The hotly-contested presidential campaign is sucking all of the attention-oxygen from the public discourse.
And The Decider is taking full advantage of the electorates' distraction.... rushing to fill the vacuum with goodies for his corporate buddies and more power for the executive.
Ponder this.... in the entire history of the United States, all presidents combined have signed about 600 executive orders. Those are statements made at signing saying that the executive will not comply with.... or enforce.... certain provisions of laws passed by Congress with which they disagree.
I-decide-what's-law George has used the executive order signing statements to assert a right to bypass sections of laws.... are you ready for this.... a staggering 1,100 times. Double the amount of all of the executive orders of all the presidents who preceded him!
Just last Tuesday, Bush asserted "that he had the executive power to bypass several parts of two bills he was signing: a military authorization act and a measure giving inspectors general greater independence from White House control.' (NY Times)
The Decider challenged four sections in the authorization bill, one challenge would enable the U.S. to exercise control over Iraq oil resources. We're leaving when....
In the other bill, Bush challenged two sections that strengthen legal protections against political interference with the internal watchdog officials at each executive agency. Bush challenged the inspector general's right to counsels who report directly to them. Instead, such lawyers would be bound to follow the legal interpretations of the politically appointed counsel at each agency.... leaving the agencies the unfettered freedom to exercise their will, public good be damned.
While the White House defends The Decider's actions, the American Bar Association called executive orders "contrary to the rule of law and our constitutional system of separation of powers."
The Bush administration is flexing their will in other ways while the presidential campaign in the center ring entertains and distracts.
For example, as Tom Kenworthy laments today in "Saving the Desert Southwest," (WaPo) .... "as Bush prepares to leave office, the administration is working quickly to hand over much of southern Utah to the oil and gas industry and off-road-vehicle enthusiasts."
In less than two months this summer, the federal Bureau of Land Management released six new proposals for managing 11 million acres of public land in Utah.... 80 percent of some of the Southwest's most spectacular treasures will be open to oil and gas development.
And this gift to Bush and Cheney's oil buddies is just the tip of The Decider's "Last-Minute Mischief." (NYTimes)
Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior, is trying to revoke the rule that gives Congress and the interior secretary emergency powers to protect public lands when commercial development seems to pose immediate dangers.
Kempthorne decided on this move after members of the House Natural Resources Committee ordered him to withdraw about 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon from new uranium mining claims to give officials time to assess potential damage to the air and water.
Kempthorne not only refused to obey the committee’s order, but proposed to rescind the departmental rule requiring him to obey it. The public has been given 15 days to comment, after which Kempthorne will be free to jettison the rule.
And, it's not just the environment under attack. Labor protection laws are in the Bush administration's mischief-making cross hairs.
In "Last-Minute Mischief for Labor," the New York Times finds that "under the Bush administration, the Department of Labor has shirked its responsibility to upgrade workplace safety. In seven years, it has issued but one major rule change protecting workers against a chemical toxin — and that was forced on it by court order.
"Now, it’s taken a giant step beyond benign neglect. Political appointees at the agency have been discovered in a rush to duck public disclosure and jimmy into place a pro-industry rule making it more difficult to limit workers’ exposure to poisonous chemicals."
It’s pathetic to discover Bush's agencies investing their closing months on one more sop to industry. It signals that the regulatory mess facing the next president continues to grow, since the stealth games at Labor are likely being duplicated in other agencies.
The next president must not be another George Bush. Another corporations first, trickle-up ravaging of our country. Must not be another arrogant good ol' boy administration..... tilted to the interests of oil and run by lobbyists.... like McSame's campaign.
November 4. Vote. It matters!
Showing posts with label McCain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label McCain. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Decider is Denied
It turns out The Decider can't after all.... decide, that is.
The reason is glaringly clear, to everyone except those so blindly partisan they still think "trickle down" Reaganomics works.
In the face of a tanking dollar; monstrous and growing debt; historic loss of jobs; increase in poverty; trade deficits to the moon; obscene increases in entitlements and bureaucracy; corporate deregulation and tax benefits; and binge spending by a 6-year-GOP-majority Congress in the grip of corrupting lobbyists .... two men who both finished near the bottom of their class, The Decider and his sidekick McGoo McCain kept parroting their talking point. "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."
And, they kept saying it as bankruptcies and home foreclosures grew into the tsunami that finally engulfed Wall Street and threatened to drown the entire U.S. economy as credit dried up and large investment firms, banks and credit-reliant companies rolled over and sank.
Then, like the spoiled brat he is, Bush stamped his foot and demanded to be bailed out of his misjudgements.
He presented a 2-1/2 page bill to Congress, for 700 billion dollars. To be administered at the sole discretion, without oversight or accountability, by his appointed Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson.... a former CEO of investment firm Goldman Sachs who finally understood the financial danger when it hit his street. Wall Street.
What followed was a balky negotiating process brought to a halt by McCain who thought he saw a chance for taking rescue credit.... rushing to D.C. to interject presidential politics, and the process ran into a wall.
No one in Congress wanted their fingerprints on this legislation to bail out the greedy raiders and failed policies. But the problem was presented as a choice between financial Armageddon and the possibility of a lifeline back from the edge of the abyss. After long negotiation, arm-twisting and compromise, legislation was finally presented to the House.... and failed.
There is a lot of finger pointing from all sides on why it failed... but the buck stops with The Decider. The Vote Underscores Bush's Loss of Influence. (WaPo)
"The plan had gone down to a stinging defeat in the House, in large part the result of opposition from more than 100 members of Bush's Republican Party.
"The vote marked the biggest legislative defeat of Bush's tenure and underscored the vanishing influence of a president who could once bend a pliant Congress to his will on wars, taxes, surveillance and a host of other high-profile initiatives.
"The defeat also brought into focus some of the key characteristics of Bush's troubled second term, including his weakened hold on his party, his tendency to delegate major responsibilities to aides and his continued reliance on alarmist rhetoric in an effort to get his way. Bush left much of the sales job for the rescue plan to Treasury Secretary Paulson., and his last-minute warnings that 'our entire economy is in danger' appeared to have little impact on the debate."
This entire mess is nothing short of a massive failure of Reaganomics. By voting for this gigantic economic-socialization bailout package, GOP conservatives would be admitting this.
And, many Democrats feel the very perpetrators of the crisis, the greedy Wall Street financiers and Bush administration enablers, would benefit more than the victimized taxpayers and resist the bailout.
So we're in the financial doldrums, drifting on the currents of panic. The ship of state is in uncharted territory without a captain.... just The Decider, thrown into the hold by his mutinous crew.
McGoo and his Fatuous First Mate are on deck, campaigning to take the helm to continue The Decider's destructive course....
November 4!
The reason is glaringly clear, to everyone except those so blindly partisan they still think "trickle down" Reaganomics works.
In the face of a tanking dollar; monstrous and growing debt; historic loss of jobs; increase in poverty; trade deficits to the moon; obscene increases in entitlements and bureaucracy; corporate deregulation and tax benefits; and binge spending by a 6-year-GOP-majority Congress in the grip of corrupting lobbyists .... two men who both finished near the bottom of their class, The Decider and his sidekick McGoo McCain kept parroting their talking point. "The fundamentals of our economy are strong."
And, they kept saying it as bankruptcies and home foreclosures grew into the tsunami that finally engulfed Wall Street and threatened to drown the entire U.S. economy as credit dried up and large investment firms, banks and credit-reliant companies rolled over and sank.
Then, like the spoiled brat he is, Bush stamped his foot and demanded to be bailed out of his misjudgements.
He presented a 2-1/2 page bill to Congress, for 700 billion dollars. To be administered at the sole discretion, without oversight or accountability, by his appointed Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson.... a former CEO of investment firm Goldman Sachs who finally understood the financial danger when it hit his street. Wall Street.
What followed was a balky negotiating process brought to a halt by McCain who thought he saw a chance for taking rescue credit.... rushing to D.C. to interject presidential politics, and the process ran into a wall.
No one in Congress wanted their fingerprints on this legislation to bail out the greedy raiders and failed policies. But the problem was presented as a choice between financial Armageddon and the possibility of a lifeline back from the edge of the abyss. After long negotiation, arm-twisting and compromise, legislation was finally presented to the House.... and failed.
There is a lot of finger pointing from all sides on why it failed... but the buck stops with The Decider. The Vote Underscores Bush's Loss of Influence. (WaPo)
"The plan had gone down to a stinging defeat in the House, in large part the result of opposition from more than 100 members of Bush's Republican Party.
"The vote marked the biggest legislative defeat of Bush's tenure and underscored the vanishing influence of a president who could once bend a pliant Congress to his will on wars, taxes, surveillance and a host of other high-profile initiatives.
"The defeat also brought into focus some of the key characteristics of Bush's troubled second term, including his weakened hold on his party, his tendency to delegate major responsibilities to aides and his continued reliance on alarmist rhetoric in an effort to get his way. Bush left much of the sales job for the rescue plan to Treasury Secretary Paulson., and his last-minute warnings that 'our entire economy is in danger' appeared to have little impact on the debate."
This entire mess is nothing short of a massive failure of Reaganomics. By voting for this gigantic economic-socialization bailout package, GOP conservatives would be admitting this.
And, many Democrats feel the very perpetrators of the crisis, the greedy Wall Street financiers and Bush administration enablers, would benefit more than the victimized taxpayers and resist the bailout.
So we're in the financial doldrums, drifting on the currents of panic. The ship of state is in uncharted territory without a captain.... just The Decider, thrown into the hold by his mutinous crew.
McGoo and his Fatuous First Mate are on deck, campaigning to take the helm to continue The Decider's destructive course....
November 4!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
McCain's "Bent Talk"
Ah, those pesky little facts.
Responding to the recent New York Times article on his ties to a particular lobbyist, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) denied meeting with broadcaster Lowell "Bud" Paxson or his lobbyist Vicki Iseman before sending two controversial letters to the FCC on Paxson's behalf while McCain was chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
Letters the FCC chairman called "highly unusual."
A statement issued by the McCain campaign Thursday said that he had not met with Paxson or Iseman on the matter.... "No representative of Paxson or Alcalde and Fay [the lobbying firm where Iseman is a partner] personally asked Senator McCain to send a letter to the FCC regarding this proceeding."
