LA SEN POLL; CLINTON NH CO-CHAIR QUITS;PAUL
OPENS DOOR TO INDY RUN; SHARPTON TARGET OF FED PROBE; "HOW
WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR COFFEE?" LOUISIANA:
A new Roll Call/SurveyUSA poll shows US Senator Mary Landrieu
(D) narrowly leading challenger State Treasurer John Kennedy (R)
by a 46% to 42% vote. P2008: Billy Shaheen, NH Co-Chair of the Hillary Clinton
campaign, publicly resigned on Thursday. The move came one day
after he attacked rival candidate Barack Obama for his acknowledged
past history of youthful drug use and hinted Obama may have once
sold drugs. Shaheen's comments caused such a quick, sharp political
backlash that the departure -- to wit: falling on his sword to
protect the campaign -- was no surprise. Shaheen said his comments
had not been authorized by the campaign. Shaheen is the husband
of former Governor Jeanne Shaheen, the Dem candidate against US
Senator John Sununu (R). Clinton also reportedly apologized directly
to Obama on Thursday in Iowa. PAUL:
In an interview with Newsweek, Congressman Ron Paul (R)
pointedly kept open his option of bolting the GOP to make a third
party White House run next year. Paul carefully said he has "no
plans" at this time to make an Indy run. Here is the key
excerpt: "QUESTION: If you don't win, will you support the
GOP nominee and promise not to run on the Libertarian or any other
ticket? ANSWER: I'm not promising any of those things. If we have
a Republican nominee that has convinced me they have come around
on foreign policy … I would consider it. As far as running
on a third-party ticket, or [as an] Independent, or Libertarian,
I have no plans to do that." MISSISSIPPI: Former Attorney General Mike Moore (D) announced
Thursday he will not run for the open US Senate seat next year.
Moore retired from politics four years ago to enter the private
sector.The polls show I could win; and I would have the money
I needed to win the race," Moore said. "It all just came
down to whether it was best for me and my family. The truth is,
I made my decision four years ago, and it has been a good one
for my family and me," he explained in a written statement. SHARPTON: According to various news reports, civil rights
activist Al Sharpton (D-NY) is apparently the target of a federal
corruption investigation related to his 2004 Presidential campaign,
his National
Action Network organization, and six Sharpton-related business
ventures. The allegations relate to whether Sharpton inflated
his 2004 contributions to qualify for federal matching funds.
The FBI and IRS issued subpoenas for documents going back to 2001
and for individuals related to Sharpton's various groups. An angry
Sharpton said the investigation is retaliation for his activism
in the Jena Six case in Louisiana. "I have probably been
under every investigation known to man and I can't remember a
time that I've not been under investigation. The issues raised
are issues that we've learned [happen to me] over and over again,
particularly when we are approaching an election season,"
said an angry Sharpton. A source close to Sharpton told Politics1
that Sharpton skipped the 2008 Presidential race because he had
already decided instead to run in 2012 -- even if it amounts to
a primary challenge against an incumbent Democratic President. THANKS A LATTE: In a fun aside on the Presidential hopefuls
-- especially as I spend my daily lunch hours at a coffee shop
(instead of eating lunch) -- the AP reported on the candidate
coffee preferences. Hillary Clinton: Drinks coffee black, but
sometimes has it with cream. Barack Obama: Drinks his coffee black
(but said he rarely drinks coffee). John Edwards: Doesn't drink
coffee. Bill Richardson: Coffee with cream. Rudy Giuliani: Coffee
with whichever kind of artificial sweetener is available. Mike
Huckabee: Coffee with Splenda. John McCain: Cappuccino, or coffee
with cream and sugar. Mitt Romney: Doesn't drink coffee, but volunteered
he sometimes drinks hot chocolate. Fred Thompson: Coffee with
cream.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.14.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Kudos to the NJ Legislature for making the Garden State the first
state in the nation to ban to death penalty in over 40 years.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.14.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
ROMNEY,
CLINTON & OBAMA LEAD IN NH NUMBERS ... AND A LAZY DAY. NEW HAMPSHIRE: The latest CNN/WMUR-TV poll gives us a new
look at the state of the New Hampshire primary. The GOP numbers:
Mitt Romney - 32%, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain tied with 19%
each, Mike Huckabee - 9%, Ron Paul - 7%, Fred Thompson and Tom
Tancredo tied with 1% each, and Duncan Hunter - 0%. The DEM numbers:
Hillary Clinton - 31%, Barack Obama - 30%, John Edwards - 16%,
Bill Richardson - 7%, Dennis Kucinich - 3%, Joe Biden and Chris
Dodd tied with 1% each, and Mike Gravel - 0%. While the GOP frontrunner
numbers are largely unchanged (except for the total collapse of
Thompson), these numbers reflect a 5-point drop for Clinton and
an 8-point rise for Obama since the last CNN/WMUR-TV poll. HUCKABEE:
If you've got a good, sarcastic sense of humor, be sure to check
out this faux
Mike Huckabee ad. OTHER NEWS: Okay, I had a long day at work today, so thus
this very short posting today. Sorry.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.13.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Anything and everything else.
Also, FYI, I've discovered that when you're part of an upcoming
group trip to Israel coordinated by a leading US Jewish organization,
it's very hard to try to make arrangements to visit somewhere
behind the wall in the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank
like Bethlehem or Jericho (but I'm still working on it).
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.13.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
LATTA,
WITTMAN SCORE GOP WINS; HUCK SHIFTS ON IMMIGRATION, CUBA; ROMNEY
ATTACKS; FRED RETOOLS; DEMS BICKER; OBAMA GAINS ON HILLARY IN
SC; NJ SEN RACE UPDATE. OHIO CD-5: The Democrats forced the NRCC to spend nearly
$300,000 -- 16% of its total cash-on-hand -- to
defend what was traditionally a safe GOP seat on Tueday. In the
end, State Representative Bob Latta (R) comfortably won the CD-5
seat his father held two decades ago. In the final days of the
campaign, Latta largely limited his message to one of emphasizing
a tough stance on immigration issues. Latta defeated think tank
official Robin Weirauch (D) by a vote of 57% to 43%. Latta will
replace the late Congressman Paul Gillmor (R), who died September
5 from injuries sustained during a fall down the stairs in his
home. VIRGINIA CD-1: As expected, State Delegate Rob Wittman
(R) cruised to a landslide victory over Iraq War veteran Philip
Forgit (D) in Tuesday's special election. The vote: Wittman -
63%, Forgit - 35%, and Lucky Narain (Independent) - 2%. The seat
is considered safely Republican. Wittman will replace the late
Congresswoman JoAnn Davis (R), who died of cancer on October 6. P2008 - GOP: The National Reviewendorsed
Mitt Romney on Tuesday ... Romney's campaign sent an attack mailer
to Iowa voters which blasted Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and
Fred Thompson on the immigration issue ... Huckabee called the
Romney attack "desperate” ... ... Minuteman Project
founder Jim Gilchrist (Constitution) endorsed Huckabee on Tuesday,
despite his previous comments that Tom Tancredo was the "inspiration
for launching the" civilian border patrol group. "Whatever
the Governor might have done 10 or 20 years ago regarding this
issue, that was then, this is now," said Gilchrist, explaining
he believes Huckabee now shares Tancredo's anti-immigration stance.
