My prediction is that it will take two weeks tops for this to be in the headlines.
Two weeks later
Wish I were happier about it.
Showing posts with label things that make you go ewwwww. Show all posts
Showing posts with label things that make you go ewwwww. Show all posts
Friday, August 08, 2008
Hubris - Part 2
On July 26 I wrote:
Two weeks later
Wish I were happier about it.
Two weeks later
Wish I were happier about it.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Hubris
In 2006 Democrats delighted at the scandal-ridden Republicans. Pedophilia, restroom solicitation, lobbying corruption, DoJ politicization. Gone were the days of House post office scandals, of Gary Hart and Bill Clinton. Democrats would clean things up.
With word that Senate Majority leader Harry Reid is engaging in Tom Delay-style K Street lobbying shakedowns, I suppose I also shouldn't be surprised that John Edwards (yes, that John Edwards) is keeping a low profile after being confronted by National Enquirer reporters in the wee hours of the morning in a hotel where the the woman the Enquirer called the mother of his "love child" was staying (with child).
The required caveat is that there may be an explanation, and Edwards may have a legitimate reason for not wanting to talk about it, and for giving non-denial denials. Thus, what follows may be unfair. If so, my apologies.
But really.
No, Really.
I too first dismissed this as tabloid trash. But let's remember this is the same tabloid that produced a photo of Donna Rice on Gary Hart's lap (in front the boat "Monkey Business"). Who surfaced the story of Jesse Jackson's love child, silencing the once-family-values preacher (who later went after Obama for criticizing absent fathers). Who managed to find THAT blue dress that nearly brought down the Clinton White House and probably cost Al Gore the White House.
The Enquirer had already set its sights on the Golden Boy from North Carolina last Fall. When they seemed close to pinning something on Edwards (who was then a candidate for President), the Edwards campaign produce the married-with-kids-campaign-staffer Andrew Young, who then claimed to be the father. Of the kid whose mother later came over for dinner with the whole family. Sure.
But fishy as it all sounded, there was no proof of anything. With Edwards out of the race, there was no real story.
Now the blogosphere is positively abuzz with whether the mainstream press should talk about this. My prediction is that it will take two weeks tops for this to be in the headlines. Like the much-predicted bird flu, no matter how carefully the borders are guarded, there are too many ways in and the material is too contagious to keep out.
Earlier this week, Barack Obama's written prayer deposited in the Wailing Wall in Israel was stolen and broadcast on international websites, despite its insignificant contents. Many conservative bloggers decried this, even while saying they did not support Obama.
In that spirit, though I support John Edwards' campaign to help alleviate poverty in America, I can't offer any defense for him. With sympathy to his wife Elizabeth, who is battling terminal cancer, I have to say Edwards (like Clinton before him) is looking more like the caricature conservatives always claimed him to be: a pious phony who calls others to sacrifice but isn't willing to sacrifice his own libido.
A word of warning to other Democratic politicians: when you tap into a powerful truth about the world, and hold it up to the world, it will attract others. They will often confuse the idea and the person. Their youth and inspiration can also attract you, and remind you of your youth. That idea can also be confused with a person. But trying to grab hold of inspiration or youth gets you neither. It gets you National Enquirer reporters chasing you into restrooms.
So for Eliot Spitzer, and that governor from New Jersey or wherever, and Hart and Jackson and Clinton and Edwards, do us a favor and find another line of work. Kennedy doesn't get Marilyn anymore. I know the family-values conservative crowd have their share of hypocrites, too. They can police their own.
I'm tired of making excuses.
Asshole.
(Oh, and to the liberal bloggers: cut out that "well at least they were women" bullshit. I mean, are you serious? Only two years back into power, a useless Congress, "Bros Before Hos" Obama voters and "Party Unity My Ass" PUMA Democrats who want to vote McCain, and now we're trying to out-gay-bash Republicans? Isn't anybody motivated by the issues any more?)
