10. VP SWEEPSTAKES
Discussion about who should join Kerry on the ticket centered on a tease from Senator McCain last week. The senior senator from Arizona stated that Kerry is a friend of his and he would entertain the possibility if offered, but he didn't think he would be offered the spot. Indeed later in the day his chief of staff or spokesman quashed all speculation. BUT... how can the Arizona Bush Campaign Chairman being publicly speculating or entertaining an offer from the opposition to join them?!?! Bob Novak has written a column illustrating the consternation in the Republican Party over McCain's antics. I just love it. I know a Kerry-McCain ticket is a near impossibility because it would end McCain's career in the Republican Party and would anger the Democratic base, but it would be a landslide winner in the general. Alas, at least the speculation took place, and any speculation is damaging to the Republican Party, and that is a good thing.
9. JOBLESS BUSH ECONOMY
Not much economic news this week, except that interest rates are going to remain the same after a meeting of the Fed and there is speculation that gas prices will skyrocket this summer. Personally, I do not want that to happen because I commute and because I travel to the Jersey Shore every weekend in the summer to enjoy the beach, so if prices are $3.00 a gallon, it would hurt me. Politically, I would love for this happen because it would reinforce Kerry's campaign issues: that the jobless economic recovery has been a boon to Bush's friends, the Corporations, and it has hurt the workers and ordinary American where it matters most, their wallets. And voters vote their wallets.
8. MISC. NEWS ITEMS OF THE WEEK
The NFL has decided to forfeit the upcoming 2004-2005 season and award the Lombardi Trophy to the Philadelphia Eagles. After the signing of Kearse, Jones and Terrell Owens, the NFL believes it will be a waste of time to actually the season since the Eagles will go undefeated anyway and win the Super Bowl. Further, with the Flyers heading for a Stanley Cup Victory, with St. Joe's making space for the 2004 NCAA Championship Trophy in their trophy shelves and the Phillies preparing their World Series Victory Parade down Broad Street, it has been declared that Philadelphia is the sports capital of the world. Now if we could only trade Allen Iverson and rebuild the Sixers.
In the political world, welcome The Gadflyer to my My Favorites list. Cheers to Tom Schaller and the many staff and writers at the Gadflyer. It looks like a wonderful website.
7. IRAQ-AFGHANISTAN
Apparently an unmanned drone captured Bin Laden on video from high above in 2000. Does anyone want to bet how long it will take for the Neocon Wing Nuts to blame Clinton for not capturing or killing him then? Further, four Baptist missionaries were killed and another was injured during attacks by Baathists or Al-Queda or whatever. What do I say about that? It is a shame that four people were killed, just more numbers to add to the list. BUT...the fact that they were Christian missionaries disturbs me. I don't quite know how to put the feeling into words, but with a Christian fundamentalist wacko in the White House who has actually said that we will go on a crusade to fight the War on Terror, I can't help but think that these poor souls actually believed and went there to not only help rebuild (which is good) but to convert the "evil and vile" Islamists (which I have problems with). Further it seems to me that one of the reasons for this War in Iraq WAS ACTUALLY TO CONVERT IRAQIS TO CHRISTIANITY.
6. POLLS
First, some non presidential polls. Sen. Arlen Specter is leading Rep. Pat Toomey for the Republican nomination in the PA Senate Race 47% to 38%. A nine point lead is a significant decline from other polls giving Magic Bullet Man a 40 point lead. A little know fact is that Sen. Specter is an avid Philly sports fan and almost every Monday, especially during Eagles season, he calls into the local WIP sports station. It always ruins my Monday morning. So, please, Mr. Toomey, beat this man so that Hoeffel can beat you in November.
Second, the effect of the Bush 9-11 Ads. Apparently, 54% of Americans believe the use of footage of the 9-11 wreckage and pictures of flag draped bodies being carried by firefighters out of Ground Zero are inappropriate.
Third, Kerry leads Bush 47% to 39% in Illinois. Kerry leads Bush 48% to 45% in a Rasmussen Poll in Florida, and in another Florida poll, he leads 49 to 43 percent.
Fourth, nationally, in the ARG polls, Kerry leads Bush 50 to 43. Among Independents, Kerry leads 51 to 42. Among Republicans, Bush leads 81 to 11. Among Democrats, Kerry leads 87 to 5. Who are these 5% of Democrats that are voting for Bush? You cannot call yourself a Democrat anymore if you contemplate voting for that evil man. That is my litmus test. If you vote for Bush, you are not a Democrat. Case Closed. The verdict is still out if you vote for Nader.