"An endorsement won’t change the fact that Mike Huckabee
has an abysmal record on immigration enforcement," responded
a Romney spokesman ... Huckabee this week reversed his 2002 call
for normalizing relations with Cuba. At the time, Arkansas wanted
to sell more agricultural products to Cuba. When asked by FOX
News what caused the new outlook, the former Arkansas Governor
responded: "What changed was I'm [now] running for Ppresident."
In related news, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) endorsed
Huckabee, saying he appreciated Huckabee's new tough-on-Castro
position. Rubio is the first Cuban-American to serve as Florida
Speaker ... In a strategy shift, Fred Thompson has decided to
exclusively focus his campaign in Iowa for the next three weeks
until the caucuses there. Reuters reports the move is an effort
to jump-start the campaign, which has seen Thompson's support
dwindling in several key Southern states. Thompson's initial strategy,
now abandoned, had focused largely on scoring early successes
in the South Carolina and Florida primaries
... John McCain swooped into Fort Lauderdale for a weekend fundraiser
accompanied by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), former Congressman
Tom Loeffler (R-TX) and veteran GOP strategist Charlie Black.
Local attorney and McCain advisor Scott Rothstein -- who is posturing
for a US Attorney appointment -- hosted the event, which raised
around $50,000. Polls in NH show McCain inching back into the
first tier over the past month. P2008 - DEMS: Hillary Clinton's campaign
sent a mailing to Iowa voters this week attacking Barack Obama's
health care plan ... Joe Biden started running an attack spot
in Iowa taking a swipe at both Clinton and Obama for lacking his
experience and vision. Biden was the last of the Dems to air a
TV spot in Iowa ... Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) endorsed
Obama on Tuesday. SOUTH CAROLINA: A new WCSC-TV/SurveyUSA poll of likely
Democratic primary voters shows the Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama
contest has tightened following Oprah Winfrey's appearance for
Obama here on Sunday. The numbers: Clinton - 44%, Obama - 40%,
John Edwards - 11%, Others - 3%. NEW JERSEY: State Republican leaders have been disappointed
with the lack of a strong candidate to challenge aging Senator
Frank Lautenberg (D) next year. State Assemblyman Joe Pennachio
and wealthy developer Anne Estabrook are both considered weak
candidates. Now comes word that the NRSC is interested in enticing
State Assemblyman Kevin O'Toole (R) into the race. O'Toole --
despite the name -- is a Korean-American who currently represents
an urban district and has run well with Democrats and Independent
voters in the past. He is also Chair of the powerful Essex County
Republican organization. The Korean-American community is seen
as a strong potential fund-raising base, as money woes are a big
GOP concern for 2008. O'Toole has reportedly agreed to meet with
NRSC officials to discuss the race.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.12.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Nope. Nothing. That's right. I've got nothing at all to say opinion-wise
today. Also, FYI: my family -- ten of us, including Dana and
me -- are going on vacation to Israel during December 23-January
2. I know the Iowa caucuses are January 3, but this was planned
well in advance of Iowa's jockeying for an earlier calendar date.
Dana and I have never visited the region before. We'll visit the
Golan Heights, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Masada, farming
communities, etc. -- and Dana and I also plan to spend a day behind
the Security Barrier visiting the Palestinian West Bank (possibly
either Jericho or Bethlehem). At this point, I'm not planning
to bring my laptop, so I'm just giving you an early heads-up.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.12.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
SPECIAL
TUESDAY IN VA, OH; AK SEN/HOUSE POLLS; SC PREZ POLL; RON PAUL'S
BLIMP; BUNNING TO RUN AGAIN IN '10. SPECIAL ELECTIONS: Voters go to the polls on Tuesday to
cast ballots in congressional special elections in Ohio and Virginia.
Expect low turnouts in both races. In Ohio, the NRCC spent 16%
of its total cash-on-hand just to hold onto what most believe
is a safe GOP seat. By contrast, State Delegate Rob Wittman (R)
is a safe bet to hold the open seat in Virginia. Both special
elections were caused by the deaths of GOP incumbents. ALASKA:
Two new Research 2000 polls conducted for DailyKos.com shows Alaska
may see some highly competitive federal races next year. In the
US Senate race, incumbent Ted Stevens (R) trails Anchorage Mayor
Mark Begich (D) by a vote of 47% to 41%. In the US House race,
incumbent Don Young (R) trails former State House Minority Leader
Ethan Berkowitz (D) by a vote of 49% to 42%. Both Stevens and
Young are reportedly the targets of separate FBI corruption investigations.
SOUTH CAROLINA: A new WCSC-TV/SurveyUSA poll of likely
GOP primary voters shows Mike Huckabee moving into a solid lead
in the Palmetto State. The numbers: Huckabee - 30%, Mitt Romney
- 19%, Fred Thompson - 18%, Rudy Giuliani - 13%, John McCain -
10%, Others - 6%. PAUL: In one of the most bizarre campaign publicity stunts
of the campaign season, Libertarian Party supporters of Congressman
Ron Paul's longshot bid for the GOP Presidential nomination are
using a stunt that could have been used in the days of Calvin
Coolidge or Herbert Hoover. They are going to fly a Ron
Paul blimp from North Carolina to New Hampshire to generate
publicity for
Paul. Yup, nothing symbolizes the future like ... a dirigible. KENTUCKY: Cantankerous US Senator Jim Bunning (R), 76,
told the Kentucky Post that those Republicans who claim
he is going to retire in 2010 are "liars." Some leading
state GOP activists are openly hoping the erratic Bunning -- a
pro baseball Hall of Fame pitcher -- will retire, fearing he is
simply too vulnerable. Bunning struggled to win a very tight re-election
race in 2004. "I'm going to be a candidate for the Senate
in 2010. You know how many times I've said that? I said it the
day after I won re-election in 2004. I've been saying it every
day," said Bunning. Congressman Ben Chandler (D) is believed
to be gearing up to challenge Bunning in 2010.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.11.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Call it "Six Degrees of Waterboarding" .. or just write
it off as a really weird coincidence. One day after my rather
incendiary editorial about wanting to see US leaders and CIA interrogators
tried for war crimes in The Hague, it turns out the CIA interrogator
who captured and waterboarded suspected al-Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah
was a close college friend of mine. Retired CIA Agent John Kiriakou
and I both attended college at GWU, both served together on the
board of GWU College Democrats, and lived in the same dorm. John,
in an interview with ABC News on Monday, said he was a CIA interrogator
who struck and was involved in waterboarding Zubaydah, that Zubaydah
broke after just 35 seconds on the waterboard, and that he now
believes waterboarding is a form of torture. "The next day,
he told his interrogator that Allah had visited him in his cell
during the night and told him to cooperate. From that day on,
he answered every question ... We're Americans, and we're better
than this. And we shouldn't be doing this kind of thing ..[but]
what happens if we don't waterboard a person, and we don't get
that nugget of information, and there's an attack? I would have
trouble forgiving myself," John told ABC. Did he quit the
CIA over what he experienced? Nope, he nonchalantly said he "loved"
being in the CIA but just didn't like the long hours and frequent
travel that kept him away from his four kids. For a guy who was
-- at the time we were in school together -- such a genuine, kind
and gentle soul, I have serious trouble reconciling my humane
friend with the CIA interrogator who stood over a prisoner tied
to a waterboard. John seems to prove Hannah Arendt's concept about
the banality of evil. Sad to think my former college friend was
a future war criminal.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.11.07 | Permalink
|
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
McCRERY
RETIRES; UDALL CRUISES IN NM; OPRAH 4 OBAMA; PELOSI SUPPORTED
TORTURE; DEMS LOSE TOP CANDIDATES IN IL, KY. LOUISIANA: Congressman Jim McCrery (R), 58, surprisingly
announced Friday evening he will not seek re-election next year.