With word that Senate Majority leader Harry Reid is engaging in Tom Delay-style K Street lobbying shakedowns, I suppose I also shouldn't be surprised that John Edwards (yes, that John Edwards) is keeping a low profile after being confronted by National Enquirer reporters in the wee hours of the morning in a hotel where the the woman the Enquirer called the mother of his "love child" was staying (with child).
The required caveat is that there may be an explanation, and Edwards may have a legitimate reason for not wanting to talk about it, and for giving non-denial denials. Thus, what follows may be unfair. If so, my apologies.
But really.
No, Really.
I too first dismissed this as tabloid trash. But let's remember this is the same tabloid that produced a photo of Donna Rice on Gary Hart's lap (in front the boat "Monkey Business"). Who surfaced the story of Jesse Jackson's love child, silencing the once-family-values preacher (who later went after Obama for criticizing absent fathers). Who managed to find THAT blue dress that nearly brought down the Clinton White House and probably cost Al Gore the White House.
The Enquirer had already set its sights on the Golden Boy from North Carolina last Fall. When they seemed close to pinning something on Edwards (who was then a candidate for President), the Edwards campaign produce the married-with-kids-campaign-staffer Andrew Young, who then claimed to be the father. Of the kid whose mother later came over for dinner with the whole family. Sure.
But fishy as it all sounded, there was no proof of anything. With Edwards out of the race, there was no real story.
Now the blogosphere is positively abuzz with whether the mainstream press should talk about this. My prediction is that it will take two weeks tops for this to be in the headlines. Like the much-predicted bird flu, no matter how carefully the borders are guarded, there are too many ways in and the material is too contagious to keep out.
Earlier this week, Barack Obama's written prayer deposited in the Wailing Wall in Israel was stolen and broadcast on international websites, despite its insignificant contents. Many conservative bloggers decried this, even while saying they did not support Obama.
In that spirit, though I support John Edwards' campaign to help alleviate poverty in America, I can't offer any defense for him. With sympathy to his wife Elizabeth, who is battling terminal cancer, I have to say Edwards (like Clinton before him) is looking more like the caricature conservatives always claimed him to be: a pious phony who calls others to sacrifice but isn't willing to sacrifice his own libido.
A word of warning to other Democratic politicians: when you tap into a powerful truth about the world, and hold it up to the world, it will attract others. They will often confuse the idea and the person. Their youth and inspiration can also attract you, and remind you of your youth. That idea can also be confused with a person. But trying to grab hold of inspiration or youth gets you neither. It gets you National Enquirer reporters chasing you into restrooms.
So for Eliot Spitzer, and that governor from New Jersey or wherever, and Hart and Jackson and Clinton and Edwards, do us a favor and find another line of work. Kennedy doesn't get Marilyn anymore. I know the family-values conservative crowd have their share of hypocrites, too. They can police their own.
I'm tired of making excuses.
Asshole.
(Oh, and to the liberal bloggers: cut out that "well at least they were women" bullshit. I mean, are you serious? Only two years back into power, a useless Congress, "Bros Before Hos" Obama voters and "Party Unity My Ass" PUMA Democrats who want to vote McCain, and now we're trying to out-gay-bash Republicans? Isn't anybody motivated by the issues any more?)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
What I posted to CNN
The idea that being a black man is an advantage in American politics (even Democratic politics) is laughable. Senator Obama is not the first African-American man (or woman) to run for president. He started the campaign running against a well-liked frontrunner who enjoyed the support of the majority of African-Americans. It is not Senator Obama's race that is the secret to his success. It is his powerful vision for what the country and its politics can be, which has attracted so many people.
It is perfectly fair to question this vision, and whether it is realistic.
It is also perfectly fair to "throw the kitchen sink", praise the Republican, offer the 2nd job, for when you are behind you want to start a fight to change the dynamic.
But listening to the conspicuous non-denouncements ('people are entitled to their opinions') of supporters, I now see a more disturbing pattern.
* Attempting to define Obama by his race (Mr. Clinton: doesn't he remind you of Jesse Jackson?)
