Romney is Imploding

Did he just say money belongs IN politics, not out?!

You can attack McCain all you want from the convenience of your living room, but going up against the man with the momentum when you're losing won't get you anywhere.

Shaky, greying, and full of air.

America deserves better than Mitt Romney, and they're throwing him out.

Romney Wins

...and his victory speech is weak. Ann looks tired and Mitt is just plain uninspiring. Even this talk of Washington being nervous that a businessman is going to sweep in and change broken government. Even an extended call and response with the audience and shouts of "we love you!" don't get me excited.

Perhaps it's that I loathe this guy.

Actually, that's just it.

Negative.

Flip-flopping.

Lying.

Yuck.



(photo credit: © 2008 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

He's Doing It

In a matter of weeks John McCain has had a second coming in New Hampshire. A poll just released today by CNN in the Granite State reaffirms how imprecise and changeable these measures of public support can be.

Notables:

Favorability ratings for Republican candidates:

John McCain — 81% favorable - 13% unfavorable (half of what it was last year)
Mitt Romney — 65 % favorable - 28 % unfavorable (slowly increasing)

Republican candidate likely to bring needed change:


Jan. 5th, '08 — McCain = 23%, Romney = 23%
September '07 — McCain = 13%, Romney = 25%


Not only is John McCain the most favorable candidate in the Republican field in the eyes of New Hampshire voters, but he's starting to get the "change" vote, an interesting factor that's hard to define but is definitely hot after Obama's Iowa victory. Tell me I'm wrong, but a McCain victory in New Hampshire would be huge...and it might just happen.



(photo credit: © 2008 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

Kudos

to GreenMountainPolitics1 for:

1) Saying what needs to be said

and

2) Not backing down


I can't stand Mitt either.

Join the chorus.

Answer and Walk Away

I was thinking this morning about these two guys who showed up at the Mitt Romney event on Saturday morning. One of them I've seen at about a dozen events around New Hampshire the past few months, and every opportunity he gets he asks a question about arresting dying people who are using medical marijuana. John McCain. Mike Huckabee. It seems every Republican has been nagged by this guy.

Honestly, the prospect of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes doesn't scare me too much, so I have nothing against a question about the topic being asked. My main complaint is the way these medical marijuana people are trying to get attention.


It seems that Granite Staters in wheelchairs are the new ticket to asking the medical marijuana question. In the middle of Romney's speech it was just such a person that quietly wheeled his way to the side of the stage and waited for Romney to finish speaking before stating that he had tried every prescription medicine with no success and wanted to know if Mitt would "arrest me and my doctors."

Sigh.

I wouldn't criticize this kind of setup if the guy asking the question wasn't being filmed by the medical marijuana man, was actually worried about having his dogs taken away, and had no access to any basic form of communications that would easily inform him that Romney and the other top Republicans will NEVER advocate the legalization of marijuana--it's like asking Pat Robertson if he supports abortion.

Romney listened intently to the man in the wheelchair's question, but he realized quickly what situation he was finding himself in with the question. After a short while Romney stood up to walk away and restated to the man that no matter what story he had or what case he would make for medical marijuana that he would not support it. With that, the man with the video camera pointed his lens straight at Romney, raised his voice, and asked why he wouldn't answer the question from a GUY IN A WHEELCHAIR!! "I believe I just spoke with him," was Romney's response.

Because god forbid a candidate not let himself be continually trashed by medical marijuana activists at the expense of seeming rude to a disabled person!


The guy with the camera quickly marched off to the back of the room (but not outside to his car--why actually stomp out in anger if you could linger around and try to get at Romney on the way out?) and muttered "asshole!" loud enough for everyone to hear him.

Decide for yourself, but I like the way other interest groups are getting their issues out there way more than this medical marijuana thing. PrioritiesNH drives their busses around and is greeted with curious smiles wherever they go, the "I'm a Healthcare Voter" people ask insightful questions and prepare creative presentations for the candidates (ex. health care invoices), and the SEIU just wants candidates to see what it's like to work like one of their union members for a day. Those groups are smart because they know when to stop being pushy and understand that voters come to campaign events in New Hampshire for the honest and intimate atmosphere, not for the spectacles of annoyance that video cameras and excessive bird-dogging cause.