McCrery -- first elected to Congress in 1988 -- this year moved
up to the Ranking Republican spot on the powerful House Ways &
Means Committee. He explained his decision was prompted by the
GOP loss of control of the US House in 2006 and the long odds
for his party to recapture majority status in 2008. McCrery had
always wanted to serve as Ways & Means Chair, but the Dem
victory in 2006 blocked him from the post. "Twenty years
is a long time to serve in Congress. I believe it is time for
me to step aside and let someone with fresh enthusiasm and new
ideas step in to represent the 4th district ... The Chairmanship
would have allowed me to play a leading role in addressing some
of the biggest long-term problems facing our country ... So, given
that disappointment ... I will not seek re-election to the Congress
in 2008," explained McCrery. He said he does not yet have
any plans as to what he will do after leaving office. Attorney
Jerry Jones, a former top McCrery aide and an unsuccessful 2006
candidate for Shreveport Mayor, has quickly emerged as the consensus
GOP candidate for the seat. Democrats being mentioned as possible
candidates for the CD-4 seat include retired Shreveport Mayor
Keith Hightower, State Public Service Commissioner and '07 Governor
candidate Foster Campbell, and former Congressman Buddy Leach.
Race rating: GOP Favored. NEW
MEXICO: Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez (D) quit the race for
the US Senate over the weekend and endorsed Congressman Tom Udall
(D) for the open seat. According to the Albuquerque Journal,
it was poor internal polling data -- not behind-the-scenes pressure
from the DSCC -- that prompted Chavez's withdrawal. With Chavez
out, Udall now faces only very nominal opposition for the nomination.
By contrast, the Republicans are facing a likely bruising and
expensive primary battle. Race rating: Leans DEM. OBAMA: As had been anticipated for weeks, beloved TV show
host Oprah Winfrey hit the campaign trail this weekend in support
of Barack Obama's Presidential campaign. Winfrey headlined large
crowd events in Iowa on Saturday, and in South Carolina and New
Hampshire on Sunday. A massive and cheering crowd of nearly 30,000
turned out for the South Carolina event -- the largest crowd to
date for any candidate this Presidential election cycle. By contrast,
Hillary Clinton used her mom, daughter Chelsea and husband Bill
TORTURE: On Friday it was widely reported that the CIA
intentionally destroyed videotapes of the waterboarding interrogations
of two suspected al-Queda operatives. The destruction apparently
took place contrary to the instructions of then-White House Counsel
Harriet Myers that the tapes must be preserved as they had been
officially requested by both the courts and Congress. However,
in proof that there are unclean hands on both sides of the political
aisle, on Sunday it was revealed that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
and three other senior congressional leaders on the intelligence
committees were informed by CIA officials in September 2002 at
a closed-door session that waterboarding and other potential torture
methods were being used on captured prisoners of war. According
to the Washington Post, others who attended the briefings
included Congressman Porter Goss (R-FL), and Senators Bob Graham
(D-FL) and Pat Roberts (R-KS). No legislators raised question
at the time that the methods constituted possible war crime violations
of the Geneva Convention. Instead, at least two reportedly asked
if the methods "were tough enough" to produce confessions.
"The reaction in the room was not just approval, but encouragement,"
recalled Goss, who later served as CIA Director. Graham claims
he "does not recall" the briefing, was "unaware"
then of what constituted waterboarding, and "now believes
the techniques constituted torture and were illegal." Pelosi
declined to directly comment, but a Pelosi congressional ally
confirmed to the newspaper that Pelosi attended the session, was
aware waterboarding was discussed, and agrees Pelosi "did
not object" at the time to the method. Jane Harman (D-CA),
who replaced Pelosi in the intelligence panel in 2003, was informed
of waterboarding at a subsequent briefing. Harman said she was
"not free to disclose anything" publicly because it
was deemed classified data, but she promptly filed a formal written
objection to the the use of waterboarding. Roberts declined to
comment on the report. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), who replaced Graham
in 2003, began pushing for open hearings on the topic in 2005
after information on the US use of waterboarding began to leak
out to the media. ILLINOIS: Republicans got a great gift this weekend when
former pro basketball coach Dick Versace (D) quick the race for
the open CD-18 seat being vacated by retiring Congressman Ray
LaHood (D). Without elaborating, Versace said he was withdrawing
from the race "for personal reasons." Filing closed
November 5, but state election laws allow the Democrats to substitute
a new candidate before the general election. However, it is highly
unlikely the Dems will find any viable candidate on a par with
what had appeared to be Versace's potential. Three Republicans
remain in the race, with State Representative Aaron Schock the
apparent frontrunner for the GOP nomination. New rating: Safe
GOP. KENTUCKY:
It's official. The DSCC's top recruited candidate to oppose US
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) next year has decided
to pass on the race. State Auditor Crit Luallen (D) telephoned
party leaders on Friday to let them know of her decision. Outgoing
Attorney General Greg Stumbo (D) -- who was also rumored to be
quitting the contest -- told the AP on Friday he was"still
evaluating" the race. Stumbo established an federal exploratory
committee three months ago. Other Dems looking at the race include
wealthy cable TV magnate Charlie Owen, retired Marine Corps officer
Andrew Horne, and a handful of other lesser-knowns. Until the
Dems get a viable candidate to commit to the race, we're changing
our rating from GOP Favored to Safe GOP. P2008: The GOP Presidential candidates -- minus one --
debated in Spanish on Sunday night on Univision. Although the
candidates were all instructed to speak exclusively in English
-- as the network would provide all translations -- Congressman
Tom Tancredo refused to participate because it was not being conducted
in English. Tancredo boycotted the event, describing it as "pandering"
to non-English speaking voters.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.10.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE: AN EDITORIAL ON WAR CRIMES.
