William F. Buckley Jr. & Blackford Oakes (RIP)

Before there was Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Before Rush Limbaugh, George Will, Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan, Sean Hannity, Matt Drudge and Phyliss Schlafly, Bill Buckley stood alone.

In the Mid-50's, the beginning of the cold war, he went after the Soviet sympathizers in the media and the atheists in academia. He was aggressive and verbally savage.

Not only did Buckley communicate the principles that each Republican candidate today says that he best represents...Buckley defined them.

He founded National Review magazine. He started the TV Show Firing Line, where he appeared as the moderator for twenty years.

He wrote cold war thrillers, about a CIA agent Blackford Oakes, just because every other author was trashing America and the CIA.

He was an army veteran, a Patriot, and a devout Catholic. He was an intellectual with the guts and brainpower to go after and beat anyone who attacked his values, his character, his faith and his country.

He once said, sometime in the sixties, that he would rather be governed by the first hundred people in the Cambridge phone book than by the faculty at Harvard. A prophetic statement, more true today than it was when he said it.

He will never be replaced.


Submitted by D.B. Jackson

Decision...Obama

Hillary Clinton came out fast Tuesday night. At the first bell, she threw her best punch of victimhood from the hip with the intent of turning the contest to her favor from the get-go. She landed only air and this would set the tone for the entire fight. The early rounds consisted of Clinton attempting amateurish haymakers in the hope of landing the knockout punch she sorely needed. However, in each case, Obama deftly sidestepped the punches and effectively countered with quick jabs and short rights to Clinton's most vulnerable area, her credibility.

Clinton's inability to land in the early rounds seemed to take the steam out of her. She continued to pursue Obama in the middle and later rounds but with much less intensity. Obama, after building up his early lead, was content to box the remaining rounds. Clinton continued in pursuit but was unable to land any effective punches while Obama continued his effective fight of maneuver and short counters. The bout ended with Obama hugging Clinton and congratulating her on her effort while it was obvious to all that he had won a comfortable decision.

The fight that I described would certainly have been more entertaining than the debate that occurred. Hillary Clinton knew that she needed a big win to turn back Barack Obama's momentum and give her a chance to win the nomination. However, all of her attacks seemed small and petty.

She began by complaining that she always seemed to get the first question in the debates. She attacked Obama for his flyer in Ohio that criticized her health care plan, trying to imply that Obama's campaign standards were below hers (imagine that!). To this, Obama pointed out that his campaign's mailouts were very similar to the ones that the Clinton campaign had sent out criticizing him. He then added, "you don't see me whining about it." This pretty much set the tone for the early part of the debate.

After the first break, the debate seemed to settle down with neither side doing much more than defending their respective positions. Mrs. Clinton, needing something big, came away with nothing. Instead, she may have lost votes by her early attacks which gained no traction and rather made her look like the desperate politician that she is.

One of the interesting things about this debate was watching Sen. Clinton's eyes while Obama was speaking. There seemed to be there a combination of hatred and fascination. Hatred because he was beating her when she thought she was unbeatable. Fascination because nothing that she was doing could dent his armor. Obama has proven to be the perfect opponent to beat Hillary, much like Holyfield was to Tyson. He can effectively defend against her attacks and turn her weaknesses against her. As D. B. Jackson wrote, Hillary's attempt at making herself the victim was ineffective against Obama's superior victim status.

Personally, I think the contest is over now. Clinton had been fading in both Texas and Ohio before the debate. I expect this to increase and for Obama to take both states. Certainly, Hillary will not achieve the margin of victory that she needs to stay in the race.

It is not a question of if, but when.

-- Submitted by B. Bryant

What I Heard Last Night

If you were a scriptwriter from SNL, back from a half-year vacation/strike, you would have heard Hillary Clinton use your comedy skit to illustrate that she has been victimized in these debates.

If you are the CEO of Exxon or a capitalist of any kind, you would have heard Barack Obama say that ExxonMobil 'will not part easily' with the eleven billions of profit that Exxon returned last quarter.

If you are a feminist or a metrosexual, you would have heard Hillary say that having a woman in the White House would represent a 'sea change' in how we are governed.

If you are a militant muslim and anti-semite, you would have heard Barack Obama, after some kicking and screaming, denounce and reject your support.

If you are unemployed in Ohio, you would have heard HRC say that she was in support of training you to install solar panels.

If you are a hard-working over-taxed middle class taxpayer, you would have heard some very large numbers of Americans that will be covered or subsidized for medical insurance by both universal coverage plans (BHO and HRC).

If you are an exporter of any kind, who happens to ship products from Ohio or Texas, you would have heard both of them say that they will rewrite or repeal NAFTA, because 'on whole,' it has hurt average Americans.

