Huckabee Takes The Lead

Has the GOP found their candidate? Probably not, but the Southern Baptist anti-gay, anti-choice, misogynistic ex-Governor of a red state likely to be won by Hillary Clinton sure is attractive.

The other guy, America's mayor? Yeah, we're done with them.

Rudy: I Made Big Mistakes, But Only A Few

Karma's a bitch and so are you.

Will It Really Kill Him?

All this brouhaha about Mike Huckabee and his appealing for the paroling of a rapist who later killed someone when he was Governor of Arkansas is of little interest to me.

The story goes that a relative of Bill Clinton was raped and her rapist went to jail. Anti-Clinton forces in Arkansas, where they were more ferocious than anywhere else early on, thought the convicted rapist got an unfair deal because his victim was a relative of the Clintons. The pressure put on Huckabee to push for his parole was obvious from anti-Clinton forces, but whether or not Huckabee's pleas for parole were political or just his Christian sympathetic personality is up for question. Perhaps this is the unintended consequence of his Christian beliefs, sort of like his sympathetic stance on illegal immigration and his reluctant support for the death penalty.

Even if Huckabee's support for parole was politically motivated, I cannot see how it would hurt him in the primary. Rather, it may actually help him. Republicans are only motivated due to their hatred for the Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. In the general, however, it could hurt with independents, especially if he is not facing Clinton and anti-Clinton sentiment is not an issue.

Less than a month away from the Iowa caucus and with Huckabee opening quite a lead there, is it too late to derail his momentum? Is it too late for his GOP rivals to come back and stop him, or should Democrats be preparing to face the former Governor of Arkansas in the general. Is that why this issue is suddenly coming to light?

Flowers For Hillary

The former first lady may have the support of someone VERY interesting.

When your mistress and wife get together, well, it's a Lifetime movie in the making.

Presidents and Religion

Here's an interesting list of the religions of our past Presidents;

George Washington- Episcopal
John Adams- Unitarian
Thomas Jefferson- Deist
James Madison- Deist/Episcopal (disputed)
John Quincy Adams- Unitarian
Andrew Jackson- Presbyterian
Martin Van Buren- Dutch Reformed
William Henry Harrison- Episcopal
John Tyler- Episcopal
James Polk- Methodist
Zachary Taylor- Episcopal
Millard Fillmore- Unitarian
Franklin Pierce- Episcopal
James Buchanan- Presbyterian
Abraham Lincoln- unknown
Andrew Jackson- unknown, probably Baptist
Ulysses S. Grant- Methodist
Rutherford B. Hayes- Methodist
James Garfield- Disciples of Christ
Chester Arthur- Episcopal
Grover Cleveland- Presbyterian
Benjamin Harrison- Presbyterian
William McKinley- Methodist
Theodore Roosevelt- Episcopal
William Taft- Unitarian
Woodrow Wilson- Presbyterian
Warren G. Harding- Baptist
Calvin Coolidge- Congregationalist
Herbert Hoover- Quaker
Franklin D. Roosevelt- Episcopal
Harry Truman- Baptist
Dwight Eisenhower- Jehovah's Witness/Presbyterian
John F. Kennedy- Roman Catholic
Lyndon Johnson- Disciples of Christ
Richard Nixon- Quaker
Gerald Ford- Episcopal
Jimmy Carter- Baptist
Ronald Reagan- Presbyterian
George H. W. Bush- Episcopal
Bill Clinton- Baptist
George W. Bush- Methodist

Presidential Candidates;

DEMOCRATS:
Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden: Roman Catholic
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Methodist
Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd: Roman Catholic
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards: Methodist
Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Roman Catholic
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama: Christian (United Church of Christ)
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: Roman Catholic

REPUBLICANS:
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: Roman Catholic
California Rep. Duncan Hunter: Baptist
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Southern Baptist
Arizona Sen. John McCain: Episcopalian
Texas Rep. Ron Paul: Baptist
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: Mormon
Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo: Presbyterian
Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson: Southern Baptist

The Religious Litmus Test

It's sad that in this country we need to have a religious litmus test for a Presidential candidate, at least in the Republican Party.

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign should be judged on his ideas, his stances on policies and his record as Governor of Massachusetts from 2003-2007, not on whether or not he worships at a temple or a church. Today's speech by Mitt Romney, where he almost seemed desperate, is a sad event in our history.

I found this part of Romney's speech especially titilating;

Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin. As governor, I tried to do the right as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution. I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution - and of course, I would not do so as president. I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law.

See Mitt blew it there in my opinion. He's right to respond to the fears of the Christian fundamentalists that his religion would have some say in his presidency. The problem is, the reason these nuts are so worried are because they want THEIR religion to control the decisions of the next President. These zealots see their religion, their Bible, their version of the story, as the rightful ruling doctrine of the United States, and Mitt Romney cannot be President because he does not belong to that doctrine, he belongs to another doctrine. It's a scary thought, that our country is really like that, but it's even scarier that I'm defending Mitt Romney.

I sort of want him to win the nomination now, just to spite the fundamentalists.

Iowa Congressman Endorses Edwards

As the Democratic Iowa Caucus turns into a three way dead heat between Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama and former Senator John Edwards, the first endorsement came out today from Iowa's congressional delegation.

Freshman Demcorat Bruce Braley, who represents Iowa's First District centered around Dubuque, Davenport and Waterloo, endorsed John Edwards.

Braley says of Edwards;

“Throughout this campaign, on issue after issue, John has proposed bold ideas to end the power of special interests in Washington and restore our government to the American people,” Braley said in a statement released by Edwards’s campaign. “John is the only Democratic candidate who grew up in rural America, and he has the most specific, most progressive and most far-reaching ideas.”

