Monday’s political round-up

February 19, 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:

* Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), whose 2008 support would be a coup for any GOP contender, seems to favor Mitt Romney and has been steering some of his closest advisers to the former Massachusetts governor’s campaign. “Governor Bush said, ‘Before you commit, I want you to meet Mitt Romney. He is the kind of guy you will like no matter what,'” said former Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings. “The governor was very candid about the fact that he really liked this guy.”

* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has pledged to remain neutral in the Democratic presidential primaries, but Hillary Clinton found the next best thing, snagging the support of Reid’s oldest son, Rory, as both the chair of her campaign in the Silver State and an adviser on Western issues. Harry Reid issued a statement over the weekend, reiterating his neutrality.

* The LA Times ran a piece critical of Barack Obama today, arguing that he took too much credit in his autobiography for work that he did with others as a community organizer in Chicago. Obama’s campaign responded with a fact sheet (.pdf) that seems to tear the LAT article apart.

* Mitt Romney admits that he voted for Paul Tsongas in the Democratic presidential primary in 1992, but can’t make up his mind about why. Yesterday, he said he backed Tsongas because he’d be the weakest candidate against George H.W. Bush. Twelve years ago, Romney said he voted for Tsongas because he was from Massachusetts and he preferred his ideas to Clinton’s.

* And former House Speaker Newt Gingrich doesn’t think highly of the current campaign process. “I think the current process of spending an entire year running in order to spend an entire year running in order to get sworn in in January of 2009 is stupid,” Gingrich said. “The idea of spending all of this year criss-crossing to raise money, to pay off the consultants, to do the focus groups, to memorize the 40-second answer to ‘and what would you do about Medicare?’ — I just think it’s a terrible way to spend your time.”

Gotta agree with Newt on this one. Now put him back in his cage.

  • I wouldn’t begrudge Mitt Romney having a change of heart over the last 12 years, adopting new positions as his views change on the issues. But it is his responsibility to explain what happened to him in that time which caused such a total conversion. He won’t answer this question, of course, because the truth is he’s always been posturing for voters.

  • “I think the current process of spending an entire year running in order to spend an entire year running in order to get sworn in in January of 2009 is stupid,” Gingrich said. “The idea of spending all of this year criss-crossing to raise money, to pay off the consultants, to do the focus groups, to memorize the 40-second answer to ‘and what would you do about Medicare?’ — I just think it’s a terrible way to spend your time.”

    Well well, even a stopped Newt can be right once a day. This insane campaign is going to turn off sooooo many people by November 2008, it won’t surprise me if it even turns off political junkies here.

    “Too much is not enough” seems to be the theory all these halfwits are working on this time around.

  • which alien has taken over newt gingrich and forced him to say sensible things?

    he’s entirely correct. i’m so sick of the never ending campaigns for this office and that office. this wind-up to 2008 is way beyond insane.

    but newt gingrich? please, whichever alien you are, don’t put him back ok?

  • Agreeing with others – who are you and what have you done with the real Newt Gingrich?

    When I read about the millions and millions that are spent on political campaigns, much of it to (falsely) smear opponents, it makes my blood boil. How about we use that money for something productive – schools, jobs, health care, infrastructure, etc.

    I’d love to see a more level playing field with publicly-financed campaigns, free and equal media coverage, and a limit on the dollars spent. The average Joe or Jill would have a better chance. The current system is scandalous.

  • How ironic is it for Newt Gingrich to now bemoan the ‘perpetual campaign’ that he and his fellow Republicans instituted back in the ’90’s to ensure the permanent Republican majority they so confidently proclaimed?

    He’s just whining now because the Dems have learned how to play the game, too, and they’re getting a lot better at it than its inventors.

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