Well.... "Paxson Contradicts McCain Campaign on Meetings." (WaPo)
It turns out... Paxson talked with McCain in his Washington office before the letters were sent and Iseman attended the meeting and most likely set it up.
Pshaw, was the reaction of McCain's attorney-to-political-polecats, Robert Bennett, ".... Now it appears he did speak to him [Paxson]. What is the difference?"
The difference?
If there is nothing to hide, why lie about it.
"Statements from McCain's office said Iseman met only with staff and indicated that a staff member was involved in drafting and sending the letter..... and, "Thursday's statement went to lengths to say why McCain could not have met with Paxson." Untruths.
At the time McCain wrote those letters, he had flown on Paxson's corporate jet four times to appear at campaign events and received $20,000 in campaign donations from Paxson Communications and its law firm.
The second letter came a day after the company's jet ferried McCain to a fundraiser aboard a yacht in West Palm Beach attended by Paxson, arranged by Iseman's lobbying firm, and hosted by a cruise line her company represented.
Cozy.
We're reminded of a statement by the Republican Party chairman in McCain's home district before the recent primary there.... he said that McCain's Straight Talk Express campaign bus should be renamed.... "We call it the Forked Tongue Express around here. He'll lie about anything."
Which should be the lesson of the current hoopla.
Thus far, it appears all the Times article about McCain and Iseman really accomplished was to galvanize the GOP conservatives to McCain's defense.... the Times is rabidly reviled by conservatives.... and clouded the bigger issue of McCain's ethics.
Since McCain's involvement in the Keating Five savings and loan scandal, he has carefully cultivated his anti-corruption, anti-special interests "Straight Talk" persona.
The Democratic National Committee sums up this latest peek behind that facade.... "John McCain's 'do as I say, not as I do' approach to ethics and lobbying reform can be called a lot of things. 'Straight Talk' isn't one of them."
Responding to the recent New York Times article on his ties to a particular lobbyist, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) denied meeting with broadcaster Lowell "Bud" Paxson or his lobbyist Vicki Iseman before sending two controversial letters to the FCC on Paxson's behalf while McCain was chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
Letters the FCC chairman called "highly unusual."
A statement issued by the McCain campaign Thursday said that he had not met with Paxson or Iseman on the matter.... "No representative of Paxson or Alcalde and Fay [the lobbying firm where Iseman is a partner] personally asked Senator McCain to send a letter to the FCC regarding this proceeding."
Well.... "Paxson Contradicts McCain Campaign on Meetings." (WaPo)
It turns out... Paxson talked with McCain in his Washington office before the letters were sent and Iseman attended the meeting and most likely set it up.
Pshaw, was the reaction of McCain's attorney-to-political-polecats, Robert Bennett, ".... Now it appears he did speak to him [Paxson]. What is the difference?"
The difference?
If there is nothing to hide, why lie about it.
"Statements from McCain's office said Iseman met only with staff and indicated that a staff member was involved in drafting and sending the letter..... and, "Thursday's statement went to lengths to say why McCain could not have met with Paxson." Untruths.
At the time McCain wrote those letters, he had flown on Paxson's corporate jet four times to appear at campaign events and received $20,000 in campaign donations from Paxson Communications and its law firm.
The second letter came a day after the company's jet ferried McCain to a fundraiser aboard a yacht in West Palm Beach attended by Paxson, arranged by Iseman's lobbying firm, and hosted by a cruise line her company represented.
Cozy.
We're reminded of a statement by the Republican Party chairman in McCain's home district before the recent primary there.... he said that McCain's Straight Talk Express campaign bus should be renamed.... "We call it the Forked Tongue Express around here. He'll lie about anything."
Which should be the lesson of the current hoopla.
Thus far, it appears all the Times article about McCain and Iseman really accomplished was to galvanize the GOP conservatives to McCain's defense.... the Times is rabidly reviled by conservatives.... and clouded the bigger issue of McCain's ethics.
Since McCain's involvement in the Keating Five savings and loan scandal, he has carefully cultivated his anti-corruption, anti-special interests "Straight Talk" persona.
The Democratic National Committee sums up this latest peek behind that facade.... "John McCain's 'do as I say, not as I do' approach to ethics and lobbying reform can be called a lot of things. 'Straight Talk' isn't one of them."
Sunday, February 10, 2008
CW, Superdelegates and Divides
Conventional wisdom.... what we fall back on to fortify our arguments, to prop up our misconceptions, to put the coup de grace to dissent.
Forget some CW in this 2008 election season, as Ellen Goodman points out, "Conventional wisdom fails to explain anything about Election 2008." (Post-Gazette)
"It'll Be All Over by February 6." Not according to Mike Huckabee. And only in Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's dreams.
"Kennedys are Kingmakers." Why then didn't Obama carry Massachusetts, or California? Maybe kingmakers if they can deliver the majority of the worst idea the Democratic Party ever had, superdelegates. That remains to be seen.
"Southern White Men Won't Vote for a Black President." Well.... Georgia white men voted 48 percent for Obama. But then, as Goodman pointed out, perhaps it just proves that "Southern white men still won't vote for a woman."
"Evangelicals Vote in Lockstep." This time they scattered to GOP candidates Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and John McCain.
"Money Uber Alles." After spending $35 million of his own money, the departing Romney begs to differ. Nice to know, though, that the presidency isn't for sale to the highest bidder.
"Dittoheads Rule." Far right talking heads savaged McCain and Republicans yawned.
"The Death of the Nominating Convention." Get your popcorn ready, with the Democrats it looks like a nominating fight to the finish.
When it comes to the delegate dead heat between Clinton and Obama that is hurtling headlong toward a nominating convention, Tad Devine advises "Superdelegates, Back Off." (NYTimes)
He admonishes these superdelegates "to stop pledging themselves to either Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Obama.... If the superdelegates determine the party's nominee before primary and caucus voters have rendered a clear verdict, Democrats risk losing the trust" of the voters.
Actually, they risk a rebellion and the disaffection of the many blacks and women who see this as their moment. Luckily, there is The Decider's monstrous record, and the specter of more with his ideological replacement McCain, to provide the unifying glue. But, will this be enough?
Frank Rich thinks until then, "Next Up for the Democrats: Civil War." (NYTimes)
Reporting on Hillary Clinton's paid-for hour in the run-up to Super Tuesday on the Hallmark Channel, plus satellite TV hookups for assemblies of coast-to-coast supporters, Rich said he was given a "naked preview of how nastily the Clintons will fight, whatever the collateral damage to the Democratic Party, in the endgame to come."
He points out that after over-playing their hand trying to scare off white voters by framing Obama as the "ghettoized-cocaine-user" and Jesse Jackson redux.... and in the process alienating many black voters.... they abandoned black America and redoubled efforts to pander to the Hispanic population, especially in delegate-rich California.
The makeup of the Hallmark audience.... few blacks.... with many Hispanic canned-question askers.... no blacks.... brought this forcefully home. Leaving no Hispanic stone unturned, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of LA had a cameo, and one of the satellite meetings was held in the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque.
Earlier, in an attempt to divide the voters and reinforce their racial game plan, Clinton's pollster told The New Yorker that Hispanic voters have "not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates,".... followed by Hillary telling Tim Russert in a debate that her pollster was "making a historical statement."
As Rich points out, this "wasn't an accurate statement, historical or otherwise. It was a lie, and a bigoted lie at that....." For example, all three black members of congress from the LA area won in heavily Latino districts. And in the 1990s, Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk received more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote.
Now comes Texas.... what despicable racial ploys will the Clintons unleash in that heavily Hispanic state before the March 4 primary contest?
And, is the Democratic Party in free-fall toward for a race-tinged brawl and superdelegate bullying at their convention some nine weeks before Election Day?.... a non-"Hallmark moment?"
Democratic voters will demand a just and representative convention, where superdelegates vote their constitutents' preferences.... that's CW you can take to the polls.
Forget some CW in this 2008 election season, as Ellen Goodman points out, "Conventional wisdom fails to explain anything about Election 2008." (Post-Gazette)
"It'll Be All Over by February 6." Not according to Mike Huckabee. And only in Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's dreams.
"Kennedys are Kingmakers." Why then didn't Obama carry Massachusetts, or California? Maybe kingmakers if they can deliver the majority of the worst idea the Democratic Party ever had, superdelegates. That remains to be seen.
"Southern White Men Won't Vote for a Black President." Well.... Georgia white men voted 48 percent for Obama. But then, as Goodman pointed out, perhaps it just proves that "Southern white men still won't vote for a woman."
"Evangelicals Vote in Lockstep." This time they scattered to GOP candidates Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and John McCain.
"Money Uber Alles." After spending $35 million of his own money, the departing Romney begs to differ. Nice to know, though, that the presidency isn't for sale to the highest bidder.
"Dittoheads Rule." Far right talking heads savaged McCain and Republicans yawned.
"The Death of the Nominating Convention." Get your popcorn ready, with the Democrats it looks like a nominating fight to the finish.
When it comes to the delegate dead heat between Clinton and Obama that is hurtling headlong toward a nominating convention, Tad Devine advises "Superdelegates, Back Off." (NYTimes)
He admonishes these superdelegates "to stop pledging themselves to either Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Obama.... If the superdelegates determine the party's nominee before primary and caucus voters have rendered a clear verdict, Democrats risk losing the trust" of the voters.
Actually, they risk a rebellion and the disaffection of the many blacks and women who see this as their moment. Luckily, there is The Decider's monstrous record, and the specter of more with his ideological replacement McCain, to provide the unifying glue. But, will this be enough?
Frank Rich thinks until then, "Next Up for the Democrats: Civil War." (NYTimes)
Reporting on Hillary Clinton's paid-for hour in the run-up to Super Tuesday on the Hallmark Channel, plus satellite TV hookups for assemblies of coast-to-coast supporters, Rich said he was given a "naked preview of how nastily the Clintons will fight, whatever the collateral damage to the Democratic Party, in the endgame to come."
He points out that after over-playing their hand trying to scare off white voters by framing Obama as the "ghettoized-cocaine-user" and Jesse Jackson redux.... and in the process alienating many black voters.... they abandoned black America and redoubled efforts to pander to the Hispanic population, especially in delegate-rich California.
