Pat Robertson Endorses Giuliani

Deeming Giuliani, "more than acceptable to people of faith, Pat Robertson endorsed Rudy Giuliani's presidential bid this morning:

Robertson said although he and Giuliani disagree on social issues, those disagreements "pale into insignificance" when measured against the import of the fight against global terrorism and radical Islam. "We need a man who sees clearly how to deal with that issue," said Robertson.

Pat Robertson is one of the most influential figures in the social conservative movement. He is probably best known as the founder of the Christian Coalition. More recently, Robertson's influenced has lessened as he made one controversial statement after another.

Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani is a setback to Mitt Romney. Romney, like many of the Republican presidential hopefuls sought Robertson's backing. Giuliani can now counter Romney's recently endorsement by conservative stalwarts Paul Weyrich and Bob Jones III and support his claim that despite his positions supporting abortion and gay rights, he is an acceptable choice to conservatives.

At The QandO Blog, Bruce McQuain belittles Robertson's endorsement posting "Dems get union endorsements and Reps get religious endorsements." McQ misses the point that it matters that this "religious endorsement" went to Giuliani. This endorsement matters because voters have heard of Pat Robertson.

UPDATE: I've added Video of the announcement of the endorsement.

Doubting Fred

According to the Telegraph's Toby Harnden, even Fred doubts he'll be president:

Chatting off-air to a television reporter, a stunningly candid off-the-cuff quip from the Hollywood actor cemented the impression that his heart is not in the 2008 race.

Trying to encourage his studio to hurry up so an interview could start, Carl Cameron of Fox News said into his microphone: "The next president of the United States has a schedule to keep." Standing beside him, a deadpan Mr. Thompson interjected: "And so do I."

As some Thompson aides looked bemused and others cringed, a taken-aback Mr Cameron, Fox's chief political correspondent, exclaimed: "You can't do that kind of stuff!"

Harnden misses the mark here. Unlike most presidential candidates, Fred has made a major point of not insisting that his candidacy is the most important thing in the world. This little exchange is totally in character for presidential candidate Fred Thompson.

Toby Harnden overreacted. Jim Geraghty has it about right:

That exchange will fuel the Fred's-heart-isn't-really-in-it talk, but I don't think it ought to. This is the guy who jabbed Tim Russert about his weight, who told Chris Matthews "that's your opinion, Christopher," and who generally comes across as a guy who could take or leave the presidency. Cameron's comment was pretty clearly a joke in its presumptuousness, and Thompson's comment seems to be a joke to deflate that presumptuousness.

I like the Daily Telegraph a lot, but the whole tone of the article at the link has an overwheming Thompson-campaign-in-freefall tone that I think just isn't warranted by events. At least, not yet.

This exchange isn't a reason to doubt Fred.

Gay Marriage Ban Likely On Florida's 2008 Ballot

In next year's Presidential election, Florida voters will probably also vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriages:

Proponents of the ban are heartened by polls showing that the amendment has a good chance of getting the 60 percent of votes necessary for passage.

"People intuitively understand why marriage should be between a man and a woman," said John Stemberger, head of Florida4Marriage.

Gay marriage is already illegal in Florida because the state adopted the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Nevertheless. Some support the amendment to ban gay marriage so state judges could not find the current law unconstitutional.

Only 13,000 more voter signatures are needed to reach the required 611,009 to get the amendment on the ballot

Bill Vayens, secretary of the Florida Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Caucus, said opponents have a legal team ready to challenge signatures.

Driving Illegals - Political Poison

A new poll finds voters oppose drivers' licenses for illegal aliens by a nearly five-to-one margin:

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of American adults are opposed to making drivers licenses available to people who are in the country illegally.

The results won't surprise anyone except the Liberal/Progressive extremists that have taken over the Democratic Party.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Republicans oppose giving drivers’ licenses to undocumented immigrants. So do 68% of Democrats and 75% of those not affiliated with either major political party. There is little difference along gender, age, or income levels.

I have said before, we should trust the people on immigration reform. The people get it. They intuitively understand that it is stupid to give someone known to be here illegally a license to drive.

The poll numbers are the real reason Hillary refused to give a straight answer about New York Democratic Governor Elliot Spitzer's very unpopular proposal to give licenses to illegal aliens.

The same analysis applies to the misguided Liberal/Progressive proposal to provide instate tuition breaks to illegal aliens contained in the so-called Dream Act. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of all voters oppose the concept of the Dream Act. On the left coast, 62% of California voters support Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of the state version of the Dream Act.

Providing any sort of "sanctuary" only encourages more illegal immigration.

Hillary Loses Ground

A CNN/Opinion Research poll, conducted after the Democrats' debate at Drexal University, finds less support for Hillary. Slick Hillary is now supported by 44 percent of the Democrats polled, down from 51 percent in October.

Hillary's poor performance in the face of the criticism heaped upon her by the other Democratic candidates for Hillary's failure to give straight answers to simple questions and the new poll numbers showing the Hillaryland juggernaut losing ground show the vaunted Clinton machine is vulnerable.

Just wait until after the primaries when the Republicans use the same material in ads like the RNC's "Long On Rhetoric, Short On Answers" video.