If you are a tax preparer, you would have heard how time consuming it was going to be for HRC to make a copy of her tax return and release it.

If you are John McCain, you would have heard that it was your fault that BHO is going to back away from his public-funds only commitment from just three months ago.

We all saw a very disturbing image of both HRC and BHO running hard-left and pandering to every special interest group imaginable. Images of an evil America, where 'men make the rules' and racism lurks around every dark corner.

We heard about a country where four working women can finally meet with a presidential candidate and share their problems - when in four years, all Bush and Cheney have done is pander to the elite and the rich tycoons.

A country that is losing the war in Iraq, a war that we never should have fought. And it has made America 'less safe.'

A country that is headed in the wrong direction and only BHO and HRC can save it. Saving it requires higher taxes, bigger government and an immediate retreat from Iraq.

God Save Us All !!

Submitted by D. B. Jackson

The Claws Come Out (LINK)

Many thought that Hillary Clinton's softer, "coming together" closing statement at last Thursday's debate presaged that she might soon depart the campaign and allow Barack Obama an unimpeded path to the Democrat nomination. Sen. Clinton dashed such thoughts to pieces yesterday in Cincinnati when she waxed indignant at the Barack Obama campaign over a flyer that criticized her health care proposal.

Clinton accused the Obama campaign of using Republican tactics in distorting her record for political gain. "Shame on you, Barack Obama!" she said. She then threw down the gauntlet to Obama angrily telling him, "Meet me in Ohio. Let's have a debate about your tactics and your behavior in this campaign."

Despite the entertainment value of her outburst, one has to be struck by the irony and hypocrisy in Clinton's rant. When it comes to the politics of distortion, innuendo, and personal destruction, the Clintons wrote the book while Obama is merely a piker. After all, it was Hillary Clinton who had assembled FBI records on Republican opponents during Bill Clinton's presidency. During the Clinton impeachment proceedings, it was Clinton surrogates who exposed Speaker-elect Bob Livingston's extra-marital affair, causing him to resign as speaker and later to leave the House. After this happened, Bill Clinton hypocritically bemoaned the "politics of personal destruction."

Hypocrisy and destruction, slash and burn, are the Clintons' stock-in-trade. They will surreptitiously work to destroy anyone in their path while publicly proclaiming the highest of ideals. Barack Obama is only the latest target. It is also significant that Clinton tossed in a shot at the Republicans, saying that Obama's flyer was something out of the play book of Karl Rove. Hillary is always more at home when she can point back to the VRC (Vast Right-wing Conspiracy). It also allows her and her fellow Democrats to continue to reside in their fantasy world where only the Republicans play hardball politics while their 7-year savaging of George W. Bush is excused as "telling the truth."

The Clintons are reminders of the ugly side of American politics. They certainly have their Republican counterparts but few practice the dark political arts with the facility of Bill and Hillary. By this Summer, they will likely have been purged as major players from the political scene and we will not mourn their departure. From a policy standpoint, Barack Obama is no better but at least he comes in a more pleasant package without all the residue of Clinton corruption.




-- Submitted by B. Bryant

Vice Chairman of GM gets it right (LINK)

China is having its coldest winter in 100 years. China is a big part of the globe.

Global temperatures have risen every year since their low point in 2001.

Hundreds of scientists have proven that greenhouse gases have had no impact on global temperatures - and have attributed all of the warming over the last fifty years to the sun. Some have even hypothesized that sun spot activity may cause 'global cooling,' an environmental effect much worse on mankind than 'global warming.'

As I sit here typing, Old Man Winter will not let the Northeast out of his grip. My oil consumption for my furnace continues unimpeded. Another seventy bucks for the plow guy to clear out eight inches of snow from by 220 foot driveway.

In the meantime, the flock of zealots will demonize the dissenters of the cause. The latest heretic is Bob Lutz, Vice Chairman of General Motors.

It sounds like the believers have inundated his blog with venomous statements because of his own, and I assume, well informed decision to not believe with the bigots and the wackos.

I wonder how long the earth will have to cool - five more years, ten? - before we can move on from this ridiculous concept.

From REUTERS: General Motors Corp Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has defended remarks he made dismissing global warming as a "total crock of s---," saying his views had no bearing on GM's commitment to build environmentally friendly vehicles.

Lutz, GM's outspoken product development chief, has been under fire from Internet bloggers since last month when he was quoted as making the remark to reporters in Texas.

In a posting on his GM blog on Thursday, Lutz said those "spewing virtual vitriol" at him for minimizing the threat of climate change were "missing the big picture."

Submitted by D. B. Jackson

Out-victimed !!

Hillary failed to land the knockout blow. She even got booed by the liberal austin audience when she chided Obama for his use of MA Governor Deval Patricks words. Her prepared line, 'this is not change you can believe in but change you can Xerox,' got the liberal pro-Obama crowd to briefly boo Mrs. Clinton.

