ROMNEY
"NOT CHRISTIAN"; NEO-NAZIS FOR RON PAUL; ARG POLLS;
WARNER CRUISES IN VA. ROMNEY:Bloomberg
News Service highlights a real example of the serious problems
Mitt Romney will face in the South over his religious beliefs.
Here is what Congressman Bob Inglis (R) advised Romney: "I
told him, you cannot equate Mormonism with Christianity. You cannot
say 'I am a Christian just like you.' If he does that, every Baptist
preacher in the South is going to have to go to the pulpit on
Sunday and explain the differences." Yet another Evangelical
leader -- trying to say something nice about Romney -- also came
off as patronizing and offensive towards LDS'ers. Focus on the
Family Political Director Tom Minnery noted that Romney "allayed
some fears'' about his religion by showing he didn't turn "the
Governor's Mansion in Massachusetts into a Mormon temple." PAUL. Nothing here directly connects the dots ...
but it seems rather curious how excited neo-Nazis, skinheads and
white supremacists are in support of Congressman Ron Paul's (R)
Presidential candidacy. Stormfront
-- the web's leading Neo-Nazi/Skinhead website, run by white supremacist
leader Don Black -- displays a "Ron Paul Revolution"
banner ads on the footer of each page. Also check out David Duke's
WhiteCivilRights.com
site, which prominently publishes articles authored by Ron Paul
on the homepage -- along with Paul campaign updates and pictures
of Paul campaign events. Why no denunciation of these hate groups
by Paul? Pretty scary stuff. (Note: Thanks to our blog posters,
as I found these links in yesterday's blog thread.) IOWA. A new American Research Group (ARG) poll shows Hillary
Clinton and Mitt Romney holding solid leads in their respective
contests. The DEM numbers: Hillary Clinton - 32%, Barack Obama
- 22%, John Edwards - 15%, Bill Richardson - 7%, Joe Biden - 5%,
Chris Dodd - 2%, and Dennis Kucinich - 1%. The GOP numbers: Mitt
Romney - 27%, Mike Huckabee - 19%, Rudy Giuliani - 16%, John McCain
- 14%, Fred Thompson - 8%, Tom Tancredo - 2%, Ron Paul - 1%. NEW HAMPSHIRE. A new ARG poll shows Hillary Clinton and
Mitt Romney also holding solid leads in the Granite State. The
DEM numbers: Hillary Clinton - 40%, Barack Obama - 22%, John Edwards
- 10%, Bill Richardson - 5%, Joe Biden - 4%, and Chris Dodd and
Dennis Kucinich tied with 3% each. The GOP numbers: Mitt Romney
- 30%, Rudy Giuliani - 23%, John McCain - 17%, Mike Huckabee -
7%, Fred Thompson - 5%, and all others at 1% or less apiece. SOUTH CAROLINA. ARG also has a new SC primary poll. The
DEM numbers: Hillary Clinton - 41%, Barack Obama - 19%, John Edwards
- 18%, Joe Biden - 6%, and all others at 1% or less each. The
GOP numbers: Mitt Romney - 29%, Rudy Giuliani - 23%, John McCain
- 13%, Fred Thompson - 10%, Mike Huckabee - 5%, Ron Paul - 4%,
Duncan Hunter - 2%, and all others at 1% or less apiece. VIRGINIA. A new Rasmussen Reports poll on the US Senate
race: Mark Warner (D) - 53%, Jim Gilmore (R) - 37%.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
SATIRICAL EDITORIAL: (Spain - 1492) - Tomás de Torquemada,
Queen
Isabella's nominee to be the new Inquisitor General of Spain,
today said he found the rack, strappado, and toca
(also called tortura del agua) to all be "repugnant"
practices. However, he stopped short of saying whether those "harsh
interrogation" methods violated Spanish laws banning "torture."
Torquemada explained that Spanish true believers are at war with
heretics who are seeking to destroy our Godly kingdom and spread
the violent, evil beliefs out to destroy our culture. "As
repugnant as those harsh practicities are, the evil we are threatened
with is an even greater threat to our security. I'm simply not
prepared at this time to declare these methods to be 'torture,'"
he explained, but promised to look further into the issue.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.31.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
TANCREDO
RETIRES; NEW IOWA POLL; NADER, McKINNEY WEIGH GREEN RUNS; NH ENDORSEMENTS. COLORADO.Congressman
Tom Tancredo (R) -- a 2008 Presidential hopeful -- announced Monday
he will not see re-election next year. "It's the fact that
I really believe I have done all I can do in the House, especially
about the issue [immigration] about which I care greatly,"
Tancredo explained to the Rocky Mountain News. Tancredo
also said that if his White House bid fails, he's thinking of
running against US Senator Ken Salazar (D) in 2010. No word as
to whether Tancredo would also consider continuing his Prez run
as a third party candidate under the Constitution Party banner
-- but his decision not to seek re-election gives Tancredo the
third party option without negative repercussions in a messy House
renomination fight. Iraq War veteran and Secretary of State Mike
Coffman (R) is quickly laying the groundwork for a likely run,
and is viewed as the prohibitive favorite for both the primary
and general if he jumps in. Several other Republican office holders
are also looking at the race. While Dems will make a run at this
open seat, the GOP should be able to hold this seat by a comfortable
margin. IOWA. A new University of Iowa poll shows a close Democratic
Presidential contest, but a clear frontrunner for the GOP primary.
The DEM numbers: Hillary Clinton - 29%, Barack Obama - 26%, John
Edwards - 20%, Bill Richardson - 7%, Joe Biden - 5%, and all others
at 1% or less. The GOP numbers: Mitt Romney - 36%, Rudy Giuliani
and Mike Huckabee tied at 13% apiece, Fred Thompson - 11%, John
McCain - 6%, Tom Tancredo - 2%, and all others at 1% or less.
Interestingly, 55% of Democrats and 63% of Republicans said they
were somewhat likely or very likely to change their minds about
the candidate they were supporting before the January 3 caucuses.
One disclaimer: UIowa apparently
doesn't screen as tightly for likely caucus goers as do some
other leading polls. P2008.
Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney continue to keep their third
party options open for the 2008 Presidential race. Both are taking
steps the maximize their options. The latest proof: Nader and
McKinney each allowed their names to be placed on the California
Presidential primary ballot for both the Green Party and Peace
& Freedom Party contests, according to Ballot
Access News. Socialist Party nominee Brian Moore will also
compete in the PFP primary. The PFP primary is a beauty contest,
as the party's ballot line on the November ballot in the state
is decided at a summer convention. McKinney has also allowed her name
to be placed on the Green primary ballot for the Illinois primary.
Nader and McKinney have both expressed an interest in the Green
nomination, but each also claims to have not yet made any decision
on running next year. NEW HAMPSHIRE. Two significant Presidential endorsements
in the Granite State on Monday. US Senator Judd Gregg (R) -- the
key prize among NH GOP leaders -- endorsed Mitt Romney. Portsmouth
Mayor Steve Marchard (D) -- a favorite of NH progressives -- endorsed
Bill Richardson.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.30.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Two days. Yup, it's a countdown to a big birthday. Whose? Politics1,
of course! We celebrate 10 -- count 'em T-E-N -- years
online as of November 1.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.30.07 | Permalink
|
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
McCONNELL
BELOW 50%; EDWARDS HITS 99; GHOSTS FOR RUDY; McCAIN PRESSES MUKASEY
TO ANSWER TORTURE QUESTIONS. KENTUCKY. US Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell (R) may be in trouble as he faces reelection next year.
A new independent poll shows him unable to crack the 50% mark
against any of the possible Dems. According to the new Lexington
Herald Leader/Research 2000 poll, McConnell leads State Auditor
Crit Luallen (D) by a 45% to 40% vote. McConnell leads outgoing
Attorney General Greg Stumbo (D) by a 46% to 37% vote. Congressman
Ben Chandler (D) trailed McConnell by a 46% to 41% vote. Even
a little known hopeful -- retired USMC officer and attorney Andrew
Horne (D), who lost a '06 congressional primary -- kept McConnell
under to 50% (45% to 34%). The poll also showed 47% of voters
have a favorable view of McConnell, versus 46% who expressed an
unfavorable view of him. Stumbo has already launched a Senate
exploratory committee. Chandler told the newspaper he will not
run for Senate in 2008 because he plans to stay in the House "for
a while longer" (hint: he's going to run for US Senator Jim
Bunning's seat in 2010). Luallen and Horne both confirmed they
were looking at the McConnell race. IOWA.
