Romney convincingly "won" Iowa?

Chris, hate to rain on your parade.

(1) The Republican Iowa Straw Poll does not qualify in any sense as an election. "Voters" had to pay the Rep Party $35 for the privilege to vote. Typically candidates pay to bus in supporters, pay their fees, and even put them up for the night.

(2) Some 14,302 "voted" in the straw poll. And this is something like 50% of those who voted last time.

(3) Brother Mitt got something on the order of 31.5% of the "votes".

One has to have a fairly weak mind to call this a convincing win.

Not a win and hardly convincing.

Democrats are too squeamish and weak to talk about Hillary's dirt, but Republicans will show you dirt that would gag a maggot!

We'll show you Hillary's early and often!

Your appetite will decrease. You'll lose weight!

Unlike Dan Rather, the Democrats, and liberals, Republicans don't have to invent or fabricate any dirt on Hillary!

It's out there, baby! Piles of dirt from Little Rock to the Beltway!

Let us count the dirt, dear Hillary, shall we?

Among Democrats, liberals, and the media, you may NOT say Tawana Brawley and Monica Lewinsky! Oh, no! That would be soooooooo insensitive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Republicans aint got no lockjaw on those subjects.

We'll rub Al's and Hillary's nose in it till we're satisfied, and not before!

Yeah, baby! Whatcha gonna do about it?

Hillary's icy glare may work and Biden and the Democrats, but it won't cut any ice with Republicans!

We'll throw that OLD STUFF IN HER FACE quick as you can say MONICA LEWINSKY!

Yeah, baby! Whatcha gonna do about it?

It's THE OLD STUFF, STUPID!

We get to rip that stuffed charlatan apart and pull out all THE OLD STUFF, the stuff too sensitive for Obama and Edwards to talk about, the stuff that made Biden backpedal when Hillary turned her minus 100 degree Fahrenheit glare on him!

What a moment of high comedy, when Biden spluttered: "By old stuff, I mean policy! Policy! Policy!"

Haw, haw, Hillary! You'll know what THE OLD STUFF is when you see that stuff splattered all over the major networks!

From a GOP perspective, it's not so much a matter of whether Hillary will be THE EASIEST to beat, it's a matter of being SO MUCH MORE FUN to beat Hillary than Obama or Edwards!

Obama?

Such a nice, almost-white boy, talks about his faith all the time, and goes to the United Church of Christ, arguably left of the Episcopalians.

Edwards? Such a pretty boy! And his wife Elizabeth is such a sad case! Terminal, despite all that doctor malpractice money in the bank.

Then, there's Hillary!

The Ice Mammy! The one we really love to hate! The one that gets our juices flowing!

I'd like to think that we Republicans helped to get Hillary nominated by the Democrats, but I really don't care how Hillary gets it, as long as she gets it!

My own take is that Edwards and Obama and Biden are so timid about Hillary's "old stuff" (as Biden so memorably termed it!), so straitjacketed by the Code of Politically Correct Taboos in the Democratic Party, that Hillary has gotten a free ride.

I'm pretty sure it's too late for Hillary to be stopped now. We'll teach Democrats how to talk about Hillary's OLD STUFF when Election 2008 rolls around!

Read our lips, Dimmycracks!

Oh, dear Lord, how I fervently pray for Hillary to be the Dem nominee!

I had so much fun in Elections 2000 and 2004, helping the Dubya kick and poke those sacred cows of liberalism, Gore and Kerry. I never expected to have so much fun ever again, but...

....but with Hillary! Dear Lord, let 'er rip! Give us Hillary! Please, Lord!

Is any one of the Republican candidates offering up anything new?

What I'm hearing is more of the same: the same disastrous Fiscal Policy and historically calamitious foreign policy of the Cheney-Bush Administration.

Ist, Cheney-Bush took a budget surplus and gifted the rich with it in the way of the most inequitable tax cut in our history. Now we are (and will be indefinitely) creaking under extreme deficit.

2nd, the long term ramifications of the Cheney-Bush Iraq Invasion are horrible. The ripple effect of our inhumanity in the Middle East will haunt our children and grandchildren.

The invasion and occupation of Iraq will go down as one of the biggest blunders in American history.

Cheney and Bush will be long dead, but the effect of their policies will live on.

And this batch of Republican candidates espouse more of the same.

We can only PRAY that Hillary or Obama -- or better still, John Edwards -- will get in and attempt to right these monolithic wrongs.

Is Ron Paul Q & A today at 3:00 p.m. or Friday @ 3:330 p.m.?

Chris:

And Ron Paul???

Shame on you, and you call yourself a reporter. HA!!

i have an idea; how about we give the only PRIZE WINNING ECONOMIST on the floor some more time, eh???

For those who are interested in a little more in-depth discussion of the debate policy-wise, I recommend Pearlstein's column today:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/09/AR2007100902231.html?hpid=topnews

And his current Q&A has some real gems regarding the political press:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/10/09/DI2007100900883.html

today's 'compassionate conservative' speaking of children who were brain-damaged in a car accident.