The rest of Iowa's delegation; two other Democratic House members, two Republican House members and Senators Tom Harkin, a Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, a Republican, have yet to endorse.

Braley's endorsement comes as Marc Ambinder states that Edwards has the best organization on the ground in Iowa. Ambinder notes that the campaign has trained "at least two precinct captains in more than 87 percent of caucus precincts statewide. Generally, campaigns don't release this kind of info, but in Edwards's case, it reinforces the case made by rival campaigns privately: if the caucuses were held tonight, based on organization alone, Edwards would probably win."

Iowa is much of a tossup as a tossup could be.

Rudy: GET AWAY FROM ME!

Rudy Giuliani reminds us that as President, he will not answer questions about anything to a media that doesn't wish to paint him in a positive light.

Yesterday, as media approached him to ask him questions on his controversial shifting of funds during his affair with his now wife, Rudy's henchmen got physical with the media.

Seriously, if Rudy can't handle Newsweek, how is he going to handle North Korea? Oh right, blow them up while he hides in a bunker. Isn't that what Giulianis do?

Kerik Defends Giuliani

Yeah, ok, that's going to help, because nobody is more believable than Bernard Kerik. I mean look at him, big halo over his head and everything.

What's next? Is Lindsay Lohan going to defend Amy Winehouse' drinking problems?

Rudy Scandal Keeps Getting Better`

Apparently Judy Nathan used the NYPD as her personal taxi service.

Keep it coming guys, this is getting pretty exciting.

Rudy: It's Everyone Else's Fault

Who won't Rudy Giuliani blame for his apparent cover up of his secret affairs with Judy Nathan in the Hamptons.

He says it's the police department's fault for billing the security expenses to obscure city agencies. He blames the Democrats for a vast liberal conspiracy out to destroy him. Is this what we need, another President who can't take responsibility for his actions and just throws blame to everyone else?

What's next, is he going to blame his kids for forcing him to go to Southampton to fool around with Judy? Anything's possible with Mr. 9/11.

RFK Jr. Endorses Hillary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr has endorsed the woman who holds the same Senate seat his father did four decades ago.

Kennedy endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for President, saying she "has the strength and experience to bring the war in Iraq to an end and reverse the potentially devastating effects of global warming."

Kennedy lauded Clinton's record as Senator and the way she won over New Yorkers since her controversial run for Senate seven years ago.

Mr. 9/11 Man's Terror Ties

Rudy Giuliani will protect America and defend it from Islamic terrorism, unless, of course, he can make a buck, then Americans are on their own.

GOP Debate Open Thread

Mike Huckabee stood out like he was standing five feet higher and forward than the rest of the GOP candidates. He seemed less antagonistic than the rest of the religious right candidates. Duncan Hunter's response that the military is a Judeo-Christian institution is just plain insulting to any non-Christian, non-Jewish, and/or liberal thinking soldier, plus I don't think that's what Colin Powell meant, but nice job hiding behind one of the few popular Republicans nowadays. I would normally say he should apologize, but there is too much calling for politicians to apologize. Politicians need to stand by their comments and people need to either not vote for them or deal with it. Mitt Romney's response to the question was even more stupid.

The two candidates who stood out were Huckabee and McCain who seemed to reclaim his maverick streak when talking about torture and the fair tax.

The one thing that surprised me was the audience's response to the retired gay general; the booing. It's embarassing. It reminded me a little of the 2002 Georgia Senate race, when instead of respectfully disagreeing with a man who lost half his body in Vietnam, they labelled him a traitor and dragged him through the mud. That seems to be the GOP way nowadays, standing behind the soliders when it's convienent, but if they disagree with us, throw them off a cliff.

Nice

New Yorkers Paid For Rudy's Affair

America's Mayor apparently attempted to hide the price of his trips to the Hamptons during his then-secret affair with his now wife Judy when he was still Mayor.

Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses during weekend trips to the Hamptons during 1999 and 2000. The city comptroller sought to investigate in 2002, but "security reasons" prevented the city from doing so. Politico.com received the news through New York’s Freedom of Information Law

Rudy opponents shouldn't get all excited just yet. Those who back Rudy won't abandon him on this. They'll defend him and find every way possible to discredit his opponents because that's what they do best. Oh, and don't forget...9/11.

Seriously, any Republican who votes for this man owes Bill Clinton an apology.

Streisand Endorses Clinton

What? Did ya think she'd be behind Giuliani?

Giuliani: I Never Doubted Iraq Was Right

Displaying that very face of ignorance that has destroyed the GOP, Rudy Giuliani reminds us that despite everything, he never had any doubt invading Iraq was the right thing to do.

In the bizarro world of Rudy Giuliani, Qaddafi apparently peed his pants when we invaded Iraq, so that's why he stopped supporting terrorism (nope, had nothing to do with the fact his Libyan oil was now gold.) He claims everyone will agree that the Iraq war was the right move by Election Day.

Seriously, if you vote for this man, you deserve all the unnecessary wars you get.

Huckabee Relates

Whether or not I believe he would do anything about it is another story, but it would be nice to see a GOP candidate who is not tied to big oil and can speak the truth.

Giuliani: Businesses Aren't Greedy

One wonders if this man has even seen Wall Street more or less worked five blocks away for eight years.

Really, are there people in this country who believe, Post-Enron, that corporate greed isn't a problem? If you vote for this man, you deserve to lose your job to a greedy CEO.

Court OK's Michigan Primary

Michigan's Primary will be January 15th

That means New Hampshire's will be sometime between January 3rd and 15th

UPDATE: New Hampshire's primary is January 8th