PHILLY
VOTES; UDALL-SCHAFFER; DALLAS RUN-OFF; ED & RUDY; CANNON GETS
PRIMARIED. PHILADELPHIA:
Voters go to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots in the open
race to replace term-limited Mayor John Street (D). With the city's
heavy Democratic slant, the winner of the Dem primary is very
likely to be the city's next Mayor. According to a new WCAU-TV/SurveyUSA
poll, City Councilman Michael
Nutter (D) appears heading to a comfortable victory. Nutter
leads the field with 36%, followed by former Deputy Mayor Tom
Knox at 25%, Congressman Chaka
Fattah at 13%, Philly Democratic Chair and Congressman Bob
Brady at 12%, and State Representative Dwight
Evans at 6%. Nutter started the race near the back of the
back, scoring only in the mid-single digits in indpendent polls
just three months ago. COLORADO:
State Board of Education Member and former Congressman Bob Schaffer
(R) waffled in recent days about entering the open US Senate race
-- first announcing two weeks ago he would run, then announcing
days later he had not made any decision, then formally filing
paperwork this week to run. "After considerable assessment,
I've decided I'm going to begin putting a campaign together to
run for the United States Senate," said Schaffer. In 2004,
he lost the GOP primary for US Senate by a 20-point margin. This
time Schaffer's prospects for winning the nomination look much
better. Attorney General John Suthers and retired USAF General
Bentley Rayburn immediately let Schaffer know they would not challenge
him for the nomination. Schaffer thanked the two men, saying they
"deferred their ambition to me." The NRCC had tried
to recruit Suthers to run, believing his more centrist views made
him more electable in November. Barring a total surprise opponent,
Schaffer should cruise to the GOP nomination to replace retiring
US Senator Wayne Allard (R). However -- as Schaffer comes from
the arch-conservative wing of the party -- he likely will be an
underdog to Congressman Mark Udall (D) in the general election. DALLAS: Voters on Saturday narrowed the 11-candidate field
for the open race for Dallas, Texas, Mayor to two men: businessman
Tom Leppert and
City Councilor Ed Oakley.
The race is officially non-partisan, although Republicans are
heavily backing Leppert and the Dems are backing Oakley. Leppert
was first with 27%, followed by Oakley with 21%, City Councilor
Don Hill at 14%, former City Councilor Max Wells had 12%, City
Councilor Gary Griffith had 9%, and all others trailed behind.
Hill, however, quickly endorsed Oakley in the June 16 run-off.
If he wins, Oakley would be the first out gay Mayor of a major
US city. Other major US cities have had gay mayors, but never
one who acknowledged it while running for or serving in office. GIULIANI: ... And speaking of former
NYC Mayor Ed Koch (D), he told the New York Post he will
campaign around the nation next year bashing his old rival Rudy
Giuliani (R). "If I had to sum it up in a few minutes I would
say he's a control freak -- and the control is over your life,"
says Koch. In 2004, Koch crossed party lines in the general election
to campaign in support of President Bush before Jewish groups
in key swing states. Koch said he plans to hit the campaign trail
after Giuliani captures the GOP nomination. However, "if
organizations asked me to come, I certainly would try in advance
of that." UTAH: Add Congressman Chris
Cannon (R) to the list of incumbents facing serious primary opposition
in 2008. Cannon has won a series of unimpressive primary renomination
contests in recent years, frequently being attacked for being
insufficiently conservative on immigration and trade issues. This
time his announced primary candidates include former Juab County
Prosecutor David Leavitt, wealthy businessman John Jacob, and
Governor Huntsman Chief of Staff Jason Chaffetz. Chaffetz, a former
BYU football player, recently stepped down from his state post
to make the race. Leavitt is the bother of former Utah Governor
and current US HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. Jacob, Cannon's primary
opponent in 2006, is an anti-immigration activist closely aligned
with Congressman Tom Tancredo. Bombastic former Congressman Merrill
Cook, a perennial candidate, is also looking at making a challenge.
"The failings of Mr. Cannon are so evident, obviously there
is going to be a number of challengers. All I can do is put my
best foot forward and see if I'm the right messenger with the
right message ... [Cannon] has not instituted good conservative
practices," said Chaffetz to the Deseret News. Cannon
said he welcomes a meaningful debate with his GOP challengers,
but only if they don't use "a lot of exaggerations and distortions.
In the last two cycles, we've had a lot of statements that weren't
true." Cannon only had $82,000 in his campaign account as
of the most recent reporting period. The CD-3 seat is safely Republican. ROMNEY: The AP reports that former Massachusetts Governor
Mitt Romney (R) is the wealthiest of the major party Presidential
candidates. According to the report, Romney is worth between $190
million to $250 million. Romney's assets have been in a blind
trust since he was elected Governor in 2002.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.15.07 | Permalink
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Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.15.07 | Permalink
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you're not interested in trading.
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
HAGEL
TALKS OF INDY RUN WITH BLOOMBERG; SCHMIDT GETS PRIMARIED; DCCC
RECRUITS. HAGEL-BLOOMBERG:
Rumors of a looming NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg-US Senator Chuck
Hagel ticket -- in either order -- have been swirling for a few
months. The two men were also spotted
having a private dinner together at a restaurant a week ago. Now,
just days after Bloomberg relaunched his old campaign site for
no apparent reason except to keep the rumors swirling, Hagel further
stoked the fire. Appearing on CBS's Meet the Press, Hagel
said he'll make a decision on running for President or Vice President
as an Independent by "late summer." He acknowledged
running on a ticket with the billionaire publishing mogul Bloomberg
is a real possibility. "We didn't make any deals. But I think
Mayor Bloomberg is the kind of individual who should seriously
think about [running as an Independent for President]. It's a
great country to think about -- a New York boy and a Nebraska
boy -- to be teamed up leading this nation," said Hagel.
He explained he is a lifelong Republican, but that the party "of
Eisenhower, of Goldwater, of Reagan" was "hijacked by
a group of single-minded almost isolationists, insulationists,
power-projectors." He added: "This country is in trouble.
