Friday’s campaign round-up

January 18, 2008

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* A new McClatchy-MSNBC poll in South Carolina shows a pretty competitive contest in tomorrow’s Republican primary. John McCain leads the field with 27%, followed closely by Mike Huckabee at 25%. Mitt Romney is third with 15%, and Fred Thompson is fourth in the poll with 13%. About one in 10 likely GOP voters are still undecided.

* McClatchy-MSNBC also polled South Carolina Dems, who’ll vote a week from tomorrow, and found a less competitive race. Barack Obama leads the field with 40%, followed by Hillary Clinton with 31%, and John Edwards is third with 13%. About 15% said they remain undecided, and an additional 1 in 5 said they still might change their minds. Obama’s biggest advantage is among those voters who are looking for change, where he leads Clinton 65% to 7%. Clinton’s biggest advantage is among those looking for experience, 81% to 7%.

* Nevada polls seem to be leaning in Clinton’s direction.

* Washington Times: “Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee yesterday continued to move to the right on immigration during this year’s presidential campaign, signing a pledge to enforce immigration laws and to make all illegal aliens go home. The pledge, offered by immigration control advocacy group Numbers USA, commits Mr. Huckabee to oppose a new path to citizenship for current illegal aliens and to cut the number of illegal aliens already in the country through attrition by law enforcement.” Up until recently, Huckabee described this approach as “inhumane.”

* John Edwards’ campaign put together a funny video about being ignored by the mainstream national media. It’s prompted some interesting debate — Jason Zengerle argues Edwards hasn’t been treated unfairly, while Greg Sargent argues the opposite.

* Rush Limbaugh isn’t endorsing anyone, but he certainly seems to be heaping praise on Mitt Romney: “Limbaugh, who makes a point of saying he does not officially endorse in the primaries, has nonetheless praised Romney effusively, repeated Romney’s policy talking points, defended him against attacks from fellow conservatives, and after Romney’s win in Michigan this week, declared him the front-runner.”

* In the race for Nevada newspaper endorsements, Obama has picked up the support of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Reno Gazette-Journal, while Clinton has won the endorsement of the Las Vegas Sun.

* This is causing quite a stir: “The pro-Obama UNITE-HERE union — the parent organization of the Culinary Workers Union — is running a Spanish radio ad in Nevada that lambastes Hillary Clinton, calling her ‘shameless.’ The subject of the ad is the failed lawsuit filed by Clinton supporters, against the special caucus sites created on the Las Vegas Strip in order to help Culinary members participate. Hillary declined to condemn the suit, and Bill Clinton publicly defended it. ‘Senator Obama is defending our right to vote. Senator Obama wants our votes,’ the ad says.”

* At the Democratic debate the other night, each of the top three Dems were asked to name their greatest weakness. Obama talked about losing paperwork, Clinton said she’s impatient when trying to bring about major political changes, and Edwards said he cares too much about working people. It led Obama to have a little fun at his rivals’ expense: “Because I’m like, an ordinary person, I thought that they meant what’s your biggest weakness?” Obama said. “So I said, ‘Well, I don’t handle paper that well. You know, my desk is a mess. I need somebody to help me file and stuff all the time.’ So the other two they say uh, they say well my biggest weakness is ‘I’m just too passionate about helping poor people. I am just too impatient to bring about change in America.’ As the room erupted in laughter, he added, “If I had gone last I would have known what the game was. I could have said, ‘Well you know, I like to help old ladies across the street. Sometimes they don’t want to be helped. It’s terrible.'”

* Given the recent controversy about racism in Ron Paul publications, does he really want to appear at Bob Jones University right now?

* Kucinich is having a little trouble in his House district: Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson just endorsed Kucinich’s primary opponent (not his presidential primary opponent, his local primary opponent).

* And speaking of Kucinich, he really shouldn’t tell his supporters that he has “topped every other candidate in major polls.” I can appreciate trying to give backers a morale boost, but this is just dishonest.

If Huck finishes behind McCain in a place like South Carolina, that will indicate that he won’t be able to go the distance. But if Huck wins SC, look out!

Reading the entire poll shows how beautifully fragmented the Republicans are this year. In the poll of Democrats the great divide is between those who value change vs. experience.

  • So Huck wants to deport all illegal immigrants? I’d like to see him get into the specifics of that. Throw all Hispanics into detention camps until we sort out which ones are legal and which ones aren’t? Simplistic responses to complex problems show what a buffoon the guy is. If he’s trying not to get elected, he just succeeded in alienating the business community and villifying the immigrant community all on fell swoop.