Presidential hopeful John Edwards (D) this weekend visited
his 99th county in the state -- meaning he has now visited every
Iowa county. In the caucus process, this very thorough outreach
effort usually gives candidates a major boost. Underdog Edwards
finished a surprisingly close second place in the 2004 Iowa caucuses,
after visiting all 99 counties. By contrast, Hillary Clinton has
only visited 39 of the counties and Barack Obama has so far visited
59 Iowa counties. GIULIANI. Call it an endorsement from beyond the grave,
a seemingly timely event for the Halloween season. The late President
Gerald Ford has apparently thrown his support behind Rudy Giuliani's
Presidential bid. According to New York Daily News reporter
Thomas DeFrank -- a close Ford confidant -- Ford told him last
year that Rudy Giuliani should be the GOP nominee for 2008 "if
[the Republicans] want to win ... He's really good, he's articulate
-- he's just a leader." DeFrank and Ford engaged in an ongoing,
off-the-record conversation for 32 years. Ford had a deal with
DeFrank that he could publish everything he said, but only after
his death. Thus the title of DeFrank's new book about Ford's private
thoughts: Write
It When I'm Gone. CABINET. John McCain (R) is the latest US Senator to voice
serious concerns over retired federal judge Michael Mukasey's
nomination to be Attorney General. Mukasey
initially looked like a safe bet to win an easy confirmation --
but that was before he declined to give clear answers last week
on his views on the legality of the US government torturing suspected
terrorism suspects. McCain -- who was brutally tortured for years
as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam and cannot raise his hands
above his shoulder because of the lingering damage -- is one of
the sharpest opponents to the US torturing captured combatants.
He's repeatedly called for the US to honor in good faith the Geneva
Convention protections for prisoners. Speaking last week before
the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mukasey refused to say whether
he considered the Bush Administration's "harsh interrogation"
techniques such as waterboarding to be unlawful "torture."
Waterboarding is a torture interrogation technique that was widely
used by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the 1970s and by the French
military in Algeria in the late 1950s. It simulates drowning to
the extent that the victim is totally unable to breathe until
the waterboarding session is stopped -- and can actually result
in death in some circumstances. "I can't be that absolute
[as to how I will vote on confirmation] but I want to know his
answer ... This is a very important issue to me," McCain
told ABC News on Sunday. The two top members of the Judiciary
Committee -- Chair Pat Leahy (D-VT) and ranking minority member
Arlen Specter (R-PA) -- both insist Mukasey must give clear answers
on the torture questions if he wants to be confirmed. As for McCain,
he clearly considers waterboarding to be a form of torture. "Anyone
who says they don't know if waterboarding is torture ... has no
experience in the conduct of warfare and national security,"
said McCain, in a direct slam at Rudy Giuliani's comment last
week that he was "not sure it is [torture] either, it depends
on how it is done, it depends on the circumstances, it depends
on who does it."
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.29.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Last month I wrote a short article
on my surprise encounter with colorful Nixonian dirty trickster,
Roy Cohn pal and Trump advisor Roger Stone.
If you think the guy is a colorful character, check out the cover
story that the conservative Weekly Standard just wrote
about Stone. Reading the piece, I've gotta say he is one seriously
weird dude.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.29.07 | Permalink
|
WEEKEND
OPEN THREAD.
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Have at it.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.27.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
WA
GOV REMATCH SET; McNULTY RETIRING; SAM & RUDY, CONT'D; RON
PAUL HINTS; DAVIS VENTS. WASHINGTON.
Voters will see a rematch of the hotly contested 2004 open gubernatorial
contest between Christine Gregoire (D) and Dino Rossi (R). Gregoire
was the declared the 129-vote winner (out of 2.7 million votes)
weeks after the election ended, following a lengthy statewide
recount. Gregoire has already raised $3 million for the 2008 race,
as a rematch had been anticipated. Classify this race as a toss-up.
NEW YORK. Congressman Mike McNulty (D) will announce his retirement
on Monday, according to the Albany Times-Union. McNulty,
60, was first elected in 1988. From the start, McNulty has regularly
won re-election by landslide margins. When veteran Congressman
Sam Stratton (D) retired in 1988, McNulty was his anointed successor.
Now that McNulty is retiring, Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton
(D) -- Sam's son -- is already being mentioned as a possible candidate
for the seat. Stay tuned to see if McNulty attempts to pass the
CD-21 baton back to the Stratton family. CALIFORNIA. A new federal subpoena was issued this week
in the ongoing FBI corruption probe of Congressman John Doolittle
(R-CA). This subpoena, directed at the Chief Administrative Officer
of the US House, requests all copies of Doolittle office emails.
Copies of all emails sent to/from House offices are apparently
saved to central email backup tapes. The CAO oversees all electronic
communications for Members of Congress and their staff that pass
through the official house.gov servers. GIULIANI. US Senator Sam
Brownback (R-KS) met Thursday with former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani,
then made a point of spending time posing with Giuliani for media
photographers. Brownback also lavished praise on Giuliani, saying
he was “much more comfortable now that I understand the
Mayor’s position [on abortion] ... and I think that’s
a very, very different future for this country [with Giuliani
as President] than Hillary Clinton, who would appoint judges who
I think would be liberal activist judges." According to The
Hill, sources close to Brownback said he plans to make an
official endorsement in the Presidential race within a month.
Brownback also met with John McCain this week, and spoke with
three other White House hopefuls by phone. However, most now believe
Brownback is strongly leaning towards a Giuliani endorsement.
Pundits expect there is very little chance Brownback would endorse
either Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee due to personal reasons which
arose during the campaign. A Brownback endorsement would be seen
as a major coup for Giuliani, as it would help show Religious
Right leaders are becoming more willing to support him, and Giuliani
could try to absorb Brownback's extensive grassroots network in
Iowa. PAUL: In an interview this week with MSNBC, Congressman
Ron Paul (R) pushed open the door for a possible third-party run
a bit wider. "No, I don't plan to run in a third party. That's
not my goal. But if we have a [Republican] candidate that loves
the war and loves the neocon position of promoting --," said
Paul, who did not complete his answer. VIRGINIA: Congressman Tom Davis (R) on Thursday said rumors
of his looming retirement were "greatly exaggerated."
However, Davis said he had not decided yet whether to seek re-election
next year and will actively continue fundraising for his re-election
in order to keep his 2008 options open. Davis also used his remarks
to bash his own party. He attacked the Virginia GOP leaders for
deciding to select a US Senate nominee next year with a convention
instead of a primary, calling that a process "behind closed
doors." He then went on to attack the national Republican
Party as being "at a fork in the road right now, and we’re
standing still. In my opinion, if the Republicans want to be a
national party, we’re going to have to change the way we
do some things. To date, that isn’t happening." He
called on his party to abandon the current “issue matrix”
that emphasized cultural and social issues. Instead, Davis said
the GOP must return to its roots as a more centrist party that
focuses on economic issues. As for the open US Senate race, Davis
said he plans to be "disengaged" from everything political
except his own race decision -- but promised he would quietly
support the GOP Senate nominee next year.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.26.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.26.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
MICHIGAN
TO CRASH NH'S PARTY; KERREY OUT; DAVIS MAY QUIT; SAM CONSIDERS
RUDY ENDORSEMENT. MICHIGAN.
US Senator Carl Levin (D) vowed to The Politico he will
do whatever he needs to do to ensure the Michigan contest is on
the same day as the New Hampshire primary. The newspaper said
Levin is trying to force New Hampshire into holding a December
2007 primary, a move which will likely end the protected first-in-the-nation
status for New Hampshire and Iowa as of 2012. Levin explained
that Michigan Dems are willing to hold a caucus instead of a primary
to ensure it takes place on whatever date NH Secretary of State
Bill Gardner select's for NH's primary. NEBRASKA.
Former US Senator Bob Kerrey (D) announced Wednesday he will
not be a candidate for the open US Senate seat next year. Kerrey
will instead remain in New York City as a university president.
