Joe M. has posted the new ATHF, which now rotates among DE bloggers. Check it out at his blog, Merit-bound Alley.

Posted by Ryan S. at 12:21 PM | Permalink | |

My heroes this week are Bob Geldof and President Bush.



Bush for his African policies, and Geldof for doing the legwork that Bush doesn't do, namely talk about them in the media. Geldof has a really cool piece in TIME about traveling with the president:

"That's ridiculous," says Bush. "We're still working on it. We're trying to build a humanitarian mission that would train up soldiers for peace and security so that African nations are more capable of dealing with Africa's conflicts. You agree with that dontcha?" Indeed I do. The British intervention in Sierra Leone stopped and prevented a catastrophe, as did U.S. action in Liberia. Later, in public, Bush says, "I want to dispel the notion that all of a sudden America is bringing all kinds of military to Africa. It's simply not true ... That's baloney, or as we say in Texas — that's bull!" Trouble is, it sounds to me a lot like what the U.S. did in the early Vietnam years with the advisers who became something else. Mission creep, I think it's called.

"No, that won't happen," Bush insists. "We're still working on what exactly it'll be, but it will be a humanitarian mission, training in peace and security, conflict resolution ... It's a new concept and we want to get it right." He muses for a while on the U.S. and China, and their policies on Africa — Africans are increasingly resentful that the Chinese bring their own labor force and supplies with them. Then, in what I took to be a reference to the supposed Chinese influence over the cynical Khartoum regime, Bush adds, "One thing I will say: Human suffering should preempt commercial interest."

My hack this week is Hillary Clinton:

The Texas Democratic Party warned Thursday that election night caucuses scheduled for next Tuesday could be delayed or disrupted after aides to Hillary Clinton threatened to sue over the party's complicated delegate selection process.

In a letter sent out late Thursday to both the Clinton and Barack Obama campaigns, Texas Democratic Party lawyer Chad Dunn warned a lawsuit could ruin the Democrats' effort to re-energize voters just as they are turning out in record numbers.

Spokesmen for both campaigns said there were no plans to sue ahead of the March 4 election.

"It has been brought to my attention that one or both of your campaigns may already be planning or intending to pursue litigation against the Texas Democratic Party,'' Dunn wrote in the letter, obtained by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Such action could prove to be a tragedy for a reinvigorated Democratic process.''

Hat tip on that one goes to Hube.

Labels: 2008 Watch, Africa, Bush, Hero/Hack, Hillary Clinton

Posted by Ryan S. at 9:31 AM | Permalink | |

So, Barack's middle name is HUSSEIN?! Who cares??

People, mainly Democrats, get so upset when his middle name is used, yet not when Hillary's "middle" (or in this case, maiden) name is used. Democrats encouraged John Kerry to say his middle initial was F. in 2004. So now why do they have the audacity to hide Obama's middle name?

Well, probably, because a lot of Americans could never vote for a candidate with the name Hussein. But here's the thing; a lot of Americans could never think of voting for a female president not too long ago, and before 1960 a lot of Americans could never think of voting for a Roman Catholic for President. And to this day, a lot of Americans could never think of voting for a Mormon for President. But, guess what: Hillary Clinton, John Kennedy, and Mitt Romney all have had the courage to do it anyway, and what makes them special is that they didn't run from who they are.

The reality of the situation is that there will be people who will not vote for Barack Obama because his middle name is Hussein, or because he is black, or because he is not "experienced," or because they don't agree with his positions. But Barack, attack this issue as you do with the experience issue; tell people why your middle name shouldn't matter.

Instead of acting outraged that someone calls Barack Obama by his full name; embrace it. I want to hear Barack Obama call himself Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Have the audacity to do that.

Labels: Barack Obama, Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 11:06 AM | Permalink | |

This ain't R2-D2:

Increasingly autonomous, gun-totting robots developed for warfare could easily fall into the hands of terrorists and may one day unleash a robot arms race, a top expert on artificial intelligence told AFP.

"They pose a threat to humanity," said University of Sheffield professor Noel Sharkey ahead of a keynote address Wednesday before Britain's Royal United Services Institute.

Intelligent machines deployed on battlefields around the world -- from mobile grenade launchers to rocket-firing drones -- can already identify and lock onto targets without human help.

There are more than 4,000 US military robots on the ground in Iraq, as well as unmanned aircraft that have clocked hundreds of thousands of flight hours.

