It's showtime for Republican Thompson in Iowa

After a late start, poor reviews for a lackluster campaign and a slide in opinion polls sending him behind several rivals, he says he is ready to make his move in Iowa.

"People are paying attention now, people are focused," said Thompson, who launched a marathon Iowa bus tour this week ahead of January 3, when the state kicks off the race to choose the Republican and Democratic candidates for the November 2008 presidential election.

[...]

Thompson has been falling in polls since his delayed entry in September and a series of campaign-trail gaffes. He has been criticized for spending too little time campaigning. Some days, his entire schedule consists of a few call-in radio shows.
But a strong showing in Iowa after months of neglect could give Thompson new momentum. He has visited the state just eight times, less than any other Republican candidate except Texas Rep. Ron Paul, according to the political Web site Hotline.

[...]

While Thompson has fallen well behind the pack in national polls, he is in a race for third in Iowa behind Huckabee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. A slip by either could give him a shot at a surprise.

Thompson's rivals for third in Iowa, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain, also have barely campaigned in the state while looking to later primary votes elsewhere across the country.

[...]

Earlier this week, Thompson picked up the backing of Rep. Steve King, who represents the heavily Republican western half of Iowa and holds considerable sway with the state's sizable bloc of social and religious conservatives.

But Thompson's late start could prove a handicap in organizing voter turnout efforts in Iowa, often a requirement for success in the state.

"If you are going to participate in the Iowa caucuses, you have to get on the ground and fight it out county by county," said Steve Roberts, a Republican National Committee member from Iowa. "He just hasn't done that so far."

Well - I'm not sure what this is going to matter for in the end - He doesn't stand much of a chance at winning in this election at all - But Iowa does contribute 7 electoral college votes, which isn't very much - but can easily help mount up some votes for himself. At any rate - Hes not much of a public speaker and I don't think hes taking his own campaign seriously - If your only going to do a few call in shows - your not thinking very smart. I'd wish him good luck...but I don't think it would matter.

Yours Truly ~~

()_BOB_)~~*

Tancredo Won't seek re-election to Congress

Tancredo won't seek re-election to Congress

"Several weeks ago I made the decision[...]" the five-term Republican congressman and longshot (his word) presidential candidate told his staff Sunday night in a note posted online today by the Rocky Mountain News.

[...]

"I have decided that I have accomplished all I can in the U.S. House of Representatives on the issue of immigration reform and will therefore not seek a 6th term.

"I broke my term limits pledge because at the time, there was no one else to whom the baton could have been passed. Now there are so many folks working the issue from our side that I think I can safely say my work there is done."

When he first ran for his seat in 1998, Tancredo said he would serve no more than three terms. During his tenure, he became the leading congressional critic of illegal immigration, an issue on which he has based his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. He also gained notoriety in 2005 when he suggested that the United States could retaliate for a nuclear attack by Islamist terrorists by bombing the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Tancredo’s presidential campaign continues.

Meanwhile, he becomes the latest high-profile House Republican to announce his retirement at the end of the 110th Congress. The GOP considers his a safe seat.

"A Republican has held Colorado’s Sixth Congressional District for more than 30 years," Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. "There is a strong Republican bench in this seat and we expect the people of central Colorado to send another Republican to the House."

This man is a joke. truly. For those readers that dont know - Tancredo is a one-issue man who believes the solution to Americas problems is to deport each and every illegal immigrant and stop incoming legal immigration. Hes a joke who takes his own act seriously. Hes racist and a supremacist - threating to bomb Mecca and Medina (two of the holiest Muslim site in the world) if Islamic Terrorists bombed America. This guy is a moron and America - if not the world - is better off if he disappears from politics.

Yours Truly ~~
()_BOB_)~~*

Ron Paul's thought-provoking choice on racist money

Ron Paul's thought-provoking choice on racist's $$$
The article is short - so here is it in its entirety

You have to hand it to Ron Paul. Most presidential candidates who weren't running as white supremacists themselves would reflexively return a donation from a self-proclaimed racist so fast they would break speed records for financial transactions.

But as has been reported, Paul has decided to keep a $500 donation from Don Black of West Palm Beach who runs a website called Stormfront whose slogan is "White Pride World Wide."

As Paul's campaign explained, it plans to keep the money because that will reduce the cash Black has to spend on spreading his controversial ideology by $500.

