August 3, 2008
Aug 03 01:07 That'll Work Aug 03 01:58 Let's Join These Warriors In Battle Aug 03 09:59 Clueless Beltway Strategists Aug 03 11:39 The Best Fiction I've Read In Ages Aug 03 12:02 Blue Dogs In Hiding? Aug 03 22:11 Did He Mean It? TPaw Questions Obama's Oil 'Reversal'
Prior Months: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul
That'll Work
According to this Newsmax article , John McCain has asked for "personal documents" from Rep. Eric Cantor. Picking Rep. Cantor, who's had a short but distinguished career in the House would get Republicans excited and then some.
U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia has been asked for "personal documents" by John McCain's campaign, a Republican knowledgeable with the discussions said Saturday.Rep. Cantor has risen to the post of chief deputy minority whip after just 6 years in the House. That's a testament to his abilities. Picking him would be smart on a number of fronts.
Cantor, 45, the chief deputy minority whip in the House, has been mentioned among several Republicans as a possible running mate for McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
The Republican familiar with the conversations between Cantor and the McCain campaign said Cantor has been asked to turn over documents, but did not know specifically what records were sought.
First, he's got impeccable conservative credentials. Picking him tells the base that they won't be ignored in a McCain administration. Reading Rep. Cantor's blog will tell conservatives that he's a conservative's conservative.
Secondly, as a blogger, Eric Cantor stays in touch with the American people. Half the battle of defeating Washington is frequently reminding our elected officials what people in the Heartland are thinking. It matters because the thinking is that much different. Beltway thinking is based on spending money and listening to spending requests from lobbyists and bureaucrats. Heartland thinking is based on what makes the most positive impact on people's daily lives.
Third, Eric Cantor would fire up the base in ways that only a few people can. (The other person that fits that description is John Kasich.) People are already fired up now that Republicans are fighting back against Pelosi's Politburo on drilling. Picking Rep. Cantor would get them in such a fever pitch that we'd run through walls for that ticket.
Fourth, and most importantly, picking Rep. Cantor keeps Virginia in the red column.
In addition to those benefits, another thing that we shouldn't underestimate is Cantor's being part of the 'Drilling Brigade', that group that wants to drill, drill, drill.
The downside on Eric Cantor is that he isn't a household name. I don't consider this an insurmountable obstacle, though, because he's a gifted politician whose beliefs fit perfectly with blue collar America and suburban America.
We've kind of lost track of Obama's drubbings in the heartland/rural states but it's a potentially huge factor this fall. Let's remember that Hillary soundly defeated Sen. Obama in Pennsylvania and Ohio but obliterated Obama in West Virginia , and Kentucky after his fundraising speech in San Fransisco.
The good news is that Republicans are getting excited, thanks in large part to the fight over oil. I'm betting that campaign contributions will soon start pouring in now that people know that Republicans are fighting in Washington. Adding Eric Cantor to the ticket only strengthens our enthusiasm. Being on the right side of a 75-25% issue that's also the biggest domestic issue of the cycle helps, too.
Don't look now but the dynamics of this race are shifting as we speak.
Posted Sunday, August 3, 2008 1:11 AM
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Let's Join These Warriors In Battle
I just saw the video taken during the Republican Revolt Friday afternoon. It's a video that everyone MUST SEE to appreciate.
This 4:52 worth of video should give us all the motivation we need to work our butts off the last 90-something days of this campaign. Watching Mike Pence got my blood flowing. It was inspirational watching him. I'm betting you'll feel the same way.
Nancy Pelosi tried shutting the House down. Ms. Pelosi's strongarm tactics failed. They failed because an inspired group of GOP representatives used their words, their camcorders and their smart use of technology to tell Ms. Pelosi that this is still the People's House, not Pelosi's Politburo.
Ms. Pelosi tried shutting things down because she won't tolerate dissent. Ms. Pelosi tried shutting things down because she can't afford to let the GOP get their energy plans airtime. Ms. Pelosi tried shutting things down because she's playing an inferior hand. Ms. Pelosi tried shutting things down because she's a control freak. Ms. Pelosi's worst nightmare is dealing with an out of control situation. Ms. Pelosi's worst nightmare happened Friday afternoon because our guys fought back.