The first three armed combat robots fitted with large-caliber machine guns deployed to Iraq last summer, manufactured by US arms maker Foster-Miller, proved so successful that 80 more are on order, said Sharkey.

Thanks to reader G Rex for bringing this to my attention.

Labels: Robot Uprising

Posted by Ryan S. at 2:12 PM | Permalink | |

NEW YORK (AP) - William F. Buckley Jr., the erudite Ivy Leaguer and conservative herald who showered huge and scornful words on liberalism as he observed, abetted and cheered on the right's post-World War II rise from the fringes to the White House, died Wednesday. He was 82.

His assistant Linda Bridges said Buckley was found dead by his cook at his home in Stamford, Conn. The cause of death was unknown, but he had been ill with emphysema, she said.

Editor, columnist, novelist, debater, TV talk show star of "Firing Line," harpsichordist, trans-oceanic sailor and even a good-natured loser in a New York mayor's race, Buckley worked at a daunting pace, taking as little as 20 minutes to write a column for his magazine, the National Review.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace, Amen.

Labels: Conservatism

Posted by Ryan S. at 1:12 PM | Permalink | |

Two statements: I hope Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) beats Hillary Rodham Clinton (HRC) for the Democratic nomination and the best thing that could happen would be for John Sidney McCain (JSM) to win New Hampshire.

Both of the above statements were wishes of mine at one point or another in the past few months. When I was wishing that BHO would beat HRC, he was down 20 points in the polls and HRC looked like the inevitable candidate. I just didn’t want to see her get the nomination. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: HRC does not scare me nearly as much as BHO does.

I, as you might know, am a supporter of the candidacy of Michael Dale Huckabee (MDH). After he won Iowa, I was hoping that if John Sydney McCain (JSM) won in New Hampshire it would force Willard “Mitt” Romney (WMR) to drop out of the race and then MDH could win South Carolina and be on his way to the Republican nomination. Quite obviously, this did not happen. New Hampshire seemed to give JSM the bounce necessary to become the Republican nominee, and that is unfortunate.

Let there be no truer statement in 2008 than ‘be careful what you wish for.’ I know I’ve learned that lesson. But, just for kicks, let’s see if this one comes true: I hope Mike Huckabee is inaugurated as President on January 20, 2009.

Labels: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Huckabee, McCain, Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 8:35 PM | Permalink | |

I should have put up an Oscar post yesterday with my predictions, and I certainly meant to, but an excellent afternoon nap snuck up on me. So you probably won't believe me, but all but two of my predictions was accurate (I didn't bother making predictions about the minor awards). I got everything right but the two actresshttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.quote.gif awards (I thought Ellen Page and Cate Blanchett were shoe-ins). Here's a link to the list of winners.

I thought Jon Stewart did a much better job hosting this year than last year, but overall it was a bland awards ceremony. The only cool part was Marketa Irglova getting the time due to her.

Labels: Movies

Posted by Ryan S. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | |

The New York Times article about John McCain is the big story of the day. Here are my thoughts:

1. McCain did well with a 9am press conference. Clearly, reacting to the article in the middle of the morning news cycle helped to temper the accusations a bit.

2. The McCain camp has done a great job of turning this around from a McCain scandal to a New York Times scandal. People are questioning the NY Times about how long they knew about the story and why they didn't release it earlier. Basically, the tide has shifted from McCain in hot water, to the New York Times in hot water. Whether or not that continues, I don't know.

3. Potential Damage to the McCain campaign? As long as the story ends here and no one comes forward, McCain is fine. If more details emerge, it might get interesting - maybe Huckabee could come away with Texas on March 4th.

4. This might be the turning point the McCain camp was hoping for in terms of talk radio. This is a cause for Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh to defend McCain on and rail against the liberal media. I'm projecting forward a bit, but I think this will definitely help McCain with talk radio.

This story is bound to get more interesting as the day goes on.

Labels: McCain, Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 12:57 PM | Permalink | |

I found this video of Mike Huckabee talking to Ed Rollins, his national campaign chairman... except that Huckabee looks an awful lot like Jim Carrey and Rollins looks an awful lot like Lauren Holly. It sounds like they are talking about a relationship together, but I'm pretty sure it's a video of Mike Huckabee asking what his chances of winning the Republican nomination are - and his reaction afterwards. Enjoy!