And, according to the campaign, another good will occur. Paul will have $500 more with which to spread his libertarian message of freedom from big government, including his opposition to the Iraq War.

One freedom Paul has comes from the unlikelihood he'll receive his party's nomination. If he were a real threat to be the Republican nominee, he would've given back the money immediately since no top tier candidate would want to take a chance on losing the big prize because of the kind of controversy surrounding this kind of controversy.

But a lot of money is given to candidates by supporters with views out of the mainstream, views many other Americans would find objectionable. That's a given. The only difference is that Black doesn't hide his views.

Still, the unwritten rule in politics is that when you find yourself getting money from someone controversial because of what they do or say, someone with views repugnant to most Americans, you give their cash back like it's radioactive.

Paul's approach is certainly unorthodox, like so much about the man. That doesn't necessarily make it wrong. And because it's so different a way of handling such a situation, it presents an opportunity for a discussion about what's right and wrong in such situations. In short, it makes you think.

Ron Paul has officially lost my respect as a politician. I'm not sure he ever HAD any - but why would you willingly accept money from someone with a slogan like "White Pride, World Wide."
And its not that racism doesn't exist in society - but what kind of excuse is "If i take his money, he cant support his bigotry!"...Paul - wake up. if he sent five hundred dollars to you - then quite obviously, he had the money to spare. Its not hurting his message because hes obviously making his own money on the side. Ron Paul simply is a bit more money-hungry and doesn't mind breaking a few moral codes to grab some.

Yours Truly ~~
()_BOB_)~~*

McCain Voices "Guarded Optimism" on Iraq...

McCain Voices "Guarded Optimism" on Iraq but says hurdles are high

Republican presidential contender John McCain said yesterday he was "guardedly optimistic" about the ability of Iraqis to make political, economic, and social progress, thanks to what he described as the "fundamental of a secure environment" brought about by the US troop increase he championed.

[...]

McCain, who met with Iraqi political leaders in Baghdad over Thanksgiving, cited indicators of both success (the return of refugees, a 5K run in Ramadi) and failure (the persistence of suicide bombers, physical threats to Iraqi judges) in building the nation's civil society amid the mission that he boasted was once called the "McCain surge" by critics.

Yet the hurdles to assembling a strong government, McCain suggested, were high, from sectarian squabbling he had personally witnessed among the country's leaders and the "byzantine" lawmaking structure.

"They've got something like 41 ministers in their government," McCain said. "Who designed that? They ought to take that guy out and shoot him."

The Arizona senator said the best-case political scenario for Iraq would be a "loose confederation . . . with a very bumbling, not terribly effective central government with a lot of the autonomy being exercised but Iraq not breaking up into three different countries." To get there, he said, would require a continued US military presence in an advisory role as responsibility is transferred to Iraqi authorities.

[...]

"Some say open, formal talks; others say don't talk to them at all," he said. "I think this business of how you communicate is the most overrated aspect of diplomacy, because you can always communicate."

On that subject and others, McCain frequently turned to history, particularly Vietnam, where he was held as a prisoner of war. For example, in this case, he suggested that it was not laborious peace negotiations in Paris - where delegations bickered over the shape of the table - but military realities that ended American involvement in Southeast Asia.

Im having trouble liking any of these candidates - and now im beginning to wonder if ANY of them are serious in any way. "The buisness of how you communicate is the most overrated aspect of diplomacy"?? are you JOKING? is he stupid? what is deplomacy without communication? History is something to LEARN from not - Not REPEAT.
he has to grow up. hes got to get over his POW status and stop looking for sympathy on that issue. Every time you see him on TV or in the news "...well i was prisoner of war in 'Nam. So i know what I'm saying!"

Yours Truly ~~
()_BOB_)~~*

Foes Protest 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

This is a longer post - reguarding multiple stories all interconnected - leading to one very immature Duncan Hunter - and a near case of the freedom of speech being (once again)
restricted. (averted only by accident)

Foes Take on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

Clinton Adviser was on air at GOP Debate

Hunter Waters the Plant (Letter) (Note that some of the stories are multiple pages)

Twelve thousand miniature flags are fluttering on the National Mall through today (Dec 2) to represent the men and women discharged from the military since Bill Clinton in 1993 signed off on the "don't ask, don't tell" compromise -- a policy that requires gays and lesbians conceal their sexual orientation or leave the military.