  • Romney will be the GOP presidential candidate. He’s the least embarrassing and that’s not saying much.

    No matter what happens to Kucinich he is the most progressive dem in the race and the only one offering ‘not for profit’ health care plan. All other dem candidates are measured as plus or minus Kucinich on the issues. His is what we should be striving for to get our country going in a positive direction. If dems win an overwhelming majority in congress and the senate it is the centrist republican lite dems who will be standing in the way of progress for they are the money party, the dinosaurs of pork, the porky pigs…who are passed being anything except beltway insider private club members out for their own interests.

  • Bob Jones U didn’t allow African-Americans until 1971. The JC church of LDS didn’t allow African-Americans until 1978. I think a Romney appearance would have been much more appropriate.

    Regarding Paul, he should campaign anywhere he can get a microphone, especially if young voters are going to be in attendance. He’s getting virtually zero attention on the major networks, all the while Guiliani and Thompson still receive front runner status.

  • Well, Bush announced his stimulus package this morning.

    Wall Street’s reaction? Stocks fall after Bush announces plan

    Somehow I don’t think that we’re going to need to wait for history’s verdict on Bushenomics. Oh, and let’s make those tax cuts permanent, look at all the good they’ve already done.

  • Speaking of funny Edwards’ videos…
    No not that one!

    Here is the pure poignant poetry of The Mill:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=qobwf-QOzJg
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=sMVdbfPkJzA

    Tear-jerking stuff…
    However… the noted literary critic Russ Feingold is not so impressed.
    Here he is… teasing the ode apart metrical foot by foot:

    The one that is the most problematic is Edwards, who voted for the Patriot Act, campaigns against it. Voted for No Child Left Behind, campaigns against it. Voted for the China trade deal, campaigns against it. Voted for the Iraq war … He uses my voting record exactly as his platform, even though he had the opposite voting record.

    When you had the opportunity to vote a certain way in the Senate and you didn’t, and obviously there are times when you make a mistake, the notion that you sort of vote one way when you’re playing the game in Washington and another way when you’re running for president, there’s some of that going on.

    Ouch.

  • We each seem to have our own major issue(s) that make their choice for President seem like the best one. My question is: Would someone tell me why we should NOT elect Ron Paul?

    The rest, with Richardson out and Kucinich low in the polls, seem to be talking crazy talk about our military adventures in the Middle East. Additionally, no one else seems to understand the problems with the economy, inflation, and out of control deficit spending. Inflation is going to eat us alive, as it has already started to do so. Do you really believe that the REAL inflation rate last year, the rate that was used by the government for Social Security check increases this month, was 2.3%? Just look at the price of gold up 30% in 2007, now at an all time high and getting higher!

    One can not talk about tax cuts without ALSO talking about cutting spending. We have a $9 trillion debt (nearly double since 2000) that must be paid so we can afford Social Security and Medicare. The interest payments will go sky high when we begin to fight inflation with higher Federal Reserve bank rates.

    And we must stop inflation or everyone’s life savings will go down the tubes, along with the middle class, like what has happened to the middle class in most countries south of our border. And do not forget National Health Insurance, which is coming down the tracks right at us, unless Republicans begin to understand the seriousness of runaway deficits and inflation. And start educating the country. A Democratic President will surely not fight inflation like Volcker and Reagan did!

    Please vote Ron Paul and save the country from bankruptcy abroad and at home!

  • You know that poll question that asks “do you want change or do you want experince”? Frankly, it’s a crock. Strong supporters already know what their candidates are selling. If you support Obama you say change. If you support Hillary you say experience. It’s just a waste of time asking.

  • We have a $9 trillion debt (nearly double since 2000) that must be paid so we can afford Social Security and Medicare.

    You got the bit about 9 trillion right.
    So you obviously understand decimal notation.
    But Social Security and Medicare are in the black:
    http://zfacts.com/p/461.html

    From that page:

    What’s odd about the national debt?
    The two largest entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare, are part of the two trust fund categories that are in the black.

    Get the facts son…
    And spit out the bullshit.

  • Fred Thompson is fourth in the poll with 13%

    Waitasecond. I thought Fred Thompson was supposed to be the folksy one?

    The South Carolinians are so folksy they’re racist-psychopathic.

    Something’s not adding up, here.

    Maybe he forgot to bring the little red truck?

  • Referring to comment number 6, the debate in Nevada tended to shine a light on the seemingly significant differences between how Edwards voted as a U.S. senator and his current rhetoric as a presidential candidate. I could be wrong, but I believe he’s being genuine in the positions he’s taking now (relative to the “centrist” approach that he felt he had to take as a senator from the south). That said, I think this problem would likely handicap him in a general election.

