++Jeb changed his campaign team before his launch. While it was a shuffle,GOP insiders had complained that JEB had promised that he would be leading and then release his SuperPac Money Bomb and drown the competition and be the Inevitable One.
++Problem is that his money bomb isn't going to make the $100 million number when he launches.
++His digital communications quite because he claimed that Jeb in going to go heavy into television ads. The model for his campaign is his brother's 1999 campaign where George W. convinced his party there could be nothing but surrender to his candidacy.
++Rachel Maddow interviewed Lincoln Chaffee on his unorthodox career but stumbled on a weird fact. Lincoln lived in the same dorm with Jeb at Andover and knew him early in his career. Chaffee broke with the Republicans because he could not trust W. Chaffee actually visited the CIA and was briefed as Senator on WMDs in Iraq and came away saying there was nothing there. Consequently he voted against the Iraq War and ,as he told Rachel,someone has to stand against perpetual war.
++Mike Gerson said that it is true Rand Paul's campaign is in total disarray but that any GOP candidate is only one debate away becoming a contender. But Paul has also pissed off his colleagues on the NSA issue because they accuse him of lying about the surveillance program and trying to get credit about the bill that was passed even though he had nothing to do with it.
++Ted Cruz held a mock hearing inviting HHS officials to debate Obama subsidies. The Department declined because the subject was being litigated/
++The GOP is ramping up its anti Obamacare rhetoric. They claim they have a substitute if the government loses at SCOTUS but even here there was in complete shambles.
++Steve Benen at MaddowBlog writes about President Obama doing a victory lap over Obamacare. The President's point was not only that it registered millions and drastically reduced the uninsured,it effectively is now the American health insurance system five years later. He knows a Supreme court ruling would not only take health insurance away from 6 million and lead to 9,000 deaths per year but that the whole system would be jeopardized.
++Marco Rubio has been drawing criticism for his erratic personal finances. This time it is about his "unsinkable" boat he bought. Actually I think these stories don't hurt him because they make him human with chronic financial problems, something millions can relate to.
++The DONALD really is going to announce on the 16th and he told a Raleigh audience that they would be pleased. The Donald has a secret plan to defeat ISIS and he discussed this with the Pentagon who, of course, think it is brilliant. The Donald will be the job-creatorest of presidents because he knows who to do this. He is the only one who can save us now.
++The Hillary machine is getting into gear. Her kickoff in New York will be the official start-up of her 50 state organizing campaign. Yes, Iowa Democrats are crying for her to return. But I think they need the money.
++Former Senator Tom Coburn gave a frank interview with a conservative radio host and said he was horrified by the field of Republican candidates. He gave a person by person analysis . He favors Marco Rubio.
++Chris Christie wants to put a military option on the table against China. Think about that.
++Jeb gave his first strictly foreign policy speech and wants to get tough against Putin.
++Rubio gave a speech to say he would get tough against Russia and China.
++Scott Walker said he would re-invade Iraq.
++Chris Christie's Bridgegate problems won't go away as David Wildstein, his former aide, has given evidence against Christie. Christie is accused of leaking Grand Jury testimony. Bridget Riley is pissed at being thrown under the bus and is now suing for access to the Christie sponsored investigation that exonerated Christie.
++Ben Carson's campaign quit but his business manager Armstrong Williams says it's no problem. The various SuperPacs got into each other's way. He still polls well in Iowa.
++Nate the Great tells us we should not take the Wisconsin Straw Poll that showed Bernie Sanders at 41% too seriously. We didn't.
++Under the surface,various progressive websites do not recognize a reality about Hillary's campaign. She is locking up the permanent delegates like Democratic office holders, which play a key role at the convention. There are structural elements to her campaign like Obama's before hers that rarely get observed or mentioned. 50-state organization is key. Locking up delegates is another. Basically all Democratic-leaning think-tanks are in her corner. This doesn't leave alot of space for competitors.
Showing posts with label Lincoln Chaffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lincoln Chaffee. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Thursday, April 16, 2015
I'm Back
++Three notebooks buried away I recovered my e-mail to access this site. I have created a new blog In A Far country for those of you who want to read other things this year.
++I really was anxious that I had let 6 and a half years of writing hang out in cyberspace. As of now, my new blog has birth pains. The font size is not as good and there is no where to describe who I am.