Note: As of 2/20/08, Pinstripe Politics will be posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Labels: Huckabee, Humor, Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 2:28 PM | Permalink | |

There was a decent amount of talk at our College Republicans meeting last night as to why Mike Huckabee has not dropped out of the win, despite the almost guaranteed win of McCain.

Huckabee's answer:

"What I mean by that [saying he might be killing his political career], I'm just saying there are a lot of people who say I'm staying and creating problems for the party, and there are obviously people in the party who are unhappy that I've stayed. Now, keep in mind, they're all supporting John McCain, but this sense that it's just his turn, let's just all step aside -- I find that insulting as a Republican, and as a candidate," Huckabee said.

For the past several weeks, Huckabee has argued that his continued presence in the race is important to the Republican party, and on more than one occasion, has likened his campaign to that of Ronald Reagan in 1976, when he challenged sitting President Ford, much to the chagrin of the Republican base.

"I think the worse thing is not getting the right candidate nominated for the contest. So, if we haven't had a candidate who has rallied enough delegates to be named, then maybe it should go to the convention."

He makes a valid point, I think, and it is actually helping McCain, because he doesn't have to stand as the nominee yet, which keeps some spotlight off of him for the time being.

Labels: 2008 Watch, Huckabee

Posted by Ryan S. at 11:31 AM | Permalink | |

Good for the Albanians in Kosovo. Congrats on being the newest country in the world!

Sunday's declaration by the Kosovo parliament said independence would be built in accordance with the UN plan drawn up by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.

Kosovo Serbs protest against the independence of Kosovo in Mitrovica, 18 February 2008
Mitrovica saw a big protest by Kosovo Serbs on Monday

This outlines several limits on independence including an international presence and provision for the protection of the Serb minority.

Mr Bush, speaking in Tanzania during an Africa tour, said the plan would be the "blueprint forward".

One of the first states which recognised Kosovo was Afghanistan which referred to "the right of sovereignty".

The Russians are condemning this action, and the Spanish are nervous, possibly fearing this being an example for the Basques.

Labels: EU, Russia

Posted by Ryan S. at 11:22 AM | Permalink | |

Labels: Barack Obama, McCain, Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 3:58 PM | Permalink | |

My hero this week is former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who endorsed rival John McCain yesterday:

In his campaign, Romney used TV ads and personal appearances to question whether McCain was truly a conservative and to criticize the senator as a longtime Washington insider who had accomplished little change. But Thursday, the two stood together in Boston.

"I think you're very well aware of the issues where we disagreed," Romney said. "Right now, the Democrats are fighting. Let us come together and make progress while they are fighting."

I wonder if all factions of the GOP will share his sentiment...

My hack this week is a U.S. woman who wants to clone her dog:

A woman from the United States wants her dead pitbull terrier - called Booger - re-created.

RNL Bio is charging the woman, from California, $150,000 (£76,000) to clone the pitbull using tissue extracted from its ear before it died.

The work will be carried out by a team from Seoul National University, where the first dog was cloned in 2005.

There are enough animals out there who need good homes to worry about cloning.

Hero/Hack Bonus Content:
The new Indiana Jones trailer is out, and it's good. I've only been waiting for this movie since...Desert Storm? While I remain somewhat skeptical, it still looks like it's going to be better than Temple of Doom. Enjoy:

Labels: 2008 Watch, Cloning, Hero/Hack, Indiana Jones, Movies, Pets

Posted by Ryan S. at 9:45 AM | Permalink | |

Cartoon Link

Labels: Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 6:21 PM | Permalink | |

This is how my professor for "Economics of the Great Depression" started our first class yesterday:

Labels: Economics, Media, Movies

Posted by Ryan S. at 12:42 PM | Permalink | |

I got quoted in the article about the event from which I was liveblogging. They didn't reallyask me about blogging, and the quote is disappointingly generic, but it's still print!
Excerpt:

Senior Ryan Silberstein said he feels an event like this provides good background for those getting involved in politics. He said the timing of the event was appropriate, as political interest is at a high point during "Super Tuesday."

"I think there is real value in doing it tonight, especially as more states have their primaries," Silberstien said.

He said he believes students at the university are like other college students across the country who get politically active before a campaign. He said the apathetic feeling is cyclical and an event like Super Tuesday only helps people get more involved in politics.

"This might be a sight of change. Maybe things will move in a more politically active direction," he said.

I actually said "sign of change" in that last line there. Whenever I'm quoting people from a tape, I usually give them the benefit of sounding natural. Sigh.

