Florida
Supreme Court Decisions Split Nations Opinions
Supreme Court Decisions Don’t Change Presidential Polls Though Most agree With Handgun Decision.
Following several key decisions just 26% gave the U. S. Supreme Court Justices good or excellent marks for their work. down from 31% two weeks ago and 41% a month ago. Voters overwhelmingly agreed with the decision overturning a Washington, DC ban on handguns. Most voters think there’s a chance gas prices will top $5 a gallon this year Only about a third believe prices will top $6 a gallon or fall below $4 again. Most reject the notion that conservation alone will bring prices down and are evenly divided about whether new energy sources can accomplish that goal. All the posturing on energy issues and the Supreme Court had little short-term impact on the Presidential race with Obama sticking in the high 40s and McCain 4-5% behind. The benchmark is July 4th with many believing If Obama is 10% ahead then McCain can not overcome it.
McCain’s call for offshore oil drilling has helped him in Florida and hurt in California where he trails 58-30% Obama leads 84-6% among Democrats, and only gets 67% of Republicans. Just 46% of Californians favor offshore drilling while 57% do nationwide.
Goodbye Tim Russert
Years ago I first became interested in politics by watching David Brinkley every Sunday morning on ABC.
I was saddened when he retired thinking that Sunday mornings wouldn’t be the same. Yet I soon found on another channel, another monitor and even though Tim Russert on Meet the Press couldn’t replace David Brinkley, as he was one of a kind, over the years I grew to admire and enjoy Tim Russert for his own originality.
So to hear of his death today was shocking as he was so young and it was so unexpected. Political junkies such as me will sorely miss his insight, wit and vast political knowledge which he shared with us every Sunday morning. He will be particularly missed this fall when we will all fondly recall Russert’s white board through which he showed more political wisdom than everyone else with their multi colored computerized high tech charts. And unlike most journalists Tim Russert truly seemed impartial, except, of course, when it came to his beloved Buffalo Bills.
In addition to neither leaning too far to the left or right, another reason that Tim Russert was so good at what he did was because he never allowed himself to become the story. Be it on Meet the Press or in-depth interviews or even moderating a presidential debate, Russert was old school, believing that the spotlight should be on the news or newsmaker but never on him. Today it seems as if most journalists make the story be about them. They are no longer content to stay behind the microphone and are instead coming around to the other side where they become the story.
This is why the coverage of his demise bothers me. It seems that whenever I turned on the TV every cable news channel had continuous coverage of the death of Tim Russert. I didn’t know the man other than what we all have seen on TV but I have a feeling he would have not only been embarrassed but he would have hated it. After being one of the few remaining journalists who never made the story about himself it is almost a disgrace that they are now turning him into the news after his death.
Yes Tim Russert’s death is sad, yes it is shocking, yes he will be missed but he would have wanted a brief mention and then on with the real news. And as for Sunday mornings, just as he couldn’t replace David Brinkley on ABC but instead brought his own uniqueness to NBC’s Meet the Press then neither can Tim Russert now be replaced. Instead, down the road someone else will come along. And yet Tim Russert’s memory will live on as long as there are elections and white boards and Florida, Florida, Florida.
Game, Set and Match
My neck hurts more than usual. It is a good thing I am scheduled for some treatment later this week because it sure had a work-out over the weekend. On one hand I was swiveling my head back and forth watching the French Open tennis tournament. At the same time I was flipping channels Saturday to watch the verbal battle in the DNC meeting as they debated what to do with Michigan and Florida.
As the men and women of the tennis matches returned volley after volley with speed, determination and skill so did the two sides at the DNC Committee meeting. Although there was no “scoreboard” in the jam packed board room, everyone was keeping track of the ebb and flow of the delegate count.
Ironically, neither the tennis match nor the committee’s finding were beneficial to American women. The most famous current women tennis players were defeated early on in the French Open. As both Serena and Venus Williams were beaten in the third round so was Hillary in Saturday’s rulings. The biggest blow was in the Michigan ruling where Clinton hoped to walk away with more delegates than what was given to her.
What next? Hilary’s supporters hinted that they might take it to the convention as the small crowd of middle aged white women cheered in the background. But no matter what they do, the odds are slim and none that she will eventually win.
Perhaps the greatest result of the meeting is it marked the beginning of the end for the Clinton dominance and control of the DNC. By nearly a 2-1 vote the committee members showed that it is now an Obama party. You could say that Obama and his supporters kept serving ace after ace which Hillary could never return.
How will an Obama controlled DNC act during the upcoming national election? That is the biggest unknown out there. Barack is an untested, inexperienced politician who so far is playing this game brilliantly. He continuously has beaten anyone who goes up against him in spite of being an “unranked” newcomer. How has he done this against some of the biggest names in the Democratic party? Maybe he is just that good at the game and yet….
Newsmakers are just now beginning to come out of their trance over this young man to dig into his history. On Saturedy he left his controversial church but who knows what else may be out there about him? Hillary’s complaint that Obama is unvetted may prove to be prophetic. All we can do now is watch the game unfold between Obama and McCain and see what happens over the next six months.