The world is in trouble. And we need some new, fresh, independent
ideas to lead this country forward." With Hagel's frequent
use of the word "independent," it's pretty safe to predict
he won't be seeking reelection next year -- at least not as a
Republican. Bloomberg and Hagel are both Iraq War opponents, but
on first blush they appear to have little else in common beyond
their maverick reputations. Bloomberg is pro-choice, pro-gay marriage,
pro-medical marijuana, pro-gun control. Hagel holds generally
opposite views, and has one of the most conservative voting records
in the US Senate. However, if he no longer plans to run again
in conservative Nebraska, Hagel may be planning to rapidly shift
to a more centrist agenda. MISSOURI: The DCCC scored a major recruiting victory this
weekend as former two-term Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes told the
Kansas City Star she will challenge Congressman Sam Graves
(R) next year. The CD-6 seat is viewed as a swing seat, but with
a Republican lean. In an unusual move -- previously reported by
The Hotline -- GOP State House Speaker Rod Jetton arranged
last month to give Barnes an "Outstanding Missourian Award"
at the State Capitol when he heard she was considering a run against
Graves. Jetton and other Missouri Republicans are reportedly annoyed
with Graves and his campaign consultant for "meddling"
in Missouri Republican Party internal matters. OHIO: Controversially outspoken Congresswoman
Jean Schmidt (R) looks to be in for yet another rough election
cycle. In the 2005 special election, she narrowly won a crowded
GOP primary and then survived to win an unexpectedly close general
election. In 2006, she faced a Republican primary rematch from
former Congressman Bob McEwen and then a surprisingly competitive
general election against physician Victoria Wulsin (D). Well,
Wulsin is already running again -- but Schmidt also looks likely
to yet again face a significant GOP primary challenge. Former
Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich (R) officially announced
his candidacy last week, saying he's already raised over $120,000
for the race. Heimlich "is unemployed and unpopular and he
wants to run. Well, we welcome him to the race," said Schmidt's
spokesman. Fiscal conservative Coalition Opposed to Additional
Spending and Taxes (COAST) group co-founder and State Representative
Tom Brinkman says he's also interested in running. Brinkman says
he'd like the anti-Schmidt Republicans to unite behind a single
challenger, and expressed disappointment that Heimlich is trying
to grab an advantage in that informal selection process. Now --
here is where it gets really interesting: The Hill reports
others considering GOP primary runs against Schmidt include former
Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Hamilton County Prosecutor Jim
Deters and former Abu Ghraib Prison Hospital Chief of Surgery
Brad Wenstrup. Blackwell was the GOP nominee for Governor last
year, while Deters was formerly State Treasurer. Schmidt's spokesman
said the best thing for the incumbent would be a multiple primary
challengers who split the anti-Schmidt vote. Still, Schmidt could
be facing the toughest fight of her career in 2008. MINNESOTA: Dems hoped to recruit Congresswoman Betty McCollum
(D) into the race next year against US Senator Norm Coleman (R)
, but they can now forget about it. McCollum just endorsed wealthy
trial attorney Mike Ciresi (D) for the seat. Humorist, author
and former radio talk show host Al Franken (D) and State Representative
Joe Atkins (D) are also announced candidates. TOMMY THOMPSON: Former Wisconsin Tommy Thompson (R) continues
to give new excuses for why he said two weeks ago in the first
GOP Presidential debate that he supported the right of businesses
to fire an employee simply for being gay. Within a day, Thompson
explained he misspoke because he does not support allowing businesses
to fire someone for that reason. The next day, Thompson explained
he gave that original answer because his hearing aid wasn't working
well and he had trouble hearing the question. That seemed to strain
belief, as Thompson's answer appeared to be directly responsive
to the question. Now, according to the AP, Thompson is offering
another goofy reason why was distracted and gave an answer that
misstated his own views: "I could not wait until the debate
got off so I could go to the bathroom." This is one of those
instances where the excuses are doing more damage than the original
comments, because they're making Thompson look old and foolish.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.14.07 | Permalink
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Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.14.07 | Permalink
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I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
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drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
WEEKEND
OPEN THREAD.
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
We now can name all eleven GOP Members
of Congress who met with President Bush in private on Tuesday
to demand he make changes to his Iraq War policy. The "Gang
of Eleven" members: Mark Kirk (R-IL), Charlie Dent (R-PA),
Tom Davis (R-VA), Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Todd Platts (R-PA), Mike
Castle (R-DE), Jim Ramstad (R-MN), Jim Walsh (R-NY), Jim Gerlach
(R-PA), Ray LaHood (R-IL) and House Minority Leader John Boehner
(R-OH). The group brought polling data and personal worries to
the meeting to tell the President his Iraq War policies could
doom the Republicans -- and the eleven legislators themselves
-- to significant electoral defeats in 2008.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 05.12.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
SEVEN
(OF) ELEVEN; BLOOMBERG LAUNCHES; BEHIND THE WHEEL; FL SANCTIONS;
NADER. IRAQ: Okay, we now know the names of seven of the eleven
centrist GOP Congressmen who met with President Bush in private
on Tuesday to demand he make changes to his Iraq War policy. The
seven names: Mark Kirk (R-IL), Charlie Dent (R-PA), Tom Davis
(R-VA), Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Todd Platts (R-PA), Mike Castle
(R-DE) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN). Davis is the former NRCC Chair.
The eleven reportedly pledged to stay loyal to the President's
current Iraq agenda, but only until September. According to MSNBC's
Chris Mathews, the group told the President his uncompromising
support for continuing the Iraq War was risking "the death
of the Republican Party." In response, President Bush indicated
Thursday he is now will to "accept benchmarks" pegged
to Iraq War funding -- although it's anyone's guess as to what
he meant by "accept." We'll let you know when we learn
the names of the other four attendees. In related news, House
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) broke with Speaker Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA) and joined with Republicans on Thursday night in voting
against the bill to begin redeploying US troops out from Iraq
within 90 days. The bill failed by a vote of 171-255. Congressmen
Ron Paul (R-TX) and Jimmy Duncan (R-TN) were the only Republicans
to support the proposal, versus 59 House Dems who voted against
it. A short time later, the House approved by a 221-205 vote a
$96 billion war spending bill that makes continued funding of
the Iraq War dependent on a July progress report. President Bush
has vowed to veto the measure, saying he wants guaranteed war
funding with no strings attached through September 30, the end
of the fiscal year.
BLOOMBERG: Talk about mixed signals, but NYC Mayor
Mike Bloomberg relaunched his
campaign site Thursday only hours after says he still is "most
likely" to not run for President. This is especially interesting
as the billionaire Bloomberg is term-limited as Mayor and already
"categorically" stated he will not run for NY Governor
in 2010. So, why the relaunch of Bloomberg's political site? Bloomberg
told reporters he was "dusting off his old campaign website
... This new web site is the single place where people can go
to find out what I’ve done not only in government, but in
business and philanthropy as well." Also worth noting: the
"Mike Bloomberg in the News" section contains links
to various stories, including many that speculate about him making
an '08 Indy run for President. The New York Sun wrote they
found Bloomberg's actions "puzzling" because "Bloomberg's
daily news conferences and statements are all posted on the city's
official [mayoral] home page" if this was merely about wanting
an outlet for his public comments. For someone who claims he isn't
running for President, the site interestingly touts Bloomberg's
"efforts to build affordable housing, strengthen our economy,
protect our environment, and reduce poverty." Hmm ... sounds
like a nascent 2008 campaign site to me. Check it out and see
if you think Bloomberg's site signals his likely intent. HYBRIDS: The AP asked the leading Presidential candidates
"What car or cars do you drive?" The answers showed
a surprising number of hopefuls in both parties said they drove
hybrids as their personal vehicles. The hybrid drivers: Hillary
Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Sam Brownback and Tom Tancredo.
Dennis Kucinich drives a compact, but not a hybrid one. Joe Biden
drives a classic 1967 Corvette. Mitt Romney prefers a Ford Mustang
convertible. Bill Richardson drives a Jeep. Mike Huckabee and
Duncan Hunter prefer large SUVs. John McCain and Barack Obama
drive luxury sedans. The most surprising answer came from Rudy
Giuliani: "I don't drive." No answers were reported
from the other hopefuls. FLORIDA: Florida Democrats are considering a proposal to
make the January 29 primary non-binding and instead select convention
delegates in a mid-February caucus.