With Kerrey out -- the DSCC's top recruitment target -- former
Governor Mike Johanns (R) becomes a heavy favorite to win the
open seat (presuming, of course, he survives the primary challenge
from Attorney General Jon Bruning). VIRGINIA: According to several published sources, Congressman
Tom Davis (R) -- who has decided to pass on the open US Senate
race -- now appears instead to be on the verge of announcing his
retirement from the House. Roll Call reports a retirement
announcement could come as soon as this week. With Davis out,
the swing seat would move into the Leans Dem category. GIULIANI. US Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), who quit the
Presidential race last week, is considering endorsing former NYC
Mayor Rudy Giuliani for President. Brownback confirmed to The
Hill he will meet with Giuliani on Thursday to discuss various
issues. "I’m going to meet with him and I’m going
to talk to him and hear what he is specifically saying now because
he’s changed on a number of the abortion issues ... I haven’t
decided who or if and I haven’t decided when [I will endorse
someone]," said Brownback. Brownback also spoke with John
McCain in recent days about a possible endorsement. "I think
a lot of people would be open to [the] Giuliani endorsement because
they don’t want to lose to a Democrat," explained Jay
Heine, who was Brownback’s Iowa Political Director. By contrast,
Iowa Right to Life President Kim Lehman said she would be "stunned"
if Brownback endorsed Giuliani and that it would be “hypocritical”
for Brownback because of Giuliani's views views on abortion.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.25.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.25.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
BESHEAR,
COLLINS LEAD IN POLLS; VA & LA SPECIALS; NO BIG DEM LIKELY
VERSUS LINDSEY GRAHAM. KENTUCKY. A new WHAS-TV/SurveyUSA poll yet again confirms
Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) is headed towards a landslide re-election
defeat next month. The new numbers: former Lieutenant Governor
Steve Beshear (D) - 58%, Fletcher - 38%. MAINE: A new Research 2000 poll shows incumbent US Senator
Susan Collins (R) holding a giant lead over Congressman Tom Allen
(D). The numbers: Collins - 56%, Allen - 33%. Considering the
poll was conducted for the liberal DailyKos.com website, the Collins-Allen
fight thus far is not living up to the media hype as being "a
competitive race." CONGRESS. The looming Congressional special elections in
Virginia and Louisiana are rapidly getting crowded. For the Virginia
CD-1 seat, left vacant by the death of Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis
(R), Governor Tim Kaine on Tuesday set December 11 as the special
election date. The parties will select nominees by convention,
but five Republicans have already announced. At least 13 others
are reportedly looking at the race. Click here
to view the list if possible Virginia candidates. For the
Louisiana CD-1 race for the seat being vacated by Governor-elect
Bobby Jindal (R), no election date is yet set as Jindal has not
submitted his resignation. A February 2008 election date seems
most likely. So far, there are three announced candidates -- and
as many as a dozen more could jump in. Click
here to view the list if possible Louisiana candidates. The
Louisiana race is also expected to be a very costly primary contest. SOUTH CAROLINA. Former Democratic State Chairman Joe Erwin
announced this week he will not challenge US Senator Lindsey Graham
(R) next year. With Erwin out, the Dems have no viable hopefuls
even looking at the race. That doesn't mean Graham is in the clear
for re-election, as he is likely to face a very bruising renomination
battle. Conservatives are upset with Graham's vocal support for
Senator John McCain's immigration reform legislation earlier this
year, which they label as an "amnesty" bill for illegal
immigrants. They also denounce Graham for his opposition to the
use of torture on suspected terrorists, as Graham -- a military
reserve officer -- insists the US must follow the Geneva Convention
protections for prisoners of war. While two minor GOP challengers
are already announced candidates, others rumored to be looking
at the primary contest include State GOP Chairman Katon Dawson,
State Representative Jeff Duncan, former Congressman Tommy Hartnett,
and Ambassador and former State House Speaker David Wilkins.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.24.07 | Permalink
|
HE'S
NEVER HEARD OF YOU, EITHER: ROBERT HAINES (R-NH).
Here's another installment in our ongoing, irregular
series of profiles on the Presidential candidates you've
never heard of. Meet Robert
"Bob" Haines (R-NH). A self-proclaimed "adopted
Texan" who campaigns in a ten-gallon cowboy hat, Haines
previously ran for President in the 1992, 1996 and 2004 primaries.
He also sought other offices in Colorado and elsewhere in years
past. In the mid-1990s, Haines moved to DC and began writing a
political newsletter. He believes most voters still remember today
he was the man on the sidewalk in front of the White House who
tackled the gunman (Francisco Duran) who tried to kill President
Clinton by firing shots at the building and at Secret Service
agents in 1994. Haines himself later spent time in jail for a
felony charge related to his pulling a gun on a man while campaigning
for the 1996 NH primary (and again in 2003-04 for violating his
probation from the '96 case). Haines maintained he was defending
himself after one man choked him and another threatened him outside
a bar. One of the funniest moments came when Haines was arrested
in 2003 for the VOP charge and, from jail, used his post-arrrest
"one phone call" to telephone the AP to declare his
jailing would not stop his campaign for President. As for his
views, Haines describes himself as "a fiscal and social conservative"
who "advocates longer sentences for drugs and violent crimes
and advocates fighting drugs and terrorists at their sources in
Columbia [sic.]
and
Afghanistan ... [and] advocates that the war in Afghanistan should
have been originally been aggressively pursued into Pakistan to
get Bin Laden and his army with the help of Pakistan's army."
Haines -- who claims he's campaigned in 36 states in recent years
-- refuses to accept the reality that he remains an unknown to
most voters. As in 2004, Haines has established residency in the
state just so he could campaign more effectively there. In 2004,
he finished tenth in the NH primary with 579 votes. Haines hopes
to improve his showing in 2008, and has already qualified for
the NH primary ballot. No website yet.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.24.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Just a one sentence editorial today: Shame on Congressman Pete
Stark (D-CA) ... for apologizing for his comments about President
Bush (especially after the pathetic censure move failed).
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.24.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
RNC
PENALIZES 5 STATE PARTIES; GILCHREST FACES PRIMARY; GOP PRESSURES
DOOLITTLE. P2008. Republican National Chair Mike Duncan has decided
to recommend imposing convention sanctions against the Republican
Party organizations in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida,
Michigan and Wyoming to strip them of half their delegates.
The sanctions are in response to moves in each of those states
which advanced Presidential
primary contests ahead of those officially sanctioned by the RNC.
Iowa and Nevada would not reportedly be sanctioned for similar
moves because those caucuses "technically .. are not binding
on convention delegates," reported the AP. "It's very
important that our party uphold and enforce the rules that we
unanimously voted into place at the Republican National Convention
in 2004 ... We spent most of this past year educating [state parties]
on what the rules are. This should come as no surprise to them,"
said Duncan. The RNC's executive committee voted unanimously on
Monday to recommend the sanctions, which must also be ratified
by the full RNC. The full RNC is expected to overwhelmingly support
Duncan's request. South Carolina GOP Chair Katon Dawson vowed
to sue in federal court, if needed, if the RNC strips the state
of any delegates. "We are certainly going to put up a fight,"
said Dawson. "I’m very confident of our legal footing,"
replied Duncan. By contrast, New Hampshire GOP Chair Fergus Cullen
said he was willing to accept the punishment if it preserves the
state's first-in-the-nation status. Florida GOP Chair Jim Greer
described the squabble as "a disagreement among friends"
-- but vowed the Florida party will send the full contingent of
delegates to the convention and demand they all be seated. Mitt
Romney has already agreed to Florida's demands, telling party
leaders over the weekend that he “guarantees” the
whole Florida delegation will be seated at next year’s convention
if he is the nominee, according to The Hill. Romney's pledge
will certainly set off protests from Iowa and NH party leaders.
The DNC recently imposed sanctions against Florida -- stripping
it of all convention delegates -- prompting a federal lawsuit
by Florida Dems to overturn the DNC's penalty as an unlawful violation
of the federal Voting Rights Act. Michigan Dems are likely to
face a similar penalty by the DNC, and mount a similar legal challenge. MARYLAND. Primary challenger and State Senator Andy Harris
(R) outraised Congressman
Wayne Gilchrest (R) by a 4-to-1 margin in the most recent quarter,
according to FEC reports. Former Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) last
week added to the incumbent's woes by endorsing Harris. Ehrlich
and Gilchrest have been political foes ever since Gilchrest actively
opposed Ehrlich's failed move in 2004 to legalize slot machine
gambling in the state. "When I talk about a team player,
I'm talking about a Congressman who would support a sitting Republican
Governor doing difficult things in the minority in Annapolis ...
I didn't get that. Andy will deliver that because he understands
what it means to be a team player," said Ehrlich. "This
is about Bob Ehrlich making a political comeback and wanting politicians
in office who he can influence," replied Gilchrest's spokesman. Four
other Republicans are also running. All
the GOP challengers tout themselves as conservative alternatives
to the centrist Gilchrest. The incumbent, a decorated Vietnam
War veteran, has also turned from an Iraq War proponent into a
frequent critic of the war. NRCC Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) rallied
to Gilchrest's defense. "I think he's an exceptional Member
[of Congress] ... He does a good job and I think he'll be a very
effective candidate, because he always is," said Cole to
the Baltimore Sun. Gilchrest has fended off aggressive
conservative primary challenges nearly every time he's faced re-election.
Three Dems are also running for the CD-1 seat. CALIFORNIA. Republicans are turning up the heat on Congressman
John
Doolittle (R) -- a main federal target of the ongoing Abramoff
corruption probe -- to convince him to retire. Congressman John
Campbell (R-CA) became the first GOP incumbent to publicly call
on Doolittle to quit his race for re-election. "I am very
concerned about the situation in that district and our ability
to comfortably hold what is a safe Republican district ... I do
think it would be best if he didn't seek re-election," Campbell
told the AP. An angry Doolittle quickly lashed out at Campbell:
"I hope John Campbell never has to experience what [my wife]
and I have been going through the past three and a quarter years.
