In a brokered convention, should no one contender have the votes, everyone seems to forget that even a name no one had thought of could be drafted. Romney could come up again. If that happens I believe a serge in the Republican party could spark an explosion that no one could stop.

It would be a contest that I would like to be a part of.

The Clinton campaign didn't have a healthcare plan before it felled and they don't have one now. Well to be honest, if everyone is a goverment employee, then the Clinton healthcare plan will work for everyone. Unfortunately some are self employed, independent contractors or work for private employors or small business. Under the Clinton healthcare plan these people would be penalized if they don't pay for their healthcare. This means that most of your family members and friends will have their paychecks garnished. We all know that it doesn't stop there if it is a goverment enforcement. There will be fines and then misdemeanors which is a criminal offense defined as less serious than a felony. Why did Ms. Clinton decide on this approach? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out. Big business, big Corporation call it what you will, they want their money back and in order for Ms. Clinton to get their support in her race to presidency she is giving victory to one side (the healthcare providers) by promising to them that she will have the poeople wages garnished if they continue to give healthcare. Thus allowing her to shout the words "UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE" This is a shady tactic and makes fools out of every american that falls for this trick. The Obama healthcare plan is for the people. Poor people, middle class and rich people can rest assured that there is no tricks or penalties in the Obama healthcare plan. VOTE OBAMA!!

Solis Doyle, is dispensable, she has served her purpose to help us win the latino vote in the big states. We no longer need her or the latino vote to capture the white house. The women vote will now carry the Hillary campaign the rest of the way. Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton replaced campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle with longtime aide Maggie Williams on Sunday. Ms. Clinton believes Maggie Williams is a better choice to target the women vote. Clinton said in a statement. "I am lucky to have Maggie on board and I know she will lead our campaign with great skill towards the nomination."

According to the demographics, I should be voting for Hillary Clinton: I'm a white, 60-year-old, highly educated woman from the Northeast. But I'm voting for Obama. I've waited all my life for a viable woman candidate for the presidency, but this is not the right woman. I want a woman of the highest ability and virtue, who would serve as a glorious role model to all young women. Hillary Clinton is not that woman.
She rode into power with her husband, and together they've acquired a long and seriously flawed history of self-serving and secretive financial and political dealings. The most cursory research will prove that true. She started out her political life supporting the racist Barry Goldwater. She is as comfortable with deception and trickery as George Bush. When I hear woman saying, "Oh, but that's how you get things done in Washington," I literally cringe.
I am passionately supporting Barack Obama. He can beat the Republicans; she cannot. Obama has attracted Independents and even Republicans to his camp, and in a general election they would vote for him, but not for Clinton. Clinton voted for the war, and has never apologized for it. Obama has spoken out against it from the beginning. Obama brings us hope--and not just that. Take a serious look at his ideas and experience.
Please, I beg of you, Sisters young and old: wait for the right woman. Then we can be proud.

Diane Wald

It seem that we have worked so long and hard to matter in this country just to be set back another two hundred years by the Hispanic vote. Even Though we stand with them and march with them because we know what it is to be left behind. They had a chance to stand and make history but chose to block the greatest progress the U.S. has ever been on the verg of making. History will allways blame the Hispanic vote for stalling America. We still love you but we hurt because of you. Will it be your fault when the supper delegates are not given to Obama? Maybe not but you sure made it easier for that to happen. That's one small step for a man; one giant leap backwards for mankind. My soul cries out in agony. I hope you will reverse this action in the votes to come.

Join the PEOPLE

at

Kalistertr@cadet.com

show the PEOPLE Organization you are voting.

Send me facts about the runners to help put Obama infront.

Join the PEOPLE

pass it around!!!!!!!!!!!

boooooooo Clinton

Join the P.E.O.P.L.E

People

Electing

Obama

President
or
Loose

Everything

how 'bout McCain / Lieberman ?

McCain/Pawlenty in 08! This is not only a very electable ticket, but also a ticket good for America. With McCain's military accolades & Pawlenty's business-like book balancing sense, we have a winner! Plus, they are both likely to include all political parties in drawing up bills, this is simply good for America. With McCain's initial appeal to military conservatives and moderates & Pawlenty's appeal to fiscal & social conservatives...they win handily against any ticket. However, beating Clinton would be easier...b/c she initially excites the right wing against her & she does not excite cut and run defeatists for her.

Romney may move to Utah and run for office there...or try another round in Mass. for gov. or senate. Hey, isn't John Kerry up for re-election this year? What a debate that would be, one worthy of national television. Flip vs. flop. Nothing would be said, but a lot of words would be coming out.

"Romney was the most educated and qualified candidate to run for president in decades."

poliscistudent, let us know when you take your first class.

...except that the Machiavelli in me says that Romney is just bowing out now so that he looks like a Team Player and does not tarnish his image so that he make another run in 2012.

Scary...

I still think Romney is dangerous.

This is great for America.

Romney's defeat proves that an election still could not be bought.

He pumped over 40 MIL into his campaign and still could get the votes. CNN last night reported that Romney spent over $306,000 for each delegate he garnered.

We all owe a debt of gratitude to Mike Huckabee for winning Iowa. After outspending Huckabbe 15-1 in Iowa, losing Iowa was a major disruption to Romney's plan.

I am an Independent, but I applaud the Republicans on this one. They saw through Romney's pandering and pathetic promises (he was going to bring auto manufacturing jobs back to Detroit?!?!) and saw Romney for what he is: an average businessman who inherited wealth and would promise anything to get elected.

Like Abe Lincoln said: "You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all of the time".

This is encouraging...

A story says Bush will implicitly endose McCain at the Coservative convention everyone has been speaking at. The kiss of death?

Interesting result of Romney's dropping out. Here's evidence that McCain may have problems getting the conservative vote and that Obama has more crossover appeal than Clinton.

In a Utah poll, 30 percent of the voters chose McCain, 25 percent chose Obama, 11 percent chose Clinton, and 2 percent chose Huckabee (whom they blame for Romney's losses). 22 percent don't know what they will do now.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2625332

JimD posted a great exceprt last night, as follows. It bears repeating for those that don't review the whole thread:
-----------------------------------
Interesting perspective from conservative author Debra Saunders posted on RCP. She refers to the "McCain over my dead body" conservatives as the kiddie wing of the GOP - as in immmature, irresponsible, self-centered.

"When you listen to the McCain haters, you realize that they aren't angry at McCain's record or his votes, so much as they're incensed that the Arizona senator works with Democrats. Comment boards sneer at the very notion of compromise. Romney often faulted McCain for working on bills with Democrats. To the purists, elected officials are supposed to go to Washington to not work with those on the other side of the aisle. It is as if they think U.S. senators should spend the day pointing peashooters at each other. They don't want results. They want a food fight."

Fred Thompson for VP. His "wake me when it's over" strategy is perfectly suited for the republicans' 2008 prospects.

Get ready for a new movement -- "McCain Democrats" -- if Hillary is the nominee.

CHRIS CILLIZZA:

HRC Campaign seeks to reassure on money

"The neck-and-neck race between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama took another intriguing turn Thursday as the Clinton campaign announced that it had raised $7.5 million in online contributions since Feb. 1, matching her rival."

This, plus the Ron Burkle $20 million payment to Bubba, should it be not investigated by you, reporter guys?

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8393.html

Wait for the Giuliani dance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntT57iQJmbk

While I respect his decision and find it an honorable thing to do, I for one deeply regret Romney's decision. He was my choice and Senator McCain can rest assured that my vote will not go to him unless I find Mr. Romney on Senator McCain's ticket.

hey truscott1...