Thankfully, people like John Boehner, John Culberson and Pete Hoekstra relayed the event to We The People through Twitter. Thankfully, someone brought out the camcorder, then uploaded it to YouTube. Thankfully, Mike Conaway told the story via his blog.
In February, 2007, a group of St. Cloud Republicans told state GOP legislators that we'll gladly fight if they gave us something to fight for. The House GOP fought so hard that activists all over the state fought with them. We didn't win every fight but we gave the House DFL enough headaches to substantially increase Excedrin production.
Now, the US House have given us something to fight for. Now it's time for us to have their backs. Now's the time for us to give Ms. Pelosi so many headaches that she's buying Excedrin by the case.
Isn't it time we did everything we could to make Ms. Pelosi's life a living hell?
Posted Sunday, August 3, 2008 1:59 AM
Comment 1 by TwoPuttTommy at 04-Aug-08 07:34 AM
Can you imagine where we'd be, if these GOPers had shown the same amount of spine while they were in charge?
The GOP controlled the House since 1995 until 2006, but NOW they claim they're getting serious....which is why serious people don't take Boehner, Blunt, and the rest of the GOP serious, anymore.
Comment 2 by Laura at 04-Aug-08 11:39 AM
I have never been so proud of a minority action before... AMEN to the courageous GOP members who stood up to Comrade Pelosi!! Keep up the good work!!!!
Comment 3 by James Qualls at 04-Aug-08 12:22 PM
Just wanted to thank you for making such a stand...It's sad we haven't seen more of it in the past, but I guess being pushed to the breaking point did it! God bless your efforts, and we pray God will bless our country..
Comment 4 by Nancy Beach at 04-Aug-08 03:28 PM
I agree with the action FINALLY taken & agree with others who say it has taken "an act of Congress" (so to speak) to get them off their seats to do something beside pad their pockets.
Now, if they can just take action on the border!
Comment 5 by David Hinz at 04-Aug-08 05:00 PM
The longest journey begins with a single step.
Perhaps this is the step the Minority needs to begin the journey back into the Majority. The last time the Republicans held the majority, they lost their way. Let us hope that the new leaders can lead the party back to Conservative Principles that will win every time.
Comment 6 by Gary Gross at 04-Aug-08 05:24 PM
David, Check out my newest post. It's right in your wheelhouse.
Clueless Beltway Strategists
The intent of Salena Zito's column was to find out what John McCain's agenda is. It's a fair question, one that McCain needs to highlight frequently between now and Election Day.
What stood out for me, though, was how clueless Washington strategists from both parties are. Here's the basis for my opinion:
"He himself is reinforcing that this campaign is all about Obama," says Democrat strategist Mark Siegel. "His ads and his message are all negatives. The problem with that is, it is driving his own negatives up as well."Mr. Siegel would be wise to realize that focusing on Obama's foolish statements will disqualify him. Everytime Sen. Obama says something like filling your tires and getting regular tuneups make people cringe. Playing the video of Sen. Obama saying that his winning the nomination helps heal our land and stops the sea from rising makes him look like an egomaniac of unprecedented proportions. While that'll sell in San Fransisco and Manhattan, that won't sell in the heartland.
GOP strategist David Carney disagrees; he says the McCain campaign has no choice but to do what it can to bring down Obama by constantly introducing him to voters through his flaws. "There is no positive that will help McCain," he insists.
BTW, it's apparent that Sen. McCain's ads are getting under Sen. Obama's skin.
That said, I flinched when I read Mr. Carney's quote that "There is no positive that will help McCain." Hello. When's the last time that Mr. Carney looked at what's happening in real America? Hidden in Mr. Carney's polling data is a set of numbers, probably in the range of 70-30 or 75-25. It pertains to people prefering drilling for America's energy needs here in the United States. McCain's on the right side of this issue. He should be beating Sen. Obama over the head with it because Sen. Obama has been on 3 sides of this issue in the last 5 days.