If he ever does, he will truly understand how frustrating it can
be for people to attack your honor and integrity." More ominous
were comments by NRCC Chair Tom Cole (R-OK), who declined to say
he wanted Doolittle to be the GOP nominee next year. "I don't
make that decision. The voters in the fourth district make that
... [The NRCC doesn't] have enough money to be generous and I'm
going to put money where I think we can win," said Cole.
Doolittle is facing a serious primary challenge. Likewise, independent
polls show Doolittle trailing his likely Democratic foe by a double-digit
margin.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.23.07 | Permalink
|
HE'S
NEVER HEARD OF YOU, EITHER: FRANK LYNCH (D-FL).
Here's another installment in our ongoing, irregular
series of profiles on the Presidential candidates you've
never heard of. Meet Frank
Lynch (D-FL). This
unknown has already qualified for the Utah primary ballot and
vows he will appear on the primary ballots in every state. However,
it was the approach he used in his first contact with Politics1
that grabbed our attention. "My campaign has so much more
credibility than most of the people you have listed as other Democratic
candidates," emailed Lynch. With amusingly grandiose narcissism,
Lynch touts himself on his main website as "The New Ideological
Leader of the Democratic Party: Presidential Candidate, Futurist,
Educator, Philanthropist, Author, and Publisher." In fact,
let's let Lynch describe himself some more. Lynch is "a lifelong
Republican who converted to become the new ideological leader
of the Democratic Party and the most exciting and important Democratic
Candidate for President, leading a grassroots revolution for energy
independence, free healthcare, free daycare, free college, healing
the planet, anti-globalization and abolishing the income tax!"
And -- just in case you haven't yet gotten the idea that this
guy loves himself -- Frank wants to tell you about his other really,
really important projects: Frank
Lynch University™ ("Frank Lynch, Chancellor and
President" ... currently in the "developmental stage"),
the Frank
Lynch Foundation™ ("for Abused Children and Abused
Women & America's Forgotten Poor"), FranksHeroes™
("Where people peacefully but firmly re-take control of the
nation"), Frankskids™
("Frank Lynch proposes to construct a nationwide system of
Frank's Children's Villages"), and -- I'm not making this
up -- Hot4Frank.com
("Submit links to your own Videos, Songs and Pics about Frank
Lynch"). Keep in mind that "Frank Lynch University™,
FLUNI™ and Frankskids™ are Trademarks of Frank Lynch
University™ Inc. Franksheros™ and Frank Lynch USA™
are Trademarks of Frank Lynch USA™ LLC." Perhaps if
he wins, he'll rename the United States into "Frank Lynch
USA™". An aside: Hot4Frank??!!
You've got to be kidding me! "Hot4Brad" Pitt or "Hot4Jeremy"
Bloom, I could understand ... but "Hot4Frank" Lynch?
WTF! Not even in a most drunken condition during last call could
ever I imagine something as horrid as that. By the way, don't
blame me for the unflattering Lynch picture in this story. The
cut-off-at-the-neck photo I'm using is the only pic of Lynch you'll
find on all his sites. So, did this profile inspire you to pen
your musical ode and/or video to Frank Lynch™? Then get
writing, 'cuz The New Ideological Leader of the Democratic Party
is waiting to hear from you.
One can only hope that a hysterical Chris
Crocker uses his remaining 48 seconds of fame to make a supportive
"Leave Frank Lynch Alone" video for YouTube.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.23.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
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Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.23.07 | Permalink
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MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
JINDAL
WINS; VALUES VOTERS CONVO; SEN JOHNSON TO RUN AGAIN; SOCIALISTS
PICK TICKET. LOUISIANA: Congressman Bobby
Jindal (R) cruised to a comfortable victory on Saturday, scoring
a gubernatorial pickup for the GOP in the open seat contest. Jindal
began the race as the frontrunner and never lost his early momentum.
It was big turnaround for Jindal, who narrowly lost for Governor
four years ago. In winning, Jindal becomes the youngest Governor
in the nation at age 36. As a first generation American son of
immigrants from India, he also becomes Louisiana's first non-white
Governor. "My mom and dad came to this country in pursuit
of the American dream. And guess what happened. They found the
American dream to be alive and well right here in Louisiana,"
said Jindal in his victory remarks. Jindal scored 54%, State Senator
Walter Boasso (D) had 17%, wealthy businessman John Georges (Independent)
had 14%, state PSC Commissioner Foster Campbell captured 13%,
and eight others trailed distantly behind. Lieutenant Governor
Mitch Landrieu (D) won re-election without a run-off. Attorney
General Charles Foti (D) finished third in his race, failing to
qualify for the November 17 run-off. Seven-term State Agriculture
Commissioner Bob Odom (D) finished in a virtual tie with State
Representative Mike Strain (R), and both will meet in the run-off.
Odom was acquitted of 21-counts of corruption by a trial court
judge earlier this year -- but Strain is making corruption an
issue in the race. A special election to replace Jindal in Congress
will need to be set, likely in January or February. P2008: Participants at the Values
Voters Summit in DC this weekend gave Mitt Romney a narrow victory
over Mike Huckabee. The overall vote total (which included online
ballots): Romney - 1,595 votes, Huckabee - 1,565 votes, Ron Paul
- 865 votes, Fred Thompson - 564 votes, Duncan Hunter - 140 votes;
Tom Tancredo - 133 votes; Rudy Giuliani - 107 votes; John McCain
- 81 votes; and 32 votes scattered among the various Democratic
candidates. However, when the vote totals were limited to those
who attended the gathering and heard the candidate speeches, the
results were very different: Huckabee - 488, Romney - 99, Thompson
- 77, Tancredo - 65, Giuliani - 60, Hunter - 54, McCain - 30,
Paul - 25. Rudy Giuliani made a point of attending the event without
pandering on their key issues of abortion and gay rights. "I'm
not going to pretend to you that I can be all things to all people.
I’m just not like that. You know we have some areas of disagreement.
Please know this, you have nothing to fear from me," he told
the crowd. SOUTH DAKOTA: US Senator Tim Johnson (D) announced Friday
he will seek re-election next year. Johnson suffered a near-fatal
brain hemorrhage last December. "After months of rehabilitation
and recovery, more than a month on the job in Washington and after
my recent trips back to South Dakota, it is clear, to my family,
my doctors and me, that I am able to do the hard work required
of a United States Senator," said Johnson in his written
statement. State Representative Joel Dykstra -- a second-tier
quality candidate -- is currently the leading GOP hopeful in the
race. SOCIALIST PARTY: The Socialist Party-USA held its Presidential
nominating convention this weekend. Executive recruiter and peace
activist Brian Moore of Florida -- a former Democratic congressional
hopeful -- was nominated for President. Auto salesman and community
activist Stewart Alexander of California was nominated for VP.
As Alexander has long-time ties to California's Peace & Freedom
Party, the SP-USA hopes the Moore-Alexander ticket has a decent
shot of capturing PFP's valuable line on the California Presidential
ballot in November 2008.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.22.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
The
daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.22.07 | Permalink
|
SATURDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
LOUISIANA
PRIMARY DAY.
Saturday
is primary day in Louisiana, and nearly all the attention is on
the race to replace retiring Governor Kathleen Blanco (D). Congressman
Bobby Jindal (R) -- who narrowly lost to Blanco four years ago
-- is the heavy favorite this time to win. Without doubt, he'll
finish first in the primary by a wide margin. Polling shows Jindal
hovering just below the 50% mark, so it still remains unclear
whether or not Jindal will win outright on Saturday. The Louisiana
Republican Party was concerned enough about multimillionaire businessman
John Georges (Independent), a former Republican, that they launched
attack spots ads against him this week. Not from fear that Georges
-- seemingly still in the 10-15% range -- would win the primary,
but that his recent rise in the polls may be enough to deprive
Jindal of a majority win and force a November 17 run-off.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.20.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Question
of the Day: Now that Brownback is out, will anyone else quit the
Republican or Democratic Presidential race before the first votes
are cast in Iowa?
