Sarah Palin

The CNN New Hampshire Republican Presidential Debate: Michele Bachmann And Mitt Romney The Winners!

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This evening, CNN sponsored a New Hampshire Republican Presidential debate.

The seven candidates present all went out of their way to attack President Obama, and avoided attacking each other.

But some really gained from this debate, and others lost by their performance.

The major winners were Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney, with Bachmann coming across impressively, more than she has ever been seen before, and Romney doing a good job at keeping his stature as the frontrunner in the race.

The losers seemed to be Tim Pawlenty, who seemed weak and defensive in his answers; Newt Gingrich, who still seemed a bit gun shy after his earlier problems with his campaign; and Rick Santorum, who just came across as not a serious, legitimate candidate.

Ron Paul was simply Ron Paul, and Herman Cain was defensive over his statements about Muslims, and neither can be seen as a serious candidate.

So, in conclusion, Michele Bachmann, seemingly, came across as more legitimate than ever before, and as a real leader among social conservatives, which might help her win in the Iowa caucuses, which come before the New Hampshire primary.

What stood out is that she did better than Sarah Palin has ever done in a public forum, and one starts to realize that, even if one does not agree with Bachmann, she comes across as intelligent, well spoken, an accomplished person even before she came to Congress, as a tax attorney and small businesswoman, far more outstanding as compared to Palin.

So Romney kept his stature as the front runner in the race, but Bachmann gained the most from tonight’s debate. The others all were weakened by their performance, or at least, did not gain by their performance in relation to the other candidates.

Of course, Jon Huntsman was not in the debate, nor Rick Perry!

Is Rick Perry The Savior Of The Republican Party?

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Texas Governor Rick Perry, a strong social conservative, has not been willing to enter the Republican Presidential race before now, but with the decision of Mike Pence, John Thune, Haley Barbour, Mike Huckabee, Mitch Daniels, and Donald Trump to avoid the race, and with Newt Gingrich disintegrating and Sarah Palin flirting with, but unlikely to enter the race, he is being courted to run.

Perry has been the longest serving Governor of Texas in history, having served more than ten years, after succeeding George W. Bush in December 2000.

Perry is Governor of the second largest state in population, but his position is also the weakest Governor constitutionally in the nation, although that did not hurt George W. Bush.

Perry has spoken up for the concept of secession; has flirted with religious leaders of the far right, and condemned abortion and gay rights; has a tremendous state debt which he is solving by ruthless cutting of spending, and refusing to raise taxes; and has seen his aides who went to Gingrich a few month ago decide to abandon the former Speaker and make themselves available to Perry for a Presidential run.

Perry is seen by many as a lightweight intellectually, but that is not necessarily a bad thing for the Republican Party.

Many think that if he enters the race later this month, that he will automatically become the major challenger to Mitt Romney, and surpass Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman.

He would be likely to win support away from Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum, and could become the surprise candidate who becomes a major threat, not only to Romney, but also to Barack Obama.

No one should underestimate his appeal to the caucus voters in Iowa and the primary voters in New Hampshire@

The Iowa GOP Presidential Caucus Will Likely Have No Effect On The Nomination

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A lot of attention is being paid to the Iowa Presidential caucuses due on February 6, 2012.

A lot of the GOP candidates are partaking in that series of caucuses as the first time to measure popular support of their candidacies.

But the fact is that the Iowa caucuses for the Republicans are unlikely to affect the ultimate nomination next year, as Mitt Romney seems unlikely to participate, much like 2008, and Jon Huntsman has announced he will not be part of the process.

In both cases, it is because of the Mormon faith of Romney and Huntsman, which is unlikely to go over well with Iowa social conservatives, a majority of whom are evangelical Christians.

The real race in Iowa is likely among Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, and Herman Cain, with Sarah Palin also a possibility to influence what happens if she runs, which still seems unlikely.

But Pawlenty, the most most legitimate of the four above, has to compete with Iowa born Bachmann, who would have to be favored. And if Palin enters the race, it makes it all the more difficult for Pawlenty, who knows that his whole strategy is to win Iowa, and use that to overcome Romney, who now lives in New Hampshire and is from neighboring Massachusetts, a tall order for Pawlenty to accomplish!