If you are so frighened by Iraq or Iran and their ah...military prowess, how about signing up. Lord knows our people on their 3rd and 4th tours could use the help. Since McCain sees nothing ahead but war and more war, 100 years or so, you oould surely give 3 or 4 of yours.

One thing your boy McCain will do is put an end to all the chickenhawk war bullies. His plan (though you won't hear about it during the campaign) is to reinstate the draft. You know, you just can't fight a 100 year war with all volunteers.

The republican party is fractured and over. Romney was their only hope. McCain won't be able to rally support. It's Hillary or Obama.
Romney was the most educated and qualified candidate to run for president in decades. He was an optimistic leader and he inspired us all to make the American Dream a reality. The other options in the republican party are dire. Romney had 11 states and McCain had 12. Romney had 4 million votes and McCain had 4.7 million. Washington state was coming up and Romney was predicted to win by a large percentage. Bigotry has destroyed the republican party.

Thank you Jon Stewart.

THANK YOU JON STEWART!!!!

Check his show out for 2/7.

He just did exactly what should have been going on.

He called Romney on the insane comment and took him to task on his absolutely ignorant and repugnant statements (and you really should listen to Mitt's whole speech to get a full taste of the garbage he spewed)

THANK YOU JON STEWART!

********Gentle Reminder*********

Pray for a running mate that will at least help as we have to defeat Hillary Inc. If not, we'll have worse than McCain soft spots, we'll have:

Forced government health care
Retreat From Iraq
Laying down for Iran, N.Korea and Russia
U.N. tax sanctions
Liberal Justices

Before we get too far out on the 'thumbs-down on McCain' deal, we had better think about that.

I deal with liberal, Socialistic windbags on my 12 track music CD--1 of a kind @

www.conservativemusiconline.com

When is someone going to call these fear mongerers on their ammoral terror peddling.

To equate the potential nominees of another AMERICAN party with surrenduring to terror is irresponsible.

It is the equivalent of yelling "FIRE! in a crowded theatre"--but why isn't anyone calling him on that.

IF the media, and atlking heads would just do that--hold them accountable for their fear mongering--we might not have wound up in Iraq to begin with.

That kind of attitude is absolutely UN-AMERICAN, and daggommit (let me say it again) someone should call his shady A** on it!

Interesting perspective from conservative author Debra Saunders posted on RCP. She refers to the "McCain over my dead body" conservatives as the kiddie wing of the GOP - as in immmature, irresponsible, self-centered.

"When you listen to the McCain haters, you realize that they aren't angry at McCain's record or his votes, so much as they're incensed that the Arizona senator works with Democrats. Comment boards sneer at the very notion of compromise. Romney often faulted McCain for working on bills with Democrats. To the purists, elected officials are supposed to go to Washington to not work with those on the other side of the aisle. It is as if they think U.S. senators should spend the day pointing peashooters at each other. They don't want results. They want a food fight."

Ignorance is bliss. You don't know what you just don't know. Romney is not perfect, but neither are the knuckle-heads that feel a need to be so critical. America loses now, not the Demicrats or the Republicans. Here is why-America's choice's will most likely be: Ms. Hillary I don't care or remember Lowinski, Mr. B.O.(not for body odor)I am proud to be a Muslim who will not salute the US Flag, or Mr. MUCK-CAIN (not any kin to Able)...and someone loathed Romney for having ethics and not supporting same sex marriages. This is a nation built from solid values. Adam and Eve...not Adam and Steve. Get your values straight America. We seem to be self destucting everything that made us great.

Pop!

asteven-OH, I assume you're from Ohio, so you did not get to see our GINO (Governor in Name Only) in inaction. It's sad to see such promise squandered. He was a disinterested, inept Governor who would have made a terrible President. Yes, he has secured his place in American history, as the person who spent the most and got the least per $; as the despicable character who explained his own ineptness and lack of support (the true reasons for leaving the race) as a selfless act of someone wanting to save us from the Democrats, who somehow he perceives would do a worse job than his role model GW Bush in addressing terrorism; and as the candidate most hated by every other candidate in each party -- perhaps a first in the annals of American politics. I shudder to think there are actually people out there who still think this hack should be President!

"I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

When Mitt was asked why, since he feels the war is so vital, his five strapping sons weren't in the Army, he said they WERE serving America in the best way they knew how, by helping him become President.

Since they're not doing that anymore, can they join the Army now?

What's all this about NOW MCCAIN IS THE FRONT RUNNER? Dude just saw his split opposition consolidate. Huckabee takes Virginia and Texas at the very least. You read it here first.

timereader, It looks to everyone else like the biggest liar of all time is Hillary Clinton. After all the free press about her campaign's being in financial straights it now appears that the whole thing was a stunt -http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4257358&page=1 !!! So, snivelling (twice) worked so well for the empty headed twits that ran to her support she is trying to play the broke damsel in distress, now. I suspect, if this doesn't work, we'll have Snidely Whiplash reported as tying her to railroad tracks...."Oh, Nell....." Not even Bullwinkle is dumb enough to buy this act three times in a row.

Yes!!! I can sleep well tonight. Romney was the biggest liar of them all ... I could not believe so many people voted for him especially in MA ... I guess you can be fooled twice.

He ended his campaign, the same way he began it ... With sheer liars and dishonesty .... Kiss that $40 million goodbye u jerk!!!

Bad news for Dems though, they could have easily beaten him ....

we've just had one mor on in the white house so I dont think were ready for another-tho the rest arent far behind.
Let's have CHANGE-for the worse?

Mitt Romney will yet secure his place in American politics. He is a winner. But, it's not over. McCain has still got to bring the GOP together. That is no small task.

As suggested earlier, don't count out a McCain/Romney ticket.

McCain/Lieberman? Don't make me laugh. McCain/Huckabee? Two liberals don't make a conservative. McCain/Crist? Someone has been in the sun too long.

Romney knows this country is in urgent need of help. Economically, we will be toast if we do not get strong leadership in the economic sector. He is the only one humble enough to serve without fanfare and reward. Just like his support team, America comes first.

Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over, 'til it's over." Amen brother... November is still a long way aways. Mitt doesn't lose in this... our country does.

The local Boston talk lunatic, Jay Severin a shameless Romney apologist, today said that Romney's speech announcing he was suspending the campaign was the best political speech he ever heard. It's time for Mr. Severino and the rest of the Romney nuts to calm down and face reality - which for many of them would be quite a change.

Dave Makkar, shame on you for insulting those of us who opposed Romney as a matter of principle. Although mainstream media, the Boston Globe put it best: "Romney ended his presidential campaign as a venture capitalist who squandered a quality brand - his own." Here was a guy with great ability and some history of success who thought it necessary to pander rather than run on his record. He deserved to lose and lose big. The MSM had nothing to do with Huckabee's ascendancy -they had written him off and left him pleading for attention at the debate at the Reagan Library, while Cooper asked every question to Romney & McCain. The MSM stuff is bull hokey. You should also take to heart Huckabee's references to the parable of the widow's mite -- the fact that Romney was willing to shell out $35 MM of his own money has nothing to do with character or patriotism or love of country. At least he was smart enough to quit and not spend it all. Unfortunately for him, his shallow pandering has spoiled his chances for a future run.