"Hang 'em. Publically," the contributor wrote. "Let 'em twist in the wind and be eaten by ravens. Then maybe the bunch of socialist patsies will think twice."

--how many steps away is this from the gas chambers? this is the ugly ugly face of the wingers today.

When Halsey and Bonnie Frost agreed to go public with how the State Children's Health Insurance Program helped them after a car crash left two of their children comatose, the Baltimore couple expected to hear from critics of government-funded health care.

But while the Frosts were helping a bipartisan majority in Congress sell a plan to expand the program, they were not prepared for comments such as this one, posted over the weekend on the conservative Web site Redstate:

"If federal funds were required [they] could die for all I care. Let the parents get second jobs, let their state foot the bill or let them seek help from private charities. ... I would hire a team of PIs and find out exactly how much their parents made and where they spent every nickel. Then I'd do everything possible to destroy their lives with that info."

September 24, 2006
Blackwater convoy driving down the wrong side of the road ("counter flowing") in al-Hillah strikes an oncoming car, propelling it into a telephone pole. The Iraqi car bursts into flames. Blackwater contractors leave the scene without offering help to the victim, who dies in the fire.

December 24, 2006
Drunken Blackwater operator Andrew Moonen shoots the Iraqi vice presidents' security guard in the Green Zone. He is fired, fined, and flown back to the United States, but returns to Kuwait two months later with another private contracting firm.

2007
Blackwater's federal contracts total $1 billion.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojoblog/archives/2007/10/5725_making_a_killin.html#more

Blarg, You are right about the dynamics of an Iowa caucus. If the caucuses are attended by a lot of "high Clinton negatives" voters, her supporters might be persuaded Hillary isn't electable.

Since the GOP, especially Giuliani as evidenced by his remarks last night, is counting on running against Hillary.... another candidate nominee would throw them off of their game.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

And Michael Luo, the Times's reporter covering Mitt Romney, notes that Mr. Romney's claims are subject to debate, too.

Fiscal conservatives offer mixed reviews of Mr. Romney's record as governor of Massachusetts. He contends that he kept a campaign promise not to raise taxes, even as he successfully closed a $3 billion budget gap.

But even though he did not make any broad-based tax increases, Mr. Romney increased fees by $500 million and closed corporate tax loopholes, which critics argue amounted to tax increases on corporations.

Truth squadding the most contentious point of the debate last night, Michael Cooper, the Times's City Hall budget reporter during the end of the Giuliani administration, notes:

In defending his fiscal record, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said that during his tenure as mayor of New York City, spending declined. But he said that it declined on a "per capita" basis, meaning that the city's population grew faster than its spending. But an analysis by the Citizens Budget Commission, an independent group, found that during his two terms, Mr. Giuliani increased city expenditures by 13.7 percent, when adjusted for inflation.

And Mr. Giuliani boasted, as he often does on the campaign trail, that he cut taxes 23 times as mayor. But fiscal monitors have noted that in doing so, Mr. Giuliani takes credit for some tax cuts that he did not initiate - including cuts made by the state.

At least the gop is finally starting starting to acknowledge reality. I was scared for a few years there. how do you reason with someone on fantasy island. Last night's debate was a good start. They are still done for a generation. But maybe now they will be able to keep themselves as a dem/indy alternative. They will never get major power again, and rightfully so. Most jobs if you do horribly you are fired and not hired back. The gop does not think this way. i live in reno, believe me, Iknow. Party/cult, trumps all to these people. This is why they are headed to irrelevance.

A poor woman has a has a ballooning brain tumor, she needs a very expensive drug known as Avastin. Avastin is a big money maker for Genentech. So naturally, the insurance company doesn't want to pay for it. The insurance company must deny care, it has a fiduciary duty to its shareholders to maximize profits. In the United States health care is business. Your life and your health are commodities which are traded on Wall Street.

Insurance companies feel no shame. They will even deny wheelchairs to the paralyzed and greviously injured.

The for-profit health insurance industry represents a textbook case of immense and powerful special interests at complete logger heads with the dire needs of the American people.
They're playing hardball. In the United States medical diagnoses are very secondary to an insurance company's bottom line.

Thanks for posting something original, bsimon. I can't wait for registration to be required; that should get rid of the anonymous cut-and-pasters. (It'll replace them with non-anonymous cut-and-pasters, which is at least a step in the right direction.)

That kind of lukewarm support for Hillary might suffice in a primary election. But Iowa has a caucus, which involves people actively campaigning for their candidates. I wonder how many of the "Hillary is okay and I liked Bill" crowd will actually end up supporting her in the caucus. It seems like they could be swayed by persuasive arguments in favor of other candidates. But maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

The State Department has come under intense criticism recently for its lavish $592-million embassy in Iraq. The embassy complex will have a staff of 1,000 people and operating costs will total $1.2 billion a year.

At a July hearing, the State Department official overseeing the construction assured Congress that the project was "on schedule and on budget" and bragged about the "extremely high quality of construction." Yet the cost of the embassy is now expected to be $144 million more than projected and the opening of the embassy, set for September, has been delayed because of severe construction problems.

