Friday’s political round-up

July 6, 2007

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:

* Citizens for Community Values, an anti-pornography group in Ohio, is blasting Mitt Romney because he didn’t stop Marriott Hotels from offering adult movies to guests while he served on the company’s board of directors. “Marriott is a major pornographer,” Phil Burress, president of the group, said. “And even though [Romney] may have fought it, everyone on that board is a hypocrite for presenting themselves as family values when their hotels offer 70 different types of hardcore pornography.” (There are 70 different kinds of porn?)

* John Edwards’ presidential campaign added a few top staffers yesterday and shifted the responsibilities of some senior staff. Joining Edwards’ team is Paul Blank and Chris Kofinis, leaders of the “Wake Up Wal-Mart” effort. Blank also served as Howard Dean’s political director. Following a lackluster fundraising quarter, campaign manager David Bonior is apparently losing some of his responsibilities, but will step up his role as a campaign spokesman.

* Barack Obama has embraced an across-the-board pay raise for teachers as part of his domestic policy agenda, but yesterday, he risked drawing teachers’ unions’ ire by endorsing scales of merit-based pay. “I think there should be ways for us to work with the NEA, with teachers’ unions, to figure out a way to measure success,” the Obama told the National Education Association’s convention. “I want to work with teachers. I’m not going to do it to you; I’m going to do it with you.”

* South Dakota State Rep. Joel Dykstra (R) officially entered the race for the Republican nomination to face Sen. Tim Johnson (D) next year. Dykstra is perhaps best known for saying during a debate on banning abortions in South Dakota, “I think ‘rape and incest’ is a buzzword. It’s a bit of a throwaway line and not everybody who says that really understands what that means. How are you going to define that?”

* John McCain’s campaign staff in Iowa is down to just seven people. Wow.

* And the man arrested outside the Iowa hotel in which Barack Obama was staying may not have been a threat after all.

CB wrote: “(There are 70 different kinds of porn?)”

You know they’ve done a suspicious amount of research when they can get that specific…

  • “I think ‘rape and incest’ is a buzzword. It’s a bit of a throwaway line and not everybody who says that really understands what that means. How are you going to define that?”

    A little metaphorical guide for the confused Mr. Dykstra:

    “Rape”: What the Republicans have done to the U.S. for the past six+ years.

    “Incest”: The relationships between different R’s, and R’s and their lobbyists.

  • Barack Obama has embraced an across-the-board pay raise for teachers

    Really? Teachers already make incredible money as it is. I’d kill to make a teacher’s starting wage.

    Why doesn’t he just embrace and across-the-board pay raise for everybody while he’s at it?

  • gg, “Citizens for Community Values” is probably counting the Animal Planet channel as porn. Hell, they’re probably counting any channel that doesn’t censor out swear words involving genitalia. They might even count Fox News because they’re such blatant assholes.

    heh.

  • I think the Citizens for Community Values has a kind of South Park view of porn: “Um, porn is bad, ummm-kay?”

    They don’t really know what it is, they just know they’re agin it. And frankly, hotel porn is so lame it’s not even worth the effort to watch it.

    Or so I’ve heard. Not that I would know myself, of course. Turning now to weather and sports….. 😉

  • “I think ‘rape and incest’ is a buzzword. It’s a bit of a throwaway line and not everybody who says that really understands what that means. How are you going to define that?”

    Let me help you out there Dyk-stra:

    Rape and incest are what your … ah, nevermind, I don’t want CB to have to end up deleting my comment for being too profane…

    🙂

  • “Really? Teachers already make incredible money as it is. I’d kill to make a teacher’s starting wage.”

    If that is the case, they are looking for teachers in and around New Orleans. They would love to have you.

    Yes, teachers may make incredible money where you live (my guess any state north of Tennessee, or any touching the Pacific Ocean, and possibly parts of Florida, Nevada, Arizona and maybe the Atlanta region of Georgia) but for the most part they make low wages. And to do so having to deal with many obnoxious students, worse parents, and administrations that are now tied up with the lovely NCLB and the additional administrative requirements placed upon the teachers by NCLB, really makes those dollars worth just a little bit less than the normal dollar.

  • I loved that Obama said that to the NEA.

    The devil is in the details (which is why his “with you, not to you” is smart on policy as well as political grounds), but merit pay for teachers needs to happen. Eventually we’re going to need to “professionalize” the teaching profession to the point that educators make money comparable to doctors and lawyers–and are held to similarly high standards of professional conduct. Unfortunately, neither is the case right now.

    I suspect when Sen. Clinton spoke to the group, she wasn’t quitei as forthright. But then it’s also likely that her stable of high-priced consultants came up with some truly heart-tugging anecdotes about How Important Teachers Were to Hillary Becoming the Hillary She Is Today.

  • 70 types of porn? I don’t believe it. I am going to have to research this….thoroughly. Thank you Mr. Buress for opening my eyes to what I’d been missing.

  • Racerx wrote: ““Citizens for Community Values” is probably counting the Animal Planet channel as porn. Hell, they’re probably counting any channel that doesn’t censor out swear words involving genitalia.”

    That’s got to be it. Hell, I tried to count different sexual positions and still couldn’t reach 70. Animal Planet makes sense, though.

    “Cover your eyes, dear – those hippos are just playing leapfrog!”

  • The Citizens for Community Values never better visit a zoo. I remember my first trip to San Diego’s world famous zoo. The orangutans were rather frisky that day and for some reason liked to do it front of the windows. I bit thru my tongue to keep from laughing as the old folks and parents were trying to pretend those apes weren’t doing what comes naturally.

  • Senator Obama’s voting record on education issues can be found at: Senator Obama’s Voting Record

    Senator Obama’s history of speeches on education can be found at: Senator Obama’s Record of Speeches

    Senator Obama’s ratings from special interest groups on education issues can be found at: Senator Obama’s Interest Group Ratings

    Representative Dykstra’s voting record, history of speeches, interest group ratings, and responses to the National Political Awareness Test can be found at: Representative Joel Dykstra’s Biography

    For more information on Senator Obama and Representative Dykstra please visit Project Vote Smart or call our hotline at 1-888-VOTE-SMART.

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