That would ensure no DNC sanctions against the state. DNC Chair
Howard Dean has threatened to strip the state of nearly all its
delegates, and bar any delegates from being awarded to candidates
who campaign in the state's primary. US Senator Bill Nelson, Congresswoman
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and several other prominent Dems -- plus
various newspaper editorials around the state -- oppose the caucus
idea. They say the DNC must find a compromise to allow the primary
to go forward on January 29, allow delegates to be awarded from
it, and impose less severe sanctions against the state. Otherwise,
they warn, the DNC risks dangerously alienating some of the party's
biggest national donors, key activists and voters in a battleground
swing state. RNC Chair and US Senator Mel Martinez, meanwhile,
told the Palm Beach Post that "as a Floridian"
he was "perfectly fine" with his homestate defying the
RNC and advanced the primary to January 29 because it "makes
Florida more relevant." Martinez said he can live with the
sanctions he already announced on behalf of the RNC -- that the
Florida Republicans will see their convention delegate total halved
-- and that no further sanctions would be imposed. The Florida
Republican Party "knows what the consequences of doing it
are and they're OK with it," explaind Martinez. Clinton,
Obama, Romney and McCain have already announced they plan to campaign
in Florida's January 29 primary. Perhaps the DNC, as a face-saving
compromise, should simply follow the RNC's lead and impose identical
sanctions. NADER: Four-time Presidential candidate and consumer advocate
Ralph Nader penned a column
this week for CommonDreams.org that reads like an endorsement
of ... former US Senator Mike Gravel (D) for President. Nader
wrote that the curmudgeonly Gravel was "a fresh wind coming
down from Alaska ... determined to start a debate about the fundamentals
of democracy ... no ordinary dark horse politician ... he really
believes in a government of, by and for the people." Of course,
Gravel is the perfect candidate for the cantankerous Nader to
back. Why? Because once Gravel is knocked out of the race after
the early Dem primaries, Nader would have a reason to feign reluctance
yet again mount another independent White House run.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.11.07 | Permalink
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Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.11.07 | Permalink
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WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
GOP
LAWMAKERS DEMAND IRAQ POLICY CHANGE; TAKE TWO; WARNER'S MIXED
SIGNALS. IRAQ: A group of eleven GOP Congressmen -- led by Mark
Kirk (R-IL) and Charlie Dent (R-PA) -- met secretly Tuesday with
President Bush to candidly voice their concerns about the Iraq
War. According to NBC News, the group urged the President to "change
direction" in Iraq. The meeting was held in the private residential
quarters of the White House, lasted 75 minutes, and was also attended
by Secretary of State Condi Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates, political adviser Karl Rove and press secretary Tony Snow.
And, as NBC had detailed info about the private meeting, news
of what happened was clearly leaked by some of the GOP Congressmen.
One legislator told the President his district was prepared for
defeat in Iraq and wanted a change of direction in policy. Another
told the President that "the word about the war and its progress
cannot come from the White House or even you, Mr. President, [as]
there is no longer any credibility. It has to come from General
Petraeus." The President responded to the blunt criticism
by explaining "I don’t want to pass this off to another
President. I don’t want to pass this off, particularly,
to a Democratic President." Reportedly, the group consisted
almost entirely of mainstream Republicans from potentially swing
districts who are worried about the President's Iraq policy and
the impact it could have on the 2008 elections. They reportedly
support the concept of a timeline or benchmarks for US withdrawal
from Iraq. THOMPSON: Based upon his work as an actor, think of former
US Senator Fred Thompson's speech this coming weekend as "Take
Two." After bombing on his debut P2008 campaign stump speech
last week in California, The Politico reports Thompson
is quickly retooling his message for a Saturday speech in Virginia.
Thompson acknowledged his California speech "didn't live
up to expectations," but vowed that his next speech with
be "a tighter and sharper message" focused on "values." MAINE: Hours after Congressman Tom Allen (D) announced
he will run next year against US Senator Susan Collins (R), Collins
has shifted her Iraq stance to supporting a possible fall withdrawal
of US troops from Iraq. Allen launched his campaign with an attack
on Collins for her support of the war. "I do believe that
there comes a point in September where if it's evident that the
new [surge] strategy is not successful and it's not going to succeed,
that we do have to change course, and that means looking at all
the options, including a plan for withdrawing," said Collins
to CNN on Tuesday night. VIRGINIA: US Senator John Warner (R-VA) is continuing to
give mixed signals about whether he will seek re-election in 2008.
This week he told reporters he is "still very interested
in staying in the Senate" and "leaning" towards
running again. Contrast this with this: earlier this year he said
he'd announce his re-election plans around the time of his scheduled
June golf outing fundraiser -- but this week Warner announced
he is delaying until September making any announcement of his
2008 plans. Further, the Richmond Times-Dispatch noted
Warner's Chief of Staff is departing the Hill this week to become
a lobbyist. What does all this mean? Your guess is as good as
mine. WEST VIRGINIA: Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R) told
GOP leaders this week she is not interested in challenging US
Senator Jay Rockefeller (D) next year, according to The Hill.
Capito was the NRSC's top choice for the race. The NRSC is now
reportedly interested in recruiting Secretary of State Betty Ireland
(R) to run. "She has not made any plans for any future race
at this point. All doors are open, and she never closes any door,"
said Ireland's spokesman. Wealthy businessman John Raese -- who
lost by 30-points in his 2006 race against US Senator Robert C.
Byrd (D) -- is reportedly interested in running. Rockefeller
was seemingly safe before Capito's announcement, but her decision
locks in an easy '08 run for Rockefeller in this purple state.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.10.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.10.07 | Permalink
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WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
RUDY
STILL PRO-CHOICE; NH NUMBERS; BLOOMBERG UPDATE; COLLINS-ALLEN;
DRAFT POWELL. GIULIANI:
Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) says he has nothing
to spin or apologize about in a response to news reports he made
six personal donations in the last decade to Planned Parenthood.
Appearing Tuesday on conservative pundit Laura Ingraham's radio
show, Giuliani said "Planned Parenthood makes information
available. It's consistent with my position." A Giuliani
campaign spokesman further elaborated: "Mayor Giuliani has
been consistent in his position: he is personally opposed to abortion,
but at the same time he understands it is a personal and emotional
decision that should ultimately be left up to the woman. From
the start Mayor Giuliani has been straight with the American people
about where he stands on the issues and saying exactly what he
thinks." Planned
Parenthood is viewed as on the nation's leading pro-choice organizations. NEW HAMPSHIRE: The
latest WBZ-TV/SurveyUSA poll of likely primary voters shows Mitt
Romney and Hillary Clinton holding comfortable leads in their
respective contests. The
GOP: Romney - 32%, Rudy Giuliani - 23%, John McCain - 22%, Fred
Thompson -11%, Newt Gingrich - 4%, and "Other" - 5%.
The Dems: Clinton - 40%, Barack Obama - 24%, John
Edwards - 22%, "Other" - 10%. While the
Dem numbers are largely unchanged, Romney surged to the front
on the GOP side since the last poll. "THE THIRD FORCE": Respected political pundit
Howard Fineman had an
interesting column on MSNBC, ruminating about the possibility
of a significant Independent Presidential candidate in 2008. Referring
directly to a possible Indy run by billionaire NYC Mayor Mike
Bloomberg, Fineman says that former Vice President Al Gore, California
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, US Senator Chuck Hagel and US
Senator Joe Lieberman are "key players" in a mutual
admiration society of
independent-minded pols --
and all of them may be willing to break with their parties to
back a viable centrist Independent White House campaign next year.
In related news, Bloomberg on Tuesday shot down a newspaper report
that he was looking to run for NY Governor in 2010 instead of
President in 2008. "I have absolutely no interest, categorically.
I have never had a conversation about" running for Governor,
said Bloomberg. He was nowhere near as categorical in his comments
about a possible Presidential run, simply explaining yet again
that he has "no plans" at this time to run. MAINE:
Congressman Tom Allen (D) announced Tuesday he will run next year
against US Senator Susan Collins (R). "From the beginning,
when President Bush rushed to invade Iraq, Susan Collins has supported
his misguided policy. I fought to stop it. She voted for the Iraq
war. I voted against it. Susan Collins continues to vote with
the Republicans against a timetable to end the war in Iraq ...
