CHATTING
WITH GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON ... AND WITH NIXONITE ROGER STONE. BILL RICHARDSON: New Mexico
Governor Bill Richardson (D)
was in Fort Lauderdale on Friday evening, so I had an nice opportunity
to briefly chat with him. He
described the DNC-Florida fight about the state's early primary
date and the threatened loss of delegates as "sad" and
"a lack of leadership" by all involved. He said he would
probably be hurt more than some of the others by the resulting
fight "because I should do well here with the large number
of Hispanic voters." Richardson also claimed he was truly
surprised by some of the long term Iraq plans he heard from Hillary
Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards at this past week's debate
in New Hampshire. "That was the first time I heard they planned
to keep troops there for five years. I would remove all of our
troops in the first year and leave none. They're all talking about
five more years," said Richardson. As for the intangibles
you notice around candidates, Richardson projects a more laid
back and less intense and energetic demeanor than other Presidential
candidates. But, as a veteran staffer of many past campaigns,
I appreciate that Richardson appears to have a much less haughty
relationship towards his staffers than I've frequently observed
in other candidates. Richardson's supporters also seem rather
practical -- acknowledging current political reality that their
candidate is struggling for money and is on the cusp of double-digits
in some of the key early contest states -- by readily discussing
"what a great runningmate" Richardson would be for any
of the current Dem frontrunners. ROGER STONE: Amusingly, the Richardson fundraiser was held
in the same law offices where colorful GOP political veteran Roger
Stone is based. Stone is a former Nixon and Reagan advisor,
who also once served as the Young Republicans national president.
Obviously, Stone wasn't involved in the Richardson event as it
was hosted by some of the Democrats
at the firm. Still, I had a chance to meet afterwards with Stone
in his office -- a virtual Nixon shrine covered from floor to
ceiling and filling display cabinets with Nixon memorabilia. It's
an impressive collection. In fact, Stone has so many Nixon posters
that they spill out of his office and cover the walls around the
large secretarial area outside his door. It gives visitors the
impression of stepping back in time into the 1968 Nixon campaign
headquarters. Stone only ceded one small section of wall space
to his Democratic colleagues, who cover their patch of wall space
-- maybe one-tenth the area used by Stone -- with a selection
of JFK, Humphrey and McGovern posters (i.e., the three Dem nominees
who ran against Nixon). A quick chat with Stone and it's clear
he lives and breathes politics. Besides the huge amount of Nixon
stuff everyone and several Reagan items, you find other quirky
things squeezed into the mix on his walls. Included in that latter
category are two signed photos of the late and rather odious attorney
Roy
Cohn ("Roy was a great friend -- he helped us lock up
a lot of union support for Reagan in 1980"), a photo of the
late colorful Congressman Adam
Clayton Powell Jr. of New York ("He was great,"
exclaimed Stone, who pulled out a small "Keep the Faith,
Baby" Powell campaign pin from the 1960s he had recently
acquired), a small campaign pin of 1950s Connecticut Governor
John
Davis Lodge ("He got me started in politics"), and
a 2004 John Kerry/Arlen Specter coattails poster ("I've got
a fundraiser coming up here for Specter"). Stone even joked
he'd like to buy a home in Fort Lauderdale -- he currently lives
in Miami-Dade County -- because he'd like to run for Mayor. "The
incumbent is too liberal," joked Stone, as the Pat Buchanan-like
incumbent has been under siege in recent months for his ongoing
tirade bashing the gay community. Despite the quip, Stone is much
more libertarian than he is conservative. For proof, just look
at the past articles about Stone's personal life, his support
for a GOP centrist Arlen Specter, and his gushing admiration of
the pragmatic Nixon ("He started the Environmental Protection
Agency and OSHA ... and he desegregated the schools"). Chatting
with him, you can tell Stone is clearly a hyper-competitive type
who simply wants to win every time. I've always liked the colorful
characters of politics, and Roger Stone is clearly one of them.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Have at it.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.29.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
BESHEAR
HAS BIG LEAD; DOOLITTLE SUBPOENAED; DAUB TO QUIT NEBRASKA US SENATE
RACE. KENTUCKY:
Two new polls continue to show former Lieutenant Governor Steve
Beshear (D) cruising to a wide victory over embattled Governor
Ernie Fletcher (R). A new Louisville Courier-Journal poll
shows Beshear leading by a 55% to 35% vote. An Insider Advantage-R
poll shows Beshear leading 45% to 35%. CONGRESS: Congressman John
Doolittle (R-CA) -- a central target in the federal Jack Abramoff
corruption probe -- was hit with a grand jury investigative subpoena
for his office records on Thursday. Six Doolittle aides were also
hit with subpoenas. Doolittle's subpoena seeks eleven years of
Doolittle's legislative records. Doolittle's attorney quickly
announced he planned to fight the Justice Department demand, saying
it is unconstitutional for an executive branch agency (the FBI)
to request these records from a member of the legislative branch.
"These efforts raise serious constitutional issues going
to the very core of our separation of powers created by the Founding
Fathers," said the attorney. Indicted Congressman Bill Jefferson
(D-LA) successfully used this argument in federal court to block
FBI agents from gaining access to records seized in a controversial
search of Jefferson's office. Doolittle is facing serious primary
and general election challenges. NEBRASKA: Ten days after formally entering the race to
replace retiring US Senator Chuck Hagel (R), former Congressman
and former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub (R) is planning to exit the contest.
Daub, who just finished a week-long run of TV ads, has an announcement
set for Friday morning. Daub reportedly decided to exit after
seeing an NRSC-sponsored poll that shows former US Agriculture
Secretary Mike Johanns leading the GOP primary field with 58%,
followed by Attorney General Jon Bruning at 16% and Daub at 12%.
No word on whether Duab plans to make any endorsement in the primary.
Former US Senator and former Governor Bob Kerrey (D) -- currently
a university president in NYC -- promises to make a decision on
the race soon, but most pundits now expect he will pass on the
race.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.28.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE: POLITICS1
SCORES VICTORY OVER JACKASS IN FEDERAL COURT.
Politics1 is celebrating a slam dunk victory today. Last
December I was sued for $5 million by a frequent New York political
candidate.
This week -- six months after filing my motion to dismiss -- the
court granted it. The court went so far as the write that the
"Plaintiff's libel claim is meritless ... plaintiff's claims
against Gunzburger are so completely without merit as to border
on the vexatious." Thank goodness that's behind me. And,
FYI, I promised the plaintiff early in the lawsuit his name will
never appear on this site again as a candidate. So instead I'll
come up with a new name for this bozo public figure: Lying
Jackass Clown. Interestingly, the court went so far as to
tell the plaintiff he was not imposing Rule 11 financial sanctions
against him "at this time" because he had not previously
been warned about what could happen in he pursued a frivolous
lawsuit. The message: if Mr. Clown appeals the dismissal to pursue
his claim against me, the court will impose sanctions. So, Lying
Jackass Clown, you've been warned. (FYI: If you're interested
in reading the complete court ruling of our victory over Mr. Lying
Jackass Clown, click here.)
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.28.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
P2008:
RUDY CATCHES MITT IN NH; BIDEN BANKS ALL ON IOWA; FRED FAILS TO
UNIFY EVANGELICAL LEADERS. NEW
HAMPSHIRE: A new CNN/WMUR-TV/University of New Hampshire poll
shows Rudy
Giuliani has virtually eliminated Mitt Romney's once commanding
lead in the state. The numbers: Romney - 23%, Giuliani - 22%,
John McCain - 17%, Fred Thompson - 12%, Newt Gingrich - 7%, Ron
Paul - 4%, Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee tied at 2% each, and
Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo tied at 1% each. If Gingrich is
out of the picture, Romney leads Giuliani by a 25% to 24% vote.
These poll numbers reflect a 10-point drop for Romney, a 4-point
rise for Giuliani, and 5-point rise for McCain since this same
poll two months ago. A recent Rasmussen Reports poll confirmed
a similar drop in NH for Romney. With McCain's numbers on the
rise again, he announced Wednesday his campaign will begin airing
his first TV spots in the Granite State this week. BIDEN:In
an effort to save his lackluster Presidential campaign, Senator
Joe Biden (D) is taking a page out of John Kerry's winning 2004
nomination campaign plan. Biden is withdrawing nearly all of his
senior campaign staff from the early primary states and sending
all of them to work full-time in Iowa. In so doing, Biden is making
the Iowa caucuses a make-or-break contest for his single-digit
campaign. In other significant Biden news, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee Chair successfully inserted his Iraq amendment
into the Defense Authorization Bill in the Senate on Wednesday.