++So appropriate to where we were,the Times of Israel urges Hillary to mend the gap between Bibi and the United States. Hillary is said to have a good relationship with Bibi and supported his Gaza operation. She was also instrumental in the first Gaza ceasefire.
++Hillary took the first turn away from President Obama today when she urged military training and arms shipments to the Ukraine.
++The Pentagon today said that the Russian S-3000s were already factored into the US' plan if it comes to bombing Iran.
++Politico had to admit that the Corker bill after the amendments was a coup--not for Congress but the White House. The final bill made it very unlikely that Congress could kill the Iranian nuke deal.
++John Kerry told the G-7 Foreign Ministers that the President would get the deal approved when it was done.
++President Rouhani of iran said he was negotiating with the global powers, not Congress. Later he said the vote for an internal affair of the United States.
++President Obama was tinkering again with Obamacare by changing the rules for wellness programs in businesses.
++Tennessee's House approved the bible as its state book.
++Georgia approved medical marijuana.
++Bobby Jindal has doubled down on the Religious Freedom Act.
++While Mike Pence's approval rating has gone into the toilet,politico is now talking about John Kasich running for President.
++Lincoln Chaffee announced for the Democratic race--sort of. First he said he was 100% in and then his aide pulled it back.
++Ted Cruz thinks the Second Amendment is meant to protect us from the government. Lindsey Graham said, Wait a minute, we did that already in South Carolina" and it didn't turn out very well.
++Colorado really may be on the verge of approving a Personhood Bill.
++VOX looked at Obama's coalition and Hillary's and found something out--they are the same. There is little difference in the support each person has in the key demographics.
++At least 50 Democratic House members including John Lewis have come out in support of Hillary.
++Remember Superdelegates?
++Feminist groups have come out because Hillary has been the most vocal supporter of women's rights on the global stage.
++Thom Hartman interviewing Eleanor Clift today raised the issue whether Hillary's feminism would not spur on misogyny the same way Obama kicked off a reassurance of racism in the country.
++I really was anxious that I had let 6 and a half years of writing hang out in cyberspace. As of now, my new blog has birth pains. The font size is not as good and there is no where to describe who I am.
++So appropriate to where we were,the Times of Israel urges Hillary to mend the gap between Bibi and the United States. Hillary is said to have a good relationship with Bibi and supported his Gaza operation. She was also instrumental in the first Gaza ceasefire.
++Hillary took the first turn away from President Obama today when she urged military training and arms shipments to the Ukraine.
++The Pentagon today said that the Russian S-3000s were already factored into the US' plan if it comes to bombing Iran.
++Politico had to admit that the Corker bill after the amendments was a coup--not for Congress but the White House. The final bill made it very unlikely that Congress could kill the Iranian nuke deal.
++John Kerry told the G-7 Foreign Ministers that the President would get the deal approved when it was done.
++President Rouhani of iran said he was negotiating with the global powers, not Congress. Later he said the vote for an internal affair of the United States.
++President Obama was tinkering again with Obamacare by changing the rules for wellness programs in businesses.
++Tennessee's House approved the bible as its state book.
++Georgia approved medical marijuana.
++Bobby Jindal has doubled down on the Religious Freedom Act.
++While Mike Pence's approval rating has gone into the toilet,politico is now talking about John Kasich running for President.
++Lincoln Chaffee announced for the Democratic race--sort of. First he said he was 100% in and then his aide pulled it back.
++Ted Cruz thinks the Second Amendment is meant to protect us from the government. Lindsey Graham said, Wait a minute, we did that already in South Carolina" and it didn't turn out very well.
++Colorado really may be on the verge of approving a Personhood Bill.
++VOX looked at Obama's coalition and Hillary's and found something out--they are the same. There is little difference in the support each person has in the key demographics.
++At least 50 Democratic House members including John Lewis have come out in support of Hillary.
++Remember Superdelegates?
++Feminist groups have come out because Hillary has been the most vocal supporter of women's rights on the global stage.
++Thom Hartman interviewing Eleanor Clift today raised the issue whether Hillary's feminism would not spur on misogyny the same way Obama kicked off a reassurance of racism in the country.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
They want you as a new recruit--cue in the Village People
Rahm Emmanuel did a little rope-a-dope with the Fox News crowd by saving the best on Massa until right before he appeared on the Glenn Beck. First Steny Hoyer said Massa's charges about being forced out were "not serious", then Gibbs at the White House press briefing in the morning downplayed Massa's charges that the White House wanted him out because he opposed health care reform as ridiculous. Then as the day moved on, the press already knew right before Beck that the charges against Massa was he molested a series of male aides. The ones who hadn't pressed the ethics charges soon followed to make it known they had complaints also. By the time Massa got on Fox he was nearly as incoherent as he was the day before and only admitted to "tickle fights" with male staff. All the grave charges against the Democratic leadership disappeared and finally Beck had to apologize to the audience for wasting their time. Nicely done.