The makeup of the Hallmark audience.... few blacks.... with many Hispanic canned-question askers.... no blacks.... brought this forcefully home. Leaving no Hispanic stone unturned, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of LA had a cameo, and one of the satellite meetings was held in the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque.
Earlier, in an attempt to divide the voters and reinforce their racial game plan, Clinton's pollster told The New Yorker that Hispanic voters have "not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates,".... followed by Hillary telling Tim Russert in a debate that her pollster was "making a historical statement."
As Rich points out, this "wasn't an accurate statement, historical or otherwise. It was a lie, and a bigoted lie at that....." For example, all three black members of congress from the LA area won in heavily Latino districts. And in the 1990s, Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk received more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote.
Now comes Texas.... what despicable racial ploys will the Clintons unleash in that heavily Hispanic state before the March 4 primary contest?
And, is the Democratic Party in free-fall toward for a race-tinged brawl and superdelegate bullying at their convention some nine weeks before Election Day?.... a non-"Hallmark moment?"
Democratic voters will demand a just and representative convention, where superdelegates vote their constitutents' preferences.... that's CW you can take to the polls.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Romney Surrenders
Today Republican candidate Mitt Romney sang his presidential-run swan song to the influential GOP Conservative Political Action Committee conference.
Romney said he will suspend his national campaign because going on would make it more likely for Democratic Senators Clinton or Obama to win..... "And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."
Pleeeeze.... Romney quit because after his disappointing showing on Super Tuesday, and the realization that his low delegate numbers made it impossible to "get them to add up," as a good business man he wasn't going to throw more of his millions into a lost cause.
Sad that equating ending a misbegotten war to a "surrender to terror" is the pose Romney had to strike to get the loud conservative applause that was so muted during his campaign.
This leaves the unloved-by-Limbaugh-conservatives, Sen. John McCain, and preacher Mike Huckabee as the only GOP candidates left standing.... a choice between a latter-day Bob Dole and an Arkansas snake-oil salesman.
Romney wrapped himself in the flag, demonized his party's opponents, and chanted the new GOP mantra.... bomb, bomb, bomb.... as he made his exit.
His hawk-pandering leave-taking makes it likely Romney will be baaaaack.
Romney said he will suspend his national campaign because going on would make it more likely for Democratic Senators Clinton or Obama to win..... "And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."
Pleeeeze.... Romney quit because after his disappointing showing on Super Tuesday, and the realization that his low delegate numbers made it impossible to "get them to add up," as a good business man he wasn't going to throw more of his millions into a lost cause.
Sad that equating ending a misbegotten war to a "surrender to terror" is the pose Romney had to strike to get the loud conservative applause that was so muted during his campaign.
This leaves the unloved-by-Limbaugh-conservatives, Sen. John McCain, and preacher Mike Huckabee as the only GOP candidates left standing.... a choice between a latter-day Bob Dole and an Arkansas snake-oil salesman.
Romney wrapped himself in the flag, demonized his party's opponents, and chanted the new GOP mantra.... bomb, bomb, bomb.... as he made his exit.
His hawk-pandering leave-taking makes it likely Romney will be baaaaack.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
McCain and Romney Square Off
Desperate to swerve the debate toward his self-declared area of expertise..... war.... Sen. John McCain accused opponent Mitt Romney in last night's CNN Republican presidential debate of supporting (gasp) timetables for withdrawing U.S. troops from the Iraq battlefield.
Romney defended himself by pointing out that McCain was using misleading statements and stooping to "dirty tricks" yada, yada, yada.... you get the idea. The Bickersons held forth most of the evening with Romney appearing as the harried grownup to a McCain who smirked his way through questions he seemed to know little about and the answers of others.
Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul showed up for the debate but were mostly onlookers issuing I'm-the-most-conservative proclamations when given the chance.... Paul was his usual straight-shooting "canary in the coal mine" while Huckabee managed to entertain.
In what was the minuet-moment of the debate, when asked "Are we better off economically than we were eight years ago?" all except Paul tried to express their sense of gloom over the economy while tiptoeing around The Decider's culpability.
The debate was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, a fitting altar for the worshipful chanting of Reagan's name at every opportunity as a frail Nancy sat smiling in the audience.
Tonight Democratic candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton debate on CNN.
Romney defended himself by pointing out that McCain was using misleading statements and stooping to "dirty tricks" yada, yada, yada.... you get the idea. The Bickersons held forth most of the evening with Romney appearing as the harried grownup to a McCain who smirked his way through questions he seemed to know little about and the answers of others.
Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul showed up for the debate but were mostly onlookers issuing I'm-the-most-conservative proclamations when given the chance.... Paul was his usual straight-shooting "canary in the coal mine" while Huckabee managed to entertain.
In what was the minuet-moment of the debate, when asked "Are we better off economically than we were eight years ago?" all except Paul tried to express their sense of gloom over the economy while tiptoeing around The Decider's culpability.
The debate was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, a fitting altar for the worshipful chanting of Reagan's name at every opportunity as a frail Nancy sat smiling in the audience.
Tonight Democratic candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton debate on CNN.
Monday, January 28, 2008
McCain... Bush on Steroids
Because of his service to our country and years in captivity as a POW in Hanoi, Sen. John McCain is respected, even revered, by many.
But, unlike others who have experienced war.... for instance President Eisenhower, who as U.S. General of the Army and commander of allied forces in Europe during WWII, ever after abhorred war and warned of the "military-industrial complex" taking the country into war.... McCain is daily making it increasingly clear, he'll be a war president.
Talking about the casualties of war at a campaign stop Sunday, and what will be the need for more medical facilities for the many anticipated "combat wounds," he gave his straight-talk assessment.... "There's going to be other wars," and repeated "I'm sorry to tell you, there's going to be other wars. We will never surrender but there will be other wars." (YouTube video)
Other wars? Never surrender? Is this a presidential candidate or a latter-day Dr. Strangelove?
For those looking for a president who can, and evidently will, keep us in costly wars.... McCain's your guy. It's not like we had no idea that war is his shtick. After all, he gave us his rendition of a Beach Boys song last April.... "Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran." (YouTube video)
And, let's not forget his opining that he would support having troops in Iraq for a 100 years.
Of course, some of this macho talk is to divert the campaign rhetoric away from our limping economy.... an economy in trouble in no small part due to the devastating cost of the Iraq war.... because his strongest opponent Mitt Romney claims expertise in the economic arena while that admittedly isn't McCain's strong suit.
For those who bemoan our very long campaign season, look at it this way. The constant campaigning spotlight will eventually illuminate the nooks and crannies where each candidate ticks.... and, in McCain's case, we are slowly realizing it's not a pretty picture.
But, unlike others who have experienced war.... for instance President Eisenhower, who as U.S. General of the Army and commander of allied forces in Europe during WWII, ever after abhorred war and warned of the "military-industrial complex" taking the country into war.... McCain is daily making it increasingly clear, he'll be a war president.
Talking about the casualties of war at a campaign stop Sunday, and what will be the need for more medical facilities for the many anticipated "combat wounds," he gave his straight-talk assessment.... "There's going to be other wars," and repeated "I'm sorry to tell you, there's going to be other wars. We will never surrender but there will be other wars." (YouTube video)
Other wars? Never surrender? Is this a presidential candidate or a latter-day Dr. Strangelove?
For those looking for a president who can, and evidently will, keep us in costly wars.... McCain's your guy. It's not like we had no idea that war is his shtick. After all, he gave us his rendition of a Beach Boys song last April.... "Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran." (YouTube video)
And, let's not forget his opining that he would support having troops in Iraq for a 100 years.
Of course, some of this macho talk is to divert the campaign rhetoric away from our limping economy.... an economy in trouble in no small part due to the devastating cost of the Iraq war.... because his strongest opponent Mitt Romney claims expertise in the economic arena while that admittedly isn't McCain's strong suit.
For those who bemoan our very long campaign season, look at it this way. The constant campaigning spotlight will eventually illuminate the nooks and crannies where each candidate ticks.... and, in McCain's case, we are slowly realizing it's not a pretty picture.
Friday, January 25, 2008
GOP "Makes Nice" in Florida
It seemed pretty clear in last night's MSNBC Republican presidential candidates debate (WaPo) in Florida, that after seeing the negative reaction to the recent unseemly Democratic food fight, the GOP candidates decided on a civil, gloves-off verbal exchange... or as moderator Tim Russert commented after the debate, they seemed to have made a "nonaggression" pact.
And, it worked to Mitt Romney's benefit. Left unchallenged, he was able to unleash his considerable intellect and verbal skills even though it was obvious from the unfriendly eye-rolling faces of his fellow debaters (with the exception of Ron Paul who has too much class) that they were just itching to square off with Mitt but were restraining themselves.
Prediction: When Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee quit the race (which could be as early as after Florida next Tuesday) they will throw their weight behind McCain. Back to the "debate"....
With the focus on our free-falling economy, the candidates' solution was the usual unimaginative conservative mantra, cut taxes.... even deeper, and permanent tax cuts. Mike Huckabee goes so far as to propose abolishing the IRS altogether and installing a 30% sales tax.
Rudy Giuliani said of the current unpaid-for $145 billion giveaway stimulus package that doesn't make Bush's tax cuts permanent.... "What it does is okay, and I would support it, but it doesn't go far enough," with John McCain and Mitt Romney chiming in their similar aggressive views, even though McCain initially opposed the Bush tax cuts that he now pushes to make permanent.
Of course, everyone promised to cut spending.... a promise the voters have learned is as empty as their piggy banks. And, except for the only real constitutionalist in the field, Ron Paul, all strongly supported the invasion of Iraq and our continuing presence there which they equate to "winning" and "justifying" our sacrifices in blood and treasure.
This conservative macho-man posturing has so far penetrated the persona of the candidates that Romney, during a photo shoot with some African-American supporters last week, let out a Turretish "Who Let the Dogs Out?" followed with a couple of poodle-grade barks. Really. Will leave you to make of that as you will.
But all in all.... the debate left a better taste than the uncivil Democratic dust up. In fact Hillary Clinton's demeanor was so shrewish in the Democratic debate that Russert quipped afterwards that Hillary reminded you of "your first wife outside of Probate Court."