As for my aching neck, it got one more workout on Saturday. Late in the afternoon I finally got up off my couch and walked outside. And in the beautiful sun drenched Florida afternoon I lifted my head up to the blue sky. Looking to the east I saw the familiar sign of a large white puffy spiral climbing towards the heavens. Another successful space shuttle launched. No matter how many times I have seen this, it is still an awesome sight. And maybe in the political games we all could use an occasional time-out not only to rest but to remind us of what they are fighting for and the high stakes that will go to the winner.
NBA Pauses for DNC Debacle
The so-called RULES COMMITTEE of the National Democrat Party will meet and rule on the apportioning and seating of delegates from the “bad boy’s and girl’s states” of Florida and Michigan. But, its ruling can be appealed to the CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE TO SEAT OR NOT any delegate or delegation, and such a challenge can apparently be brought by almost anybody and would have to be ratified by the entire Democrat Convention when it meets in Denver, Colorado in August.
Meanwhile there will be more pontificating, puffing, preening and posturing by the pair of champion shadow boxing narcissists continuing their elaborate Kabuki performance “supported” by a veteran vaudevillian troop called PDR (Pelosi, Dean, Reid) with bit players; walk-ons and fly-overs named Edwards, Carter and Gore.
That seems embarrassingly certain to continue to attract and nurture an ever more despicable assortment of lunatic-like actors, costumed as clergy, parading before an exaggeratedly swaying congregation with a seemingly inexhaustible pharmaceutical supply.
Look for code words like “suspended campaign” and “unification” reading ever more like the infamously flaccid League of Nations Charter. Let the hugging and cheek kissing begin; I suppose a remaining question is what cheeks.
Saturday Shootout At OHB-HRC Corral.
The next showdown in the 2008 Democrat nomination soap opera comes Saturday at the meeting of the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee to maybe settle the “Florigan” delegate debacle. To the consternation of Democrats seeking a solution, Clinton supporters are disputing the compromise that would give Obama uncommitted delegates from Michigan. Clintonistas argue that the “uncommitted” delegates are up for grabs.
Obama has warned his supporters not to show up anywhere near the meeting site lest they besmirch his carefully orchestrated love affair that goes something like once you’ve tried black you can never go back.
Regardless of Saturday’s posturing this ain’t over.
What’s a Democrat to do? What do you think?
What’s a Democrat to do? What do you think?
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard “the Scream” Dean wants Florida and Michiganparty officials to come up with ways to repeat their presidential nominating contests so that their delegates can be counted. A re-vote could cost $20,000,000. There are 366 delegates at stake. Clintontrails Obama by 140 delegates. If Florida and Michigandelegates were apportioned according to the votes cast Clinton would get 180 more delegates. Since Obama was NOT on the Michigan ballot and didn’t campaign in Florida there’s no way to know how many he’d have. This whole brouhaha started when the DNC punished Florida and Michigan for advancing their respective primary elections and said their delegates wouldn’t be counted. Of course then there are the so-called “Super delegates” members of Congress, former Presidents and Democrat party officials. They can vote for whoever they wish so it is possible Obama or Hillary could win the vote and elected delegate count and not be nominated.
Hillary to the Supreme Court!
Only if necessary.
It Hillary loses the nomination in Denver in August 2008 to Obama and the delegate count from Michigan and Florida would have given her the win, you can believe it that it will be Democrat vs Democrat in court, possible all the way to the Supreme Court. Bush v Gore only more gore.
McCain and Clinton Won Florida with Consequences
McCain won Florida Tuesday; Romney was second despite spending millions, Giuliani was a fading third followed by a distant Huckabee and inconsequential Paul. Rudy Giuliani quit immediately after the results were posted and endorsed John McCain Wednesday. Clinton beat Obama and Edwards neither of whom campaigned in Florida. Democrat John Edwards also dropped his campaign Wednesday morning. Speculation is Edwards has made a deal to be Attorney General or maybe for an Ambassadorship.
Kerry Endorses Barack Obama - Despite Florida for Hills
The Obama bandwagon is picking up steam in many quarters and being referred to as the candidate of change by more Democrats every day. There are increasing and not so subtle references to taking the high road, for instance as opposed to Hillary’s pandering in Florida, evidently contrary to informal agreements amongst the candidates due to the delegate problem.
Chris Mathews likes it when “it gets personal”
Speaking of the Republican contest in Florida on MSNBC today, Keith Olberman said it is getting down to the “extremes.” By that he meant Romney and McCain.
Mathews agreed and said the reace was getting “very personal” between the candidates, which he said he “likes”. That like, sounds more like Jerry Springer material than serious news reporting. In a much later discussion, when told a lot of politics is not above the first or second grade, he chuckles, “I like it!”
Florida Republican’s Boycott Today’s Primary in Sympathy With Democrats
In a rare show of unity between parties, it appears that local politics is stronger than national parties and are refusing to vote since the Democrats Delegates will not count in Denver, CO at the national convention this August. Sort of gives me goosebumps.