Oh, how far she has fallen !!

A woman who has made her living being a victim, has been trumped by a bigger, untouchable victim. A black man with a gift of gab. Her style of politics, personal destruction of anyone in her way, has been neutered by his superior victimhood status.



I would give more debating points to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama came across as cocky and smug...but none of it is enough to end his run. Even if she can win a few states, his 150 delegate lead is too much to overcome. It is unlikely that she can coax the superdelegates to her side and even if she could, many have pre-scolded the Clintons on this tactic.

In the end, whoever gets the most popularly voted delegates wins. The two-year Senator, long on wind and short on substance will emerge as John McCain's challenger.

Before we wince and toss 'n turn over the possibility of a Barack Obama presidency, let's enjoy watching the Clintons waddle off into the sunset - a damaged brand- beaten by an underfunded, inexperienced, silk-tongued man, with the best victim status.

Submitted by D. B. Jackson

Welcome to the Real Media World, John

For several years now, John McCain has enjoyed preferential treatment by those in the liberal media establishment. He was their favorite maverick. This favor was not related directly to anything that Sen. McCain believed or did but rather because he was often in opposition to the Bush Administration which most of the media believe to be either misguided or just plain evil. From the media's standpoint, McCain gave them many opportunities to embarrass the Bush Administration by just letting him speak.

McCain obviously enjoyed this "favorite maverick" status. It was a symbiotic relationship in a way; giving McCain the attention he desired and allowing the press to attack Bush through a Republican surrogate. Many conservative commentators pointed out that the media fascination with Sen. McCain would last only so long as he remained useful to them. Seemingly, that day has arrived.

The New York Times has published a piece alleging that an improper relationship may have existed between McCain and a female lobbyist about eight years ago. All involved have denied the allegations but that is not the point I am addressing. The point is that the media fascination with John McCain is now over as many predicted. He has outlived his usefulness to them in their desire to harm the Bush administration. Now, McCain is in the direct path of many in the media achieving another objective of theirs; the election of a Democrat President. As the New York Times is airing allegations against Sen. McCain, it is simultaneously banishing stories of Michelle Obama's errant quotes to the back pages. McCain should have seen this coming.

Welcome to the real media world, John. We're glad to have you back.

-- Submitted by B. Bryant

Finally, America! We Have Made Her Proud !! (LINK)

I spent a little time today IM'g with B. Bryant on her choice of words. In the interest of accuracy, let's take Mrs. O. at her word. This is the first time in her adult life that she has been proud of America. Really, proud.

(She didn't say, this is the first thing that has happened in my adult life to make me proud).

But let's be conservative and assume that she is referring only to the American history of her Adult life...circa 1980 and beyond, and that period, apparently, has been nothing but a testimony to evil, greed and despair - according to Mrs Obama.

We defeated the Soviet Union without a shot being fired. Many were proud when the Berlin wall came down. (Michelle Obama: "Ho hum, yawn")

We liberated Kuwait from the Iraqis (Michelle Obama: "yawn, sigh")

Not a bit of pride in the way the country came together after 9/11???

George Bush just returned from Africa (his third trip) with a reaffirmation of the commitment of the U.S. to fight aids and poverty in Africa and the third world. Nothing??

We live in a country where our poor are the envy of the world. Unemployment is at 5% (half of other industrialize nations). We lead the world in charitable donations. We lead the world in racial equality. We are a free nation where we can vote, speak our minds and are free to choose our own occupations.

But, nothing could make Michelle Obama proud until her husband won some primaries and some college girls fainted at a rally. There is something very wrong with liberals.

To the liberals, recent American history includes, the Kennedy and MLK Jr. assassinations, some civil rights riots and George Bush hoodwinking the country into believing in WMD. Not much else !!

From the Fox News Link Above:

Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol said the comment “was sort of revealing.”

“She was an adult when we won the Cold War without firing a shot. She was an adult for the last 25 years of economic progress, social progress,” he told FOX News. “I think the Democrats have to be careful … they’re running against the status quo … You have to be careful not to let that slide into a kind of indictment of America. Because I don’t think the American people think on the whole that the last 25 years of American history is a narrative of despair and nothing to be proud of.”

We may well have a first lady worst than Hillary Clinton waiting in the wings !!

Submitted by D. B. Jackson

Is Bill Clinton Losing It?

There has been much debate about whether Bill Clinton helps or hurts his wife's campaign. Bill has continually been very visible but always seemed to turn the focus upon himself rather than Hillary who is the actual candidate. As the campaign has turned increasingly in favor of Obama, the former President's words have become more testy, even vindictive, toward Obama and those who would oppose their return to the White House.