The real battle will be between Romney and Huntsman, both Mormons and actually cousins, with Huntsman seeing the New Hampshire primary as the necessary first step to overcome Romney, and then to triumph over Romney and others in Florida, where he is setting up headquarters, evidence that the Sunshine State will be crucial to him if he is to take off at all after New Hampshire!

Rick Santorum, Social Security Privatization, And Denial Of Climate Change

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Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, in announcing his Presidential candidacy this past week, demonstrated how far right he really is, and how he is basically a lunatic fringe candidate!

In the midst of the outrage over Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan to privatize Medicare over ten years, Santorum reminded all of us that he had supported and promoted George W. Bush’s privatization plan for Social Security in 2005, and still believed in it now, despite the total collapse of the stock market in 2008, and at a time when the stock market again is presently in a slide.

He also declared that there is no climate change or global warming, and that it is just a plot of liberals and progressives to make national government bigger, and allow the government to intrude more in our lives.

But at the same time, Rick Santorum has shown great willingness to work against abortion rights of women, and to become the Republican candidate most opposed by gay Americans because of his total condemnation of everything gay, as he promotes “family values” which would deny any human rights to those of homosexual orientation.

Santorum was soundly defeated for re-election in 2006, and is seen as a fringe candidate, but he will add entertainment and comedy to the race, much like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, and Newt Gingrich. Comic relief is needed in a tough economic time such as this!

Tim Pawlenty: Another George W. Bush On Tax Policy?

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Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has been considered a serious, if dark horse, Presidential nominee. Many people have seen him as having fewer faults, and as avoiding ridiculous or outrageous statements or actions, and therefore as having a good shot at the nomination, even though he tends to be quite boring and uninspiring!

But even if he is seen as better than Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Sarah Palin, and Michele Bachmann, and put into the short list with Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, Pawlenty this week destroyed any illusion that he could be President, by demonstrating total irresponsibility on the tax and spending issue!

Pawlenty sounds like a second George W. Bush, who cut taxes, put us into two wars not paid for in Iraq and Afghanistan, and started a Medicare Prescription plan unpaid for by tax increases. Bush doubled our national debt, and there had been a $3 trillion surplus when Bill Clinton left the Presidency!

On the tenth anniversary of the first Bush tax cuts, which made the rich richer and the poor poorer and the middle class disintegrate, Pawlenty came up with an economic plan strangely reminiscent of Bush.

He argues for further tax cuts and further spending cuts, and claimed there would be a five percent economic growth rate annually under his plan, because cuts in taxes on corporations and the wealthy would create new economic activity!

The problem is that this policy of Bush did exactly the opposite, and with lack of regulation, led to the Great Recession, which is still existing in many ways, if not officially.

So Pawlenty has learned nothing, and shown himself to be totally reckless and delusional, all to gain support of the right wing of the GOP, but not the way to win the nation, which is suffering still today from the failed Bush policies.

So, just like that, Pawlenty’s likelihood of success is lessened, and leaves rational thinkers to feel that only Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman makes any sense, assuming the Republican Party regains its senses!

The Newt Gingrich Implosion: Unprecedented Event!

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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has just witnessed the total implosion of his Presidential campaign!

Having already caused an uproar when he criticized Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, including privatization of Medicare, and then backing off and apologizing, he then proceeded to take a two week vacation with his wife, an odd thing for a Presidential candidate to do.

And his staff became totally disillusioned, and en masse, they resigned this week, an unheard of action so early in a Presidential campaign!

So Gingrich, who was rated, anyway, as having very little opportunity to be the nominee, can now be considered someone to forget, even though he seemed unperturbed by what has happened, and claimed he will fight on to victory.

This collapse and mutiny is unprecedented, and Gingrich is delusional, much like Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, and Michele Bachmann, as none of them can seen as serious candidates for the Presidency.

We are witnessing lots of entertainment, but no substance, from many of the GOP candidates, or potential ones. So even in the midst of bad economic times, can anyone in their sane mind, believe that the Republicans can win the Presidency?

The War Between The Women Begins: Michele Bachmann Vs. Sarah Palin!

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One of the most interesting aspects of the upcoming Republican nomination race for President is the growing indications of a holy war developing between Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Both women have absolutely NO chance of being the GOP nominee against Barack Obama, and were either to be the nominee, it would be a total wipeout of an election. But both women could add a lot of color and interest to the race, and both are ambitious and aggressive enough to go after each other in Iowa, the site of the first voters in the caucus in early February 2012.