* Encouraging racial division (Texas Latino leader Adelfa Callejo: blacks didn't support us... we're not going to get over it soon)
* Stoking resentment to affirmative action (Ferraro: the black man is getting the job the white person should be getting)
* Reminding superdelegates that there are a lot of racists out there (PA governor Ed Rendell: lots of people here won't vote for a black man).
Even if I give Hillary the benefit of the doubt on the "as far as I know" religion comment, I can't help but see a campaign strategy at work.
* Attack Obama until he responds angrily on something.
* Portray Obama as the big angry scary black man who attacks the white women, takes the white people's jobs, and is on the other side of a racial struggle against Hispanics.
* Stir up enough racial animosity that superdelegates fear a racial backlash against Obama in November and give the nomination to Clinton "for the greater good"
I hope I am wrong. As a former Clinton supporter (met her and liked her, encouraged people to vote for her last year), I am deeply ashamed of this campaign's behavior.
She seems willing to "cut the child in two"; I wish the superdelegates the wisdom of Solomon.
It is perfectly fair to question this vision, and whether it is realistic.
It is also perfectly fair to "throw the kitchen sink", praise the Republican, offer the 2nd job, for when you are behind you want to start a fight to change the dynamic.
But listening to the conspicuous non-denouncements ('people are entitled to their opinions') of supporters, I now see a more disturbing pattern.
* Attempting to define Obama by his race (Mr. Clinton: doesn't he remind you of Jesse Jackson?)
* Encouraging racial division (Texas Latino leader Adelfa Callejo: blacks didn't support us... we're not going to get over it soon)
* Stoking resentment to affirmative action (Ferraro: the black man is getting the job the white person should be getting)
* Reminding superdelegates that there are a lot of racists out there (PA governor Ed Rendell: lots of people here won't vote for a black man).
Even if I give Hillary the benefit of the doubt on the "as far as I know" religion comment, I can't help but see a campaign strategy at work.
* Attack Obama until he responds angrily on something.
* Portray Obama as the big angry scary black man who attacks the white women, takes the white people's jobs, and is on the other side of a racial struggle against Hispanics.
* Stir up enough racial animosity that superdelegates fear a racial backlash against Obama in November and give the nomination to Clinton "for the greater good"
I hope I am wrong. As a former Clinton supporter (met her and liked her, encouraged people to vote for her last year), I am deeply ashamed of this campaign's behavior.
She seems willing to "cut the child in two"; I wish the superdelegates the wisdom of Solomon.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
The kind of things you don't read blogs for
Who said a blog can't be an electronic notepad?
Who said you can't use it to write up all the tedious things you've learned in one evening about home networking, such as:
Do dentists wander around looking at people's teeth in their spare time? This computer stuff is like Invasion of the Body Snatchers sometimes.
Who said you can't use it to write up all the tedious things you've learned in one evening about home networking, such as:
- You can't string wireless routers together. Those are bridges.
- AT&T customer support doesn't care if the tech already told you it was the line coming into the apartment. They will make you get the modem off the carpet and remove the router.
- AT&T customer support doesn't care if you've told them that the problem is intermittent, they will still ask you after each test "is it working now?"
- AT&T customer support are very patient and polite, but have little sense of humor when you respond to their instruction to "now wait until the connection stabilizes" with a pithy "I've been waiting for two weeks now."
- AT&T's DSL technicians are the kind of folks you want as a neighbor to help you with projects. The kind that give you their phone number to call them directly next time. And they laugh. Now where was that number?
- Number of new networking devices purchased in the past 2 weeks: 4
- Number not actually needed: 2
- Number of additional network devices to be purchased this weekend: 2
- Things that can mess up your DSL line: other unfiltered phones, the test ringer the phone company puts on your line, dimmer switches, TVs, modems on carpet, aged modems, phone cords running parallel to the power cords, thin phone cords, long phone cords, logical network routers you cannot see, and apparently at least one more thing yet to be determined.
- Current Internet Crush: Slate magazine. Articles on "Stop hating on the new compact flourescent bulbs" plus a 30+ minute audio book club discussing Eat Pray Love. These are the people I want to invite over to drink the good stuff.