McCain will make a severe left turn come the summer. His supporting Bush's tax cuts, and most other right platforms will end for he realizes by not supporting Bush 100% he won all of the moderate Republicans which translates into moderate Americans in the general election. If he is elected, I think he will owe no one anything and do what he not the party thinks is best for America. To all the ignorant neocons that want a "nuclear" senate I say this Democrats against a Janice Rodgers Brown is the same as Repulicans against a Bruce Wright type. If 60 senators cannot agree on the lifetime placement of a judge that person should not be a judge if the other 40 are appalled at the pick.

"After spending the whole campaign trying to figure out how to brand himself, he finally decided. He is:

King of the Chickenhawks.

Hear him squawk!!!"

Posted by: steveboyington | February 7, 2008 02:45 PM

Wanna hear a good tune about "Chickenhawks"?
check out:
http://www.myspace.com/mauitom

There's a good "squawk" at the end. Speaking of the end, bye, bye Mitt you sleazy, self-righteous, fear mongering windbag

Let me tell you what scares the daylights out of John McCain. Not Romney, not Huckabee.

Ron Paul running as a third party candidate scares the daylights out of John McCain!

Don't count this out. I believe that he has the grassroots to siphoned off at least 5-15% of the general election vote.

I think most of that vote would come from the GOP leaning side of voters.

Mitt couldn't get elected dog catcher in Massachussetts these days.

Posted by: jimd52 | February 7, 2008 01:41 PM

Well, you never know...I hear he has some pretty solid straps on his car roof....

The Hillary campaign would like to admit that. Yes we did break the rules, we went against our own party and the DNC. The american people must realize that this is a race and even though we are not worried about winning we must at least look like we are wining. Hillary supporters Please do not worry. In keeping with the american history that has long been set by our previous leaders. Whether getting a better possition on the job, recieving better pay, or flying to the moon our history in the U.S. has not allowed a black man to precede a white women. That is why it doesn't matter what we do or how the game is played, we will still win. The super delegates will go to our campaigne and Senator Hillary Clinton will be the next President. Fortunately for the Clinton campaign the vote of the people does not count. In the end the super delegates is all that matters. Everyone knows this, that is why President Clinton said it is okay to have Mr. Obama as president, but not yet,it is not his time, not before Hillary. That has been our history and we are not going to change the face of america until after we change the gender of the same. GO HILLARY!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuTqgqhxVMc
Ann Coulter will campaign for Hillary if McCain is nominated.

Anyone who supports the Born Again, Faith Based, Pro Life Lying War Criminal Mass Murderer Serial Killer in Chief and the VP of Torture should never be in the WH. Anyone who supports wasting a couple of trillion dollars of taxpayers funds in Illegal Invasions of Sovereign States should never be our leader. If one had any courage, one would call for the Axis of Evil to be indicted for War Crimes. People who support Mission Accomplished is equally Guilty in the thousands of Murders. The Decider and his Murderous Gang need to face Justice at the International Criminal Court. There is no Statue of Limitations on War Crimes.

Only a Coward would send others to do his dirty work. Why have these Born Again Killers not made any sacrifices with their huge public salaries to finance their Illegal Invasions.

WHAT WOULD JESUS KILL?

The Guns Owned Party of the National Right to Annihilate are all Cowards with Guns. They can only Kill Defenseless Creatures. They have Zero courage without their Guns.

All of these Religious Extremist Psychos are Frauds. Only Deluded Ignorant Idiots would believe any of them and their Delusional Religious Fairy Tales.

INDICT the Born Again, Faith Based, Pro Life Lying War Criminal Mass Murderer Coward Serial Killer in Chief and the VP of Torture and their Gang of Born Again Coward Killers!

http://www.un.org/law/icc/statute/99_corr/cstatute.htm
War Crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court
935 Iraq Falsehoods

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Wednesday, January 23, 2008; 1:00 PM

A nonprofit group pursuing old-fashioned accountability journalism is out with a new report and database documenting 935 false statements by President Bush, Vice President Cheney and other top administration officials hyping the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's Iraq in the two years after Sept. 11, 2001.

The Center for Public Integrity reports that its "exhaustive examination of the record shows that the statements were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses."

The database also documents how Bush and others had reason to know, or at least suspect, what they were saying was not supported by the facts.

John H. Cushman Jr. writes in the New York Times: "There is no startling new information in the archive, because all the documents have been published previously. But the new computer tool is remarkable for its scope, and its replay of the crescendo of statements that led to the war. Muckrakers may find browsing the site reminiscent of what Richard M. Nixon used to dismissively call 'wallowing in Watergate.'"

And yet there are plenty of reasons why the deceitful run-up to war is not old news. For one, the war goes on. For another, government credibility remains severely damaged. And then there's the fact that the president has never really been held to account for his repeated falsehoods.

Bush famously told The Washington Post, upon embarking on his second term, that he saw the 2004 election as his "accountability moment." Yet neither before nor since has he admitted mistakes or poor judgment. The closest he came may have been in December 2005, when he acknowledged intelligence failures -- by others.

Study Puts Iraqi Death Toll at 151,000
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE - Jan 9, 2008

About 151,000 Iraqis died from violence in the three years after the United States invaded, concludes the best effort yet to count deaths -- one that still may not settle the fierce debate over the war's true toll on civilians and others.

The estimate comes from projections by the World Health Organization and the Iraqi government, based on door-to-door surveys of nearly 10,000 households. Experts called it the largest and most scientific study of the Iraqi death toll since the war began.

Exxon Mobil posts $40.6 billion profit, Oil giant breaks record for largest annual profit by a U.S. company
By RUSSELL GOLD
February 2, 2008

Exxon Mobil Corp. posted the largest annual profit in U.S. corporate history, reporting 2007 net income of $40.61 billion, fattened by soaring oil prices. The company beat its own record of $39.5 billion set in 2006.

Oil and natural-gas production declined for the year at the world's largest publicly traded oil company by market capitalization, and Exxon said its refinery output also fell slightly from a year earlier. However, its bottom line benefited from significantly higher global crude-oil prices, which briefly touched $100 a barrel earlier this year.

Chevron Corp., the No. 2 U.S. oil company, also reported Brobdingnagian profits. Its $18.69 billion annual profit was a record for the San Ramon, Calif., company.

Report: Iraq war costs could top $2 trillion
New study takes into account long-term costs of healthcare for wounded soldiers.

By Tom Regan | csmonitor.com

A new study by Columbia University economist Joseph E. Stiglitz, who won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2001, and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes concludes that the total costs of the Iraq war could top the $2 trillion mark. Reuters reports this total, which is far above the US administration's prewar projections, takes into account the long term healthcare costs for the 16,000 US soldiers injured in Iraq so far.
"Even taking a conservative approach, we have been surprised at how large they are," the study said, referring to total war costs. "We can state, with some degree of confidence, that they exceed a trillion dollars."
The higher $2 trillion amount takes a 'moderate' approach. Both figures are based on the projection that US troops will remain in Iraq until 2010, with steadily decreasing numbers each year. The economists also used government data from past wars, and included such costs as the rise in the price of oil, a larger US deficit and greater global insecurity caused by the war, the loss to the economy from injured veterans who cannot contribute as productively as they would have done if not injured, and the increased costs of recruiting to replenish a military drained by repeated tours of duty in Iraq. These are items which are almost never included by the US government when determining the cost of the war.

Before the war started, Mitch Daniels, then the White House budget director, had said the war would be an "affordable endeavor" and rejected an estimate by the chief White House economic adviser that the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion as "very, very high."

