 43/55
These numbers are interesting because they show that the voters are listening to the candidates [...]
And the Democratic race goes full blown negative:
David Brooks has a must read column in the New York Times today that outlines how Barack Obama is just another politician:
He sprinkled [...]
The measure later cleared the [...]
While Pope Benedict XVI's historic visit to Washington received wall to wall coverage, Sen. Barbara Boxer briefly held up a Senate resolution welcoming the pontiff because she objected to language about how the pope values "each and every human life."
John McCain sat down before hundreds of reporters today at the AP's annual meeting where he was asked about Obama's words:
McCain's remarks to the annual gathering and the full interview is worth a watch.
At a fundraiser last week, Barack Obama made the following eye opening comments about Middle America, per RedState:
"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced [...]
Early last year when the campaign season started, Barack Obama pledged that he would accept public financing if his Republican opponent did. It was all part of his ruse to cultivate his holier than thou image. But now, his Republican opponent has agreed to accept public financing, per Jonathan [...]
The House voted yesterday to stall a vote on passage of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement until after November. This is yet another example of the Democratic Congress putting politics before what is best for the country.
The reason they will not bring it to [...]
The most recent AP poll has John McCain in a statistical dead heat with both Democrats:
McCain 45%
Obama 45%Clinton 48%
McCain 45%
This is a harbinger of doom for the Democratic Party.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of a true American philosopher, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Alveda King, the niece of Dr. King, reflects on her family and the modern Civil Rights movement:Dr. King ushered in a new era of thinking in America. To those of us [...]
John McCain launched a pair of new image ads in the last week. The first ad highlights his military service and time as a POW while the second highlights his families' service to the country.
"624787":"Character Forged by Family":
During a private meeting with California Democrats this past weekend, Clinton grew red-faced as he talked about how he [...]
What was initially observed in Pennsylvania has now been observed at the national level as well. Per Gallup:
A sizable proportion of Democrats would vote for John McCain next November if he is matched against the candidate they do not support for the Democratic nomination. [...]
The Miami Herald does some vetting of Barack Obama today:
Barack Obama says if he were president, he'd take politically courageous stands while forging the consensus needed to enact universal healthcare, immigration revisions, global warming legislation and a withdrawal from Iraq.
His three-year record in the Senate, [...]
It is interesting that Barack Obama stonewalled new primaries for Florida and Michigan while concurrently planning to give a speech that opened the discussion on race in America. The hypocrisy, and sheer audacity, of the move is amazing.
Perhaps Obama was taught a revisionist American history, so let us spell [...]
What started last week as a back and forth between the Clinton and Obama camps over Obama's patriotism has degenerated even further with an Obama adviser lowering the bar:
"B. Clinton questions Obama's patriotism. In repsonse, an Obama aide compared B. Clinton to Joe McCarthy. [...]
Charles Krauthammer has a must read column discussing Barack Obama's speech on race last week and his pastor's comments. He even includes a little vetting of his own:
Obama was supposed to be new. He flatters himself as a man of the future transcending the anger of the past [...]
Are we in the midst of a realignment of the electoral map?
Over the weekend, Doug Kmiec endorsed Barack Obama. Kmiec served in the Justice Department under Presidents Reagan and Bush. As Joseph Kippenburg at No Left Turns notes; Kmiec had previously endorsed Mitt Romney [...]
Jonathan Martin points to some interesting poll numbers out of Pennsylvania:
If [FILL preferred candidate] does not win the Democratic nomination, who do you think you will vote for in the November election? Will you vote for [fill other candidate], John McCain, some other candidate, or will you probably not [...]
Bobby Jindal is the first term Governor of Louisiana and first Indian-American governor in the country. Prior to being elected Governor, Jindal served two terms representing Louisiana's first Congressional district.
Jindal would appeal to the conservative base who is still wary of McCain. Jindal has a stronger record than [...]
Barack Obama gave an impressive speech today addressing the comments by his pastor which have dominated the news cycle for the last week. Joe Scarborough and Nancy Giles discussed Race in America following the speech:
The purpose of the speech by Obama was to attempt to move the news [...]The media love affair with Barack Obama is coming to an end. Ron Fournier is out with a column today parsing Obama's words and looking at him behind the scenes.
Some excerpts:
The dictionary defines [arrogance] as an "offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing [...]
Per the AP, John McCain is in Iraq today and will meet with important allies later this week:
McCain met with Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh on Sunday and planned to meet with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, according to the U.S. [...]
Yesterday, the Democratic Congress voted to not only raise Americans' taxes, but to increase spending as well. This is first substantive action that reflects the Democrat vision for the country.
All three presidential candidates voted on the bill, with Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama supporting the [...]
A few good points made in this segment:
1. Geraldine Ferraro is not a racist.
2. Barack Obama is a good candidate.
3. The country is caught up in the 'concept' of Obama's candidacy.
The last point is the source of frustration for the Clinton camp. Despite their brilliant message strategy, they [...]
It could be worse, you could be Eliot Spitzer.
