News & commentary about other GOP candidates
and the 2008 campaign
Posted: Friday, May 16, 2008
Hillary is too boring to be president
Amen!
Another McCain consultant ousted
Craig Shirley, a prominent GOP consultant, ousted for alleged conflict of interest. Shirley had advised the McCain campaign on how to attract conservative support.
In the tracks of Ron Paul, a candidate goes forth
The New York Times asks: Can Bob Barr become the new Ron Paul?
Belly up to the Barr
Newsweek's extensive interview with the candidate.
Is Bob Barr pure enough for the Libertarian Party?
They might like what he says now (as a Libertarian Party member), but past votes (as a Republican) could be a problem in an ideological party.
Pundits debate whether Barr is an alternative or a distraction
For Barr to get back on the national radar and make a difference in the 2008 race will take "millions of dollars, planning and some luck," says Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist and presidential scholar. "When I see the money in the bank for his campaign, then I'll believe he'll have an impact."
Barr: A Nader or a Buchanan?
A Rolling Stone blog poster sees Barr as "the one-time crackpot Clinton impeachment ringleader who has taken on a veneer of seriousness amid the civil liberties abuses and unholy spending of the Bush years."
Libertarian gabfest set for D.C. May 20
Three candidates for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination--Bob Barr, Wayne Allyn Root, and Mike Gravel--will speak, joined by others discussing "The Future of Libertarian Politics."
A scenario for 'interesting times'
Bob Barr draws limited-government conservatives like Richard Viguerie away from McCain, while the Ron Paul supporters assiduously pursue revolution from within the GOP...
Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Republican election losses stir fall fears
A top GOP strategist warns that the three special-election losses this year "are canaries in the coal mine, warning of far greater losses in the fall."
Why the Mississippi loss really hurts
The GOP spent one-fifth of its available national party cash for House races on the Mississippi seat. Cheney campaigned there. President Bush and John McCain pitched in with automated phone calls. Their candidate lost anyway.
Back to the 60's
Combined with the 30 seats lost in 2006, the GOP could be left with a 70-vote deficit in the House, reminiscent of their powerlessness in the 60's and 70's. Prospects in the Senate aren't any better. It's the worst time to be a Republican since Watergate.
GOP can't rely on money advantage now
For years, Republicans could survive mistakes in congressional races and still gain new advantages because they always had more money than the Democrats. Those days are over now, and not in some incremental way.
Viguerie says Republican leaders must resign
“Leaders in the White House, the Congress, and the Republican National Committee and its affiliates, along with most Republican leaders at the state level, have failed – or outright betrayed – the conservative voters who put them in their positions,” he says.
Next time, GOP should Google a slogan before adopting it
Reeling House Republicans unveiled a new slogan this week—"Change you deserve" —only to watch Democrats gleefully noting that it is already used to market an antidepressant and warning about the side effects of the GOP pill.
Karl Rove: GOP must stand for something
One of the chief architects of the destruction of the Republican Party puts his most optimistic spin on recent election results.
Edwards endorses Obama
A serious blow to Clinton at the very time she was hoping to capitalize on her rout of Obama in West Virginia.
John Edwards for veep?
Publicly he says no, privately he says he'd accept that but really wants to be Attorney General. Is that what he's getting from Obama for the endorsement?
Advice to Obama from the Democratic Leadership Council
You're too far to the left. Get to the center--especially on taxes.
Obama the clear winner in unsolicited campaign songs
Perhaps it's his rock-star qualities--the cover of Rolling Stone, etc. Perhaps musicians are just natural opponents of the Establishment. This could open up a whole new subgenre of political analytics.
Posted: Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Hillary wins WV by a kazillion percentage points; press yawns
The question is whether the superdelegates are impressed enough to move en masse to Clinton. That's her only hope.
The warrior and her throne
The campaign is slowly becoming a personal tragedy for Clinton as her family's political empire falls apart.