Budget Hits $3 Trillion As Debt Marks Bush Legacy
By MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS and JOHN D. MCKINNON
February 1, 2008

WASHINGTON -- George W. Bush took office in 2001 with budget surpluses projected to stretch years into the future. But it's almost certain that when he returns to Texas next year, the president will leave behind a trail of deficits and debt that will sharply constrain his successor.

On Monday, the president will unveil a $3 trillion-plus budget request for his final year, which is likely to show a deficit of more than $400 billion. New details of the budget emerged yesterday, with officials saying the White House plans to keep a lid on nonsecurity discretionary spending. It wants to cut about $200 billion from the government's medical programs for seniors and the poor. (See related story.)

The longer-term picture is darker. Despite his efforts, Mr. Bush failed to work out a deal with Congress to tackle the spiraling costs of government health and retirement programs. The next president, if he or she serves two terms, could find the U.S. government so deeply in hock that it would face losing its Triple-A credit rating, something that has never happened since Moody's Investors Service began grading U.S. securities in 1917.

As a result, the ambitions of Mr. Bush's successor to cut taxes, institute universal health care or aid troubled homeowners might have to give way to the reality of soaring costs for Social Security, the Medicare program for the elderly and the Medicaid program for the poor.

A Trillion Dollars wasted by the Born Again, Faith Based, Pro Life Lying War Criminal Mass Murderer Serial Killer in Chief and the VP of Torture. Vote for more Born Again Religous Hypocrite Frauds and expect more of the same stupid policies Illegally Invading Sovereign States, Wasting Taxpayers Money and Generating More Terrorists. What has been Gained by this Trillion Dollars Wasted?

Indict the Killer in Chief and the VP of Torture for War Crimes.

Rising Cost Of Iraq War May Reignite Public Debate
By YOCHI J. DREAZEN and JOHN D. MCKINNON
February 4, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The cost of U.S. military operations in Iraq is rising rapidly, and could reignite the national debate about the war, which has taken a back seat to the economy as an issue for most voters this election year.

Today, the White House will propose a federal budget that for the first time tops $3 trillion. The plan is expected to include a record sum for the Pentagon and an additional $70 billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while essentially freezing discretionary spending in areas other than national security, including most domestic programs.

The sharp contrast between President Bush's defense and domestic-spending goals could give Democrats a potent political weapon as the economy continues to deteriorate. But with the Democratic-controlled Congress likely to scrap most of Mr. Bush's spending plans, his funding proposal for Iraq may be one of the budget's most enduring elements.

Mr. Bush's budget calls for about $515 billion to be allocated to the Defense Department for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, according to people familiar with the matter. If passed by Congress, that would be the largest military budget -- adjusted for inflation -- since World War II.

Pending Requests

The budget also includes a separate request of $70 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 alone. For this fiscal year, Congress has yet to approve additional spending of about $102 billion the White House has requested for the two conflicts.

Boosted in part by rising fuel prices and the expense of repairing or replacing vehicles worn down by the long war, U.S. spending on Iraq has doubled in the past three years.

Last year's buildup of U.S. troops -- known as the "surge" -- and the military's growing use of expensive heavy munitions to roust Iraqi insurgents also have contributed to the cost increase. According to a recent Congressional Research Service report, the average monthly cost of the conflict -- by CRS's measure -- hit $10.3 billion in the year ended Sept. 30, 2007, up from $4.4 billion in fiscal 2004.

$1 Trillion Mark

With Congress having already approved $691 billion in war spending since 2001, the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined could rise to just under $900 billion by next spring and could near the $1 trillion mark by the end of 2009.

Pentagon officials acknowledge that war costs have risen sharply, but they say the added spending is justified not only by higher fuel and food prices but also by the need to provide better protective gear and other equipment to U.S. troops. They also note that the U.S. has begun spending tens of millions of dollars a year on salaries for what the Pentagon calls "Concerned Local Citizens," the mainly Sunni fighters who now function as neighborhood-watch organizations in many parts of Iraq.

On the domestic front, the president's new budget is expected to keep a tight lid on costs that aren't security-related. One big target for savings would be Medicare, the health-care program for the elderly. But the budget for homeland security is expected to rise sharply again, with much of the money going to increasing immigration enforcement and border security.

Today's announcement is also expected to project deficits in the range of $400 billion for both 2008 and 2009, thanks to a big economic-stimulus plan Congress is expected to approve. If war costs were fully included, the 2009 deficit would be even higher.

Wars Cost $15 Billion a Month, GOP Senator Says

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 27, 2007; A07

The latest estimate of the growing costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the worldwide battle against terrorism -- nearly $15 billion a month -- came last week from one of the Senate's leading proponents of a continued U.S. military presence in Iraq.

"This cost of this war is approaching $15 billion a month, with the Army spending $4.2 billion of that every month," Sen. Ted Stevens (Alaska), the ranking Republican on the Appropriations defense subcommittee, said in a little-noticed floor speech Dec. 18. His remarks came in support of adding $70 billion to the omnibus fiscal 2008 spending legislation to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, as well as counterterrorism activities, for the six months from Oct. 1, 2007, through March 31 of next year.

CIA says used waterboarding on three suspects
Tue Feb 5, 2008 6:59pm EST
By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The CIA used a widely condemned interrogation technique known as waterboarding on three suspects captured after the Sept. 11 attacks, CIA Director Michael Hayden told Congress on Tuesday.

"Waterboarding has been used on only three detainees," Hayden told the Senate Intelligence Committee. It was the first time a U.S. official publicly specified the number of people subjected to waterboarding and named them.

Congress is considering banning the simulated drowning technique. A Democratic senator and a human rights advocacy group urged a criminal investigation after Hayden made his remarks.

"Waterboarding is torture, and torture is a crime," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

CIA chief: Waterboarding probably not legal
His testimony to lawmakers comes as attorney general refuses inquiry
The Associated Press
updated 2:12 p.m. CT, Thurs., Feb. 7, 2008
WASHINGTON - CIA Director Michael Hayden cast doubt on the legality of waterboarding on Thursday, a day after the White House said the harsh interrogation tactic has saved American lives and could be used in the future.

Hayden told the House Intelligence Committee that he officially prohibited CIA operatives from using waterboarding in 2006 in the wake of a Supreme Court decision and new laws on the treatment of U.S. detainees.

He said the agency has not used waterboarding for "just a few weeks short" of five years.

"It is not included in the current program, and in my own view, the view of my lawyers and the Department of Justice, it is not certain that that technique would be considered to be lawful under current statute," Hayden said.

Though now legally questionable, Hayden said, waterboarding was legal in 2002 and 2003, a time when the technique was used to interrogate Al-Qaida detainees.

Main Stream Media MSM has won who is party to McCain & Huckabee conspiracy to oust Romney. Both of them do not realize that MSM had showed their Preference for a Democrat from day one of the forced early Presidential Campaign by Hillary Clinton. An intelligent, talented and smart businessman with high moral and ethical standards has been made to withdraw against those who can not spell economy and can not run the country the way it should be run. This what MSM, Obama & Clinton wanted a weak Republican with hardly any credentials other than a War Hero to capture White House.

Shame on MSM & Bloggers who have been criticizing Romney who loves his country enough that he never hesitated to spend his own $38 million and time in an effort to bring better governance in America. What about Obama & Clinton with all kind of shady money and McCain who gat absolutely free Media including for his 95 year old mother to endorse him. A man who dumped his first wife for a younger woman; how he can be trusted to be a good President?