It passed by a 75-23 vote. Biden's plan endorses a policy to stabilize
Iraq through establishing a decentralized, federal system in Iraq
which would give Iraqis local control over many areas, including
police, jobs, education and government services. Under the Biden
plan, the limited Iraqi central government would be responsible
for protecting Iraq's borders and distributing its oil revenues.
Senators Hillary Clinton (D), Chris Dodd (D) and Sam Brownback
(R) supported the Biden plan -- and Brownback was even a co-sponsor.
Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R) were the only two Senators
who didn't vote on the amendment. THOMPSON: A coalition of Religious Right leaders have decided
they will not make any group endorsement of former Senator Fred
Thompson (R) for President. The informally named "Arlington
Coalition" -- organized in 2002 by Free Congress Foundation
Chair Paul Weyrich -- told The Politico that a Thompson
endorsement from the group was originally "a real possibility"
because they
initially viewed him as their best hope to elect a social conservative.
However, doubts about Thompson's commitment to their cause and
what they view as his wavering on some key social issues helped
them decide they would not intervene as a group in support of
Thompson. "It’s just not going to happen now ... a
lot of people who had intended to support him pulled back,"
explained Weyrich, who was dissatisfied with Thompson's stance
on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Family Rights
Council President Tony Perkins explained the coalition had not
initially known of Thompson's 1990s lobbying efforts on behalf
of a pro-choice group. "Let the marketplace choose which
one ends up being the best candidate ... It may very well be that,
in this cycle, there isn’t a coalescing," said Gary
Bauer, who said he could support any of the Republicans "except
Giuliani" in a general election. Some leaders tied to the
group still hold out hope Evangelical conservatives will unite
behind a single primary candidate -- be it Thompson or anyone
else -- as the only way to derail Giualiani. "When confronted
with two liberal New Yorkers [Giuliani and Clinton], both pro-abortion
and pro-gay rights, [Christian conservatives] are going to vote
for a third-party candidate" in the general election, said
John Stemberger, a Religious Right leader based in Florida.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.27.07 | Permalink
|
CONGRESS:
REP. EVERETT RETIRES; SEN. CRAIG NOT YET READY TO QUIT OVER SEX
CASE. ALABAMA:
Congressman Terry Everett (R), 71, announced Wednesday he will
not seek re-election next year. "It’s been a great
ride, but there comes a time, especially when you get older, you
need to lean back and smell the roses ... At some point, you have
to decide to either die up here or retire, and I decided it’s
probably time to pass it on to a younger generation," he
told the Dothan Eagle. Everett said he decided to retire
just this past weekend while relaxing on his Alabama farm, explaining
he realized he'd rather spend his days simply tending to his fruit
trees instead of returning to Congress. Although the CD-2 seat
is heavily Republican, it
has the potential to become a somewhat competitive race only if
Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright (D) decides to run. However, one
rumor has it that Bright may run -- but would switch and run as
a Republican. Two GOP state legislators already jumped into the
race on Wednesday. CRAIG: US Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) has backed away from
his previous announcement he would resign on September 30. Instead,
Craig has decided to postpone any resignation decision until after
his legal appeal to withdraw his guilty plea in a Minnesota court
has run its course. Craig plead guilty to a disorderly conduct
charge related to a purported attempt to solicit an undercover
male police officer to engage in sex acts with him in an airport
bathroom. The trial judge heard arguments from Craig's attorney
on Wednesday. "Today was a major step in the legal effort
to clear my name. The court has not issued a ruling on my motion
to withdraw my guilty plea. For now, I will continue my work in
the United States Senate for Idaho," said Craig, in a written
statement. The judge said he expected to issue a ruling no sooner
than the end of next week.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.27.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
The daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.27.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
NH
POLL; BOEHNER-COLE MAKE PEACE; McHUGH RUNS AGAIN; SUP CT TO HEAR
TWO BIG CASES. NEW
HAMPSHIRE: A new CNN/WMUR-TV/University of New Hampshire poll
shows Hillary Clinton moving out to a wide lead in New Hampshire.
The numbers: Clinton - 43%, Barack Obama - 20%, John Edwards -
12%, Bill Richardson - 6%, Joe Biden and Dennis Kucinich tied
with 3% each, Chris Dodd - 1%, Mike Gravel - 0%. NRCC: National Republican Congressional Committee Chair
Tom
Cole (R-OK) has apparently won his rather public battle with House
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) over controlling the campaign
committee. Last week Boehner and Cole were observed in a yelling
argument in which Boehner was unhappy with the state of the NRCC
and demanded Cole fire the NRCC's top two staffers. Cole refused,
saying he would resign as chair before he fired the two men. In
a meeting Tuesday with GOP House members, The Politco reported
Boehner tried to make peace with Cole. "I respect Tom Cole.
He’s a valued member of this team. My goal is to help us
earn back our majority. I’ve had the same kind of frank
and candid conversation about the goals we all need to meet,"
said Boehner, explaining he and Cole had united goals. Boehner
was reportedly unhappy with the NRCC's anemic cash-on-hand tally
and what he perceived as a poor political competency for the 2008
elections. Much of Cole's fundraising efforts are not reflected
in the totals, as Cole has been working to eliminate the NRCC's
large deficit. "The majority of members of the Republican
Conference have great confidence in both John Boehner and Tom
Cole,” said Congressman John Kline (R-MN). NEW YORK: Congressman John McHugh (R) debunked rumors he
was planning to retire. Instead, McHugh announced he plans to
seek re-election next year. "I have never at any time told
anyone I was thinking of retiring ... My campaign is going forward
on those matters necessary to wage another successful effort and
when the time comes, we will be ready," said McHugh. THE SUPREMES: The US Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to
review Indiana's new voter identification law, setting up the
first high-profile test of dozens of GOP-backed state laws enacted
to prevent supposed polling-place fraud. Those challenging the
law allege voter-identification requirement unfairly keep poor
people and minority groups from going to the polls. The high court
on Tuesday also agreed to hear a case questioning whether the
lethal injection method of execution for death row inmates violates
the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.26.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
The daily open thread.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.26.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
BAYH
ENDORSES CLINTON; PALIN CALLS ON SEN. STEVENS TO EXPLAIN ALLEGATIONS. CLINTON:
US Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) -- a Dem centrist and former Chair
of the Democratic Leadership Council -- endorsed Hillary Clinton
on Monday. Bayh previously explored making an '08 White House
run, but bowed out last December. ALASKA: Governor Sarah
Palin (R) has joined those calling on US Senator Ted Stevens (R)
to provide Alaskans with a "more thorough explanation"
of his involvement in the unfolding federal corruption probe of
which he seems a central target. "Not hearing anything in
terms of information that can be shared regarding the Senator's
innocence is kind of frustrating for Alaskan. Alaskans are getting
more anxious to hear any information that he can provide regarding
his innocence," said Palin. She told the Anchorage Daily
News that a lot of Alaskans still support Stevens but want
him to give a clear explanation answering all of the corruption
allegations that have been reported in recent months. In response
to Palin's comments, a Stevens spokesman said the Senator would
offer no new comment other than his frequent statement of "I
continue to believe this investigation should proceed to its conclusion
without any appearance that I have attempted to influence its
outcome." Palin said her concern with the ongoing corruption
trials and investigations is that Alaskans are starting to think
the state's politicians can be purchased by special interests.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.25.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
I'm
going to
try multiple daily blog comment threads for a few more days ..
but not today. I just don't have that much I feel like writing
on tonight.
Posted
by Ron Gunzburger - 09.25.07 | Permalink
|
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
FLORIDA
DEMS BOLDLY DEFY DNC, DECIDE TO STICK WITH JAN 29 PRIMARY.