Still, the polite twilight-zone GOP debate made for some la-la land observations. The "Harvey the Invisible Rabbit" award goes to Huckabee who.... in the face of a just-released government finding that Saddam was only pretending to have weapons of mass destruction to keep Iran at bay.... offered this excuse for not finding WMD after the invasion of Iraq.... "Just because you don't find every Easter egg doesn't mean it wasn't planted."
No comment.
And, it worked to Mitt Romney's benefit. Left unchallenged, he was able to unleash his considerable intellect and verbal skills even though it was obvious from the unfriendly eye-rolling faces of his fellow debaters (with the exception of Ron Paul who has too much class) that they were just itching to square off with Mitt but were restraining themselves.
Prediction: When Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee quit the race (which could be as early as after Florida next Tuesday) they will throw their weight behind McCain. Back to the "debate"....
With the focus on our free-falling economy, the candidates' solution was the usual unimaginative conservative mantra, cut taxes.... even deeper, and permanent tax cuts. Mike Huckabee goes so far as to propose abolishing the IRS altogether and installing a 30% sales tax.
Rudy Giuliani said of the current unpaid-for $145 billion giveaway stimulus package that doesn't make Bush's tax cuts permanent.... "What it does is okay, and I would support it, but it doesn't go far enough," with John McCain and Mitt Romney chiming in their similar aggressive views, even though McCain initially opposed the Bush tax cuts that he now pushes to make permanent.
Of course, everyone promised to cut spending.... a promise the voters have learned is as empty as their piggy banks. And, except for the only real constitutionalist in the field, Ron Paul, all strongly supported the invasion of Iraq and our continuing presence there which they equate to "winning" and "justifying" our sacrifices in blood and treasure.
This conservative macho-man posturing has so far penetrated the persona of the candidates that Romney, during a photo shoot with some African-American supporters last week, let out a Turretish "Who Let the Dogs Out?" followed with a couple of poodle-grade barks. Really. Will leave you to make of that as you will.
But all in all.... the debate left a better taste than the uncivil Democratic dust up. In fact Hillary Clinton's demeanor was so shrewish in the Democratic debate that Russert quipped afterwards that Hillary reminded you of "your first wife outside of Probate Court."
Still, the polite twilight-zone GOP debate made for some la-la land observations. The "Harvey the Invisible Rabbit" award goes to Huckabee who.... in the face of a just-released government finding that Saddam was only pretending to have weapons of mass destruction to keep Iran at bay.... offered this excuse for not finding WMD after the invasion of Iraq.... "Just because you don't find every Easter egg doesn't mean it wasn't planted."
No comment.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Debates Goin' to the Dogs
If you had a dog in last night's ABC presidential candidates debate, you probably thought they decently defended their territory.
Although, if you support Fred Thompson you may well be more than pleased. The bar for him has been set so low when he bestirs himself to make salient points it has the same startling effect as watching your favorite basset hound talk. He had his best night.
If you are into truth telling, you would connect with Ron Paul's performance. Feisty. Making his points like a terrier on the postman's pantleg. Really, his slogan should be.... "It's the economy, stupid" which won't get much better until we pursue peace. And he's right. But most of the other GOP presidential candidates don't want to hear it and resort to ridicule to keep him out of the pack.
But, maybe ridicule would have been better than the ambushes Mitt Romney encountered. Snarly John McCain, cheap-shop Mike Huckabee and fast-talking Rudy Giuliani showed their ugly pack mentality, especially McCain. Snapping at Romney with bared fangs. Lowering themselves to personal attacks merely elevates Romney and exposes their mean streaks. Not very presidential. Their behavior may come back to bite them.
Not that the Democratic presidential candidates were all tail waggy and "Oh Boy.... It's Bacon"ish. Hillary Clinton so far forgot herself in response to a charge of being part of the old guard that she barked at John Edwards and Barack Obama like a threatened junk yard dog. But her trusty Saint Bernard, Bill Richardson came to the rescue, diffusing the dustup with a keg of humor... one of the few light moments of a long night.
All in all, nothing much new on the policy front was gleaned. Perhaps the best moments came when the candidates from both parties were on the stage together, the idea being that regardless of their differences they wanted what was best for the country.
Big doggy treats to Charles Gibson and ABC for the debate format, the best yet. Tonight FOX news will conduct a roundtable with the same GOP candidates as last night's debate, with one notable exception.... Ron Paul wasn't invited. Too bad. A debate needs a smart terrier.
Although, if you support Fred Thompson you may well be more than pleased. The bar for him has been set so low when he bestirs himself to make salient points it has the same startling effect as watching your favorite basset hound talk. He had his best night.
If you are into truth telling, you would connect with Ron Paul's performance. Feisty. Making his points like a terrier on the postman's pantleg. Really, his slogan should be.... "It's the economy, stupid" which won't get much better until we pursue peace. And he's right. But most of the other GOP presidential candidates don't want to hear it and resort to ridicule to keep him out of the pack.
But, maybe ridicule would have been better than the ambushes Mitt Romney encountered. Snarly John McCain, cheap-shop Mike Huckabee and fast-talking Rudy Giuliani showed their ugly pack mentality, especially McCain. Snapping at Romney with bared fangs. Lowering themselves to personal attacks merely elevates Romney and exposes their mean streaks. Not very presidential. Their behavior may come back to bite them.
Not that the Democratic presidential candidates were all tail waggy and "Oh Boy.... It's Bacon"ish. Hillary Clinton so far forgot herself in response to a charge of being part of the old guard that she barked at John Edwards and Barack Obama like a threatened junk yard dog. But her trusty Saint Bernard, Bill Richardson came to the rescue, diffusing the dustup with a keg of humor... one of the few light moments of a long night.
All in all, nothing much new on the policy front was gleaned. Perhaps the best moments came when the candidates from both parties were on the stage together, the idea being that regardless of their differences they wanted what was best for the country.
Big doggy treats to Charles Gibson and ABC for the debate format, the best yet. Tonight FOX news will conduct a roundtable with the same GOP candidates as last night's debate, with one notable exception.... Ron Paul wasn't invited. Too bad. A debate needs a smart terrier.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Lieberman Hawks McCain
Foregoing his usual skulking around the halls of Congress in his "Independent" sheep's clothing, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (CT) exposed his Benedict Arnold underbelly today by endorsing GOP presidential candidate John McCain (AZ).
Never one to miss an opportunity to support anyone who supports the war in Iraq, Lieberman extolled McCain as no ordinary candidate, while McCain made assurances that Lieberman would be one of his closest presidential advisers.
It's telling that Lieberman, Al Gore's Democratic vice presidential running mate in 2000, has strayed so far into the GOP "ends justify the means" swamp that Lieberman supports putting another war-promoting, religious-pandering, illegal-immigration-favoring Republican in the White House for four more years.
If Lieberman wonders if we'll still respect him after he prostitutes himself yet again for his narrow pro-Israel Middle East agenda, let us hasten to assure him that we don't respect him now.
Never one to miss an opportunity to support anyone who supports the war in Iraq, Lieberman extolled McCain as no ordinary candidate, while McCain made assurances that Lieberman would be one of his closest presidential advisers.
It's telling that Lieberman, Al Gore's Democratic vice presidential running mate in 2000, has strayed so far into the GOP "ends justify the means" swamp that Lieberman supports putting another war-promoting, religious-pandering, illegal-immigration-favoring Republican in the White House for four more years.
If Lieberman wonders if we'll still respect him after he prostitutes himself yet again for his narrow pro-Israel Middle East agenda, let us hasten to assure him that we don't respect him now.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Biden: "Tapegate" Special Counsel
During his confirmation hearings before Congress, Attorney General Michael Mukasey refused to describe waterboarding as torture. We now know why.
The videotaped interrogations of two suspected terrorists were purposely and cynically destroyed by the CIA.... and in our heart of hearts we know why.... undoubtedly they showed our government using torture, almost certainly waterboarding, on these suspects.
Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) has called for a special counsel to investigate this perversion of justice so "everyone will know what the truth is;" and, candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) regrets that the destruction of the videotapes "harms the credibility and the moral standing of America in the world again."
However, applying the Bush administration manipulative standards of justice, Mukasey's Justice Department and the CIA announced that they will conduct the joint inquiry into the matter.... the "fox guarding the hen house" analogy was never more apt.
While we endured the White House's corrupting "the ends justify the means" decadent policies, we did see a ray of hope.... now dashed by "tapegate".... that our new attorney general would uphold the rule of law and start to restore our national honor.
It's now clear, until we can install leaders with a political moral compass.... not a Trojan horse administration blathering religious platitudes that are disconnected from their power-grabbing agenda.... nothing will change.
Take this lesson to your caucus or primary next year. Real moral political leadership.... not religious political rhetoric cloaking the condoning of torture and the destruction of evidence.... matters. We must not be fooled again.
The videotaped interrogations of two suspected terrorists were purposely and cynically destroyed by the CIA.... and in our heart of hearts we know why.... undoubtedly they showed our government using torture, almost certainly waterboarding, on these suspects.
Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) has called for a special counsel to investigate this perversion of justice so "everyone will know what the truth is;" and, candidate Senator John McCain (R-AZ) regrets that the destruction of the videotapes "harms the credibility and the moral standing of America in the world again."
However, applying the Bush administration manipulative standards of justice, Mukasey's Justice Department and the CIA announced that they will conduct the joint inquiry into the matter.... the "fox guarding the hen house" analogy was never more apt.
While we endured the White House's corrupting "the ends justify the means" decadent policies, we did see a ray of hope.... now dashed by "tapegate".... that our new attorney general would uphold the rule of law and start to restore our national honor.
It's now clear, until we can install leaders with a political moral compass.... not a Trojan horse administration blathering religious platitudes that are disconnected from their power-grabbing agenda.... nothing will change.
Take this lesson to your caucus or primary next year. Real moral political leadership.... not religious political rhetoric cloaking the condoning of torture and the destruction of evidence.... matters. We must not be fooled again.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Where They $tand
Follow the money.... and you may get an idea of what's behind the candidates carefully crafted images and sound-bite personas. Here's a peek at the nominee-making money trail ranked by receipts for the third quarter (Federal Election Commission 3rd Quarter 2007):
1 - HILLARY CLINTON (D-Senator NY): She's rolling in the stuff and must be happily humming in the shower Donald Trump's "Money, Money, Money, Money".... she has more money in the bank for her presidential primary campaign than any of her rivals of either party.