This election has been reduced by MSM to Obama & Clinton fight. Democrats rather than caring for American public are more focused on having 1St ultra radical woman who lacks core conviction & character, experienced in selling Presidential Pardons only Hillary Clinton or first African American with vast inexperience, slum lord's money, present only record in Legislature rather than Yes or No vote, a born again Christian minted with crafty literary help Barrack Obama to be the President and Commander in Chief of America.

When the Voters will look back why they had to suffer for 4 years of incompetent Government; then only they will repent and stop taking the word of MSM as word from God.

Dave Makkar

Truth, the down ticket action in Austin is on the D side - all 4 candidates for DA, for example. So if I lived in a County where the down ticket action was on the R side, I would stay in the R Primary. Indies like me favor BHO over HRC so there will be, in counties with D action on the ballot - that is, all the major cities - a probable small, but measurable, boost for BHO, caused by McC's virtual lock.

No change in the small towns or the rural areas can be expected, because there is no D action on the ticket.

It is fair to guess that virtually no Rs or Ds will x-over. But a large fraction of Texans are Is, just like everywhere else.

svreader - yesterday (whilst admittedly laying into obama) you were HRC's biggest supporter on one of the other threads. How can you possibly wish Romney well after he says that she is surrendering to terrorists?

"I think I'll pop over and say hi. Maybe he can wrest Kerry's seat away from him next year."
Posted by: kingofzouk

Haha, hilarious stuff zouk. You really crack me up sometimes.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win," he said. "And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror"

Disgusting, pathetic, a complete lack of grace and class.

As someone living in the UK, this, my American friends, is a good example of why Europeans and the rest of the world do not like and do not understand republicans.

Romney deserves credit for dropping out. Leaving the race took a lot of ego control and must have been hard to do. I join with all Americans in wishing him and his family the best for the future.

Dollyq,
GW Bush took care of destroying America's stature in the world. Romney whispered sweet nothings in your ear -- "send them back, $20 billion for the Michingan auto industry, family values, cut taxes!!!" and you blushed. But he is nothing but a cad, a shallow, self-serving dissembler,the worst of the major candidates. ANYONE of the remainder will do more to burnish the sullied image of our great country. By the way, the weed-whacker he talked about in his speech today, her heard about from his illegal gardener. As a BayStater who was similarly wooed when he became our GINO (Governor in Name Only), I know of which I speak. Glad he's gone. Now he can spend more time with his family (by all reports he is the proud patriarch of a great family, and I give him great credit for that).

Sorry, the Washington Post didn't include his comment about France in their article. I got it from the BBC.com website. Here it is: "I am convinced that unless America changes course, we will become the France of the 21st Century - still a great nation, but no longer the leader of the world." --Mitt Romney

Mark in Austin.... You said in an earlier post that since McCain was a lock you would vote in the D primary.

Do you think many Repbs will do that in TX?... and if so, how much could it distort the results? Would it be a vote to keep Hillary out, or to give it to her as the easiest to beat since she would rally the GOP base.

BTW, congrats on McCain's successful comeback. I sure underestimated his true grit!

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

McCain flip-flopped since he ran in 2000 and has become just another Bushbot. He used to have principles, but now he is just another traitor in Congress who is out to destroy the Constitution.

proud: I'm a Rat too (as opposed to a rat).

How sad-
What a loss-
For who knows better the trials of the working class than a billionaire Mormon?

The comment about France....what a prize this guy is. I heard it said once that in France the politicians are afraid of the citizens, it is the other way around here... we let self-serving politicians bully us around. I think this may finally be the year where we see the average Joe & Josephine take back their power-no matter your party affiliation. Now I guess Mitt can get back to the business of raping & pillaging corporations.

Thanks, JD. Happy Year of the Rat to you, too. Having been born in a year of the rat, it's my favorite one! The rat being a sign of prosperity. :)

Mark, Also, Fred's strong stand on immigration would satisfy many who distrust McC because of the compromise bill.

I can see it now.... the Straight Talk Express becomes.........

The Straight Talk Red Pick-Up truck!!

In an effort to soften my sometimes-harsh tone, let me be the first to wish everyone here a Happy Chinese New Year.

Wow, the 'Year of the Rat' is already here. And here I am, still writing 'Year of the Pig' on all my checks.

Now it is just a race to see which liberal
(dem or repub) will sell our sovereignity faster.

proud, FDT really cares about fixing SS/Medicaid/Medicare and so does McC. They both know that will have to be a bipartisan fix. McC could give FDT, as his first brief, the convening of the Bipartisan Commission on entitlement reforms.

FDT would be good at it.

I think McC has his stnger out for WMR, proud.

FDT is a much, much better choice.

Perhaps he can catnap while presiding over the Senate so that he is alert in Cabinet meetings. :-) But he would be a good solid VP choice, I think.

oops.
That should've been 'stranger', not stnger.

It's 5:00 o'clock somewhere!

mark, Stnger things have happened. After a bitter rivalry, Reagan and George HW Bush teamed up to unite the party back in the 80's.

A Time article said "The Reagan-Bush ticket is in some ways an unlikely alliance, one made not to satisfy the hearts of Republican conservatives but to suit their new sense of pragmatism and their determination to capture the White House."

How apropos.

One other person came to mind earlier...how about Fred Thompson as VP?

Romney was just another Republican presidential candidate who can't beat ANY Democratic presidential candidate.

Willard is taking his flip flops and going home.

mark_in_austin | February 7, 2008 05:02 PM

It goes to the matter of naivite. She's shooting for the major leagues and lost her work shoes, uniform and bat on a merry go ride in Iowa. And she lost Iowa, big time.

Will she be ready on day one? Today she looks like a complete fool.

Good riddance to one who pandered shamelessly for votes. Both McCain and Huckaby appear genuine, regardless of their stands, and are therefore likable, whereas Romney came off as slick and patently phony. Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and other foaming-at-the-mouth uncompromising conservative extremists might be surprised at how little traction they have among a large majority of the American electorate. They came to the aid of Romney, but it appears that most people simply ignored them. Perhaps (and I hope so) the electorate is as sick of ranting political partisanship and its proponents as I am.

mwk5v - proud may have a different view, but I think WMR never gets near the McC Admin in a position of trust. That was sealed when WMR said he would not discuss the possibility that waterboarding was torture, if not before.

"miraclestudies" says Clinton should drop out too. Umm, she won all the big states except Obama's home state. Obama picked up the low-hanging fruit in the red states, where there are no Democrats come November, and the south, where most Democratic voters are African American and they will not be in the majority in those states in november. Seems to me that by any objective analysis of how things really work in a general election, Clinton is far and away the more powerful candidate. Obama is still a niche candidate (college students and African Americans). Whatever you are studying, mr. miracle, you should ask for your tuition back.

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned yet the possibility of Romney as a VP candidate to McCain. It seems quite obvious really: Romney may be able to rally some of his conservative support to McCain, and his business savvy would complement McCain's (admitted) weakness in economics. Further, it might alleviate some voters' concerns about McCain's age, since a young and apparently vibrant Romney would be next in line.

Then again, some of the bad blood between the two candidates during this campaign may have sullied this possibility. What do you all think?

"I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

Phony dooooshbag to the end. Go back to gutting companies and firing workers for Christmas, you pathetic weasel.

Sorry, Repubs, you're stuck with McInsane now.

