Las Politicas

Caro and I are taking a break from LP.  I can be found over at http://teritabonita.wordpress.com, where I don’t discuss alot of politics. 

Caro can be found studying under a French assassin. 

Over and Out,

Teri Ann

If it were only painted red, white, and blue…  I would like to know who the marketing genius is on this tawdry piece of equipment.  That couple seems to really have rediscovered love now that they are safe from Al Queda at night…

Sleepin’ fine,

Teri

So, as I am still loving the Spitzer business, I have learned that the Lt. Guvvie of NY could break some molds if Spitzer resigns.  He would be the first black governor of NY, and get this, he’s also blind.  He even ran the NY Marathon!!!  I have read some less-than-flattering criticism regarding some past “truth-stretching” on his part- ie, saying he passed the bar, was an ADA, and that he was born and raised in Harlem.  Tomato, tomato.  (That doesn’t really work when you type it, does it?)  

  I mean, I tell people I am the Queen of Sheba, provided it gets me a free cocktail.  I’ll be at State Bar tonight… 

 XOXO-

Teri Tutankhamun

Mike Huckabee made an appearance at the annual Christian Science Monitor breakfast this morning, and, as usual, delivered some memorable zingers to reporters.  I’m going to cut and paste from the New York Times’ political blog, “The Caucus” as posted by John M. Broder in a post entitled “Breakfast With Huckabee”

 On running for the United States Senate if this presidential thing doesn’t work out: “It’s more likely I’ll dye my hair green, get a bunch of tattoos and go on tour with Amy Winehouse.”

On the rigors of a presidential campaign: “Arkansas politics and the savagery of it were far more intense than running for president.”

On the recent flood of endorsements of Mr. McCain, now that he is close to securing the nomination: “What are these people saying – that they were for him all along but just forgot to tell him?” (my favorite)

On why Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton seems to be struggling right now: “She does not have the personality of her husband. Very few people do.”

On why Senator Barack Obama appears to be beating her: “The American people are not looking for someone who can fix a carburetor. They’re looking for someone who can drive the car.”

I posted some months ago that Huckabee’s rise was essentially the Republican Party’s chickens coming home to roost.  They built an electoral coalition that relied heavily on conservative Christians to get politicians into office who would publicly espouse morally and religously conservative positions, while enacting  legislation and policies that heavily favored corporations and investors.  It was only a matter of time before a politician arose who perceived the contradiction in that arrangement and capitalized on the frustrations that it manifested.  It is his quick wit(as evidenced above), alongside his charming, affable, and down-to-earth style, that has kept his underfunded campaign this deep in the race. 

 dr studly

Former Massachusets Governor Willard Mitt Romney has dropped his bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, winnowing down the field to just 3 candidates.  Despite spending forty million dollars of his personal fortune, he failed to convince Republican primary voters that he was a bona fide conservative.  His cost per delegate was the highest, costing a cool million for every convention delegate he won.  Goevrnor Huckabee, on the other hand, earned the title of lowest cost per delegate. It will be interesting to see how many of the movement conservatives who are suspicious of John McCain will gravitate to Mike Huckabee by default. 

above is a photo of Romney waving bye bye. he’s certainly putting on his bravest face!

dr studly

As February 5 approaches all that have an interest with the election process are waiting to see what will unfold. Two time presidential hopeful, John Edwards has dropped out of the race, Giuliani did not fair well at all and now has dropped out of the race as well. If Giuliani endorses McCain then McCain will then receive Giuliani’s donors…which is a paramount to another victory for McCain. It’s well known that several conservatives do not approve of McCain…which includes Tom DeLay. DeLay was tremendously vocal about his disdain for McCain’s moderate Republican principles and said that he would destroy the Republican Party. I have, but one question for DeLay…Why aren’t you in prison already? Moderate Republican principles are working to the detriment of the Republican Party? You keep telling yourself and Abramoff that. That being said, McCain could lose some serious points with ultra conservatives to Romney, thus dealing a serious blow to his campaign. McCain should just continue with painting Romney as desperate and that should work. 

