Reality-Based GOP?

Ken AshfordElection 2008, RepublicansLeave a Comment

Hardly: Both former mayor Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) suggested they would support using the [waterboarding] technique. Specifically asked about waterboarding, Giuliani said he would allow “every method [interrogators] could think of and I would support them in doing it.” Tancredo later added, “I’m looking for Jack Bauer,” referencing the television character who has used torture techniques such … Read More

Rudy Loses His Conservative Cred

Ken AshfordElection 20081 Comment

I think this is the beginning of the end for Guiliani.  He’s lost the conservative vote now: Giuliani gave to Planned Parenthood Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani in his campaign appearances this year has stated that he personally abhors abortion, even though he supports keeping a legal right to choose. But records show that in the ’90s he contributed money … Read More

The Seven Year Itch

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

GOP Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, to graduating students at Regent University (Pat Robertson’s school, from which many future convicts, including Monica Goodling, have graduated): "It seems that Europe leads Americans in this way of thinking," Romney told the crowd of more than 5,000. "In France, for instance, I’m told that marriage is now frequently contracted in seven-year terms where either … Read More

The GOP Debate

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

I didn’t (nor wouldn’t) watch it, but I was curious as to what the right blogosphere and right punditry thought.  The consensus seems to be this, as expressed by the New York Sun: But, now, to name the winners and losers. Off the bat, let me stipulate that I don’t consider any of the seven dwarves to necessitate much analysis. … Read More

Lost

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

The AP asked the presidential candidates what item each would "most like to have if he were stranded on a desert island." Democrats: Sen. Joe Biden: "Jill, my wife." Sen. Hillary Clinton: "A good book." Sen. Chris Dodd: "Coffee with cream and sugar." John Edwards: "A book." Rep. Dennis Kucinich: His wife, Elizabeth. Sen. Barack Obama: "Other than my wife … Read More

Barry Manilow Can’t Make Up His Mind

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Celebrity donations to political candidates: Hillary Clinton: Candice Bergen, Christie Brinkley, Chevy Chase, Hugh Hefner, Christine Lahti, Barry Manilow, Marla Maples, Rosie O’Donnell, Jerry Springer, Barbra Streisand Barack Obama: Jennifer Aniston, Jackson Browne, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks, Dennis Haysbert, Tobey Maguire, Barry Manilow, Branford Marsalis, Eddie Murphy, Ed Norton, Ben Stiller, Gene Wilder Chris Dodd: Edie Brickell, Michael Douglas, Steve … Read More

The Sympathy Surge

Ken AshfordElection 2008, Right Wing Punditry/Idiocy1 Comment

Leave to the vile right-wing radio morons to suggest that John Edwards is using his wife’s battle with cancer for political ends and to garnish votes. Rush Limbaugh, who suggested a few months ago that Michael J. Fox was exaggerated his disease for political effect, said yesterday about the Edwards press conference: Now, this suggests to me that, look, let’s … Read More

Setting The Bar Waaaaay Low

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Real Clear Politics, defending Rudy Giuliani from Giuliani’s critics: Look at this way: Has any credible person or group come forward to claim that Giuliani’s handling of 9/11 and its aftermath on the whole left New York worse off? Setting aside the charges of one aggrieved group (and the firefighters are a big one, admittedly), who is claiming New York … Read More

The Search For An Obama Scandal Grows

Ken AshfordElection 20081 Comment

Really, is this the worst the media can dig up? Two weeks before the US senator from Illinois launched his presidential campaign, he paid parking tickets he received while attending Harvard Law School, officials said yesterday. Obama received 17 parking tickets in Cambridge between 1988 and 1991, according to the city’s Traffic, Parking & Transportation Department. Of those tickets, he … Read More

Election ’08: NH Poll

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

The first New Hampshire poll of the season from Suffolk is out. It has a small sample size (212 in the Democratic sample), so its value may be limited.  The poll was taken February 24-28. Democrats: Clinton: 28Obama: 26Edwards: 17Biden: 3Kucinich: 2Richardson: 2Unsure: 17 This is pretty much what I expect, although Hillary, the putative frontrunner, has got to be … Read More

John Edwards Virtual Campaign Headquarters Attacked

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

This is a little weird, but so is the 21st century. As I posted a few weeks ago, John Edwards established the first campaign headquarters in virtual reality — specifically, in Second Life.  I thought that was pretty saavy, and a sign of things to come. Unfortunately, the headquarters have been virtually vandalized.  A group of, well, miscreants with too … Read More

’08 Matchups

Ken AshfordElection 20081 Comment

Presidential race match-ups mean little at this early stage, but they do mean something.  Zogby’s latest match-up poll of the top three GOP contenders (Guiliani, McCain, and Romney — in that order)vs. the top 3 Democratic contenders (Clinton, Obama, and Edwards — in that order) is interesting: Giuliani 47%, Clinton 40% Giuliani 40%, Obama 46% Giuliani 46%, Edwards 40% McCain … Read More

Guy Who Never Had A Chance In Hell Drops Out

Ken AshfordElection 2008Leave a Comment

Vilsack ends his 2008 presidential bid. For those of you who don’t know him (98% of us), he is the ex-governor of Iowa.  Here’s a photo: UPDATE: CNN gives us Vilsack-in-a-nutshell: Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa) Filed candidacy papers with the FEC on 11/9/2006 (two days after midterm) Dropping out 2/23/2007 Length of campaign: 15 weeks, 1 day (106 days) Not the … Read More