(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

A Few Days Behind

I havn't had time to write up anything about the events of today or yesterday, but that doesn't mean I will forget them easily.


To say that Joe Biden's event at Plymouth State yesterday was anything short of unforgettable would be a disservice to his character, his extraordinary political knowledge, and his exceptionally generous and warmhearted campaign.

In fact, I ended up staying at Biden's event for nearly three hours, consciously allowing myself to miss the final two events I was planning to cover yesterday. I couldn't have cared less.



Throw in some Mitt Romney, yard sales, what felt like a summer day at Lake Winnipesaukee, and Elizabeth Edwards and you've got two busy days in New Hampshire.




(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

The Photostream

My latest images from the campaign trail--









(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

Strength Through What and Who We Are

While some second-tier Republican candidates shamelessly promote a "strength through arms" policy, Rudy Giuliani has recently been on the road championing the principle that what makes us strongest is what we already posses: freedom, democracy, capitalism, and the triumph of the individual's right. Giuliani asserts that America needs to be led in a course that plays off our strengths, not our problems--a comment he followed with snipes at opponents like Barack Obama who he says try to show voters why our country is bad instead of why we are still the best.

I'm aware of a number of significant problems in our country now, and it's been years since I've felt an intense wave of patriotism since September 11th, but there's no doubt Giuliani's new approach to his speeches is rallying voters back around our country...and his campaign. Rudy firmly states that our capitalistic society remains a shining example when contrasted to nations such as Great Britain and France, and he gets applause whenever he says it. He even goes as far as to say that President of France Nicholas Sarkozy's recent visit to New Hampshire was not simply a vacation, but rather an opportunity to experience our country's economic opportunity and better understand the incredible power of the American individual in a free market.


Giuliani spent most of question and answer session adapting a wide range of topics to cover one or more of his strengths as New York City's mayor. One question asked of the mayor concerned his approach to curing diseases such as Alzheimer's. Rudy, not knowing the statistics for Alzheimer's, instead rattled off numbers about cancer and the ability for the federal government to make progress on critical drug research and testing, saying that because we don't have a socialist-style universal health care system (or what he states John Edwards and the Democrats want to impose on us) that allows America to continue to lead the way in pioneering research and medical care. Giuliani cited figures showing a 82% survival for prostate cancer--a disease that he himself suffered from--in the United States compared to 44% in Great Britain.

To end his response, Giuliani mentioned that his wife Judith is active in Alzheimer's research charities, and while he wasn't greeted with an extended round of applause for his remarks, his words lingered--stirring and impassioned. Though not known especially well for his record on healthcare as mayor, the issue played well for him by the end of his emotional and honest response. The mention of his wife, however, signaled the beginning of what would become the morning's uneasiest moments.


Far from Rude-y

With her young daughter lying on the ground next to the stage, a woman asked Giuliani how America would be able to rally around him if is family hasn't been supportive of him in the past.

Without seeming rude or shaming the woman for asking him the question, Giuliani assertively rejected the advance of his personal issues into his presidential campaign. In contrast to the way the MSM has treated his response, the mayor's comments resounded in the conference room as a thoughtful and respectful response, not a stiff rebuff or rehearsed rejection of any question about his family.


Criticized early on for his campaign's rough approach to traveling through the Granite State and dealing with its citizens, Giuliani now exudes a deep level of comfort in a state whose maverick nature causes some to shy away from their natural persona. With a level of ease not seen among candidates such as Mitt Romney, Giuliani is doing a great service for his chances in the state by effectively combining a tough New York City attitude and focus on the issues with a light and joking personality that keeps every one of his words fresh and meaningful.

After attending three Giuliani events I've yet to hear repeated campaign slogans or reused examples from his political career as answers for questions. To the contrary, each time I've heard Romney speak to clarify his changing position on abortion, the former Governor cites his veto of a embryonic cloning bill in Massachusetts as evidence for a strict pro-life commitment. Unless Romney can miraculously conjure up examples that back up his current views he'll have a lot of explaining to do.


