Rev. Wright

First of all, great endorsement today from Gov. Richardson. My favorite part was his call for Hillary to recognize she can’t win and to get out of the race so Democrats can begin to look forward to and plan for the General.

So I just watched the full sermon in which Rev. Wright made the comments about “America’s Chickens are coming home to roost!” It is on Marc Ambinder’s blog.

Now to people who aren’t Christians, they may still find the Reverend’s comments offensive. The Rev. calls believers to examine their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That is the point of his message. I am fine with the Gospel being described as controversial: Jesus was controversial. What I am not cool with is the church of Christian believers not defending Rev. Wright’s right to preach from the pulpit of Trinity and in some cases, Political christians have attacked Jeremiah Wright. Now whether folks like Tony Perkins think 9/11 happened because of gays, or because of America’s foreign policy, if Tony Perkins is more committed to the Bible than he is to the GOP he should keep his mouth shut on both accounts or he should have blasted Robertson and Falwell for their comments following 9/11.

I did not blast Robertson and Falwell and I will defend Rev. Wright. I believe that the nature of America is found in our good works…I believe the heart of America is good. Rev. Wright’s sermon indicates that following 9/11, he felt otherwise. While I, and Sen. Obama, disagree with him, when you get into the weeds of what he’s saying, it’s really a philosophical and academic case he is making, based in U.S. history of a scale many of those criticizing him have no clue about.

Political christians can do what they want, but Christian politicians, other Christians, and those of good conscience, should defend Senator Obama and not allow the media to once again bash Christianity and Christian leaders under the guise of journalism. Let’s judge our candidates’ on what they have said or think, and not on 10-second sound-bites of a black preacher shown over and over with the intent of scaring whites.

By the way, I would like to second the Obama campaign’s thank you to Chris Wallace. He is clearly a Republican-leaning journalist who is often harder on Democrats than he is on Republicans…but today, he was fair.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here is the link.

 

Let’s Talk Politics: Spitzer, Clinton and various other topics

Spitzer:

I think it is an awful thing to consider that Spitzer was weighing his options, considering if he would be able to survive. The man should have dropped out right away. He should be ashamed of himself. He is a disgrace to the office and he is a despicable man for dragging his wife out for a press conference.

What I find equally distressing is that we have heard, watched and read things that are questioning whether prostitution is bad or not. For the man or the woman. The man had a wife and three children. It was wrong. For some people, Spitzer pushing for a gay marriage bill would be more legitimate if he wasn’t simultaneously dishonoring his own.

It is a sad statement if the feminist movement has transformed into a movement which defends prostitution. I love the men who frame their support for prostitution or abortion as “a woman has a right to do whatever she wants with a woman.” And women embrace that as part of being a woman, expressing their femininity. When in actuality, it’s at least partially men who want to be able to have sex with anyone and without any consequences.

But I digress…

There is no such thing as privacy for a public official. I believe that the public and the press should stay out of some things, but for Spitzer to call his using a prostitute and breaking the law a private manner is pure folly. Public officials should be held to a higher standard.

Between this and Clinton, I have never been so consumed with disgust at political officials in my party.

Which brings us to…Clinton.

I have a lot to say on her.

1) Electability

Hillary Clinton’s argument is that she wins democratic voters, which are the voters we’ll need in November. And that Obama wins big cities, which Democrats will win anyways.

She also selectively picks out states, and makes the ludicrous claim that a primary victory correlates with general election performance. As I remember, Obama won Maryland, Wisconsin, Virginia, Louisiana, Missouri. All states with primaries, all swing states. See the Clinton’s have done with electability what they have with everything else since February 5. They have thrown the kitchen sink at Obama and at the voters. Throwing whatever crap they could against the wall and seeing if anything will stick.

But you see…here’s the problem…None of her arguments make sense. In the general, Democrats will back Obama. What is not certain is that the independents and Republicans that will back Obama will support Hillary. Actually, it is pretty certain…they won’t. In a Zogby poll, Clinton starts off the general with 47% of the country saying they would NEVER vote for her. That’s a ceiling of 53%.

Clinton supporters can be as delusional as they want about her general election prospects. They could pretend that she is as gifted of a politician as Bill. They could pretend that she will win the commander-in-chief argument against McCain. They could pretend that people won’t be affected by the possibility of both Clinton’s back in the White House. They could pretend that the Republicans won’t play as dirty with her as she has with Obama. However, none of these things will happen.