- Single worst thing your router can do to you: give bogus DHCP addresses. Hardcoded IP, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers Ahoy! Remember to reprogram every time you plug directly into the modem to troubleshoot your DSL. And forget about talking to non-PC devices on your network. You don't even want to see the workaround.
- Why your Belkin Network USB hub won't let you connect to your USB devices: Because when you moved your PC and hub onto a new router daisy-chained to the old router, so your DHCP would work and they'd be on the same subnet, the Windows Firewall would not open up as many ports as the original setup, and your UDP packets would be dropped. Which you would see once you read all about the new Vista advanced firewall, with 3 separate modes and rule-builder interface. It's UDP port 19540 inbound that is being dropped, by the way. And no, it's not in the guide. [edit: okay, so it is in the troublehooting help... but who reads that?]
- Chance of your Voice-over-IP wireless router still giving you a dial tone after you daisy-chain it off the wired router that gives out proper DHCP addresses: Guess.
- Reason the remote iPod will not show up in iTunes while the remote digicam will copy pictures: not a clue
- It's one thing troubleshooting stuff like this for 7.5 hours. It's another to do so when your Internet connection bounces up and down constantly for hours at a time.
Do dentists wander around looking at people's teeth in their spare time? This computer stuff is like Invasion of the Body Snatchers sometimes.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Fear Factor
Grades for the California Republican Debate:
Mitt Romney
Slogan: "I'm not a charming actor, but I play one on TV"
Fear Factor: The evil stepdad in the Lifetime Weekend Movie
Rudy Giuliani
Slogan: "If you let me in your club I promise to blow something up"
Fear Factor: J.D. in Heathers
John McCain
Slogan: "Sorry I get a bit unhinged when the meds wear off. Heh heh. Zzzz"
Fear Factor: Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Rocky Horror Picture Show
Sam Brownback
Slogan: "I love life, I eat it every day"
Fear Factor: Zombie Ned Flanders
Tommy Thompson
Slogan: "Yes, I'm a proud conservative. No, I wasn't in Law & Order"
Fear Factor: stumbling high-heeled beauty queen in any slasher pic
Jim Gilmore
Slogan: "I'm a proud conservative, too, AND I got a 9/11 plane!"
Fear Factor: driver who stops at the old house/farm/hotel for the night
Duncan Hunter
Slogan: "No, that's not a porn name"
Fear Factor: Zed from Pulp Fiction
Tom Tancredo
Slogan: "How can we talk about taxes & wars with all these Mexicans everywhere?"
Fear Factor: Prince Prospero, Poe's Mask of the Red Death
Mike Huckabee
Slogan: "Would you mind if I asked your sister out?"
Fear Factor: cuddly puppy
Ron Paul
Slogan: "Corrupt, incompetent Republicans just prove government doesn't work!"
Fear Factor: Scientist who decides to study the alien rather than kill it
Mitt Romney
Slogan: "I'm not a charming actor, but I play one on TV"
Fear Factor: The evil stepdad in the Lifetime Weekend Movie
Rudy Giuliani
Slogan: "If you let me in your club I promise to blow something up"
Fear Factor: J.D. in Heathers
John McCain
Slogan: "Sorry I get a bit unhinged when the meds wear off. Heh heh. Zzzz"
Fear Factor: Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Rocky Horror Picture Show
Sam Brownback
Slogan: "I love life, I eat it every day"
Fear Factor: Zombie Ned Flanders
Tommy Thompson
Slogan: "Yes, I'm a proud conservative. No, I wasn't in Law & Order"
Fear Factor: stumbling high-heeled beauty queen in any slasher pic
Jim Gilmore
Slogan: "I'm a proud conservative, too, AND I got a 9/11 plane!"
Fear Factor: driver who stops at the old house/farm/hotel for the night
Duncan Hunter
Slogan: "No, that's not a porn name"
Fear Factor: Zed from Pulp Fiction
Tom Tancredo
Slogan: "How can we talk about taxes & wars with all these Mexicans everywhere?"