While some are going to the polling booths according to the New York T imes, some reports indicate that those who are too embarrassed to show unity with the Democrats in public by boycotting publicly, many are going in and in the privacy of the booth are refusing to Punch The Chad.
My Actor Can Beat up Your Actor
Upon hearing that actor Sylvester Stallone endorsed him John McCain said he was going to Philadelphia and run up those steps and joked that he’d ask Stallone to beat up Chuck Norris for calling McCain too old to be President.
No information available about the response of the Norris, uh Hucklebee camp except the hint of a new exercise machine will be built to prepare for that fight.
Republicans enjoy nice nice, even a little foot in mouth by Huckabee, no matter
There was a Republican debate Thursday night in Florida. It started like reading the survivors list from the Titanic – a lot shorter than it was originally. Romney, McCain, Giuliani, Paul and Huckabee more or less agreed that the proposed Bush-House economic stimulus package is good but does not go far enough, fast enough or long enough.
Edwards won among Richer White Men, How Embarrasing
To no ones particular surprise but in what was the most racially split statewide vote since Civil War Reconstruction Barrack Obama trounced Hillary Clinton by more than two to one leaving Edwards lost in the South Carolina dust Saturday. Clinton won the less educated and poorer vote. Obama overwhelmingly won among the young, college educated and blacks. Edwards won among white men.
Bad Florida, bad, bad Florida, You Don’t Count
Florida will pay for it’s performance in past presidential elections by being banned from
2008. Democratic candidates are vacationing in Florida but refuse to campaigning there.
New Homestead Act of 2008
Proposal:
Enact legislation enabling (not requiring) lenders and state and local laws to allow and keep the current occupants in homes that are go through foreclosure. Foreclosure does not stop. The mortgage is exchanged for a Homesteaders Agreement between the Lender and the Occupant
Who Stays:
Current Occupants
“A Woman in Charge” by Carl Bernstein & The Republicans
Hillary held center stage tonight Jan 24, 2008 indicating what Carl Bernstein called her in his book “A Lady in Charge.”
Tonight, she was very much “in charge” of the Republican debate. Most candidates were more prepared to campaign against her than other Republicans. They seem to be looking beyond a potential Obama win in South Carolina, to Hill & Bill in the Final Two contest in November.
Republican Debate Thursday January 24, 2008
Brian Willians asked Rudy Giuliani why his poll numbers were so terrible, half of what they were. The response is there are various polls and what the voters care about is the issues. Rudy has been mentioned negatively by the New York Times, some Republicans believe he should be proud of that.
Huckabee came out strong for the war in Iraq defending that ithe Bush invasion as worthwhile and a big part of our current safety.
Romney addressed the kitchen table issues of the economy, housing and energy costs. He joked, perhaps, that he can not think of any thing worse than having Bill Clinton as R. First Dude, back in the White House with nothing to do. That and using Barack Obama’s own challenges to Hillary gave him the upper hand tonight.
1/24/2008 Thursday, Conservatively Speaking
M |
onday night Democrats had the HIP BOOT DEBATE in South Carolina that had their three remaining presidential candidates wading around in a hog wallow of slung mud sponsored by CNN/BLACK CAUCUS. It was the most heated and acrimonious thus far. If looks could kill Barrack would be dead. Aside from the mutual if inconclusive splattering the most interesting part was the closing segment that the three spent discussing how Democrats could defeat Republican John McCain next November.
Clinton and Obama bickered and gnawed on each other leaving Edwards to whine that it was a three and not a two person debate. The crowd was mostly with Obama. It is axiomatic that when three people are running and two are attacking each other the third wins. That would make Edwards the winner but not last night. Obama marginally took a split decision. But, no minds were changed.
Wednesday morning ABCs Good Morning America clarified the various debate charges pointing out that both Clinton’s have made charges against Obama that are simply untrue and Obama tiptoed around the truth too.
McCain Envy Reigns
“We have been sort of like John McCain, but not completely” per Barack Obama? Yes.
Hillary and John Edwards did not question what Barack meant by that sentence, which surely requires some explanation, because they were stumbling over each other to say why they could beat him (McCain).
Mitt & Mike must also have McCain envy right now and be chaffing at the bit to lock horns with McCain in Florida and are no doubt praying for a Super Super Tuesday.
Forecasts that this goes all the way to the convention in Minneapolis are a bit far fetched but the back room deals for VP might .
Duncan Hunter who recently dropped out of the race endorsed Huckabee.
“How Cool Is it” To Have So Many Different Candidates
This from Bill Clinton from a pulpit while applauding Martin Luther King for bringing this about.
But why is Bill getting directly in the face of Barack Obama in a way a Vice President in most administrations plays the heavy instead of the President, or in this case Hillary as the candidate.
Is it working or hurting the campaign is the tough question. Obama wants to keep his hands clean so maybe he should leave the responses to Bill for someone else in his campaign. After all in this race, Obama is a level above R. First Dude.
Rich Lowry calls Bill Clintons’ antics against Barack Obama as that of a man child.