Redstate

Posted at 12:00pm on May 6, 2008 Clinton Will Break the Democratic Party to Save It

You See, Obama has to be Cleared Away by the Hand of Hillary! like the McGovernites of Old. Now She will have to Burn this Party.

By Mark I

The Huffington Post has an update to their story of this past weekend saying that the Clinton campaign has confirmed that it plans to use a May 31st meeting of the Democratic Party’s Rules and Bylaws Committee to try and seat the entire Michigan and Florida delegations at the Democratic National Convention. The Clinton campaign estimates that seating of the entire delegations from the two disputed states will give her a pledged delegate lead of around 55 delegates over Sen. Barack Obama.

In a statement released in response to the story, the campaign did not deny that it intended to exercise what the Huffington Post characterized as the "nuclear option." It only objected to the notion that the plan was a secret one.

There is no secret plan....The Clinton campaign has been vocal in stating that the votes of 2.5 million people must be respected. Hardly a day goes by when a Clinton official doesn't publicly declare that the votes of Michigan and Florida count and that the delegations from those states should be seated.

If the campaign follows through on this, it may be left to the ultimate superdelegate, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, to decide the Democratic nomination. Denver is going to be fun.

Read on…

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Barack Obama | Democratic Party | Hillary Clinton | Howard Dean — Comments (35)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:41am on May 6, 2008 Change we can believe in

By Kevin Holtsberry

Obama is wrong about so many things I don't have the time to begin to list them. But I will say this, he does seem to know James Carville:

"Well, you know, James Carville is well-known for spouting off his mouth without always knowing what he's talking about," Obama told "Nightline." "And I intend to stay focused on fighting for the American people because what they don't need is 20 more years of performance art on television. And that's what James Carville and a lot of those folks are expert at ... a lot of talk and not getting things done for the American people."

Can we all agree that less James Carville on TV would be a good thing for America?

Posted at 11:30am on Apr. 30, 2008 A conversation with Jim Geraghty

By Kevin Holtsberry

I spoke with blogger extraordinaire and author Jim Geraghty today about the 2008 election - how we got to this point and where we are headed - over at the Stop Her Now Blog.

If you are enjoying the Best. Primary. Ever. and want Jim's take on it click on over and listen.

Posted at 6:24am on Apr. 25, 2008 MI Morning Update: MI Senate GOP fight for tax payers, Obama Gas Tax Holiday Hypocrisy

By saul anuzis

194 Days until Election Day

MORNING UPDATE:

Last night I attended the Eastside Republican Dinner. It was a great success with some interesting conversation and friendship. Thanks to all who helped with this.

The McCain campaign announced their Regional Campaign Manager that will cover Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin...former Giuliani staffer Jennifer Hallowell.

Pizza and Politics was on the Road in Saginaw County last night helping to recruit precinct delegates. We had over 50 people in attendance from across central eastern Michigan. State Representative Ken Horn and State Senator Roger Kahn stopped by to help rally the troops. We had leadership from Saginaw, Bay, Genesee, Lapeer, Tuscola, and Montcalm counties present. We owe a special thanks to Hank Fuhs and Marlene Chockley for helping make this event a success. Hank line…the best one yet!

Posted in 2008 Presidential Campaign | Barack Obama | Michigan Republicans | Republicans — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 6:19pm on Apr. 21, 2008 Obama With Iran

"Realistic Idealism" Vs. "Aggressive Personal Diplomacy."

By California Yankee

I have a slightly different take on the Iranians preference for Obama than does my esteemed colleague Dan McLaughlin.

Time magazine's Scott MacLeod reports that Sergei Barseghian, a columnist for the Iranian reformist newspaper Etemad Meli (National Confidence), notes that in Farsi, the words Oo ba ma would translate as "He's with us."

Iranians are following the American presidential race. In part, because they wish to be rid of President Bush, who branded Iran part of an "Axis of Evil," and because they are taken in by Obama's false hope. According to MacLeod, Iranians favor Obama's hope rhetoric and see a President Obama repairing the U.S.-Iranian relationship:

It's not only the policy expectations that account for Obama's popularity: his Third World ethnic background and the Muslim faith of his father's Kenyan family — even his middle name, Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and a revered figure in the Shi'ite Islam practiced in Iran — offer points of affinity that some analysts believe could give Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the political cover to make a gesture of reconciliation to the country long decried in Tehran as "the Great Satan."