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.20.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
BROWNBACK
TO QUIT; SCHIP OVERRIDE FAILS; BLOOMBERG'S PLAN; HASTERT, CUBIN
EXITS? BROWNBACK: US Senator Sam
Brownback (R-KS) will end his Presidential campaign in a scheduled
announcement Friday in Topeka. Brownback -- who hoped to emerge
as the leading social conservative for the nomination -- was crippled
in the race by a distant third-place showing in the Ames Straw
Poll in August and by weak fundraising results. Brownback raised
only $926,000 in 3Q-07 and reportedly has less than $100,000 remaining
in his campaign account. While Brownback would be eligible for
$2.1 million in matching funds in January, his campaign is carrying
no debt. He reportedly believes his lack of money makes it impossible
to become a viable enough candidate to break into the first tier,
so he will end his campaign. While Brownback will likely endorse
another candidate eventually, don't expect any endorsement on
Friday. Brownback has previously announced he will honor his voluntary
term-limits pledge and not seek re-election in 2010 -- although
he may instead be a candidate for Governor that year. CONGRESS: By a vote of 273-156, the House failed by just
13 votes to get the 2/3 vote required to override President Bush's
veto of the SCHIP legislation to increase funding by $35 billion
for a national children's health insurance program aimed at helping
middle-class families. The SCHIP program covers about six million
children whose parents earn too much to qualify for federally-funded
Medicaid for the poor, but don't earn enough to afford private
health insurance. President Bush said he was "pleased"
with the vote and called the legislation "misguided."
Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) told CNN the fight would continue:
"There will be no compromise on 10 million children's health
care ... The American people support this issue because kids do
not need to suffer for what is basically a broken health care
system, and this provides those children with that health care."
The bill previously passed in the Senate with a veto-proof bipartisan
majority supporting it. Among the many Republicans supporting
the vetoed SCHIP bill were Senators Orrin Hatch and Chuck Grassley.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is vowing to send a nearly identical
SCHIP bill to President Bush's desk in two weeks. BLOOMBERG:
Manhattan Media's political site City Hall has an interesting
article about billionaire NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg (Independent),
who may yet become a 2008 Presidential candidate despite his repeated
denials to the contrary. In fact, Bloomberg's repeated denials
of interest actually appear to be part of a very calculating marketing
strategy. Read
the story here -- amusingly entitled "If He Did it ..."
-- especially because it features thoughts on the topic from Bloomberg
political guru Kevin Sheekey, US Senator Chuck Hagel, political
consultant Ed Rollins, former Maine Governor Angus King and others.
That fact that Sheekey is quoted so prominently makes it worth
a read. Sheekey is the Bloomberg strategist who keeps floating
all those the "Bloomberg for President" stories to the
media -- yet Bloomberg has kept Sheekey on his City Hall payroll
and (according to Sheekey) never instructed him to stop promoting
a possible White House candidacy. HASTERT: Former House Speaker Denny Hastert (R-IL) flatly
denied the widespread media reports Thursday he was planning to
imminently resign his House seat. However, Hastert also refused
to say he intended to complete his current House term. Explaining
to MSNBC that he still has a lot of work to do, Hastert said he
has no plans to resign "at this time." Instead, according
to MSNBC, Hastert will likely wait until early 2008 to resign
so that his special election will not fall on the February 5 Presidential
primary day in Illinois. Republicans fear a large primary turnout
that day for homestate favorite Barack Obama would hurt GOP chances
of holding Hastert's seat if February 5 was also the day of the
special general election. By waiting to resign, the special election
will be set for a later
date. WYOMING: Place Congresswoman Barbara Cubin (R) on the retirement
watch list. After winning a surprisingly tough re-election battle
in 2006 and surviving aggressive primary challenges in her last
two races, Cubin does not seem to be acting like an endangered
incumbent facing re-election in 2008. New financial reports showed
Cubin raised just $11,000 in 3Q-07 and now has less than $10,000
cash-on-hand remaining in the bank. Cubin also has one of the
worst attendance records in the US House. State House Majority
Leader Colin Simpson (R), motivational speaker Swede Nelson (R),
and Teton County School Board Chair/'06 nominee Gary Trauner (D)
are already planning to challenge Cubin in next year's race.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.19.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your
daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.19.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
COLBERT
FOR PREZ; SC DEMS; TAYLOR PASSES; McKINNEY GOES LEFT COAST; KEYES'
MONEY. COLBERT NATION: Comedy Central's faux conservative TV
show host Stephen
Colbert announced on his show Tuesday night he will run for
President in the South Carolina primary as a favorite son candidate.
Although Colbert now resides in New Jersey, he is originally a
South Carolina native. Colbert says he plans to compete in both
the Dem and GOP primaries, although ballot access is apparently
easier for the GOP primary. ABC News reports Colbert's attorneys
have already started working on the ballot access issues. To appear
on the Democratic ballot, Colbert must pay a $2,500 filing fee
and have the State Democratic Party's Executive Committee certify
Colbert is "actively campaigning" for the Democratic
primary. To appear on the GOP ballot, Colbert must simply pay
a $35,000 filing fee. Colbert is currently on a national tour
promoting his new book. The SC GOP primary is January 19 and the
SC DEM primary is January 26. State law allows him to file for
both primaries. The filing deadline is the end of this month.
If Colbert pursues this, he will be following in the amusing footsteps
of the late satirist Pat
Paulsen, who made several humorous runs for President between
1968 and 1996 -- qualifying for D and R primary ballots in several
states along the years. SOUTH CAROLINA: The South Carolina Democratic Party is
seeking DNC approval to advance their primary from Tuesday, January
29 to Saturday, January 26. The DNC appears likely to approve
the request. The move is intended to advance the primary to three
days ahead of the party-crashing Florida primary. The SC Republicans
will hold their primary on January 19. The SC Dem Chair said she
did not believe the DNC would approve a request to hold their
primary on January 19, so they have no plans to ask for it. BUSH CABINET: US Senate Judiciary Chair Pat Leahy (D-VT)
told the AP that Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey "is
headed for swift approval with scant objections." GEORGIA (OR CALIFORNIA): Former Congressman Cynthia McKinney
is definitely not going to be seeking to regain her former US
House seat next year. Nor will she be seeking any other office
in Georgia next year. The reason: the AP reports McKinney has
now registered to vote in Marin County, California. Since moving
to Northern California, McKinney has appeared frequently at local
Green Party events around the state. A Draft McKinney group placed
her name on the Green Party's Presidential primary ballot in California.
To date, McKinney has not filed paperwork with the Secretary of
State requesting her name to be removed from the ballot. "She's
got us all guessing, but she hasn't removed her name, and that's
a good sign. I talked to her last week and she said she's very
interested but not ready to make an announcement," said one
of the draft organizers to the AP. KEYES:
The prominent libertarian website LewRockwell.com
reported an interesting story on recent Presidential entrant Alan
Keyes (R). "In his latest report to the Federal Elections Commission,
Keyes has filed five previous committees alongside his current
[new] one. These five committees go back to 1994 and cover his
1996 and 2000 runs for President and his 2004 Illinois Senate
campaign. Among these five committees, he owes a total of (drumroll
please) $521,943! Keyes is well-known for paying his personal
bills with campaign coffers, and he has defended his making a
living off running for office. I wonder if his current contributors
know that they are paying off Keyes' bills from over a decade
ago," the site claimed. NORTH CAROLINA: Former Congressman Charles Taylor (R) --
defeated for re-election last year by former pro football player
Heath Shuler (D) -- closed
his federal campaign account, indicating he will not seek a rematch
next year.
With Taylor finally out of the way, other Republicans are now
free to explore the race. Most had been deferring to Taylor, but
hoping the scandal-tinged politico would pass on the race. Shuler
is currently favored over any of the likely GOP candidates.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.18.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
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Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.18.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
TSONGAS
WINS; NM SEN RACE GETS CROWDED; DAVIS OUT; MO GOV POLL; KBH TO
RETIRE (OR RESIGN). MASSACHUSETTS: Voters on Tuesday elected community college
dean Niki Tsongas (D) to fill the CD-5 seat left vacant by the
summer resignation of Congressman Martin Meehan (D). Tsongas defeated
retired USAF officer Jim Ogonowski (R) by a vote of 51% to 45%,
masonry worker Patrick Murphy (Independent) was third with 2%,
and two others split the remaining 2%. Tsongas is the widow of
the late US Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA). Ogonowski ran a very
aggressive outsider race, but it was not enough to fully close
the gap in this heavily Democratic district. Tsongas also outspent
Ogonowski by a 4-to-1 margin. Tsongas is expected to be sworn-in
on Wednesday. NEW MEXICO: Congressman Steve
Pearce (R) will announce his candidacy for US Senator Pete Domenici's
(R) open seat on Wednesday via a letter sent to supporters. This
sets up a hotly contested GOP primary between the conservative
Pearce and centrist Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R). Both start
with well-funded campaigns, as Wilson has $756,000 in the bank
versus Pearce's cash-on-hand of $582,000. Wilson appears to be
Domenici's preferred heir. State Public Lands Commissioner Pat
Lyons (R) is also considering the race. Pearce's announcement
also means that all three federal seats in the state held by Republicans
will be open seat contests on the 2008 ballot. Also on Tuesday,
former Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D) said she would not
seek the Senate seat. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez (D) is currently
the leading announced candidate for the Democratic nomination,
although the DSCC is reportedly strongly urging Lieutenant Governor
Diane Denish to jump in. Denish acknowledges she is looking at
the race, but said she has no timetable for making a decision.