Less
than two weeks ago, it looked as if the Florida Democratic Party
and the Democratic National Committee had reached a deal in which
the Florida Presidential primary would go forward as planned on
January 29 -- in violation of both DNC and RNC rules -- and the
Florida Dems would simply select convention delegates in a method
to be decided after January 29. Those who tried to broker a truce
were unable to sell it to the FDP Executive Committee. After State
Democratic Chair Karen Thurman twice polled the members, but more
than 75% of the state committee members polled opposed any compromise
on the January 29 primary date. Thus, a defiant Thurman announced
Sunday that the FDP leadership has "chosen overwhelmingly
to reaffirm our strong commitment to fully participating in the
state-run Democratic Presidential Primary on January 29, 2008,
despite the penalties from the Democratic National Committee.
There will be no other primary. Florida Democrats absolutely must
vote on January 29th. We make this election matter. Not the DNC,
not the delegates, not the candidates, but Florida Democrats like
you and me voting together. We make it count. Don’t let
anybody call this vote a 'beauty contest' or a 'straw poll.' On
January 29, 2008, there will be a fair and open election in Florida,
which will provide for maximum voter participation. The nation
will be paying attention, and Florida Democrats will have a major
impact in determining who the next President of the United States
of America will be." The FDP even launched a website -- MakeItCountFlorida.com
-- which draws a line in a sand. The DNC is expected, at least
for now, to go forward with plans to punish Florida by stripping
it of all national convention delegates and barring Presidential
candidates from campaigning in the state. The Dem frontrunners
say they will honor the ban on campaigning in Florida for the
primary. State Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller went so far
as to dare the DNC to go forward on the threat. "We will
have an election on January 29. The votes will count, and our
delegates will be seated at the national convention," said
Geller. He also hinted of a possible US Justice Department civil
rights complaint or federal lawsuit to block sanctions because
the DNC and the state party leadership in Iowa, New Hampshire,
South Carolina and Nevada "are conspiring to prevent a minority
voter in a Voting Rights [Act] state from having the opportunity
to hear from any presidential candidate unless they are willing
to pay for that privilege. That's an intentional violation of
the Voting Rights Act." US Senator Bill Nelson (D) made similar
comments two weeks ago. The RNC is likewise sanctioning Florida
Republicans for breaking the schedule, but the punishment imposed
on them is the loss of half the state's convention delegates.
State GOP Chair Jim Greer announced last month that the Florida
Republicans will send the full number of delegates to the national
convention -- not just half -- and will demand a convention floor
vote to seat the entire delegation. Governor Charlie Crist (R)
said he supported Greer's move.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.24.07 | Permalink
|
MORE
GOP HOUSE RETIREMENTS IN '08?
The
Washington Post on Sunday
ruminated on the possibility of additional House Republicans calling
it quits over the coming weeks. Among the additional retirement
possibilities mentioned: Barbara Cubin (R-WY), Dave Hobson (R-OH),
John McHugh (R-NY), Ralph Regula (R-OH) and Bill Young (R-FL).
The newspaper also suggested John Doolittle (R-CA), but Doolittle
insists he's running again despite being the target of a federal
corruption probe and facing serious primary and general election
challengers. Besides the general view among House members that
the Republicans will not regain majority status in 2008, another
concern pushing some to retirement is the serious financial imbalance
between the DCCC and the NRCC campaign accounts. The DCCC has
over $22 million cash-on-hand, while the NRCC has just $1.6 million
according to the latest 2Q-07 FEC reports. House Minority Leader
John Boehner (R-OH) is likewise unhappy with the state of the
NRCC and is pressuring NRCC Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) to fire the
campaign committee's executive director and political director,
according to The Politico. The newspaper reported Cole's
response: "I will resign before I fire those two." A
September 10 meeting between Boehner and Cole to discuss the problems
at the NRCC degenerated into "a lot of yelling back-and-forth."
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.24.07 | Permalink
|
NEWT
STILL TOYING WITH WHITE HOUSE RUN.
Former US
House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) said on Fox News Sunday
he is still very interested in jumping into the Presidential race.
In fact, Gingrich sounded very much like someone who will run
if he can just get pledges for enough money to be viable. His
biggest concern: rival Mitt Romney's sizable personal wealth.
"[Romney] can write a $100 million check. I mean, there's
no point in getting into a fight with a guy who can drown you
unless you at least have enough resources for a vote. And so if
we have enough resources, then close to that we'll face a very
big decision in late October. If there aren't enough resources,
I'm not for doing unrealistic things," explained Gingrich.
He said he needs to have around $30 million in pledges to be able
to run, and plans to spend the next several weeks criss-crossing
the nation seeking them. However, Gingrich's
PAC has only collected $3.5 since it was launched last year,
so the $30 million goal seems highly unrealistic.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.24.07 | Permalink
|
US
GOVERNMENT SPIES ON TRAVELERS (ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN YOU THINK).
You
may be amazed by the scope of the surveillance the US government
does on international travelers. The US government is gathering
much more info on you than you think -- and they plan to keep
your info on file for many years. They have much more than just
where you went, what airline you flew, and who you visited. They
also have travel agency computerized inquiries of trips you thought
about taking. They even make permanent records about the books
you read on the flights. Keep in mind that this applies even if
the government is convinced you have nothing to do with terrorism.
Check out the
details in this report from Wired magazine ... and
click here to visit the Identity
Project to view copies of the actual documents maintained
by our government (note: redacted records obtained through the
FOIA). How much freedom are we willing to surrender to the government
for the cause of "security"?
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.24.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
I'm
back to trying multiple daily blog comment threads. Do you like
or dislike it? Does it help focus debates topically ... or does
it overly dilute the daily debates? Leave your comments and let
me know what you think.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.24.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
DOBSON
BLASTS THOMPSON; DEMS CLEAR FIELD FOR SHAHEEN; RICHARDSON GAFFES
AGAIN. Thank
you to all of you who emailed me notes for my speedy recovery.
Who knew something so tiny (4 mm) could be so debilitating and
painful. Well, my kidney stone problem is history and my doctor
now pronounced me back at 100%. THOMPSON: In a private email obtained by the AP, prominent
Religious Right leader James Dobson of Focus on the Family this
week slammed former US Senator Fred Thompson (R). Despite Thompson's
overt efforts to sway the party's social conservative base, Dobson
has announced his opposition to Thompson in very sharp terms.
"Isn't Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional
amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different
definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won't
talk at all about what he believes, and can't speak his way out
of a paper bag on the campaign trail? He has no passion, no zeal
and no apparent 'want to.' And yet he is apparently the Great
Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians?
Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!," wrote Dobson.
A spokesman for Dobson confirmed the email was real, but declined
to elaborate on the comments. Dobson's national radio show has
a regular audience of millions of listeners. "We're confident
as voters get to know Fred, they'll appreciate his conservative
principles," responded Thompson's campaign spokesperson.
In related news, the group Faith2Action -- a spin-off of the late
Dr. James Kennedy's now defunct Center for Reclaiming America
-- issued a statement Thursday blasting the four GOP frontrunners
for skipping their Voters Values Debate earlier this week. "Because
they [Romney, McCain, Thompson and Giuliani] snubbed us, they
will not win, because we will not follow their lead," said
Faith2Action President Janet Folger. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Dems are clearing the primary field for
former Governor Jeanne Shaheen (D) in the race against US Senator
John Sununu (R). Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand (D) withdrew
from the race and endorsed Shaheen last weekend. On Friday, Democratic
activist Katrina
Swett will likewise quit the race and endorse Shaheen. Swett's
exit leaves former astronaut Jay Buckey (D) as Shaheen's only
primary foe. Buckey has vowed to remain in the race, but Shaheen
is expected to easily trounce him in the primary. Recent polls
show Shaheen holding a slim lead over Sununu. RICHARDSON: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D) flubbed
his appearance this week at the SEIU labor union gathering with
an embarrassing gaffe. At the end of his speech, Richardson loudly
exclaimed: "Thank you, AFSCME!" Apparently Richardson
didn't know that AFSCME is the SEIU's leading political rival
union. Richardson likewise botched the gay issues debate last
month with a gaffe for which he later had to recant and apologize.
