Day: February 26, 2012

Zbigniew Brzezinski’s Characterization Of The Republican Presidential Field: Priceless!

Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter, was on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS today, and was asked, as part of the interview, his feelings about the final four contenders for the GOP Presidential nomination.

His response, in one paragraph, was absolutely priceless, the best characterization yet heard about them.

Rick Santorum—sounds like a medieval Savonarola, referring to medieval Catholic monk Girolamo Savonarola, who lived in Florence, Italy, and condemned what he considered immoral art, promoted book burning, and attacked the Catholic Church leadership and the Pope for being corrupt and immoral. For a while, he ran a personal theocracy in Florence, but was then excommunicated, tortured and executed by order of Church authorities.

Mitt Romney—spends his time explaining why some of his wealth is in the Cayman Islands, rather than in American banks.

Ron Paul—wants to take America back to the 1780s and the Founding Fathers.

Newt Gingrich—using his credentials as a repudiated Speaker of the House (by his own party) to claim he should be President.

Brzezinski said all four are embarrassing as candidates for the Presidency, and progressives will certainly agree with this assessment!

The Leading US House Race For 2012: Allen West Vs. Patrick Murphy In Florida

Probably the most controversial race in 2012 for the House Of Representatives is also the second highest in raising of funds–the race in the new 18th Congressional District in northern Palm Beach County, Martin County, and St. Lucie County between Congressman Allen West (R) and his challenger Patrick Murphy (D).

West, one of two African American Republicans in the House, was elected in what is now the 22nd Congressional District in Palm Beach and Broward Counties, but has decided to compete in a district likely to be more favorable to his right wing conservative and confrontational views. West NEVER is diplomatic, as shown when he condemned Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the head of the Democratic National Committee, as well as the House member from the 20th Congressional District in Broward County and Miami-Dade County, in the strongest possible and insulting terms, and refused to apologize for his rude language, particularly toward a woman!

West served in the Iraq War, but was forced out of the military over his rough treatment of a detainee, and now spews forth his right wing extremism, and has no problem raising money, having gained a total at this time of $5.8 million, more than any House member except Speaker of the House John Boehner. Imagine, he has raised more than House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp of Michigan, and Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the leading figures in the House leadership outside of Speaker Boehner.

This race represents a major challenge for Democrat Patrick Murphy, who operates a company that cleans up oil spills, and has raised $1.42 million so far.

The 28 year old Murphy could be, if elected, the youngest member of the House, unless Ilya Sherman in the 10th Congressional District in Illinois is elected, who is slightly younger than Murphy.

Anyone who wants to see West removed from the House of Representatives should contribute to the Murphy campaign, in what will become the most expensive House race in the entire nation.