2) Florida and Michigan

First of all, let’s take Michigan off the table. Obama wasn’t on the ballot. When he signs a pledge, he means it.

With Florida, yes, Clinton has an advantage in the state. However, let’s not forget that she held fundraisers in the state, and that even before South Carolina she began to pander to Florida and Michigan. So her advantages in the states are partially due to her breaking the spirit of the pledge she signed, as well as her stabbing NH and Iowa in the back as soon as the cast their votes for her. The NH Union Leader told NH voters they had been duped.

I believe that there should be a revote. Clinton is going to lose. The writing is on the wall. Obama is and should support a revote, beat her in Michigan, and maybe that will shut her up.

3) Ferraro

The Clinton’s have repeatedly used surrogates to run a smear campaign. Ferraro’s comments are another step in that direction. They use surrogates to state explicitly what Hillary only says implicitly. Hillary talks about how Obama won Louisiana because of the pride of African-Americans, Ferraro goes on Fox News and says that he is in his position because he is black. That will get that blue-collar vote!

I am done with the Clinton’s. I am through.

I guess the one good thing about that is that the Democratic Primary Voters have spoken: And they are done with her too.

 

Dallas Morning News and Huckabee

Dallas Morning News endorses Huckabee again. I think it’s a good editorial and one that says a lot about the future of faith and politics, particularly when it comes to evangelicals.
Editorial: We recommend Mike Huckabee

A vote for Huckabee is a vote for GOP’s future

11:06 AM CST on Sunday, March 2, 2008

Whatever Texas Republican primary voters do Tuesday, John McCain is all but guaranteed to be the party’s presidential nominee. It is mathematically impossible for Mike Huckabee, the last remaining major GOP contender, to capture the nomination. The former Arkansas governor even turned up on Saturday Night Live recently to poke fun at himself for not going away.

Let’s be clear: Mr. Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, remains our choice for the GOP nomination. But Mr. McCain has racked up by far the most delegates and leads among Texas Republicans by a wide margin in recent opinion polls. Though he can’t clinch the nomination Tuesday, victory is undeniably close.

Aside from his long experience and personal courage, he has a solid record of fiscal responsibility and has been on the right side of campaign finance reform and environmental issues. And he was correct and principled to lead the fight for comprehensive immigration reform last summer. Still, his age – 71 – and his choleric temperament gave us pause, particularly when contrasted to Mr. Huckabee’s sunny-side-up brand of conservatism.

Also Online

Voter Guide: Comparing Republican presidential candidates

Win or lose in November, the GOP is destined to spend the next few years redefining itself. For many reasons, Reaganism, which made the GOP the dominant political party of the last generation, no longer resonates as it once did with the American public. The world has changed since Ronald Reagan’s election nearly 30 years ago, and the great man’s political heirs will have to adjust the GOP’s strategy and tactics to new realities.

To that end, Mr. Huckabee, 52, should be a top leader in tomorrow’s Republican Party. His good-natured approach to politics – “I’m a conservative; I’m just not mad about it,” as he likes to say – is quite appealing after years of scorched-earth tactics from both parties. He’s a pragmatist more concerned with effective government than with bowing to ideological litmus tests. For example, he has proven himself willing to violate anti-tax dogma to undertake investment in infrastructure for the sake of long-term prosperity.

Mr. Huckabee also is good on the environment, contending that the future of the conservative movement depends on embracing conservation and stewardship of the natural world. And he’s a compassionate conservative especially in tune with middle-class anxieties in a globalizing economy.

Though his social and religious conservatism puts him on the wrong side of abortion, gay rights and other key issues, that same deep-faith commitment inspires his dedication to helping the poor and to racial healing. He truly is representative of the next wave of evangelical chieftains and, if nothing else, will emerge from this primary season the leader of one of the most influential factions in the GOP coalition.

We look forward to having him around to help shape and lead the Republican Party beyond November. That’s why we encourage Texas Republicans to mark their ballots for Mr. Huckabee in the GOP primary: to demonstrate to the party’s elite that Mr. Huckabee and his vision have a solid constituency.