Clinton's numbers may be more interesting because of what she gave back.... $800,000 to about 250 people.... thanks to her association with shady fund-raiser "Ponzi" Hsu, plus $23,000 he raised for her in past years; and, $9,200 from a Virginia couple after the wife told the Wall Street Journal that the donations were reimbursed by her husband's boss. Still, the odor from these cheesy deals didn't clip her wings.... she raised more, $27.89 million, than she spent, $22.6 million, and has cash on hand of $50.5 million. Of that amount she's allowed to spend $35 million on the primaries.
2 - BARACK OBAMA (D-Senator IL): While Obama is making a race of it, he still spent more, $21.5 million, than he raised, $21.3 million, and has less cash on hand than Clinton, $36.1 million, of which he can spend about $32 million on the nomination battle. He spent more than any other Democrat on television ads, airing more than 4,000 spots in Iowa alone, compared to Clinton's 1,600.
3 - MITT ROMNEY (R-former governor MA): This is a little tricky.... Romney is third in "receipts" in the third quarter, $18.4 million, but, of that amount he made a personal loan of $8.5 million, bringing the amount he has put into his campaign from his personal wealth $17.5 million so far. He actually "raised" about $10 million. And, he spent $21.3 million.... more than twice what his campaign "raised"..... leaving him with cash on hand of $9.2 million.
Romney mounted a television ad campaign in an effort to increase his name recognition.... nearly 11,000 spots in four states through October 10.... with more ads in Iowa and New Hampshire than all the other GOP candidates combined.
4 - FRED THOMPSON (R-former TN Senator): Late entry Thompson raised $12.8 million since last June, spent $5.7 million and has cash on hand of $7.1 million. He claims 80,000 donors, with 22,000 from the Internet, although more than a fifth of his contributions have come from his home state of Tennessee, obviously already tapping his core support for cash. His national poll numbers are high even though he ran only 13 ads on cable television, depending in the early months more on the impact of his "Friends of Fred" Internet site.
5 - RUDY GIULIANI (R-former Mayor of NY City): While still having a healthy bank balance, $16.6 million, Giuliani spent more, $13.3 million, than he raised, $11.6 million, in the third quarter. Instead of focusing solely on the four early states, he invested thousands of dollars opening campaign offices in places such as Fargo,ND and Columbia, MO and other February 5 mega-primary states.
Giuliani spent almost nothing on television advertising although he did pay his consulting firm $132,000 for expenses related to his bodyguards and other private security. His spending was elevated at least partly because he traveled in style, using luxury hotels, private jets from corporate sponsors, and also spent $800,000 on charter jet travel. An interesting "six pack" donor was NASCAR, kicking $17,900 to his coffers.
6 - JOHN EDWARDS (D-former NC Senator): Thanks to hefty support from fellow lawyers, Edwards raised $7.2 million, but spent more, $8.3 million, with cash on hand of $12.4 million. Not an impressive showing, just half of his first quarter showing of $14 million. Regardless of the reasons he gave, this slide undoubtedly played a large role in his decision to accept matching funds.
7 - JOHN McCAIN (R-AZ Senator): The spin is that McCain's campaign is reborn, picking up speed.... so how to explain that he raised just $5.7 million in the third quarter, after a showing of $11.6 million in the second quarter and $13.1 million in the first quarter. He spent almost as much as he raised, $5.5 million, and has just $3.5 million on hand. But, with debts of $1.7 million and $1.8 million he can use only if he becomes the nominee, he is actually $94,000 in the red.
8 - BILL RICHARDSON (R-Governor of NM): Richardson raised almost as much as McCain, $5.4 million, but spent more, $6.7 million and has $5.9 million cash on hand. There seems to be no wind under his wings.
9 - RON PAUL (R-TX Representative): The always MSM ignored Paul raised a respectable $5.3 million, spent $2.2 million and has $5.4 million cash on hand. His campaign has no debts, just a loyal and active following. Despite this showing, Paul gets no respect from the GOP or the media kingmakers.
10 - JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE Senator): Still not gaining real traction, Biden raised $1.8 million, spent $2.6 million, and has cash on hand of $1.9 million.
11 - CHRISTOPHER DODD (D-CT Senator): Lagging Biden in fundraising the third quarter, Dodd raised $1.5 million.... many of the big contributors coming from the financial world reflecting his chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee.... spent $4 million, and has $3.8 million cash on hand.
12 - MIKE HUCKABEE (R-former AR Governor): By coming in at round $1 million raised, spending $819 thousand, with $651 thousand cash on hand, it seems Huckabee's strong showing in the Iowa Straw Poll in August didn't breathe $$$ oxygen into his campaign.
1 - HILLARY CLINTON (D-Senator NY): She's rolling in the stuff and must be happily humming in the shower Donald Trump's "Money, Money, Money, Money".... she has more money in the bank for her presidential primary campaign than any of her rivals of either party.
Clinton's numbers may be more interesting because of what she gave back.... $800,000 to about 250 people.... thanks to her association with shady fund-raiser "Ponzi" Hsu, plus $23,000 he raised for her in past years; and, $9,200 from a Virginia couple after the wife told the Wall Street Journal that the donations were reimbursed by her husband's boss. Still, the odor from these cheesy deals didn't clip her wings.... she raised more, $27.89 million, than she spent, $22.6 million, and has cash on hand of $50.5 million. Of that amount she's allowed to spend $35 million on the primaries.
2 - BARACK OBAMA (D-Senator IL): While Obama is making a race of it, he still spent more, $21.5 million, than he raised, $21.3 million, and has less cash on hand than Clinton, $36.1 million, of which he can spend about $32 million on the nomination battle. He spent more than any other Democrat on television ads, airing more than 4,000 spots in Iowa alone, compared to Clinton's 1,600.
3 - MITT ROMNEY (R-former governor MA): This is a little tricky.... Romney is third in "receipts" in the third quarter, $18.4 million, but, of that amount he made a personal loan of $8.5 million, bringing the amount he has put into his campaign from his personal wealth $17.5 million so far. He actually "raised" about $10 million. And, he spent $21.3 million.... more than twice what his campaign "raised"..... leaving him with cash on hand of $9.2 million.
Romney mounted a television ad campaign in an effort to increase his name recognition.... nearly 11,000 spots in four states through October 10.... with more ads in Iowa and New Hampshire than all the other GOP candidates combined.
4 - FRED THOMPSON (R-former TN Senator): Late entry Thompson raised $12.8 million since last June, spent $5.7 million and has cash on hand of $7.1 million. He claims 80,000 donors, with 22,000 from the Internet, although more than a fifth of his contributions have come from his home state of Tennessee, obviously already tapping his core support for cash. His national poll numbers are high even though he ran only 13 ads on cable television, depending in the early months more on the impact of his "Friends of Fred" Internet site.
5 - RUDY GIULIANI (R-former Mayor of NY City): While still having a healthy bank balance, $16.6 million, Giuliani spent more, $13.3 million, than he raised, $11.6 million, in the third quarter. Instead of focusing solely on the four early states, he invested thousands of dollars opening campaign offices in places such as Fargo,ND and Columbia, MO and other February 5 mega-primary states.
Giuliani spent almost nothing on television advertising although he did pay his consulting firm $132,000 for expenses related to his bodyguards and other private security. His spending was elevated at least partly because he traveled in style, using luxury hotels, private jets from corporate sponsors, and also spent $800,000 on charter jet travel. An interesting "six pack" donor was NASCAR, kicking $17,900 to his coffers.
6 - JOHN EDWARDS (D-former NC Senator): Thanks to hefty support from fellow lawyers, Edwards raised $7.2 million, but spent more, $8.3 million, with cash on hand of $12.4 million. Not an impressive showing, just half of his first quarter showing of $14 million. Regardless of the reasons he gave, this slide undoubtedly played a large role in his decision to accept matching funds.
7 - JOHN McCAIN (R-AZ Senator): The spin is that McCain's campaign is reborn, picking up speed.... so how to explain that he raised just $5.7 million in the third quarter, after a showing of $11.6 million in the second quarter and $13.1 million in the first quarter. He spent almost as much as he raised, $5.5 million, and has just $3.5 million on hand. But, with debts of $1.7 million and $1.8 million he can use only if he becomes the nominee, he is actually $94,000 in the red.
8 - BILL RICHARDSON (R-Governor of NM): Richardson raised almost as much as McCain, $5.4 million, but spent more, $6.7 million and has $5.9 million cash on hand. There seems to be no wind under his wings.
9 - RON PAUL (R-TX Representative): The always MSM ignored Paul raised a respectable $5.3 million, spent $2.2 million and has $5.4 million cash on hand. His campaign has no debts, just a loyal and active following. Despite this showing, Paul gets no respect from the GOP or the media kingmakers.
10 - JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE Senator): Still not gaining real traction, Biden raised $1.8 million, spent $2.6 million, and has cash on hand of $1.9 million.
11 - CHRISTOPHER DODD (D-CT Senator): Lagging Biden in fundraising the third quarter, Dodd raised $1.5 million.... many of the big contributors coming from the financial world reflecting his chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee.... spent $4 million, and has $3.8 million cash on hand.
12 - MIKE HUCKABEE (R-former AR Governor): By coming in at round $1 million raised, spending $819 thousand, with $651 thousand cash on hand, it seems Huckabee's strong showing in the Iowa Straw Poll in August didn't breathe $$$ oxygen into his campaign.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Slouching Toward the Presidency
It was promoted as the much heralded debut of Fred Thompson as the GOP presidential candidates gathered in rust-belt Michigan to debate the economy yesterday.
But, there were no questions on the impact on the economy of the flood of mortgage foreclosures, or the collapse of the housing market bubble.... no questions on the pitiful state of the U.S. dollar....no questions on the ramifications of illegal immigration on Social Security and the economy in general, although Tom Trancedo tried mightily to interject the subject into the debate.
It was an uninspired lobbing of soft balls, and even then, no one knocked a question out of the park.