Superdelegate Bill Clinton switches to Obama
(Satire) Some Democratic Party insiders are calling this a particularly ominous sign for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
Even James Carville--yes, Carville!--expects Obama to be the nominee
The ragin' Cajun says "I'm for Senator Clinton, but I think the great likelihood is that Obama will be the nominee. As soon as I determine when that is, I'll send him a check."
The race factor in West Virginia--a sign of trouble ahead for Obama?
Two in 10 whites said the race of the candidate was a factor in their vote, second only to Mississippi. Just 32% of those voters said they'd support Obama against John McCain.
Michael Grunwald (Time) on the race factor
"It's just that Obama, well, this is awkward, but he's, um, black, and most voters aren't. According to exit polls, one in four Clinton voters in West Virginia said race was an important factor in their vote, which is amazing in an era where people who think like that aren't supposed to admit it. Shouldn't they at least have pretended their issue with Obama was that he is an elitist?"
Another big Republican disaster
Democrats picked up a northern Mississippi House seat in one of the most conservative-minded districts in the country Tuesday night -- an upset that will reverberate darkly through a Republican Party already reeling from losses in special elections in Illinois and Louisiana.
It's becoming a disturbing trend for Republicans
Marty Wiseman, a political scientist at Mississippi State University, says if Democrats can carry districts that traditionally have been safe bets for the GOP, "Republican strategists have to be terrified. If you think about the House and the Senate ... and the number of Republican Senate seats that are exposed, this could turn into something bigger than the presidential race this fall."
Posted: Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Obama braces for big West Virginia setback
A Suffolk University poll of likely voters conducted last weekend shows Hillary Clinton ahead in West Virginia with 60% to 24% for Sen. Obama.
Racist incidents give some Obama campaigners pause
And the big question is: Are there enough people who won't vote for a black, to make a difference in November?
McCain differs with Bush on climate change
If he were a real maverick, of course, he would break from the herd on the fashionable religion of climate change. The liberal media are not interested in a true maverick or independent thinker; rather, they give those apellations to someone who opposes Bush on enough key issues.
For McCain, distance from Bush is key
McCain’s burden this year is as much about convincing voters that he is not a continuation of the Bush presidency as it is about beating his Democratic opponent.
GOP getting crushed in polls, key races
John McCain is planning to run as a different kind of Republican. But being any kind of Republican seems like some sort of death sentence these days.
A House race holds clues for GOP
A loss in Mississippi, following two others, would signal a life-threatening trend.
GOP pressured Barr not to run
"Bob Barr will make it marginally easier for Barack Obama to become President," says Newt Gingrich.
Is Bob Barr a threat to John McCain?
Jennifer E. Duffy of Cook Political Report says of Barr: "I think he is only a threat if he gets on the ballot in a decent number of battleground states."
Barr to tap Libertarian base for funds
"I'm relying on the Internet, on people who supported Ron Paul and others like them."
Can Bob Barr tap into Ron Paul's movement?
They "share very similar views on the major issues...But the path for Barr to become the next Ron Paul isn’t as clear as it may seem."
Barr = Paul?
The Atlantic's blog looks at where they agree and don't agree.
Posted: Monday, May 12, 2008
It's official: Bob Barr to run for President as a Libertarian
Of course, first he must win the Libertarian Party's nomination at their national convention that starts May 22.
What are Bob Barr's positions?
He talks about them on Reason.tv.
Who is Chuck Baldwin?
He's the Constitution Party's presidential candidate, and a fan provides some information on him.
West Virginia could spell trouble for Obama
Scant support among white working-class Democrats, especially men, could dog him into November.
How to end a presidential campaign
Here are six ways for Clinton to drop out.
McCain convention chief quits
Second McCain aide quits
They were part of a Republican-heavy PR firm that represented the repressive Burmese government. What's the fuss? Bet those Burmese generals are "anti-terrorist"!
McCain woos Democrats on environmental issues
And breaks with President Bush and the Republicans on global warming.
McCain poised to flip-flop on abortion
"I think that would be political suicide," says Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council.
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