Labels: JttR in Print, Media

Posted by Ryan S. at 5:00 PM | Permalink | |

Press Release:

I am very excited to announce that we have expanded our existing long-term relationship with AT&T by adding Wi-Fi services within our U.S. company-operated stores. This will allow us to evolve our in-store offerings to provide a high-quality Wi-Fi experience that both you and our customers will enjoy.

Beginning this spring, our new Wi-Fi program will offer free and easy internet access on a high-quality network. We will offer two hours of free Wi-Fi service per day for registered and active Starbucks Card holders as a gesture of appreciation to our loyal customers.

I love Starbucks, but I don't really want another credit card.

Labels: Coffee, Pop Culture, technology

Posted by Ryan S. at 5:04 PM | Permalink | |

ZURICH, Switzerland - Three armed men in ski masks stole four paintings by Cezanne, Degas, van Gogh and Monet worth $163.2 million from a Zurich museum in one of Europe's largest ever art heists, police said Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT

The robbers, who were still at large, stole the paintings Sunday from the E.G. Buehrle Collection, one of Europe's finest private museums for Impressionist and post-Impressionist art, police said.

It was the largest art robbery in Switzerland's history and one of the biggest ever in Europe, said Marco Cortesi, spokesman for the Zurich police. He compared it to the theft in 2004 of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" and "Madonna" from the Munch Museum in Norway.

I want Pierce Brosnan's alibi right now.

Labels: Pop Culture

Posted by Ryan S. at 4:42 PM | Permalink | |

I just came back from my trip to Washington D.C’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference. I saw Romney, McCain, Paul and Huckabee, as well as President Bush and Tony Snow.

My thoughts:

Romney gave the greatest speech I’ve ever heard him give. In fact, if he decides to run in 2012, I’ll be his number one supporter. I kind of knew that he was going to drop out of the race, as he looked like he was going to cry throughout the entire speech.

McCain continues to bore me with his speaking. When he came on stage, a majority of the crowd applauded, but there were definitely some loud boos. I think he’s not that great of a public speaker and that hurt him. The reaction from a lot of CPAC attendees though was that he did a good job to start to convince people that he can be a conservative, too.

Paul did virtually nothing to help his case, and I don’t see his appeal ever growing any more. His supporters are very passionate – and it’s not a “good” passionate either… it’s more or less a crazy “I’m the president of the Ron Paul fan club” kind of passionate. He also made the claim that Osama bin Laden “likes our foreign policy.” I didn’t know that Ron Paul had talks with Osama… apparently he does.

Huckabee gave a good speech, though nothing like the speech he gave at CPAC 2007. I thought he hit all his major points and stressed that he was staying in the race because voters deserved an election, not a coronation.

I also got to see President Bush speak to the crowd. I literally waited in line for over 5 hours to make sure I got in there. He gave a great speech. Though I forget most of what he said, I do remember that he talked about how his daughter was getting married. Also there were various screams from the audience saying things like “I love you George!” and at one point the crowd erupted in “4 more years!”

Tony Snow closed out the convention with an outstanding “rally the base” speech. I heard him speak last year and I didn’t think he did a good job, but I was very impressed this year. He rallied the crowd saying that the conservatives may have finished Act 1 when they defeated communism and liberated millions, but there was more work to be done.

Overall, good convention. Romney won the straw poll 35% to 34% over McCain, but I walked away with the feeling that conservatives will come around and support him if and when he is the nominee.

Labels: Bush, CPAC, Huckabee, McCain, Pinstripe Politics, Romney, Ron Paul, Tony Snow

Posted by Gary at 4:01 PM | Permalink | |

Some major events that happened on February 8:

• 421 - Constantius III becomes co-Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
  1692 - A doctor in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony declares that three teenaged girls are under domination of Satan, leading to the Salem witch trials.
• 1900 - British troops are defeated by Boers at Ladysmith, South Africa.
• 1904 - Russo-Japanese War begins
  
• 1963 - Travel, financial and commercial transactions by United States citizens to Cuba are made illegal by the John F. Kennedy administration.
• 1969 - The last weekly issue of the Saturday Evening Post hits magazine stands.
• 1971 - The Nasdaq stock market index debuts.
• 1998 - First female ice hockey game in Olympic history: Finland beats Sweden 6-0

People I share my birthday with:

