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Politics : The Next President 2008 -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: calgal who wrote (1351)	9/16/2007 1:19:58 PM
From: Tadsamillionaire	Respond to of 3215

Sen. John McCain, in the midst of a campaign swing through the Palmetto State on his "No Surrender Tour," told CNN Saturday that a plan gaining popularity among Senate Democrats to reduce troop levels in Iraq is "unconstitutional." The proposal, originally crafted by Sen. Jim Webb, would mandate a certain period of troop rest between deployments, necessitating a reduction of forces in Iraq. McCain, having just offered a vigorous defense of the war at a speech at Roger's Bar-B-Q House in Florence, South Carolina said that Congress has no business mandating the length of tours by servicemen. "Where in the Constitution of the United States does it say that the Congress decides how long people will spend on tours of duty and how long they will spend back in the United States? It's blatantly unconstitutional," McCain said. "The Constitution of the United States said Congress will declare wars and fund wars." The Senate takes up debate on the defense authorization bill Monday, and Webb's amendment would need 60 votes to avoid a Republican filibuster. Last time it came up for a vote in July, it received only 56 votes, though Democratic sources told CNN this week that they are closer to 60 votes this time around. politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com

To: calgal who wrote (1351)	9/17/2007 4:52:01 PM
From: calgal	Respond to of 3215

Silence far from golden when a Prez wanna-be is afraid to talk the talk By Michael Goodwin Printer Friendly Version Email this article jewishworldreview.com \| She's getting pounded by rivals in her own party on charges she's wishy-washy on Iraq and by Republicans who say she's prejudiced against the military. She's got a big funder who's so crooked she's giving back $850,000 and scrambling to make sure he's the only one with a criminal record. And through it all, Hillary Clinton is saying next to nothing. The Big Week that was in Washington happened with Clinton playing bystander, though not an innocent one. With the congressional grilling of our top Iraq commander and President Bush starting to withdraw troops, the week shaped up as a watershed moment in the 2008 campaign. Yet except for a snippy speech she read to Gen. David Petraeus before she asked him and our ambassador inconsequential questions at a Senate hearing, the Democratic front-runner was mostly a no-show. Even after Bush's crucial prime-time address, when most candidates rushed to give their take, Clinton offered only a lackluster printed statement. And ditto for her response after GOP tag-teamers Rudy Giuliani and John McCain bashed her for attacking Petraeus and not rebuking the radical MoveOn.org for its smear of him. Sometimes it seems her main flack Howard Wolfson is really the senator, since he does most of her talking. You know, Sen. Wolfson said.... To say the cat's got Hillary's tongue doesn't begin to address the mystery of why someone who wants to be President can't speak spontaneously more often. When the goin' gets tough, Clinton sends out a messenger or a carefully crafted printed statement. Would the imperial candidate be an imperial President? Is the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain? Wolfson - naturally, he spoke for her when I called — argues that she talks with reporters often. Granted, she has chats with reporters in primary states about local issues and she has an occasional sitdown with her favorite friendlies at The New York Times. Sometimes reporters on the campaign trail can get close enough to shout out a question — if they can fight through the autograph seekers, schoolchildren and Secret Service agents. But Clinton hasn't had a full-scale press conference since last January, of the kind where she takes questions on virtually any subject from any reporter. It's the sort of thing that Bush now does about once a month and Clinton's hidey act seems to be unique among the major candidates. Sometimes she goes to great lengths to make sure she doesn't get cornered. As Daily News Washington reporter Michael McAuliff wrote on his blog last week when the Norman Hsu fund-raising scandal was boiling over: "How much did Hillary Clinton not want to answer questions this afternoon? Usually, when she needs to, she can use her Secret Service detail's security concerns to shield herself from reporters." But with eight or nine reporters wanting to ask her questions, more muscle was needed, and it appeared. Wrote McAuliff, "Mysteriously, a phalanx of union men materialized just before her arrival and physically blocked reporters from getting close enough to ask a question." Clinton, of course, is risk averse to a fault. She's got a big lead in the primary polls and probably can't be beat unless she beats herself. She greatly reduces the chances of that by avoiding anybody carrying a camera or a notebook. But something is lost — say, credibility — when the candidate can't be bothered to answer tough questions or gives the impression she's afraid of them. For somebody who has a good shot of being President, it's time to start acting like one. In that spirit, here are a few sample questions this inquiring mind wants to ask: How many conversations have you had with con man Norman Hsu? Where do you think he got the gazillions he gave Democrats? What, if any, policies did he support or favors did he seek? On Iraq, why did you say the troop surge was working in August, yet suggest Petraeus was lying about its gains? You say you will bring the troops home and you voted to cut off funding, but also said you believe America needs to keep a force in Iraq to fight terrorists. Explain the contradiction. What is your plan to defeat Al Qaeda in Iraq and elsewhere? jewishworldreview.com

To: calgal who wrote (1351)	9/17/2007 4:53:48 PM
From: calgal	Read Replies (12) \| Respond to of 3215