That primary, if it develops, would also be an ideological contest:
Dem centrist (Chavez) versus Dem liberal (Denish). P2008: The Iowa Republican Party on Tuesday officially
selected January 3, 2008, as the date for the state's GOP Presidential
caucus. The Iowa Democrats are currently deciding whether to hold
their caucuses on either January 3 or 5 -- but look for them to
go with the same date chosen the GOP. In related P2008 news, Congressman
Tom Tancredo on Tuesday became the first candidate to formally
qualify for the New Hampshire Presidential primary on the first
day of filing. Two minor GOP hopefuls also qualified for the ballot
after Tancredo. And, FYI, there is no date yet for the New Hampshire
primary. VIRGINIA: Congressman Tom Davis (R) hasn't officially yet
bailed on the open US Senate race next year -- but his remarks
on Tuesday at a National Press Club breakfast made his intentions
very clear. "There are other races, this isn't the only shot.
You've got a very vulnerable guy [Jim Webb] sitting there in the
other Senate seat right now who may or may not run in four years.
And you know what? If you don't go to the Senate, so what? I've
been a committee chairman in the House. I've got my portrait hanging
on a wall. I've been pretty productive legislatively ... If I
have to spend eight months slogging through a party [nominating]
convention, talking to 15,000 Republicans around the state where
they're going to ask you how conservative you are, that does not
set you up very well for a general election ... [and Democratic
candidate Mark Warner] has a good reputation and he's riding high
... I'm reluctant to take people's money for a Senate race that
I'm not going to run," said Davis. MISSOURI:
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Governor Matt Blunt (R) locked
in a tight re-election battle with Attorney General Jay Nixon
(D). The numbers: Blunt - 44%, Nixon - 43%. Blunt may also face
a tough GOP primary challenge from State Treasurer Sarah Steelman,
who is still weighing the contest. TEXAS: In a new interview, US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
(R) told Texas Monthly magazine this week that she will
not seek re-election in 2012. In fact, Hutchison went so far as
to say she was unsure she would finish her current term of office.
"Is it better for Texas for me to leave early and give someone
else a chance to start building seniority before the class of
2013? I think it probably is," she explained. When asked
if it was possible she'd resign as soon as 2009, Hutchison answered:
"I think that has to be considered. But there's been no decision."
Hutchison also signalled her clear intent to run for Governor
in 2010. "It's too early to be gearing up. I don't want to
peak in 2007 for a 2010 race. Would I like to do it? Yes ... There's
not anyone who could really make a case to me that this would
be divisive for the Republican Party in a way that would make
me step back" from challenging Governor Rick Perry in the
primary, said Hutchison. NORTH CAROLINA: US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R) got some
good news Tuesday when State Representative Grier Martin (D) announced
he would not challenge the incumbent. The DSCC tried to recruit
Martin to make the race, as recent polling showed the telegenic
Afghan War veteran would have been be a strong candidate.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.17.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your
daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.17.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
MASS
CD-5 SPECIAL; McCAIN DEFENDS IMMIGRATION; WIDOWER RUNS IN VA;
JONES SNUBBED AGAIN FOR ANTI-WAR VIEWS. MASSACHUSETTS: Voters go to the polls on Tuesday to select
a successor to Congressman Martin Meehan (D), who resigned this
summer to accept a position in academia. The CD-5 special election
contest features community college dean Niki Tsongas (D) facing
off against retired USAF officer Jim Ogonowski (R). Tsongas is
the widow of the late US Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA), while Ogonowski
is the brother of an airline pilot killed in the 9-11 terrorist
attacks. While Ogonowski has run a strong campaign versus a somewhat
lackluster effort by Tsongas, the demographics of the district
favor the Dem. Although Ogonowski has received significant funding
from Congressional Republicans, he positioned himself as the more
anti-war candidate in the race. Ogonowski supports a complete
withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and attacks Tsongas for her
support of keeping a residual force there. Tsongas claims Ogonowski
really backs President Bush's war plans and would not begin withdrawals
until the White House is satisfied we have "achieved victory"
in Iraq. Look for Tsongas to win, but by a closer than expected
margin. McCAIN:
US Senator John McCain (R), campaigning this week in New Hampshire,
fended off hostile questions from a town hall audience member
upset with McCain's immigration stance. "Do the people in
Washington — the politicians and the lobbyists and the rich
people writing the checks — do they understand the amount
of anger the average European Christian, native-born American
feels when they see their country turning into a multicultural
chaos Tower of Babel," asked an angry man, according to CNN.
When McCain tried to answer, the man interrupted McCain. Finally
-- after expressing support for "first securing our borders"
-- McCain fired back: "I believe the greatest strength of
America is the lady who holds her lamp behind the golden door
that says send me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.
And I am grateful to live in a nation that has been enriched by
people coming to our nation from around the world. I will do everything
in my power to secure the borders, but I love this nation and
I love the people who have come from around the world." The
NH audience gave McCain a loud round of applause for his answer. VIRGINIA: Retired firefighter Chuck Davis (R) -- the widower
of the the late Congresswoman
Jo Ann Davis (R) -- announced via email he will be a candidate
in the special election to fill the CD-1 seat left vacant by his
wife's death. District GOP Chair James Bowden told the Newport
News Daily Press the party would likely use a convention process
to select a nominee for the December election. With Davis
running, some leading GOP hopefuls seemed to leaning against challenging
the widower. Davis, however, stated in his announcement that he
plans to seek a full-term next year: "Nobody will ever fill
Jo Ann's shoes. Nobody. But I'm going to try ... In seeking this
office, I am running for the long term and not simply to finish
out this cycle. Jo Ann was committed to this district, and so
am I." CONGRESS:The Hill reported that Congressman Walter Jones Jr. (R-NC)
-- a vocal supporter-turned-opponent of the Iraq War -- will likely
be passed over for the ranking member spot on a House Armed Services
Committee. Jones, who has more seniority that any other Republican
interested in the spot, was hoping to succeed the late Congresswoman
Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) as ranking member of the Readiness Subcommittee.
The House GOP Leadership has assigned Armed Services Committee
ranking minority member Duncan Hunter (R-CA) with the task of
making the decision. Leadership, however, is opposed to Jones
being given the slot. This
will be the second time Jones is passed over for a ranking member
subcommittee slot, again due to his Iraq War opposition. "I
have a lot of respect for you, but I don’t agree with you
on Iraq and I feel that I must not recommend you for ranking member,"
Hunter reportedly told Jones the last time he passed him over.
Jones is also facing a tough GOP primary challenge next year from
Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin, an Iraq War supporter.
Jones' CD-3 seat is dominated by the giant Camp Lejeune military
base.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.16.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Congrats to my partner Dana on winning a highly-coveted stage
(apprenticeship)
at Le Grand Vefour in the historic Palais Royal in Paris. The
3-star (Michelin) restaurant -- under the leadership of innovative
Chef Guy Martin -- is widely viewed as arguably the best restaurant
in the world today. It is also the world's oldest gourmet restaurant
still in operation (note: future Emperor Napolean took the future
Empress Josephine on their first date to Le Grand Vefour, and
it was also US TV Chef Julia Child's favorite restaurant). Read
more about the place here
and here.
Dana graduates from Le Codon Bleu (Paris) in November, but this
will keep him in Paris until around March 2008. Dana is the first
Le Cordon Bleu student ever successfully placed in a stage
in Martin's kitchen.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 10.16.07 | Permalink
|
Hillary
Clinton and Mitt Romney holding solid leads in their respective
contests. The DEM numbers: Hillary Clinton - 32%, Barack Obama
- 22%, John Edwards - 15%, Bill Richardson - 7%, Joe Biden - 5%,
Chris Dodd - 2%, and Dennis Kucinich - 1%. The GOP numbers: Mitt
Romney - 27%, Mike Huckabee - 19%, Rudy Giuliani - 16%, John McCain
- 14%, Fred Thompson - 8%, Tom Tancredo - 2%, Ron Paul - 1%. 
Congressman
Tom Tancredo (R) -- a 2008 Presidential hopeful -- announced Monday
he will not see re-election next year. "It's the fact that
I really believe I have done all I can do in the House, especially
about the issue [immigration] about which I care greatly,"
Tancredo explained to the Rocky Mountain News. Tancredo
also said that if his White House bid fails, he's thinking of
running against US Senator Ken Salazar (D) in 2010. No word as
to whether Tancredo would also consider continuing his Prez run
as a third party candidate under the Constitution Party banner
-- but his decision not to seek re-election gives Tancredo the
third party option without negative repercussions in a messy House
renomination fight. Iraq War veteran and Secretary of State Mike
Coffman (R) is quickly laying the groundwork for a likely run,
and is viewed as the prohibitive favorite for both the primary
and general if he jumps in. Several other Republican office holders
are also looking at the race. While Dems will make a run at this
open seat, the GOP should be able to hold this seat by a comfortable
margin.