Maine people tell me that they want our involvement in the Iraq
War, the worst foreign policy mistake in our nation’s history,
to end," said Allen. "Senator Collins has demonstrated
her effectiveness by working across party lines for the benefit
of Maine and the nation," said Collins' spokesperson. The
Collins-Allen fight is expected to be among the hottest challenger
races in the nation, as Dems have scored major gains in New England
in recent years against GOP moderates. Allen's CD-1 has a strong
Democratic tilt, and several Dems have already announced an intention
to run. DRAFT POWELL: US Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) is openly
urging former Secretary of State Colin Powell to jump into the
GOP Presidential race. According to the Columbus Dispatch,
Voinovich met with Powell last month to discuss the race. According
to Voinovich, Powell replied he was not interested because "he
had given his service to this country, and his wife's a little
bit reluctant about doing it." Voinovich was not willing
to accept that answer. "I said, 'You have a moral obligation
and I have a moral obligation, and this country is running out
of time ... I think we have a moral obligation to try to leave
a better legacy than it looks like we're going to leave to our
kids,'" said Voinovich. The Republican Senator also told
the newspaper he wants a quick end to the Iraq War: "I would
tell [President Bush] on the war that I would try to extricate
myself as gracefully as I possibly can."
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.09.07 | Permalink
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FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.09.07 | Permalink
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WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
MILLER
QUITS; HAGEL FLIRTS; FRED THOMPSON FLOPS; DOOLITTLE SPINS. KENTUCKY:
State Treasurer Jonathan Miller (D) abruptly quit the race
for Governor on Monday, just two weeks before the May 22 primary.
In withdrawing from the contest, Miller endorsed former
Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear for the Dem nomination. As the
frontrunners cemented their leads, Miller remained mired in the
second tier. Recent polls showed Beshear rapidly closing on wealthy
health care executive Bruce Lunsford, the current frontrunner.
The Miller endorsement will certainly be a boost to Beshear in
these closing days before the vote. HAGEL:
Appearing on Political Capital, maverick US Senator
Chuck Hagel (R-NE) again fanned the flames of speculation on the
2008 White House race. Hagel confirmed the story that he dined
last week with NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg. "The Mayor and I
had a delightful dinner. We talked about our families, we talked
about backgrounds, the world, Iraq, politics. There was no conversation
about the two of us teaming up on a ticket. We did talk about
the entire arc of interests that a couple of politicians would,"
said Hagel. Asked about making a possible Independent run next
year, Hagel replied: "I don't forgo any options. We'll see
how the political world develops." When pressed further if
he was considering an Independent run in 2008, Hagel said that
"it's a possible." Whether or not Hagel makes an Indy
run in 2008, his new comments make him sound much less like a
GOP candidate for re-election in 2008. Hagel as Independent candidate
for re-election in 2008 still could be possible -- but no GOP
candidate facing a tough primary challenge makes these kind of
comments. THOMPSON:
Former US Senator Fred Thompson's debut political speech as a
possible GOP White House candidate appears
to have been a flop. The speech was billed as Thompson's discussion
of his likely GOP agenda for 2008. Conservative columnist Bob
Novak described the speech as "a letdown for the packed audience"
and "one lackluster performance"
that left the Orange County Republican audience "tepid."
Novak said it was clear Thompson lacked adequate preparation to
"take up this daunting burden." The Politico,
a conservative-leaning DC political newspaper, was likewise unimpressed.
They described the speech as a "pull-up-a-chair speech"
that was "low key and at times meandering" and filled
with non-specific "reassuring, optimistic rhetoric."
Conservative pundit Hugh Hewitt called the speech "workmanlike,
but ... underwhelming." Hewitt added that Thompson's speaking
style and message reminded him of Vice President Cheney. FYI:
While I think Hewitt meant that Cheney comment as a compliment,
Dems can view it as a really sublime insult. DOOLITTLE: Embattled Congressman John Doolittle (R-CA)
says he is only the target of an Abramoff-related corruption probe
because the GOP-controlled US Justice Department was conspiring
to sacrifice him in order to protect Attorney General Al Gonzales.
Writing for the Auburn Journal -- a newspaper in his district
-- Doolittle penned a column in which he claimed the search was
"an attempt to intimidate us and garner media attention ... I
do not believe it was a coincidence that the leak came the day
before Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before Congress
on charges that his office was overly partisan in its firing of
eight U.S. Attorneys, especially considering Gonzales specifically
cited his recent prosecution of Republican members of Congress
as evidence to the contrary."
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.08.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.08.07 | Permalink
|
WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
BUSH
APPROVAL HITS NEW LOW; SCHAFFER SAYS HE DIDN'T ANNOUNCE; SARKOZY
WINS IN FRANCE. BUSH:
A new Newsweek poll shows President Bush's approval
rating has now dropped to 28%. That number is the lowest
recorded for any President since Jimmy Carter scored 28% during
the 1979 Iran embassy hostage crisis. The magazine reported the
Bush approval number is so low that it is "casting a dark
shadow over the GOP’s chances for victory in ’08."
History lesson: The Dems were destroyed just one year later in
the 1980 elections, carrying only five states in the Presidential
race, losing twelve US Senate seats and 35 US House seats. COLORADO: Despite
several news reports last week that former Congressman
Bob Schaffer (R) had announced his US Senate candidacy at a recent
Teller County GOP Dinner, Schaffer has now shot down the reports
as false. "I have not announced a candidacy or campaign
and if and when there is one, I will announce it at the appropriate
time," he told the Fort Collins Coloradoan. Schaffer
was previously an unsuccessful candidate for the US Senate nomination
in 2004. To date, the GOP remains without any candidate to oppose
Congressman Mark Udall (D) for the open US Senate seat. "I
do believe Bob Schaffer will be announcing his intention to run
or not to run in the near future. I do think the announcement
could come in the next few months and there will be plenty of
time to put together a campaign for next year," explained
State GOP Chair Dick Wadhams. "Every time the Republicans
nominate someone who is really far right, they get into trouble,
so if they nominate Bob Schaffer I will be thrilled," responded
State Democratic Chair Pat Waak. FRANCE: Conservative former Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy
was elected Sunday to be the next President of France. Sarkozy
defeated Socialist nominee Ségolène Royal by a 53%
to 47% vote. Sarkozy -- the son of a Hungarian Jewish immigrant
-- is a vocal Americophile and Bush admirer. He is also outspoken
in his opposition to radical Islam and about the dangers that
Islamic immigration presents to the French culture. Despite those
hot button issues, the nation's economic problems were the top
concerns in the final weeks. In his victory speech, Sarkozy made
a point of telling "my American friends that they can rely
on our friendship ... France will always be next to them when
they need us." Sarkozy also called upon the US to lead the
fight against global warming, or at least "not to impede"
the fight. President Bush called to congratulate Sarkozy. US Senators
Dick Lugar (R-IN) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also praised Sarkozy's
election as good news for the US. "It would be nice to have
someone who is head of France who doesn't almost have a knee-jerk
reaction against the United States," said Schumer.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.07.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread ... today without any editorializing.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.07.07 | Permalink
|
WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), \I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
GOP
"DEBATE"; OBAMA'S PROTECTION; FL BREAKS PRIMARY SCHEDULE;
MIKE & CHUCK SUP. GOP
DEBATE: "Ronald Reagan was great and I'd be just
like him" was the overriding theme espoused by nearly every
candidate on stage Thursday night in the first Republican
Presidential Debate. Just like the Democratic debate last week,
it
was a rather tepid event dominated by 90-minutes of largely safe,
predictable answers. One interesting moment came when the candidates
were asked by a show of hands if any of them did not believe in
the theory of evolution: three hands went up (Sam Brownback, Mike
Huckabee and Tom Tancredo). General thoughts on the evening: John
McCain seemed to do well in simply delivering a solid enough performance
that protected his first-tier status, while Hunter and Huckabee
registered the strongest performances by second-tier hopefuls
looking to emerge from the pack. Rudy Giuliani registered a somewhat
weak performance by seeming to waffle on some issues. Mitt Romney
looked very Presidential, but seemed to project himself as too
slick and overly rehearsed. Ron Paul and Tancredo set themselves
apart from the pack and from President Bush on some issues, but
appear too far removed from the GOP mainstream to gain much traction
in the primaries. Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore and Sam Brownback
registered fairly bland performances. In fact, I challenge you
to name a single unique point any of these three raised. Two big
winners were absent: non-candidates Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich.