• 1677 - Jacques Cassini, French astronomer
• 1820 - William Tecumseh Sherman, American Union general
• 1828 - Jules Verne, French author
• 1851 - Kate Chopin, American author
• 1931 - James Dean, American actor
• 1932 - John Williams, American composer and conductor
• 1940 - Ted Koppel, American journalist
• 1941 - Nick Nolte, American actor
• 1955 - John Grisham, American novelist
• 1961 - Vince Neil, American musician (of Mötley Crüe)
• 1968 - Gary Coleman, American actor
• 1974 - Seth Green, American actor

Deaths:

• 1587 - Mary, Queen of Scots (b. 1542)
• 1956 - Connie Mack, baseball manager and executive (of the Philadelphia A's)

Liturgical Feasts:

• Saint Jerome Emiliani
• Saint Juventius
• Saint Meingold of Huy
• Saint Jacoba (d. 1239)

Happy birthday to anyone else reading this with whom I share today!

Posted by Ryan S. at 11:11 AM | Permalink | |

I don't think I'd ever push for Hillary over John McCain like some, but John Podhoretz has some ideas why some leading conservatives hate McCain so much:

The snowballing anger among conservative opinion leaders toward John McCain — an anger that is not mirrored among Republican rank-and-file, whose approval-disapproval rating for McCain is 72-19, according to the Pew Poll, fifteen points higher than Mitt Romney’s in both categories — suggests they are confusing ideological convictions with political tactics, and infusing a disagreement on how to approach problems with a moral edge it does not deserve.

Whatever John McCain is, he is not a liberal. But he disappoints conservatives because, astonishingly enough, he lacks the Right’s partisan combativeness — which seems surprising, given his background as a warrior and his stiff-necked heroism in staring down his North Vietnamese torturer-jailers. He may be a military man through and through, but he is not a team player, to put it mildly. In partisan terms, he often seems determined not to march in lockstep simply because others expect it of him. That’s why, among other things, he has been so wildly incompetent at using his own perfect pro-life record in the House and Senate to his own benefit in seeking support from Republicans who share his anti-abortion views. Such a thing would require him to fall in line, and McCain does not fall in line.

He also points out that McCain is not an ideological leader-- and doesn't have to be.

Labels: 2008 Watch, McCain

Posted by Ryan S. at 11:44 AM | Permalink | |

I heard several stories today about conservatives willing to vote for Clinton or Obama over McCain in the general election. Are they crazy?

True, McCain is not an all-around conservative, but he has more conservative tendencies than Clinton or Obama. Don't make the perfect the enemy of the good, as I've learned in politics. McCain may not be perfect, but he's better than any Democrat - and here's why:

1. Iraq, he won't give up.
2. Potential to nominate "Scalia-like" Supreme Court justices
3. Socialized health care
4. There is a real possibility that he can die while in office, depending on who his VP is, there might end up being a conservative in the Oval Office throughout some of McCain's term in office.

Side Note: As much as Talk Radio would like people to believe that Huckabee and Romney are sharing the same votes; it simply can't be true. These same Talk Radio hosts were chiding Huckabee for being too liberal a month and a half ago, so how is he now the "other" conservative.

Head's Up: I'm heading to CPAC; look for a full review on Sunday's edition of Pinstripe Politics.

Labels: CPAC, McCain, Pinstripe Politics

Posted by Gary at 8:16 PM | Permalink | |

I'll be here from now (8:32 PM) until at least 11:00PM ET, and I may stay later depending on how crucial/close California is.

Newest posts will be at the top, so scroll down to see older things. Also, feel free to comment on this post. I'll check and answer them in the body of this post.

12:29: I'm going to bed. A good night for McCain and Obama, if TV coverage is any indication. I'm sure Gary will have thoughts tomorrow.

12:14: FoxNews is calling CA for Clinton and McCain

12:09AM: The Democratic side of this is going to go on for at least another month.

11:55: With 11% in, it's McCain 44 Romney 25 in CA; Clinton 55, Obama 32

11:51: Obama: "Our day has come."

11:47: Back. caught Barack and McCain speeches. They seem happy. Romney is making more play in the west.

11:10: They're kicking us out. I'll continue when I get back to my room. Maybe 15 minutes or so.

10:41: Big night for McCain, but also for Huckabee in the South. Not a winning night for Romney thus far.

10:26: They've run out of Dr. Pepper. That's a shame.

10:18: Obama is doing good out West. I think this contest is really only beginning between Obama and Hillary, and the longer it goes on, the better shot Barack has.

