John McCain has an interesting choice to make as to who should be his vice presidential running mate. In the most basic of terms the considerations are wide. It’s not even clear the so-called “Maverick” would pick a Republican, though it would be a pretty craven Democrat who would accept his request. What’s that, Joe Lieberman?
A woman? Someone in a wheelchair? A general?
How about Colin Powell? Woah, that one is worth a long, considering pause isn’t it?
Regionally does it matter? Likely not another southwest presence but what about Arnold Schwarzenegger to help drag California to his side? I think it is technically constitutionally legal for a naturalized American to be vice president. National media would shine the biggest spotlight on this campaign.
Laura Ingraham? McCain likes the blondes.
Would he want to strengthen his hawkish (to put it mildly) positions or push someone who would balance where he is perceived as weak.
Does he accept that he is not conservative enough and that being more conservative would actually help with the general electorate?
Would he bring Jonah Goldberg aboard so the right-leaning blogosphere would finally come aboard?
Michael Bloomberg is a serious consideration. What say you?
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BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (2)
With his own confetti strewn picture atop his Web site, Independent candidate Ralph Nader wants people to not only listen to his views but to vote for him and send him money to become the 44th President of America.
Currently there sure do seem to be a lot of potential defectors from the Democratic Party if their preferred candidate doesn’t get the nomination. From the right, it’s hard to think Nader’s anti-corporate stance - not a bad thing - will draw many Republican defectors unhappy with John McCain. After all, they don’t like him because of McCain-Feingold’s attempted stripping of money power from corporations. McCain isn’t right enough.
Nader lays down 12 major issues he says are “off the table” of the other candidates. They are:
• Adopt single payer national health insurance
• Cut the huge, bloated, wasteful military budget
• No to nuclear power, solar energy first
• Aggressive crackdown on corporate crime and corporate welfare
• Open up the Presidential debates
• Adopt a carbon pollution tax
• Reverse U.S. policy in the Middle East
• Impeach Bush/Cheney
• Repeal the Taft-Hartley anti-union law
• Adopt a Wall Street securities speculation tax
• Put an end to ballot access obstructionism
• Work to end corporate personhood
Here Nader makes the pitch why he’s a better choice than McCain or Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton:
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BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (3)
After a sweep of the states tonight, In what was a fairly substantial - and conservative speech - John McCain accepts the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential race. This is a big deal for McCain who has been trying for so long.
Because he wrapped up the campaign, in all but math weeks ago, this speech has been prepared for a while.
In Austin, Texas, speech below:
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BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (0)
If you can, watch the actual caucus take place and evolve on CSPAN and inside people’s homes. Democratic voters will be on CSPAN and Republican voters will be on CSPAN2. For sheer watching Democracy and decision-making in action, the Democratic caucus is the best. They have second choice options and an effective, modified, proportional run-off for candidates who get low percentages. For a state that the rest of the country(’s media) supposedly takes it’s lead from, this proportional run-off idea sure hasn’t got off the ground.
Predictions: All the candidates will do well on the Democratic side, with John Edwards being the winner, due to second choices when other candidates and Rudolph Guiliani will get the shock of his life, coming in last. Ron Paul’s supporters will be close behind in the shocked department, but Paul will poll better than he ever has in his life. Mitt Romney will win, with Mike Huckabee’s latest stunts** showing him unqualified to walk the “honest candidate” line, and Romeny having the advantage of never having even approached that line.
If only this was truly the start of the election season. There’s been an awful lot of money spent to change just a few minds and, if it wasn’t for the focus on character and perceived flaws, there would be a lot more informed voters out there, too.
With Web sites there to deliver the positions, policies and white papers, elections should be much less expensive, not too mention less expansive. Sure the country’s big but great swaths of it get ignored anyway except for money grabs so “attention-grabbing” ads can be produced and aired, nationwide. Truly anyone who cares will watch them on You Tube or campaign sites, whether getting to the public library to do so, or feet propped up in front of the TV and computer both.
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BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (4)
A month from now, on January 3 Iowa is the first occasion voters get to mark their preference for the next leader of the United States. Five months later on June 3, Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico (for Republicans close out the hunting season.
That’s first date is a month away, and that date,unfortunately marks the gunshot start of a race to the bottom of the rhetorical barrel.
Who can possibly disagree?