There is clearly enough of a leadership vacuum and a lack of a
solid conservative frontrunner in the GOP race so as to allow
either or both of them to jump in this summer. The same probably
is not true for the absent Chuck Hagel, as he would have to compete
with Paul for anti-war Republican votes -- a decidedly minority
view among hardcore GOP "super voters." OBAMA: In response
to non-specific threats received to date, US Senator Barack Obama
this week was placed under US Secret Service protection. This
marks the earliest Secret Service protection has ever been given
to a Presidential primary candidate. FYI: US Senator Hillary
Clinton, as a former US First Lady, still retains the Secret Service
protection detail she has had since her days in the White House.
FLORIDA: Ignoring threats from both major parties, the
Florida Legislature on Thursday passed a bill to break the official
Presidential primary schedule. The bill -- which passed unanimously
-- moves the primary to the Tuesday following whenever the New
Hampshire primary is held (i.e., currently placing it on January
29). "With an earlier Presidential primary, Florida will
now take its rightful place near the front of the line in determining
the next leader of the free world," said Governor
Charlie Crist (R), who vowed to sign the bill. The RNC
says they will strip the Sunshine State's delegate total by at
least half. The DNC says they will strip the state of nearly all
delegates, refusing to recognize any delegates awarded in a pre-February
5 primary. Further, the DNC said it will disqualify any Florida
delegates awarded to candidates who campaigned in the state's
primary. Questions for the DNC: What defines "campaigning"
in Florida for the primary, and what date defines the start of
"campaigning for the primary"? The same bill that advanced
the primary date also
bans the use of touch screen electronic voting machines in the
state by 2012 and provides immediate funding for new scanner voting
machines which use paper ballots in time for the 2008 election. UNITY 08: Talk about an event seemingly staged to provoke
political whispers and media attention. NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg
(R-NY) and US Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) were spotted dining together
this week, according to MSNBC. I wrote back in May 2006 -- when
Unity08 was first unveiled -- that I believed the group was a
front for Bloomberg (and later wrote I saw a Bloomberg-Hagel or
Hagel-Bloomberg ticket coming out of the Unity08 movement). I
believe that to be true even more so today.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.04.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
AN EDITORIAL. As a Florida voter, I applaud my state's move to
advance our Presidential primary to January 29 (or earlier). I'm
tired of casting meaningless Presidential primary ballots long
after the handful of key earlier states have already decided the
nomination. I'm tired of having a primary in which the anointed
nominee wins 85% against Lyndon LaRouche and the last remaining
hopeless hopeful. I want our state to be pandered to by the frontrunners,
just like they do in Iowa, as they suddenly discover us and announce
their enthusiastic support for federal subsidies for some new
orange and sawgrass-based alternative fuel source (or whatever).
Does it mean we lose nearly all of our delegates for 2008? Yeah,
but 99.999% of Floridians won't care. And neither will McCain,
Obama, Romney, Clinton and the others who don't want to risk national
TV headlines about "losing" the Florida primary just
one week before roughly 30 other states cast ballots on February
5. Further, Florida is doing a long-term favor to the voters of
the 46 states not granted special early privileges by the two
major parties with their fixed schedule. Let's hope Florida's
brash move permanently destroys the Iowa and New Hampshire lock
on "first-in-the-nation" status. Starting in 2012, let's
come up with a fairer method of rotating which states get to hold
primaries in what order. Perhaps a series of 4-7 regional primaries,
each held 3-4 weeks apart ... or maybe the primaries could be
chosen by random draw ... or have states grouped into 4-5 primary
clusters based upon size (smallest states in the first group,
the largest states in the last group) to guarantee the nominee
cannot secure the number of delegates needed to win the nomination
until the final group votes. There is nothing magical, sacred
or oracle-like about Iowa and New Hampshire. Anything has to be
better than our current system. My state may lose nearly all of
our 2008 convention delegates by refusing to genuflect before
the bipartisan altar of corn and granite -- but we'll bring about
the end of the unfair schedule forced upon us by the strongarm
tactics of the DNC and RNC.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.04.07 | Permalink
|
WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), \I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
NORTHUP
ATTACKS; OBAMA UNFRIENDLY; RENZI GETS IN DEEPER; HICK CRUISES. KENTUCKY: Former Congresswoman Anne Northup (R) is on the
air with a very harsh TV attack spot blasting incumbent Governor
Ernie Fletcher (R). "29 members of Fletcher's administration
indicted. Eighty-five counts, felonies. Fletcher pardons them
all. The Governor, himself, takes the Fifth and is indicted,"
says the fake-ad-within-the-ad that Northup says the Dems will
certainly use to win in November if Fletcher wins the GOP nomination
later this month. OBAMA:
It was certainly understandable -- from a political strategy and
message control standpoint -- for US Senator Barack Obama's campaign
to muscle volunteer supporter Joe Anthony out of the way with
the grassroots MySpace page he created on his own two years to
encourage Obama to run. Anthony's page had signed up an impressive
network of over 160,000 Obama "friends" over those two
years. Even though Anthony gave Obama's campaign direct editing
access to the site and message veto power, they ultimately wanted
total control. The campaign appealed to MySpace.com, who agreed
to oust Anthony and give the site to Obama (although they agreed
that Anthony still owns the network listing of 160,000 people).
Maybe a smart move from purely a control perspective -- but definitely
a very uncool way to handle an enthusiastic supporter who did
a lot to help Obama. TechPresident.com
has the whole story. ILLINOIS: The race to replace retiring Congressman Luis
Gutierrez (D) is already getting crowded -- and the filing deadline
is still over seven months away for this very safe Dem seat. Chicago
City Aldermen Manny Flores and Ricardo Munoz, and Cook County
Commissioner Roberto Moldonado are already running, and others
are still looking at it. DENVER: Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) cruised to an easy
re-election win on Tuesday, defeating public works employee Danny
Lopez by a lopsided vote of 87% to 13%. The brew pub founder-turned-politician
is one of the most popular elected officials in the state. RENZI: Congressman Rick Renzi (R-AZ) was already reeling
from allegations last month he is the target of a major FBI corruption
probe. The bad news gets worse for Renzi, according to the Arizona
Republic, as newly released federal documents show he last
year paid a $25,000 fine to the Federal Elections Commission for
underreporting money to his congressional campaign. On top of
that, Renzi told the FEC he paid almost $324,000 in back taxes
to the IRS to settle related charges that his businesses improperly
financed his 2002 House campaign. He apparently used proof of
his IRS penalty payment to negotiate a lower FEC fine. Renzi says
he has no plans to resign, although GOP leaders are reportedly
pressing him to do so. In related news, attorney Ellen Simon (D)
-- who narrowly lost to Renzi last year -- filed paperwork this
week to run again in 2008.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.03.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
The daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.03.07 | Permalink
|
WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
IRAQ
TIMELINE FIGHT; FLETCHER, LUNSFORD LEAD IN KY GOV RACE; MORE POLLS.