Now Richardson has found another way stand apart from the Dem
field: he is the only Democratic hopeful who has agreed to speak
to the upcoming National Rifle Association convention. However
-- as Richardson will appear at the NRA event via a prepared videotape
-- he probably won't botch that one up.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.21.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Just
pathetic. Yup, I'm ranting against the 72 US Senators -- and particularly
the 22 emasculated Democratic Senators who voted with the majority
-- who
backed a shameful resolution on Thursday condemning a MoveOn.org
newspaper ad that criticized General Petraeus and President Bush's
never-ending war in Iraq. The only thing "disgusting"
is the carnage of the Iraqi civil war, which squanders the lives
of so many promising young Americans in uniform for cheap, short-term
political points for the Bush Administration. Shame on the 72
US Senators, and an extra dose of shame for the 22 Dems. Maybe
the day is coming when we need to ditch our current two party
system in favor of a three party system like in Canada. I can
only hope we soon have a day when our choices are between a principled
conservative party, a principled moderate party and a principled
liberal party so we will finally have meaningful elections. The
Democrats can eject the DINOs and the Republicans can dump the
RINOs. It is the only good solution to the spinelessness infecting
our political leaders in the Capitol. And, if we do so, our political
debate will become enriched and more honest.
Finally, please click
here to give MoveOn.org a donation so they can run even more
great ads against the war.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.21.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
JOHANNS
JUMPS IN; REP. WELLER TO RETIRE; IN GOV POLL; JEALOUS JESSE. NEBRASKA:
US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns (R) -- a former two-term
Governor -- let it be known Wednesday he will resign from the
Cabinet to become a candidate for the seat being vacated by US
Senator Chuck Hagel (R). Johanns plans to make a formal announcement
next week. The move is good news for Republicans, as he is viewed
as the GOP's strongest candidate against university president
and former US Senator Bob Kerrey (D). Kerrey has not yet announced
his candidacy, but conservative columnist
Bob Novak reported this week that Kerrey recently told friends
he will soon jump into the race. Kerrey met last week with the
DSCC to discuss the race. The Johanns-Kerrey contest will likely
be one of the most competitive Senate races in the nation. However,
before Johanns gets the right to face Kerrey, he will have to
defeat social conservative Attorney General Jon Bruning in the
primary. A poll last week sponsored by Bruning's campaign showed
Johanns leading Bruning by a 39% to 30% vote in a GOP primary
match-up. Interesting aside: Nebraska newspapers report both Johanns
and Kerrey are currently looking for homes in the state, as neither
man currently resides there. ILLINOIS: It appears Congressman Jerry Weller (R) will
become the ninth Republican Congressional incumbent in a row to
announce he will not seek re-election next year. Not a single
Dem has announced '08 retirement plans since this wave of GOP
retirements began. According to The Politico, the scandal-plagued
Weller will make the announcement within the next few days. The
newspaper noted Weller is making no effort to collect petition
signatures to seek re-election for the November 5 filing deadline.
Further, when the newspaper contacted Weller's office, a spokesman
said Weller had no announcement planned "for Thursday"
but declined to otherwise debunk the rumor. Note: The Chicago
Tribune is reporting an identical story Wednesday evening
that Weller has begun to let people know he is planning a retirement
announcement. CD-11 is a swing district, so expect a very competitive
race for this open seat. INDIANA: A new Research 2000 poll shows Governor Mitch
Daniels (R) leading former Congresswoman Jill Long Thompson (D)
by a vote of 46% to 38%. The poll also shows Thompson likely to
win the Dem primary, as she scored 41% in the Democratic primary
and the nearest of her two opponents was at just 16%. OBAMA: Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, a former 1984
and 1988 Presidential candidate, clearly dislikes no longer being
viewed as America's leading political voice of the African-American
community. This
week Jackson blasted US Senator Barack Obama (D). According the
The State, a leading South Carolina newspaper, Jackson
blasted Obama for "acting like he’s white" by
failing to be sufficiently vocal on a court case involving the
arrest in Jena, Louisiana, of six black juveniles. "Jena
is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment,"
said Jackson, who complained Obama has barely discussed the case.
Obama soon after issued another statement criticizing the Jena
case. After the "acting white" comments were widely
reported, Jackson backed off them. "I reaffirm my commitment
to vote for Sen. Barack Obama. He has remarkably transcended race
... I think Jena is another defining moment of the issue of race
and the criminal justice system. This issue requires direct and
bold leadership. I commend Sen. Obama for speaking out and demanding
fairness on this defining issue. Any attempt to dilute my support
for Sen. Obama will not succeed," said Jackson in a written
statement released late Wednesday.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.20.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your
daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.20.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Taking
a night off, so have at it in the daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.19.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
RAMSTAD
RETIRES; WARNER DOMINATES. MINNESOTA:
Nine-term Congressman Jim Ramstad (R) unexpectedly announced Monday
he will not seek re-election in 2008. "It's time for me to
do something else ... I'm burned out. I’m tired. I want
to be back in Minnesota," he
explained at his press conference. Ramstad -- a GOP centrist --
was well-liked and respected on both sides of the aisle. A recovering
alcholic for 26 years, Ramstad said he hope to continue helping
individuals dealing with chemical addiction issues even after
he leaves Congress. However, Ramstad said he has no specific plans
for his future. As President Bush carried the CD-3 seat by just
3-points in 2004, this swing seat could become a truly competitive
race if the Dems can find a viable candidate. State GOP Chair
Ron Carey told the ECM Post-Review he believes his party
will need to work hard to hold the seat -- and he expects nearly
a dozen GOP candidates to jump in -- but says the GOP can win
it if they nominate "another moderate Republican." Several
Dems, including a few state legislators, are also seen as potential
candidates. VIRGINIA: A new WTVR-TV/SurveyUSA poll shows former Governor
Mark Warner (D) is a near lock to win the open US Senate seat
against any of the potential GOP hopefuls.
The poll shows Warner leading former Governor Jim Gilmore (R)
by a 60% to 32% vote. Warner also bests Congressman Tom Davis
(R) by a 62-27 landslide. Even former US Senator George Allen
(R) -- who said he doesn't plan to run -- trailed Warner: 56%
to 37%. Davis said this weekend he "intends" to run
for Senate, but will not make a final decision on the race until
November.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.18.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your
daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.18.07 | Permalink
|
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
MUKASEY
TO BE A.G.; KEYES ANNOUNCES; 3-HOUR "VALUES DEBATE";
CHAFEE GOES INDY; FLORIDA BLINKS.
The kidney stone problem isn't done yet ... but I'm feeling much
better tonight. BUSH
ADMINISTRATION: President Bush on Monday will nominate former
US District Court Judge Michael Mukasey to be the next Attorney
General. If confirmed by the US Senate, Mukasey will replace controversial
former Attorney General Al Gonzales. It
is believed that Mukasey has the potential to become a quick consensus
choice, cruising to relatively easy confirmation. Originally appointed
to the federal bench by President Reagan, he retired from his
position last year at age 65 to return to the private sector.
US Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was quick to indicate Mukasey
seemed an acceptable selection to the Democrats. Mukasey is "a
lot better than some of the other names mentioned ... While he
is certainly conservative, Judge Mukasey seems to be the kind
of nominee who would put rule of law first and show independence
from the White House, our most important criteria," said
Schumer to CNN. In accepting the AG post, Mukasey will step down
from his position as a top-level advisor to Rudy Giuliani's Presidential
campaign. KEYES:Told
'ya so. Just a few months after bombastic former Ambassador and
former TV talk show host Alan Keyes (R-MD) launched a campaign
to draft himself for President -- to wit: the draft campaign was
"organized" by Keyes' friends and employees and the
draft website was hosted on a server owned by Keyes --
he finally convinced himself to jump into the race. Keyes made
it official on Friday, and will already participate in the second-tier
GOP candidates' debate on Monday evening. "The one thing
I've always been called to do is to raise the standard ... of
our allegiance to God and His authority that has been the foundation
stone of our nation's life ... [The other Republican candidates
have failed to make a] forthright, clear, and clarion declaration
... concerning this issue," said Keyes. A perennial candidate,
Keyes has previously lost two runs for the GOP Presidential nomination
(1996 and 2000) and three runs for US Senator (twice in Maryland
and once in Illinois). Keyes emphasizes he is only seeking the
GOP nomination at this time, even though his office acknowledges
that some within the Constitution Party are reportedly interested
in Keyes seeking the CP nomination if he fails to win the GOP
nomination. VALUES DEBATE: All of the leading GOP candidates were invited
to participate in the so-called three-hour "Values Voter
Presidential Debate" on Monday evening in Fort Lauderdale
sponsored by a coalition of Religious Right groups. However, the
four frontrunners -- Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and
Fred Thompson -- are all skipping the event. "There seems
to be a concerted effort to dodge the agenda of the pro-family
movement," said WorldNetDaily publisher Joseph Farah.