    By the way, I was pining for Russ Feingold to run for president. Don’t know how he would have done, but no problem with votes not matching rhetoric there.

  • Would someone tell me why we should NOT elect Ron Paul? -DenisL

    He supports the (un)FairTax.

    That is all I need know to determine that your beloved Doctor doesn’t have even a rudimentary grasp of economics.

    Everything about the (un)FairTax is an outright lie, including the way the rate is calculated.

  • Would someone tell me why we should NOT elect Ron Paul?

    Can’t speak for “we,” but speaking for myself, I like my racists to be forthright about their racism.

  • * Washington Times: “Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee yesterday continued to move to the right on immigration during this year’s presidential campaign, signing a pledge to enforce immigration laws and to make all illegal aliens go home. The pledge, offered by immigration control advocacy group Numbers USA, commits Mr. Huckabee to oppose a new path to citizenship for current illegal aliens and to cut the number of illegal aliens already in the country through attrition by law enforcement.” Up until recently, Huckabee described this approach as “inhumane.”

    Well, the businesses need them. They’re people the country needs to get the job done.

    So by not letting them be legal- by not letting enough people immigrate- they’re not really so much “illegal aliens” as they as “screwed aliens,” a genuine under-class in America, a pariah class that does needed work like everyone else, but at the same time has t worry about getting scooped up and thrown in jail. How fair is that?

    The laws are wrong and the xenophobes are wrong– the people who want to immigrate here to work and the businesspeople who want them as workers aren’t.

  • The two largest entitlement programs, Social Security and Medicare, are part of the two trust fund categories that are in the black.

    Well, sort of. All the funds are nothing more than IOU’s from the Federal Government. If we don’t get the deficit down by the time the trust funds are called upon to pay for retiree benefits we are really going to be hurting.

    And when the Republican’ts start to whine that we can’t raise general fund taxes to pay back Social Security and Medicare, remind them that they were the ones who promised economic growth would be strong enough to pay the debt back if we just let them borrow it now.

    They’ll whine just as bad as they do now about the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts ending in 2010.

    Gutless twits.

  • “…the failed lawsuit filed by Clinton supporters, against the special caucus sites created on the Las Vegas Strip in order to help Culinary members participate. Hillary declined to condemn the suit, and Bill Clinton publicly defended it.”

    I saw the video, where President Clinton defended this suit, and on the surface, he makes sense. Arguing that we’re a one-man/one-vote country, he points out that the votes of those voting in the special caucus sites on the Strip will count at least five times more than the votes of others participating caucus. Sounds like a legitimate gripe.

    However, if my recollection of the Iowa Caucus coverage on this site is correct, caucuses are not, and have never been, one-man/one-vote operations (nor the electoral college…nor the U.S. Senate for that matter). I’ve heard pretty good arguments that the caucus system ought to be fixed or scrapped. But that’s not the issue here. The issue is, why did the Clinton supporters bring their claim only after the Culinary Union endorsed Obama (note that this suit didn’t seek to fix the disparity…it sought to suppress the vote entirely).

  • * At the Democratic debate the other night, each of the top three Dems were asked to name their greatest weakness.

    This is kind of an inane question. The response from Obama was funny– I don’t know if I like to see that jab in public– but still, funny.

    Could it be that Ron Paul is kind of a weather-balloon racist candidate? Toned-down enough so the media can plausibly ignore his racist ties to a great extent, but racist enough so his followers will notice he’s racist?

    It’s like he’s intended as a more viable David Duke, or at least an instrument to try to bring big-time racism to the surface. It’s an alarming development in our politics.

  • The one and only reason I wouldn’t vote for Ron Paul is that he wants to abolish Social Security and Medicare. I spent 40 years of my life paying into those promises and that’s too much time to recover and save up to fund my own retirement and medical expenses. It only took 8 years of W to wipe out a generation’s financial security (and maybe even that of our children and grandchildren). I think that if we have the will, we can fix that. I won’t vote for anyone who rips the rug out from under an entire generation with no warning.

    Right now I’m considered part of the sandwich generation. I pay to care for my parents, and I’m paying my working-poor son’s rent and education, which the govt keeps interrupting with repeated deployments to Iraq. How will he feel about supporting me when his household is just getting established and just how is he going to self-fund his retirement?

    Capitalism is great, but that doesn’t mean we throw people under the bus. Capitalism, if it cannot serve the people, isn’t worth continuing. We work to keep this country going, and many of us are risking our children’s lives in combat for its economic interests. It can damn well keep its promises.

    • Comments are closed.