This was especially seen in a recent Clinton attack on abortion protesters at one of his speeches. Once again, he could not resist touting the accomplishments(?) of his Presidency, even claiming that no one had done as much as his administration to actually reduce the number of abortions. This really must be seen to be appreciated.



-- Submitted by B. Bryant

Barkley: "Republicans are Fake Christians"

Former NBA star Charles Barkley announced his support for Barack Obama in a CNN interview with Wolf Blitzer. Barkley, an Alabama native and (former?) Republican, blasted Republicans as "fake Christians" because of their opposition to gay marriage and abortion. In an ironically judgmental diatribe, Barkley said that those positions were judgmental and contrary to Christianity. Barkley then said that he planned to run for Governor of Alabama in 2014. I would not want to wager on his chances for success.

Hear it for yourself.



-- Submitted by B. Bryant

CNN on McCain vs. Obama

For anyone who wonders why CNN is losing viewers, this clip is for you. Jack Cafferty, who would never be mistaken even for a moderate, addressed the issue of who would win the contest between John McCain and Barack Obama with viewer emails. It should not be surprising that three out of the four emails read were supporters of Obama and had little nice to say about McCain or his generation.

Thanks CNN. Fair and Balanced, eh?



-- Submitted by B. Bryant

Whither Goest Thou, Hillary?

As all pundits are saying, the next two weeks are crucial for Hillary R. Clinton. Her string of losses to Barack Obama put her in a do-or-die situation for the March 4 primaries. She must win both Texas AND Ohio, probably by substantial margins, to have a chance of securing the Democrat Presidential nomination. If she prevails, she lives to fight another day with still a chance to win the nomination. If she loses either contest, she is finished as a candidate. So the pundits say but are they right? As much as many of us would like to see Hillary and her Bill fade into the night, I think there is a good chance that we will not have our collective wishes anytime in the foreseeable future. In the remainder of this piece, I'd like to explore some options that may face Sen. Clinton in the future.

Option #1: Hillary wins the nomination and beats McCain
This would certainly be Hillary's favorite scenario, if not the most likely. Hillary would face John McCain in the general election. If she wins, we'll have her for a while.

Option #2: Hillary wins the nomination and loses to McCain
If she loses, she is done as a presidential candidate because Democrats do not care for those who lose to Republicans. She would not be viable for 2012 even though she might make a go of it. She would still remain a Senator and might try for Majority Leader.

Option #3: Hillary loses the nomination to Obama who beats McCain
If Obama beats John McCain, Hillary will never run for President again. She could not oppose an incumbent Obama in 2012 and would likely be too old in 2016. She would settle into her Senate position and maybe shoot for Majority leader.

Option #4: Hillary loses the nomination to Obama who loses to McCain
This would make Hillary the presumptive front-runner for the 2012 nomination. Obama would be a loser and not viable. Hillary would devote the intervening four years to campaigning for Democrats thus storing up markers that she can call for the 2012 campaign. McCain would be 75 then and might be viewed as vulnerable.

Option #5: Hillary pulls out all the stops to win the nomination even though behind
This is the nuclear option and the only one that could potentially sink Hillary as a public figure. It would be a high risk-high gain venture that might net her nothing. If she wrangles the nomination from Obama when Obama has more pledged delegates, it would generate much anger and resentment within the Democratic Party. Because of that she would definitely lose in the general election because many Democrats would not support her. She would be branded a loser and a divider and would basically have no place to go. This is the only scenario that I can foresee removing the Clintons from the public spotlight.

So, in looking at all these options, it is very likely that we will have the Clintons around for the foreseeable future. As much as we might like to think that her defeat by Obama would finish her, it actually might have the opposite effect, making her stronger for 2012. In any case, Hillary "ain't goin' nowhere."

-- Submitted by B. Bryant

Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro or Hillary Clinton

These ideas, this rhetoric...class warfare, anti-market: be frightened. They are dueling to outsocialist each other.

Clinton pits herself against business
By: Mike Allen
February 14, 2008 12:58 PM EST

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) trashed an array of corporate interests in an economic speech in Ohio Thursday, vowing that as president she would go after oil, credit-card, insurance, pharmaceutical, investment, and loan firms.

Delivering a major economic address ahead of the Buckeye State’s crucial March 4 primary, Clinton also slammed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as a lightweight, declaring: “My opponent gives speeches, I offer solutions.”

“My opponent says that he’ll take on the special interests,” she said in her prepared remarks. “Well, he told people he stood up to the nuclear industry and passed a bill against them. But he actually let the nuclear industry water down his bill – the bill never actually passed.”

Clinton has put a new emphasis on populism as she attempts to recover from a string of eight consecutive losses to Obama, and she continues to court the endorsement of former opponent John Edwards.

Earlier in the race, Clinton defended her relationships with business lobbyists, telling a blogger convention this summer that many of them “represent real Americans.”

