Friday’s political round-up

September 21, 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:

* Asked about the Jena Six scandal in Louisiana, which drew 10,000 protestors to the small town yesterday, Fred Thompson said, “I don’t know anything about it.” It’s a phrase he seems to repeat quite a bit.

* The most aggressive campaigner on the presidential trail continues to be Elizabeth Edwards, who blasted Hillary Clinton yesterday for effectively stealing John Edwards’ healthcare plan. “I don’t call it Senator Clinton’s health care plan,” Edwards said. “I call it John Edwards’ health care plan as delivered by Hillary Clinton. The truth is that anyone who tries to describe Hillary’s health care plan will run through every material part of John’s health care plan. I just have to wonder, if John released his plan at the beginning of February, what took her seven and a half months to endorse it?”

* A day after James Dobson disseminated a document blasting Fred Thompson’s presidential efforts, the actor/lobbyist/politician shrugged off the significance of the criticism. “If in fact this e-mail … reflects his views, so be it,” Thompson said. “I have a lot of friends who I think are friends of his who have a high regard for me, and I’m very proud of that.” Focus on the Family confirmed that the email is genuine.

* In an apparent attempt to generate some interest in his presidential campaign, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) unveiled the Ultrasound Informed Consent Act yesterday, which would require women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound first. Somehow, I doubt the bill is going to pass, but the measure is about scoring points, not passing laws.

* And finally, several prominent political observers have suggested that John McCain has found his footing and is poised to re-establish himself as a contender, but evidence to the contrary keeps popping up. The very-conservative Washington Times reported this week that McCain’s third-quarter fundraising is, once again, awful, with about $3.7 million raised with just two weeks to go. Said one person close to the campaign, “Those are gross numbers, not net. Plus the campaign is carrying $2.5 to $3 million in debt. [He’s] done for.”

I’d like to amend Brownback’s proposal to also include that, before a Republican has a lobotomy that they have a CAT scan just to show how unnecessary the procedure would be.

  • * In an apparent attempt to generate some interest in his presidential campaign, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) unveiled the Ultrasound Informed Consent Act yesterday, which would require women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound first. Somehow, I doubt the bill is going to pass, but the measure is about score points, not passing laws.

    Steve, you are far too confident in light of recent developments. My prediction:

    1) The Republicans offer an amendment that before any Democrats can vote to “abort” the war in Iraq, they have to review an ultrasound image of Gen. Petraeus.

    2) If anyone objects to the amendment, the R’s – abetted by the MSM – will claim they are under the obvious influence of MoveOn.

    3) Dems will whimper and cower and the Brownback Ultrasound Informbed Consent and Informed Anti Islamofascist Act will pass roughly 75-25.

  • Finally! Yea! We won’t have to look at that sickening self-centered authoritarian smirk on McCain’s face any longer. McCain is insane and is past being an effective legislator. Done in by politics he is just another bought and sold wanna be who will soon no longer even be a member of the senate. He has contributed nothing of value for years now and has made an ass of himself catering to Bush’s failures. Bye bye cain…couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

  • Women already get an ultrasound prior to an abortion. The medical staff has to see what they are doing, after all. You do not, though, have clear vision of the screen.

  • I don’t quite get it….

    Between his support for Haliburton, KGR, and Blackwater by backing the Iraq war regardless of data and backing 28% Bush to secure the Pioneers, why is McCain so poor?

    Is corporate America THAT hurt by McCain-Feingold? Are they banking on crushing McCain bringing soft money back?
    McCain lacking support I could understand, but lacking MONEY???? Every time the man sneezes, Benjamins should come out his nose.

    Is soft money so vital to plutocracy???

  • Doesn’t surprise me Fred Thompson doesn’t know jack about the Jena 6. I’m sure he could care less about it as well.

    But what does bug me is none of the Democratic candidates are going down there and joining with the number of civil rights leaders and activists who are marching and speaking out against these blatant travisities of racism. So votes in Iowa and New Hampshire mean more? Political fundraisers take precedent too? Come on!

    I’m particularly surprised Obama is not down there. Don’t you think a former community activist and civil rights attorney should actually do somehting about it? Why isn’t he marching with Sharpton, Jackson, Bond, etc.? What does that say about Obama (and the other candidates for that matter)? Now granted I didn’t like Jackson’s comments about Obama. But the fact that Obama has other things on his agenda warrants further investigation. It certainly doesn’t look good in my estimation!

  • How now, John McCain? I said it in 2004, when he sold his soul to the man who smeared his family in the 2000 Republican primaries, there really is such a thing as just wanting too much to be president. It can make a man do unsavory things.

  • Somehow, I doubt the bill is going to pass, but the measure is about scor[ing] points, not passing laws.

    Christ, first the anesthesia bull shit, now this. What next? Never mind, I don’t want to know. Meanwhile the GOP is largely silent on the pResident’s threat to veto SCHIP legislation.

  • Check out the new hit piece on Fred Thompson, including a few things the media never talks about. To read it go to thirdrailradio.blogspot.com

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