This may be the most provocative editorial to date that I've ever
penned, but it is time the US again stood in support of the rule
of well-accepted international law. The day we decided to conduct
waterboarding and engage in illegal "renditions" of
US prisoners of war to nations like Syria and Romania that allow
the torture
of prisoners was the day the US abandoned the high moral ground
we always claimed. Previously, I made it clear I don't back a
move to impeach President Bush or Vice President Cheney because
at this point it is simply a futile move that will tear this country
further apart and bring all other Congressional activity to a
total halt. However, I wouldn't have any objection to the US government
-- after a new Administration takes office in January 2009 --
promptly handing all of the policy makers of the former criminal
regime who approved of the waterboarding policy in their official
capacities (plus those US interrogators who actually participated
in conducting the actual waterboarding sessions) over to the International
War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague for prosecution. That list should
seemingly now include Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Goss, Pelosi, the
US interrogators, etc. The US has been very clear in our strong
historical support of the use of that esteemed international legal
venue for dealing with war criminals from Rwanda, Serbia/Bosnia,
etc. Likewise, the US solidly established at the Nuremberg Trials
in 1946 the principle that policymakers who "only" planned
or approved actions in their official capacity -- even if legal
under a nation's existing laws -- may still be tried for war crimes
if those actions are proven to violate international law. The
last time I checked the torture of prisoners (even really odious
terrorists) was still a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
Further, I'm unaware of any "it doesn't count as a war crime
if the US does it" loophole in the rules -- and the US cannot
unilaterally exempt itself from international law. A war criminal
is a war criminal, regardless of why the person committed or ordered
the torture of prisoners. I'll readily agree that President Bush
isn't a Hitler, Stalin or even a Milosevic. But with the use of
waterboarding, illegal renditions of US prisoners of war to secret
foreign prisons, the black hole of Guantanamo filled with "the
disappeared" captives the Administration refuses to even
name, and the gradual daily loss of our domestic constitutional
protections, President Bush is well on his way to becoming our
Pinochet. The United States deserves better.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.10.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
ROMNEY'S
BIG MEDIA DAY; KYL, ALEXANDER WIN SEN GOP POSTS; NEW IOWA, SC
POLLS. ROMNEY: Mitt Romney gave his so-called "big
speech" on Thursday, trying to address to "Mormon issue"
he's tried to avoid for most of the campaign. In the speech, Romney
mentioned to word Mormon only once. Instead, he made a plea that
candidates should not be chosen or rejected solely due to religious
beliefs. Rather than address the concerns of Evangelicals about
Mormon beliefs, Romney instead insisted the only important qualification
for the Presidency is that a candidate devoutly belief in and
worship God. "I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God
and the savior of mankind ... Freedom requires religion, just
as religion requires freedom ... Freedom and religion endure together,
or perish alone. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the
oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God,"
said Romney. While some praised the speech, conservative columnist
Robert Novak reported that Romney's own campaign consultants were
not among the fans of his speech. According to Novak, the Romney
campaign "political advisers" saw Thursday's speech
as "a bad idea" and an "overreaction" to Mike
Huckabee's recent rise in the polls. After the speech, prominent
Southern Baptist Convention leader Richard Land praised the speech
as "Kennedy-esque" and said Romney mentioned everything
possible to portray himself in the best light to assuage Evangelical
Christians. "I don't think his Mormonism is a deal-breaker
for most Americans," said Land to the AP. Yet when asked
a direct follow-up by ABC News as to whether he considered Mormons
to be "Christians," Land responded: "No, I do not.”
Still, Romney commanded a major share of the day's political media
attention so -- regardless of whether the speech solved his electability
problems or not -- the speech certainly didn't seem to do him
any harm. US SENATE: The US Senate Republicans filled two vacant
leadership posts on Thursday. US Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) was elected
Whip without opposition, replacing resigning US Senator Trent
Lott (R-MS). Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) easily defeated Senator
Richard Burr (R-NC) for Kyl's #3 position of Conference Chair
by a vote of 31-16. According to CQ, Alexander's allies portrayed
the race as a contest between an respectful institutionalist willing
to work across party lines (Alexander) versus a hardcore, confrontational
conservative (Burr). The vote showed Senate Republicans "are
here not to play games, but to make things happen," said
Alexander. IOWA: A new Insider
Advantage-R poll shows Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama holding
onto leads in this key early caucus state. The GOP numbers: Huckabee
- 27%, Mitt Romney - 24%, Rudy Giuliani - 13%, Fred Thompson -
11%, John McCain - 6%, Ron Paul - 5%, Tom Tancredo - 2%, Duncan
Hunter - 1%. The DEM numbers: Barack Obama - 32%, Hillary Clinton
and John Edwards tied with 25% apiece, Joe Biden - 5%, Bill Richardson
- 3%, Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich tied with 1% each. SOUTH CAROLINA: A new Insider Advantage-R poll shows Mike
Huckabee has moved into the lead in the Palmetto State. The numbers:
Huckabee - 23%, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson tied at 17% each,
Mitt Romney- 14%, John McCain - 10%, Ron Paul - 6%, and Duncan
Hunter and Tom Tancredo tied with 1% apiece.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.07.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Have at it.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.07.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
SWIFT
BOATERS REDUX; NH NARROWS; MEL'S PRIMARY PROBLEM; NOT SO FARR
TO GO; STILL SITTING ON THE SIDELINES. P2008:
Hmmm
... Citizens United Not Timid, a 527 committee set up to "Educate
the people as to what Hillary Clinton is” has just been
launched by two California organizers with past ties to the infamous
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group from the 2004 race, according
to infamous GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone. No surprise, but
the general election campaign is going to get very nasty. Despite
the rather offensive acronym, Stone claims the group is real and
will be selling t-shirts, etc. NEW HAMPSHIRE: A new ABC News/Washington Post poll of likely
Democratic primary voters show the Clinton-Obama fight rapidly
narrowing. The numbers: Hillary Clinton 35%, Barack Obama 29%,
John Edwards 17%, Bill Richardson 10%, Dennis Kucinich 3%, Joe
Biden 2%, and Chris Dodd 1%. FLORIDA: US Senator Mel Martinez (R) may
draw an unexpected challenge for re-nomination when his seat comes
up in 2010, possibly from ambitious State House Speaker Marco
Rubio (R). Some Florida Republicans are upset with Martinez over
his immigration position, others in the agricultural community
are unhappy about his support for CAFTA (Central American Free
Trade Agreement), and party activists grumble about his brief,
hands-off RNC Chairmanship. Considered a fairly poor campaigner
with weak name ID and no discernable association with any particular
issue, Martinez could be vulnerable to a challenge from the right.
Others who know Martinez -- who was largely strong-armed into
the race by the Bush White House -- say he is simply not enamored
with serving in the Senate and may opt to not seek a second term.
Rubio, meanwhile, is also being mentioned as a possible primary
challenger in 2010 to Governor Charlie Crist (R), as the two have
feuded openly in recent months over property taxes and other issues.
Former Governor Jeb Bush (R) is among those who have privately
been bad-mouthing the centrist Crist during GOP cocktail chatter.
According to one source, Bush sarcastically joked Crist was jockeying
for the VP spot next year on the Democratic ticket. Bush and others
derisively point to Crist's open support for universal health
care, his call for a serious national response to combat global
warming, and his frequent outreach to Dems in the Legislature
as proof of these "liberal" tendencies. While some conservatives
may be upset with him, Crist currently has the highest approval
rating of any Governor in the nation. US SENATE: Senate Democrats have so far blocked the federal
judicial nomination of conservative Thomas Farr to the US District
Court in North Carolina. The rumor in DC is that Senate Judiciary
Committee Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-PA) may have worked
a behind-the -scenes deal with Committee Chair Pat Leahy (D-VT)
to advance Farr's nomination to a committee vote. Specter has
brokered agreements in the past to gain confirmation for Republican
nominees. Farr's nomination was pushed by US Senator Elizabeth
Dole (R-NC), and she reportedly asked her longtime friend Specter
to help her advance the nomination. On a related note, the 77-year-old
Specter has seemingly launched into overdrive his fundraising
for a 2010 re-election bid. Specter now says his health is excellent,
having survived a bout with Hodgkin's Disease two years ago. All
signs point to Specter intending to seek another term. The centrist
Specter barely survived a conservative primary challenge in 2004,
but then cruised to an easy general election victory. ENDORSEMENT:The Hill has a great
list of the "big names" that have yet to make any
endorsement in the Presidential race. It includes those with influence
on each side of the aisle.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.06.07 | Permalink
|
OPEN
THREAD: SO, HOW FAIR IS RON'S NEWS COVERAGE?