Today, House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and raised concerns about the "substandard work" done by the prime contractor, First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting Company. Waxman's investigation has uncovered not only poor workmanship -- widespread defects in fire detection systems and electrical wiring -- but also a past record of corruption that the State Deparment may have purposefully overlooked:

The Kickback Scheme: Wadih El Absi, the managing Partner of First Kuwaiti, "personally engaged" in a $13-million kickback scheme with a major U.S. contractor in Iraq in 2003 "in order to obtain subcontracts."

Overcharges: Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) documents show that in 2005, First Kuwaiti may have overcharged the government on a subcontract to "provide living containers to the U.S. military." DCAA found that First Kuwaiti was charging over 260 percent "the median cost charged by its supplier."

Following the September 16 shootout in Baghdad's Nisour Square that left 17 Iraqis dead, private security firm Blackwater USA has come under intense scrutiny and criticism. The Iraqi government wants them out of the country, the FBI is investigating them, and CEO Erik Prince was forced to defend the company before Congress last week.

But not everyone is jumping on the anti-Blackwater bandwagon. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), for whom Prince once interned, is so supportive of the company that he believes Prince "is on his way to being an American hero just like Ollie North was":

Malkin is, last I looked, the highest traffic rightwing blogger. What she's channeling is real, and it should repulse and worry decent people, no matter their political orientation.

What we're seeing here is the same tactics of personal destruction Movement Republicanism previously justified as necessary to winning The Greatest War Ever, now normalized as appropriate to handling a budget dispute. They wanted to get Jamil Hussein arrested or killed. They wanted Scott Beauchamp fragged. They clearly want to destroy the Frost family. That's why you just show up at someone's workplace implying to their bosses and co-workers that they are liars, that they are trouble. To ruin them.

They wanted a war. Now they want everything to be a war. Any war. Their blood lust is unspeakable.

Something has gone wrong on the Right. Become sick and twisted and tumorous and ugly. To visit Michelle Malkin's cave is to see politics at its most savage, its most ferocious, its most rageful. They say they've spent the past week smearing a child and his family because that child was fair game -- he and his family spoke of their experience receiving health care through the State Children's Health Insurance Program. For this, right wingers travel to their home, insinuate that the family is engaged in large-scale fraud, make threatening phone calls to the family, stalk them, interrogate the neighbors as to the family's character and financial state.

This is the politics of hate. Screaming, sobbing, inchoate, hate. It would never, not in a million years, occur to me to drive to the home of a Republican small business owner to see if he "really" needed that tax cut. It would never, not in a million years, occur to me to call his family and demand their personal information. It would never occur to me to interrogate his neighbors. It would never occur to me to his smear his children.

The shrieking, atavistic ritual of personal destruction the right roars into every few weeks is something different than politics. It is beyond politics. It was done to Scott Beauchamp, a soldier serving in Iraq. It was done to college students from the University of California, at Santa Cruz. Currently, it is being done to a child and his family. And think of those targets: College students, soldiers, children. It can be done to absolutely anyone.

Blarg writes
"Speaking of Hillary, has anyone read the interview with her on the main page? It's absolutely ridiculous. I don't know how anyone can read what Hillary has to say and still want to support her."

NPR, this AM, had a short piece on Hillary in Iowa. Something about her 'middle class tour' or MC Bus or something equally trite. The people (Iowans) they interviewd were basically saying "Well, I'm not sure about Hillary, but I miss Bill, and she sounded good, and she seems inevitable, so maybe I'll support her in the caucus."

It blows my mind that people think Hillary is the second coming of Bill.

Coming just weeks after the Sept. 16 incident involving Blackwater, yesterday's shooting in Baghdad "seemed certain to heighten tensions between the Iraqi government and the thousands of private security guards operating in Iraq," says the WP. Witnesses said the shooting began after the car had already stopped moving. The car was riddled with over 40 bullets, killing two women. Their small children were in the back seat.

'It never matters to you Left wing liberal bastards about the truth, but it appears that the control of the future of this country is at stake and like it or not, we may have to resort to the same tactics as used back in 1860 when this country went to war with itself, North vs South, only this time it's Conservative vs Liberal and I'm ready to join in as soon as the fireworks start.

Just keep up the constant lying and sooner or later it will catch up with you and all those in Move On.org and Media Matters will get what you so richly deserve.'

Another keyboard commando. Right, John. Got it. You're ready for the fireworks to start, huh? Keep on living vicariously through your fat, pill-popping, draft-dodging hero. And turn the Hank Williams up louder. It'll make you tougher.

--this is why every republican candidate talks baby-talk and pablum--and repeats simple phrases like 'cut taxes'. because that's all their rabid, drooling base can grasp.

Subject: LIES , LIES ....MORE LIES !!!!

