Politics::Election2008: December 2007 Archives
One blogger's take on the January 7 meeting of politicians hosted by David Boren at the University of Oklahoma, to discuss a potential independent "national unity" candidate for president: "If there is ever going to be a hall of fame for 'Annoying Politicians Who Think They Are Smarter Than Everyone Else But Who Nobody Listens To,' this will be the inaugural class of inductees." Included are former senators Sam Nunn, Chuck Robb, John Danforth, and Gary Hart, plus New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Rasmussen Reports: Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
"One of the more amazing things about the Republican race this year is that it has grown closer and closer over time.... In a poll with a four-percentage point margin of error, the fact that five candidates are within five points means there is absolutely no national frontrunner. Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that 13% of Likely Primary Voters remain undecided."
OpinionJournal - Peggy Noonan: Be Reasonable
"This is my 2008 slogan: Reasonable Person for President. That is my hope, what I ask Iowa to produce, and I claim here to speak for thousands, millions. We are grown-ups, we know our country needs greatness, but we do not expect it and will settle at the moment for good. We just want a reasonable person. We would like a candidate who does not appear to be obviously insane. We'd like knowledge, judgment, a prudent understanding of the world and of the ways and histories of the men and women in it." Not reasonable in Noonan's mind: Clinton, Edwards, Huckabee.
Townhall.com: Phyllis Schlafly: Dark horse looks good in GOP presidential race
With the prospect of no one going into the GOP convention with a majority of delegates, Phyllis Schlafly tells the story of the 1880 Republican convention, when the voting went through 36 ballots until an undeclared candidate, James Garfield, was nominated. "The break came on the 34th ballot, late in the alphabetic roll call of states, when Wisconsin suddenly announced 'Sixteen votes for James A. Garfield.' Sitting in the Ohio delegation, Garfield jumped to his feet and tried to make a point of order that he had not consented to have his name placed in nomination, but the convention chairman gaveled him down and refused to let him speak."
RealClearPolitics HorseRaceBlog: A Primer on Momentum, Part 1
The four types of political momentum -- the ways the candidates' previous showing can influence a later voter's thinking.
Problem for the GOP: The median age voter isn't old enough to remember the problems caused by the Big Government policies of both parties in the '60s and '70s.
Hugh Hewitt: Transcript - Interview with Larry Kudlow
Kudlow recounts a recent interview with Mike Huckabee: "He wants to, if need be, have government regulate salaries. I think he's crazy. I don't think he understands the free market business system. He's not good on taxing, he's not good on spending, he's not good on free trade. In other words, all the prosperity factors seem to be Mr. Huckabee's weakness. I don't think he understands it. He's just out of tune with all measures of free market, supply side economics.... [Sec. of State Condoleeza Rice] came out and attacked him because of his naïveté on dealing in international affairs with Iran and others. He doesn't seem to understand power politics, and that we are in a jihadist global war.
Crunchy Con: DMN endorses Huck, Obama
"Moderate to liberal on immigration, socially liberal" Dallas Morning News endorses Huckabee: "Personally, I was surprised that most of my colleagues wanted to go with Huckabee on the GOP side. I thought his social conservatism would be off-putting. But as we say in the editorial, his record in Arkansas showed that his religious-right convictions expressed themselves more in compassionate social policies, and we praised him for being willing to pay for these programs with taxes, instead of running up a deficit." (Click through to see the Dreher's complete description of the DMN's editorial position -- sounds a lot like the Whirled.)
iowahawk: Three Cheers for the Iowa Caucuses!
"If you are a political activist from one of the various non-Iowa states, let me first say I understand the hurt and frustration and resentment you probably feel toward my state, and the overwhelming attention it gets during the campaign season. But I will also tell you that the most important step toward healing is acceptance: acceptance of your own natural insignificance, and the fact that Iowa will always be first because it is the one state uniquely qualified to be America's official Presidential Sniff Tester."
The Boston Globe: Romney jurist picks not tilted to GOP
When Mitt Romney was in a position to appoint judges, whom did he choose? "Romney, despite his opposition to same-sex marriage, in May selected for a district court judgeship Stephen S. Abany, a former board member of the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association who organized the group's opposition to a 1999 bill to outlaw same-sex marriage. Just two days before the nomination, Romney was lamenting the liberal tilt of the state's bench, telling Fox News that 'our courts have a record here in Massachusetts, don't they, of being a little blue and being Kerry-like.'"
Right Wing News: I Get Emails: Would We Want A Congress Full Of Ron Pauls?
"There's an old saying that goes, 'All it takes to spoil a gallon of ice cream is one rat turd,' and this is, in essence, the problem with Ron Paul." While Duncan Hunter's views on trade and Tom Tancredo's views on immigration have shaped the Republican debate, "Ron Paul hasn't made a dent.... [U]nfortunately for 'Big L' Libertarians, Ron Paul is not a great spokesman for their issues. Yes, he cuts through the noise in a way that other Libertarian candidates haven't been able to match, but he does it in such a way that is extremely off-putting to many conservatives."
Hot Air: Larry O'Donnell admits he's afraid to criticize Islam publicly
In an interview with Romney apologist Hugh Hewitt, O'Donnell acknowledges that, for some odd reason, he's more at ease with criticizing Mormonism than Mohammedanism: "HH: 'Would you say the same things about Mohammed as you just said about Joseph Smith?' LO'D: 'Oh, well, I'm afraid of what the...that's where I'm really afraid. I would like to criticize Islam much more than I do publicly, but I'm afraid for my life if I do.'"
The Huffington Post: Lawrence O'Donnell Loses His Ever-Loving Mind on McLaughlin
That's Jason Linkins' opinion, not mine. O'Donnell is not someone I'd agree with much of the time, but he's right about Mormonism, pointing out that in 1978, when Mitt Romney was 30, the Mormon Church disavowed its previous position excluding blacks from the Mormon priesthood.
The Anchoress: Hillary gets stupid about Obama
Sen. Clinton does oppo research on Sen. Obama's elementary school scribblings. "She just seems like a giant Can O' Crazy, with New Improved Petty Vindictiveness added."
