Neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama gained much of an advantage Tuesday night, with Clinton narrowly edging Obama in delegates, 584-569, according to Associated Press. But on the GOP side, John McCain was the big winner, capturing the big, winner-take-all states and most of the delegates. Mike Huckabee also did very well, winning several Southern states and placing a close second in others. He’s unlikely to win the GOP nomination, but he certainly positioned himself as a possible vice presidential pick. Though Mitt Romney won several states, he was the big loser of the night, particularly given the amount of money he spent campaigning in California.
At Robinson Middle School on Tuesday night, Barack Obama’s crossover appeal to Republicans was evident. Two middle-aged couples braving snow in the long line said they were, in fact, Republicans.
Why were they caucusing for Obama?
“We want to have somebody new,†said Bonnie Johnson. “I think he’ s real smart — and he’s for real.†She didn’t seem bothered that he had liberal positions on most issues. It was more a question of his leadership style.
Steve Lewallen echoed those sentiments. “We’re ready for change,†he told me. He noted that John F. Kennedy didn’t have much more experience than Obama when he became president. “I’ve never voted Democratic — my Dad would probably roll in his grave.â€
A new book, “The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation,†by New York Times reporter Philip Shenon, sets out to reveal what the official Sept. 11 commission report left out: evidence of incompetence at the highest levels of government.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice comes in for harsh criticism. “Whatever her job title, Rice seemed uninterested in actually advising the president,†Shenon writes. “Instead, she wanted to be his closest confidante — specifically on foreign policy — and to simply translate his words into action.â€
And New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani got kid-gloves treatment from the commission because of his hero status despite evidence that he failed to prepare New York for a terrorist attack.
Three of the nation’s largest investment banks unveiled new standards Monday that require utilities seeking financing to prove that new coal-fired plants would make economic sense even with tough federal caps on carbon dioxide.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the move by Citigroup Inc., Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co. reflects Wall Street’s belief that Congress will approve “sometime in the next few years†some kind of cap-and-trade system on greenhouse gases. The banks will ask utilities wanting to build new coal plants to first explore energy efficiency and renewable energy options. The new financing rules could “hurt coal-dependent utilities that haven’t begun factoring a future price of C02 emissions into their planning. But they could help utilities that have.â€
The Holcomb plant debate is taking place against the backdrop of sweeping federal regulatory and financial changes that can’t be ignored.
Obviously, Mitt Romney felt slighted by Bob Dole’s letter to Rush Limbaugh, in which he tried to shore up John McCain’s conservative credentials and prepare Rush for a McCain nomination. But why did Romney feel the need to call Dole “the last person I would have wanted to write a letter for me� He went on to liken McCain to Dole as “the guy who’s next in line, the inevitable choice,†and later tried to make amends, calling Dole a “fine man and a great leader for our party.†But it should not have taken Romney two tries to show more respect for the grand old man of the Grand Old Party.
For those interested, the New York Times has a photo slide show of the amazing play near the end of the Super Bowl when New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning somehow avoided getting sacked and then floated a long pass that receiver David Tyree caught by pinning the ball on top of his helmet. I didn’t really care who won the game, though I was pulling for the underdog Giants.
Neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama gained much of an advantage Tuesday night, with Clinton narrowly edging Obama in delegates, 584-569, according to Associated Press. But on the GOP side, John McCain was the big winner, capturing the big, winner-take-all states and most of the delegates. Mike Huckabee also did very well, winning several Southern states and placing a close second in others. He’s unlikely to win the GOP nomination, but he certainly positioned himself as a possible vice presidential pick. Though Mitt Romney won several states, he was the big loser of the night, particularly given the amount of money he spent campaigning in California.