I am going to miss Gumby's flip flops.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win," he said. "And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

All religion aside, how does anyone that delusional amass half a billion dollars net worth?

rfpiktor - Whoever woulda thunk that money did not grow on trees?
-------------------
Its really not an issue for me; not the sort of thing that would have turned me against her - if I had been for her.

At least RG got to waste his campaign funds wintering in FL.

ChipShirley - If you are less than ten years of age, please keep wasting space here; that would be better for you than having you whupped by the kids in your neighborhood who despise you by now.

Otherwise, you may go interact with politics12 on your own MySpace pages.
Seriously, you have our permission.

mark_in_austin | February 7, 2008 12:00 PM

Mark, here's the juice on Hillary's 2006 senate campaign. It has citations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_clinton#Reelection_campaign_of_2006

Reelection campaign of 2006

In November 2004, Clinton announced that she would seek a second term in the United States Senate. The early frontrunner for the Republican nomination, Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, withdrew from the contest after several months of poor campaign performance.[225] Clinton easily won the Democratic nomination over opposition from anti-war activist Jonathan Tasini.[226] Clinton's eventual opponents in the general election were Republican candidate John Spencer, a former mayor of Yonkers, along with several third-party candidates. Throughout the campaign, Clinton consistently led Spencer in the polls by wide margins. She won the election on 7 November with 67 percent of the vote to Spencer's 31 percent,[227] carrying all but four of New York's sixty-two counties.[228] Clinton spent $36 million towards her reelection, more than any other candidate for Senate in the 2006 elections. She was criticized by some Democrats for spending too much in a one-sided contest, while some supporters were concerned she did not leave more funds for a potential presidential bid in 2008.[229] In the following months she transferred $10 million of her Senate funds towards her now-official presidential campaign.[230]
-----------------------------

If she cain't manage her campaign's financial sputtering jalopy,which is merely a multi-million dollar proposition how is she going to manage/mismanage a three trillion budget?

On the other hand, the money machine that keeps on keeping on.

Obama on pace to raise $30 M in Feb.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8374.html

Rush and Ann Coulter are sending a very clear message to HRC supporters: Hillary Clinton's completely ruthless campaign is EVERY BIT as bad for the Democrats (if not more so) than Mitt Romney's presidential bid was for the Republicans.

If Hillary could only read the writing on the wall (and had the same level of integrity as Mr. Romney), she'd see that she's on the back-side of the wave that is clearly indicating what Democratic voters want in their nominee AND DROP OUT, too.

JD: LOL

I live in AZ. I've warned people that John McCain is so evil and so crooked that he managed in the last election for his Congressional seat, to have NO ONE running against him (no other Republican and no Democrat). Deja vu.
Now the question is, what threat did he make against the families of Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter and Mitt Romney. I think those men are too strong to quit due to a personal threat - so it had to be against the people they love. Romney has the money to keep going - you know that and so do I. This was the work of evil and vice!

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M I K E H U C K A B E E . C O M

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Anyone want to guess tomorrow's headline?

"I quitt"

Good riddance. Hey Willard, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Hey politics12, please post a little longer posting next time. Yours was too short.

(Sorry blarg and bsimon, was that too mean of a comment?)

I don't agree with the positions of any of the past or present GOP candidates.

I don't dislike any of them personally except Romney. He alone among the pack is a phoney, an opportunist, a demogouge and a liar.

According to a campaign spokesman, Romney decided to drop out as he was writing his CPAC speech yesterday. He repeatedly cited the Iraq war effort in his decision, saying he agrees with McCain in his approach to fighting terrorism.

Good job Mitt, old boy. Way to go out strong. I have a lot more respect for him now.

I am a Christian but HATED seeing Huckabee use his faith as a campaign poster. I like that Ron Paul is a Christian but what I like more is that he lives by his faith but performs his job in the House by the Constitution. He is honorable, loves the freedoms the Constitution gives and wants to give them to everyone whether or not he agrees with them. There were no WMD in Iraq, Al Qaida was not in Iraq, whey are we in Iraq? Shouldn't we rather have invaded Saudi Arabia? He is by far the smartest candidate on the economy and that is something we desperately need right now -- we're tanking. Why is integrity something to be laughed at in America? I'm sticking with Ron Paul. McCain will have us in a never-ending war, will have every 5th U.S. citizen a latino, and will have us drowning in taxes without a 1st amendment right to say anything about it. McCain may have served honorably in the war, but the wife who waited for him was crippled in an accident and he dumped her for some younger, richer one. For what price will be dump America?

Not being a regular Rush listener, I found his radio program interesting today; he was saying that he's going to raise money for HRC, figuring she'd do more to unite the party than any GOP candidate.

I find it hilarious when people on this site continue to proclaim that she's the only one who can win in Nov. If anyone took 2 seconds to look at the polls, they'd see that McCain vs HRC is a reasonably easy victory for McCain (*especially* if conservatives rally to him), and McCain vs Obama is a toss up at best.

HRC's negatives are near 50%. There is no voter she doesn't have now that she's going to get in Nov. She'd have to run the near perfect campaign, and have McCain caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy, if she's to win.

What a graceless ass. He can't simply leave because he's toast, he has to make it sound like somee heroic action on his part. For good measure, he has to throw in some more hideous Rovean accusation that the Democrats want to "surrender to terror." Go count your money, loser.

Did Governor Romney not know about Senator John McCain's dubious past, which if the Media, including the Washington Post, does its job in stead of giving him a free pass would make Senator McCain unelectable? Senator McCain's apparently close family links to organized crime? His apparent involvement in costing US tax payers of billions of dollars to help his good buddy Charles Keating as a member of the Keating Five? His appalling record in the treatment of veterans and veterans' families and the families of MIAs? The following appeared 11 years ago on a small veterans' website and has been ignored since. Why?

http://www.usvetdsp.com/story22.htm

Sen. McCain Wants To Be President
Check-out his unpresidential credentials

January-February 1997 Issue
By Ted Sampley
U.S. Veteran Dispatch

Citing his 5-1/2 years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, columnists and journalists freehandedly describe Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona as a war hero.

Washington Post columnist George Will wrote about McCain in 1988, "He was a prisoner for 5-1/2 years. Because he was properly obstinate, he was in solitary confinement most of that time . . . Every day for two years, one of his guards ordered him to bow, and then knocked him down."

Joseph Spear, an awestruck columnist who wanted presidential candidate Bob Dole to pick McCain for vice president wrote, "McCain is a war hero . . . He was tossed into the infamous 'Hanoi Hilton' prison camp, where he was hung by his fractured arms for hours at a time." Many have written columns suggesting that McCain is presidential material and advocate his running for the nation's highest office.

McCain obviously agrees.
Reuter's News Service reported in January that the 60 year old McCain says he wants to be President of the United States.

McCain also thinks President Clinton, who dodged the draft rather than serve in Vietnam, is the perfect presidential role model. He recently told the press that Clinton "is the best politician I have ever seen."

McCain, however, does not think so highly of the POW/MIA families and activists who openly challenge the U.S. government's POW/MIA policy, many of whom walked the halls of Congress during the Vietnam War years demanding America's prisoners of war, including POW McCain, not be forgotten.

McCain, as a member of the 1992 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, took the lead in demanding a U.S. Justice Department investigation of the POW/MIA activists and their organizations. He accused the activists of fraud because in some of their fund-raising literature the activists claimed the U.S. government knowingly left U.S. POWs behind after the Vietnam War and that some remain alive today.