While the event will be broadcast live on satellite TV, radio
and online, no broadcast
or cable TV channel will broadcast it live. Some cable networks
(Trinity Broadcasting Network, INSP, and GOD TV) say they will
rebroadcast the debate at a later time and/or date. Although the
topics covered will touch a broad range of issues -- likely including
gay marriage, immigration, gay marriage, abortion, gay marriage
and "homosexual special rights" -- at three hours the
event seems quite a bit long. However, to make it different, the
sponsors are rolling out some high tech features to keep interest
high during the debate. Attendees will use hand-held devices to
vote before and after the debate on who they support for President,
and use the devices throughout the debate to indicate their levels
of approval with the answers being by each candidate to every
question. Thus, if a candidate isn't sufficiently pandering to
the crowd, he would instantly see the results and be able to ratchet-up
his response. Debate organizer Janet Folger also promised "other
surprises" to keep it "exciting." Like what? Will
the floor open up, dropping insufficiently conservative candidates
into a below-stage pit with red/orange crepe paper "flames
of hell" billowing up? Will audience members get to gong
bad responses, cutting off a candidate in mid-sentence? Just some
suggestions. RHODE ISLAND: Former US
Senator Lincoln Chafee -- who was defeated last year for re-election
-- revealed Sunday to the Providence Journal that he had
quietly "disaffiliated" in his voter registration from
the Republican Party two months ago. Chafee said he hadn't mentioned
it until now simply because nobody had asked before. The NRSC
spent a significant amount of money on advertising that helped
Chafee narrowly survive a conservative primary challenege. Chafee
emphasized he still feels close to many in the Rhode Island Republican
Party, but his objections were entirely focused upon the national
party. "It’s not my party any more," he explained.
Chafee's criticism was mainly focused upon three areas: "abandoning
fiscal conservatism" by passing tax cuts without spending
cuts and thus creating a "permanent deficit"; the Iraq
War; and the lack of GOP support for environmental protection.
Chafee says he very much enjoys his current job as a distinguished
visiting fellow at Brown University. FLORIDA: The Florida Democratic Party buckled this weekend
in the face of threats from the DNC, agreeing the January 29 Presidential
primary will now be a beauty contest untied to the awarding of
delegates. Delegates will be selected at a later date with either
district caucuses or a state convention. Under this move, the
primary can go forward on January 29, Democratic candidates will
all be allowed to campaign in Florida for votes, and the state
will have the full complement of convention delegates. Based upon
the way the media covers the early contests, the Florida primary
-- with or without delegates, or, now, with (GOP) and without
(Dem) -- will still get extensive national media coverage because
it would be too complex to explain this hybrid primary in a 14-second
sound bite.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.17.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
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daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.17.07 | Permalink
|
WEEKEND
NEWS UPDATE.
SHAHEEN
TO CHALLENGE SUNUNU; UNLAWFUL GIFTS TO TED STEVENS REVEALED IN
COURT.
Yup, another day dealing with the kidney stone problem. I went
to the office and worked a few hours on lighter painkillers until
the pain forced me to go back home during the afternoon. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Former Governor Jeanne Shaheen (D)
announced Friday she was leaving her position at Harvard University
to seek a rematch next year against US Senator John Sununu (R).
Several recent independent polls
show Sununu trailing Shaheen by a wide margin of 20+ points. Three
other Dems were already campaigning for the seat, but it was unclear
if any would exit the contest due to Shaheen's entry. ALASKA: According to the Anchorage Daily News, former
oil services corporation executive Bill Allen testified in court
Friday that his company -- a state and federal contractor -- spent
over $400,000 on bribes and unlawful gifts for various state legislators
and US Senator Ted Stevens (R). Allen, who previously pled guilty
to federal extortion, conspiracy and bribery charges, was testifying
on behalf of the prosecution in a case against a former state
legislator. During his testimony, Allen testified under oath "he
had company employees work several months on a remodeling project"
at Stevens' Alaska home -- without any cost to Stevens. Stevens
is up for re-election next year, and may face serious opposition
in both his primary and general election contests.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.15.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE: ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, GEFILTE FISH.
On
my
way to work, I drive past First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale.
I noticed a banner across the front of the church today announcing
the pastor there was planning to give a series of sermons with
the theme: "Seussology: The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss."
Giving it some thought, here are my suggestions to help the pastor
re-tool many of the favorites to serve his message:
* The Messiah in the Hat - Allegorical story of the lovable
and puckish Messiah, who shows up to play with the kids while
Mom is away. His two troublemaking friends -- Jew One and Jew
Two -- make a mess of the whole house. In the end, the Messiah
in the Hat offers to take on the responsibility for cleaning everything
up before Mom comes home so the children will not be punished.
* The Messiah in the Hat Comes Back. Self explanatory,
but set in Jerusalem.
* Horton Hears A Jew - A discussion of the Torah.
* New Testament and Ham - Sam I Am converts away from Old
Testament Judaism and the Levitical restrictions on eating pork
when he discovers -- after first insisting he "does not like
it here or there" and "does not like it anywhere"
-- he surprisingly likes both the New Testament and Ham.
I'm sure you can come up with more, but I just sensed an amusing
line of thought here.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.15.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
WARNER
JUMPS IN; OREGON INDY CANDIDACY MAY BOOST GORDON SMITH.
Still dealing with the f***ing kidney stone problem, but I'm just
so bored at home I needed to write something just to be
keep busy. VIRGINIA:
As expected, former Governor Mark Warner
(D) launched his US Senate campaign on Thursday via and email
message and a video on his new
campaign website. Warner is planning
a formal kickoff event in November after the state's legislative
elections are completed. With Warner in, he now becomes the heavy
favorite to win the seat next year due to his massive name recognition
and approval rating throughout the state. In a direct response,
the National Republican Senatorial Committee immediately launched
an anti-Warner
attack site. Congressman Tom Davis (R) and former Governor
Jim Gilmore (R) are both weighing possible runs for the seat.
Retiring US Senator John Warner (R) is known to favor Davis for
the GOP nod. Ditto for former state Attorney General Jerry Kilgore
(R) and a large group of Virginia conservatives, who released
a letter Thursday backing Davis over Gilmore -- even though Gilmore
is far more conservative -- because they believe the more moderate
Davis is the most electable GOP candidate. OREGON: College professor John Frohnmayer (Independent)
-- who served as Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts
during the Bush 41 Administration -- announced his candidacy against
US Senator Gordon Smith (R). Frohnmayer -- who is part of the
new Independent Party -- told Oregon Public Radio he wants to
spark a "voter's revolution." He says partisan politics
are "toxic" to America. Frohnmayer says he differs from
the announced Dems because he supports impeaching President Bush
because the President "has shredded the constitution and
created lawlessness." He attacked Smith for supporting the
Iraq War for over four years, then shifting to opposition. Smith's
style "does not ... suggest leadership." Frohmayer's
brother Dave is the former Oregon Attorney General and long-time
University of Oregon President. Although a former Republican,
Frohnmayer's leftist views appear likely to splinter votes away
from the eventual Democratic nominee.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.14.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your
daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.14.07 | Permalink
|
THURSDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Sorry, but I'm still in really bad shape with the kidney stones.
Between the pain when I'm not on the Vicodin -- and the completely
zonked out state the Vicodin puts me in when I'm on it -- I just
cannot focus enough to post tonight. I really do apologize --
as, trust me, I'd like to be back to feeling good again and publishing
on a regular schedule as soon as possible -- but I can't do it
right now. Maybe in a day or two.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.13.07 | Permalink
|
WEDNESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
McKINNEY
WITHDRAWS; FLETCHER TRAILS; COLEMAN SAGS; WARNER TO ANNOUNCE.
I'm on painkillers again tonight -- but a lesser dosage so I can
write this semi-lucidly -- hoping this kidney stone situation
quickly resolves itself.