How bad was Giuliani’s campaign? Almost laughable really considering how much money he had behind him. He was in Florida for a ridiculous amount of time….something like 50 days.   

How significant was Hillary’s win?  Impressive enough considering that Florida is sans delegates for Democrats. So was it a good win for Democrats? I would say so. According to exit polls a whopping two thirds of voters rejected Bush’s “handling” of the economy which was evident in the turn out. 

Next Tuesday will be wild in terms of American politics.  

Caroline

 Former Republican Senator from Tenessee, Fred Thompson, has dropped out of the 2008 presidential race.  There was tremendous excitement last year when he hinted at running, but failing to strike while the iron was hot, he vacillated on making a formal announcement, and when he finally did, the excitement was already on the wane.  Though he could plausibly claim to be an heir to Reagan - a former screen actor with government experience and solidly conservative positions -he failed to channel the energy and vitality that the Gipper had projected in his time. In fact he kind of projected the opposite of those things. It was noted many times by many commentators that he seemed sleepy, disinterested, and at times even a touch perplexed.  He fared poorly in the early contests, with a dismal last place finish in New Hampshire, where he got less than 2% of the vote.  The deathblow to his campaign was a third place finish in South Carolina, which was ostensibly Fred Country. But here too he was upstaged by the maverick John McCain and the upstart mike Huckabee. Now the field of viable candidates narrows, and we have a compelling race between McCain, Huckabee, Romney, and Giuliani. It could effectively become a three way race if Giuliani’s strategy of ignoring the early states and putting all his chips on Florida does not work out as planned.

Dr Studly

I found this great list on MSN today, and thought I would share with the masses. 

1. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. — “Stride Toward Freedom,” 1958.

2. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. — “Strength to Love,” 1963.

5. Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. — “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963.

6. The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men. — “Strength to Love,” 1963.

9. Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. It is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. — “Why We Can’t Wait,” 1964.

10. The security we profess to seek in foreign adventures we will lose in our decaying cities. — [Referring to U.S. Vietnam policy.] Address at Riverside Church, New York. (Source: History Today, April 199

Enjoy and take the time to remember the struggles of the man for whom you are off of work for today.

Teri

Three major contests and three different winners…at this point the Republican nomination is anyone’s game. Mitt Romney won his native Michigan as many predicted, but others thought differently because McCain won Michigan in 2000. Republican’s are now in the throws of fighting for South Carolina on Saturday which includes Fred Thompson. Most of the voting public, I’m sure are unaware that Thompson is still in the race. Fred should one: give up the ghost and two then endorse McCain as everyone is sure he will eventually do anyway.  Huckabee believes that his Iowa victory proved support among the social conservatives and that their continued support will aid in his eventual nomination. On Romney’s victory, Senator McCain said “Michigan welcomed their native son with their support,” A tad snide perhaps, but Romney still one in state where McCain had worked diligently for voter support. 

Over the course of past six months, voter issues have changed from national security to economic distress. Economic distress was the mitigating circumstance in regards to voter turn out in Michigan. Issues such as abortion took a backseat and Romney fixated on his problem solving skills on business and economic practices that he implemented as a former Massachusetts governor.  

After South Carolina and Nevada, February 5 will be the super Tuesday of all super Tuesday’s…it will be a maelstrom of political activity.  

Caroline

Hillary puddled up and got the sympathy vote for coming across as a sincere human being for the first time in her long campaign, thus blowing the pollsters’ predictions out of the water in New Hampshire.  That seems to be the conventional wisdom, and I’m sure it’s not far from the truth.  One other incident, however may have accelerated this trend.  A couple of yahoos heckled the Senator from New York, shouting “iron my shirts!’ as she spoke during a campaign event.   Although covered only in passing in the national news, the incident got wide coverage within New Hampshire, and may have made women voters indignant at the apparent chauvanist affront.  This immediately aroused suspicion among some that the incident was a Rovian GOP trick to nudge her toward victory, as it is widely believed she would have trouble against the Republican nominee in the general election. Regardless, the two incidents in combintaion may have done the trick for Mrs. Clinton’s faltering campaign.   

  - Dr. Studly