McCain openly attacked the activists telling the press, "The people who have done these things are not zealots in a good cause. They are the most craven, most cynical and most despicable human beings to ever run a scam." The Justice Department did investigate the POW/MIA activists and their organizations and found no reason to charge any POW/MIA activist.

McCain's use of the words craven, despicable and scam are mighty powerful and poisonous words from a man who admittedly traded "military information" to his communist captors in exchange for better medical treatment--or who divorced the wife that stood by him while he was a POW, after she became crippled in an accident.

Those words are hypocritical from a man whose younger and richer wife (she's an heir to Hensley & Co., the second largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributor in the United States) got caught after stealing drugs for two years from a charitable organization of which she was president.

Editor's note: The U.S. military Code of Conduct is the definitive code specifying the responsibilities of American military personnel while in combat or captivity.

Article V of the Code is very specific in ordering U.S. military personnel to avoid answering questions to the utmost of their ability and to make no oral or written statements disloyal to the United States and its allies or harmful to their cause. Any willful violation of the Code is considered collaborating with the enemy.

U.S. Navy pilot John McCain was shot down on his 23rd mission over North Vietnam, October 26, 1967. He was released March 1973 after being held captive by the North Vietnamese for 5-1/2 years.

Within days of his release, McCain wrote the following account of his captivity, which was published in U.S. News and World Report - May 14, 1973:
"I think it was on the fourth day [after being shot down] that two guards came in, instead of one. One of them pulled back the blanket to show the other guard my injury. I looked at my knee. It was about the size of a football . . . when I saw it, I said to the guard, 'O.K., get the officer' . . . an officer came in after a few minutes. It was the man that we came to know very well as 'The Bug.' He was a psychotic torturer, one of the worst fiends that we had to deal with. I said, 'O.K., I'll give you military information if you will take me to the hospital.'"

McCain now says it was only a coincidence that at the same time he was offering "military information" in exchange for special medical treatment, his captors discovered that his father was Adm. John S. McCain Jr., commander of all U.S. forces in Europe and soon-to-be commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific, including Vietnam.

Upon learning about McCain's father, the communists, in an unprecedented move, rushed McCain to one of their military hospitals where he received treatment not available for other U.S. prisoners of war.

Read following news excerpts that chronicle McCain and his associations:

"Nhan Dan today published answers to questions by one of its correspondents made by a U.S. air pirate detained in North Vietnam. "He is Lt. John Sidney McCain . . ." Hanoi VNA International Service in French - November 9, 1967

"To a question of the correspondent, McCain answered: 'My assignment to the Oriskany, I told myself, was due to serious losses in pilots which were sustained by this aircraft carrier due to its raids over North Vietnam territory and which necessitated replacements. From 10 to 12 pilots were transferred like me from the Forrestal to the Oriskany . . . upon arrival near the target, our formation, with six bombers, would mount the attack according to the following order: I would be number three, and the chief of the formation, number one. Each pilot would have to approach the target from a different direction, the choice of which would be left to him.'" A November 9, 1967 declassified Department of Defense document

"A meeting which will leave its mark on my life: My meeting with John Sidney McCain was certainly one of those meetings which will affect me most profoundly for the rest of my life. I had asked the North Vietnamese authorities to allow me to personally interrogate an American prisoner. They authorized me to do so. When night fell, they took me--without any precautions or mystery--to a hospital near the Gia Lam Airport reserved for the military. (Passage omitted) The officer who receives me begins: I ask you not to ask any questions of political nature. If this man replies in a way unfavorable to us, they will not hesitate to speak of "brainwashing" and conclude that we threatened him. (Passage omitted) "This John Sidney McCain is not an ordinary prisoner. His father is none other than Admiral Edmond John McCain, commander in chief of U.S. Naval forces in Europe." Written by "prominent" French television reporter Francois Chalais - January 1968

"Reds Say PW Songbird Is Pilot Son of Admiral
. . . Hanoi has aired a broadcast in which the pilot son of United States Commander in the Pacific, Adm. John McCain, purportedly admits to having bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and praises medical treatment he has received since being taken prisoner." Saigon-UPI, June 4, 1969

"The English-Language broadcast beamed at South Vietnam was one of a series using American prisoners. It was in response to a plea by Defense Secretary Melvin S. Laird, May 19, that North Vietnam treat prisoners according to the humanitarian standards set forth by the Geneva Convention." The Washington Post - June 5, 1969

"Dr. Fernando Barral, a Spanish psychiatrist residing in Cuba, returned from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam . . . he brought back some journalistic news: an interview with a North American pilot captured in the DRV after bombing Hanoi on 26 October 1967. The meeting between him and the pilot took place in an office of the Committee for Foreign Cultural Relations in Hanoi. The pilot interviewed is Lt Cmdr John Sidney McCain, son and grandson of American Navy Admirals . . . "In the course of the interview, on various occasions he showed that knowledge of the language, saying some words, dates, and so forth in Spanish, or [using it] when he thought the interpreter was seeking the corresponding French word. "Naturally, from the beginning this established a more direct communication between us, and more than one question or my response was made directly in Spanish." Havana Granma - January 24, 1970

"Let me emphasize that there were many, many fine women who supported what they knew their husbands believed in. My wife, Carol, was one of those and I am proud of her." U.S. New and World Report - May 14, 1973

Editor's note: In 1980, McCain's personal life soured. He divorced Carol, who had been seriously injured and crippled in a motor vehicle accident, and married Cindy Hensley, whose father Jim is an Arizona "beer baron."

"Republican Sen. John McCain reported a net worth of at least $830,705 but possibly as much as $1.2 million or more, excluding personal residences . . . McCain listed his wife, Cindy, as the source of most of his assets. . . the bulk of McCain's assets consisted of stock in three Glendale firms - Hensley & Co., a beer distributorship headed by his father-in-law; Western Leasing Co., which leases trucks and equipment; and Eagle Enterprises, which invests in real estate and stock." The Phoenix Gazette - May 19, 1987

"So why has Sen. McCain, R-Ariz., gone to unprecedented lengths to block reform of the Senate campaign finance system? Why does he oppose letting this important matter even come to a vote? Perhaps it's because he is a prime beneficiary of the special interest funding of congressional elections. "McCain raised over $2.5 million for his 1986 election . . . more than $760,000 of his campaign funds came from political action committee (PACs) . . . especially disturbing are the contributions to McCain's campaign coffers from PACs outside of Arizona." The Phoenix Gazette - December 8, 1987

"While Sen. John McCain's wife and father-in-law were investing with Charles H. Keating, Jr. in a shopping center, McCain was helping Keating battle federal regulators who questioned his operation of Lincoln Savings and Loan . . . [photo caption] Documents show that Sen. John McCain's wife, Cindy, and father-in-law, James W. Hensley (second from right) are the largest investors in Fountain Square Shopping Center. Their partnership is managed by subsidiaries of American Continental Corp., run by Charles H. Keating, Jr. (right). But John McCain contends there was no conflict in his helping Keating battle federal regulators." The Arizona Republic - October 8, 1989

"Sen. John McCain had more than a constituent relationship with Charles H. Keating, Jr. prior to 1987 . . . the McCains - sometimes with their daughter and baby sitter - made at least nine trips at Keating's expense from August 1984 to August 1986 aboard either Keating's American Continental Corporation's jet or chartered planes and helicopters owned by Resorts International. Three of the trips were for vacations at Keating's luxurious retreat in the Bahamas." The Arizona Republic - October 8, 1989

"McCain, in a radio talk-show appearance last week condemned disclosures of his family's ties to Keating as "irresponsible journalism." The Arizona Republic - October 17, 1989