'YOU PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXPOSED AS CLEARLY A LEFT WING GROUP WHO WILL STOOP AT NOTHING TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS ....A WEAKER AMERICA , AND A WEAKER MILITARY. YOU AND YOUR GROUP ARE DOING THIS COUNTRY A DISHONORABLE SERVICE . MC GOUGH IS NOW THE NEW POSTER BOY JOHN KERRY LOOK AND ACT ALIKE ! RUSH NEVER CALLED MC GOUGH A SUICIDE BOMBER AND YOU KNOW IT ! IT'S JUST ALL SAD POLITICAL GAME WITH YOU PEOPLE ...YOU VETS HAVE CHOISEN TO GET POLITICAL ...YOUI ARE FAIR GAME TO BE TAKEN OUT AS A DANGEROUS LEFT WING GROUP .'

Subject: Rush

You are just liberal as* holes who hear what they want to hear.
Just looking to smear who ever you don't like.
Like I said.. Ass-Holes. That means you mother was an ass-hole because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
In your case, you're hanging on your mother dress. What a as* hole baby you are.

Remember, Liberalism is a disease.
Maybe that metal in your head is making you stupid. NO wait "An As* Hole"

On Friday night I went on Countdown with Keith Olbermann and read off some hate mail from Rush Limbaugh's listeners. Based on the response, I thought I'd share with you all some of the emails we've received at VoteVets.org--in complete, uncut, and unaltered form.

So here's the deal: Rush says things about us on the radio. People in America hear what Rush says (even though what he saysisn't true). Then those same people write us, veterans of Iraq, letters. You can draw your own conclusions about Rush from that.

'Subject: Rush Limbaugh ... Phony Soldier ad.

I just saw your ad on FOX news regarding Rush Limbaugh ... Phony Soldier.

Get your facts straight you traitorous bunch of f*cking cowards.
You let multiple Liberals slam our Country, Soldiers and President on a regular basis during a time of war, yet target one who supports all these, twist his words to suit your cowardly Socialist Liberal agenda and start a smear campaign to destroy his credibility.

I suggest you all denounce your U.S. citizenship and get the hell out of this Country. Move to China or North Korea... Some place more suitable to your ilk.'

The email above is pretty standard. Some of Rush's fans' emails are well-written. Some are poorly written. But the one thing they usually have in common is the idea that the veterans of VoteVets.org are somehow cowardly, that we're traitors, and that we're not "real soldiers." I wonder where they get that idea?

'
Subject: Limbaugh

Tell me something - are you people a Muslim front group?'

'SIRNAK, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey is shelling suspected Kurdish rebel camps across the border in northern Iraq, a newspaper reported Wednesday, but the government appeared unlikely to move toward sending ground troops until next week.'

Turkey attacks Iraq. All very predictable and disastrous.

"This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron."

'I don't know how anyone can read what Hillary has to say and still want to support her.'

How can you listen to any of them and support them? None of them has a 'plan' for anything -- it's all ridiculous froth and spin. None of them says anything sensible or true, because the american people, as a whole, are too unsophisticated to understand actual policy. We have such short attention spans all we can manage to digest is sound bites. So that's what we get.

I believe a certain group of politicians who claim to represent America as well as the Congress are "way" out of touch with the "average" American citizen. The average citizen is a hard worker and spend the major portion of his/her income just trying to make ends meet. On the other hand "why" are the rich or well off so determined "not" to pay their way and instead just look for some sort of tax break to further enhance their already substantial income. If you are a Christian as many claim to be, then why are you not heeding the "Word" and doing what thus saith the Lord. It is time to first get right with God before you try to serve the people of God. Take a look at yourself(or should I say 'examine' yourself) before you go looking in someone elses closet. What you see in that closet may just scare the "HELL" out of you. That would be a good thing.

Speaking of Hillary, has anyone read the interview with her on the main page? It's absolutely ridiculous. I don't know how anyone can read what Hillary has to say and still want to support her.

First, she says that she has no plan for Social Security. She doesn't believe there's any problem with Social Security, and doesn't really care about how to fix it. She'll propose the creation of a bipartisan committee and then consider their recommendations. Is that leadership? Do we want a president who will boldly promise to do nothing about a major issue?

The article also mentions her proposal to provide tax cuts up to $1000 to start a 401K. Hillary seems to love these giveaways. This isn't as inane as her plan to give every child $5000 for college, but it's close. I have a suggestion for her. Instead of giving everyone $1000 to put in their private retirement account, how about putting that money towards improving Social Security? It's ridiculous to say that the government doesn't need to fix the government-run retirement plan, then propose giving everyone government money for their personal retirement plans.

Oh, and Hillary refuses to say when she'll withdraw troops from Iraq. She says she'll offer a withdrawal plan once she's president, but apparently she won't tell voters what that plan is.

So, let's sum up. Hillary Clinton has no plan to fix Social Security, because she believes that it's doing fine. She might appoint a committee to look at the issue, which basically means she'll do nothing. She wants to give everyone money for private retirement accounts instead of supporting a public plan. And she might withdraw troops from Iraq eventually, but she won't commit to it. Based on this, I don't see how Hillary is any better than Bush.

