“The President is giving the Republicans every opportunity to shine. But they are all so busy talking down the other guys in the field” I’ve been dwelling on this for a couple of weeks. Call it, if you will, the “Carville Rule” named for the consultant who came up with it (at least I’ll give James credit). It is simply that the most optimistic candidate | Read More »
I got an email from a friend of mine yesterday forwarding an email regarding healthcare. I got an email from another friend yesterday doing the same. Both use the same company for health insurance. That company, MetLife, announced right after the 2010 election it would end long-term care insurance. There are a number of companies in the same boat. And the reasons do not all | Read More »
I realize I’m biased, but with the exception of the Tampa, FL CNN-Tea Party debate, I’ve been rather unimpressed with the debates. There are too many of you on the stage. There is not enough time to get into the substance of your answers. And you are all making it about each other instead of about Barack Obama. I happen to have a radio show | Read More »
Rick Perry is a horrible debater. If you did not think so before last night, you must now concede the point. Reading through the book about Dave Carney and Perry’s eggheads, the Perry camp concluded that debates really are not that impactful. Perry has not had a debate since 2005 2010 (corrected. Perry had two primary debates in 2010, but otherwise has refused debates with | Read More »
I realize we’re all supposed to be in the tank for Mitt Romney, but when the heck did we suddenly love social security? It’s nuts. We’ve got Karl Rove out denying it is a ponzi scheme solely because he hates Rick Perry. It’s all politics, not principle. Mitt Romney says that millions of Americans being dependent on government for their retirement is the definition of | Read More »
Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I gave MSNBC ratings. But in doing so I can say this is a two man race — Perry vs. Romney. It is also clear in this first debate that Perry is the front runner now. I would still prefer to have a few more debates on this before declaring it, but below I’ll explain why it is | Read More »
There is a benefit to being in a position of elected leadership. We’ve seen it once in this GOP Presidential campaign. On a stage of former this’s and former that’s, the issue of Libya came up in one of the first debates. Michele Bachmann gave a more thorough and complete answer than any of the other candidates and it was premised with the authority of | Read More »
For the first time since World War II, the American economy has created net ZERO jobs. I have seen a way to jump start recovery. And amazingly Jon Huntsman is leading the way. I realize that with Rick Perry announcing at the RedState Gathering I am supposed to be in Rick Perry’s camp or something. In truth, I would be glad to support any of | Read More »
I have in my head an ad campaign I think the GOP should get ready to roll out for the general election, regardless of the nominee. In Idaho, a man saw a female grizzly bear enter his backyard while his kids were playing in the back yard. He did the only reasonable thing he could. He got a gun and killed the bear. Then he | Read More »
One of the saddest spectacles of the 2012 season is seeing Newt Gingrich, who for so long was the ideas guy of the right, run out of steam. American Solutions, his once much heralded organization, is now shut down. Newt left the organization to run for President and it could not keep the lights on without Gingrich there. But Gingrich seems to be having trouble | Read More »
This is unsurprising, but also really pathetic. “Conservative” elites are unhappy with the Republican field. Bill Kristol pines for a smart guy. Let me put this in perspective for you. The group of “smart” conservatives who were okay to let No Child Left Behind go through, who did little to oppose Medicare Part D, who advocated for TARP, and endorsed the idea of “big government” | Read More »
September 3rd is fast approaching and a lot of people are suddenly buzzing that she will declare her candidacy for the Presidency at that time. Karl Rove is convinced. John Fund of the Wall Street Journal thinks she will not run. A lot of Sarah Palin supporters have been telling me she’ll announce that day that she is running and I’m a fool and idiot | Read More »
“The greatest lesson to take away now is that the media is going to again fixate on Goldwater from 1964 and Kerry from 2004, and they will probably mostly ignore the most historically relevant election points” The media typically begins any Presidential campaign with comparisons to Harry Truman. The Reagan re-election in 1984 had the comparison. The Bush re-election in 1992 had the comparison. The | Read More »
I’m getting a lot of disagreement with my earlier statement that the race is still Mitt Romney’s to lose. Some of it is irrational exuberance from Perry supporters. Some of it is legitimate. Your mileage may vary on my thinking, but I did want to lay it out. I think the first thing to point out is what Sean Trende pointed out at Real Clear | Read More »
Barack Obama has a George Bush problem. This is not a W problem, but an H. W. problem. Back in 1991, George H. W. Bush’s approval rating went up to between 89% and 91% in February of that year. He was on a high from winning the Iraq War. The Democrats were confounded and had no real answer to put up as an alternative. There | Read More »
According to news reports, Rick Perry is announcing he’ll be running for President at the RedState Gathering. I know nothing. My information comes from these same news reports. The RedState Gathering is the same day as the straw poll in Ames, IA. If the Governor announces or, as Reuters suggests, “strongly hints” well then that’s just cool and fine with me. See, I told you | Read More »
I had a brief chuckle yesterday when someone sent word that the biggest loser on the NYSE yesterday was Huntsman’s company. There’s a metaphor in there somewhere. But today comes to bits of information that should give people pause to think about just who Jon Huntsman is. I realize a lot of people don’t get my outrage that a man who serve as the President’s | Read More »
I admit up front that I”m biased, but good grief I can’t let this pass. I got a fundraising solicitation from Jon Huntsman today. Here’s how it begins: This is the chance you’ve been waiting for. It’s been a long two and a half years of uncertainty, anxiety, confusion, and an overall lack of direction and sure-handed leadership. It’s time to turn the page. . | Read More »
This week we find Jon Huntsman in the race officially. Rick Perry continues to look at getting in the race. And there’s a battle shaping up in Iowa. I’ll get into it all and how the candidates are stacked up.
As Jon Huntsman headed out the door to China in August of 2009, he sent Barack Obama a handwritten note. Included is the statement “You are a remarkable leader — and it has been a great honor getting to know you.” The rest of the story is that Huntsman went to China to serve as Barack Obama’s Ambassador to the Chicoms and, concurrent to that, | Read More »
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