[excon]

Hello:

I get the feeling that you righty's out there just can't get enthused about your candidates. I see Tom is still supporting his Rudy and Fred stuff. The Woverine ain't talking. Speech and Dennis ain't either. I ain't seen NOTHING from you guys lately about Huck and Wrongny.

The Dems on the other hand, would be happy to support ANY candidate, and will. That's why the Democratic candidate WILL be the next pres.

But, without 60 seats in the Senate, it matters not. Can the Dems ALSO take the Senate? Which seats?

excon

[Emland]

Sen John Warner is cashing in his chips here in VA. His seat will very likely to go to our former Democratic Governor, Mark Warner.

[tomder55]

I stick by Thompson (1st ) and Rudy(2nd choice) . Rudy is not really trying in the Iowa contest . The latest Zogby has the Huckster and Romney tied for 1st and Thompson and MCCain tied for 3rd. The way Iowa works (it's kind of odd ) is that Thompson may get enough 2nd place votes to have a major surprise showing . Either way the race will be far from over after the perhaps 200,000 Iowans submit their preferences.

I think there is a real possibility of Democrat gains in the Senate and House but I doubt they will achieve fillibuster proof majorities.

The Dems have all adopted the Huey Long populism spouted by Edwards . To them the more they can convince the Americans they are victims the better they will do. The Huckster does a variation of William Jennings Bryan populism also . Given the choice between Huck and Romney I would choose Romney hands down. At least he has a solid record of governing and managing achievement.

[excon]

At least he has a solid record of governing and managing achievment.

Hello again, tom:

It's true, and he only flip-flopped a little bit.

excon

[Emland]

Yeah, the people in Massachusetts really know how to pick 'em. The only thing you can count on with Romney is that he will eventually change his position.

Go Ron Paul!

[RubyPitbull]

Excon, are you really happy about the choices the Democratic party is serving up? I feel like I am living in bizarro world. Different faces, but the same empty garbage from all candidates on all sides. Wankers. All of 'em.

[excon]

Excon, are you really happy about the choices the Democratic party is serving up?

Hello Ruby:

No. But, I ain't a Democrat. I support Ron Paul. I AM a realist, however. A Democrat is going to win.

excon

[RubyPitbull]

excon, I meant to talk to you about that the other day. Wasn't sure if you were still supporting Ron Paul. Have you looked at his platform? What do you think about his stance on immigration and abortion?

[excon]

Excon, I meant to talk to you about that the other day. Wasn't sure if you were still supporting Ron Paul. Have you looked at his platform? What do you think about his stance on immigration and abortion?

Hello again, Ruby:

No, he's a whacko on those issues to be sure. But overall, he's less whacko than the rest. It's whacko to lock people up for drugs. He won't do that. It's whacko to invade and occupy countries like Iraq. He won't do that. It's whacko to print money. He won't do that.

The rest of the whacko candidates are going to do ALL of that.

The SHAME of this election, is that we'll get to choose between the lesser of two whackos.

excon

[RubyPitbull]

I don't know if my local info is absolutely correct but I guess they would have been told to amend anything that was wrong. The following info on Ron Paul's platform was taken from Commitment 2008 - Compare Candidates

"Iraq:
Opposes the war. He originally voted against it.1
Foreign Affairs:
Believes American presence in Middle East has led to higher energy costs. Believes tax dollars should stay at home, not be sent overseas.83
Homeland Security:
Opposes Patriot Act; believes security cannot replace privacy. Opposed creation of the Department of Homeland Security; believes it creates bureaucracy and wastes funds.84
Immigration:
Favors strict border enforcement. Opposes citizenship for illegels and wants to repeal citizenship rights for children born to illegals inside the US.86
Economy:
Self-described "Tax-Payers Best Friend", he favors limited government and lower taxes.14
Education:
Supports tax credits for families to help pay for education and tax breaks for people who donate to local schools.14
Energy:
Wants to repeal federal gas tax to cut prices.81 Supports nuclear energy as a way to solve shortages.82
Climate Change:
No info
Health:
Believes government regulation has inflated prices. Favors very limited government and wants health care costs to be completely tax deductable.80
Social Security:
Believes government is unfairly raiding Social Security Trust Fund to fund other programs.14
Stem Cell Research:
Opposes embryonic stem-cell research. Believes the question of funding is a state issue.79
Same Sex Marriage:
Opposes same-sex marriage (believes it's a state issue)77
Abortion:
Anti-abortion (believes it's a state, not federal issue)78
Gun Control:
Opposes gun restrictions.87"

[RubyPitbull]

Sorry, I was posting at the same time you were. Yes, I do believe that we each have to form an opinion based upon our own point of views of who would be the lesser of the whackos and vote from there.

[NeedKarma]

Giuliani has a new campaign:

Giuliani To Run For President Of 9/11 | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

[tomder55]

The sad thing about him is that there are many things to like about his positions . But his head in the sand foreign policy would be dangerous to the country . The days the oceans could protect us went by the wayside with the advent of the ICBM .