For the nebulous nine GOP candidates, there were just three solutions to every problem..... cut taxes, cut taxes, and, cut taxes. Oh, and of course cut spending. But, there were no questions asked of any of the candidates on exactly where they would cut spending.... it was just the usual GOP political magic act, voo doo economics.
We were told that Thompson's late entry into the race wouldn't hurt him because he would dazzle us with his charisma and Reaganesque stature. That Fred stayed home. The laconic Fred that showed up was a has-been actor reading his podium notes. John McCain's propped-up Bernie has more pizazz.
But Fred's handlers are selling. Thompson has in his corner hawking his campaign not only former Virginia senator "Macaca" Allen, but Cheney's daughter and Cheney's right-hand-gal.... "Mary, Mary quite contrary" Matalin.
So, listen up. If you loved the Darth Vader hand of Cheney on the Bush presidency you'll love Fred too. The debate yesterday was actually the first real step in the making of the next Cheney presidency. Luckily, the chosen vessel, Freddie the Unready, makes the continuing plague of Cheney upon our country highly unlikely.
The second tier candidates threw off the occasional spark, but it was quickly extinguished by moderators who had no follow ups and seemingly not much interest in the proceedings.
The most the GOP can hope for from this slouch toward the presidency is that not many voters tuned in.
But, there were no questions on the impact on the economy of the flood of mortgage foreclosures, or the collapse of the housing market bubble.... no questions on the pitiful state of the U.S. dollar....no questions on the ramifications of illegal immigration on Social Security and the economy in general, although Tom Trancedo tried mightily to interject the subject into the debate.
It was an uninspired lobbing of soft balls, and even then, no one knocked a question out of the park.
For the nebulous nine GOP candidates, there were just three solutions to every problem..... cut taxes, cut taxes, and, cut taxes. Oh, and of course cut spending. But, there were no questions asked of any of the candidates on exactly where they would cut spending.... it was just the usual GOP political magic act, voo doo economics.
We were told that Thompson's late entry into the race wouldn't hurt him because he would dazzle us with his charisma and Reaganesque stature. That Fred stayed home. The laconic Fred that showed up was a has-been actor reading his podium notes. John McCain's propped-up Bernie has more pizazz.
But Fred's handlers are selling. Thompson has in his corner hawking his campaign not only former Virginia senator "Macaca" Allen, but Cheney's daughter and Cheney's right-hand-gal.... "Mary, Mary quite contrary" Matalin.
So, listen up. If you loved the Darth Vader hand of Cheney on the Bush presidency you'll love Fred too. The debate yesterday was actually the first real step in the making of the next Cheney presidency. Luckily, the chosen vessel, Freddie the Unready, makes the continuing plague of Cheney upon our country highly unlikely.
The second tier candidates threw off the occasional spark, but it was quickly extinguished by moderators who had no follow ups and seemingly not much interest in the proceedings.
The most the GOP can hope for from this slouch toward the presidency is that not many voters tuned in.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Fred's Debate Debut
His spinners have set the bar so low for Fred Thompson in tomorrow's GOP debate that his performance expectations are below a limbo bar on the final pass. Just showing up is enough.... appearances are more important than substance the whirly-giggers imply....
Really? Do voters really want another dimwitted Cheney pawn leading us down the road to perdition?.... doing Cheney's bidding as in Thompson's role as legal fund cheerleader for Cheney's convicted perjurer chief-of-staff in the "free Scooter" campaign.
It seems Republicans are looking to Thompson as the great caped hope of the GOP and that is why in the Register's recent survey of likely Iowa GOP caucus goers he finished second to the smooth Mitt Romney who has been covering the state like a warm bath.
But, the debate tomorrow night actually sets the bar very high for those looking to Thompson as the savior of the Republican party, a Ronald Reagan on steroids. And, if his performance at his fundraisers is any barometer of the heat Thompson will generate in the debate, his "Law and Order" fans, and those who have only read his press releases, are in for a loooooong night.
So..... wha' happened to allow Thompson to oust Rudy Giuliani and John McCain from the second place tie they held in Iowa last May? McCain is probably the easiest to figure out, his advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform.... amnesty.... hurt him among conservative GOP Iowa voters.
Giuliani's position on abortion makes him unappetizing to these same voters, but the fact that he hasn't campaigned much in Iowa further cools the reception of the used-to-being-wooed caucus goers. Maybe the Judi-pecked Rudy stayed away because he thought cellphone reception wouldn't be up to snuff in rural Iowa...... he might miss a "Yes dear" speech interrupter.
It would appear that the support for Thompson is more a message of "none of the above," and Iowa GOP voters are hoping he will emerge as their go-to guy
If Thompson makes a poor showing in the debate tomorrow this wide but undoubtedly shallow support may leak to Romney or Mike Huckabee who finished second in the Iowa Straw poll in Ames this August.
Forget the spin.... tomorrow's debate performance could make or break Thompson's run for the presidential sun.
Really? Do voters really want another dimwitted Cheney pawn leading us down the road to perdition?.... doing Cheney's bidding as in Thompson's role as legal fund cheerleader for Cheney's convicted perjurer chief-of-staff in the "free Scooter" campaign.
It seems Republicans are looking to Thompson as the great caped hope of the GOP and that is why in the Register's recent survey of likely Iowa GOP caucus goers he finished second to the smooth Mitt Romney who has been covering the state like a warm bath.
But, the debate tomorrow night actually sets the bar very high for those looking to Thompson as the savior of the Republican party, a Ronald Reagan on steroids. And, if his performance at his fundraisers is any barometer of the heat Thompson will generate in the debate, his "Law and Order" fans, and those who have only read his press releases, are in for a loooooong night.
So..... wha' happened to allow Thompson to oust Rudy Giuliani and John McCain from the second place tie they held in Iowa last May? McCain is probably the easiest to figure out, his advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform.... amnesty.... hurt him among conservative GOP Iowa voters.
Giuliani's position on abortion makes him unappetizing to these same voters, but the fact that he hasn't campaigned much in Iowa further cools the reception of the used-to-being-wooed caucus goers. Maybe the Judi-pecked Rudy stayed away because he thought cellphone reception wouldn't be up to snuff in rural Iowa...... he might miss a "Yes dear" speech interrupter.
It would appear that the support for Thompson is more a message of "none of the above," and Iowa GOP voters are hoping he will emerge as their go-to guy
If Thompson makes a poor showing in the debate tomorrow this wide but undoubtedly shallow support may leak to Romney or Mike Huckabee who finished second in the Iowa Straw poll in Ames this August.
Forget the spin.... tomorrow's debate performance could make or break Thompson's run for the presidential sun.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
It's the Legacy, Stupid!
When asked about Bush's domestic and foreign policies, the GOP presidential candidates chorus.... "Bush who?" But, like the pesky mutt that won't let go of their pant leg, the Bush bellicose and Constitution shredding policies will be hard to shake
Still, they are hoping to detach themselves from the monstrous ruin wrought by The Decider.... "Looking Past the Elephant in the Room, GOP Contenders Keep Distance From Bush Legacy." (WaPo)
Take GOP candidate Fred Thompson who pines for the good ol' days.... so much so he even thinks there is still a Soviet Union. Like GOP icon Ronald Reagan, he's a little vague on details. But, he knows things used to be better. "I think back to 1994," he rambles, "We need to adhere to the principles that made this party great and that made this country the greatest."
Of course, Democrat Bill Clinton was president in 1994 as the GOP stormed into control of Congress. But Clinton kept a tight rein on that Congress... remember the famous budget standoff that led to the shutdown of government in November 1995?
Clinton refused to sign a bill to keep the government going because it required Medicare recipients to pay more for some premiums. GOP House Speaker Gingrich played chicken with Clinton, thinking Clinton would back down rather than close down government.... and, Gingrich ended up with egg on his face when he had to back down.
Hoping to make a quick getaway from the Bush years, Sen. John McCain is revving his Straight Talk for a more aggressive government. And, Mitt Romney suggests that the GOP has drifted into the embrace of "big government" and must return to acting as "change-Washington Republicans."
Well, actually John and Mitt, the problem is that the Bush administration has been too aggressive with their foreign policy, and the embrace the Bush administration has led us into is "big corporate interests."
The GOP candidates are finding it heavy going, trying to put distance between themselves and the Bush White House. It's like the old golf story about the guy who had a bad round of golf after his buddy passed out on the course... "it's take a shot and drag George."
Still, they are hoping to detach themselves from the monstrous ruin wrought by The Decider.... "Looking Past the Elephant in the Room, GOP Contenders Keep Distance From Bush Legacy." (WaPo)
Take GOP candidate Fred Thompson who pines for the good ol' days.... so much so he even thinks there is still a Soviet Union. Like GOP icon Ronald Reagan, he's a little vague on details. But, he knows things used to be better. "I think back to 1994," he rambles, "We need to adhere to the principles that made this party great and that made this country the greatest."
Of course, Democrat Bill Clinton was president in 1994 as the GOP stormed into control of Congress. But Clinton kept a tight rein on that Congress... remember the famous budget standoff that led to the shutdown of government in November 1995?
Clinton refused to sign a bill to keep the government going because it required Medicare recipients to pay more for some premiums. GOP House Speaker Gingrich played chicken with Clinton, thinking Clinton would back down rather than close down government.... and, Gingrich ended up with egg on his face when he had to back down.
Hoping to make a quick getaway from the Bush years, Sen. John McCain is revving his Straight Talk for a more aggressive government. And, Mitt Romney suggests that the GOP has drifted into the embrace of "big government" and must return to acting as "change-Washington Republicans."
Well, actually John and Mitt, the problem is that the Bush administration has been too aggressive with their foreign policy, and the embrace the Bush administration has led us into is "big corporate interests."
The GOP candidates are finding it heavy going, trying to put distance between themselves and the Bush White House. It's like the old golf story about the guy who had a bad round of golf after his buddy passed out on the course... "it's take a shot and drag George."
Friday, September 28, 2007
GOP Four AWOL
They set places at the table, but the four GOP presidential frontrunners were no-shows.
Or, as Tom Joyner pointedly remarked in his opening comments last night at the GOP presidential candidate debate held at Morgan State, a historically black university in Baltimore, "Let me take a moment right here and now to say hello to those of you viewing from home: Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator John McCain, Gov. Mitt Romney and Senator Fred Thompson."