McKINNEY:Controversial
former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney spent months attending Green
Party events around the nation designed to help raise money to
pay off her 2006 campaign debt. And -- after months of flirting
with making a run for Green Presidential nomination -- McKinney
formally withdrew from the Green nomination contest. In a letter
dated Monday and addressed to the Steering Committee of the Green
Party of the United States, McKinney wrote: "After careful
consideration about the political conditions facing our nation,
the level of development within the [Green] Party, my own readiness
to take on such a daunting task and my own long postponed personal
priorities, I write to inform the Party that I must at this time
withdraw my name from consideration for the Party's 2008 Presidential
Nominating contest." The move leaves McKinney free to make
yet another attempt to recapture her former House seat next year. KENTUCKY: Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) continues to trail
in his 2007 race for re-election. A new SurveyUSA poll shows former
Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear (D) holding a wide 58% to 39%
advantage over Fletcher. MINNESOTA:
A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows US Senator Norm Coleman (R)
losing some ground against his Democratic rivals. Coleman leads
humorist and radio talk show host Al
Franken (D) by a vote of 46% to 41%. Coleman leads wealthy trial
attorney Mike Ciresi (D) by a vote of 46% to 42%. VIRGINIA: Former Governor Mark Warner (D) will announce
his plans for 2008 in a formal event on Thursday. Most expect
it will be an announcement of his candidacy for the open US Senate
seat next year.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.12.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Happy New Year to all of our Jewish readers..
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.12.07 | Permalink
|
TUESDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
I wanted to write something, but -- my apologies -- I'm just not
healthy enough tonight to focus on this. I was in the hospital
emergency room a day ago and am dealing with kidney stones.
Very unpleasant and painful -- but I've been prescribed two types
of painkillers (for pain ... and for sharper pain). Blame it on
the hydrocodone, by I'm not in shape to write anything sensible
tonight.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.11.07 | Permalink
|
MONDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
HAGEL
RETIRES; DOOLITTLE & LEWIS RUN AGAIN; McKINNEY LOOKS TOWARD
GREENS. NEBRASKA: US Senator Chuck Hagel (R) is scheduled to announce
Monday he will not seek re-election next year to a third term.
Further, Hagel also says he will not be a candidate for any other
office in 2008 -- ending speculation of a possible GOP run for
President or Indy run for President or VP. With Hagel
out, the race to fill his seat is expected to be hotly contested.
Attorney General Jon Bruning and financial analyst Pat Flynn were
already announced Hagel challengers in the GOP primary. Wealthy
businessman Tony Raimondo and former Congressman and former Omaha
Mayor Hal Daub both previously announced they would seek the seat
if Hagel retired. However, the Omaha World-Herald reported
Sunday that GOP leaders are worried the Dems could capture the
open seat over any of these four candidates if former US Senator
and former Governor Bob Kerrey (D) jumps in. Respected political
pundit Larry Sabato agreed, calling Hagel's decision "good
news for Democrats." According to the newspaper, Nebraska
Republican Party leaders and the White House were expected to
start pressuring former Governor and current US Agriculture Secretary
Mike Johanns to run. These same forces unsuccessfully pushed two
years ago for Johanns to run against US Senator Ben Nelson (D),
but he passed on that challenger race. They now believe the popular
Johanns would be the strongest candidate against Kerrey in this
open seat race. However, the World-Herald said Bruning
was unlikely to defer to Johanns, possibly setting up a primary
race of "intense competition." Johanns, who is currently
on a visit to the state, declined to respond to inquiries from
the newspaper. As for Kerrey, he has yet to make a decision about
whether he wants to give up his university presidency in New York
and return to Nebraska. Kerrey said he will make some public comment
on Monday about his friend Hagel -- but will hold off announcing
his own plans until a separate day. Polling data shows Kerrey
remains both well known and well liked in the state. If Kerrey
runs, he would start with $430,000 in the bank unspent from his
old US Senate campaign committee. CALIFORNIA: Congressional Democrats looking to increase
their majority next year got more good news in recent days in
California. Congressmen Jerry Lewis (R) and John
Doolittle (R) -- both targets of separate federal corruption probes
-- announced last week they would each seek re-election next year.
National GOP leaders were reportedly pressuring both men to retire,
as they fear indictments during the campaign season would potentially
hand these otherwise safe Republican CD-4 and CD-41 seats over
to Democratic candidates. Lewis,
the former House Appropriations Committee chair and an unapologetic
supporter of the many budget earmarks he placed over the years,
has been reported to be the target of an FBI corruption probe
for months. The feds are reportedly looking into whether Lewis
received any personal favors or gifts in exchange for the spending
earmarks he inserted into appropriation bills. Doolittle is deeply
mired in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and bribery scandal that has
already brought down other House members. In a sign that the federal
investigation of Doolittle is intensifying, three Doolittle aides
were subpoenaed before the federal grand jury last week. "I
will not step aside. I am running again. Period," said a
defiant Doolittle at his Friday announcement. He also faces a
serious fight for renomination from three GOP challengers, with
State Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R) being the leading primary rival.
Doolittle blasted his three Republican primary opponents "weasels"
during his remarks to the media on Friday. The Sacramento Bee
reported Saturday that internal GOP polls show Doolittle is
already trailing retired USAF officer Charlie Brown (D) by "double-digit
numbers." GREEN PARTY:Controversial
former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney "is increasingly interested
in being the Green Party Presidential nominee" in 2008, according
to the Ballot Access News newsletter. McKinney compiled
a solid progressive voting record during her two separate tenures
in the US House -- both of which ended in upset renomination defeats.
She garnered bad media coverage from her suggestions that the
US government knew of the 9-11 attacks in advance but allowed
them to occur, for her overtly antagonistic relationship with
the Jewish community over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and
her 2006 arrest for striking a police officer. According to the
newsletter, McKinney "has said she won't decide [on a White
House run] until she finishes paying off her 2006 campaign debt.
However, the Green Party has been helping her pay off that debt
... at events in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire
and Vermont." McKinney was also a featured speaker at the
Green Party's national conference in Pennsylvania in July. The
Green's Presidential Nominating Convention will be held in Chicago
in July 2008.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.10.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.10.07 | Permalink
|
FRIDAY
NEWS UPDATE.
RON'S
RECAP OF WHAT WENT ON WHILE HE WAS AWAY.
How was I supposed to know that so much would happen while I was
away in France again? Let's see, on my first day away embattled
Attorney General Al Gonzales resigned. Just my two cents, but
someone like US Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) would be a quality
pick for the vacancy ... Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy
bolted from the Dems to become a Republican, giving him the option
of challenging US Senator Mary Landrieu (D) next year ... Then
there was the US Senator Larry Craig's (R-ID) news of his summer
arrest in a Minnesota airport bathroom for allegedly propositioning
an undercover cop for sex. It was the third gay scandal during
Craig's career, although he still denies he's gay. Then Craig
announced his "intent" to resign September 30, but apparently
he didn't say "Simon sez" (or had his fingers crossed
or whatever) because his staff later confirmed Craig wanted to
fight the allegations and not resign. Now, Craig's spokesman again
says he "expects" it is "most likely" Craig
will resign. Well, that seems to keep the stall door slightly
open for Craig to go either way ... Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-OH)
died unexpectedly this week at age 68 of natural causes ... Community
college dean Niki Tsongas (D) and retired USAF officer Jim Ogonowski
(R) won their respective primaries on September 4 for the open
CD-5 seat in Massachusetts ... US Senator John Warner (R-VA) announced
his plan to retire next year ... Finally, former US Senator, lobbyist
and character actor Fred Thompson (R) officially entered the White
House race this week.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.07 | Permalink
|
FREE
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Your daily open thread.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 09.07.07 | Permalink
|
Mexico
Governor 
Stone
in his office -- a virtual Nixon shrine covered from floor to
ceiling and filling display cabinets with Nixon memorabilia. It's
an impressive collection. In fact, Stone has so many Nixon posters
that they spill out of his office and cover the walls around the
large secretarial area outside his door. It gives visitors the
impression of stepping back in time into the 1968 Nixon campaign
headquarters. Stone only ceded one small section of wall space
to his Democratic colleagues, who cover their patch of wall space
-- maybe one-tenth the area used by Stone -- with a selection
of JFK, Humphrey and McGovern posters (i.e., the three Dem nominees
who ran against Nixon). A quick chat with Stone and it's clear
he lives and breathes politics. Besides the huge amount of Nixon
stuff everyone and several Reagan items, you find other quirky
things squeezed into the mix on his walls. Included in that latter
category are two signed photos of the late and rather odious attorney
John
Doolittle (R-CA) -- a central target in the federal Jack Abramoff
corruption probe -- was hit with a grand jury investigative subpoena
for his office records on Thursday. Six Doolittle aides were also
hit with subpoenas. Doolittle's subpoena seeks eleven years of
Doolittle's legislative records. Doolittle's attorney quickly
announced he planned to fight the Justice Department demand, saying
it is unconstitutional for an executive branch agency (the FBI)
to request these records from a member of the legislative branch.