The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted on November 2-4 with Democrats or independents who lean Democratic. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percent.

Slick Hillary Double Talk

Hillary's horrific performance in last weeks debate at Drexel University is a gift that just keeps on giving. In the following RNC video, Hillary's Clinton’s unwillingness to give a straightforward or honest answer is lambasted by Democratic candidates and political pundits alike:



You can watch the ad the Edwards campaign made parsing Hillary's double talk here and the fun Saturday Night Live and Obama had at Hillary's expense here.

Mondale Endorses Hillary

Former Vice President and presidential candidate Walter Mondale, the first presidential candidate to choose a woman as his running mate, backs Hillary.

Obama On Saturday Night Live

Last night Obama hosted Saturday Night Live. The opening skit was a Halloween Party hosted by Bill and Hillary Clinton:



Obama also took both Clintons to task on the campaign trail:

Campaigning in South Carolina earlier, Obama accused Hillary Clinton of giving voters “vague, calculated answers to suit the politics of the moment instead of clear, consistent principles about how you would lead America.” And he subtly swiped at former President Bill Clinton by listing problems that “existed long before George Bush took office.”

You can watch videos of Hillary's vague and calculated answers here and here.

Parsing Hillary

The Edwards campaign takes Hillary's to task over her devious and insincere refusals to give straight answers during the Democratic debate at Drexel University.



It was such double talk that caused me to declare her the loser of the debate. Hillary isn't nearly slick enough at such obfuscation to even aspire to succeed to Bill Clinton as Slick Willy.

Thanks to Stop Her Now for the tip.

Parsing Hillary

The Edwards campaign takes Hillary's to task over her devious and insincere refusals to give straight answers during the Democratic debate at Drexel University.



It was such double talk that caused me to declare her the loser of the debate. Hillary isn't nearly slick enough at such obfuscation to even aspire to succeed to Bill Clinton as Slick Willy.

Thanks to Stop Her Now for the tip.

Hillary's Double Talk At Drexel University Debate

It was Hilary's devious, insincere refusals to give straight answers which caused me to declare her the loser of the Democratic debate at Drexel University. Watch the video and hear it in her own words.

Obama Wins Debate

Senator Barack Obama outperformed six other Democratic presidential wannabes at last night's debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

An unscientific OpenVote poll found Drexel students selected Obama as the debate winner:

Currently, with over 600 votes cast, Obama has sustained the lead with 46 percent.

I didn't see it quite that way. I thought Hillary took a lot of damage from Dodd, Edwards and Obama. I think Edwards came out on top.

Regardless of who won, the loser was Hillary. She was pounded for her vote for a resolution supporting the designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, and comparisons to her vote to authorize military action against Iraq. Hillary also took a hit for her inconsistency on Social Security:

Earlier, when Clinton was asked whether she had made one statement on Social Security publicly and a conflicting answer privately, she ducked the question, saying she believed in “fiscal responsibility.”

She came across as devious, insincere and waffling on access to records about her activities while First Lady. Hillary similarly refused to give a straight answer regarding New York Governor Eliott Spitzer's very unpopular plan to issue drivers licenses to illegal aliens.

Rudy Right Enough

In the Washington Post, David Greenberg writes that Rudy is a confirmed right-winger:

On issues such as free speech and religion, secrecy and due process, civil rights and civil liberties, pornography and democracy, this moralist and self-styled lawman has exhibited all the key hallmarks of Bush-era conservatism.

[. . .]

The case for Giuliani's moderation rests mainly on three overblown issues -- guns, gay rights and abortion -- and even in those cases, his deviation from conservative orthodoxy is far milder than is usually suggested.

The "social" and "cultural" issues that divide Americans encompass much more than guns, gay rights and abortion. They include state support of religion; the legitimacy of dissenting speech; the president's right to keep information secret; the place of fair procedures in dispensing justice. The Bush administration's hard-line stands on these matters have polarized the nation as much as the Iraq war has. And on these issues, Giuliani is just as hard-line as the man he'd like to succeed.

Greenberg relies upon Rudy's attempt to censor an art exhibit featuring a painting of the Virgin Mary that used clumps of elephant dung; his plan to fund parochial schools with city money; His directive that police confiscate the cars of people charged with drunken driving; and his efforts to remain mayor beyond his term.

Greenberg claims that Rudy's positions on guns, gay rights and abortion don't render Giuliani a liberal or a moderate, but merely an occasional dissenter from the GOP line. This claim seems to be supported by the fact that despite the many blog posts, YouTube videos, and newspaper articles rehashing Rudy's "liberal" or "moderate" positions, Rudy still remains the front runner. On the other hand, the beauty contest polling at this stage isn't a reliable indicator. Just ask Howard Dean.

Nevertheless, for more and more of the Republican-leaning voters I talk with, Rudy may not the confirmed right-winger Greenberg sees, but Rudy is right enough. What is more important, is those voters perceive Rudy as mainstream.

