Friday’s political round-up

March 30, 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:

* Here’s the kind of item that might disrupt the nominating process: the New Hampshire State House approved a measure yesterday that allows the Secretary of State to move its primary up ahead of the Iowa caucuses. The AP noted that New Hampshire state law requires Secretary of State Bill Gardner to schedule the primary on a Tuesday a week or more before any “similar election.” That allows Gardner to jump as far ahead as he wishes, but in the past he has not challenged Iowa’s caucuses, which have long been before the New Hampshire primary. New Hampshire officials will now consider whether Nevada’s caucuses represent a “similar election.”

* Speaking of New Hampshire, a new poll from the American Research Group found that incumbent Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.), up for re-election next year, is in big political trouble. In a hypothetical match-up against former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D), whom Sununu narrowly defeated in 2002, the incumbent trails 44% to 34%. Shaheen has not said whether she’s running, though she hasn’t ruled it out.

* During a campaign appearance in South Carolina, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney mentioned the names of some people he’d consider for running mates, if he wins the GOP nomination. Among the possibilities were South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. He also said he is “pretty partial” to South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint (R).

* Dennis Kucinich took the unusual step yesterday of disavowing one of his own campaign tactics. Referring to a campaign project called “Eyes and Ears: We need your help!” which asked supporters to help monitor the campaigns of his Democratic primary rivals, Kucinich asks supporters to “disregard the request” since “I believe such tactics are spiritually and politically counterproductive…. The intellectual or emotional focus on any campaign dissipates that creative energy.”

* And James Dobson was quoted this week as saying he doesn’t believe former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) is a Christian. Dobson issued a statement yesterday arguing that he was misquoted. “We would caution friends of our ministry not to believe what they read about Dr. Dobson in the secular media today,” Focus on the Family said.

Jim DeMint is not a (D)…just saying. 😉

  • Again, I really think the Christatollah (Dobson) owes it to his flock, and to Almighty God, to just cut through the Satanic filter of the secular world and run for President his damn self.

    I like that Romney, campaigning in South Carolina, winked at all the prominent SC Republicans. I guess he didn’t hat-tip Lindsay Graham because, one, Graham’s a McCain supporter, and two, it’s probably bad Republican juju to have both a Mormon and a closeted gay on the ticket. Though I do love the idea of Gingrich as the Republican VP nominee. He’d make Citizen Dick Cheney look like a uniter, not a divider…

  • Someone please Tell New Hampshire that their monopoly on presidential primaries is very undemocratic. You too, Iowa.

    Give it up, you selfish douchebags. The other 95% of the country would like to have some say about who gets to be president too.

  • Very well put, Dajafi!

    Regarding the New Hampshire primary . . . I’m hoping it does get moved up. It’ll shake things up a bit. Now, if only Al Gore would jump in . . .

  • During a campaign appearance in South Carolina, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney mentioned the names of some people he’d consider for running mates, if he wins the GOP nomination. Among the possibilities were South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. He also said he is “pretty partial” to South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint (D).

    Nice to see that it’s not just Mormons who are morons. Any of these guys, joined with Romney, would be the 2M ticket – 2 morons campaigning together.

    One can only hope.

  • Dobson doesn’t think Thompson is a Christian? Does that mean he’s not fit for public office or does it mean that bonfire they’re building in the town square is what I think it’s for?

  • Just wondering if Mitt has asked any of his prospective VP choices if they’d actually be interested in the job, or if he’s just fishing to gauge responses? Frankly, I don’t think Newt or Jeb would want to hitch their wagon to his leaky boat, but you never know.

  • Gingrich as VP would be incapable of causing any controversy. I mean, how could anyone understand a word he said with his mouth covered by James Dobson’s ass? [Gingrich on Dobson’s radio show: ‘I have turned to God and have gotten on my knees…and sought God’s forgiveness.’] This from the leading intellectual of the right wing, being a former community college instructor, and all.

  • Kucinich asks supporters to “disregard the request” since “I believe such tactics are spiritually and politically counterproductive….

    Maybe Dennis was losing his “Eyes and Ears” as they learned more about his competition.

  • And James Dobson was quoted this week as saying he doesn’t believe former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) is a Christian. Dobson issued a statement yesterday arguing that he was misquoted. “We would caution friends of our ministry not to believe what they read about Dr. Dobson in the secular media today,” Focus on the Family said.

    So why hasn’t more been made of Dobson making “being a Christian” – as he defines it – a test for holding public office? Especially since the Constitution specifically says there shall be no religious test for public office????

  • Thanks for covering this matter. Thanks to bloggers like you, the following day, Dennis Kucinich sent out an email admonishing the “Eyes and Ears Project” and announced that it would be shut down. However, we at 2008 Central believe that there are still some unanswered questions.

    You can find our coverage of this matter at: http://2008central.net/?p=424

    This election, let’s make the blogosphere as relevant as possible.

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