It seems there may be two reasons for their absence from this minority forum.... the quarterly campaign funding report deadline is Sunday and money hasn't exactly been pouring in over the transom, so they were fundraising .... and, they aren't ready for prime-time outside the comfort zone of the GOP privileged-white-men-only country club.
McCain in an ironic statement considering his empty podium.... and his Straight Talk Express idling on fumes.... lectured that the GOP is failing to reach out to African-Americans and Hispanics and needs to be reminded "that we are the party of Abraham Lincoln."
John, John, John.... you need to be reminded that Lincoln was famous for his debating.... his debates with Stephen Douglas are legendary and raised Lincoln's national profile. Lincoln would have been there last night.
Thompson continues to play the seven-dwarf role of Sleepy.... maybe he wasn't aware of the debate. After all, a major part of Thompson's platform in his run for Senate in 1994 was his support for the death penalty. Yet, asked recently for his thoughts on the recent landmark cases in his home state of Tennessee and Kentucky on lethal injection, Thompson drawled... "I hadn't heard that. I didn't know."
In Florida earlier this month Sleepy was surprised that oil drilling in the Everglades was a major state issue. Nor could he remember much about the brain-damaged Terri Schiavo case that stirred national debate. Even social conservative religious-guru James Dobson dismissed Thompson as being weak on the campaign trail and wrong on the issues. Fred, wind your alarm clock.
Maybe Giuliani didn't show up because cell phones were banned at the debate.... so he couldn't do his Fibber McGee and Molly shtick with his wife. Ring, ring.... And, Romney really missed an opportunity to muss his "Ken" persona a bit.
For those who did show up.... former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, Rep.Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and the ever-opportunistic Alan Keyes, a former conservative diplomat.... the reduced participation allowed them more face time than usual.
Insofar as the impact of the shunning of the debate by the four GOP hopefuls, Travis Smiley who moderated the forum took dead aim: "Some of the campaigns who declined our invitations to join us tonight have suggested publicly that this audience would be hostile and unreceptive. Since we are live on PBS right now, I can't tell you what I really think of these kinds of comments."
Or, as Tom Joyner pointedly remarked in his opening comments last night at the GOP presidential candidate debate held at Morgan State, a historically black university in Baltimore, "Let me take a moment right here and now to say hello to those of you viewing from home: Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator John McCain, Gov. Mitt Romney and Senator Fred Thompson."
It seems there may be two reasons for their absence from this minority forum.... the quarterly campaign funding report deadline is Sunday and money hasn't exactly been pouring in over the transom, so they were fundraising .... and, they aren't ready for prime-time outside the comfort zone of the GOP privileged-white-men-only country club.
McCain in an ironic statement considering his empty podium.... and his Straight Talk Express idling on fumes.... lectured that the GOP is failing to reach out to African-Americans and Hispanics and needs to be reminded "that we are the party of Abraham Lincoln."
John, John, John.... you need to be reminded that Lincoln was famous for his debating.... his debates with Stephen Douglas are legendary and raised Lincoln's national profile. Lincoln would have been there last night.
Thompson continues to play the seven-dwarf role of Sleepy.... maybe he wasn't aware of the debate. After all, a major part of Thompson's platform in his run for Senate in 1994 was his support for the death penalty. Yet, asked recently for his thoughts on the recent landmark cases in his home state of Tennessee and Kentucky on lethal injection, Thompson drawled... "I hadn't heard that. I didn't know."
In Florida earlier this month Sleepy was surprised that oil drilling in the Everglades was a major state issue. Nor could he remember much about the brain-damaged Terri Schiavo case that stirred national debate. Even social conservative religious-guru James Dobson dismissed Thompson as being weak on the campaign trail and wrong on the issues. Fred, wind your alarm clock.
Maybe Giuliani didn't show up because cell phones were banned at the debate.... so he couldn't do his Fibber McGee and Molly shtick with his wife. Ring, ring.... And, Romney really missed an opportunity to muss his "Ken" persona a bit.
For those who did show up.... former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, Rep.Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and the ever-opportunistic Alan Keyes, a former conservative diplomat.... the reduced participation allowed them more face time than usual.
Insofar as the impact of the shunning of the debate by the four GOP hopefuls, Travis Smiley who moderated the forum took dead aim: "Some of the campaigns who declined our invitations to join us tonight have suggested publicly that this audience would be hostile and unreceptive. Since we are live on PBS right now, I can't tell you what I really think of these kinds of comments."
Sunday, September 23, 2007
GOP Caucusgoers Paper Doll
.... love to buy a Paper Doll that we can call our own.....
This should really be the Republican Party theme song this campaign season.
The Des Moines Register talked with 10 likely GOP caucusgoers about their dream candidate. And what they found is unease with the current GOP presidential field, and varying degrees of serious dissatisfaction with The Decider and Congress.
Of the ten interviewed, seven say they aren't committed to a presidential candidate as yet.
Their ideal candidate.... the intellectual capacity of Newt Gingrich (smart enough not to get caught in his sexcapades like Clinton).... the leadership of Rudy Giuliani (the leader of the 9/11 24-7 parade).... the communication skills of Fred Thompson (he's bombing on the campaign trail like a librarian at a Hooter's convention).... and the toughness of John McCain (his 2000 Straight Talk Express is in the ditch).
This isn't a "dream" candidate, it's a "wishful thinking" candidate. OK, the opinions of ten caucusgoers isn't up to Gallup standards. But, it is indicative of the turmoil in the GOP ranks.
The Paper Doll song laments.... rather have a Paper Doll to call my own, than a fickle-minded real live girl. But, the weak GOP field may give them just that, a not-so-fickle-minded real live Hillary.
This should really be the Republican Party theme song this campaign season.
The Des Moines Register talked with 10 likely GOP caucusgoers about their dream candidate. And what they found is unease with the current GOP presidential field, and varying degrees of serious dissatisfaction with The Decider and Congress.
Of the ten interviewed, seven say they aren't committed to a presidential candidate as yet.
Their ideal candidate.... the intellectual capacity of Newt Gingrich (smart enough not to get caught in his sexcapades like Clinton).... the leadership of Rudy Giuliani (the leader of the 9/11 24-7 parade).... the communication skills of Fred Thompson (he's bombing on the campaign trail like a librarian at a Hooter's convention).... and the toughness of John McCain (his 2000 Straight Talk Express is in the ditch).
This isn't a "dream" candidate, it's a "wishful thinking" candidate. OK, the opinions of ten caucusgoers isn't up to Gallup standards. But, it is indicative of the turmoil in the GOP ranks.
The Paper Doll song laments.... rather have a Paper Doll to call my own, than a fickle-minded real live girl. But, the weak GOP field may give them just that, a not-so-fickle-minded real live Hillary.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Greenspan Goes Public
The impact on the U.S. economy of Alan Greenspan, who was the Federal Reserve chairman for 18 years and the leading Republican economist for the past three decades, was best summed up by candidate Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) during his bid for the 2000 presidency.
When drilled by a reporter about what he would do if something happened to Greenspan, McCain responded, "Well, I'd put sunglasses on him and prop him up like that guy in Weekend at Bernies."
"Bernie" retired in 2006, however, leaving the economy and President Bush to go it alone. The party's over.
In Greenspan's new memoir, "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World," reviewed by Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, Greenspan praises president Bill Clinton's mind and tough anti-deficit policies, calling the president's 1993 economic plan "an act of political courage."
Not surprisingly for those of us aghast at the monstrous deficit accumulating under the current administration, The Decider doesn't get such rave reviews. Greenspan is frustrated that Bush didn't veto out-of-control spending by the Republican Congress who, Greenspan writes, "..swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither."
Greenspan strongly chastised both Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Tom Delay (R-TX) because "House Speaker Hastert and House majority leader Tom Delay seemed readily inclined to loosen the federal purse strings any time it might help add a few more seats to the Republican majority."
Even his friend and former colleague in the Ford administration, VP Cheney, was criticized for coining the GOP mantra.... "Reagan proved deficits don't matter." Greenspan rails that "deficits must matter" because uncontrolled government spending and borrowing can produce high inflation "and economic devastation."
Greenspan writes, "The hard truth was that Reagan had borrowed from Clinton, and Clinton was having to pay it back." During Clinton's second term, Clinton proposed devoting extra money to "save Social Security first. I played no role in finding the answer, but I had to admire the one Clinton and his policymakers came up with."
But, all of Clinton's gains were squandered, Greenspan writes, as the large, anticipated federal budget surpluses "were gone six to nine months after George W. Bush took office."
And, Greenspan curtly notes, "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil."
Observing the ruins of our economy today, Greenspan writes with some bitterness that Washington is "harboring a dysfunctional government... Governance has become dangerously dysfunctional."
And, of course, that is the trouble with a "Bernie" as chairman of the Federal Reserve. He didn't speak up when it mattered, and instead allowed himself to be used as a prop on the White House's macabre economic stage.
When drilled by a reporter about what he would do if something happened to Greenspan, McCain responded, "Well, I'd put sunglasses on him and prop him up like that guy in Weekend at Bernies."
"Bernie" retired in 2006, however, leaving the economy and President Bush to go it alone. The party's over.
In Greenspan's new memoir, "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World," reviewed by Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, Greenspan praises president Bill Clinton's mind and tough anti-deficit policies, calling the president's 1993 economic plan "an act of political courage."
Not surprisingly for those of us aghast at the monstrous deficit accumulating under the current administration, The Decider doesn't get such rave reviews. Greenspan is frustrated that Bush didn't veto out-of-control spending by the Republican Congress who, Greenspan writes, "..swapped principle for power. They ended up with neither."
Greenspan strongly chastised both Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Tom Delay (R-TX) because "House Speaker Hastert and House majority leader Tom Delay seemed readily inclined to loosen the federal purse strings any time it might help add a few more seats to the Republican majority."
Even his friend and former colleague in the Ford administration, VP Cheney, was criticized for coining the GOP mantra.... "Reagan proved deficits don't matter." Greenspan rails that "deficits must matter" because uncontrolled government spending and borrowing can produce high inflation "and economic devastation."