The flags, placed by volunteers, cover six football fields of space in view of the Capitol building and the Washington monument. [[Foes Take On 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell']]

Why is this important? Well - this comes not a moment after the fourteenth aniversary of Clintons "Dont Ask, Dont Tell" Policy and after comments on the CNN/YouTube debate
where....

[...]GOP hopefuls widely agreed to leave the policy in place. The debate [...] hit another dramatic high point when retired Brig. Gen. Keith Kerr asked a video question from his perspective as a now openly gay man who had completed 43 years of military service.

"I want to know why you think that American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians," Kerr asked in the video shot at his home in Santa Rosa, Calif.

In response, Republican candidates Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, John McCain and Duncan Hunter all agreed they supported the current policy. [[Clinton Adviser was on air at GOP Debate]]

Later, after the debate, Hunter had penned a short response to Clinton, with whom Kerr had been an outspoken supporter of Hillary Clinton (and consequentially, should not have made his appearance in the debate to ask (in our presidents words) a "Loaded Question")

November 29, 2007

Dear Senator Clinton,

Regarding the "plant", retired Brig. Gen. Keith H. Kerr, that you sent to ask me the question at the CNN-YouTube debate last night in Florida …

Send more!!!

Merry Christmas,
Duncan Hunter [[Hunter Waters The Plant]]

I think that even IF Kerr was a political supporter of Clinton that he shouldnt have cause controversy at the Debate - People have a right to ask questions and hes lucky it was a video question - cause otherwise...well, let us not forget the incident of "Don't Tase Me Bro!"
People should be able to ask politicians questions and Hunter is acting like a small child
just egging on Clinton with his letter.

Its immature and hes not acting like the professional he should be.

Yours Truly ~~
()_BOB_)~~*

Huckabee Courts Evangelical Vote in Iowa

Huckabee Courts Evangelical Vote in Iowa

Huckabee, a former Southern Baptist minister, announced the names Tuesday in Iowa of more than 60 pastors endorsing his presidential bid, including Tim LaHaye, best-selling author of the Christian apocalyptic "Left Behind" series; LaHaye's wife, Beverly LaHaye, founder of Concerned Women for America; and Chuck Hurley, an influential Iowa conservative.

The announcement was the payoff of months of work by Huckabee staffer Matt Reisetter, 32, whose job it is to get Christian evangelicals in Iowa excited about Huckabee's bid for the GOP nomination.

"There's been a lot of evangelicals who really like the governor since the first time they were exposed to him," Reisetter said, " but there's a lot of pragmatists among the evangelical ranks — they want to support a winner."

Reisetter said now that Huckabee is surging in the polls — locked in a statistical dead heat with longtime Iowa front-runner former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — evangelicals feel more comfortable backing him.

"They see he's a winner and he aligns with them on issues that matter the most," Reisetter said.

Huckabee addressed a group of 300 pastors in Iowa Monday attending a religious conference and received more than three standing ovations.

[...]

Huckabee's consistent anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage stance is a plus for many Christian evangelicals in Iowa. An estimated 40 percent of likely GOP caucus voters in Iowa consider themselves born-again Christians or Christian evangelical.

"He's pro-life, he's pro-God, pro-family and I think that's striking a chord with evangelical Christians here," said Kevin Lee, pastor of a 3,000-member congregation in Sioux City, Iowa.

Where to begin on this train-wreck of a person...
To make it clear: Religion and Politics DO NOT mix.
it creates a doorway to monarchy with "god-given right to rule"
(and BELIEVE ME. its well on its way to getting there with king bush
talking about how "God said to me, Georgie, you go down there and
free them Iraqians") it creates a doorway with someone thinking
that anyone who doesnt follow the governments religion is wrong
at all times. Huckabee shot himself in the foot when he said:
"God is not spelled G-O-P, and if the G-O-P ever
leaves G-O-D then the G-O-P will lose m-e,"
which translates into: We follow god - not the people.
If the people ever gain control - im out of here.

Yours Truly ~~
()_BOB_)~~*

Obama Showcases Foreign Policy at NH Forum

Link to the article in its full text

With panels of foreign policy heavyweights preceding Obama's appearance with praise for his foreign policy abilities, the event allowed the freshman senator to showcase his veteran policy team and demonstrate he had gained the confidence of seasoned professionals in the area. It clearly was convened with an eye toward countering rival Hillary Clinton's criticism that he lacks the experience to guide the nation in an age of terrorism.