[Emland]

"Iraq:
Opposes the war. He originally voted against it.1
Foreign Affairs:
Believes American presence in Middle East has led to higher energy costs. Believes tax dollars should stay at home, not be sent overseas.83
Homeland Security:
Opposes Patriot Act; believes security cannot replace privacy. Opposed creation of the Department of Homeland Security; believes it creates bureaucracy and wastes funds.84
Immigration:
Favors strict border enforcement. Opposes citizenship for illegels and wants to repeal citizenship rights for children born to illegals inside the US.86
Economy:
Self-described "Tax-Payers Best Friend", he favors limited government and lower taxes.14
Education:
Supports tax credits for families to help pay for education and tax breaks for people who donate to local schools.14
Energy:
Wants to repeal federal gas tax to cut prices.81 Supports nuclear energy as a way to solve shortages.82
Climate Change:
No info
Health:
Believes government regulation has inflated prices. Favors very limited government and wants health care costs to be completely tax deductable.80
Social Security:
Believes government is unfairly raiding Social Security Trust Fund to fund other programs.14
Stem Cell Research:
Opposes embryonic stem-cell research. Believes the question of funding is a state issue.79
Same Sex Marriage:
Opposes same-sex marriage (believes it's a state issue)77
Abortion:
Anti-abortion (believes it's a state, not federal issue)78
Gun Control:
Opposes gun restrictions.87"

These are the main reasons I like Ron Paul!

[NeedKarma]

I stick by Thompson (1st ) and Rudy(2nd choice) .

Looks like Rudy may be your only man: Thompson may drop out, back McCain - Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen - Politico.com

[speechlesstx]

Quiet? Barring a good showing from Fred, I have already thrown my support behind Rudy. I don't find much to get excited about with Romney and the Huckster. Romney reminds me of a Republican Bill Clinton and I think the Huckster will mean certain defeat in November. I can almost certainly guarantee if Huckabee gets the nod all hell will break loose from the left over the possibility of a preacher in the White House.

Enthused? No. I don't get very enthused over anyone these days... except Romo and Marion the Barbarian Barber when they're on fire. :)

[tomder55]

McCain would certainly get a boost from a Thompson endorsement . I can only hope that Thompson catches fire. He has come out with solid thoughtful conservative positions on all the major issues of the day. I think that Thompson is the candidate best able to unite all the factions of the former conservative majority .

If he is not in then my support will be with Rudy due to solid foreign policy positions ;a great record of achievement running NYC ,and the electability factor. And if he isn't in then I will adopt excon's solution... the lesser of two whackos.

[speechlesstx]

McCain would certainly get a boost from a Thompson endorsement . I can onlty hope that Thompson catches fire. He has come out with solid thoughtful conservative positions on all the major issues of the day. I think that Thompson is the candidate best able to unite all the factions of the former conservative majority .

If he is not in then my support will be with Rudy due to solid foreign policy positions ;a great record of achievement running NYC ,and the electability factor. And if he isn't in then I will adopt Excon's solution... the lesser of two whackos.

I hope it doesn't come to the lesser of two wackos and I hope Fred does well tonight. I found his "accidental candidate" remarks refreshing.

"I like to say that I'm only consumed by very, very few things and politics is not one of them. The welfare of my country and my kids and grandkids are one of them. But if people really want in their president a super type-A personality, someone who has gotten up every morning and gone to bed every night thinking about for years how they could achieve the presidency of the United States, someone who could look you straight in the eye and say they enjoy every minute of campaigning — I ain't that guy."

Ain't that exactly what this country has been looking for?

[speechlesstx]

The sad thing about him is that there are many things to like about his positions . But his head in the sand foreign policy would be dangerous to the country . The days the oceans could protect us went by the wayside with the advent of the ICBM .

Speaking of foreign policy experience, did you hear what qualifies Obama as compared to Hillary?

“It’s that experience, that understanding, not just of what world leaders I went and talked to in the ambassadors house I had tea with, but understanding the lives of the people like my grandmother who lives in a tiny hut in Africa.”

Yep, after getting elected to the Senate and being touted as "a potential presidential candidate" he managed to find his way to visit his grandmother for the first time in 14 years and tab that as his foreign policy experience.

[ETWolverine]

What's to say, Excon.

I don't like Huck or Mitt all that much. Nothing against either of them, they just don't excite me.

I absolutely detest McCain's politics, but you already knew that.

That leaves Thompson and Rudy. I like them both, but I'm a bit more excited over Rudy for several reasons.

First, Rudy has proven crisis management leadership skills, whereas Fred does not. That's not to say that Fred doesn't possess such abilities, but he hasn't had to show them, and Rudy has.

Second, Rudy has a proven record of crime-stopping, economic rebuilding, anti-terrorist stances, and an uncompromising stance against anything that endangers his constituents. Thompson is good, but he's not QUITE as unconpromising as Rudy is.

Third... and this is something that was pointed out by Ann Coulter... Rudy managed to win NY as a Republican. NY is a liberal state. The fact that Rudy was able to win it twice, as a Republican, means that he knows how to run in and win in liberal states. Fred has only won office in right-wing Tennessee. He's never had to try to win a liberal state before. In that sense, both Rudy and Mitt (who won as a Republican in liberal Massachusetts) have an advantage over Thompson and Huckabee who have only run in conservative states.

So my choices, in order, are Rudy, Thompson, Romney and Huckabee. McCain doesn't make my list.

Elliot