But it's Obama's declared willingness to engage in "aggressive personal diplomacy" with the Iranian leadership that has generated the most interest among senior officials in Tehran, since this would mark a sea-change in Washington's approach. "Obama is a man of engagement, a man of negotiations," one Iranian official told TIME. Amir Mohebbian, an analyst close to Iranian conservative politicians, argues that "the mentality of Iranian decision makers is ready for that." He adds: "I think that the coming of Obama — maybe, maybe — helps to solve this problem, but it needs bravery, from both sides."

MacLeod, fails to mention that the U.S./Iran "30-year Cold War" is the result of Iran's seizure of the U.S. embassy and the subsequent holding of 52 U.S. diplomats hostage for 444 days -- the remainder of Jimmy Carter's presidency. Like Carter's failure to free the hostages, Obama's proposed "aggressive personal diplomacy" will also be seen as a sign of weakness that will only encourage this state sponsor of terrorism.

Read on there is more.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Iran | McCain | Obama — Comments (20)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 1:31pm on Apr. 21, 2008 God and Hillary Clinton

By Kevin Holtsberry

Faith and religion has become a hot topic in the Democratic primary of late, but the focus has been on Obama's controversial pastor and his comments about bitter voters. Today I spoke with Paul Kengor, author of God and Hillary Clinton, about Hillary's faith and its impact on her politics.

We spoke about Hillary's lifelong Methodism, her abortion extremism, the way the media ignores how Democrats politicize religion, and more. So click over and listen if that interests you.

Posted at 12:20pm on Apr. 20, 2008 Still More 'Distortion,' 'Rank Falsehood,' 'Seriously Misleading' Statements and 'Outright Lying' From Obama

Chapter III

By California Yankee

Here he goes again.

Barack Obama, after being beat up by numerous factcheckers for grossly misrepresenting Senator McCain's "100 Years" comment, finally dropped that distortion from his stump speech. Obama stopped using that line because it became obvious to all, even the admittedly Obamamania infected main stream media, that Obama's misrepresentation of McCain's comment was a "serious distortion to the point of rank falsehood."

Now Obama is distorting Senator McCain’s remarks about the economy. At a speech in Erie, Barack Obama quoted John McCain as saying, "I think if you look at the overall record and millions of jobs have been created, et cetera, et cetera, you could make an argument that there's been great progress economically over that period of time." Unfortunately, in his distorting way, Obama did not recite the second part of the statement where McCain said, "But that's no comfort. That's no comfort to families now that are facing these tremendous economic challenges."

Watch the following video, which shows that Obama once again grossly misrepresented McCain's comments:

Read on, there's much more.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Barack Obama | Economy | John McCain — Comments (2)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:44am on Apr. 18, 2008 The Hillary Lie the Media Missed

By Richard H Collins

Wednesday’s Democratic debate forced Hillary Clinton into yet another lie. No, this wasn’t one of her serial exaggerations about her time in the White House. Nor was it a deceptive answer about the scandals that seemed to occupy so much of her time there. In fact, I doubt anyone in the media will challenge the veracity of this particular statement.

When George Stephanopoulos pressed Hillary on whether she thought Barack Obama could win in November she responded “Yes. Yes. Yes.” Now it may be that Hillary felt she had to give that answer or face even more backlash from Democrats who feel her continued attacks on Obama are a huge gift to the presumptive GOP nominee John McCain. It may be that she is being a good partisan by refusing to say that Obama can’t win out loud in such a prominent forum.

But does anyone really think Hillary believes this? Her answer undercut her arguments that night and, in fact, the very rationale for her continuing campaign.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Democratic Primary | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Barack Obama | Hillary Clinton — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:41am on Apr. 18, 2008 McCain - The GOP Comeback Kid

By California Yankee

A new Associated Press-Yahoo news poll finds Senator McCain has managed to win the support of disgruntled Republicans, Independents and  moderate Democrats:

Of those who have moved toward McCain, about two-thirds voted for President Bush in 2004 but are now unhappy with him, including many independents who lean Republican. The remaining one-third usually support Democrats but like McCain anyway.