SHOWDOWN
ACCOMPLISHED: The Congress last week passed the $124 billion
wartime spending bill requested by President Bush -- but included
the withdrawal timeline the White House opposed. And, as expected,
the President vetoed the bill Tuesday evening. While both sides
are currently resisting any movement from their stated positions,
various media sources report both sides will discuss possible
compromises. The reason: some Dems are waivering on requiring
the timeline provision, while some Republicans who supported the
President's hardline stance actually support a timeline and want
to see withdrawals begin soon. Thus, both sides know there is
some softness on their respective sides. Will there be any compromise?
My prediction: the Dems lose their nerve and fold before the President
folds.Stay tuned. KENTUCKY:
With just three weeks left, anew WHAS-TV/SurveyUSA poll gives
us a snapshot of the upcoming gubernatorial primaries. On the
GOP side, embattled incumbent Ernie Fletcher is
leading former Congresswoman Anne Northup by a vote of 46% to
34%, with wealthy businessman Billy Harper trailing far behind
at 14%. Fletcher, in fact, looks better positioned today to win
renomination than he did a few months ago. On the Democratic side,
multimillionaire health care executive Bruce Lunsford now leads
with 29%, former Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear had 23%, former
Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry had 18%, State House Speaker Jody
Richard is at 9%, State Treasurer Jonathan Miller has 7%, liberal
attorney Gatewood Galbraith is at 6%, and demolition contractor
Otis Hensley is at 1%. If no candidate gets 40% of the vote, the
top two advance to a June 26 run-off. PHILADELPHIA: There are only two weeks until the primary
in the open race for Philadelphia Mayor, and the Democratic contest
has narrowed into a virtual tie. The numbers: Deputy Mayor Tom
Knox - 29%, City Councilman Michael Nutter - 27%, Congressman
Chaka Fattah - 18%, Congressman Bob Brady - 11%, and State Representative
Dwight Evans - 9%. Nutter clearly has momentum, as he is up 13
points since the last poll two weeks ago, while Knox has dropped
by 3 points. It also looks like Fattah and Brady will be staying
in Congress. Based on city's voting history, the winner of the
Dem primary is heavily favored to win the general election to
replace term-limited Mayor John Street (D). IOWA: The latest American Research Group poll
of likely caucus-goers shows John Edwards and John McCain leading
in their respective contests. The Dems: Edwards - 27%, Hillary
Clinton - 23%, Barack Obama - 19%, Joe Biden - 6%, Bill Richardson
- 5%, and Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich tied with 2% each. The
GOP: McCain - 26%,
Rudy Giuliani - 19%, Mitt Romney - 14%, Fred Thompson - 13%, Newt
Gingrich - 8%, Mike Huckabee and Tom Tancredo tied with 2% apiece,
and everyone else each at 1% or less. NEW HAMPSHIRE: A new American Research Group poll of likely
primary voters shows Hillary Clinton leading the Dem primary field
in New Hampshire by a comfortable margin -- and Obama losing ground.
The numbers: Clinton - 37%, Edwards - 26%, Obama - 14%, Richardson
- 3%, Biden and Kucinich tied with 2% apiece, and Dodd at 1%.
On the GOP side, McCain leads Romney by a 29% to 24% vote. Giuliani
was third with 17%, followed by Fred Thompson at 7%, Gingrich
at 4%, and everyone else each at 1% or less. SOUTH CAROLINA: ARG is also out with a South Carolina poll.
Again the early leaders are Clinton and McCain. The Dems: Clinton
- 26%, Obama - 24%, Edwards - 18%, Biden
and Kucinich tied with 3% apiece, and all others at 1%
or less. The GOP: McCain - 36%, Giualiani - 23%, Fred Thompson
- 10%, Romney and Gingrich tied with 6% each, Huckabee - 2%, and
all others at 1% or less.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.02.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
The daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.02.07 | Permalink
|
WANNA
TRADE?
I'm interested in building up my collection of Canadian campaign
buttons. If you've got Canadian political buttons to trade (both
federal and provincial), I'm interesting in swapping
with you (and will also trade your Canadian buttons for some of
my great US pins). Please
drop me a note! Also interested in buying Canadian pins, if
you're not interested in trading.
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
ROMNEY'S
OSAMA FALLOUT; THOMPSON EDGES FORWARD; JOE SEES INDY MOVEMENT
RISING. ROMNEY:
In an interview with the AP, Mitt Romney (R) said the US would
see only "a very insignificant increase in safety" if
al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was captured or killed. "It's
not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars
just trying to catch one person," said Romney. Instead, Romney
said he supports "a broader strategy" to defeat Islamic
radicalism. "It takes a degree of naiveté to think
[bin Laden is] not an element in the struggle against radical
Islam," responded John McCain. "Governor Romney believes
that the terrorism threat posed by radical jihadists is larger
than only one person," reaffirmed Romney's spokesman. THOMPSON: Former US Senator and actor Fred
Thompson (R) still hasn't made a final decision on running for
President, but he continues to edge closer to running. According
to The Politico, Thompson's political advisers are
already interviewing potential campaign managers and laying the
groundwork to make it possible for a late entry campaign. According
to the newspaper, Thompson -- if he runs -- is looking to announce
during the Summer, likely in June or July. Thompson also is interested
in using the Internet and a limited number of large rally-type
events as a way of avoiding the traditional, full-time, retail-style
campaigning in Iowa, New Hampshire and other early contest states
used by all the other hopefuls. Thompson wants to run "a
low-impact presidential campaign," reported the newspaper.
"You show up, you're accessible, but you don't have to go
to every county seat several times," said one Thompson adviser.
"He doesn't have to go diner to diner and church to church,"
said another adviser. Those comments seem to peg Thompson's attitude
pretty accurately. "Going on the road for months at a time
... I wouldn't do that. I don't think it has to be done that way.
I know people will expect that of everyone -- to run frenetically
around for years -- and I don't do frenetic very well," Thompson
told FOX News. In related news, Thompson said in a speech Friday
that the US should help Iranians overthrow their government. "Many
Iranians don't like their government, and I think we ought to
capitalize on that. There is a chance they may mobilize themselves,
and we need to assist them if that happens," Thompson
told the AP. P2008: US Senator Joe Lieberman (Ind.Dem-CT) said he sees
a real opportunity for an Independent Presidential candidate to
have a serious shot at winning in 2008 because of voter anger
with the status quo. Speaking on Monday at an American Enterprise
Institute forum, Lieberman said: "The fastest-growing political
party in America today is no party ... People are registering
as Independents because they're fed up with -- they don't see
them in the two major parties and they're sick of the fury, the
partisanship and instability. And I think if the two major parties
don't hear this going into '08, there is a real chance of an Independent
third-party candidacy. And watch out, if that happens." In
case you're wondering, Lieberman again insisted he will not be
an Independent candidate in 2008.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.01.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Happy May Day! Today was the original International Labor Day
(or International Workers Day, depending upon the translation)
-- the date selected by the international trade union movement
in honor of the memory of Chicago's framed Haymarket
martyrs -- but the date of the formal Labor Day in the US
was later moved when this day become associated too closely with
the Labor Day celebration around the globe by closely associated
with socialist and communist parties.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.01.07 | Permalink
|
COLORADO:
State Board of Education Member and former Congressman Bob Schaffer
(R) waffled in recent days about entering the open US Senate race
-- first announcing two weeks ago he would run, then announcing
days later he had not made any decision, then formally filing
paperwork this week to run. "After considerable assessment,
I've decided I'm going to begin putting a campaign together to
run for the United States Senate," said Schaffer. In 2004,
he lost the GOP primary for US Senate by a 20-point margin. This
time Schaffer's prospects for winning the nomination look much
better. Attorney General John Suthers and retired USAF General
Bentley Rayburn immediately let Schaffer know they would not challenge
him for the nomination. Schaffer thanked the two men, saying they
"deferred their ambition to me." The NRCC had tried
to recruit Suthers to run, believing his more centrist views made
him more electable in November. Barring a total surprise opponent,
Schaffer should cruise to the GOP nomination to replace retiring
US Senator Wayne Allard (R). However -- as Schaffer comes from
the arch-conservative wing of the party -- he likely will be an
underdog to Congressman Mark Udall (D) in the general election.