" . . . both in telephone conversations with reporters and on a live radio talk show, the Republican senator was far from calm. He was agitated. Angry. And the way he dealt with unpleasant questions was to bully the questioners . . . 'You're a liar,' McCain snapped Sept. 29 when an Arizona Republic reporter asked him about business ties between his wife, Cindy McCain, and Keating . . . 'That's the spouse's involvement, you idiot,' McCain sneered later in the same conversation. 'You do understand English, don't you?' ". . . Not content with just bullying reporters, McCain tried belittling them: 'It's up to you to find that out, kids.' . . . McCain wasn't talking to liars. He wasn't talking to juveniles. The senator was talking to two reporters." The Arizona Republic - October 17, 1989

"Employees at Hensley & Co., a $100 million Anheuser-Busch distribution firm, also say that during McCain's first campaign for Congress, some workers were pressured into going door-to-door in neighborhoods to hand out McCain election pamphlets . . . Hensley employees say they must take the checks to work, where they are collected by supervisors. I asked one person if employees were assured that all contributions were voluntary . . . 'no way,' I was told. 'And my (spouse) and I aren't even registered (to vote). That's what makes us so mad." The Arizona Republic - November 1, 1989

"As a 100 percent, service-connected, disabled ex-prisoner of war, I sought help from John McCain when he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and I needed help in regard to a claim for back service-connected disability compensation. I did so because I thought that as an ex-POW himself he could relate to my problem. When I could not reach him via letters to his office, I wrote to his home address. That was a very enlightening experience . . . my letter, addressed to the congressman, was opened by his wife, Cindy. She didn't like what she read, so she wrote me a nasty letter. Apparently John McCain isn't even capable of communicating on a one-to-one basis with someone who was a POW and returned from his experience in far worse physical condition than John McCain returned from his experience . . . M. "Shane" Schoenborn." The Phoenix Gazette - November 4, 1989

"Reporters also 'discovered' that the senator's wife and father-in-law invested $359,100.00 in one of Mr. Keating's projects in 1986 . . ." The Phoenix Gazette - November 13, 1989

"The liquor case is particularly intriguing as it resulted in criminal charges against Marley's subordinates, James and Eugene Hensley. If the last name sounds familiar, it's because James is papa to Cindy McCain, who is wife of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is infamous lately as a member of the Keating Five . . . Marley also has been a shadow figure in the 1976 slaying of Republic reporter Don Bolles. Bolles wrote extensively about Marley's lucky past. And about how the Hensleys (Marley's managers) bought Ruidso Downs racing track in New Mexico. He wrote about Eugene Hensley spending five years in federal prison for a skimming scam. And about the Hensleys selling their track to a buyer linked with Emprise Corp. And about Marley's liquor ties with Emprise . . . one of Bolles' final dispatches appeared as Marley was about to become a member of the Arizona Racing Commission - the agency that regulates racetracks, including those run at the time by Emprise . . . the story dispatched Marley's appointment. Two months later, a car bomb killed Bolles." The Phoenix Gazette - January 4, 1990

"Bradley J. Funk, an antique dealer linked to the 13-year-old Don Bolles murder case through his family's former ownership of dog-racing tracks, has died of a heart attack, authorities said Jan. 2 . . . Bolles, 47, a former investigative reporter with the Arizona Republic, died June 13, 1976, about 11 days after a dynamite-based bomb blew up beneath his car . . . in his last statement before lapsing into unconsciousness, he mentioned the Mafia, John Adamson and Emprise Corp., a Buffalo, N.Y. company with a far-flung sports empire which once included ownership of the Boston Bruins hockey team and the former Cincinnati Royals basketball franchise . . . now known as Delaware North Cos., Emprise was convicted in 1972 of a federal charge of conspiring to hide Mafia interest in a Las Vegas, Nev., casino . . . Emprise and the Funk family were partners in six dog-racing tracks in the state and the Prescott Downs horse track, and Bolles had ripped their operations in print." Arizona Business Gazette - January 5, 1990

"McCain's involvement with Keating . . . when reporters called him with questions last year about previously unknown ties to Keating, an investment by wife Cindy McCain in a Keating shopping center and trips to Keating's Bahamas home, McCain went into a rage." The Arizona Republic - April 29, 1990

"Cars, homes and bank accounts of 18 people, including eight state legislators, were confiscated in a civil racketeering lawsuit that paints a portrait of lawmakers eager to sell their influence for as little as $660 and as much as $750,000 . . . Richard Scheffel, another lobbyist indicted but not targeted in the civil racketeering suit, is reputed to have been paid $20,000 to identify and approach lawmakers interested in trading votes for money . . . in a bid to establish his professional credentials with Stedino, Scheffel is reported to have boasted that '(U.S.) Sen. John McCain's father-in-law gives money to politicians through him' . . . Bauer, in his report, said Scheffel claimed that 'each January he receives $30,000 from the local Anheuser-Busch distributor, Jim Hensley,' adding that Hensley also supplied him with names of people to list as contributors." The Phoenix Gazette - February 6, 1991

". . . Bob Delgado, executive vice president for Hensley. He also pointed out that Scheffel was a lobbyist for Anheuser-Busch Inc. and not Hensley & Co . . . Hensley & Co. has a pattern, according to state campaign filings, of registering key executives as lobbyists." The Phoenix Gazette - February 9, 1991

"Hensley & Co., a Phoenix-based beer distributor, rewards its drivers and sales people with parties at Phoenix Greyhound Park . . . 'It's been an excellent motivator for us to use for incentive contests,' said Dave Daulton, assistant vice president at Hensley." The Arizona Republic - February 15, 1991

"Don't overlook that multifaceted beer distributor Jim Hensley, father-in-law to Republican Sen. John McCain of modest Keating fame. According to current AzScam records, Hensley is a financial godfather to hosts of lobbyists." The Phoenix Gazette - March 16, 1991

"McCain, meanwhile, reported assets of more than $5.4 million, much of it held jointly with his wife, Cindy. The couple reported holding at least $2 million in stock in Hensley & Co., a beer distributorship owned by Cindy McCain's father, Jim Hensley . . . John McCain, R-Ariz., also reported at least $500,000 in Anheuser-Busch debentures, with most of the rest of the assets primarily in land holdings that his wife has invested in with her family . . . last year, McCain's wealth was estimated by Roll Call at closer to $2.9 million." The Arizona Republic - May 16, 1991

"At the time, Devereux stumbled upon Bolles' notes concerning Charles C. Morgan, a Tucson escrow agent who took a bullet to the head in 1977 while wearing a bulletproof vest. According to Devereux, Morgan worked for organized crime figures . . . Devereux says, Danny Casolaro called 'out of the blue' to ask about laundering operations, a Tucson bank, the Bonanno family and Reagan administration officials . . . a few weeks after that conversation, Casolaro was found in a West Virginia motel room with his wrists slashed. The case, initially ruled a suicide . . . The Phoenix Gazette - March 28, 1992

"Miller blamed the car-bomb slaying on former greyhound owner John Harvey Adamson, who has confessed to murdering Bolles; Phoenix lawyer Neal Roberts; and the late Bradley Funk, whose family used to race greyhounds in Arizona . . . 'this is a case of two contracts, a contract to kill and a contract to cover up who ordered the killing,' he said . . . Granville contended that Dunlap plotted with Adamson to have Bolles killed in behalf of Kemper Marley Sr., a Phoenix land and liquor baron." The Arizon