5. KERRY BAT AND THE KOS BLOGATHON TO MAKE BARBARA CRY.
After some prodding from Kossacks on this site, Mr. Kerry has premiered his bat...er ah...ruler to track the progress of the Clintonian 10 Million in 10 Days drive. Something is better than nothing I guess. Further, apparently Barbara and Laura Bush are troubled that Georgie has to be put through this silly election process again. Barbara is worried that she will have to suffer "another 92 thing." The contempt for the American People that this family shows actually makes me contemplate revolution against them. If they act like Royalty, lets treat them like Royalty and revolt. Kos responded appropriately, by encouraging a blogathon and Kossacks responded by raising at least 25,000 in two days.
Also, cheers to Kos for his Seattle radio interview and for getting mention on CNN's Wolf Blitzer Reports and Vanity Fair, among others.
4. CONGRESSIONAL RACES
State Sen. Obama is the Democratic Nominee for the senate seat in Illinois. Pretty rich boy with a nefarious past Jack Ryan is the Republican candidate. Should be an easy pickup but lets not get complacent.
We have seen profiles on Colorado Democrat Ken Salazar's campaign for the Senate against Bob Schaffer (should be another pickup), Melissa Bean in the IL-8, Alex Alben in the WA-8, and Earl Pomeroy in the ND-AL. We have also discussed the equal rights platform of Tony Knowles in Alaska and the possibility of Stan Kasten running for the Georgia seat being vacated by the Duke of Darkness, Zell Miller.
3. BUSH MALFEASANCE OF THE WEEK
First, Bush is not satisfied with lying to the world and the American people on any number of matters. Now he lies to his own party. See
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/3/12/151616/858. Apparently, Richard Foster, the chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which produced the $551 billion cost estimate for the Administration's Medicare bill, told colleagues last June that he would be fired if he revealed numbers relating to the higher estimate to lawmakers. Because if he actually told the truth, the fiscal conservatives in Congress would not have voted for it. Beautiful.
Second, Bush attempted to name Anthony Raimondo, a Nebraska businessman, as his new "Manufacturing Czar." Unfortunately, Mr. Raimondo built a manufacturing plant in Beijing, China and moved several thousand manufacturing jobs from America to China. Kerry was on the ball on this one with his Presponse War Room strategy, and he took it to Bush for hiring an outsourcer to stop outsourcing, which the Administration believes is a good thing anyway because it makes them and their friends more money. Bush, always the flip flopper, backed down and withdrew the Raimondo nomination.
Third, it was revealed that financial contributors and "personal family friends" of the Bushes spent nights in the Lincoln Bedroom. Hmmm. Weren't Republicans incensed when Clinton did the same thing. Hmmm. Didn't Bush campaign on this issue when he said that in the Clinton White House, the buck doesn't stop in the Oval Office, it stops in the Lincoln Bedroom? Hmmm, yet another Bush flip flop.
Fourth, in the "100 Days" ad, or the more aptly named, the "Muhammed Horton" ad, Bush plays the race card by implying that a man of color (he looks like a man of Arabic or Hispanic descent) is a terrorist. Hmmm. Mr. Bush, not all terrorists are Arabic. In fact, there are a number of lily white Irish terrorists that make up the IRA. Indeed, Timothy McVeigh, a patriotic NRA loving Republican, was also lily white and he was a terrorist.
2. THE KERRY "FOREIGN LEADERS LOVE ME" FLAP
The SCLM continues with this story, even though it has been proved that Kerry never said that he has the support of foreign leaders. Patrick Healy of the Boston Globe, who originally broke this story, says that the whole thing was a typo. It should have been "More" instead of "Foreign." Yeah it takes guts to admit that mistake but those words do not sound alike. How good of a journalist are you, Mr. Healy?
Memo to the Kerry Campaign: At your next opportunity when a reporter asks you a question related to this story, simply state: "I have no idea why this is still getting coverage. I think the American people want to hear our plans to help America instead of who said what to whom in private. But if the media and the Bush Administration really wants to know what was said and who said it, then I will provide that as soon as Mr. Cheney reveals who said what in his Energy Task Force. Until then, I will have no comment on this matter and instead I will talk to the American people about my plans for the future."
Some other Kossack came up with this comment or something like it, but I cannot remember his or her name.
1. A VICTORY FOR THE TERRORISTS?
The Right Wing Neocons are really evil. Their spin on seeing their ideological and political allies in Spain defeated in a democratic election is to say the results are really not valid because of the influence of the terror attacks, and even if they are valid, the results are a victory for the Al-Queda. Therefore, if something similar were to happen here in America, God Forbid, before our election in November, you cannot vote for Kerry without giving aid and comfort to the Terrorists. Go to Hell you Republican dogs. If there is another terrorist attack in America before November 2, 2004, then it will prove that you Neocon theocratic thugs have failed in this supposed war on Terror. And that is the meme that the Kerry campaign needs to start developing. God Bless the victims of Madrid and the voters of Spain for rejecting a government that did not represent your wishes concerning Iraq.
Have a good day and vote in my poll.
Comments are closed on this story.