Chris
Cannon (R) to the list of incumbents facing serious primary opposition
in 2008. Cannon has won a series of unimpressive primary renomination
contests in recent years, frequently being attacked for being
insufficiently conservative on immigration and trade issues. This
time his announced primary candidates include former Juab County
Prosecutor David Leavitt, wealthy businessman John Jacob, and
Governor Huntsman Chief of Staff Jason Chaffetz. Chaffetz, a former
BYU football player, recently stepped down from his state post
to make the race. Leavitt is the bother of former Utah Governor
and current US HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. Jacob, Cannon's primary
opponent in 2006, is an anti-immigration activist closely aligned
with Congressman Tom Tancredo. Bombastic former Congressman Merrill
Cook, a perennial candidate, is also looking at making a challenge.
"The failings of Mr. Cannon are so evident, obviously there
is going to be a number of challengers. All I can do is put my
best foot forward and see if I'm the right messenger with the
right message ... [Cannon] has not instituted good conservative
practices," said Chaffetz to the Deseret News. Cannon
said he welcomes a meaningful debate with his GOP challengers,
but only if they don't use "a lot of exaggerations and distortions.
In the last two cycles, we've had a lot of statements that weren't
true." Cannon only had $82,000 in his campaign account as
of the most recent reporting period. The CD-3 seat is safely Republican.
spotted
having a private dinner together at a restaurant a week ago. Now,
just days after Bloomberg relaunched his old campaign site for
no apparent reason except to keep the rumors swirling, Hagel further
stoked the fire. Appearing on CBS's Meet the Press, Hagel
said he'll make a decision on running for President or Vice President
as an Independent by "late summer." He acknowledged
running on a ticket with the billionaire publishing mogul Bloomberg
is a real possibility. "We didn't make any deals. But I think
Mayor Bloomberg is the kind of individual who should seriously
think about [running as an Independent for President]. It's a
great country to think about -- a New York boy and a Nebraska
boy -- to be teamed up leading this nation," said Hagel.
He explained he is a lifelong Republican, but that the party "of
Eisenhower, of Goldwater, of Reagan" was "hijacked by
a group of single-minded almost isolationists, insulationists,
power-projectors." He added: "This country is in trouble.
The world is in trouble. And we need some new, fresh, independent
ideas to lead this country forward." With Hagel's frequent
use of the word "independent," it's pretty safe to predict
he won't be seeking reelection next year -- at least not as a
Republican. Bloomberg and Hagel are both Iraq War opponents, but
on first blush they appear to have little else in common beyond
their maverick reputations. Bloomberg is pro-choice, pro-gay marriage,
pro-medical marijuana, pro-gun control. Hagel holds generally
opposite views, and has one of the most conservative voting records
in the US Senate. However, if he no longer plans to run again
in conservative Nebraska, Hagel may be planning to rapidly shift
to a more centrist agenda.
Congresswoman
Jean Schmidt (R) looks to be in for yet another rough election
cycle. In the 2005 special election, she narrowly won a crowded
GOP primary and then survived to win an unexpectedly close general
election. In 2006, she faced a Republican primary rematch from
former Congressman Bob McEwen and then a surprisingly competitive
general election against physician Victoria Wulsin (D). Well,
Wulsin is already running again -- but Schmidt also looks likely
to yet again face a significant GOP primary challenge. Former
Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich (R) officially announced
his candidacy last week, saying he's already raised over $120,000
for the race. Heimlich "is unemployed and unpopular and he
wants to run. Well, we welcome him to the race," said Schmidt's
spokesman. Fiscal conservative Coalition Opposed to Additional
Spending and Taxes (COAST) group co-founder and State Representative
Tom Brinkman says he's also interested in running. Brinkman says
he'd like the anti-Schmidt Republicans to unite behind a single
challenger, and expressed disappointment that Heimlich is trying
to grab an advantage in that informal selection process. Now --
here is where it gets really interesting: The Hill reports
others considering GOP primary runs against Schmidt include former
Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Hamilton County Prosecutor Jim
Deters and former Abu Ghraib Prison Hospital Chief of Surgery
Brad Wenstrup. Blackwell was the GOP nominee for Governor last
year, while Deters was formerly State Treasurer. Schmidt's spokesman
said the best thing for the incumbent would be a multiple primary
challengers who split the anti-Schmidt vote. Still, Schmidt could
be facing the toughest fight of her career in 2008.
Members
of Congress who met with President Bush in private on Tuesday
to demand he make changes to his Iraq War policy. The "Gang
of Eleven" members: Mark Kirk (R-IL), Charlie Dent (R-PA),
Tom Davis (R-VA), Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Todd Platts (R-PA), Mike
Castle (R-DE), Jim Ramstad (R-MN), Jim Walsh (R-NY), Jim Gerlach
(R-PA), Ray LaHood (R-IL) and House Minority Leader John Boehner
(R-OH). The group brought polling data and personal worries to
the meeting to tell the President his Iraq War policies could
doom the Republicans -- and the eleven legislators themselves
-- to significant electoral defeats in 2008.
Mayor
Mike Bloomberg relaunched 
That would ensure no DNC sanctions against the state. DNC Chair
Howard Dean has threatened to strip the state of nearly all its
delegates, and bar any delegates from being awarded to candidates
who campaign in the state's primary. US Senator Bill Nelson, Congresswoman
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and several other prominent Dems -- plus
various newspaper editorials around the state -- oppose the caucus
idea. They say the DNC must find a compromise to allow the primary
to go forward on January 29, allow delegates to be awarded from
it, and impose less severe sanctions against the state. Otherwise,
they warn, the DNC risks dangerously alienating some of the party's
biggest national donors, key activists and voters in a battleground
swing state. RNC Chair and US Senator Mel Martinez, meanwhile,
told the Palm Beach Post that "as a Floridian"
he was "perfectly fine" with his homestate defying the
RNC and advanced the primary to January 29 because it "makes
Florida more relevant." Martinez said he can live with the
sanctions he already announced on behalf of the RNC -- that the
Florida Republicans will see their convention delegate total halved
-- and that no further sanctions would be imposed. The Florida
Republican Party "knows what the consequences of doing it
are and they're OK with it," explaind Martinez. Clinton,
Obama, Romney and McCain have already announced they plan to campaign
in Florida's January 29 primary. Perhaps the DNC, as a face-saving
compromise, should simply follow the RNC's lead and impose identical
sanctions.
Mark
Kirk (R-IL) and Charlie Dent (R-PA) -- met secretly Tuesday with
President Bush to candidly voice their concerns about the Iraq
War. According to NBC News, the group urged the President to "change
direction" in Iraq. The meeting was held in the private residential
quarters of the White House, lasted 75 minutes, and was also attended
by Secretary of State Condi Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates, political adviser Karl Rove and press secretary Tony Snow.
