Tancredo's Explosive New Ad Bombs

Republican presidential candidate Tom Tancredo has released a new television ad entitled "Tough on Terror."

The ad links lax border security to future terrorist attacks and depicts a hooded figure who plants a backpack loaded with explosives in a crowded shopping center. Images from terror attacks in London, Spain and Russia flash across the screen as a timer counts down to an explosion.

Dennis Goldford, a professor of politics at Drake University in Des Moines, said the ad is a fear-based advertisement reminiscent of the President Johnson's famous 1964 "Daisy Girl" ad that featured a little girl plucking petals from a daisy and a mushroom cloud to suggest that Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, the Republican presidential candidate, would set off a nuclear war.



Tancredo's ad is not nearly as powerful as Johnson's "Daisy Girl" ad.

Obama Calls For Higher Payroll Taxes

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Democratic presidential wannabe, Barack Obama, said he would raise Social Security payroll taxes:

"The best way to approach this is to adjust the cap on the payroll tax so that people like myself are paying a little bit more and the people who are in need are protected."

Here's the video of Obama's saying he'd raise payroll taxes:



Perhaps Obama wasn't around in 1984 to hear Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale's famous pledge to raise taxes, then see the former vice president lose in a landslide. Polling found that Mondale's call for higher taxes to be the main reason for his defeat:

The Times/CBS News Poll showed that Mr. Reagan's handling of the economy was the strongest factor attracting voters to him. Those polled rejected Mr. Mondale's call for higher taxes by a ratio of nearly 2 to 1.

Calling for higher taxes might help Obama win the Democratic nomination, but it will also help the Democrats lose the general election.

Hillary Goes FEMA

The Hillary campaign in Iowa was forced to admit that it planted a global warming question in Newton, Iowa, Tuesday during a town hall meeting to discuss clean energy:

After Clinton spoke, a student in the crowd was invited to pose a question. "As a young person, I'm worried about the long-term effects of global warming. How does your plan combat climate change?" the student asked.

Clinton replied: "Well, you should be worried. You know, I find as I travel around Iowa that it's usually young people who ask me about global warming."

The cover was blown on the orchestrated nature of the exchange a few days later when the Grinnell college website reported that one of its students, Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff, had been encouraged to ask the question by a Clinton employee. "One of the senior staffers told me what to ask," she said.

Clinton's spokesman admitted the question had been arranged but said: "This is not standard policy and will not be repeated again."

But after claiming planting questions isn't standard policy, another case of the Hillary campaign planting questions came to light at an Iowa campaign event in April.

This reinforces Hillary's critics accusations that Hillary is a double-talker who refuses to give straight answers to tough questions. Planting questions is inexcusable, especially coming after FEMA's fake news conference which cost two officials their jobs.

Fred Answers Questions About His Campaign

WYFF News 4 talks with former Senator Fred Thompson about his presidential campaign.



Thanks to Orlando at Fort Hard Knox for the tip.

De Facto Amnesty - Driving Illegals

Even Democrats can't understand why their party's national leaders are embracing driver's licenses for illegal aliens, and say their constituents see it as a "de facto amnesty."

Alabama Democrat Representative Artur Davis, said voters in his state "get that a driver's license is a form of legal status" because it can be used to board a plane, enter most government buildings and conduct most financial transactions.

"The American people don't want conferring driver's licenses to become a de facto amnesty," he said.

Kansas Democratic Representative Nancy Boyda, Kansas Democrat, said the stance favoring licenses for illegals taken by Democratic presidential candidates is very unpopular in her district.

"It is ultimately about the rule of law," she said. "We don't give driver's licenses to people who are here illegally. We do something about the fact that they are here illegally."

Texas Democratic Representative Nick Lampson, said "Somebody else might be out of step with the voters of my district, but I'm not."

Driving illegals has exploded as a major issue in the presidential campaign thanks to New York's Liberal/Progressive Democratic Governor Elliot Spitzer's very unpopular proposal to give licenses to illegal aliens and Hillary's inability to say whether she supported Spitzer's proposal at the Drexal University debate.

According to the Washington Times, Hillary isn't the only Democratic presidential candidate to support Driving illegals:

In addition to Mrs. Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois said he favors licenses for aliens while New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's state is one of the small number that already allows such licenses.

A recent Fox 5-Washington Times-Rasmussen Reports poll found 77 percent, nearly a five-to-one margin, oppose drivers' licenses for illegal aliens, including (88%) of Republicans, 75% of unaffiliated voters and even 68% of Democrats.

The people get it. Unlike the Democratic Presidential candidates, voters understand that an incentive like a driver's license will encourage more illegal aliens.

Tennessee stopped issuing driving certificates to illegal aliens after investigations found illegal aliens were being shuttled to Tennessee from other states, using fake residency papers and sometimes bribing state workers to get the driving certificates. Tennessee's Driving certificates for illegals, like Spitzer's licenses, were meant to improve driving safety by making sure immigrants living in the state knew traffic rules.

New York Democrat Representative John Hall, broke with Spitzer over licenses for illegal aliens because of the security risk:

"I'm concerned that making licenses available to illegal immigrants could present security risks, make New York a magnet state for illegal immigrants by creating an incentive for more undocumented individuals to come to New York, and that the proposal would create a bureaucratic, confusing system," Hall said in a statement after he was criticized on the issue by national Republicans.

Even though some Democratic members of Congress see the silliness of providing incentives that encourage more illegal immigration, it's only the Republicans that are trying to stop driving illegals.

Minnesota Republican Senator Norm Coleman, introduced a resolution that would put the Senate on record condemning states issuing driver's licenses to illegal aliens. Coleman's resolution is co-sponsored by 15 Republican Senators.

A similar resolution has been introduced in the House by Republican Representatives Tom Latham of Iowa and John Randy Kuhl Jr. of New York

New York Republican Representative Peter T. King of Long Island plans to introduce legislation next week that would prohibit states from issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.

Driving illegals is more problematic than just encouraging more illegal immigration. A driver's license is more than a permit to drive. It's a nationally recognized form of identification that implies citizenship. With the license comes an assumed legitimacy. The same legitimacy achieved by the 9/11 hijackers, who had dozens of state IDs, used to rent cars and apartments, open bank accounts, take flying lessons and board planes.

Instead of arresting and sending illegal aliens back to where they come from when they are discovered driving illegally, the liberal/progressive solution is to give them driver's licenses. I just don't get it.

More On Robertson's Endorsement Of Giuliani

Pat Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani is discussed on "Hardball with Chris Matthews."

Brownback Endorses McCain

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback endorsed Republican presidential hopeful John McCain:

Brownback said McCain is the most fiscally conservative candidate, has the best foreign policy experience, was right on the strategy for Iraq and takes a tough anti-abortion stand. He also argued that McCain would appoint strict constructionist judges to the Supreme Court.

If you want a guy to change Washington, John McCain's the guy to do it. He has been in Washington, but he is not of Washington.

Brownback's endorsement doesn't help McCain as much as Pat Robertson's endorsement helps Rudy.

McCain's campaign has been resurrected recently. The former front runner has clawed his way back to second place behind Rudy Giuliani in three recent polls.

National polls don't mean much in the presidential campaign. Statewide polls are much more significant. McCain is not faring as well in state polls:

In those, McCain is not faring as well. He is running fifth in Iowa, third in New Hampshire and fourth in South Carolina, according to the RealClearPolitics Web site's average of recent polls.

If McCain's better poll numbers translate to better fundraising numbers, he has a shot.

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.