No Debate For You
[ Posted Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 – 06:00 UTC ]
Archive of Articles in the "2008 Elections" Category
Karl Rove Previews The VRWC's Attacks On "Hillarycare"
[ Posted Monday, August 20th, 2007 – 17:26 UTC ]
It isn't all that often that a political tactician at Karl Rove's level gives you a sneak preview of their campaign strategy, but that's exactly what happened on Meet The Press yesterday. Democratic candidates should marshal their arguments against these talking points, because they're going to need them next year.
Wyoming Don't Get No Respect
[ Posted Thursday, August 16th, 2007 – 16:23 UTC ]
I don't get no respect. I played hide-and-seek, and they wouldn't even look for me.
-- Rodney Dangerfield
Wyoming Republicans must know how Rodney feels. They attempted to get some media attention (and some attention from the candidates) by passing an impossibility into law, but nobody noticed. No respect indeed.
Will Iraq Descend To Warlordism?
[ Posted Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 – 02:55 UTC ]
The irony is that whoever wins the upcoming September battle in Congress will likely lose in next year's elections, because the American public will not like the outcome -- no matter which political party wins the debate in Congress.
Iowa GOP Straw Poll: Straw Man Of Democracy
[ Posted Friday, August 10th, 2007 – 15:24 UTC ]
There are always complaints, after the straw poll is taken, that some candidate or another has "rigged the results." Well, duh. If you design a contest to see who can buy the most votes in the first place, it's a little ingenuous to complain about "rigging" anything.
A Gay Debate
[ Posted Thursday, August 9th, 2007 – 14:48 UTC ]
Who would you like to see host a debate? Jews? Muslims? Mormons? Atheists? People who love Barry Bonds? Pickup truck owners? Prius owners? Surfers? Eagle Scouts? Medical marijuana patients? People who bought Paris Hilton's CD? People who bought K-Fed's CD? Snowmobile owners? Amateur pilots? Polygamists? Conspiracy theorists (man, wouldn't that make for good television!)? People who work in Starbucks? People who work in WalMart? People who don't work? People who make the minimum wage? Hedge fund managers? CEOs? Strippers? Waitresses? Flight attendants?
A First Look At The Early Primaries [Part 2]
[ Posted Tuesday, August 7th, 2007 – 15:35 UTC ]
Republicans, it should be noted, are pretty dispirited going into this campaign. They feel the weight of the Iraq fiasco, they feel the weight of the fact that they've got a pretty disappointing field, and they feel the weight of President Bush dragging them ever downwards. In other words, Republicans are not happy campers when they think about the 2008 campaign.
Which will most likely lead them to the same calculation Democrats were making four years ago -- which candidate is most electable? Especially against Hillary. Or Barack. Or even Edwards. That's a cold political calculation to make, and it certainly won't be easy for Republican primary voters to make, considering the field.
A First Look At The Early Primaries [Part 1]
[ Posted Monday, August 6th, 2007 – 13:17 UTC ]
Looking at the polling data for the early primary states (Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida) shows how volatile a race it is shaping up to be, in both parties. Looking at national polling shows clear frontrunners, but when you dig into the state data, things get cloudier. State polls can be seen at RealClearPolitics.com.
Muddying the waters even further (on the Democratic side) is the fact that most polls only collect data from "likely voters," or voters who answer "yes" as to whether they voted in the last election or not. This is usually a better predictor of the final results, but not always. If candidates can pull in a significant amount of votes from people who don't normally vote, they can prove all the pollsters wrong and win unexpected victories (see: Governor Jesse Ventura).
Where Is H. Ross Perot When You Need Him?
[ Posted Thursday, August 2nd, 2007 – 15:32 UTC ]
Enter a quirky Texan with a lot of money to spend named H. Ross Perot. He forced the issue into the campaign in a big way. He started renting television time in half-hour chunks and giving what were essentially infomercials on the subject of the deficit. He forced Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to confront the issue. And he also got almost one vote in five on election day.
Boobs Help Raise Campaign Cash
[ Posted Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 – 15:15 UTC ]
But that should be exactly the point. Democrats need to prove to the boobs in the media that what they say matters in a very real and tangible way. Teach the boobs the price of their words. Republicans have been very successfully using this tactic for years now ("If Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker of the House, the EARTH'S AXIS will tilt out of control and the planet will SPIN INTO THE SUN!! Vote Republican!!). It's about time Democrats learned the trick.