Comparing McCain's well-reasoned thinking on drilling to Obama's blatant pandering on the issue is a great contrast. Rising gas prices caused Sen. McCain to rethink his policy. I can't say that's what happened with Sen. Obama. In Springfield, MO, Sen. Obama was characterizing drilling as a Republican scheme. By the time he spoke in Florida 48 hrs. later, he was singing the virtues of drilling. As I keep saying, this was a pure panderfest on Sen. Obama's behalf. He's being exposed. Most importantly, it's making him look bad.
These days, it isn't difficult for bloggers to make Sen. Obama look bad. Too bad it seems beyond the capability of the GOP's Beltway strategists.
Posted Sunday, August 3, 2008 10:00 AM
Comment 1 by Walter hanson at 03-Aug-08 11:48 AM
The thing that has me most upset about the Mccain campaign right now and this post shows it Obama is in a spin mood where Mccain is doing personal attack because he has no solutions to offer.
* We got the creative ad where we see Moss parting the Red Sea to expose the Barrack Presidential seal. How about this ad that should've already been made.
We show gasoline prices at over four dollars. The announcer says, "We're worried about gasoline prices at $4 and heading higher, but there is no need to fear there is a solution"
Picture shows a tire gauge.
Annoucer, "Barrack Obama has solved our energy crisis"
Show a clip of Obama talking about the tire gauge.
"And this is man who claims that John Mccain is offering no solutions. John Mccain understands you have to drill for more oil to keep oil prices down."
Where's that ad!!!!!
I'm stuck with Mccain as the presidential candidate when there were two candidates Rommey and Rudy who would've already been far more agressive and attack Obama the way that he needed to be attacked. Unfortunately, the Republicans who said they wanted to win were looking at polling data not the mind set of the candidates who will help us win in November.
The attitude of that Republican adviser you quoted and the one who thought we had to hunker down shows the mindset of how we got into our mess.
The first step in cleaning up is firing people like David Carney since I just showed how we can do it with a positive message.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 03-Aug-08 02:54 PM
Walter, I couldn't disagree more with you about McCain's ads. They're fantastic.
Yes, he has to smoothen out the message but that'll happen. The Bush campaign team is helping with that.
Comment 3 by Walter hanson at 03-Aug-08 03:15 PM
Gary keep in mind Obama had adopted the mind set that he was going to defend himself by claiming that there were personal attacks because Mccain had no solutions to offer. Obama with the tire gauge gave us the golden opprotunity to destroy that line once and for all.
Yes the celebrity ad was great! Yes the other ad has been great! But an even better ad will be talking about the tire gauge and exploiting. The Democrat crowd was flat when Obama said. That's the sign how stupid it was!
It needs to be exploited while Obama is scrambling to correct the mess. Yet the add team wants to do comedy.
Maybe we're disagreing about tatics here, but wouldn't you love to be seeing the ad I described. The one point about my ad is that there is no way on Earth that Obama can say it's a personal attack since it's dealing with gasoline prices and the fact that Mccain has the solution and Obama doesn't.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
The Best Fiction I've Read In Ages
I just finished reading Al Hunt's column about Nancy Pelosi . It's worthless if you're looking for real information but it's the best fiction I've read in ages. Here's the opening to Mr. Hunt's column:
The speaker leads the most unified party in the recent history of the House of Representatives. She might add at least a dozen, and probably more, members to her 37-seat margin this November. She played an important, if subtle, role in facilitating Obama's nomination.Ms. Pelosi has "well-honed political instincts"? Were her "well-honed political instincts" on display when she tried shutting down debate in the House on energy policy? Did she use her "well-honed political instincts" to get an impressive number of legislative initiatives accomplished?
Pelosi is the toast of television talk shows as she peddles her new book, "Know Your Power." She even held her own on Jon Stewart's satirical comedy program, "The Daily Show."
She has achieved this success and quieted skeptics, including reservations expressed in this column a year and a half ago, with well-honed political instincts, prodigious work and genuine toughness.