Meanwhile Howard Dean led a rally of pro-healthcare protestors in Dupont Circle. The group wanted to make citizens' arrests of medical insurance company executives who have called an emergency meeting in the Capital now that President Obama has taken out after them.
There are now 50 Senators on the record for reconciliation and 40 have signed on for the public option so far. Senate and House Republicans made it clear to day that they are going to make the mid-term elections a referendum on health care reform and will campaign to repeal it. I guess they are throwing in the towel. Now let's walk this one through. Let's say the republicans actually win both the House and the Senate and pass a bill repealing healthcare reform. Do you really think they will have 2/3rds of the Senate to override a veto? It's just a red herring.
Republican news outlets like Politico and Drudge are now circulating the story that Nancy Pelosi has "lost control" of the Democratic caucus because of how she handled the Rangel case. There is virtually no evidence of this. It's just another late minute ploy to shake Democrats who are wavering on health care.
What does disturb me is Steny Hoyer's statement that the vote may not be March 18th as the White House said today. That's the day President Obama is supposed to fly abroad. Don't go, Mr. President, until these clowns vote on it.
While all this is going on, the left appears to be throwing a tantrum and I can't figure it out why. Yes, the health care bill is far from perfect but it will help 30 million people and a few of us who remain at the mercy of the health insurance industry. But this drumbeat about how Obama is going to lose this constituency, that constituency for crimes real and imagined are at this early stage hyperbolic and certainly premature.
The good news is that a Zogby-Newsmax poll has Obama beating Bush 48-38. Zogby has definitely taken the one way ride to Palookaville. Once the premier pollster during the Carter years, he is just scrapping bottom for any clients he can get. For me, there is virtually no worth to Zogby polls at this stage.
Which brings me to the sad state of Rasmussen polls, which during past cycles were sensible and reasonable. My gut tells me Rasmussen is cashing in big time in the 2010 election cycle, perhaps to sell the business off. Rasmussen has been repeatedly been conducting polls around the country for Republicans in such a frequency as to raise questions about motivations. There is no earthly reason to have conducted so many polls so early in an election year except to establish a climate , a tone, a background favorable to Republicans and to influence the electorate. And to make buckets of cash.
Breaking down any of his polls recently, you will see Rasmussen over samples Republicans, often by as much as 8-9%. I was sad when Zogby bit the dust of credibility and I also regret Rasmussen travelling down the same road. Check for yourself, the difference in Rasmussen's approval polls for President Obama against Gallup or anyone else. You will find Obama has been in the low 40s in Rasmussen for quite some time, while Gallup ranges from 49 to 52. The difference is not plausible in my mind.
In many of these state races, Rasmussen has the only poll out there. If the Republican leads by less than 10 percent, then consider the race a toss-up. I think that is the margin of real error. And if the Democrat is in any type of lead, you already know the results.
All of this is part of an effort to manufacture a Republican comeback at a time when the party has no ideas or leaders. It's a very tricky thing to pull off. It's true they have their own private TV channel, which is the only one in my lifetime to actively organize protests against a sitting President. They also have dominance in my opinion over the other networks and the Washington Post. But so far they are just throwing anything at the wall to see if it will stick. The rolling Rasmussen polls are part of a strategy of psywarfare. I'm interesting to see what Rasmussen will do from a business angle after the mid-terms are over.
For the public good, I think it would be great to have the media boycott U.S. Senators of both parties for one week. I think this would be a great experiment and it would send our Samurai Warlords crazy. Frankly, I don't care if Blanche Lincoln is for health care but doubtful about reconciliation. Or that Lindsey Graham put his finger in the air and decided it was OK to criticize Liz Cheney. And why must we have John McCain on every week since he lost to President Obama? Did we have Michael Dukakis on every week or John Kerry? And, by the way, where are the Democrats when it comes to national security issues? They never appear to defend the Administration even though it's cleaning up on the war on terror.