10:13: Huckabee is speaking now. I can't hear, really, but he looks happy.

10:06: Being interviewed for the student paper, The Review.

10:02: FoxNews is projecting Obama is going to win Utah.

10:00: One of my professors asked me if seeing Obama and Chelsea this week has converted me to being a Democrat. My reply: "No."

9:55: If Romney doesn't win any states besides his "home" turf, then he's done, and McCain and Huckabee are the last men standing. I stand by my prediction that the Democratic race will not be any more decided after tonight.

9:53: Clinton wins her two "home states" of New York and Arkansas. Looks like Romney will do the same If he doesn't win Utah, then he's done.

9:33: One of the Comm professors is making my point now. Excellent.

9:28: There's a lot of talk of "identity politics" - how religion, gender, race, etc. affect voters. Interesting, but I think it's dumb for blacks and women thinking they must be for Obama and Hillary, respectively. Make up your own mind.

9:26: Obama's won 4 called states to Hillary's 6 so far, but he's leading in other close states.

9:17: CNN is calling Delaware for Obama and McCain. I think his visit here (covered by yours truly) put him over the top.

9:07: The other two professors are from the Communications department, which explains why I don't know them.

9:05: Romney is only ahead in Massachusetts, all other states are being led by Huckabee (4), and McCain (the rest).

9:02: CNN and the AP are projecting that Clinton will win Massachusetts. Guess that Ted Kennedy endorsement really helped Obama.

8:50: Probably no Obama sweep in the South, as Hillary seems to be winning Arkansas and Tennessee.

8:47PM: Exit polls show a potential Obama sweep of the South.

8:46PM: FoxNews and Drudge are saying McCain wins Delaware.

8:41PM: So to give you some background, I got here "on time," and barely got a seat...in fact, I'm kind of off in a corner (for an outlet)...so I'm more horizontal to the stage. That I know, Profs. Pika, Wilson and Mycoff from the Political Science Department are here (all of whom I've had), and they're talking right now. Also, multiple TVs with CNN and FoxNews. Here's a picture from my seat:
(click on the pic for larger)

8:36PM: Looks like Huckabee won West Virginia...he's still in it!

8:34 PM: Lots of turnout, couple hundred people...will post photos soonish.

Labels: 2008 Watch

Posted by Ryan S. at 8:32 PM | Permalink | |

UD's Political Science Department is hosting a returns-watching party tonight, and I plan on being there, laptop in tow for liveblogging. It starts at 8, so hopefully I'll be on here soon after!

Posted by Ryan S. at 10:12 AM | Permalink | |

So here are my combined predictions and feelings on the 5 major candidates.

Republicans
Mitt Romney
Feelings: While on paper, Mitt is the "best" conservative, there's something about him I don't like. Maybe it's the too-perfect hair. As far as I'm concerned, his credentials are shaky at best. I'd rather not have to stomach a vote for him.

Thoughts: I think Mitt Romney could still compete after tomorrow, depending on which states he picks up. California is in play, but the only states he's guaranteed to win tomorrow are Massachusetts and Utah (his home turfs).

Mike Huckabee
Feelings: I like Mike, but perhaps not as president. I'd hate to see him fade completely into the background. I also have my doubts as to whether he'd be a good VP pick for either Romney or McCain.

Thoughts: If Huckabee does not come in first in one state tomorrow, he's done.

John McCain
Feelings: Although I am a longtime McCain adversary, I do respect him. One thing I will say for him is that he doesn't back down from his convictions. Then again, neither does George W. Bush.

Thoughts: McCain will leap ahead today, and he might be able to lock up the nomination as a definitive front-runner if Romney has a poor showing.

Democrats
Hillary Clinton
Feelings: I don't see Hillary Clinton as the specter of all that is evil, nor do I really think she'd bring about Armageddon. I do think she is one of the shrewdest politicians in recent history, and I don't think she's our best choice for president.

Thoughts: The Democratic race seems like it could go either way. California is in play, and so are several other key states. She will win in New York, but all the rest is determined by who shows up to vote.

Barack Obama
Feelings: After seeing him on Sunday, I came away impressed by his skills as a speaker, and actually by the depth of his message. While I certainly have my differences with him on many issues, I think he speaks with conviction. I also think he'd be smart enough to choose someone with major foreign policy experience as his running mate to make up for his own lack of experience.

Thoughts: If he wins California and splits the rest of the states with Hillary, this will most likely spark a long campaign, which could potentially last until the Democratic Convention.