Should he have resigned? We say yes.
While there are similarities between his extracurricular activities and U.S. Senator David Vitter's from last year; differences in extenuating circumstances were what ultimately led to Spitzer's downfall.
First, he was [...]
Geraldine Ferraro, noted feminist and Clinton supporter, ignited a fire storm with comments she made to the Daily Breeze:
"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color), he would not be [...]
Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who gained national prominence relentlessly pursuing Wall Street wrongdoing, has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according [...]
"I am not young enough to know everything." -Oscar Wilde
When it comes to politics, many young people are quick to complain but slow to vote. Many don't even know when Election Day is. Consequently, politicians in power give little credence to their opinions and overlook their issues. Young [...]
Fresh off her victories on Tuesday that have once again roiled the Democratic race, the Washington Post has a must read piece today that gives an inside look at a chaotic Clinton campaign:
With a flurry of phone calls and e-mail messages that began before polls closed, campaign officials made [...]
Per Jonathan Martin, John McCain will take to the bully pulpit tomorrow:
John McCain will appear tomorrow at the White House with President Bush, according to GOP sources.
The presidential embrace will underscore McCain's status as the party's presumptive nominee.
Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, sensing that the space for an Independent candidacy was growing smaller by the day, made an official withdrawal from the race for the Presidency last week:
As John McCain and Barack Obama appear to be the likely nominees of their Parties; the vote [...]
In town auditioning for the Vice Presidential spot for the National Governor's Association Winter Meeting, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin sat down with the Fix and discussed her home state, her Party, and the future. The full interview is worth a watch.
Palin makes an intriguing [...]
FOX News reports from the Straight Talk Express:
[John McCain] told reporters on Monday that if he can’t convince the American people that the U.S. is succeeding in Iraq, then come Election Day in November, “I’ll lose.”
Immediately stepping back from that comment, [...]
As the Democratic primary gets tighter (according to Clinton camp spin), the Washington Post takes a closer look today at the rhetoric vs. record of both contenders in the race. The full piece is worth a read.
They also include a list of top flip-flops:
Fidel Castro, the infamous dictator of Cuba, announced today that he will resign as "President" of Cuba and hand the reigns to his younger brother Raul.
A TIME article from 2006 when Fidel was briefly incapacitated sheds some light on what a Raul [...]
As focus on the Republican side begins to turn to potential running mates for John McCain, we will begin looking weekly at potential candidates for the second spot outlining what they bring to the ticket; and their potential weaknesses.
Marsha Blackburn is a three term Congressman [...]
The nation's capital heads to the polls today, and for Mike Huckabee it could be the final nail in the coffin for his campaign; or an unholy ressurection.
Although John McCain appears to have the Republican nomination wrapped up, Huckabee has made clear his intention to continue his [...]
Jeff Frankels has some interesting oberservations about the effects of welfare policies in the United States, particularly the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit:
A woman called me out of the blue last week and told me her self-sufficiency counselor had suggested she get in [...]
Referencing Sir Edmund Burke early and often, John McCain took the stage at CPAC 2008 where he congratulated his opponents on a hard fought campaign, laid out his Presidential agenda, and talked about the things that he and conservatives have in common. He was [...]
Per Jonathan Martin, John McCain's campaign will begin polling again:
McCain, strolling back into the press section of his plane for an airborne chat with reporters midway between Phoenix and Washington, said they would go into the field in Virginia to figure out where they stood heading into next Tuesday's [...]
The Conservative Political Action Conference begins its annual conference today in Washington, DC. Last year, all the declared candidates at the time spoke; except for John McCain.
McCain enters the conference today looking to make friends. The demographic and makeup of the conference is more [...]
From McCain adviser Charlie Black, per First Read:
"There are 963 left to be chosen, so Romney or Huckabee would have to have all of them -- all of them -- to get to 1,191. Now you can't do that because a majority of those 963 are chosen in proportional [...]
Here is how the Republican delegate count currently stands following Tsunami Tuesday:
McCain 775
Romney 284
Huckabee 205
Paul 16
*1,191 needed
[...]
John McCain won the popular vote in California last night 46.1% to 26.8% over Mitt Romney. However, more impressive is that McCain won all but two of California's 53 Congressional district and walks away 164 of 170 total delegates.
However, it also reveals a disturbing trend. [...]
John McCain:
CA, CT, DE, NY, NJ, IL
OK, MO, AZ
Mitt Romney:
AK, CO, MT, ND, UT
MA, MN
Mike Huckabee:
AL, AR, GA, TN, WV
The Biz Predictions: 17-4 (20-5 overall)
UPDATE 11:27 AM EST: McCain just announced that he will not be travelling to Europe this weekend.
John McCain will travel to London on Friday making a stop at 10 Downing Street where he will meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The image of [...]
As the dust from the Tsunami begins to settle, one of the things that struck me is the 'Favorite Son' aspect that has emerged in both parties' primaries during the campaign season.
Mike Huckabee was the first one to declare victory tonight. In his hometown of Little Rock, he delivered a [...]
[...]