To those who wrote me emails complaining of my "defense"
yesterday of Hugo Chavez, I urge you to go back and re-read what
I posted. I didn't defend Chavez. I simply wrote that the demagogic
Chavez isn't the simplistic dictator caricature that those on
the right want many to believe. But, beyond that, please note
that when I editorialize on Politics1, I try to always place it
under the Open Thread header and clearly delineated it as an editorial
(i.e., my opinions, not news reporting). Thus, that leads to a
question for today's open thread: Do you believe I am adequately
fair and keep my opinions out of the news portion on Politics1?
Frankly -- because I don't have the proper perspective to judge
this -- I'm curious as to what all of you think. (Well, "all
of you" excluding a notorious anti-Semite or two who are
regular bloggers here.)
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.06.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
DCCC,
NRCC POUR $$$ INTO OHIO; KUCINICH DRAWS MAJOR PRIMARY FOE; SEN
LEADERSHIP RACE TAKES SHAPE; MARYLAND FILING CLOSES. OHIO: Next Tuesday is the special election in CD-5 for
the seat left vacant by the September death of Congressman Paul
Gillmor (R). In a surprise move, the DCCC is unexpectedly dumping
nearly $150,000 into the district in the form of a TV spot attacking
GOP nominee Bob Latta (R). The spot tries to tie Latta to disgraced
former Governor Bob Taft (R) and last year's "Coingate"
state investment fund scandal. The DCCC move immediately prompted
the NRCC to dump over $275,000 into TV ads and direct mail attacking
Dem nominee Robin Weirauch as a "liberal." That is a
significant amount for the NRCC to spend in this normally safe
GOP district, as the NRCC reported having just $2.55 million cash-on-hand
available for all House races nationwide as of the end of October.
Latta won a very bitter and divisive primary last month -- one
that got so dirty the Ohio Republican Party censured both Latta
and his main primary foe before the primary for the hostile tone
of the race. Governor Ted Strickland (D) and other Dems have recently
become actively involved in support of Weirauch (D). The race
seems surprisingly competitive -- in a district where Bush carried
61% in 2004 -- but we still rate it as "GOP Favored."
The special election in Virginia's CD-1 -- another safe GOP seat
-- is also next Tuesday. KUCINICH: The congressional filing deadline in the Buckeye
State is just one month away, but Congressman Dennis Kucinich
(D) has yet to announced whether he plans
to seek re-election next year. For the past year, his political
efforts have been focused nearly entirely on making his second
run for the White House as the most outspokenly progressive candidate
in the Dem field. Yet it is his national ambition -- not his stances
-- that are causing Kucinich problems at home with his CD-10 seat.
Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman (D), a former Kucinich
protégé, announced Tuesday he will challenge the
incumbent in the Dem primary. "Dennis Kucinich is a good
man, but he's a man out of touch. Out of touch with the values
of his people, more concerned with ... running for the Presidency
than [representing] his own district," said Cimperman. Kucinich,
sounding like a candidate for re-election, quickly lashed back.
He said Cimperman "is the candidate of downtown Cleveland
corporate interests ... [who] brags about how much money he raises
from big business. But worse than that, he doesn't live in the
district. I guess his big business sponsors are so confident they
can buy the election that their candidate doesn't even have to
live in the district." North Olmsted Mayor Tom O’Grady
(D), an educator and Army Special Forces veteran, is set to announce
his primary challenge on Wednesday. O'Grady will emphasize his
military service as experience that sets him apart from the others
in the crowded primary. Anti-war activist Rosemary Palmer (D),
the mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq, is also running and
subtly emphasizes Kucinich's inattention to local district needs
due to his national ambitions. Also, former Peace Corps executive
Barbara Anne Ferris (D) is making a third run for the seat. Of
the large field, Cimperman is the most serious challenger to face
Kucinich in many years. The primary is March 4. US SENATE: US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) on Tuesday
quit the race for GOP Conference Chair, the #3 position in the
Senate GOP Leadership. The post is being vacated by US Senator
Jon Kyl (R-AZ), who is unopposed for the soon-to-be-open post
of Senate Minority Whip. With KBH out, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)
and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) will face off for Conference Chair.
Outgoing Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-MS) is working behind
the scenes to help Burr. MARYLAND:
Candidate filing closed this week in Maryland, creating crowded
congressional primary contests across the state. The two key primaries
to watch are in CD-1 and CD-4. In District 1, moderate Congressman
Wayne Gilchrest (R) is facing an aggressive challenge from conservative
State Senators Andy Harris and E.J. Pipkin. As three other Republicans
are also running -- and Harris and Pipkin largely share the same
conservative primary base -- the split favors Gilchrest to again
win a contentious primary. Former Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) is
backing Harris, in large part as revenge for Gilchrest having
opposed Ehrlich's failed plan to allow slot machine gambling in
the state. The NRCC is solidly behind Gilchrest. In CD-4, moderate
Congressman Al Wynn (D) is facing a rematch from progressive attorney
Donna Edwards. Wynn narrowly defeated the MoveOn.org-backed Edwards
in the 2006 primary. Click here for the complete
list of Maryland filings. ILLINOIS: Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) has honored the
special election scheduling wishes expressed by resigned former
House Speaker Denny Hastert (R). Blagojevich set February 5 --
the Presidential primary day -- as the date of the CD-14 special
election primary. The general election contest to fill the open
seat will be held on Saturday, March 8, oddly ensuring a very
low turnout.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.05.07 | Permalink
|
OPEN
THREAD: RON FIRES A TRIO OF LEFTIST RANTS. EDITORIAL COMMENT #1: When a major White
House candidate attacks a rival for comments made to classmates
while a kindergarten student -- kindergarten!! -- you know
the attacker has become laughably pathetic. What next? Maybe an
attack on the opponent for "broken promises" because
he told friends in second grade was going to be an astronaut and
walk on the moon when he grew up -- but "he never later applied
to be a NASA astronaut." Actually ... that would be what
Hillary could say if she was attacking me today since said I really
wanted to be an astronaut when I was in elementary school. I also
once got busted by my Mom for stealing candy and a pack of baseball
cards from a 7-11 when I was maybe eight years old (note: I got
away clean but she made go back there, confess, and pay the 20
or 25 cents for the stuff) -- oh, and I inhaled, too -- so obviously
there's way too much dirt in my past school days to ever be able
to run against a Clinton. EDITORIAL COMMENT #2: Based upon the latest National Intelligence
Estimate prepared by the CIA for the White House, it appears that
Iran's nuclear weapons programs today is every bit as menacing
to the United States as was Saddam's WMD program in 2002. Of course,
that fictional WMD program was good enough reason to get us into
one war. Let's see if the Dem leadership in Congress miraculously
finds enough backbone to resist getting us entangled in a third,
concurrent war. (FYI: I support our multi-national military
involvement in Afghanistan, which is why I'm not critical of those
operations -- even though I believe our Afghan allies successfully
control nothing outside the Kabul region.) EDITORIAL COMMENT #3: Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez
is frequently bombastic in his anti-Bush rhetoric. However, this
weekend's vote proved one thing: the populist Chavez isn't an
authoritarian dictator. Venezuelans were able to freely cast ballots
in a fair, democratic election. The proof is in the results. Chavez
narrowly lost an election that in many parts of the world -- and
possibly a few US states -- could easily have been fixed in his
favor.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.05.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
CONNECTIVITY
PROBLEMS.