Fear Factor: Prince Prospero, Poe's Mask of the Red Death
Mike Huckabee
Slogan: "Would you mind if I asked your sister out?"
Fear Factor: cuddly puppy
Ron Paul
Slogan: "Corrupt, incompetent Republicans just prove government doesn't work!"
Fear Factor: Scientist who decides to study the alien rather than kill it
Blogging the Republican debate
Crap, I thought it started at 8pm! dang!
This is going too fast, and I missed most of it.
But seeing a show of hands of who doesn't believe in evolution,
well, that's just grand.
And Sam Brownback saying that he has a compassionate and aggressive foreign policy.
Mike Huckabee says that if Republicans let big business move jobs overseas, dump pensions and then take multimillion dollar bonuses, then the Republicans don't deserve to win the White House.
So not all Republicans are in the pocket of Wall Street. Cool.
Ron Paul, meet Mike Gravel, Mike meet Ron.
Terry Schiavo... McCain is not impressing me. Of course, I'm not the target audience. Too wishy washy.
Now it's time for Clinton-bashing... yadda yadda
Damn, this is why I hate Republicans (I hate Democrats, too, sometimes). The laughing at trashing people. Just a little too much like the way folks laugh about the blacks/gays/immigrants/etc. Very clubby. Waaaaaaay too clubby. A lack of seriousness.
McCain I'll give credit here. At least he's not being insulting. I do sympathize with the Republicans who are turned off by Bush-bashing. This is the same thing in reverse.
Is it just me or does every question start with Romney?
They are having to raise their hands to get to speak. Matthews isn't doing as well as Williams, but I think it is more the willingness of the candidates to go over.
Sam Brownback supports the Biden approach to Iraq.
Thompson fumbles his words too much. Stage left, Governor.
Giuliani and Romney come off best, though Huckabee and Gilmore are good.
That's it, at least they are rebroadcasting this one at 10pm CDT.
==================
Recap from the top.
Brownback. Scary scary. Seems almost orgasmic when he says confrontation and aggressive. Like the kid who sketches guns and skulls on his notebook cover.
Huckabee. I like him. Don't know his politics exactly, but seems to be thoughtful and not afraid to speak hard truths. Said we needed 300k troops and didn't listen to the generals, but doesn't pile on. He's positive.
Ron Paul. Non-interventionist.
McCain on Iran. (Earlier he talked about winners and losers... comes across as more interested in "winning" than in soldiers... like someone who wouldn't stop arguing until he 'won'... a little scary). Dances around. Basically says war with Iran if they get a nuke and .... and.... if intelligence indicates they ... well...
Who's this guy? He stutters. He says a threat to the existence of Israel is a threat to the existence of the United States.
Giuliani. Much more polished. Invoked Reagan... again
Gilmore on bin Laden. Seems thoughtful as well. Understands diplomacy (or at least talks the talk) .. invokes moral high ground... he's actually very good on this... needing to win hearts and minds. He doesn't scare me.
Romney says bin Laden will pay, will die. Eh. Seems like a pressed suit. Too rehearsed, get no sense of his thought process. Like an actor.
McCain is funny on whether to put Tancredo (Mr. Anti-immigration) head of immigration.. "In a word 'No'"
Huckabee Yes on immigrants for president after his 8 years. Everyone else is No. McCain and Giuliani both dodge the question. Kudos to Romney for the guts to at least answer the question.
Romney asked what he dislikes about America, and ... he loves it, the mountains, god-loving people, now Reagan, ... (ugh) you could make a pull-string doll with that recording.
Huckabee on climate change... boy scout... leave the campsite in better shape... says science is for scientists. Wow, another really attractive answer. I'm ... impressed.
Mr Stutter on curing diseases, stem cells, cloning people...
Duncan Hunter on compassionate conservative. Says Yes, then immediate pivots to threatening Iran. Isn't compassion touching? Doesn't want to wait until Iran has the bomb, implies he wants to bomb now.
Ron Paul on the IRS... wants to eliminate it. Says we shouldn't police the world and take care cradle to grave, can do without IRS if change role of government.