' I believe the only reason were still a blessed nation is due to our support of Israel. It's very disturbing that Israeli leaders are considering dividing Jerusalem for the prospect of peace, which will never happen for them. The US should not be pursuing this goal to divide Jerusalem. '

You are a lunatic -- clear and simple. What the helll business is it of yours what Israeli leaders do with Jerusalem. Israel is not the US. It's a separate country just like every other country. And blessed? Tell it to the dead troops. It's medieval nutcases like you that cause wars.

How I wish Dwight Eisenhower were alive today -- there is not a soul in the Republican party who is even a shadow of this great man...

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron."

oh look, here's jd to tell us 'democrats don't know what they're talking about when it comes to economics' -- and give us a big smug lecture about how naive we are. yawn....

jean claude, no offense, but do you even know what a recession is?

If the Democrats have any sense they'll throw their opponents a monkey wrench by nominating someone besides Clinton. Then these guys might have to run on their own merits.

Thompson sees no reason to think we're headed for a recession? Can you say "housing bubble" ? What clowns. They don't even know how silly they look and sound.

Anyone who thinks that Hillary would be the easiest to beat is an idiot.
The Clintons are winners and always come out on top.

On going Poll for the Dearborn Debate

http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=672

.

sincerely doubt that McCain would shock anyone.

.no matter what he did.

he needs ghost busters...yesterday.

.

think that you all should learn to do something besides disparage people to earn your keep.........

I'd fire the mess of you if you worked on my projects.......

no one wants to listen to a complainer w/o a solution...

the Republicans seem like a 4 year old looking to wipe boogers off of his finger...

not exactly awe inspiring rhetoric...

punters...

let's look at what Dwight D. Eisenhower has to say...

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron."

-- Dwight Eisenhower, April 16, 1953

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it."

-- Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

-- Dwight D. Eisenhower in a letter to his brother Edgar, November 8, 1954

=================

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience ... In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process."

-- President Dwight Eisenhower, farewell speech to the nation, January 17, 1961

try being a little more genuine and spend less time tap dancing in restrooms for BJ's...

try something else...

...

...

.

I suppose you know that there is someone called the Deuteronimist that corrupted the texts of Judae

he planted the "need to have the jews in Jerusalem...

Jews don't need to be in Jerusalem...

gawd hates a liar...

and you seem like a liar....

SEARCH on AEI, PNAC, AIPAC, CSP, JINSA

SEARCH on Paul Wolfowitz, William Kristol, Kagan, Douglas Feith, Richard Perle, zionism

SEARCH on ISLAMOPHOBIA, AEI

did you know that jews are polytheists???

they chose one gawd out of "the many," and they chose a jealous, angry gawd...

WTF? not to bright are you.

.

Concerned American, I totally agree with you. I also pray God's mercy and blessing upon America. I believe the only reason were still a blessed nation is due to our support of Israel. It's very disturbing that Israeli leaders are considering dividing Jerusalem for the prospect of peace, which will never happen for them. The US should not be pursuing this goal to divide Jerusalem. In fact, we should move our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in support of 1 Jerusalem.

Pathogen jumps! From the non human to the human. Amazing scientific occurrence.

Biblical theory prognosticates. The virus corrupted psyche of W has infected (possibly by virus infected nano technology permeating the brains protective barriers) tonight's republican hopefuls. Do you intend to follow the constitution and obtain congressional approval before launching attacks and wars? Most said well, maybe if there is time. Attack first worry about the constitution later. Article 8 Section 1 rendered meanlingless. Executive dominance over congress and citizens supersedes any oaths such as: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability; preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Maybe it was the squirrels on the white house lawn, or Crawford critters, or even Fort Detrick pathogens wafting up to Camp David. But how else to explain this clear case of zoonosis? E virus (Bush 2) infection on the loose? Permeates the blood brain barrier and affects judgment and, scarily, political affiliation? Scientific medical advice suggests stay away from Republicans.
Keep your brain free from contaminants.

Romney's Granholm taxation crack on the debate was the best one liner of the night. F. Thompson was terribly disappointing. Huckabee still has a real shot to make himself viable in Iowa, although Romney is the definite front runner in Iowa. McCain still makes himself very viable in New Hampshire, although his entire campaign now relies on winning the New Hampshire primary. Guiliani and Romney has a real shot at NH as well. Huckabee has fought his way into having a shot if he can win in Iowa, if not he's out of the race. F. Thompson is done. Everyone else is also done. It's now Romney vs. Guiliani vs. McCain vs. Huckabee. Everyone else may as well drop out of the race and give it up now. Tancredo can still run for re-election for his House seat. Hunter can retire and make tons of money as a lobbyist. Brownback can stay in the US senate until 2010, then run for governor in Kansas as an open seat will be available then. Ron Paul can run for re-election for his congressional seat. Alan Keyes can do whatever it is he does? F. Thompson can go back to making movies. Then we will see if Romney gets what he wants after Iowa and NH: 1 on 1 with Guiliani. McCain and Huckabee are going to try and serve as spoilers, Huckabee in Iowa and McCain in NH. Everyone would be so surprised if it turns into a Huckabee vs. McCain vs. Guiliani primary, but I wouldn't be that surprised. If Huck doesn't win Iowa, that means Romney does win Iowa so that's the end of Huckabee. McCain must win NH, if not that means Romney or Guiliani won and McCain is done. 3 months ago everyone knew it would be Guiliani and Romney here, but McCain and Huckabee are the surprises that could well shock people when the voting starts.