P2008.
Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney continue to keep their third
party options open for the 2008 Presidential race. Both are taking
steps the maximize their options. The latest proof: Nader and
McKinney each allowed their names to be placed on the California
Presidential primary ballot for both the Green Party and Peace
& Freedom Party contests, according to 
Mitch
McConnell (R) may be in trouble as he faces reelection next year.
A new independent poll shows him unable to crack the 50% mark
against any of the possible Dems. According to the new Lexington
Herald Leader/Research 2000 poll, McConnell leads State Auditor
Crit Luallen (D) by a 45% to 40% vote. McConnell leads outgoing
Attorney General Greg Stumbo (D) by a 46% to 37% vote. Congressman
Ben Chandler (D) trailed McConnell by a 46% to 41% vote. Even
a little known hopeful -- retired USMC officer and attorney Andrew
Horne (D), who lost a '06 congressional primary -- kept McConnell
under to 50% (45% to 34%). The poll also showed 47% of voters
have a favorable view of McConnell, versus 46% who expressed an
unfavorable view of him. Stumbo has already launched a Senate
exploratory committee. Chandler told the newspaper he will not
run for Senate in 2008 because he plans to stay in the House "for
a while longer" (hint: he's going to run for US Senator Jim
Bunning's seat in 2010). Luallen and Horne both confirmed they
were looking at the McConnell race. 
IOWA.
Presidential hopeful John Edwards (D) this weekend visited
his 99th county in the state -- meaning he has now visited every
Iowa county. In the caucus process, this very thorough outreach
effort usually gives candidates a major boost. Underdog Edwards
finished a surprisingly close second place in the 2004 Iowa caucuses,
after visiting all 99 counties. By contrast, Hillary Clinton has
only visited 39 of the counties and Barack Obama has so far visited
59 Iowa counties.
Mukasey
initially looked like a safe bet to win an easy confirmation --
but that was before he declined to give clear answers last week
on his views on the legality of the US government torturing suspected
terrorism suspects. McCain -- who was brutally tortured for years
as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam and cannot raise his hands
above his shoulder because of the lingering damage -- is one of
the sharpest opponents to the US torturing captured combatants.
He's repeatedly called for the US to honor in good faith the Geneva
Convention protections for prisoners. Speaking last week before
the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mukasey refused to say whether
he considered the Bush Administration's "harsh interrogation"
techniques such as waterboarding to be unlawful "torture."
Waterboarding is a torture interrogation technique that was widely
used by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the 1970s and by the French
military in Algeria in the late 1950s. It simulates drowning to
the extent that the victim is totally unable to breathe until
the waterboarding session is stopped -- and can actually result
in death in some circumstances. "I can't be that absolute
[as to how I will vote on confirmation] but I want to know his
answer ... This is a very important issue to me," McCain
told ABC News on Sunday. The two top members of the Judiciary
Committee -- Chair Pat Leahy (D-VT) and ranking minority member
Arlen Specter (R-PA) -- both insist Mukasey must give clear answers
on the torture questions if he wants to be confirmed. As for McCain,
he clearly considers waterboarding to be a form of torture. "Anyone
who says they don't know if waterboarding is torture ... has no
experience in the conduct of warfare and national security,"
said McCain, in a direct slam at Rudy Giuliani's comment last
week that he was "not sure it is [torture] either, it depends
on how it is done, it depends on the circumstances, it depends
on who does it."
WASHINGTON.
Voters will see a rematch of the hotly contested 2004 open gubernatorial
contest between Christine Gregoire (D) and Dino Rossi (R). Gregoire
was the declared the 129-vote winner (out of 2.7 million votes)
weeks after the election ended, following a lengthy statewide
recount. Gregoire has already raised $3 million for the 2008 race,
as a rematch had been anticipated. Classify this race as a toss-up.
Sam
Brownback (R-KS) met Thursday with former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani,
then made a point of spending time posing with Giuliani for media
photographers. Brownback also lavished praise on Giuliani, saying
he was “much more comfortable now that I understand the
Mayor’s position [on abortion] ... and I think that’s
a very, very different future for this country [with Giuliani
as President] than Hillary Clinton, who would appoint judges who
I think would be liberal activist judges." According to The
Hill, sources close to Brownback said he plans to make an
official endorsement in the Presidential race within a month.
Brownback also met with John McCain this week, and spoke with
three other White House hopefuls by phone. However, most now believe
Brownback is strongly leaning towards a Giuliani endorsement.
Pundits expect there is very little chance Brownback would endorse
either Mitt Romney or Mike Huckabee due to personal reasons which
arose during the campaign. A Brownback endorsement would be seen
as a major coup for Giuliani, as it would help show Religious
Right leaders are becoming more willing to support him, and Giuliani
could try to absorb Brownback's extensive grassroots network in
Iowa.
Congressman
Ron Paul (R) pushed open the door for a possible third-party run
a bit wider. "No, I don't plan to run in a third party. That's
not my goal. But if we have a [Republican] candidate that loves
the war and loves the neocon position of promoting --," said
Paul, who did not complete his answer.
NEBRASKA.
Former US Senator Bob Kerrey (D) announced Wednesday he will
not be a candidate for the open US Senate seat next year. Kerrey
will instead remain in New York City as a university president.
With Kerrey out -- the DSCC's top recruitment target -- former
Governor Mike Johanns (R) becomes a heavy favorite to win the
open seat (presuming, of course, he survives the primary challenge
from Attorney General Jon Bruning). 
previously ran for President in the 1992, 1996 and 2004 primaries.
He also sought other offices in Colorado and elsewhere in years
past. In the mid-1990s, Haines moved to DC and began writing a
political newsletter. He believes most voters still remember today
he was the man on the sidewalk in front of the White House who
tackled the gunman (Francisco Duran) who tried to kill President
Clinton by firing shots at the building and at Secret Service
agents in 1994. Haines himself later spent time in jail for a
felony charge related to his pulling a gun on a man while campaigning
for the 1996 NH primary (and again in 2003-04 for violating his
probation from the '96 case). Haines maintained he was defending
himself after one man choked him and another threatened him outside
a bar. One of the funniest moments came when Haines was arrested
in 2003 for the VOP charge and, from jail, used his post-arrrest
"one phone call" to telephone the AP to declare his
jailing would not stop his campaign for President. As for his
views, Haines describes himself as "a fiscal and social conservative"
who "advocates longer sentences for drugs and violent crimes
and advocates fighting drugs and terrorists at their sources in
Columbia [sic.]
and
Afghanistan ... [and] advocates that the war in Afghanistan should
have been originally been aggressively pursued into Pakistan to
get Bin Laden and his army with the help of Pakistan's army."
Haines -- who claims he's campaigned in 36 states in recent years
-- refuses to accept the reality that he remains an unknown to
most voters. As in 2004, Haines has established residency in the
state just so he could campaign more effectively there. In 2004,
he finished tenth in the NH primary with 579 votes. Haines hopes
to improve his showing in 2008, and has already qualified for
the NH primary ballot. No website yet.
Presidential
primary contests ahead of those officially sanctioned by the RNC.
Iowa and Nevada would not reportedly be sanctioned for similar
moves because those caucuses "technically .. are not binding
on convention delegates," reported the AP. "It's very
important that our party uphold and enforce the rules that we
unanimously voted into place at the Republican National Convention
in 2004 ... We spent most of this past year educating [state parties]
on what the rules are. This should come as no surprise to them,"
said Duncan. The RNC's executive committee voted unanimously on
Monday to recommend the sanctions, which must also be ratified
by the full RNC. The full RNC is expected to overwhelmingly support
Duncan's request. South Carolina GOP Chair Katon Dawson vowed
to sue in federal court, if needed, if the RNC strips the state
of any delegates. "We are certainly going to put up a fight,"
said Dawson. "I’m very confident of our legal footing,"
replied Duncan. By contrast, New Hampshire GOP Chair Fergus Cullen
said he was willing to accept the punishment if it preserves the
state's first-in-the-nation status. Florida GOP Chair Jim Greer
described the squabble as "a disagreement among friends"
-- but vowed the Florida party will send the full contingent of
delegates to the convention and demand they all be seated. Mitt
Romney has already agreed to Florida's demands, telling party
leaders over the weekend that he “guarantees” the
whole Florida delegation will be seated at next year’s convention
if he is the nominee, according to The Hill. Romney's pledge
will certainly set off protests from Iowa and NH party leaders.