Fred's Lazy - Whatever

At the Orlando Republican presidential candidate debate Fred Thompson was asked about the criticism that he is lazy. Fred listed some of his achievements, then said:

If a man can do all that and be lazy, I recommend it to everybody. [The transcript of the exchange is posted below]

That exchange inspired comedian Jimmy Kimmel to come up with a "campaign ad" to contradict charge that Fred is lazy:

From the debate transcript:

GOLER: Senator Thompson, reporters on your campaign say your stumbles on the Terry Schiavo case and on the issue of oil drilling in the Everglades show that you don't do your homework.

The week after, though -- you took a week off after the last debate. Speech yesterday was about five minutes long. Some people say you're lazy, sir.

How do you deal with that?

(LAUGHTER)

THOMPSON: Well -- no, it's OK. Let me answer that.

I was a father at the age of 17 and a husband at the age of 17. I got started working in a factory. I borrowed and worked my way through. My folks did what they could to help. They were country folks -- came in off the farm.

I was able to be an assistant U.S. attorney when I was 28, prosecuting most of the major federal crimes in middle Tennessee -- most of the major ones.

THOMPSON: Howard Baker selected me to go to Washington and be his counsel on the Watergate Committee at the age of 30.

I came back, took on a corrupt state administration, and won against them. I went to the United States Senate, got elected twice by 20 points in a state that Bill Clinton carried twice.

Condoleezza Rice called upon me to head up an international security advisory board to advise her on international security matters. President Bush called me to help shepherd Chief Justice -- now-Chief Justice John Roberts' nomination through the Judiciary Committee.

If a man can do all that and be lazy, I recommend it to everybody.

(LAUGHTER) (APPLAUSE)

HUME: And that is it for us tonight. Our thanks to the candidates.

THOMPSON: And I should add, the most important -- the most important part is I'm a proud father of five; two of them are under the age of four. So let me add that to the list.

Thanks to Orlando at Fort Hard Knox for the tip.

Colbert Beats Richardson

Stephen Colbert has announced plans to run in both the Democratic and Republican South Carolina Presidential primaries.

A new Public Opinion Strategies poll finds Presidential wannabe, Stephen Colbert, takes 2.3 percent of the vote. That's better than Democratic candidates Governor Bill Richardson (2.1 percent), Representative Dennis Kucinich (2.1 percent) and former Senator Mike Gravel (less than 1 percent).

Richardson, Kucinich and Gravel should take the hint. It's long past time for them to withdraw.

Obama Disrespects The Flag

Time Magazine published this picture of Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin during the national anthem at Tom Harkin's Iowa Steak Fry.

Three of the four people in the picture want to be President of the United States. One of the three is disrespecting the Flag of the United States during the playing of the National Anthem.

United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10 - Patriotic Customs, provides:

During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.

If you wanted to be president, wouldn't you give proper respect to the Old Glory during the National Anthem? Barack Hussein Obama would rather dispaly another testament to his patriotism.

Thanks to Theodore's World for the tip.

Hillary Maintains Fifty

A new Zogby poll finds half of likely voters would never vote for Hillary:

Older voters are most resistant to Clinton – 59% of those age 65 and older said they would never vote for the New York senator, but she is much more acceptable to younger voters: 42% of those age 18–29 said they would never vote for Clinton for President.

Things are getting worse for Hillary. In a March Zogby poll only 46 percent said they could never vote for Hillary. At the same time, the Harris Poll found 50 percent of U.S. adults would not vote for Hillary, including 21 percent of Democrats.

The Zogby poll was conducted October 11–15, 2007 and has a +/– 1.0 percent margin of error.

Unintended Consequences

Presidential wannabee, Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Dodd, says he will block a Senate vote on a White House-backed terrorist surveillance bill.

Dodd's move would stall a measure that President Bush and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell have said is essential to protect national security.

As I have posted before, I still don't find the Terrorist Surveillance Program very bothersome. We are at war, even though too many pretend we are not. I like the idea that someone is keeping an eye on suspected terrorist communications.

The following video shows the possible unintended consequences of letting liberal-progressives stop the Terrorist Surveillance Program:



Thanks to directorblue at the Doug Ross Journal for the tip.

Hillary's Experience

In a continuing effort to hide from the fact that she has no executive experience, Senator Clinton repeatedly says she has years of relevant experience.

If the 60-year-old Hillary manages to be elected President, she would be only the third sitting Senator elected President. Hillary has been an elected official only seven years. The two previous sitting Senators, Harding and Kennedy, both served as elected officials for 14 years before becoming President. Harding also ran a successful newspaper and Kennedy served in World War II, during which he commanded a patrol torpedo (PT) boat. That makes Hillary the least experienced.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, questions Hillary’s experience:

I honestly and most respectfully, I don't know Hillary's experience. She's never run a city; she's never run a state; she's never run a business; she's never met a payroll; she's never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less even hundreds of people. So I'm trying to figure out where the experience is here.

Watch the video:



For once I agree with Hillary. As she told Sean Hannity, her experience is unique:

"I really think my unique" — "my experience uniquely equips me to be president at this time."

That's right - uniquely inexperienced.

Brownback Out

The Associated Press is reporting that Senator Sam Brownback will withdraw from the 2008 presidential campaign on Friday.