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Rudy Limps Home With Nada
Tweet Share on Facebook January 30, 2008 CommentJohn McCain's victory in Florida was important to him, but it was somewhat eclipsed by the stunning downfall of Rudy Giuliani.
True, McCain walked away with all of the state's 57 delegates and a likely infusion of needed money before the February 5 showdown with Mitt Romney.
The former mayor of New York, on the other hand, spent millions more than his rivals in Florida and yet dropped like a rock after leading in all national polls as recently as late last year.
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Bill Clinton the Albatross
Tweet Share on Facebook January 28, 2008 CommentThe message from South Carolina Democrats last Saturday could not have been clearer: Bill Clinton is on the verge of ruining his wife's campaign.
Or even if she survives the primary, she has already been weakened for November and the general election, especially if the Republicans nominate John McCain.
If you think that verdict is too harsh, Clinton got just over 25 percent of the vote. Yes, Barack Obama had the advantage of a huge African-American vote, but her showing was still dismal.
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Campaign Outlook
Tweet Share on Facebook January 25, 2008 CommentOn the eve of the South Carolina primary for Democrats and before the next GOP primary in Florida, the landscape looks this way:
The Republicans are squabbling over who is the most conservative; Barry Goldwater would love it.
The Democrats seem hellbent on snatching defeat from the gaping jaws of victory.
The GOP candidates are drifting so far to the right that the eventual nominee will have to sprint to the middle before the general election.
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Newspaper Editor's Departure Is Troubling
Tweet Share on Facebook January 22, 2008 CommentMany in journalism have deplored the fading vibrancy and strength of the nation's newspapers, large and small. Even those that were once the best in the business are hurting in large part because owners want more profits at the expense of shrinking news budgets.
To be sure, advertising is more highly competitive with television, magazines, and Internet sites. The poor economy isn't helping matters.
The latest episode in journalism's sad narrative was the firing of Jim O'Shea, editor of the Los Angeles Times, who refused to cut $4 million more from an already tight budget. O'Shea becomes the third editor to leave or resign in recent years over similar demands at the paper.
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Economy Demands Cooperation
Tweet Share on Facebook January 18, 2008 CommentCall it a recession or not, the U.S. economy is headed south and with no end in sight.
While Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke refuses to call it a recession, some economists, from liberal to conservative, say we're there now.
Even President Bush admits something has to be done and quickly to stimulate the economy.
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Another Mr. Fix-It?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 16, 2008 CommentAccording to Mitt Romney, Washington is broken and he's going to fix it when elected.
The Republican presidential candidate is dreaming. There are 535 members of Congress, many in his own party, a stubborn bureaucracy, and a tough press corps who will present some challenges to that promise.
Romney is hardly the first outsider to run against Washington—an easy target. Politicians of both parties do it all the time at the presidential and congressional levels.
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Blame the Polls, Yes, but Media, Too
Tweet Share on Facebook January 14, 2008 CommentThere was too much moaning in the press about the polls missing Sen. Hillary Clinton's upset of Sen. Barack Obama in the New Hampshire primary.
Yes, the pollsters and the media deserve some criticism but more for the reporting following the post-Iowa hype of Obama's victory there.
Moreover, the polling data surprised even the Clinton campaign. It was recording the same poor numbers as the nonpartisan pollsters. The senator was fully prepared to put up a tough front in the wake of a second straight loss.
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Floor Fights for the Nominations?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 9, 2008 CommentThe New Hampshire voters have once again muddied the waters in both political parties. Some are even suggesting the races could extend to the convention floors this summer.
Of course, a real convention battle for the nomination hasn't taken place in more than a half century (though Republican incumbent Gerald Ford did have to wrestle a few uncommitted delegates to defeat Ronald Reagan in 1976). The early primary system and the overpowering need for money have decided the nominees in the winters.
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GOP's Focus Is Fear
Tweet Share on Facebook January 7, 2008 CommentAccording to Washington insiders in the Grand Old Party, their political focus this year against Democrats will be on fear.
Of course, they don't say it.
But a revealing poll of insiders in the National Journal magazine this week says it all. Their three biggest political strengths, the GOP heavyweights say, are the war on terrorism, taxes, and immigration.
The war on terrorism is real but it was brought about by the Bush-Cheney-Rice machine of deception, hype, and outright lies. That trio and their allies attempted to link Iraq and Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction, al Qaeda, and every other evil they they could charge.
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Bush and Clinton Fatigue
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2008 CommentFor some time, the nation has endured Bush fatigue. There is evidence now that Clinton fatigue may be affecting those already worn out by George W. Bush.
No one should count Sen. Hillary Clinton out of the Democratic race—yet. But the inevitability of her capturing the nomination has been shattered in Iowa.
Relying largely on young and even first-time caucusgoers in Iowa, Sen. Barack Obama won, and former Sen. John Edwards finished second.
The rather somber look on Clinton's face told as much as the final results. For her, an Edwards victory would have been far preferable.