But she took a very different stance today as she delivered as she delivered a “Solutions for the American Economy” address to General Motors employees in Warren, Ohio.

“Today, I’m announcing an agenda to reign in the special interests and save the American people at least $55 billion a year,” Clinton said. “Money that can go back into your pockets. Money we can use to create new jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, make college affordable and so much more.”

In another swipe at Obama, she said: “In the end, it comes down to just one question: When the bright lights are off and the speeches are over, who can you count on to listen to you, to stand up for you, to deliver solutions for you?”

Clinton also said she measures her life “not by applause or headlines – but by whether I’m helping people.”

Here’s what Clinton said about each of the industries she vowed to rein in:

—“We’ll take on the oil companies and harness their record profits to create millions of clean energy jobs – high-wage jobs you can raise a family on. I’ll end their special tax breaks and give them a choice: invest some of your profits in alternative energy, or we’ll do it for you. People have been paying through the roof at the pump, and it’s time the companies paid their fair share.”

—“We’ll take on the credit card companies so that you and your families aren’t drowning in debt. Here in Ohio, payday lenders are actually taking Social Security checks from our elderly. That’s outrageous. I’ve proposed real consumer protections against abusive interest rates – capping them at no more than 30 percent and working to get them far lower. And I’ll ban those hidden fees and sudden rate hikes, because credit card companies shouldn’t be able to bait and switch you and your family.”

—“We’ll take on the insurance companies and tell them they can no longer discriminate against the sickest people who need care the most. They spend more than $50 billion a year trying to figure out how not to cover people. Well, I’m going to save them a fortune and a whole lot of time, because here’s the new policy: No more discrimination period. So even if you have a pre-existing condition, you can get the health insurance you need – no questions asked.”

—“And I’ll go after drug companies and insurance companies that are overcharging consumers and the government – it’s time to end their profiteering at our expense.

—“We’ll take on Wall Street and tell them: you’re going to finally pay your fair share in taxes. Because it’s outrageous that a teacher making $50,000 pays a higher tax rate than some Wall Street investment managers making $50 million. And I’ll create a bi-partisan Corporate Waste Commission to review all those corporate subsidies – and propose a comprehensive way to end them. We can save billions of dollars a year and put it to work for you.

—“We’ll take on the student loan companies and tell them no more ripping off our sons and daughters. I’m proposing a Student Borrower Bill of Rights - no more deceptive advertising and outrageous fees. And we’ll end the inefficient subsidies for private student loan companies. Because we should be making it easier for our kids to go to college – not harder.”

Submitted by D.B. Jackson

Mrs. Thatcher was a Friend of Mine

...and you, madam, are no Margaret Thatcher !!




As weird as things are...

A Beagle won best-in-show. Hillary Clinton is dressing in Thatcher blue. Obama trashed Clinton in the Potomac primaries. Gary Coleman secretly married a 22 year old. All of this in the last twenty four hours.

...the weirdest news I have seen has to be that some members of the Senate (all Democrats) voted to not give immunity to companies cooperating with the United States Government. Let me say it a different way...providing documents requested by the U. S. Government could open you up to endless lawsuits that may lead to huge payouts, jail time and bankruptcy.

The implications of this has to be lost on the average American. It is not lost on the average senate Democrat.

The message: Cooperate with the U.S. Government (read: Bush Administration), expose yourself to endless lawsuits. Imagine a time when the U.S. Government does not get cooperation from corporations and citizens to fight terrorism or anything else. The Democrats have their dream in their reaches...anarchy. The end of the great American Experiment.

The citizens may not understand the implications, but the Senators certainly do. Voting in favor of giving them immunity: Presidential Candidate John McCain.

Voting against giving them immunity; Presidential Candidate Barack Obama.

Mrs. Clinton didn't vote.

Elections matter....go John McCain !!!


Submitted by D. B. Jackson

Potomac Primaries

Today, the great citizens of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia will cast votes in their respective primaries. If you listen to the press, the races are already over.

We here at the Grand Old Party blog would rather listen to Yogi Berra. "It ain't over 'til it's over."

Truth be told, the races have identified clear front runners. Senator McCain has more than a 3x delegate lead over ex-Governor Huckabee. Senator Obama has his mojo working, and momentum is obviously in his favor against Senator Clinton. What's interesting with today's series of votes will be the messages delivered by the voters. Let's take a look at each party's potential messages, starting alphabetically.

Democrats
According to the polls and press, DC is going for Obama. I would expect Obama to win by a 2:1 margin. I don't think there's much we'll learn from this primary (unless Clinton wins, and then we'll be looking at lawsuits on voter fraud, I'm sure).

