Thursday’s political round-up

May 31, 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:

* The Obama-McCain feud took an entertaining twist yesterday, after McCain fired off an email to supporters arguing that he is “mindful of my duties and responsibilities as a United States Senator,” and was “profoundly disappointed” in Obama for voting against Bush’s war funding bill. Obama spokesman Bill Burton responded: “As a senator who takes his duties seriously, and has also showed up to vote more than once this month, Barack Obama considers few responsibilities more important than his votes on the war in Iraq. Obama opposed the war from the beginning and, unlike Senator McCain, is committed to ending it as quickly and responsibly as possible.”

* Fred Thompson indicated yesterday that he hasn’t decided whether to compete in the Ames Straw Poll, scheduled for Aug. 11 in Iowa. As it turns out, he may not have a choice — the state GOP may force him to compete whether he wants to or not. “It’s our party, and we decide whose name is on the ballot,” Iowa GOP executive director Chuck Laudner told the Politico. “I predict he will be on the ballot one way or another,” Laudner added with a grin.

* Speaking of Thompson, Atrios raised an important point yesterday. CNN’s Candy Crowley told viewers yesterday that Thompson had a “bout with cancer,” but now he’s “cancer free.” Whether medical history matters to a voter or not, Crowley’s report is mistaken — “Thompson has indolent lymphoma. It’s incurable. It will kill him, if something else doesn’t first. It may not kill him very soon. He may live many years. But he’s not ‘cancer free.'”

* With Bush having nominated Bob Zoellick to replace Paul Wolfowitz at the World Bank, there’s a largely unnoticed effect on the presidential race: Zoellick has been serving as policy director for John McCain’s presidential campaign.

* And RRW reported a fascinating tidbit from an article in Rolling Stone. Sam Brownback is apparently impressing the wrong people: “A favorite of hatemongers: Fred Phelps, the ‘God Hates Fags’ preacher infamous for disrupting military funerals, says Brownback ‘likes what we’re doing, and he tells me that.'”

May 31, 2007 at 12:41 pm

Obama spokesperson Bill Burton should have said, “…Obama opposed the war from the beginning and, unlike Senator McCain who is bat-shit crazy, is committed to ending it as quickly and responsibly as possible.”

Somebody has to get that Fred Phelps character to lighten up. What he’s doing is risking something tremendous- at least, his own reputation- over an immature prank, while swearing up and down that it’s absolutely crucial to the fate of the world.

… a largely unnoticed effect on the presidential race: Zoellick has been serving as policy director for John McCain’s presidential campaign.

So that’s good news for the McCain campaign, presumably?

Sam Brownback is apparently impressing the wrong people

It’s a two-fer: impressing, and being impressed by, if Phelps is to be believed.

I don’t much like Sam Brownback, but I don’t believe that even during his most drug-crazed, drunken moment he would EVER tell Phelps that he approved of him or his campaign — even if he did.

Regarding Thompson, FDR was not the picture of health when he was re-elected…

When voting for president, I want the best man for the job for the time given to him.

Not that it’s Thompson, mind you.

This just in: World Peace Index (Economist Intelligence Unit)
“Peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice, of law, of order – in short, of government.”
~ Albert Einstein

1 Norway
2 New Zealand
3 Denmark
4 Ireland
5 Japan
6 Finland
7 Sweden
8 Canada
9 Portugal
10 Austria
11 Belguim
12 Germany
13 Czech Republic
14 Switzerland
15 Slovenia
16 Chile
17 Slovakia
18 Hungary
19 Bhutan
20 Holland

25 Australia
31 Costa Rica
49 Britain
58 Libya
59 Cuba
96 USA
97 Iran
100 Philippines
117 Nigeria
118 Russia
119 Israel
120 Sudan
121 Iraq

The authors say it is the first attempt to produce such a wide-ranging league table of how peaceful countries are. Factors examined by the authors include levels of violence and organised crime within the country and military expenditure.

The survey has been backed by the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former President Jimmy Carter and US economist Joseph Stiglitz, who are all Nobel prize laureates.

* And RRW reported a fascinating tidbit from an article in Rolling Stone. Sam Brownback is apparently impressing the wrong people: “A favorite of hatemongers: Fred Phelps, the ‘God Hates Fags’ preacher infamous for disrupting gay funerals, says Brownback ‘likes what we’re doing, and he tells me that.’”

In fairness to Brownback, I find this hard to believe, and even if true, not very relevant. As for the first part, Phelps is a practically insane publicity whore, so he has credibility issues, and whatever else you can say about Brownback’s intelligence, I doubt anyone in his position would genuinely agree with Phelps’ methods. And as for the second part — hell, even if Brownback actually said that, a politician pandering to the base without saying something that pins him down to a course of action? Horrors! I’m much more concerned about Dobson and the CWA than Phelps, and more concerned about what Brownback says about them than about Phelps.

“And RRW reported a fascinating tidbit from an article in Rolling Stone. Sam Brownback is apparently impressing the wrong people: “A favorite of hatemongers: Fred Phelps, the ‘God Hates Fags’ preacher infamous for disrupting gay funerals, says Brownback ‘likes what we’re doing, and he tells me that.’” ” — Carpetbagger

CB,

Please correct the above post. Phelps is not going around disrupting “gay funerals”, he is disrupting the private family funerals of military service people killed while serving their country! Please, no one should think that I am implying Phelps would be right to target “gay funerals”. I am pointing out that the thoroughly despicable Phelps is using the sacrifice of American servicepeople and the pain of their families to promote his own hateful agenda and selfaggrandizement.

Can’t quite figure out who’s responsible for the sentence above — RRW or RS — but Phelps’ “fame” comes from disrupting *military* funerals, not gay ones. On the basis of gay hatred, to be sure, but…

Please correct the above post.

Fixed. (For the record, the error was in the item I quoted)

It does? He showed up at Matthew Shepard’s funeral, didn’t he? Of course, maybe we’re just splitting hairs about what qualifies as fame, but still, I’m pretty sure he’s been doing what he does since before the war began.

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

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

Senator John McCain’s ratings from special interest groups on military issues can be found at: Senator John McCain’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 Senator John McCain’s responses to the NPAT at: Senator John McCain’s NPAT

Senator Barack Obama’s voting record on military issues can be found at: Senator Barack Obama’s Voting Record

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

Senator Barack Obama’s ratings from special interest groups on military issues can be found at: Senator Barack Obama’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 Senator Barack Obama’s responses to the NPAT at: Senator Barack Obama’s NPAT

For more information on Senator John McCain’s and Senator Barack Obama’s positions on military issues please visit Project Vote Smart or call our hotline at 1-888-VOTE-SMART.

Comments are closed.