Monday’s political round-up

April 9, 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:

* John Edwards announced late on Friday that he will boycott the debate co-hosted by Fox News and the Congressional Black Caucus, scheduled for Sept. 23, though he will participate in the CBC’s event in January, co-hosted by CNN. Edwards’ deputy campaign manager Jonathan Prince said, “[W]e believe there’s just no reason for Democrats to give Fox a platform to advance the right-wing agenda while pretending they’re objective.”

* Mitt Romney’s claim last week to being a “life-long hunter” continues to dog him on the campaign trail. In the latest news, officials in the four states Romney has lived in say the presidential hopeful never applied for a hunting license. Romney clarified that he has hunted rabbits and other small animals for many years, mainly in Utah. Hunting certain small game there does not require a license.

* The rumor mill has been working overtime the last few days, with scuttlebutt about former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson’s (R) possible presidential plans. For what it’s worth, the senator-turned-actor has done some guest blogging at RedState, a popular conservative site. The WSJ noted today, however, that Thompson may already be too late to get in — top funders and activists are already committed to other candidates.

* New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer signed a law this morning that will move the state’s presidential primary to Feb. 5, joining just about every other big state in the Union.

* Rep. Duncan Hunter’s (R-Calif.) son, Duncan Jr., hopes to replace his father in the House next year, but he may have trouble campaigning for himself: he’s a Marine who was recalled to active duty last week, and will probably be in the Middle East during next year’s election.

* And in Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist’s (R) surprising moderation has drawn the frustration of the state GOP’s establishment. “Charlie has succeeded in just three months in getting rid of just about everything Jeb Bush accomplished,” a key Florida Republican told Bob Novak.

Fred Thompson doesn’t have a chance. In Die Hard 2 he said we should “obey” the terrorists. How could he ever be president after that?

  • “Charlie has succeeded in just three months in getting rid of just about everything Jeb Bush accomplished,” a key Florida Republican told Bob Novak.

    What can I add to that, except for this: 😀 Go, Charlie, Go.

  • Some Conservatives are starting to stink to high Heaven particularly those who consider themselves “True” Conservatives yet would still vote for someone who is for gay unions at the very least and has come out recently and said that he would USE PUBLIC TAX MONEY to pay for abortions (CNN 4/2/07). It’s funny also that the media focused on Romney’s MINOR blurb about hunting and not paying attention to what Rudy said. Who do you think that the MSM is more scared of? To have every news outlet that the Liberal MSM has ever created to make a stink about hunting (NOT 2ND AMMENDMENT RIGHTS WHICH ROMNEY IS FIRMLY FOR) as opposed to something even more important about abortions and making it a public (you and me) responsibility? More on this in a minute.

    You “Conservatives” need to wake up. I don’t care if Rudy is “at least” being up front about his positions. They are the wrong positions. If he isn’t going to change his views and side on Conservative priciples AT THE LEAST then he’s not worth it.

    Now people are starting to harp on an actor who was once a Senator for a short time. Just because he saved the day on TV, it’s still TV and not the real world. Do you think that Hollywood would be any different in dealing with Fred Thompson as Mitt Romney in Massachusetts? Hollywood has made their pick and conservatives are ready to jump ship on a guy who’s proven himself and moved in the Conservative direction for a “non-executive” actor? You people are beginning to make me sick from your smell.

    The last part about some of you “conservatives” is that if you don’t like Mitt Romney it’s not really about him, it’s about his religion and you know it. If it weren’t then you wouldn’t have to keep explaining that you “don’t have a problem with mormonism.”

    Now back to the MSM and what they know about “conservatives” right now when it comes to Mitt Romney. They know that you – ALL OF YOU – Conservatives are having problems. Your off-balance and there are so many variables to it. They know that you have a religion problem, an issues problem on getting on the same page, a whose electable problem, and a morals and values problem. They are playing you like fiddles and you’re eating it up. They’re putting stories out there knowing that you’ll eat your own at their hands.

    Mitt Romney says something about being a life long hunter and Mike “Hack”abee goes out on NATIONAL TV (CBS LIBERAL MSM CENTRAL) and has a problem with Romney talking about hunting yet says that Rudy’s at least “honest” about his abortion stance and public funding of them. I don’t care what “Hack”abee said about opposing that stance. He still feels that Rudy’s a better person to be the Republican party nominee than someone whose made the change in my (a True Conservatives) position.