I've been watching Alabama ever since accusations were made against Karl Rove manipulating the case against Governor Spiegelman. Alabama over many election cycles has been owned by Republicans. Between Ralph Reed and Karl Rove, there have been dirty tricks played galore in the state. But I've noticed recently that the Democrats are beginning to put together a solid team of candidates, including for Governor. I think this is one state to watch for some interesting changes this year. The other state is Texas.
I was fascinated today to learn Rupert Murdoch is going to move the headquarters for his media empire to Dubai. I wonder how much of this is related to the Saudi ownership in the company. His leading business partner as I've posted elsewhere is a Saudi Prince, who reportedly funds the families of suicide bombers. Interesting that this goes uncommented on in the U.S.
I'm having a tough time becoming a permanent Yankee Fan. Steinbrenner will not extend the contracts of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera until after the season ends. He's the same old goat.
The Packard family is taking out after Carly Fiorina in California. Carly's main argument why she should be a Senator was her "superb" job as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Not so, say the Packards, who believe she brought the company close to ruin. They had to intercede to stop her attempt to acquire Compaq and finally stimulated a shareholder revolt to can her. You will recall the memorable moment in the McCain campaign where Carly told everyone that as CEO she purposely kept H-P funds abroad to escape paying Americam corporate taxes. So the people of California can elect a tax-dodger.
Charlie Crist looks like he's toast in Florida. Marco Rubio has an insurmontable lead for the Republican primary. Rubio is a major scandal waiting to happen. He's already been caught out using the party American Express card to charge his rather extensive personal expenses. He will be a disaster as a Senator, even though conservatives believe he is one of them--he's not. Crist has been a decent governor in hard times. Remember Jeb lost the entire state pension fund at Lehman Brothers. The Democratic candidate is too weak. Crist should either change parties or run as an independent.
Things are looking up for former Republican Lincoln Chaffee in Rhode Island. He appears to have a commanding lead in the race for the state house. He is one of those who was run out of the Republican party by the right.
The New York profile of Liz Cheney is worth a read. The operative elements of the article concern her personal and her husband's relationships with key media personalities in town. All her appearances are very managed and limited with the collusion of her media friends. It's not political, it's totally personal.
Finally, Jimi Hendrix Valleys of Neptune is sweet. You forget how good he was. This is the last album he recorded before he died. It was hung up in litigation until the family won the rights to all his work. It was recorded shortly after Electric Ladyland. I could have done without the copious notes on every single personnel dispute and where the band stayed in Manhattan during this period. But good listening.
Meanwhile Howard Dean led a rally of pro-healthcare protestors in Dupont Circle. The group wanted to make citizens' arrests of medical insurance company executives who have called an emergency meeting in the Capital now that President Obama has taken out after them.
There are now 50 Senators on the record for reconciliation and 40 have signed on for the public option so far. Senate and House Republicans made it clear to day that they are going to make the mid-term elections a referendum on health care reform and will campaign to repeal it. I guess they are throwing in the towel. Now let's walk this one through. Let's say the republicans actually win both the House and the Senate and pass a bill repealing healthcare reform. Do you really think they will have 2/3rds of the Senate to override a veto? It's just a red herring.
Republican news outlets like Politico and Drudge are now circulating the story that Nancy Pelosi has "lost control" of the Democratic caucus because of how she handled the Rangel case. There is virtually no evidence of this. It's just another late minute ploy to shake Democrats who are wavering on health care.
What does disturb me is Steny Hoyer's statement that the vote may not be March 18th as the White House said today. That's the day President Obama is supposed to fly abroad. Don't go, Mr. President, until these clowns vote on it.
While all this is going on, the left appears to be throwing a tantrum and I can't figure it out why. Yes, the health care bill is far from perfect but it will help 30 million people and a few of us who remain at the mercy of the health insurance industry. But this drumbeat about how Obama is going to lose this constituency, that constituency for crimes real and imagined are at this early stage hyperbolic and certainly premature.
The good news is that a Zogby-Newsmax poll has Obama beating Bush 48-38. Zogby has definitely taken the one way ride to Palookaville. Once the premier pollster during the Carter years, he is just scrapping bottom for any clients he can get. For me, there is virtually no worth to Zogby polls at this stage.
Which brings me to the sad state of Rasmussen polls, which during past cycles were sensible and reasonable. My gut tells me Rasmussen is cashing in big time in the 2010 election cycle, perhaps to sell the business off. Rasmussen has been repeatedly been conducting polls around the country for Republicans in such a frequency as to raise questions about motivations. There is no earthly reason to have conducted so many polls so early in an election year except to establish a climate , a tone, a background favorable to Republicans and to influence the electorate. And to make buckets of cash.