Also helping the Arizona senator close the gap: Peoples' opinions of Hillary Rodham Clinton have soured slightly, while their views of Barack Obama have improved though less impressively than McCain's.

The survey suggests that those switching to McCain are largely attuned to his personal qualities and McCain may be benefiting as the two Democrats snipe at each other during their prolonged nomination fight.

Read on.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Barack Obama | GOP Comeback Kid | Hillary Clinton | John McCain — Comments (17)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 9:08am on Apr. 17, 2008 Obamas Earned $4.2 million in '07

Running For President Is Lucrative

By California Yankee

Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, reported earning $4.2 million in 2007:

In tax returns the campaign released Wednesday, the Obamas reported a significant jump in their income from the previous year as profits from the books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" accounted for some $4 million. The Obamas paid federal taxes of $1.4 million and donated $240,370 to charity.

Their salaried income was $260,735, which included his $157,102 salary as a U.S. senator and hers of $103,633 as vice president of community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

For part of 2007, Michelle Obama collected a salary for serving on the board of Westchester, Ill.-based TreeHouse Foods Inc., which produces pickles, nondairy powdered creamer and other products. She resigned in May after two years on the board.

The position had generated some complaints because TreeHouse is a supplier to Wal-Mart, and Barack Obama has criticized some of Wal-Mart's policies and treatment of employees.

The Obamas reported $29,443 from Treehouse Foods.

$4.2 million is one heck of an increase from the $991,296 the Obamas made in 2006. Running for President must be more lucrative than I thought. But its not as good a deal as being a former president and first lady.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Barack Obama | Income — Comments (6)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 8:49am on Apr. 17, 2008 Luntz Focus Group - More Evidence Of Democrat Deserters

Let The Lefties Squirm

By California Yankee

As my esteemed colleague, Soren Dayton, posted earlier, this Frank Luntz focus group called the Democrats' Philadelphia debate a tie. More important, at about 3:45 into the following video, a significant number of these Democrats raised their hands, on camera, to indicate they will vote for Senator McCain in November:

The Democrats are facing a serious deserter problem. In addition to the Luntz focus group, at least at least seven recent polls show that regardless of which Democrat wins the nomination, a significant number of Democrats deserters will vote for John McCain in November.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Democrat Deserters — Comments (12)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:54pm on Apr. 16, 2008 Democratic Debate: Who won?

Was John McCain the biggest winner tonight?

By Kevin Holtsberry

I had to watch the Democratic debate in Philly tonight for work. Did you watch or did you find something better to occupy your time?

For those who watched, who do you think won? Did Hillary actually help her campaign? Will all these gaffes and scandals start to hurt Obama? Was John McCain the winner as the Ds went after each other?

I guess this is a modified open thread.

Posted in 2008 | 2008 Democratic Primary | 2008 Presidential Campaign | Presidential Debate — Comments (39)/ Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 6:06pm on Apr. 16, 2008 Live blogging the Democratic debate in Philly

By Kevin Holtsberry

It has been a while since we had one of these, but I will once again be live blogging the Democratic Debate tonight in Philadelphia.

I can see how these things would drive one to drink, but unlike Stephen Green I won't be drunk blogging . . .

This one might be interesting: How will Obama respond to Rezko, Rev. Wright, Bitter-gate, etc.? Can Hillary take advantage of these miscues/scandals without coming off as nasty or desperate? How will the moderators frame the state of the race? Stop by tonight starting at 8 PM.

Posted at 11:26am on Apr. 14, 2008 McCain As Squadron Commander

By California Yankee

The Los Angeles Times, has an interesting article about Senator McCain's military service following his return from Vietnam, including his return to flying status and his command of a Navy attack squadron:

A review of Navy records and interviews with more than a dozen of his former colleagues paint a picture of a commander who was lionized by his troops as a war hero and respected by aviators as a fair and effective manager. He had rugged good looks and a common touch, and was fiercely loyal to those who worked for him, his former colleagues say.[Read on]