I'd submit that Ms. Pelosi's supposed "well-honed political instincts" don't exist. She's had a tin ear politically since becoming Minority Leader, then Speaker. The best proof that her "well-honed political instincts" don't exist is that she didn't allow a vote on drilling. She's running the Democrats' majority into the ground with her stubbornness on this issue.
Friday, America got to see Ms. Pelosi's inner tyrant. It wasn't a pretty picture. They saw her attempt to stifle debate on the biggest issue of this election cycle. When Republicans refused to back down, she ordered the House chambers locked, the mics and lights turned off.
While truckers, farmers and commuters were getting hit with record gas prices, Ms. Pelosi told them her book tour was more important than their financial survival.
I don't doubt that the House Democrats are unified. That should bother people. Look at this statistic:
House Democrats have achieved a 92 percent unity rating , according to Congressional Quarterly; that's not done with the speaker imposing ideological litmus tests.That's appalling. Why would Tim Walz' voting record resemble Charlie Rangel's? I'll admit that there should be some common ground between the two but there shouldn't be such unanimity because their constituencies are so different.
BTW, does anyone agree with Mr. Hunt when he says that Ms. Pelosi has this unanimity without "imposing ideological litmus tests"? That's possibly the funniest fictional line in Mr. Hunt's column. This sentence ranks right up there, too:
She often taps freshmen members or those from vulnerable districts to take the lead on popular legislative moves.Perhaps Mr. Hunt could identify some of Ms. Pelosi's popular legislative moves. They should be easy to identify because Democrats haven't had many "popular legislative moves" during the 110th Congress. Their signature accomplishment was raising the minimum wage, not exactly something to sustain the base's hunger for accomplishments. It certainly isn't enough to keep the base fired up and contributing.
Despite all of Mr. Hunt's lavish praise of Ms. Pelosi, the truth is that she's a tyrant whose biggest intent is to stifle debate. No amount of lavish, misguided praise will change that. Last Friday, Ms. Pelosi was exposed as that type of tyrant. Now that that genie is out of the bottle, there's nothing Ms. Pelosi or Mr. Hunt can do to remake Ms. Pelosi's image.
Posted Sunday, August 3, 2008 11:40 AM
Comment 1 by Walter hanson at 03-Aug-08 12:01 PM
Don't forgot to mention how great her book is doing. Wasn't it bellow "Watching Paint Dry" as Rush joked on Friday. About 900th place. A comparison would be in 2004 how people were scrambling and trying to get their hands on "Unfit for Command"
As for Mr. Hunt's claiming the unity I think he's over looking two important points:
* With control of the house gavel she has some control over the rules. Thus that 92% rate because she can control the drilling votes so the party looks unified.
* Lets not forget on a number of key issues the bills that passed were considered to be caveins to the Republicans and the Bush Administration.
* The size of the margin of the majority matters. That's why the Republicans have to hunker down and gain seats. There have been lots of votes this year despite that unify rate like the recess vote where she has been forced to scrape a one or couple vote of margin of victory. Everybody who wants to criticize the Republicans when they were in control of the House fail to understand that with no Democrat votes and about 10 to 20 Republicans holding out votes the Republicans who wanted to do something were a working miniority. Pelosi is in that boat. She needs more votes and she's probably a couple of good solid liberal votes away (not to mention no fear of a presidential veto) from doing what she really wants to do.
* And lets not forget if you compare her to Harry Reid she looks good.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 03-Aug-08 02:59 PM
Friday, I mentioned how her book was doing. Who cares?
Forget hunkering down. That's a defensive position. We're on offense.
Comment 3 by Walter hanson at 03-Aug-08 03:06 PM
The point I'm trying to make is that while everyone is focusing on the Senate and can the sixty vote vote filibuster margin be created people haven't noticed that in the House Nancy has been having the same problem that Hassert had for years. A couple of House Seat gains can cripple Democrats the way no one has mentioned.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 4 by Gary Gross at 03-Aug-08 04:53 PM
Walter, I haven't focused on the Senate. My focus has been on the US & Minnesota Houses.
Blue Dogs In Hiding?