Greenspan writes, "The hard truth was that Reagan had borrowed from Clinton, and Clinton was having to pay it back." During Clinton's second term, Clinton proposed devoting extra money to "save Social Security first. I played no role in finding the answer, but I had to admire the one Clinton and his policymakers came up with."
But, all of Clinton's gains were squandered, Greenspan writes, as the large, anticipated federal budget surpluses "were gone six to nine months after George W. Bush took office."
And, Greenspan curtly notes, "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil."
Observing the ruins of our economy today, Greenspan writes with some bitterness that Washington is "harboring a dysfunctional government... Governance has become dangerously dysfunctional."
And, of course, that is the trouble with a "Bernie" as chairman of the Federal Reserve. He didn't speak up when it mattered, and instead allowed himself to be used as a prop on the White House's macabre economic stage.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Fred Jumps, Debate Slumps, Bush Pumps
Former senator Fred Thompson continues to make his presence known by his absence. In last night's debate on FOX between eight Republican presidential hopefuls in New Hampshire, Thompson was the Southern conservative Reaganish elephant hulking behind the curtain...dealt with by lame jokes such as Sen. John McCain's (AZ) "Maybe it's past his bedtime."
Meanwhile, "Fred Thompson Makes a Late-Night Late Entry" (WaPo) on Jay Leno's show laconically announcing he was joining the presidential wanna-be fray, and dismissing the debate with a backhand, "I'll do my share, but I don't think it's a very enlightening forum, to tell you the truth."
And, truth be told, it wasn't a very enlightening forum. A not surprising chorus of "Top Republicans back Bush Iraq Strategy in Debate" was the tenor of the evening. (WaPo)
Without the presence of Rep. Ron Paul (TX), it would have been a yawner although it was designed to stir things up....questions on immigration (at last) that elicited not very artful dodging from New York's "safe-haven city" former mayor Rudy Giuliani, and on the flip-flopping of disgraced Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig (R-ID).
The debate was mostly a joust to the bottom... and Sam Brownback easily won that slot. While the questions on Iraq allowed McCain some expected chest-beating, it was Paul who showed the courage of his convictions by reminding his hostile cohorts that the decision to go to war was made by a handful of neoconservatives who hijacked U.S. foreign policy.
And, while the political climate was heating up in the U.S..... a half a world away, White House diplomacy was also getting a bit steamy, or unseemly. "In Australia, Rice stands in for first lady," (AP) the headline teases.
While Laura Bush stayed in D.C. with what she said was a pinched nerve, in Sydney "office wife" Condi Rice and The Decider were yucking it up. To quote Bush at a dinner in his honor: " 'She can be my date,' the president said, reaching out his left hand to touch Rice's arm as they stood before the cameras at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister John Howard and his wife."
The reason for the date....err.... trip to Australia was the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum attended by leaders from China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and other major Pacific Rim countries. So, with such a gathering in which to make his gravitas felt as the leader of the free world, what did The Decider do?
After lunch, Bush headed back to his hotel to change into biking gear and then his motorcade raced north to a track at the Honda training facility. After an hour Bush emerged and his motorcade returned to Sydney.
It has been reported that much of the advance work for Bush's trips involve the Secret Service ferreting out the best place for Kid George to ride his bike. Bush has become a joke and an embarrassment to us all.... the country's painful pinched nerve.
Meanwhile, "Fred Thompson Makes a Late-Night Late Entry" (WaPo) on Jay Leno's show laconically announcing he was joining the presidential wanna-be fray, and dismissing the debate with a backhand, "I'll do my share, but I don't think it's a very enlightening forum, to tell you the truth."
And, truth be told, it wasn't a very enlightening forum. A not surprising chorus of "Top Republicans back Bush Iraq Strategy in Debate" was the tenor of the evening. (WaPo)
Without the presence of Rep. Ron Paul (TX), it would have been a yawner although it was designed to stir things up....questions on immigration (at last) that elicited not very artful dodging from New York's "safe-haven city" former mayor Rudy Giuliani, and on the flip-flopping of disgraced Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig (R-ID).
The debate was mostly a joust to the bottom... and Sam Brownback easily won that slot. While the questions on Iraq allowed McCain some expected chest-beating, it was Paul who showed the courage of his convictions by reminding his hostile cohorts that the decision to go to war was made by a handful of neoconservatives who hijacked U.S. foreign policy.
And, while the political climate was heating up in the U.S..... a half a world away, White House diplomacy was also getting a bit steamy, or unseemly. "In Australia, Rice stands in for first lady," (AP) the headline teases.
While Laura Bush stayed in D.C. with what she said was a pinched nerve, in Sydney "office wife" Condi Rice and The Decider were yucking it up. To quote Bush at a dinner in his honor: " 'She can be my date,' the president said, reaching out his left hand to touch Rice's arm as they stood before the cameras at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister John Howard and his wife."
The reason for the date....err.... trip to Australia was the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum attended by leaders from China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and other major Pacific Rim countries. So, with such a gathering in which to make his gravitas felt as the leader of the free world, what did The Decider do?
After lunch, Bush headed back to his hotel to change into biking gear and then his motorcade raced north to a track at the Honda training facility. After an hour Bush emerged and his motorcade returned to Sydney.
It has been reported that much of the advance work for Bush's trips involve the Secret Service ferreting out the best place for Kid George to ride his bike. Bush has become a joke and an embarrassment to us all.... the country's painful pinched nerve.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Ware's Straight Talk
When you see his boxer's nose and direct no-nonsense stare at the camera, you stop to listen to his Australian "mate"-accented rapid-fire delivery as he reports his blunt assessments.... because you know you're going to hear from CNN correspondent Michael Ware the real facts on the ground from the only correspondent who has been in Baghdad since before the the U.S. invasion.
He knows the score, and seldom agrees with the White House version of events.
On the civil war in Iraq.
When the Bush administration bristled at the Iraq war being called a civil war, Ware pounced... "....it's easier to deny that this is a civil war, when essentially you live in the most heavily fortified place in the country within the Green Zone, which is true of both the prime minister, the national security adviser for Iraq and, of course, the top U.S. military commanders.
"However, for the people living on the streets, for Iraqis in their homes, if this is not civil war, or a form of it, then they do not want to see what one really looks like."
On Sen. John McCain's statement that Americans could "go into some Baghdad neighborhoods in a secure fashion."
Upon hearing McCain's boast, Ware lamented on the loss of McCain's credibility and challenged.... "To suggest that there's any neighborhood in this city where an American can walk freely is beyond ludicrous. I'd love Senator McCain to tell me where that neighborhood is and he and I can go for a stroll."
On the effectiveness of the U.S. troop "surge."
When asked if the Bush administration claim that the escalation of troops had an impact on sectarian violence in Iraq, Ware scoffed.... "No, not really. It's forced [al-Qaeda] to displace.... So deaths are down because it's much harder to kill each other until the Americans withdraw and the real battle begins."
And, yesterday when CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked him about the "big picture" regarding the disintegrating government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Ware put the rose-colored-glasses claims of the Bush administration in their proper perspective:
"Well, Wolf, I mean, really, there's never been an Iraqi government. I mean, it's never been a so-called entity. It's been an apparition from the beginning, a loose coalition of militias, most of them according to western intelligence, backed by Iran, jammed together. So really, there's never been a functioning government there."
And, Ware's gritty assessment of the consequences of the action that Sen. Warner (R-VA) and others are suggesting, to start a drawdown of American troops (you're not going to want to hear this):
"I'm sorry, but with all respect to Senator Warner, he is absolutely kidding himself. If... withdrawing 5,000 troops is going to send any kind of a message.... the strongest message that would send is an American defeat.
"And if you want a clear-cut example of both the power of that message, and what happens on the ground, just look at Basra in the south. The Brits have all but been forced to abandon Basra. What's happened? Rival sparring, brawling, Iranian-backed militias have taken over and it's turning into an absolute disaster. That's a glimmer of Iraq's future without American forces."
The only response one can make to this jarring no-win reality-check is the one given by Blitzer, "Pretty depressing information."
He knows the score, and seldom agrees with the White House version of events.
On the civil war in Iraq.
When the Bush administration bristled at the Iraq war being called a civil war, Ware pounced... "....it's easier to deny that this is a civil war, when essentially you live in the most heavily fortified place in the country within the Green Zone, which is true of both the prime minister, the national security adviser for Iraq and, of course, the top U.S. military commanders.
"However, for the people living on the streets, for Iraqis in their homes, if this is not civil war, or a form of it, then they do not want to see what one really looks like."
On Sen. John McCain's statement that Americans could "go into some Baghdad neighborhoods in a secure fashion."
Upon hearing McCain's boast, Ware lamented on the loss of McCain's credibility and challenged.... "To suggest that there's any neighborhood in this city where an American can walk freely is beyond ludicrous. I'd love Senator McCain to tell me where that neighborhood is and he and I can go for a stroll."
On the effectiveness of the U.S. troop "surge."
When asked if the Bush administration claim that the escalation of troops had an impact on sectarian violence in Iraq, Ware scoffed.... "No, not really. It's forced [al-Qaeda] to displace.... So deaths are down because it's much harder to kill each other until the Americans withdraw and the real battle begins."
And, yesterday when CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked him about the "big picture" regarding the disintegrating government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Ware put the rose-colored-glasses claims of the Bush administration in their proper perspective:
"Well, Wolf, I mean, really, there's never been an Iraqi government. I mean, it's never been a so-called entity. It's been an apparition from the beginning, a loose coalition of militias, most of them according to western intelligence, backed by Iran, jammed together. So really, there's never been a functioning government there."
And, Ware's gritty assessment of the consequences of the action that Sen. Warner (R-VA) and others are suggesting, to start a drawdown of American troops (you're not going to want to hear this):
"I'm sorry, but with all respect to Senator Warner, he is absolutely kidding himself. If... withdrawing 5,000 troops is going to send any kind of a message.... the strongest message that would send is an American defeat.
"And if you want a clear-cut example of both the power of that message, and what happens on the ground, just look at Basra in the south. The Brits have all but been forced to abandon Basra. What's happened? Rival sparring, brawling, Iranian-backed militias have taken over and it's turning into an absolute disaster. That's a glimmer of Iraq's future without American forces."
The only response one can make to this jarring no-win reality-check is the one given by Blitzer, "Pretty depressing information."
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