The real races to watch are Maryland and Virginia. If Obama wins these states by 10 points or less, it indicates that the race is still on, and Clinton has a serious chance at capturing the nomination. In this scenario, Texas and Ohio become the all-important states in this race (see your local TV listings for March 4). If Obama wins Maryland and Virginia by more than 20 points, we will declare this race over. Clinton's fundraising channels will dry up faster than a Kennedy in rehab (the only difference being that the fundraising issue will be permanent).

In case you're wondering, no, I didn't ignore the 11 to 19 point range for Obama. This range would simply not tell us anything, as the polls indicate that Obama will win Maryland and Virginia by something within this range. The media will probably declare Clinton dead, given their infatuation with Obama, but I wouldn't write off a Clinton unless Virginia and Maryland go "big" for Obama.

My call? I think the end is near for the Hillraisers. I see Obama with victories of more than 20 points in each race. And a raging love affair with the press continues...

Republicans
I still find it hard to believe that Huckabee is the last serious challenger to McCain. Romney is a much better test for McCain, to see if McCain can unite and energize a constituency that he will need to win in November, but alas, Romney did what he thought was best for the Party. And we're left with Huckabee as the alternative. Anyway, I'm way off topic.

The potential messages today: "We accept you as the leader, Senator McCain"; "We don't want you, Senator McCain"; and "I'd rather vote for my dog than you, Senator McCain".

I expect it to be an awkward man-hug in Virginia, and a hearty handshake in Maryland.

Should be a fun evening tonight.

-- Submitted by R Wellesley

No Prediction on Hillary Here

I've made that mistake before.

The NY Times, according to Drudge is preparing a piece on Hillary's demise. A losing streak that she is unable to snap, a shortage of donations, a campaign upheaval, 'pimping' her family members (well, they may not throw that in)... let's read the piece tomorrow. (the summary on Drudge, that is).

The only interesting news here is the hiring as campaign manager her ex-chief-of-staff; the controversial Ms. Maggie Williams.

If not for desperation and a 'it is now a long shot,' line of thinking, she would never bring in the Vince Foster/Johnny Chung centerpiece.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about Ms. Williams:

She served as Chief of Staff for Hillary Clinton during her first term as First Lady of the United States, the first African American woman to hold that position. Williams accepted a $50,000 donation from Johnny Chung that embroiled the Clintons in a fund-raising scandal. [2] In 1995, a Secret Service officer testified that he saw her leave Vince Foster's office carrying documents after Foster committed suicide; Williams denied the allegation.[3] In Clinton's 2006 re-election campaign, Williams's consulting firm received a $37,500 fee that was questioned due to excessive consulting fees for a barely contested election that cost $30 million; it was determined by the campaign staff that the payment was in error and should have been for less than $5,000 to reimburse travel costs, and they stated that the overpayment would be returned to the campaign.

Submitted by D.B. Jackson

Obama in Richmond

In this speech at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Richmond, Virginia, Barack Obama mentioned several things that he wants to accomplish as President. This is disturbing material for someone who believes in free markets and in the freedom of the individual. It is undisguised, big-government socialism all wrapped up in liberal, feel-good language.

Listen for yourself and be afraid...be very afraid. All the more reason to get behind our nominee, John McCain.



-- Submitted by B. Bryant

The Perfect Storm

It was not supposed to happen this way for the Democrats. This was supposed to be a coronation, not a contest. Clintonista Terry McAuliffe, as Democrat Party chair, engineered the front-loading of the primary system that was supposed to deliver the nomination to Senator Clinton and then give her ample time to mount an early Presidential campaign against the Republicans. What is it they say about the plans of mice and men?

The Democrats have a contest on their hands and a perfect storm brewing. Their practice of proportional delegate distribution coupled with the closeness of the race between Obama and Clinton virtually ensures that neither candidate will have a majority of the elected delegates by the time of their convention in late August. This would lead to two things, a fight over the discounted Michigan and Florida delegates and a possible nomination decision by a set of unelected political delegates (super-delegates), over seven hundred of them in all.

This potentially puts the Democrats in the place that they decidedly do not want to be, fighting one another on the eve of beginning a campaign against a somewhat united Republican party. The options are numerous and none of them are good…for the Dems, that is. If the nomination is decided by a cadre of political hacks, there will certainly be anger and frustration on the losing side. If the losing side happens to have gone into the convention with the most elected delegates, that anger will turn to a white-hot fury that will doom the Dems election chances in November.

If Hillary Clinton loses the nomination, no one expects her to take the Mitt Romney high road. Such a classy move is not in the Clinton playbook. The Clintons will likely initiate legal action to have the Michigan and Florida delegates included. They will not go quietly into the night but will risk burning the whole house down rather than admitting defeat. As was said, all the available options spell trouble for the Dems in November.