Sorry, but I'm having major internet connectivity issues Monday
evening. These problems are making it impossible for me to spend
more than a few moments online before the system crashes again.
Thus, in a brief moment when I can connect, I'm posting this open
thread. It's all I can do tonight under these circumstances. Postscript:
It turns out the AT&T outage that caused my problem impacted
millions of users across nine Southeathern states during most
of Monday night.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.04.07 | Permalink
|
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
IS
DICK MORRIS SECRETLY PAID BY HUCKABEE?; OBAMA, HUCK LEAD IN IOWA;
ROMNEY TO GIVE MORMONISM SPEECH; and "SAVE TUCKER" (Yes,
Again). HUCKABEE: According to The Politico, New York
Post columnist and FOX News contributor Dick Morris has been
secretly advising former client Mike Huckabee on his Presidential
campaign. Morris
claims he is acting in an entirely voluntary capacity by simply
offering free advice. Keep in mind that nationally syndicated
columnist George Will was pilloried by the media when it became
public that he had secretly and voluntarily helped Ronald Reagan
prepare for his Presidential debates in 1980. A prominent national
GOP insider tells Politics1 that he believes Morris -- despite
his claims to the contrary -- is paid for his services through
Huckabee media consultant Dick Dresner. According to the source,
Morris purportedly gets piece of all Huckabee campaign polling
revenues, media commissions and consulting fees through money
paid to Dresner's firm. Explaining the relationship, Huckabee
told one GOP pollster: "I feel like I want to take a shower after
I meet with him, but Morris is a smart guy and I need him." This
is, of course, part of Morris' revenge strategy against the Clintons.
The toe-sucking political consultant has never gotten over being
fired by President Clinton in 1996 and Morris wants to prove he
can put anyone from Arkansas in the White House. Morris was previously
Huckabee's consultant during his statewide runs in Arkansas. If
these allegations of funneled payments are true, it raises questions
as to whether the NY Post will allow a columnist to take
fees from those they write about ... and if FOX News will allow
their analyst to be taking money funnelled from a Presidential
campaign. Most importantly, how will Evangelical voters react
to having the escort-using former Bill Clinton strategist secretly
directing the Huckabee campaign. IOWA: A new Des Moines Register poll of likely Iowa
GOP caucus participants confirms Mike Huckabee has moved into
the lead in the Hawkeye State. The numbers: Huckabee - 29%, Mitt
Romney - 24%, Rudy Giuliani - 13%, Fred Thompson - 9%, John McCain
and Ron Paul tied with 7% each, Tom Tancredo - 6%, and Duncan
Hunter - 1%. On the Democratic side, Barack Obama has moved into
the lead. The numbers: Obama - 28%, Hillary Clinton - 25%, John
Edwards - 23%, Bill Richardson - 9%, Joe Biden - 6%, and Chris
Dodd and Dennis Kucinich tied with 1% each. ROMNEY: In the face of falling poll numbers and a surging
Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney has decided he needs to give a speech
voters explaining his Mormon religious beliefs. Romney and his
advisors have debated giving this speech for months, and as recently
as a week ago Romney said he didn't anticipate giving "the
speech." According to the AP, Romney is now set to give a
speech named "Faith in America" at the George Bush Presidential
Library in Texas on Thursday. A campaign spokesman said Romney
would discuss "how the Governor's own [Mormon] faith would
inform his presidency if he were elected." The selection
of Texas for the venue is also seen as very intentional, as John
F. Kennedy gave his famous speech discussing his Catholic beliefs
in 1960 in Texas. The move is a sign of how much Romney's faith
is causing his campaign growing problems in Iowa. TUCKER: Preppy conservative pundit Tucker Carlson became
known nationally for his trademark bow ties when he was the co-host
on CNN’s defunct Cross-Fire. CNN even ran an ad back then
with the headline: “The Man, The Legend, The Bow Tie.” Yet sources
tell Politics1 that after conducting focus groups, MSNBC ordered
Carlson
to dump the bow ties and start wearing a standard neck ties for
his current Tucker show. “You take away a man’s mojo and
then you complain about his ratings” asked Alain Jean, co-organizer
of the SaveTucker.org
group. The group was formed to urge MSNBC top executives to keep
Tucker (Weekdays, 6 PM) on the air after the New York
Times reported network was considering canceling the show.
“Tucker Carlson brings balance, wit and interesting insight to
MSNBC. He provides balance to Keith Olberman, Dan Abrams and Chris
Matthews,” said Jean, a Florida Democratic activist and former
Nancy Pelosi staffer. According to the Times, MSNBC is
considering moving their evening programming leftwards in a bid
for younger viewers. “The idea that younger views are liberals
is false,” said John Bertran, a Cuban-American Republican and
co-organizer of the pro-Tucker group. The SaveTucker website allows
viewers to join send targeted emails to MSNBC executives. While
FOX’s conservative Bill O’Reilly is bested by MSNBC’s Olberman
among younger viewers, O’Reilly beats Olberman among older viewers.
MSNBC purportedly thinks they can pick up younger viewers by doing
for the Left what FOX does for the Right. Dumping Tucker mau be
part of that new marketing strategy. P2008: Joe Biden's campaign wins the award for the most
unintentionally hilarious headline used to date to tout a candidate's
progress: "Biden Surges Past Richardson in Iowa." The
campaign used it on a mass emailing sent to supporters on Friday,
showing Biden now led Bill Richardson by a 8% to 4% vote in the
latest ARG poll.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 12.03.07 | Permalink
|
LOUISIANA:
A new Roll Call/SurveyUSA poll shows US Senator Mary Landrieu
(D) narrowly leading challenger State Treasurer John Kennedy (R)
by a 46% to 42% vote. 
PAUL:
In an interview with Newsweek, Congressman Ron Paul (R)
pointedly kept open his option of bolting the GOP to make a third
party White House run next year. Paul carefully said he has "no
plans" at this time to make an Indy run. Here is the key
excerpt: "QUESTION: If you don't win, will you support the
GOP nominee and promise not to run on the Libertarian or any other
ticket? ANSWER: I'm not promising any of those things. If we have
a Republican nominee that has convinced me they have come around
on foreign policy … I would consider it. As far as running
on a third-party ticket, or [as an] Independent, or Libertarian,
I have no plans to do that." 