If Giuliani can continue to address criticism as forthrightly as he is now, he may just possess the ability to overcome the obstacles "experts" predict will derail him.

(all photos: © 2007 by Luke N. Vargas. All Rights Reserved.)

But Will He Clean Up the REAL Ocean?

Mitt Romney just released another one of his overly-dramatic and emotional television spots. This time the spot's called "Ocean," a reference to the world that surrounds young people and shapes their behavior.

To be honest, I don't really mind the ideas that make up the bulk of the ad; it's probably best that there be less porn on the internet, less violence in games and movies, and fewer drugs on the streets. Problem is, I can't help but laughing when I hear Mitt Romney acting like some kind of preacher or parent of all America's children.

Anyways, give it a look.

Not Just Buttons and Stickers

It's not that Mitt Romney's campaign stickers and buttons were plastered on hundreds of Amherst parade watchers this past Wednesday (as Hillary and Rudy stickers often found homes next to each other on shirts and jackets), it's that a lot of people were exclusively showing off Romney. New Hampshire voters are moving towards Team Mitt.

Sadly, I'm not terribly surprised:

1) He's been working early primary states like New Hampshire and Iowa as hard as the rest of the field. It's this kind of retail politics that pleases Granite Staters and Iowans more than large rallies and the like; he's polling at 27% in the latest American Research Group poll of New Hampshire voters (McCain and Giuliani are at 21 and 19% respectively).

2) Romney's personal life (aside from many people's fear of his Mormon beliefs) and seemingly-perfect marriage and family are comforting to a number of conservative voters.

3) Mitt's aptitude in pulling together the 2002 Olympic Games thrust his name into the public spotlight, and his managerial skill from his time at Bain Capitol certainly establishes him as a qualified business leader.

4) He's got the financial backing of some of America's richest individuals and can afford to launch massive television advertising runs from now until the election, as well as hire hundreds of staffers and open offices around the country.

5) Finally, Mitt Romney's stances on key issues are consistent and the interests of the greater good are always above his own ambition and...

...wait!


It seems like Romney's ''presidential appearance," which has been responsible for some of Romney's supposed victories at the Republican debates so far (although I highly disagree), will help to push another manufactured candidate ever closer to the White House. Shame.

'A Mighty Heart' and America

The real world is very different from the world some of us imagine. 'A Mighty Heart," the film adaptation of the events surrounding the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl, shows us how very dangerous and fragile a large part of our seemingly insular world really is. From a film standpoint, 'A Mighty Heart' hardly ranks among even the best movies in theaters this month, but its true strength comes in the movie's presentation of Karachi, Pakistan, and the Arabic world.

I don't think I could endorse Ron Paul for President, but his view about blowback and hatred from the Arabic world represent one of the lone rays of truth and awareness in the Republican party right now. The United States can't afford to be governed by a leader whose short-sighted actions can and will set off decades of anger, only increasing the likelihood of terror cells breeding in a discontented Middle East. It's unfortunate that Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and nearly the entire Republican party's candidates see America as the only decider on the world's stage.

As we begin to acknowledge the rising power of China and Russia it's important that we recognize the people of the Middle East not as Jihadists and murderers, but rather as fellow men in the human quest for happiness, safety, and prosperity.

Targeting the Base of Your Support...With an Actual Gun

I recently stumbled across an interesting summary of a Tom Tancredo event in New Hampshire. The Congressman spoke about protecting the right of Americans to own and carry guns, and it just so happened that a number of those in attendance were actually carrying concealed weapons and weren't shy about letting everyone know.

It's not hard to see why Tancredo's campaign is running into the ground; not only has he scaled down his campaign effort in New Hampshire, but he's not even talking about the issues that the top tier of candidates are having to wrestle with. Aside from the small portion of the population that considers protecting gun rights as the most pressing issue in America, the majority of us realize that a candidate whose strongest points are making sure only English is taught in schools, mandating that a 2,000 border fence is built, and broadening gun rights would fail to properly address issues like poverty, the environment, and a peaceful resolution of the Iraq war.

It's the most used saying in the campaign phrase book, and Tancredo seems to be using it now, "If we can place well in the __ primary, than our campaign will really take off."