As a Republican, I am, of course, delighted by this turn of events. I also want to speak to my fellow conservative Republicans. Let us come together behind our eventual nominee, Sen. John McCain. I have disagreed with him on several issues but he is infinitely preferable to the Democrat alternative. Let the Dems fight it out in August and go into November divided. Let us, as Republicans, as believers in free markets and of the freedom of the individual, go into November united, determined to keep this great nation going in the direction of freedom and prosperity.

It is our choice. Let us choose rightly.

-- Submitted by B. Bryant

On To Victory

The mainstream media have apparently held a coronation for Senator John McCain, telling us that he's wrapped up the nomination (albeit 400+ delegates short of officially wrapping up the nomination). Let's play along, congratulate Senator McCain, and start rallying the troops to what our mission really is all about: Keep a Republican in the White House.

I personally don't subscribe to the theory that we should let either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton win the White House in 2008. "Let them flounder for four years, and then the Republicans will take over both houses and the White House in 2012."

First, let's get this straight, using some math. 4 years is approximately 5% of my life expectancy. I wouldn't accept an additional 5% tax on my wages or purchases, why would I want an additional 5% Idiot Tax placed on my life? (And if I want to use chaos theory, I'm pretty sure that 4 years of Democrat rule will shorten my life by more than 4 years, so the effect is compounded, much like the Democratic spending policy on National Debt.)

Second, a Congress and White House controlled by the Democrats means: higher taxes; liberal Supreme Court Justices (anywhere from 2-4, based on ages/health of judges); amnesty for illegal immigrants (along with open borders for more to join the Welfare State); and more and more entitlement programs (including health care - universal or mandated with federal support).

Third, obliteration of the USA's international standing of economic and social leadership, partially through the weakening of the military.

There's a lot of damage that can be inflicted within 4 years. All we need to do is look to the unfortunate citizens of Tennessee to see how quickly damage can be inflicted, and how much longer it takes to clean up after a catastrophe. 4 years of Democrat-controlled Washington is 4 years too many, regardless of what may happen in 2012.

Let's not cut off our nose to spite our face. The results will be ugly if we do.

-- Submitted by R Wellesley

A Message to Mitt

Dear Mitt:

I want to take this opportunity to say "thank you" for your effort and hard work over the past year. Your efforts have not been in vain. You were able to accomplish many things while you toiled on the campaign trail, and while you didn't get to where you ultimately wanted to (the White House), here's what you've done for us:

1. You made sure that true Conservative principles were brought to the table in every debate, forum, and discussion.
2. Your activities helped veer McCain (ever so slightly) to the right.
3. You alone provided the pathway towards what our country needs to do during challenging (not recessive) economic times. You "got it" when the country shifted focus from Iraq and security to economic troubles. Hopefully your opponents won't drop the ball.
4. Your participation ensured that the anti-McCain vote didn't all end up with Huckabee, who I believe would be a bigger disaster for the Republicans than any other candidate running.

Again, Thank You.

Now, let us give you something in return. Your candidacy lacked something in 2008. We want you to come back stronger in 2012, so please heed the following advice (or, take it for what it's worth - you know economics).

1. Your conservative positions appeared to be too "pure" for someone who was previously on record for being a moderate (see: Massachusetts Senate Campaign, circa 1994; Massachusetts Governatorial Campaign, circa 2002). There just wasn't enough history to demonstrate such a turnaround on some positions. Recommendation: Stay involved, and stay true to your message. Alternatively, make sure your message supports your actions.

2. You were victimized by your own political naivite. In the business world, you rightfully attack the market leaders until you become the leader (then protect against attacks). In politics, you attacked whomever was deemed to be the leader at the time...which meant that you were making multiple enemies. They banded together, fought against you, and ultimately brought you down in WV. Recommendation: Reach out to the remaining candidates and try to mend fences. In the next election, thou shalt remember the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.

3. You're able to find the problems that concern America quickly (re: economic situation), and quickly wax poetic about solid potential solutions to those problems. Recommendation: Please stay active within the Republican Party. Help everyone focus on solutions, rather than division. Continue to reinforce your famous "Mormon Speech", so that it becomes a non-issue. Be ready for 2012. At current course and speed, you'll be needed.

-- Submitted by R Wellesley

McCain's Big Test: CPAC

Today's the first (and potentially biggest) day in "The Rest of McCain's Campaign"... the speech he delivers at CPAC today could help soothe some (emphasis on some) of the conservatives who are not supportive of his candidacy. If McCain sticks to his guns, the alienation will be complete, and we'll see many conservatives simply sit out the election. Might as well start getting the guest rooms ready for Soros, moveon.org, and other extremists.

However, and here's where I'm hoping that McCain acts presidential... if McCain reaches out, clarifies his true intentions for the next four years, and - let me be clear here - panders to the conservatives a little, he'll quell some of the anti-McCain tactics and possibly (hopefully) pave the way to the White House in 2009.