National
Action Network organization, and six Sharpton-related business
ventures. The allegations relate to whether Sharpton inflated
his 2004 contributions to qualify for federal matching funds.
The FBI and IRS issued subpoenas for documents going back to 2001
and for individuals related to Sharpton's various groups. An angry
Sharpton said the investigation is retaliation for his activism
in the Jena Six case in Louisiana. "I have probably been
under every investigation known to man and I can't remember a
time that I've not been under investigation. The issues raised
are issues that we've learned [happen to me] over and over again,
particularly when we are approaching an election season,"
said an angry Sharpton. A source close to Sharpton told Politics1
that Sharpton skipped the 2008 Presidential race because he had
already decided instead to run in 2012 -- even if it amounts to
a primary challenge against an incumbent Democratic President.
endorsed
Mitt Romney on Tuesday ... Romney's campaign sent an attack mailer
to Iowa voters which blasted Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee and
Fred Thompson on the immigration issue ... Huckabee called the
Romney attack "desperate” ... ... Minuteman Project
founder Jim Gilchrist (Constitution) endorsed Huckabee on Tuesday,
despite his previous comments that Tom Tancredo was the "inspiration
for launching the" civilian border patrol group. "Whatever
the Governor might have done 10 or 20 years ago regarding this
issue, that was then, this is now," said Gilchrist, explaining
he believes Huckabee now shares Tancredo's anti-immigration stance.
"An endorsement won’t change the fact that Mike Huckabee
has an abysmal record on immigration enforcement," responded
a Romney spokesman ... Huckabee this week reversed his 2002 call
for normalizing relations with Cuba. At the time, Arkansas wanted
to sell more agricultural products to Cuba. When asked by FOX
News what caused the new outlook, the former Arkansas Governor
responded: "What changed was I'm [now] running for Ppresident."
In related news, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) endorsed
Huckabee, saying he appreciated Huckabee's new tough-on-Castro
position. Rubio is the first Cuban-American to serve as Florida
Speaker ... In a strategy shift, Fred Thompson has decided to
exclusively focus his campaign in Iowa for the next three weeks
until the caucuses there. Reuters reports the move is an effort
to jump-start the campaign, which has seen Thompson's support
dwindling in several key Southern states. Thompson's initial strategy,
now abandoned, had focused largely on scoring early successes
in the South Carolina and Florida primaries
... John McCain swooped into Fort Lauderdale for a weekend fundraiser
accompanied by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), former Congressman
Tom Loeffler (R-TX) and veteran GOP strategist Charlie Black.
Local attorney and McCain advisor Scott Rothstein -- who is posturing
for a US Attorney appointment -- hosted the event, which raised
around $50,000. Polls in NH show McCain inching back into the
first tier over the past month.
campaign
sent a mailing to Iowa voters this week attacking Barack Obama's
health care plan ... Joe Biden started running an attack spot
in Iowa taking a swipe at both Clinton and Obama for lacking his
experience and vision. Biden was the last of the Dems to air a
TV spot in Iowa ... Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) endorsed
Obama on Tuesday.
ALASKA:
Two new Research 2000 polls conducted for DailyKos.com shows Alaska
may see some highly competitive federal races next year. In the
US Senate race, incumbent Ted Stevens (R) trails Anchorage Mayor
Mark Begich (D) by a vote of 47% to 41%. In the US House race,
incumbent Don Young (R) trails former State House Minority Leader
Ethan Berkowitz (D) by a vote of 49% to 42%. Both Stevens and
Young are reportedly the targets of separate FBI corruption investigations.
for
Paul. Yup, nothing symbolizes the future like ... a dirigible.
NEW
MEXICO: Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez (D) quit the race for
the US Senate over the weekend and endorsed Congressman Tom Udall
(D) for the open seat. According to the Albuquerque Journal,
it was poor internal polling data -- not behind-the-scenes pressure
from the DSCC -- that prompted Chavez's withdrawal. With Chavez
out, Udall now faces only very nominal opposition for the nomination.
By contrast, the Republicans are facing a likely bruising and
expensive primary battle. Race rating: Leans DEM.
been
officially requested by both the courts and Congress. However,
in proof that there are unclean hands on both sides of the political
aisle, on Sunday it was revealed that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
and three other senior congressional leaders on the intelligence
committees were informed by CIA officials in September 2002 at
a closed-door session that waterboarding and other potential torture
methods were being used on captured prisoners of war. According
to the Washington Post, others who attended the briefings
included Congressman Porter Goss (R-FL), and Senators Bob Graham
(D-FL) and Pat Roberts (R-KS). No legislators raised question
at the time that the methods constituted possible war crime violations
of the Geneva Convention. Instead, at least two reportedly asked
if the methods "were tough enough" to produce confessions.
"The reaction in the room was not just approval, but encouragement,"
recalled Goss, who later served as CIA Director. Graham claims
he "does not recall" the briefing, was "unaware"
then of what constituted waterboarding, and "now believes
the techniques constituted torture and were illegal." Pelosi
declined to directly comment, but a Pelosi congressional ally
confirmed to the newspaper that Pelosi attended the session, was
aware waterboarding was discussed, and agrees Pelosi "did
not object" at the time to the method. Jane Harman (D-CA),
who replaced Pelosi in the intelligence panel in 2003, was informed
of waterboarding at a subsequent briefing. Harman said she was
"not free to disclose anything" publicly because it
was deemed classified data, but she promptly filed a formal written
objection to the the use of waterboarding. Roberts declined to
comment on the report. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), who replaced Graham
in 2003, began pushing for open hearings on the topic in 2005
after information on the US use of waterboarding began to leak
out to the media.
KENTUCKY:
It's official. The DSCC's top recruited candidate to oppose US
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) next year has decided
to pass on the race. State Auditor Crit Luallen (D) telephoned
party leaders on Friday to let them know of her decision. Outgoing
Attorney General Greg Stumbo (D) -- who was also rumored to be
quitting the contest -- told the AP on Friday he was"still
evaluating" the race. Stumbo established an federal exploratory
committee three months ago. Other Dems looking at the race include
wealthy cable TV magnate Charlie Owen, retired Marine Corps officer
Andrew Horne, and a handful of other lesser-knowns. Until the
Dems get a viable candidate to commit to the race, we're changing
our rating from GOP Favored to Safe GOP.
torture
of prisoners was the day the US abandoned the high moral ground
we always claimed. Previously, I made it clear I don't back a
move to impeach President Bush or Vice President Cheney because
at this point it is simply a futile move that will tear this country
further apart and bring all other Congressional activity to a
total halt. However, I wouldn't have any objection to the US government
-- after a new Administration takes office in January 2009 --
promptly handing all of the policy makers of the former criminal
regime who approved of the waterboarding policy in their official
capacities (plus those US interrogators who actually participated
in conducting the actual waterboarding sessions) over to the International
War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague for prosecution. That list should
seemingly now include Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Goss, Pelosi, the
US interrogators, etc. The US has been very clear in our strong
historical support of the use of that esteemed international legal
venue for dealing with war criminals from Rwanda, Serbia/Bosnia,
etc. Likewise, the US solidly established at the Nuremberg Trials
in 1946 the principle that policymakers who "only" planned
or approved actions in their official capacity -- even if legal
under a nation's existing laws -- may still be tried for war crimes
if those actions are proven to violate international law. The
last time I checked the torture of prisoners (even really odious
terrorists) was still a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
Further, I'm unaware of any "it doesn't count as a war crime
if the US does it" loophole in the rules -- and the US cannot
unilaterally exempt itself from international law. A war criminal
is a war criminal, regardless of why the person committed or ordered
the torture of prisoners. I'll readily agree that President Bush
isn't a Hitler, Stalin or even a Milosevic. But with the use of
waterboarding, illegal renditions of US prisoners of war to secret
foreign prisons, the black hole of Guantanamo filled with "the
disappeared" captives the Administration refuses to even
name, and the gradual daily loss of our domestic constitutional
protections, President Bush is well on his way to becoming our
Pinochet. The United States deserves better.