Final:
In the end, I think the Democrats have a better than 60-40 shot at winning in November (obviously not accounting for unforeseen circumstances) right now, and if my choice in my next president is really between Hillary and Barack, I'm going for Barack.

(numbers from RealClearPolitics)

Labels: 2008 Watch, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Huckabee, McCain, Romney

Posted by Ryan S. at 10:00 AM | Permalink | |

Just got back from seeing Chelsea Clinton speak here at the University of Delaware (at the Trabant Student Center). She did a half-hour of Q&A with an audience of around 150 people.

She spoke quietly, but had an impressive command of the issues. I have a lot of respect for her, considering she's only 27 years old. Doing this stuff isn't easy, and she did a pretty good job.

The theme here, which Clinton and everybody else who introduced her kept repeated was "the most critical election of our lifetimes." Makes sense for older people, but I'm somewhat skeptical that at 21 (soon to be 22) this is it for me.

The questions varied from policy-based questions to personal questions, and she answered both well. She said she's happy the Giants won the Super Bowl yesterday (she considers herself a New Yorker), and that she's not moving back into her old room in the White House if Hillary wins. She says at 27 she doesn't want to move back in with "mom and dad."

She was very adept at describing her mother's positions, even on a technical level, but I object to some of the things she said. First, she said her mom wants to end the "war on science," and that Republicans don't talk about issues like the ICC, stem cell research, and global warming.

Secondly, she said that there was no vote for the authorization for the use of force in Iraq, on which she is simply mistaken. The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (it's right in the title), now Public Law No: 107-243, authorized military force the defense of "the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq."

Thirdly, she said that the U.S. pulled out of the International Criminal Court (ICC) under Bush. However, you can't withdraw from something you never joined in the first place! Similarly to the Kyoto Treaty (another international treaty those on the left seem to use this rhetoric with), Bill Clinton signed the Rome Statute in 2000, but never sent it to the Senate to ratify. He said that the U.S. had no intention of joining, and merely wanted to engage in procedural negotiations. President Bush then "unsigned" the Rome Statute, affirming President Clinton's position (link).

When asked about Obama, Chelsea said, "there is no dichotomy between change and experience." Smart answer, although I still think Obama's message is stronger.

Labels: 2008 Watch, Hillary Clinton, University of Delaware

Posted by Ryan S. at 11:41 AM | Permalink | |

As I mentioned previously on JttR, yesterday I decided to head on up to Wilmington with friend and fellow blogger Ryan Mc of Liberal Delight. Even though I'm not a Democrat, I figured having a presidential candidate in Delaware was pretty sweet, so I went. I certainly admire Barack, and he doesn't make my insides feel funny like Hillary, so I'm interested with what the man has to say.

The rally was held in Rodney Square, starting at 11:30 AM. We left Newark just after 9:00 AM and headed up to Wilmington. After finding parking, we arrived at Rodney Square around 10 AM. Obama supporters we out in full force, and there were well over a hundred people already in line to get into the Square, with people constantly streaming in. I heard the line was several blocks long towards 11 o'clock, and many people seemed to content to swarm the area around the square. The crowd mostly made up of black people and younger (under 40 years old) white people.

Being so early, Ryan and I ended up around 12 or 15 feet from Obama when he spoke. Introducing him were Delaware gubernatorial rivals, Jack Markell and John Carney (one of which will probably be governor). While they were all smiles (see pic), they seemed generally uncomfortable being on stage together like that. At least they sucked it up to show support for Barack. I'd never really paid attention to either of them before, but Jack Markell is easily a much better speaker.


Finally, U2's "City of Blinding Lights" (one of my personal favorites) came over the speakers, and the crowd went nuts. First he thanked a bunch of people, including Joe Biden, saying he did an "outstanding job" running and was a "good friend." Overall his speech was good, and had a lot more substance than I was expecting. I've often wondered what Obama's "Change" was a change to, but now I have a better idea.

A lot of what he said reminded me of things I like about Mike Huckabee. Huck talks about "Vertical Politics," and Obama talks about transcending partisan rhetoric and lifting people up. Which Huck defines as "Vertical Politics."

While highlighting the youth vote factor in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, he also mentioned that lots of people support him, "even Republicans." There was more than enough Bush-bashing for those inclined, but Barack paused to remind the crowd that it isn't enough to "be against something without standing for something."