Dems' great senate hopes By Dick Morris & Eileen Mc Gann Printer Friendly Version Email this article jewishworldreview.com \| Democrats may hold up to 57 U.S. Senate seats after the 2008 election — almost enough to block a Republican filibuster and likely enough to assure passage of most of the Democratic program. Longtime Sens. John Warner (R-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) announced that they wouldn't seek re-election in '08, joining Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) in voluntary retirement. Add to that Sen. Larry Craig's (R-Idaho) involuntary retirement. Republicans may well lose the Warner seat — Sen. George Allen lost in '06 to Democrat Jim Webb in Virginia. The most likely Democratic candidate, ex-Gov. Mark Warner, probably can't be beaten. The Colorado seat is likely to go Democratic, too. The strongest GOP candidates aren't running; ex-Rep. Bob Schaffer will likely face off against the Democrats' Rep. Mark Udall. With major Hispanic immigration, Colorado has become more and more blue: Witness the election of Democrat Ken Salazar to the Senate in '04. The GOP should hold Nebraska and Idaho. Only popular ex-Sen. Bob Kerrey could win Nebraska for Democrats, and he'd have to leave his job at the New School University. Idaho's in play only if Craig recants his resignation and stays in office until his term is up in '08. But four other GOP incumbents are in big danger next year. Oregon's Sen. Gordon Smith boasts a job approval below 50 percent. He's already the only Republican senator on the West Coast. Nearly as endangered a species is the New England Republican. Sens. John Sununu of New Hampshire and Susan Collins of Maine face '08 jeopardy, too. Sununu narrowly defeated ex-Gov. Jeanne Shaheen in '02; she might well win in '08. In the American Research Group poll, she beats Sununu by 57 percent to 29 percent; in the University of New Hampshire poll, it's 54-38. Collins will face a tough challenge from Democratic Rep. Tom Allen. Her support of the Iraq War will likely cost her in Maine, one of the most liberal states. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Democrat-turned-Republican Sen. Norm Coleman faces a tough fight for his second term. He has backed the war and opposed abortion, unpopular positions in liberal Minnesota. His approval rating has dropped below 50 percent, with only 43 percent having a favorable opinion of him. And it looks like he won't be lucky enough to draw comedian Al Franken as his opponent after all: Attorney Mike Ciresi will likely beat Franken in the Democratic primary. Finally, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) may be under federal indictment by next November. The FBI recently raided his home in a bribery scandal. His seat would likely stay Republican, but might slip away. The GOP might pick up some Democratic seats, too — as long as the presidential race is not a Democratic landslide. Sens. Mark Pryor (D-Ark), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) could all be in danger. And Joe Biden (D-Del.) may retire. But, in a Democratic year, all these seats may be safe. If the Republicans lose Virginia, Nebraska, Colorado, New Hampshire, Maine, Oregon and Minnesota — and pick up no new seats — the Democrats will have 57 votes in the Senate (counting Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, who votes with them). It's enough to let a new Democratic president have her way legislatively without too much trouble. Dems' great senate hopes By Dick Morris & Eileen Mc Gann Printer Friendly Version Email this article jewishworldreview.com \| Democrats may hold up to 57 U.S. Senate seats after the 2008 election — almost enough to block a Republican filibuster and likely enough to assure passage of most of the Democratic program. Longtime Sens. John Warner (R-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) announced that they wouldn't seek re-election in '08, joining Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) in voluntary retirement. Add to that Sen. Larry Craig's (R-Idaho) involuntary retirement. Republicans may well lose the Warner seat — Sen. George Allen lost in '06 to Democrat Jim Webb in Virginia. The most likely Democratic candidate, ex-Gov. Mark Warner, probably can't be beaten. The Colorado seat is likely to go Democratic, too. The strongest GOP candidates aren't running; ex-Rep. Bob Schaffer will likely face off against the Democrats' Rep. Mark Udall. With major Hispanic immigration, Colorado has become more and more blue: Witness the election of Democrat Ken Salazar to the Senate in '04. The GOP should hold Nebraska and Idaho. Only popular ex-Sen. Bob Kerrey could win Nebraska for Democrats, and he'd have to leave his job at the New School University. Idaho's in play only if Craig recants his resignation and stays in office until his term is up in '08. But four other GOP incumbents are in big danger next year. Oregon's Sen. Gordon Smith boasts a job approval below 50 percent. He's already the only Republican senator on the West Coast. Nearly as endangered a species is the New England Republican. Sens. John Sununu of New Hampshire and Susan Collins of Maine face '08 jeopardy, too. Sununu narrowly defeated ex-Gov. Jeanne Shaheen in '02; she might well win in '08. In the American Research Group poll, she beats Sununu by 57 percent to 29 percent; in the University of New Hampshire poll, it's 54-38. Collins will face a tough challenge from Democratic Rep. Tom Allen. Her support of the Iraq War will likely cost her in Maine, one of the most liberal states. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Democrat-turned-Republican Sen. Norm Coleman faces a tough fight for his second term. He has backed the war and opposed abortion, unpopular positions in liberal Minnesota. His approval rating has dropped below 50 percent, with only 43 percent having a favorable opinion of him. And it looks like he won't be lucky enough to draw comedian Al Franken as his opponent after all: Attorney Mike Ciresi will likely beat Franken in the Democratic primary. Finally, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) may be under federal indictment by next November. The FBI recently raided his home in a bribery scandal. His seat would likely stay Republican, but might slip away. The GOP might pick up some Democratic seats, too — as long as the presidential race is not a Democratic landslide. Sens. Mark Pryor (D-Ark), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) could all be in danger. And Joe Biden (D-Del.) may retire. But, in a Democratic year, all these seats may be safe. If the Republicans lose Virginia, Nebraska, Colorado, New Hampshire, Maine, Oregon and Minnesota — and pick up no new seats — the Democrats will have 57 votes in the Senate (counting Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, who votes with them). It's enough to let a new Democratic president have her way legislatively without too much trouble.