Thursday’s political round-up

May 24, 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:

* A staffer for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign prepared a memo, which was leaked yesterday, suggesting the senator skip the Iowa caucuses and concentrate on other early primary states. Clinton and top campaign officials said the memo was considered and rejected. “It’s not the opinion of the campaign,” Clinton told Radio Iowa yesterday, referring to the memo. “It’s not my opinion.”

* Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards traded a series of shots yesterday over whether the “war on terror” is legitimate or a political “bumper sticker.” Giuliani said Edwards is “not facing reality.” Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz said, “America deserves better from Rudy Giuliani. They deserve a President whose interest is in protecting America from terrorist attacks and not simply using this for political gain.”

* Mitt Romney has apparently decided that he can score points in the GOP primaries by running against Massachusetts, the state he led for one term. “In the most liberal state in the country,” a narrator says over pictures of photos of John Kerry and Mike Dukakis, “one Republican stood up, and cut spending instead of raising taxes. He enforced immigration laws, stood up for traditional marriage and the sanctity of human life.”

* Arizona State Rep. Russell Pierce (R) believes Sen. John McCain, who hasn’t cast a vote in weeks, and has even skipped supporting bills he sponsored, should step down. “We need a Senator,” Pearce said. “I think if McCain wants to be a full-time candidate and not be at the Senate, he ought to consider resigning.”

* Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) hopes to expand his ties to the religious right movement by campaigning today in Iowa with pseudo-historian David Barton, head of a group called Wallbuilders, a liaison to evangelicals for the Republican National Committee.

Edwards’ new tactic may or may not work for him or against Giuliani, but it’s interesting in its own right. It’s as if a Democrat has absorbed the GOP method of contanimating everything your opponent says. Rovian, even. Rudy can’t talk about being tough on terror anymore without making people think that it’s empty rhetoric. Those people, anyway, who are with Edwards on this issue.

  • “stood up for traditional marriage”

    yup, and massachusetts now has same sex marriage. how’s that workin out for ya mitt?

  • Giuliani said Edwards is “not facing reality.

    In related news, Giuliani has officially changed his name to “The Pot.”

  • ***Wallbuilders***

    Shades of Berlin, CB-Man! I’m seeing a vast Neoconservative Conspiracy to undermine life as we know it!

    Hey—if buffoons like O’Reilly can do it, then so can I.

    And one would assume that the glass house that Romney is building is not located in Massachusetts. There are lots of rocks in Massachusetts….

  • Mitt Romney did not raise taxes, he just raised in-state fee’s by a Billion dollars. A Billion dollars!!! They forgot to put that in the add, must have been a oversite.

  • I hope R. Pierce is prepared to have his dainty shell-likes peppered with f-bombs. Buy you don’t think he is also concerned that the McCainiac is making his fellow GOPhers look bad do you? Mwahahaa!

    Dog. Lie. Fleas.

    “one Republican stood up, and cut spending instead of raising taxes. He enforced immigration laws, stood up for traditional marriage and the sanctity of human life.”

    Hey, hey, hey! You guys said Californication was the hot bed of unwashed libruls. Make up your minds. Oh, you don’t have any. Forget it then.

    The irony is that many NErs are old school conservative and therefore believe the state should fuck off as frequently as possible.

    This also raises the interesting question of what such a nice Neo-Con Artist was doing in that icky old “liberal” state. I wonder how long it will be before a candidate hits back: “Mitt Romney. His state was the first to inflict gay marriage on America, thereby hastening the day of Armegeddon!”

    Arseholes the lot of ’em.

  • Repeating my late night comment from an earlier thread:
    Blurb on CSPAN yesterday: Senator Coburn (Backwoods, OK) blocks resolution honoring the late environmental author Rachel Carson.

    Stupid of course, and spiteful perhaps? But in the long run, it doesn’t make a difference as Rachel Carson will be known and respected forever.

    Sen. Coburn will be lucky to be remembered at all after he leaves office. And if he is, it won’t be in a good light.

    Here’s a great article about Carson:
    http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/hcarson.asp

  • Senator John Edwards’s voting record on military issues can be found at: Senator John Edwards’s Voting Record

    Senator John Edwards’s voting record on national security issues can be found at: Senator John Edwards’s Voting Record

    Senator John Edwards’s voting record on foreign aid and policy issues can be found at: Senator John Edwards’s Voting Record

    Senator John Edwards’s history of speeches on the Iraq war can be found at: Senator John Edwards’s Record of Speeches

    Senator John Edwards’s history of speeches on the War on Terrorism can be found at: Senator John Edwards’s Record of Speeches

    Senator John Edwards’s ratings from special interest groups on national security, military, and foreign policy issues can be found at: John Edwards’s Interest Group Ratings

    Project Vote Smart produces the National Political Awareness Test (NPAT), which essentially asks each candidate “Are you willing to tell citizens your positions on the issues you will most likely face on their behalf?” You can find John Edwards’s responses to the NPAT at: John Edwards’s NPAT

    Mayor Rudolph Guiliani’s history of speeches on the Iraq war can be found at: Mayor Rudolph Guiliani’s Record of Speeches

    For more information on Senator John Edwards’s and Mayor Rudolph Guiliani’s positions on national security, military, or foreign policy issues please visit Project Vote Smart or call our hotline at 1-888-VOTE-SMART.

  • I’ve been wondering when someone in Arizona would notice that, for all intents and purposes, they now have only one Senator. It has occured to me that, since they don’t seem to mind this situation, that Senate seat could be given to DC…

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