And, as NBC had detailed info about the private meeting, news
of what happened was clearly leaked by some of the GOP Congressmen.
One legislator told the President his district was prepared for
defeat in Iraq and wanted a change of direction in policy. Another
told the President that "the word about the war and its progress
cannot come from the White House or even you, Mr. President, [as]
there is no longer any credibility. It has to come from General
Petraeus." The President responded to the blunt criticism
by explaining "I don’t want to pass this off to another
President. I don’t want to pass this off, particularly,
to a Democratic President." Reportedly, the group consisted
almost entirely of mainstream Republicans from potentially swing
districts who are worried about the President's Iraq policy and
the impact it could have on the 2008 elections. They reportedly
support the concept of a timeline or benchmarks for US withdrawal
from Iraq.
nothing
to spin or apologize about in a response to news reports he made
six personal donations in the last decade to Planned Parenthood.
Appearing Tuesday on conservative pundit Laura Ingraham's radio
show, Giuliani said "Planned Parenthood makes information
available. It's consistent with my position." A Giuliani
campaign spokesman further elaborated: "Mayor Giuliani has
been consistent in his position: he is personally opposed to abortion,
but at the same time he understands it is a personal and emotional
decision that should ultimately be left up to the woman. From
the start Mayor Giuliani has been straight with the American people
about where he stands on the issues and saying exactly what he
thinks." Planned
Parenthood is viewed as on the nation's leading pro-choice organizations.
:
Congressman Tom Allen (D) announced Tuesday he will run next year
against US Senator Susan Collins (R). "From the beginning,
when President Bush rushed to invade Iraq, Susan Collins has supported
his misguided policy. I fought to stop it. She voted for the Iraq
war. I voted against it. Susan Collins continues to vote with
the Republicans against a timetable to end the war in Iraq ...
Maine people tell me that they want our involvement in the Iraq
War, the worst foreign policy mistake in our nation’s history,
to end," said Allen. "Senator Collins has demonstrated
her effectiveness by working across party lines for the benefit
of Maine and the nation," said Collins' spokesperson. The
Collins-Allen fight is expected to be among the hottest challenger
races in the nation, as Dems have scored major gains in New England
in recent years against GOP moderates. Allen's CD-1 has a strong
Democratic tilt, and several Dems have already announced an intention
to run.
THOMPSON:
Former US Senator Fred Thompson's debut political speech as a
possible GOP White House candidate appears
to have been a flop. The speech was billed as Thompson's discussion
of his likely GOP agenda for 2008. Conservative columnist Bob
Novak described the speech as "a letdown for the packed audience"
and "one lackluster performance"
that left the Orange County Republican audience "tepid."
Novak said it was clear Thompson lacked adequate preparation to
"take up this daunting burden." The Politico,
a conservative-leaning DC political newspaper, was likewise unimpressed.
They described the speech as a "pull-up-a-chair speech"
that was "low key and at times meandering" and filled
with non-specific "reassuring, optimistic rhetoric."
Conservative pundit Hugh Hewitt called the speech "workmanlike,
but ... underwhelming." Hewitt added that Thompson's speaking
style and message reminded him of Vice President Cheney. FYI:
While I think Hewitt meant that Cheney comment as a compliment,
Dems can view it as a really sublime insult.
Congressman
Bob Schaffer (R) had announced his US Senate candidacy at a recent
Teller County GOP Dinner, Schaffer has now shot down the reports
as false. "I have not announced a candidacy or campaign
and if and when there is one, I will announce it at the appropriate
time," he told the Fort Collins Coloradoan. Schaffer
was previously an unsuccessful candidate for the US Senate nomination
in 2004. To date, the GOP remains without any candidate to oppose
Congressman Mark Udall (D) for the open US Senate seat. "I
do believe Bob Schaffer will be announcing his intention to run
or not to run in the near future. I do think the announcement
could come in the next few months and there will be plenty of
time to put together a campaign for next year," explained
State GOP Chair Dick Wadhams. "Every time the Republicans
nominate someone who is really far right, they get into trouble,
so if they nominate Bob Schaffer I will be thrilled," responded
State Democratic Chair Pat Waak.
it
was a rather tepid event dominated by 90-minutes of largely safe,
predictable answers. One interesting moment came when the candidates
were asked by a show of hands if any of them did not believe in
the theory of evolution: three hands went up (Sam Brownback, Mike
Huckabee and Tom Tancredo). General thoughts on the evening: John
McCain seemed to do well in simply delivering a solid enough performance
that protected his first-tier status, while Hunter and Huckabee
registered the strongest performances by second-tier hopefuls
looking to emerge from the pack. Rudy Giuliani registered a somewhat
weak performance by seeming to waffle on some issues. Mitt Romney
looked very Presidential, but seemed to project himself as too
slick and overly rehearsed. Ron Paul and Tancredo set themselves
apart from the pack and from President Bush on some issues, but
appear too far removed from the GOP mainstream to gain much traction
in the primaries. Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore and Sam Brownback
registered fairly bland performances. In fact, I challenge you
to name a single unique point any of these three raised. Two big
winners were absent: non-candidates Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich.
There is clearly enough of a leadership vacuum and a lack of a
solid conservative frontrunner in the GOP race so as to allow
either or both of them to jump in this summer. The same probably
is not true for the absent Chuck Hagel, as he would have to compete
with Paul for anti-war Republican votes -- a decidedly minority
view among hardcore GOP "super voters."
OBAMA:
It was certainly understandable -- from a political strategy and
message control standpoint -- for US Senator Barack Obama's campaign
to muscle volunteer supporter Joe Anthony out of the way with
the grassroots MySpace page he created on his own two years to
encourage Obama to run. Anthony's page had signed up an impressive
network of over 160,000 Obama "friends" over those two
years. Even though Anthony gave Obama's campaign direct editing
access to the site and message veto power, they ultimately wanted
total control. The campaign appealed to MySpace.com, who agreed
to oust Anthony and give the site to Obama (although they agreed
that Anthony still owns the network listing of 160,000 people).
Maybe a smart move from purely a control perspective -- but definitely
a very uncool way to handle an enthusiastic supporter who did
a lot to help Obama. 
KENTUCKY:
With just three weeks left, anew WHAS-TV/SurveyUSA poll gives
us a snapshot of the upcoming gubernatorial primaries. On the
GOP side, embattled incumbent Ernie Fletcher is
leading former Congresswoman Anne Northup by a vote of 46% to
34%, with wealthy businessman Billy Harper trailing far behind
at 14%. Fletcher, in fact, looks better positioned today to win
renomination than he did a few months ago. On the Democratic side,
multimillionaire health care executive Bruce Lunsford now leads
with 29%, former Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear had 23%, former
Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry had 18%, State House Speaker Jody
Richard is at 9%, State Treasurer Jonathan Miller has 7%, liberal
attorney Gatewood Galbraith is at 6%, and demolition contractor
Otis Hensley is at 1%. If no candidate gets 40% of the vote, the
top two advance to a June 26 run-off.
poll
of likely caucus-goers shows John Edwards and John McCain leading
in their respective contests. The Dems: Edwards - 27%, Hillary
Clinton - 23%, Barack Obama - 19%, Joe Biden - 6%, Bill Richardson
- 5%, and Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich tied with 2% each. The
GOP: McCain - 26%,
Rudy Giuliani - 19%, Mitt Romney - 14%, Fred Thompson - 13%, Newt
Gingrich - 8%, Mike Huckabee and Tom Tancredo tied with 2% apiece,
and everyone else each at 1% or less.
