Differences?

In Washington, differences are a thing of the past. Republicans and Democrats exchange favors as if they were trading baseball cards in their boyhood. Paul Roberts is correct when he says: “The US Constitution has few friends in the capital city.”

A Repudiation of Bush/Cheney

A voter revolt in both parties turned Iowa’s presidential nominating caucuses on Thursday into a stunning repudiation of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.

Even within their own party, the president and vice president seem to have provoked such yearning for change that a Republican insurgent, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, stormed the gates and now has party elders in a panic. And it should not be overlooked that a libertarian anti-war maverick, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, outpolled the GOP’s supposed frontrunner, Rudy Giuliani.

McCain’s Flip-Flopping…

Thanks to Daily Kos.

John McCain, January 3, 2008:

Q: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years –” (cut off by McCain)

McCain: “Make it a hundred.”

Q: “Is that …” (cut off)

McCain: “We’ve been in South Korea … we’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea 50 years or so.  That would be fine with me. As long as Americans …”

Q: [tries to say something]

McCain: “As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. That’s fine with me, I hope that would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Qaeda is training and equipping and recruiting and motivating people every single day.

Now compare with what he said on November 27, 2007. 

 

Paul’s 10% and other thoughts

Paul’s 10% was not the glorious ending enthusiasts like myself expected, but on the other hand he reached the double digit number Fox said he would not reach. Will they still exclude him from the debate?

Another interesting dimension of the Iowa Caucus is that the independent vote went indisputably to Ron Paul with 29% in the Republican side and Barack won unanimously on the Democratic side. This may have severe ramifications for the New Hampshire primary where independent voters generally play a significant role.

Paul’s campaign needs to use all its energy and the millions in hand to invest in New Hampshire. If Ron Paul secures a third place in New Hampshire he will continue strong until February 5th. However, if he ends in 4th or 5th it will be difficult to carry on the enthusiasm. Here comes the Revolution to the Live Free or Die state!

Giuliani wants to declare war forever…

In Michael C. Desch’s long, but insightful article for the American Conservative, he details the vastly neo-conservative agenda surrounding the Giuliani campaign. He summarizes each prominent member of the advisory team on foreign affairs. Among them is the author of World War IV. Desch writes:

Podhoretz is the person whose presence has done the most to set in concrete the notion that Team Rudy is all neocon all the time.

Though some have attempted to distance the radical neo-conservative Norman Podhoretz from Giuliani, Podhoretz himself has no intention of distancing from Giuliani. Professor Desch writes:

Unfortunately, he (Giuliani) is of one mind with some of the most unrepentant, unreconstructed neoconservatives around. Podhoretz told the New York Observer that “as far as I can tell, there is very little difference in how he sees the war and how I see it.” If anyone thinks that neoconservativism is on the outs after the debacle in Iraq, they need look no further than the Republican frontrunner’s brain-trust.

 

The Dark Horse?

Writes Phyllis Schlafly:

Could Republicans be so divided going into the 2008 Convention that a dark horse could win the nomination?

This campaign is shaping up to a remarkable end. The dark horse Ron Paul may surprise on Thursday with a third place in Iowa–as Pat Buchanan and Tucker affirm. A third place would strengthen the campaign and call the attention of many undecided Republican voters. The possibility of a brokered convention is becoming a pundit’s dream.

Bhutto Dies in Suicide Attack

snn1002zz_280_387294a.jpg FORMER Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a gun and bomb attack.

At least 20 people were killed when the bomber struck after opposition leader Mrs Bhutto addressed a political rally, witnesses said.

It has been reported that Mrs Bhutto was shot in the neck and the chest before the bomber blew himself up.

Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto’s party who was at Rawalpindi General hospital, said Mrs Bhutto died at 6.16pm Pakistani time (1.16pm GMT)

Babar Awan, Bhutto’s lawyer, said: “The surgeons confirmed that she has been martyred.”

A witness at the scene of the attack said he heard two shots moments before the blast.

“As party leaders, including Bhutto, started coming out a man tried to go close to them and then he fired some shots and blew himself up,” said a police officer, at the scene.

The United States condemned the attack.

A US State Department official said: “The attack shows that there are still those in Pakistan trying to undermine reconciliation and democratic development in Pakistan.”

Police said about 15 people had been killed in the blast.

Earlier, party officials said Bhutto was safe.

Body parts and flesh were scattered at the back gate of the Liaqat Bagh park, in Rawalpindi, where Bhutto had spoken.

Mike Huckabee, Rick Warren, Ron Paul and the abuse of the Federal Government by Pastor Matt Trewhella

Quite frankly, while the Christians have been busy throwing their hats into Huckabee’s ring, I think we have missed a great opportunity by our not supporting Ron Paul. I do not agree with Ron Paul on all matters (there’s not a man alive on earth that I do), but he is 100% pro-life. He is honest. He says what he believes and you can follow his voting record and see that he puts his actions where his mouth is. He has been married to his wife for 50 years. And, he actually believes in the constitutional limitations of the federal government.