The day "In God We Trust" became a slogan and no longer a real meaning to US leaders is why we are on a path to destruction. I pray God has mercy on our souls.

think wailing on Hillary,

is all they can do...

after all this is the party of "Clinton did it!"

there is nothing else there...

no solution to outsourcing, the missing middle class...

lack of funds for education or funding an occupation that doesn't pay AMERICANs any dividends...

what a bunch of extrememly shallow, unintelligent people...I think my socks are smarter than these mugs...

let's look at what Dwight D. Eisenhower has to say...

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron."

-- Dwight Eisenhower, April 16, 1953

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it."

-- Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."

-- Dwight D. Eisenhower in a letter to his brother Edgar, November 8, 1954

=================

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience ... In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process."

-- President Dwight Eisenhower, farewell speech to the nation, January 17, 1961

try being a little more genuine and spend less time tap dancing in restrooms for BJ's...

try something else...

...

...

.

"Clinton's primacy in the debate reveals that Republicans believe two things: ... and second, that she represents their best chance to retain the White House in 2008"

That is either the stupidest or most nakedly partisan statement I've ever seen Mr Cillizza type. It is entirely unsupported and comes directly from the most dog eared playbook in politics. Why would Republicans "believe" their "best chance to retain the white house" is facing the opponent who not only has been thoroughly vetted over many years, but also outpolls them by the greatest margins. Perhaps Mr. Cillizza would care to provide some idea of how he knows this is what Republicans "believe". Really.

let's look at something...

who would WASHINGTON INSIDER HATE TO BE IN THE WHITEHOUSE???

and why.

Hillary Clinton and people that she chooses to support her mission, know what it is like to take on WASHINGTON INSIDERS...

and bushCO and CRONYS plane....like George H.W. Bushes on that fateful day over the Pacific Ocean on a bombing run to outlying Japan...has taken a hit and smoking...

a number of them have taken hits, and are working in the background on other projects, like taking over Central and South America

while everyone is looking overseas.

that will come to a screeching halt in 3days...due to inclement weather of a peculiar sort....

anyway, the Republicans are identifying themselves by not having any solution to AMERICA's problems...

like their supporters the only thing that they do well, or at all, is trash talk...

as they sell the country piece by piece...

Republicans are best known at this point for supporting PARTY OVER COUNTRY...

don't support them....

let them feel your rage in their soft spots, drop the soap on them....

and give them hard justice.

...

.

.

The debate would have been much better if Matthews had more input since at least he has passion for what he does.

The nebulous nine were so uninspiring tonight that I call it a yawning tie.

The second tier candidates threw off the occasion spark, but it was quickly extinguished by moderators who had no follow ups and seemingly not much interest in the proceedings.

In his debut, Fred often referred to his notes.... and seemed so, well, has-beenish. The most the GOP can hope for is that not many voters tuned in.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

I think the perception that Hillary is "more prepared" and has "more experience" is a load of sh1t. She was Bill's First Lady for eight years, and a Senator for seven (so far.) That's it... and according to all reports, she has been a competent but unexciting, not very original Senator. Her only contribution to the government as First Lady was the national health plan that got shot down, in large part because she was an ineffective spokesperson who many found hard to take. Is she intelligent? Yes she is, but she is hardly a standout in this group of Democratic candidates... Biden, Richardson, Edwards, and especially Obama are easily as smart as she is, and do not have her baggage. (Although Edwards and Biden have some of their own.)
If it were next year at this time, and she were the Democratic candidate, she would have my support, although I would be getting nervous about her effect down the ticket. As it is, we still have several competent and intelligent candidates from which to choose, several of whom have more experience than does Hillary, and all of whom have as good or better policy proposals. Lyle, I don't "hate" Hillary, but I don't have to support her.

Oh, right, the Republicans? Their positions and personalities have so far done nothing for me, although I dislike some (Romney, Giuliani) far more than others (McCain.) But they're all pretending to be the next Ronald Reagan, and we still haven't recovered from the first one yet.

Tells you something--this bunch of middle-aged/old boring/grouchy male Republicans have nothing constructive to tell us--so they take aim at the very viable and far more policy-oriented female candidate,
Senator Clinton. they are actually joined in that by the male Democrats who obviously cannot stomach that Hillary C. is far more prepared than they are to take over in the White House.
http://www.reflectivepundit.com

perception5, are you from Massachusetts? no? Well then, you may want to think twice about your support for Romney. He does not care about and has no interest in those who are not wealthy, white, and conservative Christians... actually, he has very little interest in anyone other than himself. Be warned.
It seemed that all any of the GOP candidates had to offer were put-downs of Democrats and Democratic policy. I'm sure there is an intellectual foundation to traditional conservative philosophy, but it was not on display tonight. This is a singularly uninspiring group of rich white guys.