    I’m tired of the bigot riddled Liberal MSM comments about religion when it comes to Romney and I’m even more tired of bigoted “True” Conservatives eating their “BS” up and regurgitating it back to us giving them credibility and eating away at people who’s backgrounds both personal and professional truly serves our needs as Americans.

    I’m tired of it and any conservative who is a true conservative truly believes in AMERICA and the traditional values that this country was built on should go out and fight against this.

  • “Charlie has succeeded in just three months in getting rid of just about everything Jeb Bush accomplished.”

    If only the successor to his brother George will find the going so easy.

    Good for John Edwards. People running for high office should demonstrate the good judgment to see BS for what it is and call it just that. My estimation of him grows.

  • way to go edwards! and telling fox exactly why he is boycotting as well. excellent!

  • Romney’s actions do not constitute “hunting.” They are, in short, a form of “varmint-whacking.” You can do the same thing by setting a mousetrap. I’ve been a hunter for a very long time, too; both longbow and crossbow, long-gun (bolt-action rifle and blackpowder muzzleloader), and shortgun (shotgun). Mitt—you are NOT a hunter!

    And kudos to Charlie Crist on “the De-Bushification of Florida.”

  • Further evidence that Edwards, though I disagree with him on some points, is a decent man and a good candidate as well as being smart. Trouble is he’s not outlandish enough to suit the shallow tastes of the TeeVee moguls. They got over (bored with) his wife’s breast cancer (for gods sake) in just a few days, after Rush didn’t have any more to add to his insult. Must we rig an on-going scandal of some kind so the MSM can come out of their collective stupor and pay Edwards some attention? He is the only one whose got realistic plans to address the nation’s real probems, but I guess that’s not enough. Sad.

  • “Fred Thompson doesn’t have a chance. In Die Hard 2 he said we should “obey” the terrorists. How could he ever be president after that?”

    Yeah, but they were right wing, American, Ollie North-type terroroists, who were doing God’s work by freeing a fascist, anti-Communist, drug lord dictator, so it would be hunky dory. Sort of a corollary to the IOIYAR rule.

  • Hey, “Conservative Gladiator” – it sounds like you got your helmet knocked off and then got thumped on the noggin too many times by someone wielding a trident.

    If you were less of an idiot, you might notice that your “Conservative” hero Romney changed his positions on EVERY ISSUE you seem to think is important, to match your position. He never believed in ANY of your bullshit before he decided he wanted to be your pResident.

    Perhaps you should go here – http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/ – and read last week’s series of cartoons about your Great Conservative Hero. It’s done in simple words so even a halfwitten moron like yourself should be able to read it.

    And then do us a favor and become one of the “good Republicans” who are busy pushing up daisies, you illiterate waste of bandwidth.

  • I say we send Mittens and Dicky-Bird on a little hunting trip. Maybe we can get rid of two lying sacks o’ crap at once.

    “Charlie has succeeded in just three months in getting rid of just about everything Jeb Bush accomplished,”

    You say that like it’s a bad thing.

    I’ve been wondering what Crist would be like since the day he blew off a visit from BushBrat. He just needs to watch out for Krazee Kat Harris.

    tAiO

    p.s. Conservative Gladiator – Your spoof, your spoof, your spoof is on fi-yah!

  • Paging Dr. Benen—there is a constipated radiator running amok in Post-Op Number Three….

  • I had heard Charlie speak several times here in Fl. He kicked some major ass when he was AG, even going after AT&T when they were double billing people on their phone bills and taking MONTHS to fix the problem. I may regret it down the road, but I voted for him. What finally pushed me over the edge, was the hosing he gave the DUMBASS right before the election. I am breathlessly awaiting the day when all these old people terrified of anything progressive, figure out they elected a gay governor. The shit that is gonna fly.

  • Re: #12, I’d hate to think Benen’s being “off his guard” is the only reason a conservative is allowed to post here. Or has my idea of open discourse been an illusion all along?

    At least the guy doesn’t appear to be trying to stir up trouble. He might be wrong, but he’s entitled to his opinions. He’s even joining in with his own take (albeit short-sighted) on what’s wrong with the modern conservative movement, and the hypocrisy that characterizes it.

    We wouldn’t want our misguided guests to fear they’d be paid a visit from a member of “CBR Security” (let’s leave those kinds of tactics to the Bill O’Reillys of the world).

    Having said that, Steve, I always look forward to your posts and find your perhaps one of the more enlightened frequenters of CBR. I just had to let you know that this one made me feel a little “icky”. ;o)

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