Breaking down any of his polls recently, you will see Rasmussen over samples Republicans, often by as much as 8-9%. I was sad when Zogby bit the dust of credibility and I also regret Rasmussen travelling down the same road. Check for yourself, the difference in Rasmussen's approval polls for President Obama against Gallup or anyone else. You will find Obama has been in the low 40s in Rasmussen for quite some time, while Gallup ranges from 49 to 52. The difference is not plausible in my mind.
In many of these state races, Rasmussen has the only poll out there. If the Republican leads by less than 10 percent, then consider the race a toss-up. I think that is the margin of real error. And if the Democrat is in any type of lead, you already know the results.
All of this is part of an effort to manufacture a Republican comeback at a time when the party has no ideas or leaders. It's a very tricky thing to pull off. It's true they have their own private TV channel, which is the only one in my lifetime to actively organize protests against a sitting President. They also have dominance in my opinion over the other networks and the Washington Post. But so far they are just throwing anything at the wall to see if it will stick. The rolling Rasmussen polls are part of a strategy of psywarfare. I'm interesting to see what Rasmussen will do from a business angle after the mid-terms are over.
For the public good, I think it would be great to have the media boycott U.S. Senators of both parties for one week. I think this would be a great experiment and it would send our Samurai Warlords crazy. Frankly, I don't care if Blanche Lincoln is for health care but doubtful about reconciliation. Or that Lindsey Graham put his finger in the air and decided it was OK to criticize Liz Cheney. And why must we have John McCain on every week since he lost to President Obama? Did we have Michael Dukakis on every week or John Kerry? And, by the way, where are the Democrats when it comes to national security issues? They never appear to defend the Administration even though it's cleaning up on the war on terror.
I've been watching Alabama ever since accusations were made against Karl Rove manipulating the case against Governor Spiegelman. Alabama over many election cycles has been owned by Republicans. Between Ralph Reed and Karl Rove, there have been dirty tricks played galore in the state. But I've noticed recently that the Democrats are beginning to put together a solid team of candidates, including for Governor. I think this is one state to watch for some interesting changes this year. The other state is Texas.
I was fascinated today to learn Rupert Murdoch is going to move the headquarters for his media empire to Dubai. I wonder how much of this is related to the Saudi ownership in the company. His leading business partner as I've posted elsewhere is a Saudi Prince, who reportedly funds the families of suicide bombers. Interesting that this goes uncommented on in the U.S.
I'm having a tough time becoming a permanent Yankee Fan. Steinbrenner will not extend the contracts of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera until after the season ends. He's the same old goat.
The Packard family is taking out after Carly Fiorina in California. Carly's main argument why she should be a Senator was her "superb" job as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Not so, say the Packards, who believe she brought the company close to ruin. They had to intercede to stop her attempt to acquire Compaq and finally stimulated a shareholder revolt to can her. You will recall the memorable moment in the McCain campaign where Carly told everyone that as CEO she purposely kept H-P funds abroad to escape paying Americam corporate taxes. So the people of California can elect a tax-dodger.
Charlie Crist looks like he's toast in Florida. Marco Rubio has an insurmontable lead for the Republican primary. Rubio is a major scandal waiting to happen. He's already been caught out using the party American Express card to charge his rather extensive personal expenses. He will be a disaster as a Senator, even though conservatives believe he is one of them--he's not. Crist has been a decent governor in hard times. Remember Jeb lost the entire state pension fund at Lehman Brothers. The Democratic candidate is too weak. Crist should either change parties or run as an independent.
Things are looking up for former Republican Lincoln Chaffee in Rhode Island. He appears to have a commanding lead in the race for the state house. He is one of those who was run out of the Republican party by the right.
The New York profile of Liz Cheney is worth a read. The operative elements of the article concern her personal and her husband's relationships with key media personalities in town. All her appearances are very managed and limited with the collusion of her media friends. It's not political, it's totally personal.
Finally, Jimi Hendrix Valleys of Neptune is sweet. You forget how good he was. This is the last album he recorded before he died. It was hung up in litigation until the family won the rights to all his work. It was recorded shortly after Electric Ladyland. I could have done without the copious notes on every single personnel dispute and where the band stayed in Manhattan during this period. But good listening.
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