"These efforts raise serious constitutional issues going
to the very core of our separation of powers created by the Founding
Fathers," said the attorney. Indicted Congressman Bill Jefferson
(D-LA) successfully used this argument in federal court to block
FBI agents from gaining access to records seized in a controversial
search of Jefferson's office. Doolittle is facing serious primary
and general election challenges.
Last
December I was sued for $5 million by a frequent New York political
candidate.
This week -- six months after filing my motion to dismiss -- the
court granted it. The court went so far as the write that the
"Plaintiff's libel claim is meritless ... plaintiff's claims
against Gunzburger are so completely without merit as to border
on the vexatious." Thank goodness that's behind me. And,
FYI, I promised the plaintiff early in the lawsuit his name will
never appear on this site again as a candidate. So instead I'll
come up with a new name for this bozo public figure: 
Rudy
Giuliani has virtually eliminated Mitt Romney's once commanding
lead in the state. The numbers: Romney - 23%, Giuliani - 22%,
John McCain - 17%, Fred Thompson - 12%, Newt Gingrich - 7%, Ron
Paul - 4%, Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee tied at 2% each, and
Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo tied at 1% each. If Gingrich is
out of the picture, Romney leads Giuliani by a 25% to 24% vote.
These poll numbers reflect a 10-point drop for Romney, a 4-point
rise for Giuliani, and 5-point rise for McCain since this same
poll two months ago. A recent Rasmussen Reports poll confirmed
a similar drop in NH for Romney. With McCain's numbers on the
rise again, he announced Wednesday his campaign will begin airing
his first TV spots in the Granite State this week.
In
an effort to save his lackluster Presidential campaign, Senator
Joe Biden (D) is taking a page out of John Kerry's winning 2004
nomination campaign plan. Biden is withdrawing nearly all of his
senior campaign staff from the early primary states and sending
all of them to work full-time in Iowa. In so doing, Biden is making
the Iowa caucuses a make-or-break contest for his single-digit
campaign. In other significant Biden news, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee Chair successfully inserted his Iraq amendment
into the Defense Authorization Bill in the Senate on Wednesday.
It passed by a 75-23 vote. Biden's plan endorses a policy to stabilize
Iraq through establishing a decentralized, federal system in Iraq
which would give Iraqis local control over many areas, including
police, jobs, education and government services. Under the Biden
plan, the limited Iraqi central government would be responsible
for protecting Iraq's borders and distributing its oil revenues.
Senators Hillary Clinton (D), Chris Dodd (D) and Sam Brownback
(R) supported the Biden plan -- and Brownback was even a co-sponsor.
Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R) were the only two Senators
who didn't vote on the amendment.
they
initially viewed him as their best hope to elect a social conservative.
However, doubts about Thompson's commitment to their cause and
what they view as his wavering on some key social issues helped
them decide they would not intervene as a group in support of
Thompson. "It’s just not going to happen now ... a
lot of people who had intended to support him pulled back,"
explained Weyrich, who was dissatisfied with Thompson's stance
on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Family Rights
Council President Tony Perkins explained the coalition had not
initially known of Thompson's 1990s lobbying efforts on behalf
of a pro-choice group. "Let the marketplace choose which
one ends up being the best candidate ... It may very well be that,
in this cycle, there isn’t a coalescing," said Gary
Bauer, who said he could support any of the Republicans "except
Giuliani" in a general election. Some leaders tied to the
group still hold out hope Evangelical conservatives will unite
behind a single primary candidate -- be it Thompson or anyone
else -- as the only way to derail Giualiani. "When confronted
with two liberal New Yorkers [Giuliani and Clinton], both pro-abortion
and pro-gay rights, [Christian conservatives] are going to vote
for a third-party candidate" in the general election, said
John Stemberger, a Religious Right leader based in Florida.
it
has the potential to become a somewhat competitive race only if
Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright (D) decides to run. However, one
rumor has it that Bright may run -- but would switch and run as
a Republican. Two GOP state legislators already jumped into the
race on Wednesday.
Tom
Cole (R-OK) has apparently won his rather public battle with House
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) over controlling the campaign
committee. Last week Boehner and Cole were observed in a yelling
argument in which Boehner was unhappy with the state of the NRCC
and demanded Cole fire the NRCC's top two staffers. Cole refused,
saying he would resign as chair before he fired the two men. In
a meeting Tuesday with GOP House members, The Politco reported
Boehner tried to make peace with Cole. "I respect Tom Cole.
He’s a valued member of this team. My goal is to help us
earn back our majority. I’ve had the same kind of frank
and candid conversation about the goals we all need to meet,"
said Boehner, explaining he and Cole had united goals. Boehner
was reportedly unhappy with the NRCC's anemic cash-on-hand tally
and what he perceived as a poor political competency for the 2008
elections. Much of Cole's fundraising efforts are not reflected
in the totals, as Cole has been working to eliminate the NRCC's
large deficit. "The majority of members of the Republican
Conference have great confidence in both John Boehner and Tom
Cole,” said Congressman John Kline (R-MN).
Sarah
Palin (R) has joined those calling on US Senator Ted Stevens (R)
to provide Alaskans with a "more thorough explanation"
of his involvement in the unfolding federal corruption probe of
which he seems a central target. "Not hearing anything in
terms of information that can be shared regarding the Senator's
innocence is kind of frustrating for Alaskan. Alaskans are getting
more anxious to hear any information that he can provide regarding
his innocence," said Palin. She told the Anchorage Daily
News that a lot of Alaskans still support Stevens but want
him to give a clear explanation answering all of the corruption
allegations that have been reported in recent months. In response
to Palin's comments, a Stevens spokesman said the Senator would
offer no new comment other than his frequent statement of "I
continue to believe this investigation should proceed to its conclusion
without any appearance that I have attempted to influence its
outcome." Palin said her concern with the ongoing corruption
trials and investigations is that Alaskans are starting to think
the state's politicians can be purchased by special interests.
ruminated on the possibility of additional House Republicans calling
it quits over the coming weeks. Among the additional retirement
possibilities mentioned: Barbara Cubin (R-WY), Dave Hobson (R-OH),
John McHugh (R-NY), Ralph Regula (R-OH) and Bill Young (R-FL).
The newspaper also suggested John Doolittle (R-CA), but Doolittle
insists he's running again despite being the target of a federal
corruption probe and facing serious primary and general election
challengers. Besides the general view among House members that
the Republicans will not regain majority status in 2008, another
concern pushing some to retirement is the serious financial imbalance
between the DCCC and the NRCC campaign accounts. The DCCC has
over $22 million cash-on-hand, while the NRCC has just $1.6 million
according to the latest 2Q-07 FEC reports. House Minority Leader
John Boehner (R-OH) is likewise unhappy with the state of the
NRCC and is pressuring NRCC Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) to fire the
campaign committee's executive director and political director,
according to The Politico. The newspaper reported Cole's
response: "I will resign before I fire those two." A
September 10 meeting between Boehner and Cole to discuss the problems
at the NRCC degenerated into "a lot of yelling back-and-forth."
US
House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) said on Fox News Sunday
he is still very interested in jumping into the Presidential race.
In fact, Gingrich sounded very much like someone who will run
if he can just get pledges for enough money to be viable. His
biggest concern: rival Mitt Romney's sizable personal wealth.
"[Romney] can write a $100 million check. I mean, there's
no point in getting into a fight with a guy who can drown you
unless you at least have enough resources for a vote. And so if
we have enough resources, then close to that we'll face a very
big decision in late October. If there aren't enough resources,
I'm not for doing unrealistic things," explained Gingrich.