It would be nice if there was more hope for an intelligent discussion about the future of the country. Instead, it’s not only going to be horrible it’s going to be embarassing to all thinking people in the country. The usual suspects will enjoy all kinds of gotcha and on the other side we’ll all feel a little stupider.
But, the winner and his or her supporters will feel great. Can we the people really have hope that this country’s politicians solve anything rather than just tread water to do the bare minimum of care and due dilegence?
The National Association of Secretaries of State actually has a decent plan to hold four regional primary election days in the first weeks of March, April May & June.
Maybe that will come to pass in 2009. Meanwhile, Feb. 5 is when the fit hits the shan as 23 states hold primaries, 20 for both parties. Iowa and Kansas, this year, are holding caucuses. Hawaii Republicans are choosing delegates during the first week of February.
Several other, local and congressional primary elections will take place the same days. More on that at PolState.com later.
JANUARY - 13 primary elections in 7 states:
Jan. 3 Iowa (caucus) - R & D
Jan. 5 Wyoming - R only
Jan. 8 New Hamshire - R & D
Jan. 15 Michigan - R & D
Jan. 19 Nevada - R & D
Jan. 19 South Carolina - R only
Jan. 26 South Carolina - D only
Jan. 29 Florida - R & D
FEBRUARY - 57 primary elections in 30 states:
Feb. 1: Maine - R only
Feb. 5: Alabama - R & D
Feb. 5: Alaska - R & D
Feb. 5: Arizona - R & D
Feb. 5: Arkansas - R & D
Feb. 5: California - R & D
Feb. 5: Colorado - R & D
Feb. 5: Connecticut - R & D
Feb. 5: Delaware - R & D
Feb. 5: Georgia - R & D
Feb. 5: Idaho - D only
Feb. 5: Illinois - R & D
Feb. 5: Kansas - D only
Feb. 5: Massachusetts - R & D
Feb. 5: Minnesota - R & D
Feb. 5: Missouri - R & D
Feb. 5: New Jersey - R & D
Feb. 5: New Mexico - D only
Feb. 5: New York - R & D
Feb. 5: North Dakota - R & D
Feb. 5: Oklahoma - R & D
Feb. 5: Tennessee - R & D
Feb. 5: Utah - R & D
Feb. 9: Kansas - R only
Feb. 9: Louisiana - R & D
Feb. 10: Maine - D only
Feb. 12: D.C. - R & D
Feb. 12: Maryland - R & D
Feb. 12: Virginia - R & D
Feb. 19: Hawaii - D only
Feb. 19: Washington - R & D
Feb. 19: Wisconsin - R & D
- and the rest who were sane enough not to care because it’s a primary and they’ll likely get the candidates who have a chance of winning, anyway.
MARCH - 11 primary elections in 6 states:
Mar. 4: Ohio - R & D
Mar. 4: Rhode Island - R & D
Mar. 4: Texas - R & D
Mar. 4: Vermont - R & D
Mar. 8: Wyoming - D only
Mar. 11: Mississippi - R & D
APRIL - 2 primary elections in 1 states:
Apr. 22: Pennsylvania - R & D
MAY - 13 primary elections in 7 states:
May 6: Indiana - R & D
May 6: North Carolina - R & D
May 13: Nebraska - R & D
May 13: West Virginia - R & D
May 20: Kentucky - R & D
May 20: Oregon - R & D
May 27: Idaho - R only
JUNE - 5 primary elections in 3 states:
Jun. 3: Montana - R & D
Jun. 3: South Dakota - R & D
Jun. 3: New Mexico - R only
New Mexico’s Republican primary has the distinction of being the last primary poll to close for the season.
Then when all that’s over, the uselessness of the conventions where scripts are read and very poor theater is played out on garish stages:
Democratic Party, Aug 25-28 in Denver
Republican Party, Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul
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BY: Temple Stark | Comments and Links (3)
GUEST POST
By TYLER MILLS
Big money from outside groups is being poured into Iowa’s 1st Congressional District Race between Waterloo trial lawyer Bruce Braley (D) and Bettendorf restaurateur Mike Whalen (R).
As of Tuesday, Oct. 17 the NRCC has spent 1.5 million in support of Whalen, while the DCCC has shelled out $784,000 dollars on behalf of […]
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BY: GUEST | Comments and Links (2)
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