Roe v Wade... everyone says great except Giuliani.. he says he'll take it either way, that precedent counts for something.
Subtlety. Gilmore says exceptions for abortion okay, touts his credentials. Thompson says leave it to the states, though pro-life.
Romney ... always for life or pro-choice. Personally pro-life, but protects the law which was pro-choice. Notes Reagan, Bush, Hyde were pro-choice once. Says he changed because of cloning etc was Brave New World and changed his mind.
Brownback says he could support pro-choice because big tent is important, 80% agreement is still good. Darn, both scary and smart.
Giuliani is caught trying to dodge abortion issue. Says he hates abortion but supported abortion funding in New York. Problem is he tried to dodge it 3 times before saying "Yes".
McCain... "good and evil" ... doing the "My friends"... presidential bit. Sounds okay. Talks about Powerful nation. Eh. Now everyone else is crowing about defense backgrounds and growing threats.
Huckabee again. He talks softly and optimistically. Culture of life... islmaic fascists .. eh. Clearly I'm not that target audience.
Ron Paul... back to the role of government... not policing the world. Overdoing military aggressiveness weakens us.
Private employer firing gay workers. Tommy Thompson would leave it up to business (hence okay).
Romney on Roman Catholic bishops denying communion. Clever answer, government shouldn't tell churches what they can do. Smart, well prepared.
Huckabee says his faith explains his decision process. Getting grilled about criticizing Romney, rather unfairly.
Romney getting a lot of airtime. Blather.
Brownback we're a nation of faith. Invokes Lieberman. We need to embrace it, not running it out of public square.
Hunter on border fence. Double fence. Reduced crime etc.
Gilmore. Knows Karl Rove, should keep him? Dodge first try. Dodge second time, more elegantly, talks about more important things.
Tancredo... that's the stutterer. Rove is out, especially because of immigration.
Giuliani on Christian Conservatism. Lots of anyone in the party is good. Says no party has monopoly on virtue. And he can get Democrats to
Thompson is conservative in a blue state, popular, and started welfare reform, will reform Washington. Reagan Reagan Reagan. Did we mention Reagan.
Brownback on corruption in Republican Party. Says they go to jail, but what about stronger families (huh?). Keeps talking about backing up, kids born out of wedlock. Kids hearing nappy headed hos. (What this has to do with corrupt politicians... ?)
Tancredo on corruption... failure of individuals. Centrist needed to win? No Reagan was not a centrist, he followed his belief. What matters is believing what you say.
McCain on special interests (passing a chance to shoot at Giuliani, bit classy and well handled). Spending is to blame for loss. Good line about drunken sailors, but fumbles it by saying he has more time.
/// now we're at start again///
McCain is weird when he acts tough then, ending his answer, suddenly does this awkward smile.
Romney takes an invited shot at Giuliani about taking actions to limit abortions.
Giuliani says he doesn't like abortion but ultimately respects a woman's right to make a different moral decision. Credit for the toughest answer of the night.
Thompson on racism, you can try to rally against it setting a good precedent.
Tancredo says if they talked straight about immigration, he would get the nomination.
McCain says enforcement plus dealing with 12 million people.
Inconvenient Truth? Didn't watch it, says Duncan Hunter, but no taxes on alternative energy, wants to invest in private industry for this.
Ron Paul on crisis decisions. He was a doctor I guess, can't think of a critical decision, urged to not go to war.
Gilmore, women in prison, nonviolent first time offenders. Must insist upon obedience to the law. Notes he was also prosecutor and governor during 9/11.
Stem cell. Romney has sick wife but will not farm embryos, will allow private funding. Brownback, adult stem cells will work. Everyone concurs, Thompson says you can't answer but then clearly says it isn't necessary. McCain says we need to support federal funding. Ron Paul says government should say out.
Romney on health care. Not ashamed of it, invokes Heritage Foundation, market market, private sector, joke about Ted Kennedy. Market.
McCain on tax cuts. He was being a budget hawk, good pivot to invoke anger at spending.