I think my main point of contention with Obama is summed up in his sentence that "the government should help people achieve their dreams." This may sound cold-hearted, but no, that really isn't the government's job.

Now let me break down the issues:

Health care:
Same plan as Congress
Option to buy into or keep private program
Emphasis on preventative medicine

Economics:
Says he believes in free market capitalism
The balance between CEO and worker pay is currently "out of balance"
Roll back Bush tax cuts on "wealthiest Americans"
Transfer those cuts to middle class
$4,000 credit for college tuition
Raise minimum wage with inflation toward a "living wage"

Energy:
We're addicted to oil and it is both an environmental and security issue
Cap greenhouse emissions
Create green technology jobs for all skill levels
Raise fuel efficiency to 40 mpg

Foreign Policy/Veterans:
Focus on safety and security as well as moral authority
Obama says he "won't hesitate to strike down those who would do us harm."
Maintain military
Increase benefits for veterans
Deploy military wisely
Bring troops home from Iraq in 2009
No permanent bases
Following JFK's example, quoted JFK saying that "strong nations don't negotiate out of fear"
Finish the fight in Afghanistan
Stop genocide in Darfur
Close Gitmo

On his lack of experience:
"The bigger gamble is expecting different results from the same folks" who have been making policy for 30 years.

He also compared potential GOP nominee John McCain to Hillary Clinton, saying that he is the starker contrast from Bush-like policy. According to Obama, McCain has fallen in with the Bush Administration, and the "wheels have fallen off the 'Straight Talk Express.'"

Referring to this incident, Obama says he stands by his answer as being honest, and not laced with "Washington Speak." "I didn't realize you were allowed to spin a weakness into a strength," he says. "I'd rather be straight with people."

He also says he recognizes the difficulties we face, and that he is ready for the challenge. Besides JFK, he quoted or alluded to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Abraham Lincoln. Not a bad group. Cool fact: his grandfather fought in Patton's Third Army in WWII.

His exit music was "Higher and Higher," best known to me from Ghostbusters II. I assume it was the Jackie Wilson version, but it could have easily been the Howard Huntsberry cover version.

More of my photos from this event.

Labels: 2008 Watch, Barack Obama, Delaware

Posted by Ryan S. at 9:22 AM | Permalink | |

If the New York Giants have taught me anything, it's that underdogs can win. Are you listening Romney, Huckabee and Gravel?

Labels: Huckabee, Pinstripe Politics, Romney

Posted by Gary at 11:12 PM | Permalink | |

I am currently at the Obama rally in Rodney Square. Right now I'm on my iPod touch, which is not condusive to liveblogging. Ryan Mc of Liberal Delight is here with me, so expect full posts from both of us later.

Labels: 2008 Watch, Barack Obama

Posted by Ryan S. at 12:17 PM | Permalink |

My heroes this week are the men and women of the U.S. intelligence community. The recent killing of an al Qaeda leader was reportedly due to improvements in U.S. intelligence.
CSM:

Still, his reported killing late Monday or early Tuesday just outside Mir Ali in north Waziristan represents a significant gain in American or coalition intelligence gathering within the restive tribal belt. As of Thursday, his death had not been officially confirmed.

"It means they are having some accurate intelligence information gathering.... Usually the second rank of leadership is very careful in its movements," says Abdel Bari Atwan, editor in chief of al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper in London and the author of "The Secret History of Al Qaeda."

Mr. Atwan says that after many reports of unsuccessful attempts at targeting senior Al Qaeda leadership in the region, "it seems this time they have accurate information, which is a success.

My hack this week is the Oakland International Airport:

The Oakland International Airport did not break any laws or regulations when it denied 200 Marines and soldiers access to the passenger terminal during a layover last year from Iraq to the troops' home base in Hawaii, the Transportation Department says.

The contract to allow military layovers at the California airport "did not require that military personnel have access to the airport terminal; it only required that military personnel be allowed to deplane and stretch their legs on stops lasting over one hour," said a report released yesterday to House lawmakers who requested an investigation into the matter.

The Sept. 27 layover was the last stop for fuel and food, but the troops, who were returning from a tour in Iraq, were denied access to food and bathroom facilities.

A Marine reported the incident to Rep. John L. Mica, Florida Republican and ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and said it "felt like being spit on." (Emphasis Mine)

Sad.

Labels: Afghanistan, Hero/Hack

Posted by Ryan S. at 12:47 PM | Permalink | |