At the same time, Obama and his advisers emphasized foreign policy themes that draw contrasts with Clinton, arguing that the times call for a fresh approach to international relations and Obama would be the better global messenger for a break with the past not only because of his life experience but also his early opposition to the war in Iraq.

[...]

Speaking after the event, Pulitzer Prize-winning Samantha Power acknowledged that the Obama campaign had organized the event in part to demonstrate "the breadth of his foreign policy expertise." That, she said, "I don't think has penetrated in New Hampshire and Iowa." and that he is "...someone who can look at the world as it is, not as it was"

Within hours of the event, the Clinton campaign had e-mailed out a statement to reporters reprising the former first lady's criticism of his credentials.

"With the critical foreign policy challenges America faces in the world today, voters will decide whether Senator Obama, who served in the Illinois State Senate just three years ago and would have less experience than any president since World War II, has the strength and experience to be the next president," said the statement, issued under the name of campaign spokesman Phil Singer.

In my opinion, i think Obama might be a better president than any other candidate. (who actually has a chance of winning) Sure, he has less experience as Clinton would so repetitively point out but that doesn't make him weak. In fact, I think it makes him a better candidate. Find me a president who went into office knowing exactly what to expect when he first sits down in the oval office. You cant. Obama might not be "experienced" but I find that people who haven't been a politician for very long are a lot more honest and have a lot more integrity than the presidents who are sitting on their final term with nothing to do.

Lets at least give him a chance and think about his policies - although on that note, I don't believe we should waste any more blood on a war that has no purpose - and that his idea to send in a few more troops before pulling out is ridiculous.

Clinton Touts Health Insurance Plan

The Article in its full text

Insurance companies should face the same kind of federal regulation as firms that sell stocks and bonds, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday as she outlined her health care plan to voters around a dining room table.

The patchwork of state regulation that insurers now operate under has allowed them to get away with offering meager health care policies and to move to states with more favorable rules, Clinton said. She said the federal government should regulate the companies more, though states still would be able to enact their own rules.

"We can't do this state by state," she said. "No state has the ability to get everyone in their state to get the insurance they need."

[...]

Clinton outlined her universal health care plan, which would provide tax credits to make insurance more affordable and require businesses to offer insurance to workers or pay into a pool for people without it...and would also expand Medicare and the federal employees' health insurance plan to cover those without adequate workplace insurance.

[...]

Clinton repeated a statistic she cites often — contending that insurance companies spend $50 billion a year figuring out ways to avoid paying claims.

"This is all part of their business model. This is how they make money, but it's so bad for the rest of us," she said. "I say to them, use the $50 billion to actually take care of people," she said.

I like her plan honestly - especially the last part - it doesn't take a genius to see that
insurance companies are basically legal robbers. Of course if you get into an accident or get robbed, or some medical expense comes up, insurance will help - but to pay every month for it is usually more expensive than the help it gives. not to mention all the conditions you must require to be eligible to collect on a claim. Clinton is right on one thing - Use the money to actually help rather than spend it on trying to NOT pay a claim.

Attacks get personal between Romney, Giuliani

Attacks get personal between Romney and Giuliani

The bulk of the battle stemmed from Romney's decision on Friday to call for the resignation of Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman -- 20 months after he appointed her.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, learned that Tuttman had released without bail a convicted killer, who has since been charged with killing a married couple in Washington state.

[...]

Giuliani, who was also in New Hampshire, told The Associated Press on Saturday, "the governor is going to have to explain his appointment and the judge is going to have to explain her decision."

Romney shot back the next day-- making jabs at Giuliani's judgment.

[...]

"I think it's a very ironic posture for him to take, to be talking about personal judgment, when I nominated an individual who had served as 17 years as a prosecutor, nothing in the past of this individual indicated that they would be anything other than a law and order judge," Romney said at a press conference outside Concord.

Well - Theres a lot to say about what it could mean - Giuliani was certainly right in saying that Tuttman should resign - but his attack on Romney is unjustified - he had a right to speak back about it - although the call on judgement was utterly unfounded. Come on - i mean, Tuttman just lets a convicted murderer go - who then kills again - why bother putting someone behind bars if theyre just going to go free.

Tuttman should resign - no question. Giuliani however shouldnt attack Romney simply because he appointed him.