While it still seems unlikely that Sarah Palin will announce for President, it is clear that Michele Bachmann intends to enter the race, and has hired Ed Rollins, who worked for Mike Huckabee in 2008, and also worked in the Reagan White House long ago, and is seen as a keen political strategist.

Both women have made fools of themselves by their statements and actions, but at least Michele Bachmann has had a real impact on her party in the House of Representatives, while Sarah Palin failed to finish her term, and has become regarded as even more of a joke than Bachmann.

It will be interesting to see how these two women go after each other, and the hints are already there, with Rollins being very critical of Palin, and Palin’s top advisers shooting back, so imagine what will happen if both are involved in the heat of debate and the whole election process!

Comedy relief will be there, even if only one runs for President, but if both compete in Iowa, it will have a deleterious effect on Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum, as well as Herman Cain, all competing with both women for the strong social conservative numbers in the Iowa caucuses.

What it comes down to is Iowa will have no effect on the nomination contest, and the two who have no chance in Iowa, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, will be the beneficiaries!

Rick Santorum: An Embarrassment And A Fool Of A Candidate For President!

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The Republican Party has a group of Presidential or probable Presidential candidates who are embarrassments and fools at the same time, and anyone who is rational, knows who they are: Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum!

All have made unbelievable statements based on nothing but ignorance and propaganda, and all are expecting the nation to consider them seriously for President, with any of the four being a total disaster were they to seize control of the party apparatus for the 2012 election!

The latest blunder is that of Santorum, who already has a horrible reputation as a “holier than thou” social conservative, who is seen as the biggest of all enemies of the gay community since the Lawrence V. Texas Supreme Court decision, and has had the misfortune of a gay activist, Dan Savage, spreading a new meaning of his last name, referring to anal sex.

As a family values candidate, however, Santorum has the responsibility to be accurate in his statements, and he is, instead, reckless in his assertions.

His newest error of many is his assertion that June 6, 1944, the day of the D Day invasion at Normandy, France, which led to the end of World War II in Europe within a year, was based on fighting for freedom, which includes the defeat of “ObamaCare”!

What an outrage, and a sign of yet ANOTHER GOP candidate for President who is ignorant or reckless with American history, joining Palin, Bachmann, and Gingrich!

It is sad that every time Santorum opens his mouth, stupidity and ignorance show through, and he has no shame in any of the rhetoric he utters!

The battle for the Republican Presidential nomination is going to be a long, difficult road with many outrages ahead until maybe sanity rules by early to mid 2012, instead of the four fools mentioned above!

Sarah Palin: Ignorance Of American History Reaffirmed!

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Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who has just finished a so called Heritage Tour of historic sites, and in the process stole the thunder of Mitt Romney on the day of his Presidential candidacy announcement in New Hampshire, has proved once again what a fool and idiot she is, and how poorly educated she really is!

Having already made many statements in the past that are totally false, including that the Russians won the space race for the moon in the 1960s, now Palin has claimed that Paul Revere conducted his famous ride in April 1775 to warn the British of the patriots being ready to fight for their freedom!

What a preposterous statement, totally untrue, and verified by historians, including Douglas Brinkley, and yet she continues to insist that she is correct, and knows her American history!

One has to wonder how such an individual, who comes across as a moron, has any possibility of winning the GOP nomination, when even if one disagrees with Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and Jon Huntsman, the serious candidates in the race, at least one can respect their views and knowledge, even if one cannot see supporting them for President. At least one can imagine any of the above three as potential Presidents, which cannot be said for Palin, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum, all of whom have made preposterous, loony, crazy statements that are, factually, totally incorrect!

If Sarah Palin claims to understand American history, then it might be a statement on how history is taught in Alaska!

Coming Back From Vacation, And Plenty To Comment On!

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Having just come back from an enjoyable week in Montreal and Quebec City, there is plenty to comment on, as politics never takes a vacation!

Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Anthony Weiner, and Evan Bayh lead the charge, and they just prove how entertaining and frustrating American politics has become! It is theater, and one just needs to shake his head, and laugh, while feeling an urge to put a muzzle on these political leaders, who demonstrate such poor judgment, and make one wonder why any of them should imagine that they should be President or Mayor of New York City, or even Governors, Senators, and Congressmen!

So now, one can count on regular, daily updates on the political battles, starting shortly after this entry is published! Enjoy reading and commenting at your pleasure!