He said he needs to have around $30 million in pledges to be able
to run, and plans to spend the next several weeks criss-crossing
the nation seeking them. However, 
Katrina
Swett will likewise quit the race and endorse Shaheen. Swett's
exit leaves former astronaut Jay Buckey (D) as Shaheen's only
primary foe. Buckey has vowed to remain in the race, but Shaheen
is expected to easily trounce him in the primary. Recent polls
show Shaheen holding a slim lead over Sununu.
columnist
Bob Novak reported this week that Kerrey recently told friends
he will soon jump into the race. Kerrey met last week with the
DSCC to discuss the race. The Johanns-Kerrey contest will likely
be one of the most competitive Senate races in the nation. However,
before Johanns gets the right to face Kerrey, he will have to
defeat social conservative Attorney General Jon Bruning in the
primary. A poll last week sponsored by Bruning's campaign showed
Johanns leading Bruning by a 39% to 30% vote in a GOP primary
match-up. Interesting aside: Nebraska newspapers report both Johanns
and Kerrey are currently looking for homes in the state, as neither
man currently resides there.
This
week Jackson blasted US Senator Barack Obama (D). According the
The State, a leading South Carolina newspaper, Jackson
blasted Obama for "acting like he’s white" by
failing to be sufficiently vocal on a court case involving the
arrest in Jena, Louisiana, of six black juveniles. "Jena
is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment,"
said Jackson, who complained Obama has barely discussed the case.
Obama soon after issued another statement criticizing the Jena
case. After the "acting white" comments were widely
reported, Jackson backed off them. "I reaffirm my commitment
to vote for Sen. Barack Obama. He has remarkably transcended race
... I think Jena is another defining moment of the issue of race
and the criminal justice system. This issue requires direct and
bold leadership. I commend Sen. Obama for speaking out and demanding
fairness on this defining issue. Any attempt to dilute my support
for Sen. Obama will not succeed," said Jackson in a written
statement released late Wednesday.
he
explained at his press conference. Ramstad -- a GOP centrist --
was well-liked and respected on both sides of the aisle. A recovering
alcholic for 26 years, Ramstad said he hope to continue helping
individuals dealing with chemical addiction issues even after
he leaves Congress. However, Ramstad said he has no specific plans
for his future. As President Bush carried the CD-3 seat by just
3-points in 2004, this swing seat could become a truly competitive
race if the Dems can find a viable candidate. State GOP Chair
Ron Carey told the ECM Post-Review he believes his party
will need to work hard to hold the seat -- and he expects nearly
a dozen GOP candidates to jump in -- but says the GOP can win
it if they nominate "another moderate Republican." Several
Dems, including a few state legislators, are also seen as potential
candidates.
Told
'ya so. Just a few months after bombastic former Ambassador and
former TV talk show host Alan Keyes (R-MD) launched a campaign
to draft himself for President -- to wit: the draft campaign was
"organized" by Keyes' friends and employees and the
draft website was hosted on a server owned by Keyes --
he finally convinced himself to jump into the race. Keyes made
it official on Friday, and will already participate in the second-tier
GOP candidates' debate on Monday evening. "The one thing
I've always been called to do is to raise the standard ... of
our allegiance to God and His authority that has been the foundation
stone of our nation's life ... [The other Republican candidates
have failed to make a] forthright, clear, and clarion declaration
... concerning this issue," said Keyes. A perennial candidate,
Keyes has previously lost two runs for the GOP Presidential nomination
(1996 and 2000) and three runs for US Senator (twice in Maryland
and once in Illinois). Keyes emphasizes he is only seeking the
GOP nomination at this time, even though his office acknowledges
that some within the Constitution Party are reportedly interested
in Keyes seeking the CP nomination if he fails to win the GOP
nomination. 
and
Fred Thompson -- are all skipping the event. "There seems
to be a concerted effort to dodge the agenda of the pro-family
movement," said WorldNetDaily publisher Joseph Farah.
While the event will be broadcast live on satellite TV, radio
and 
US
Senator Lincoln Chafee -- who was defeated last year for re-election
-- revealed Sunday to the Providence Journal that he had
quietly "disaffiliated" in his voter registration from
the Republican Party two months ago. Chafee said he hadn't mentioned
it until now simply because nobody had asked before. The NRSC
spent a significant amount of money on advertising that helped
Chafee narrowly survive a conservative primary challenege. Chafee
emphasized he still feels close to many in the Rhode Island Republican
Party, but his objections were entirely focused upon the national
party. "It’s not my party any more," he explained.
Chafee's criticism was mainly focused upon three areas: "abandoning
fiscal conservatism" by passing tax cuts without spending
cuts and thus creating a "permanent deficit"; the Iraq
War; and the lack of GOP support for environmental protection.
Chafee says he very much enjoys his current job as a distinguished
visiting fellow at Brown University.
polls
show Sununu trailing Shaheen by a wide margin of 20+ points. Three
other Dems were already campaigning for the seat, but it was unclear
if any would exit the contest due to Shaheen's entry.
my
way to work, I drive past First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale.
I noticed a banner across the front of the church today announcing
the pastor there was planning to give a series of sermons with
the theme: "Seussology: The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss."
Giving it some thought, here are my suggestions to help the pastor
re-tool many of the favorites to serve his message:
Warner
(D) launched his US Senate campaign on Thursday via and email
message and a video on his 
Controversial
former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney spent months attending Green
Party events around the nation designed to help raise money to
pay off her 2006 campaign debt. And -- after months of flirting
with making a run for Green Presidential nomination -- McKinney
formally withdrew from the Green nomination contest. In a letter
dated Monday and addressed to the Steering Committee of the Green
Party of the United States, McKinney wrote: "After careful
consideration about the political conditions facing our nation,
the level of development within the [Green] Party, my own readiness
to take on such a daunting task and my own long postponed personal
priorities, I write to inform the Party that I must at this time
withdraw my name from consideration for the Party's 2008 Presidential
Nominating contest." The move leaves McKinney free to make
yet another attempt to recapture her former House seat next year.
Hagel
out, the race to fill his seat is expected to be hotly contested.
Attorney General Jon Bruning and financial analyst Pat Flynn were
already announced Hagel challengers in the GOP primary. Wealthy
businessman Tony Raimondo and former Congressman and former Omaha
Mayor Hal Daub both previously announced they would seek the seat
if Hagel retired. However, the Omaha World-Herald reported
Sunday that GOP leaders are worried the Dems could capture the
open seat over any of these four candidates if former US Senator
and former Governor Bob Kerrey (D) jumps in. Respected political
pundit Larry Sabato agreed, calling Hagel's decision "good
news for Democrats." According to the newspaper, Nebraska
Republican Party leaders and the White House were expected to
start pressuring former Governor and current US Agriculture Secretary
Mike Johanns to run. These same forces unsuccessfully pushed two
years ago for Johanns to run against US Senator Ben Nelson (D),
but he passed on that challenger race. They now believe the popular
Johanns would be the strongest candidate against Kerrey in this
open seat race. However, the World-Herald said Bruning
was unlikely to defer to Johanns, possibly setting up a primary
race of "intense competition." Johanns, who is currently
on a visit to the state, declined to respond to inquiries from
the newspaper. As for Kerrey, he has yet to make a decision about
whether he wants to give up his university presidency in New York
and return to Nebraska. Kerrey said he will make some public comment
on Monday about his friend Hagel -- but will hold off announcing
his own plans until a separate day. Polling data shows Kerrey
remains both well known and well liked in the state. If Kerrey
runs, he would start with $430,000 in the bank unspent from his
old US Senate campaign committee.
Lewis,
the former House Appropriations Committee chair and an unapologetic
supporter of the many budget earmarks he placed over the years,
has been reported to be the target of an FBI corruption probe
for months. The feds are reportedly looking into whether Lewis
received any personal favors or gifts in exchange for the spending
earmarks he inserted into appropriation bills. Doolittle is deeply
mired in the Jack Abramoff lobbying and bribery scandal that has
already brought down other House members. In a sign that the federal
investigation of Doolittle is intensifying, three Doolittle aides
were subpoenaed before the federal grand jury last week. "I
will not step aside. I am running again. Period," said a
defiant Doolittle at his Friday announcement. He also faces a
serious fight for renomination from three GOP challengers, with
State Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R) being the leading primary rival.
Doolittle blasted his three Republican primary opponents "weasels"
during his remarks to the media on Friday. The Sacramento Bee
reported Saturday that internal GOP polls show Doolittle is
already trailing retired USAF officer Charlie Brown (D) by "double-digit
numbers."