The DNC recently imposed sanctions against Florida -- stripping
it of all convention delegates -- prompting a federal lawsuit
by Florida Dems to overturn the DNC's penalty as an unlawful violation
of the federal Voting Rights Act. Michigan Dems are likely to
face a similar penalty by the DNC, and mount a similar legal challenge.
Congressman
Wayne Gilchrest (R) by a 4-to-1 margin in the most recent quarter,
according to FEC reports. Former Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) last
week added to the incumbent's woes by endorsing Harris. Ehrlich
and Gilchrest have been political foes ever since Gilchrest actively
opposed Ehrlich's failed move in 2004 to legalize slot machine
gambling in the state. "When I talk about a team player,
I'm talking about a Congressman who would support a sitting Republican
Governor doing difficult things in the minority in Annapolis ...
I didn't get that. Andy will deliver that because he understands
what it means to be a team player," said Ehrlich. "This
is about Bob Ehrlich making a political comeback and wanting politicians
in office who he can influence," replied Gilchrest's spokesman. Four
other Republicans are also running. All
the GOP challengers tout themselves as conservative alternatives
to the centrist Gilchrest. The incumbent, a decorated Vietnam
War veteran, has also turned from an Iraq War proponent into a
frequent critic of the war. NRCC Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) rallied
to Gilchrest's defense. "I think he's an exceptional Member
[of Congress] ... He does a good job and I think he'll be a very
effective candidate, because he always is," said Cole to
the Baltimore Sun. Gilchrest has fended off aggressive
conservative primary challenges nearly every time he's faced re-election.
Three Dems are also running for the CD-1 seat. 
John
Doolittle (R) -- a main federal target of the ongoing Abramoff
corruption probe -- to convince him to retire. Congressman John
Campbell (R-CA) became the first GOP incumbent to publicly call
on Doolittle to quit his race for re-election. "I am very
concerned about the situation in that district and our ability
to comfortably hold what is a safe Republican district ... I do
think it would be best if he didn't seek re-election," Campbell
told the AP. An angry Doolittle quickly lashed out at Campbell:
"I hope John Campbell never has to experience what [my wife]
and I have been going through the past three and a quarter years.
If he ever does, he will truly understand how frustrating it can
be for people to attack your honor and integrity." More ominous
were comments by NRCC Chair Tom Cole (R-OK), who declined to say
he wanted Doolittle to be the GOP nominee next year. "I don't
make that decision. The voters in the fourth district make that
... [The NRCC doesn't] have enough money to be generous and I'm
going to put money where I think we can win," said Cole.
Doolittle is facing a serious primary challenge. Likewise, independent
polls show Doolittle trailing his likely Democratic foe by a double-digit
margin. 
This
unknown has already qualified for the Utah primary ballot and
vows he will appear on the primary ballots in every state. However,
it was the approach he used in his first contact with Politics1
that grabbed our attention. "My campaign has so much more
credibility than most of the people you have listed as other Democratic
candidates," emailed Lynch. With amusingly grandiose narcissism,
Lynch touts himself on his main website as "The New Ideological
Leader of the Democratic Party: Presidential Candidate, Futurist,
Educator, Philanthropist, Author, and Publisher." In fact,
let's let Lynch describe himself some more. Lynch is "a lifelong
Republican who converted to become the new ideological leader
of the Democratic Party and the most exciting and important Democratic
Candidate for President, leading a grassroots revolution for energy
independence, free healthcare, free daycare, free college, healing
the planet, anti-globalization and abolishing the income tax!"
And -- just in case you haven't yet gotten the idea that this
guy loves himself -- Frank wants to tell you about his other really,
really important projects: 
Bobby
Jindal (R) cruised to a comfortable victory on Saturday, scoring
a gubernatorial pickup for the GOP in the open seat contest. Jindal
began the race as the frontrunner and never lost his early momentum.
It was big turnaround for Jindal, who narrowly lost for Governor
four years ago. In winning, Jindal becomes the youngest Governor
in the nation at age 36. As a first generation American son of
immigrants from India, he also becomes Louisiana's first non-white
Governor. "My mom and dad came to this country in pursuit
of the American dream. And guess what happened. They found the
American dream to be alive and well right here in Louisiana,"
said Jindal in his victory remarks. Jindal scored 54%, State Senator
Walter Boasso (D) had 17%, wealthy businessman John Georges (Independent)
had 14%, state PSC Commissioner Foster Campbell captured 13%,
and eight others trailed distantly behind. Lieutenant Governor
Mitch Landrieu (D) won re-election without a run-off. Attorney
General Charles Foti (D) finished third in his race, failing to
qualify for the November 17 run-off. Seven-term State Agriculture
Commissioner Bob Odom (D) finished in a virtual tie with State
Representative Mike Strain (R), and both will meet in the run-off.
Odom was acquitted of 21-counts of corruption by a trial court
judge earlier this year -- but Strain is making corruption an
issue in the race. A special election to replace Jindal in Congress
will need to be set, likely in January or February.
Values
Voters Summit in DC this weekend gave Mitt Romney a narrow victory
over Mike Huckabee. The overall vote total (which included online
ballots): Romney - 1,595 votes, Huckabee - 1,565 votes, Ron Paul
- 865 votes, Fred Thompson - 564 votes, Duncan Hunter - 140 votes;
Tom Tancredo - 133 votes; Rudy Giuliani - 107 votes; John McCain
- 81 votes; and 32 votes scattered among the various Democratic
candidates. However, when the vote totals were limited to those
who attended the gathering and heard the candidate speeches, the
results were very different: Huckabee - 488, Romney - 99, Thompson
- 77, Tancredo - 65, Giuliani - 60, Hunter - 54, McCain - 30,
Paul - 25. Rudy Giuliani made a point of attending the event without
pandering on their key issues of abortion and gay rights. "I'm
not going to pretend to you that I can be all things to all people.
I’m just not like that. You know we have some areas of disagreement.
Please know this, you have nothing to fear from me," he told
the crowd.
BLOOMBERG:
Manhattan Media's political site City Hall has an interesting
article about billionaire NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg (Independent),
who may yet become a 2008 Presidential candidate despite his repeated
denials to the contrary. In fact, Bloomberg's repeated denials
of interest actually appear to be part of a very calculating marketing
strategy. 
later
date.
TV
show host 
KEYES:
The prominent libertarian website 
Steve
Pearce (R) will announce his candidacy for US Senator Pete Domenici's
(R) open seat on Wednesday via a letter sent to supporters. This
sets up a hotly contested GOP primary between the conservative
Pearce and centrist Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R). Both start
with well-funded campaigns, as Wilson has $756,000 in the bank
versus Pearce's cash-on-hand of $582,000. Wilson appears to be
Domenici's preferred heir. State Public Lands Commissioner Pat
Lyons (R) is also considering the race. Pearce's announcement
also means that all three federal seats in the state held by Republicans
will be open seat contests on the 2008 ballot. Also on Tuesday,
former Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D) said she would not
seek the Senate seat. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez (D) is currently
the leading announced candidate for the Democratic nomination,
although the DSCC is reportedly strongly urging Lieutenant Governor
Diane Denish to jump in. Denish acknowledges she is looking at
the race, but said she has no timetable for making a decision.
That primary, if it develops, would also be an ideological contest:
Dem centrist (Chavez) versus Dem liberal (Denish).
MISSOURI:
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Governor Matt Blunt (R) locked
in a tight re-election battle with Attorney General Jay Nixon
(D). The numbers: Blunt - 44%, Nixon - 43%. Blunt may also face
a tough GOP primary challenge from State Treasurer Sarah Steelman,
who is still weighing the contest.
CONGRESS:
The Hill reported that Congressman Walter Jones Jr. (R-NC)
-- a vocal supporter-turned-opponent of the Iraq War -- will likely
be passed over for the ranking member spot on a House Armed Services
Committee. Jones, who has more seniority that any other Republican
interested in the spot, was hoping to succeed the late Congresswoman
Jo Ann Davis (R-VA) as ranking member of the Readiness Subcommittee.
The House GOP Leadership has assigned Armed Services Committee
ranking minority member Duncan Hunter (R-CA) with the task of
making the decision. Leadership, however, is opposed to Jones
being given the slot. This
will be the second time Jones is passed over for a ranking member
subcommittee slot, again due to his Iraq War opposition. "I
have a lot of respect for you, but I don’t agree with you
on Iraq and I feel that I must not recommend you for ranking member,"
Hunter reportedly told Jones the last time he passed him over.
Jones is also facing a tough GOP primary challenge next year from
Onslow County Commissioner Joe McLaughlin, an Iraq War supporter.
Jones' CD-3 seat is dominated by the giant Camp Lejeune military
base. 