A couple other suggestions for Senator McCain:
1. Reach out to your friend, Fred Thompson, for his assistance with the conservatives;
2. Don't go negative on W; and
3. Talk to your economic advisors now. Talk about your economic policies now. In case you've missed it, the economy has moved to the front of the line for the American public. I don't want to hear "It's the economy, stupid" ever again in a Presidential election.

-- Submitted (with fingers crossed) by R Wellesley

Super Muddled Tuesday

Early Observations from Super Tuesday
1. It would appear that both the Democratic and Republican Parties are suffering through the same problem: there is no clear-cut leader in the Presidential primaries. Clinton and Obama are virtually tied in delegates after Super Tuesday, so we look forward to even more lavish praise from the press on how one or the other is overcoming odds to stay afloat, grab victory from the jaws of defeat, etc (three cheers for whomever invented the Mute button). The Republicans appear to have a front-runner (at last) in McCain, but it's not an insurmountable lead by any stretch of the imagination. And McCain is winning many states with a minority of the votes being cast (33-38%).

2. Mike Huckabee shocked many pundits with his victories yesterday. Given up for dead due to limited appeal and funding problems, he managed to eek out victories in the South. Although, even though he gets credit for winning WV, the real victor in that caucus was "Not Romney".

3. Mitt Romney's machine works wonders in caucus states, but the man hasn't been able to move the needle with the electorate. Whether it's his apparent policy swings (moderate in '94 to conservative in '08), his religion, or his personal fortune, the populace isn't connecting with him.

4. (Caution: Forward-looking statement follows!) Huckabee's victories last night will ultimately spell victory for McCain. The Anti-McCain vote will still be split between Huckabee and Romney, allowing McCain to win additional states with only 35-38% of the votes cast.

5. If McCain wants to win this quickly, he needs to make a beeline to the right to start smoothing over all the ruffled feathers he's left behind. I do believe that he'll hold out an olive branch over the next few days, but I don't expect that McCain will go far enough to appease the Conservative establishment. I don't feel as if the Conservatives will be able to gather enough strength to stop McCain now (with Huckabee continuing on), but the longer the diviseness goes on, the less likely we'll see another 4 years of a Republican in the White House.

6. There's a major, palpable difference in the two races. The Democratic race, in part due to the favorable press (and, let's be honest, the amount of time the Press spends drooling over Obama and Clinton has gone from ridiculous to downright insane), has galvanized millions across the country, and has attracted record turnout in the primaries. Apparently, a choice between "the devil you know" and "the devil you don't" is too alluring for the masochistic leftists, but that's a topic for another day.

The Republican races, though, seem to be sapped from electricity. It's been the most divisive Republican election than I've seen in a long time (much moreso than Bush-McCain '00), and the electorate just doesn't seem to embrace any of the Republican candidates so far.

7. With the Democratically-controlled Congress already in place, are the Republicans getting comfortable with Democrats controlling Congress and the White House as we start to see Supreme Court justice appointments over the next 4 years?

-- Submitted by R Wellesley

Is Rush a Democrat?

Before I'm vilified for heresy, tarred and feathered for lunacy, and burnt at the stake for witchcraft, let me say: No, Rush is not a Democrat. However, he and his conservative compatriots have done the unthinkable - they're acting like Democrats. (OK, let the tomatoes fly. I can take it.)

We all know that the Republicans have been unable to motivate a true, unifying, universally accepted candidate to seek office in the 2008 Presidential elections. Super Tuesday is upon us, the electorate is fractured, and not many people are enthusiastically supportive of either the front-runner (McCain) or alternatives (Romney, Huckabee, or Paul). Each candidate has their warts, that's a fact. But when Rush and the Dittos (the press dittos included) continue to lambaste McCain and Huckabee over the air, in print, and/or in the blogosphere, don't they understand that they're actually playing into Liberal hands? It's typically the Democrats that eat their own during the primaries, and the Republicans are thankful that they can walk through the remnants of whatever paper-thin candidate has been elevated to contender status.

Civility has been abandoned. Threats of sitting out the election hang stale in the air.
This is America, ladies and gentlemen. Vote your conscience, and stress the positives of your candidate. If the majority of votes in the Republican primary go towards a candidate you don't like, rally behind the candidate that America chooses and vote. (Although, if you prefer Obama or Clinton, feel free to stay at home while the rest of America votes. I'm ok with that. Really.)

I'm the first to admit that I'm not "wow"ed by any candidate out there, but I'd rather not resort to acting like a Democrat and tear down any candidate that provides a better option than the alternative!

It's Super Tuesday. Vote American. Vote Right.

-- Submitted by R Wellesley