Everyone talks about tax cuts. No capital gains tax, alternative flat tax, AMT, flat tax, no IRS, consumption tax instead, manufacturing tax, line item veto, tax credits for health care. Ron Paul no income tax and reduce government spending. Death tax, marginal rates.
This is going too fast, and I missed most of it.
But seeing a show of hands of who doesn't believe in evolution,
well, that's just grand.
And Sam Brownback saying that he has a compassionate and aggressive foreign policy.
Mike Huckabee says that if Republicans let big business move jobs overseas, dump pensions and then take multimillion dollar bonuses, then the Republicans don't deserve to win the White House.
So not all Republicans are in the pocket of Wall Street. Cool.
Ron Paul, meet Mike Gravel, Mike meet Ron.
Terry Schiavo... McCain is not impressing me. Of course, I'm not the target audience. Too wishy washy.
Now it's time for Clinton-bashing... yadda yadda
Damn, this is why I hate Republicans (I hate Democrats, too, sometimes). The laughing at trashing people. Just a little too much like the way folks laugh about the blacks/gays/immigrants/etc. Very clubby. Waaaaaaay too clubby. A lack of seriousness.
McCain I'll give credit here. At least he's not being insulting. I do sympathize with the Republicans who are turned off by Bush-bashing. This is the same thing in reverse.
Is it just me or does every question start with Romney?
They are having to raise their hands to get to speak. Matthews isn't doing as well as Williams, but I think it is more the willingness of the candidates to go over.
Sam Brownback supports the Biden approach to Iraq.
Thompson fumbles his words too much. Stage left, Governor.
Giuliani and Romney come off best, though Huckabee and Gilmore are good.
That's it, at least they are rebroadcasting this one at 10pm CDT.
==================
Recap from the top.
Brownback. Scary scary. Seems almost orgasmic when he says confrontation and aggressive. Like the kid who sketches guns and skulls on his notebook cover.
Huckabee. I like him. Don't know his politics exactly, but seems to be thoughtful and not afraid to speak hard truths. Said we needed 300k troops and didn't listen to the generals, but doesn't pile on. He's positive.
Ron Paul. Non-interventionist.
McCain on Iran. (Earlier he talked about winners and losers... comes across as more interested in "winning" than in soldiers... like someone who wouldn't stop arguing until he 'won'... a little scary). Dances around. Basically says war with Iran if they get a nuke and .... and.... if intelligence indicates they ... well...
Who's this guy? He stutters. He says a threat to the existence of Israel is a threat to the existence of the United States.
Giuliani. Much more polished. Invoked Reagan... again
Gilmore on bin Laden. Seems thoughtful as well. Understands diplomacy (or at least talks the talk) .. invokes moral high ground... he's actually very good on this... needing to win hearts and minds. He doesn't scare me.
Romney says bin Laden will pay, will die. Eh. Seems like a pressed suit. Too rehearsed, get no sense of his thought process. Like an actor.
McCain is funny on whether to put Tancredo (Mr. Anti-immigration) head of immigration.. "In a word 'No'"
Huckabee Yes on immigrants for president after his 8 years. Everyone else is No. McCain and Giuliani both dodge the question. Kudos to Romney for the guts to at least answer the question.
Romney asked what he dislikes about America, and ... he loves it, the mountains, god-loving people, now Reagan, ... (ugh) you could make a pull-string doll with that recording.
Huckabee on climate change... boy scout... leave the campsite in better shape... says science is for scientists. Wow, another really attractive answer. I'm ... impressed.
Mr Stutter on curing diseases, stem cells, cloning people...
Duncan Hunter on compassionate conservative. Says Yes, then immediate pivots to threatening Iran. Isn't compassion touching? Doesn't want to wait until Iran has the bomb, implies he wants to bomb now.
Ron Paul on the IRS... wants to eliminate it. Says we shouldn't police the world and take care cradle to grave, can do without IRS if change role of government.
Roe v Wade... everyone says great except Giuliani.. he says he'll take it either way, that precedent counts for something.
Subtlety. Gilmore says exceptions for abortion okay, touts his credentials. Thompson says leave it to the states, though pro-life.