"big
speech" on Thursday, trying to address to "Mormon issue"
he's tried to avoid for most of the campaign. In the speech, Romney
mentioned to word Mormon only once. Instead, he made a plea that
candidates should not be chosen or rejected solely due to religious
beliefs. Rather than address the concerns of Evangelicals about
Mormon beliefs, Romney instead insisted the only important qualification
for the Presidency is that a candidate devoutly belief in and
worship God. "I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God
and the savior of mankind ... Freedom requires religion, just
as religion requires freedom ... Freedom and religion endure together,
or perish alone. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the
oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God,"
said Romney. While some praised the speech, conservative columnist
Robert Novak reported that Romney's own campaign consultants were
not among the fans of his speech. According to Novak, the Romney
campaign "political advisers" saw Thursday's speech
as "a bad idea" and an "overreaction" to Mike
Huckabee's recent rise in the polls. After the speech, prominent
Southern Baptist Convention leader Richard Land praised the speech
as "Kennedy-esque" and said Romney mentioned everything
possible to portray himself in the best light to assuage Evangelical
Christians. "I don't think his Mormonism is a deal-breaker
for most Americans," said Land to the AP. Yet when asked
a direct follow-up by ABC News as to whether he considered Mormons
to be "Christians," Land responded: "No, I do not.”
Still, Romney commanded a major share of the day's political media
attention so -- regardless of whether the speech solved his electability
problems or not -- the speech certainly didn't seem to do him
any harm.
Insider
Advantage-R poll shows Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama holding
onto leads in this key early caucus state. The GOP numbers: Huckabee
- 27%, Mitt Romney - 24%, Rudy Giuliani - 13%, Fred Thompson -
11%, John McCain - 6%, Ron Paul - 5%, Tom Tancredo - 2%, Duncan
Hunter - 1%. The DEM numbers: Barack Obama - 32%, Hillary Clinton
and John Edwards tied with 25% apiece, Joe Biden - 5%, Bill Richardson
- 3%, Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich tied with 1% each.
P2008:
Hmmm
... Citizens United Not Timid, a 527 committee set up to "Educate
the people as to what Hillary Clinton is” has just been
launched by two California organizers with past ties to the infamous
Swift Boat Veterans for Truth group from the 2004 race, according
to infamous GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone. No surprise, but
the general election campaign is going to get very nasty. Despite
the rather offensive acronym, Stone claims the group is real and
will be selling t-shirts, etc.
may
draw an unexpected challenge for re-nomination when his seat comes
up in 2010, possibly from ambitious State House Speaker Marco
Rubio (R). Some Florida Republicans are upset with Martinez over
his immigration position, others in the agricultural community
are unhappy about his support for CAFTA (Central American Free
Trade Agreement), and party activists grumble about his brief,
hands-off RNC Chairmanship. Considered a fairly poor campaigner
with weak name ID and no discernable association with any particular
issue, Martinez could be vulnerable to a challenge from the right.
Others who know Martinez -- who was largely strong-armed into
the race by the Bush White House -- say he is simply not enamored
with serving in the Senate and may opt to not seek a second term.
Rubio, meanwhile, is also being mentioned as a possible primary
challenger in 2010 to Governor Charlie Crist (R), as the two have
feuded openly in recent months over property taxes and other issues.
Former Governor Jeb Bush (R) is among those who have privately
been bad-mouthing the centrist Crist during GOP cocktail chatter.
According to one source, Bush sarcastically joked Crist was jockeying
for the VP spot next year on the Democratic ticket. Bush and others
derisively point to Crist's open support for universal health
care, his call for a serious national response to combat global
warming, and his frequent outreach to Dems in the Legislature
as proof of these "liberal" tendencies. While some conservatives
may be upset with him, Crist currently has the highest approval
rating of any Governor in the nation.
plans
to seek re-election next year. For the past year, his political
efforts have been focused nearly entirely on making his second
run for the White House as the most outspokenly progressive candidate
in the Dem field. Yet it is his national ambition -- not his stances
-- that are causing Kucinich problems at home with his CD-10 seat.
Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman (D), a former Kucinich
protégé, announced Tuesday he will challenge the
incumbent in the Dem primary. "Dennis Kucinich is a good
man, but he's a man out of touch. Out of touch with the values
of his people, more concerned with ... running for the Presidency
than [representing] his own district," said Cimperman. Kucinich,
sounding like a candidate for re-election, quickly lashed back.
He said Cimperman "is the candidate of downtown Cleveland
corporate interests ... [who] brags about how much money he raises
from big business. But worse than that, he doesn't live in the
district. I guess his big business sponsors are so confident they
can buy the election that their candidate doesn't even have to
live in the district." North Olmsted Mayor Tom O’Grady
(D), an educator and Army Special Forces veteran, is set to announce
his primary challenge on Wednesday. O'Grady will emphasize his
military service as experience that sets him apart from the others
in the crowded primary. Anti-war activist Rosemary Palmer (D),
the mother of a US soldier killed in Iraq, is also running and
subtly emphasizes Kucinich's inattention to local district needs
due to his national ambitions. Also, former Peace Corps executive
Barbara Anne Ferris (D) is making a third run for the seat. Of
the large field, Cimperman is the most serious challenger to face
Kucinich in many years. The primary is March 4.
MARYLAND:
Candidate filing closed this week in Maryland, creating crowded
congressional primary contests across the state. The two key primaries
to watch are in CD-1 and CD-4. In District 1, moderate Congressman
Wayne Gilchrest (R) is facing an aggressive challenge from conservative
State Senators Andy Harris and E.J. Pipkin. As three other Republicans
are also running -- and Harris and Pipkin largely share the same
conservative primary base -- the split favors Gilchrest to again
win a contentious primary. Former Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) is
backing Harris, in large part as revenge for Gilchrest having
opposed Ehrlich's failed plan to allow slot machine gambling in
the state. The NRCC is solidly behind Gilchrest. In CD-4, moderate
Congressman Al Wynn (D) is facing a rematch from progressive attorney
Donna Edwards. Wynn narrowly defeated the MoveOn.org-backed Edwards
in the 2006 primary. 
Carlson
to dump the bow ties and start wearing a standard neck ties for
his current Tucker show. “You take away a man’s mojo and
then you complain about his ratings” asked Alain Jean, co-organizer
of the 
