Monday’s political round-up

June 18, 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:

* Most of Mitt Romney’s GOP rivals have played nice when it comes to making an issue out of his religious faith, but an Iowa staffer for Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) aimed low late last week. Former state Rep. Emma Nemecek (R), the southeastern Iowa field director for Brownback’s presidential campaign, sent a letter to Iowa GOP leaders with attacks on Mormons, which, among other things, argued, “Theologically, the only thing Christianity and the LDS church has in common is the name of Jesus Christ, and the LDS Jesus is not the same Jesus of the Christian faith. The LDS church has never been accepted by the Christian Council of Churches.” The Brownback campaign has since apologized.

* A new Mason-Dixon poll in South Carolina shows Barack Obama leading the Democratic field with 34% support. Clinton is second with 25%, and Edwards, who was born in South Carolina, is third with 12%. Among Republicans, Fred Thompson has jumped out in front with 25%, Rudy Giuliani is close behind with 21%, and Romney is third with 11%. John McCain is in fourth with 7%, which has to be kind of embarrassing.

* Nevada’s caucuses may have been moved up, but right now, Bill Richardson is pretty much the only candidate spending a lot of time there. The WaPo explained that Richardson has had “about as many events in the state as the three front-runners for the Democratic nomination have combined.”

* Mike Gravel has a new campaign ad out. It’s too long to air on television, and Gravel can’t really afford to buy airtime anyway, but it’s one of those ads that has people talking. I don’t want to give anything away for those who haven’t seen it; you’ll have to check it out for yourself. For the record, the ad isn’t a joke; the campaign actually put it together. A spokesperson for the former senator said the ad “is an expression of Mike Gravel.”

* And Dallas elected a new mayor over the weekend when wealthy retired businessman Tom Leppert easily won a run-off election in the most expensive mayoral race in Dallas history. Leppert defeated Ed Oakley, an openly gay city councilman, by more than 13,000 votes.

Among Republicans, Fred Thompson has jumped out in front with 25%, Rudy Giuliani is close behind with 21%, and Romney is third with 11%. John McCain is in fourth with 7%, which has to be kind of embarrassing.

Freaking garbage. They probably hung up on people who answered “Ron Paul.” Tommy Thompson polled higher than Ron Paul? Give me a break.

  • Yeah, I saw Gravel’s ad a few days ago. Can someone explain to me what meaning or cleverness (if any) it has to it?

  • The commercial had better not be Mike Gravel staring at the camera for a couple of minutes. Saw that one on The Daily Show.

  • The commercial had better not be Mike Gravel staring at the camera for a couple of minutes….

    Sorry, F.D., that’s the one.

  • that is one strange commercial.

    Nautilator, I think it may have to do with how Gravel feels his voice is being silenced by the MSM and its pundits. The rock bit may be his allusion to the notion that his entrance into the race and the ideas he espouses can have a ripple effect–he is the rock causing waves. But that’s just a guess.

    Anyone else care to share some insights?

  • If Romney remains strong, the rest of the reptiles will do everything they can to destroy him; if one keeps lizards of different species in the same pen, they will prey upon each other until there is one left. Expect nothing less from people like Brownback. The more fervent they are in their display of kissing the ass of Jesus’ Army the more vicious they will be in their attacks on Romney and his heretical religious beliefs. What they don’t understand is that the Mormons will not be f### with lightly. They are very organized and have a powerful ‘Us vs. them’ mentality. They are survivors. Jesus’ Army has no idea of what they might be getting into; they might win, they might lose, but by god they will have a fight on their hands. My money is on the Mormons. Anyone who has lived in that part of the world would likely agree.

  • Gorp makes a very interesting observation. I live in “that part of the world”–Utah. I have to disclose that I am Mormon (by conversion–not by birth)before I say anything else.

    It is true that there is always an underlying current of “us vs. them” among the Mormons. This is a group of people who were chased from Missouri under threat of extermination sanctioned by the state government. They went to Illinois only to be chased out by mobs after their leader was killed by a mob while in government custody. Then they went to Utah where the federal government sent an army to quiet a non-existent rebellion. Sure all of this happened 150 years ago, but they have not forgotten.

    Whenever, another group plays the anti-mormon (your Jesus isn’t the same as our Jesus card), this galvanizes the Mormons who, as gorp said, are very organized. They will not return the attack, but they will voice their outrage at being attacked for their beliefs in a country where everyone is granted the freedom of worship by the Bill of Rights.

    That said, I don’t think that Sam Brownback’s campaign will make the same mistake twice because this “goof” showed them as intolerant fringe dwellers, and, frankly, put them in the same category as Al Sharpton, who previously made a comment about Romney’s faith. Other campaigns that are thinking about reaching out to the religious right by bashing Romney’s faith should take heed because that move is self-destructive.

    I’m no fan of Mitt Romney and will not vote for him because of his faith any more than I would vote against any candidate because of his/her faith. I just don’t like the guy and haven’t since he “saved” the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, but that’s another topic.

    Out West

  • Anyone else care to share some insights?

    somebody’s been to film school;>

    There’s a certain James Benning-esque quality to it.

  • the LDS Jesus is not the same Jesus of the Christian faith.

    This statement is actually true. According to the Mormons, Jesus was God’s first creation and was used by God to createthe rest of Creation. Also, the nature of both God and Jesus is different, inasmuch as both are assumed to be flesh-and-bone entities, which through their concept of transsubstantiation is how good Mormons can become God themselves. They do not believe in the Trinity. (None of this matters that much to me since I am not a Christian, but even non-Christian Right Christians know this stuff is important in terms of doctrine and world view.)

    The Mormon religion really is more loonie-tunes than the rest of the looniness that passes for “religion.”

    And then there’s the fact that no Mormon could ever say what JFK said in 1960, that “on matters of policy, the Pope does not speak for me.” The Mormon President is their Prophet, and he does indeed speak for all Mormons on any matter he chooses to speak on, and those Mormons who would take the JFK attitude on any pronouncement are excommunicated. Let it be said as many times as it takes to settle in with the “everbody’s beliefs are equally worthy of being taken seriously” crowd: The. Mormon. Church. Is. A. Theocracy. Its goal is to establish a theocratic government in the United States and impose itself over the “gentiles” (i.e., the rest of us). Its leading political candidate is a man who will say or do anything in his pursuit of power.

    This is one case where the Christian Right is right about what needs to be kept out of the upper halls of power in this country. (even a stopped clock is right twice a day and this is their once)

  • And yes, my attitude toward that church comes from living “out there” where they are. Thank God I removed myself from the Rocky Mountain West as early as education would allow.

  • In Re., Gravel’s ad, I took the rock being thrown to be Iraq sinking. A rock, etc… Maybe a too literal translation. I think I like Edo’s interpretation better. But yes, it was definitely “film school”.

  • The “cleverness” of Gravel’s ad (to answer Nautilator’s, #2, question) lies in it being a sort-of Rorschach test — everyone can interpret it as they see fit :).

    To the interpretations already proferred, I could add: Gravel is a man of few (very few!) words, but a man of action. However, the action will be taken only after deep thought and based on keen observation.

    Also. What’s in a name? This man’s no pebble, he’s *a rock*!

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