Romney ... always for life or pro-choice. Personally pro-life, but protects the law which was pro-choice. Notes Reagan, Bush, Hyde were pro-choice once. Says he changed because of cloning etc was Brave New World and changed his mind.
Brownback says he could support pro-choice because big tent is important, 80% agreement is still good. Darn, both scary and smart.
Giuliani is caught trying to dodge abortion issue. Says he hates abortion but supported abortion funding in New York. Problem is he tried to dodge it 3 times before saying "Yes".
McCain... "good and evil" ... doing the "My friends"... presidential bit. Sounds okay. Talks about Powerful nation. Eh. Now everyone else is crowing about defense backgrounds and growing threats.
Huckabee again. He talks softly and optimistically. Culture of life... islmaic fascists .. eh. Clearly I'm not that target audience.
Ron Paul... back to the role of government... not policing the world. Overdoing military aggressiveness weakens us.
Private employer firing gay workers. Tommy Thompson would leave it up to business (hence okay).
Romney on Roman Catholic bishops denying communion. Clever answer, government shouldn't tell churches what they can do. Smart, well prepared.
Huckabee says his faith explains his decision process. Getting grilled about criticizing Romney, rather unfairly.
Romney getting a lot of airtime. Blather.
Brownback we're a nation of faith. Invokes Lieberman. We need to embrace it, not running it out of public square.
Hunter on border fence. Double fence. Reduced crime etc.
Gilmore. Knows Karl Rove, should keep him? Dodge first try. Dodge second time, more elegantly, talks about more important things.
Tancredo... that's the stutterer. Rove is out, especially because of immigration.
Giuliani on Christian Conservatism. Lots of anyone in the party is good. Says no party has monopoly on virtue. And he can get Democrats to
Thompson is conservative in a blue state, popular, and started welfare reform, will reform Washington. Reagan Reagan Reagan. Did we mention Reagan.
Brownback on corruption in Republican Party. Says they go to jail, but what about stronger families (huh?). Keeps talking about backing up, kids born out of wedlock. Kids hearing nappy headed hos. (What this has to do with corrupt politicians... ?)
Tancredo on corruption... failure of individuals. Centrist needed to win? No Reagan was not a centrist, he followed his belief. What matters is believing what you say.
McCain on special interests (passing a chance to shoot at Giuliani, bit classy and well handled). Spending is to blame for loss. Good line about drunken sailors, but fumbles it by saying he has more time.
/// now we're at start again///
McCain is weird when he acts tough then, ending his answer, suddenly does this awkward smile.
Romney takes an invited shot at Giuliani about taking actions to limit abortions.
Giuliani says he doesn't like abortion but ultimately respects a woman's right to make a different moral decision. Credit for the toughest answer of the night.
Thompson on racism, you can try to rally against it setting a good precedent.
Tancredo says if they talked straight about immigration, he would get the nomination.
McCain says enforcement plus dealing with 12 million people.
Inconvenient Truth? Didn't watch it, says Duncan Hunter, but no taxes on alternative energy, wants to invest in private industry for this.
Ron Paul on crisis decisions. He was a doctor I guess, can't think of a critical decision, urged to not go to war.
Gilmore, women in prison, nonviolent first time offenders. Must insist upon obedience to the law. Notes he was also prosecutor and governor during 9/11.
Stem cell. Romney has sick wife but will not farm embryos, will allow private funding. Brownback, adult stem cells will work. Everyone concurs, Thompson says you can't answer but then clearly says it isn't necessary. McCain says we need to support federal funding. Ron Paul says government should say out.
Romney on health care. Not ashamed of it, invokes Heritage Foundation, market market, private sector, joke about Ted Kennedy. Market.
McCain on tax cuts. He was being a budget hawk, good pivot to invoke anger at spending.
Everyone talks about tax cuts. No capital gains tax, alternative flat tax, AMT, flat tax, no IRS, consumption tax instead, manufacturing tax, line item veto, tax credits for health care. Ron Paul no income tax and reduce government spending. Death tax, marginal rates.
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