True, a Huckabee vote today won’t do much to determine the 2008 GOP presidential candidate. But it’s a good investment in the Republican Party’s future.

 

Hillary Gets Dirty

On par with George W. Bush spreading in South Carolina that John McCain’s adopted child was in fact a black love child, Hillary Clinton’s campaign is spreading around a picture of Obama in traditional Somali dress. Of course, this was from his trip to the area, and as George Bush was in that oversized Saudi dress when he visited Saudi Arabia, Obama…wait…why the hell am I explaining this? It doesn’t need an explanation.

Hillary is scraping the bottom of the barrel in order to salvage her failed campaign for the presidency that she feels she’s entitled to.

After the Washington Blade incident, and now this, I am done.

I will be blogging tonight or tomorrow looking forward to the end of this campaign.

For more information on Hillary’s desperate tactics, look at Drudge, Ben Smith’s blog or Mark Halperin’s blog…the links are all on my blogroll.

 

Liveblogging Super-Duper-Fat-Monsoon-Tsunami Tuesday 10:56 pm

Big night for Huck.

Essentially a draw for Hillary and Obama.

Obama will win the most number of states and California’s outcome will be big.

If Obama only loses Hispanics by 11 points as he did in Arizona, I think he will win in California.

I will say this:

Obama’s mistake since SC has been defending himself against the race argument. He has done a great job in his stump battling against the change argument and the hope argument, but the Clinton’s have him talking on the stump about how it isn’t “black v. white.” No matter how he talks about it, if its about race, it will hurt him. He should never talk about race. He doesn’t need to.

His numbers among whites have improved greatly though which is a good sign of things to come.

I’m waiting on California, Missouri and New Mexico, as well as seeing if the numbers close in Mass., NJ and NY.

 

Liveblogging Super-Duper-Fat-Monsoon-Tsunami Tuesday 8:09 pm

Huck is pummeling Romney and McCain…MUAHAHAHAHA

This is shaping up to be a good night for my favorite candidate both parties.

Drudge keeps posting Exit polls. They are interested. I’d look in there.

Also…you know the media underestimated Huck in Iowa and they did it again tonight. The media forgets everything it learned about values voters and the power of the faith network.

I am not surprised at all.

 

Liveblogging Super-Duper-Fat-Monsoon-Tsunami Tuesday 7:57 pm

Just to be on the record…I like Huck and I hope he kills Romney in Georgia.

 

Liveblogging Super-Duper-Fat-Monsoon-Tsunami Tuesday 7:49 pm

What to look for in the 8:00 states

1. If Obama wins 2 out of NJ, Alabama and Conn. it will be a very long night for Hillary.

2. Will Obama’s margin of victory in Illinois be greater than Hillary’s margin of victory in NY?

3. The winner of Missouri will have a feather to stick in their cap at the end of the night.

4. Did Kerry, Kennedy and Patrick pull it out for Obama in Mass? Or did the Mayor of Boston’s hard work driving his machine for Clinton earn him a promotion?

5. Females…especially in Missouri and Conn.

6. White males in Mass. (especially Boston) and Alabama.

7. Can Huck pull it out in Miss., Alabama and Tenn? If so, Romney will be forced to concede by Thursday. Absentee ballots in California might save him.

 

Super Tuesday Predictions

Well, Hillary’s townhall wasn’t used to attack Obama, just to make a carefully orchestrated, misleading presentation of Clinton’s record and the campaign that she has run up to this point. Although, to be fair, if I was going to spend millions of dollars to put on a live Television event the day before the primary, I probably wouldn’t want a ton of flexibility either.

I think tonight is going to be a bit of a letdown for the Obama supporters who were expecting a 20-point jump from polls to reality as in SC. I think Hillary will have a good day. I do have several predictions.

1. Obama will win Illinois by a wider margin than Hillary wins NY.

2. Obama will lose Missouri.

3. Obama will win every caucus state.

4. Clinton will win Alabama.

5. Obama will close the delegate gap.

6. Mass. will be within 5 points. as NJ will be within 8.

7. McCain will finish Romney tonight.

 

Liveblogging the Democratic Debate 8:33

Obama just got the first dig in on John McCain and it was a good one.

“Somewhere along the line, the Straight Talk Express lost its wheels.”

Very Strong.