Blue Dog Democrats like casting themselves as being more moderate than far left liberals like Maxine Waters, Dennis Kucinich and Maurice Hinchey. Despite the imagery, though, House Democrats voted in unanimity 92 percent of the time .
Since returning from their July 4th recess, House Republicans have filed one discharge petition after another on legislation pertaining to drilling on the OCS or in ANWR. The American Energy Act is a balanced, comprehensive approach to solving the gas crisis. Much to the chagrin of OTR truckers, commuters and farmers who need cheaper gas, Ms. Pelosi has broadcast it that that legislation won't reach the House floor.
Meanwhile, Blue Dog Democrats refuse to sign discharge petitions to give the AEA an up or down vote.
What's aggravating is that pundits predict that that legislation would garner approximately 300 votes if it got an up or down vote. What's likely happening here is that these Democrats are playing games. They want to vote for popular legislation but they aren't willing to stand up for their constituents by signing the discharge petitions. It appears as though they're more willing to fight with Ms. Pelosi and the environmentalist lobby than they're willing to fight for their constituents.
If this cadre of Democrats isn't willing to break ranks with Ms. Pelosi on principle, what's their worth?
It's time these Democrats stopped their fence-citting and started acting on behalf of their constituents instead of acting on behalf of their special interest allies.
Posted Sunday, August 3, 2008 12:03 PM
Comment 1 by Walter hanson at 03-Aug-08 12:13 PM
I think every Republican House Candidate until there is a vote let alone candidate running against House members in Senate races should be talking about discharge petitions and how they aren't being signed.
Gary if I'm right isn't there going to be bill sometime where the strong arming by Pelosi is going to hit the wall. Doesn't she have to pass some type of bill (even if it's snuck into a popular bill) that keeps the offshore drilling ban alive since it will be expiring on September 30th.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Comment 2 by Gary Gross at 03-Aug-08 02:57 PM
Yes, they'll have to do a CR to keep the government running. They don't dare oppose it. They're better off with the issue, then solving it in the 111th Congress.
I read something yesterday that advocated shutting the government down & saying they're doing it to open up drilling.
That's plain stupid. They'll lose whatever goodwill they've generated.
Did He Mean It? TPaw Questions Obama's Oil 'Reversal'
Sen. Obama's position on drilling has been, to be charitable, erratic this week. First, he called driling a "Republican scheme." Then he said his first priority was providing relief to the middle class. Finally, he's for drilling if we jump through the sufficient number of hoops. It's little surprise, then, that Gov. Pawlenty is skeptical of Obama's reversal :
"He's put so many contingencies around it that I wonder, in fact I question, whether he would do it at all," Pawlenty said after he helped open Republican campaign office in Ames. "It may be a way for him to gain favor during the election, and tube it later because all the contingencies weren't met."That's the gentlemanly way of saying that Sen. Obama's changing positions is political pandering to get elected. It's also proof that Sen. Obama doesn't have a set of core beliefs. This statement from Sen. Obama's spokesman states as much:
Obama spokeswoman Jenni Lee said the Democratic presidential hopeful is skeptical of the immediate effect of new offshore drilling, but "believes that finding consensus is essential to solving our energy crisis."I've asked this before but I'll keep repeating it: Why doesn't Sen. Obama think that increasing supplies will change gas prices? Have commodities experts told him that supplies don't matter in commodity pricing? Don't bet on it.
Let's ask another set of questions starting with this:
- Why doesn't Sen. Obama think that oil prices would drop if we expanded drilling?
- Has Sen. Obama or his staff talked with oil industry experts on how long it would take to start getting oil from new offshore rigs?
- If he hasn't talked with oil industry experts, why hasn't he?
- Would Sen. Obama be surprised to find out that drilling in shallow areas near existing infrastructure could produce oil within months?
Sen. Obama would likely have a substantial lead if he sounded more authoritative. If Sen. Obama had thought things through, he wouldn't have to change his mind as often has he's changed it in the last week.
I think that Sen. Obama would've fared better in who people think is more ready to be commander-in-chief if they'd detected some gravitas and a sense of commitment.
Posted Sunday, August 3, 2008 10:13 PM
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