I hate to rain on Mr. Tancredo's parade, but candidates such as Governor Mike Huckabee and Governor Mitt Romney (who have placed similar emphasis on states like New Hampshire) are actually seeing a rise in their support in the granite state.


Tancredo has nearly $600,000 in cash on hand for the '08 election, but he's got a long way to go before he can start building his border fence...

The "Telling America What You Believe" Report Card, Part 1.

Blind to each candidate's actual beliefs on the issue of abortion, I've set off on a journey to see how forthcoming every presidential candidate is on one of the most important topics to voters, abortion...

-------------------------------------------

Romney: "I would like to see each state be able to make its own law with regard to abortion"-
Deffering responsibility to the states on any issue is a crafty way of dodging the question in the majority of interviews, but it will do Romney no good here. D


Giuliani: "Ultimately I believe it's an individual right and a woman should make that choice" & "I tell people what I think. I tell them (to) evaluate me as I am and do not expect them to agree with me on everything. I don't agree with me on everything"-
Rudy's comments here are not only set him apart from what the Republican party believes, but Rudy does the public the pleasure of not clarifying his stance to such a fine degree that it would be hard for anyone to be unsure of his views on the issue. Whether you agree with him, Rudy's openness should be applauded. A+


Huckabee: "I'm pro-life. if I'm going to err, I'm going to err on the side of life. That's just where I come from in my own heart and convictions. As a governor I've signed virtually every kind of pro-life legislation that we can sign under existing federal law."-
It's safe to say that most Republican candidates this election cycle are staunch opponents of abortion, that is not to say however that anyone who makes this known should receive high marks from me. I am impressed by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's clarity on the issue and his strong and consistent pro-life record throughout his career. Contrary to what many believe, I don't think that changing one's view on an issue is THAT bad, but Huckabee's straightforwardness and honesty on his beliefs are admirable. A-


McCain: "I believe that we would be better off by having Roe v. Wade return to the states. And I don’t believe the Supreme Court should be legislating in the way that they did on Roe v. Wade."-
Once again, McCain tries to play the middle ground with his politics, and while indirectly saying he would reverse Row v. Wade, McCain stops short of saying what he really believes (or at least what I think he believes). C-

---------------------------------

I'll keep my eyes our for the other Republicans' comments on abortion and create a follow up to this post in the coming weeks. The dems, a more consistent bunch, will follow.

The Republican Nominee Polls Get Even Weirder

As the Democratic nomination essentially turns into a three man (man and woman, rather) race, the Republican contest isn't getting any easier to sort out. Check out the following LA Times/Bloomberg Poll:

Rudy Giuliani - 29%
Fred Thompson - 15%
John McCain - 12%
Mitt Romney - 8%
Newt Gingrich - 7%
Tommy Thomson - 3%
Sam Brownback - 2%
Duncan Hunter - 2%
Tom Tancredo - 2%
UNSURE - 14%

The entrance of Fred Thompson into the race, in my mind, only shows that even fewer Republican voters are really commited to any one candidate at this point. Reagan did a pretty good job of balancing the actor with the president, but Thompson makes everything seem like it's primetime TV. Long and short of it, he won't get too far.

If you add Thompson's 15% to Gingrich's 7% (I know some people out there are convinced he might be able to take his campaign deep into 2008 (should he announce), but a vote for Gingrich at this stage is simply a vote for the Republican Platform 101) and the 14% camped in the "unsure" realm, and you've got yourself 36% of the Republican voting pool.

It's clear this 36% won't go to Giuliani--the candidates they are alligned with now don't represent the more liberal politics that Giulini has been attached with.

With a loaded wallet going into the summer months, Mitt Romney COULD be the recipient of a lot of attention and COULD start to move up in the polls, but if he thinks he can win this contest with his money he's sorely wrong--second-hand reports from fellow students and friends who interned with Mitt while he was governor indicate to me that some of those closest to him aren't the ones that love him the most, and in fact, some of the Republicans I know who jumped on the opportunity to work for the Republican governor left his office only months later as Democrats.

Where is that 36% going? Suggestions?