I think I might know why Huckabee is not getting any traction. Everyone seems to like him, and he always has multiple funny lines. I think that is the problem. He overuses his humor and one-liners that it takes away some of his "presidential" appearance. I firmly believe he would be the best candidate for the repubs in the general election, but like McLaughlin said, they like imperialists.

Republicans want Clinton because of polls like this out of a KC TV station of Missouri voters

Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #12620

Geography Surveyed: Missouri
Data Collected: 09/14/2007 - 09/16/2007
Release Date: 09/22/2007 12:05 PM ET
Sponsor: KCTV-TV Kansas City

1 Asked of 545 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.3%

A few questions now about the next election. If there were an election for President of the United States today, and the only two names on the ballot were Republican Rudy Giuliani and ... Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would you vote for?

48% Giuliani
45% Clinton
8% Undecided

2 Asked of 545 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.3%

What if it was Republican Fred Thompson against Hillary Clinton?

45% Fred Thompson
48% Clinton
7% Undecided

3 Asked of 540 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.3%

What if it was Republican Mitt Romney against Hillary Clinton?

40% Romney
51% Clinton
9% Undecided

4 Asked of 538 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.3%

What if it was Rudy Giuliani against Democrat Barack Obama?

44% Giuliani
46% Obama
10% Undecided

5 Asked of 530 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.3%

What if it was Fred Thompson against Barack Obama?

45% Fred Thompson
48% Obama
7% Undecided

6 Asked of 524 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.4%

What if it was Mitt Romney against Barack Obama?

40% Romney
51% Obama
10% Undecided

7 Asked of 519 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.4%

What if it was Rudy Giuliani against Democrat John Edwards?

42% Giuliani
47% Edwards
11% Undecided

8 Asked of 508 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.4%

What if it was Fred Thompson against John Edwards?

40% Fred Thompson
50% Edwards
10% Undecided

9 Asked of 499 registered voters
Margin of Sampling Error for this question = ± 4.4%

What if it was Mitt Romney against John Edwards?

32% Romney
56% Edwards
12% Undecided

x Complete Interactive Crosstabs
i Statement of Methodology
! © 2007 SurveyUSA / Contractual Obligations

Perception5, I hate to inform you that Americans voted twice for a President with a MBA. Those choices got us a unnecessary war, deep in debt, and the eradication of our civil rights.

As usual these days, the Republicans have it all wrong. George Bush's record is the problem, not Hillary Clinton's. And in case this gang of gasbags hasn't noticed, George is a member of THEIR party.

While I am happy to see that Ron Paul has been scheduled for a live chat, I am disappointed that he was otherwise not mentioned in the debate synopsis. When will we see more Ron Paul coverage?

I appreciate all the candidates. Romney though knocked it out of the park. McCain did good. Giuliani wants to appoint JUSTICE KENNEDY and JUSTICE STEVENS. And I know many are emotionally invested in Fred. He is dud though. Hunter and Tancredo out debated him.

Republican candidates are forward-looking and claim to have all the answers that will necessary for running the country for eight years. Yet, the Republican Party as a gaggle of geese, has marched lockstep into chaos, corruption, fiscal irresponsibility and mismanagement. Why not explore the damaged Republican Brand during these mislabeled "debates," which are really joint appearances for advertising purposes. As a leader of the Republican Party, a Republican president must answer for mistakes that his party has made. It isn't an answer to "skewer" Mrs. Clinton, to assume what they call "HillaryCare" would be Commie, Pinko medicine run exclusively by the government, or to claim that "She'll raise YOUR taxes." Republicans should run on the Republican record, which is abyssmal.

This all happens that the same time as the Religious Right decided to put pressure on Giuliani, with Dobson's latest statement suggesting his third-party threat is no joke.

Full roundup of this story:
http://www.campaigndiaries.com/2007/10/religious-right-keeps-up-pressure-on.html

Nothing in today's republican "debate" makes me think the republican party isn't in an awful mess. Whichever one of these spineless pretenders advances to his party's nomination will wind up being the laughing-stock of his party. Fight on for that prize, wanna-bes.

To perception5; The last guy said he was going to run the Blight House like a business.Look where it got us.
Watch out,you might get what you ask for.

Blight:anythigng that withers hope or causes destrution and ruin.

The sixth Republican debate kicked off Tuesday in Dearborn, Mich., with nine GOP presidential hopefuls taking the stage.

Who do you think won the Dearborn, Michigan MSNBC News Republican debate?

------------> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=672

Giuliani has a nifty one-two punch. He'll nuke first and ask questions later, but he wants everyone to be 'optimistic' and upbeat. It's just the sort of mixed message that will work with 51% of the voters. Rudy won in a walk. P.S. Would someone please, please tell NBC that Chris Matthews is insufferable?

