So much for President Reagan’s 11th Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” Sunday’s GOP presidential debate found the eight remaining contenders roughing up one another more than usual, though the most blistering talk was reserved for Hillary Clinton (mentioned 33 times in 90 minutes).
“You’ve just spent the last year trying to fool people about your record. I don’t want you to start fooling them about mine,” John McCain said to Mitt Romney.
“Fred was the single biggest obstacle to tort reform in the United States Senate,” Rudy Giuliani said of Fred Thompson.
Given the mood, the refusal of Mike Huckabee (in photo) to join the “demolition derby” served his growing breakout appeal. “What I’m interested in is fighting for the American people,” he said. (Another sign of Huckabee’s strength: He just earned Chuck Norris’ endorsement.)
Funny how nobody seems very interested in criticizing President Bush, low poll numbers or not. Reagan would approve.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
Given the lengths to which Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Russian President Vladimir Putin seem willing to go to hang onto power, it was only a matter of time before somebody raised the issue to President Bush. Asked about Putin’s gambit to become prime minister next year, Bush said, “I’ve been planning that myself.” Hey, at least then he wouldn’t be saddling his successor with the Iraq war, which he says needs another $46 billion.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
When the United Nations passed a resolution last December opposing the sentencing of children and teenagers to life in prison without parole, the vote was 185-1, with United States casting the only dissenting vote, the International Herald Tribune noted. U.S. opposition may have something to do with the 73 Americans serving life sentences without parole for crimes they committed as 13- and 14-year-olds.
Human rights groups such as the Equal Justice Initiative are asking that the policy be changed to allow cases to be reviewed as the years go by and considered for possible parole. “We’re not demanding that all these kids be released tomorrow,” said the group’s Bryan Stevenson. “I’m not even prepared to say that all of them will get to the point where they should be released. We’re asking for some review.”
Posted by Kristin Mehler
Some Kansans are just realizing they won’t get a real say in the presidential nominating process, because the Legislature canceled the costly primary in favor of low-key party caucuses (see last letter). But as frustrating as it is to see Kansas sit out, it’s also a relief to escape the scheduling mayhem. Iowa Republicans have set their caucuses for Jan. 3, before the New Year’s Eve champagne will have had a chance to go flat. Iowa Democrats may vote separately on Jan. 5. All eyes now turn to New Hampshire, which by state law holds the nation’s first primary but has South Carolina, Michigan and Florida breathing down its neck. Meanwhile, so many other states have set Feb. 5 as their primary date that by Feb. 6 the suspense could be over. And — this is the worst part — Americans could face nine months of one-on-one campaigning for the general election.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
The following satirical news story comes from borowitzreport.com:
“Just hours after former Vice President Al Gore received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on global warming, the U.S. Supreme Court handed Gore a stunning reversal, stripping him of his Nobel and awarding it to President George W. Bush instead. . . .
“In a 5-4 decision, the justices made it clear that they had taken the unprecedented step of stripping Mr. Gore of his Nobel because President Bush deserved it more.
“’It is true that Al Gore has done a lot of talking about global warming,’ wrote Justice Antonin Scalia, for the majority. ‘But President Bush has actually helped create global warming.”’
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