Actually, the winner is President Gore.

And the winner is...Hillary Clinton.

Anyone who is debated despite not being present is a winner.

Seriously, on the whole: McCain did well, Romney was the prettiest, Rudy was tiresome, Huckabee comes across as the only one who relates to the average person, and Ron Paul the most impassioned. Fred Thompson -- what a disappointment. Romney's Law & Order comment was the funniest line during the debate.

oops. Cc's fault. Sorry for the double posts.

"CALLER: Last week, when Harry Reid took you out of context, my nine-year-old screamed from his 360, "That's not what Rush said." My nine-year-old knew how to put you in context."

Posted by: I fear for the gop children | October 9, 2007 05:28 PM

Posted by: rufus | October 9, 2007 05:45 PM
"

THINK ABOUT THESE MONSTER RUSH/hannity and his listeners are creating. Millions of people. i fear for the out of touch gop'ers. Both the elderly and the children. Waht teh dittoheads facists do is their choice. But the children. Pathetic. It's not going to work. We have the internet now. you cannot create racist facist little monsters without them knowing.

Wow! This was the first debate I watched and I was blown away by Mitt Romney. He looked presidential and it appeared his grasp on the information was unsurpassed. He seemed extremely confident unlike Fred Thompson. John McCain just struck me as a loose canon, I never really knew what he was going to say. Rudy did well but once again I think I found my candidate in Mitt Romney.

Posted By: Steve | October 09, 2007 at 06:21 PM

.....Steve, Mitt Romney won the debate clearing his was in his element, Business.

This country needs a "businessman" not a "politician" as our next president.

America is the largest enterprise in the world ........................so we need someone who knows business.

That''s why I''m voting for Mitt Romney!!!!!!!!

"CALLER: Last week, when Harry Reid took you out of context, my nine-year-old screamed from his 360, "That's not what Rush said." My nine-year-old knew how to put you in context."

Posted by: I fear for the gop children | October 9, 2007 05:28 PM

Posted by: rufus | October 9, 2007 05:45 PM
"

THINK ABOUT THESE MONSTER RUSH and his listeners are creating. Millions of people. i fear for the out of touch gop'ers. Both the elderly and the children. Waht teh dittoheads facists do is their choice. But the children. Pathetic

'A much anticipated Republican debate today in Dearborn, Mich. turned into a contest to see which of the assembled candidates could most effectively skewer Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and her policy proposals.'

Since they have no ideas of their own. It's all 'attack, attack, attack'... pathetic.

Posted by: Sane | October 9, 2007 06:26 PM

Um...isn't this basically the entire early Democratic debate script, except replace 'Hillary' with 'Bush'? Zouk might call it Bush Derangement Syndrome, could you say the Repubs have Hillary Derangement Syndrome?

As for why they are going after HRC...well, is there any doubt anymore?

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08dem.htm

Those repubs have some nerve chiding democrats and Clinton on spending. Perhaps, they oughta check out the last 7 years to see who's been doing all the spending. Last time I checked Slick Willie left office with a budget surplus. W the other day stated that his plan would once again balance the budget by 2012!!! Thanks a lot Repubs. You took a budget surplus and blew it up. Such fiscal responsibility they've shown! That whole Iraq fiasco seems to be working out to be pretty fiscally responsible don't ya think?

Me thinks the Repubs oughta look in the mirror prior to calling anybody big spenders.

so, the question is "How would you do xyz", and the responses are "so-and-so would do this", "so-and-so would not do that". Why doesn't the moderator call them on this, and get them to actually address the question that was asked? Maybe I'm just a simple primate.

Gotta hand it to the Pauleviks when it comes to persistence, but nothing else. Face it, your guy may be the best if the bunch on several important fronts, but he's a whacko who believes in "the marketplace," which is to say he will stand aside and let the wealthy sump all the nation's wealth into their own pockets.

"And to think I thought I was going to be the best actor on the stage." is a very good line.

But, you get to use one like that only once when it's in front of a national audience.

'A much anticipated Republican debate today in Dearborn, Mich. turned into a contest to see which of the assembled candidates could most effectively skewer Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and her policy proposals.'

Since they have no ideas of their own. It's all 'attack, attack, attack'... pathetic.

I'm sorry did Ron Paul miss the debate? Surely you would cover some aspect of what he said?

You establishment media people should be ashamed of yourself. Nice job getting us mired in the Iraq war by the way, you really stepped up to the plate for the truth on that one.

Too bad all the GOP candidates are preaching to the choir with regards to Hillary.

I think the one major thing that everyone is overlooking here is that there are NO MAJOR SURPRISES that can be found on Hillary. She has been in the public eye for so damned long that the GOP can't attack her with something new or something that the public doesn't already know about.

In other words, while people make a big deal about her how high her "unfavorables" are, they're probably about as high as they are ever going to get.

Fred is clearly the worst candidate.

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=6566

Fred reminded me of Rudy back in the spring. Nervous, unprepared, and looking wholly like an amateur. Only difference is that this time, it's already October.

http://www.political-buzz.com/