3
POPSParty of McBush getting crushed in polls, key races More: In the polls, they are setting records (and not the good kind). The most recent Gallup Poll has 67 percent of voters disapproving of President Bush; those numbers are worse than Richard Nixon’s on the eve of his resignation. A CBS News poll taken at the end of April found only 33 percent of Americans have a favorable view of the GOP — the lowest since CBS started asking the question more than two decades ago. By comparison, 52 percent of the public has a favorable view of the Democratic Party. The Democratic National Committee polling, according to a memo it provided, has two-thirds of swing voters expecting McCain to pursue policies very similar to Bush’s. The voters’ top three concerns about McCain: his age, his support for the war and his similarities to Bush.
1
POPSDemocrat tied to Obama wins special election in Mississippi More: The special election was held to fill the seat of former Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who was appointed to serve out the remainder of Sen. Trent Lott’s term last December. Wicker had never faced a competitive race since first elected in 1994, and the district gave President Bush 62 percent of the vote in 2004. The results amount to a rebuke of the Republican strategy of trying nationalize the race by tying Childers to Sen. Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Obama held low approval ratings in the district, but the nearly $2 million that GOP groups poured into northern Mississippi failed to make the race a referendum on the national political landscape. A GOP House leadership aide told Politico last week that “if we don’t win in Mississippi, I think you are going to see a lot of people running around here looking for windows to jump out of.”
1
POPSGOP Leaders Warn of Election Disaster More: And in a closed-door session at the Capitol, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told members that the NRCC doesn’t have enough cash to “save them” in November if they don’t raise enough money or run strong campaigns themselves. Although a top House Republican brushed aside Gingrich’s broadside as “hype from a has-been who desperately wants to be a player but can’t anymore,” the harsh words from Cole were harder to ignore. National republican Campaign Committee run by an Oklahoman? No wonder they are getting they are getting their b***s kicked. I can think of only one or two states more out of touch with the rest of the country.
3
POPSOklahoma Republican wants to replace U.S. made military rifle with German made gun. More: More than $300 million has been spent on 221,000 of the carbines over the past two years alone. And the Defense Department is asking Congress to provide another $230 million for 136,000 more. Lord, if republicans are going to deliver us BS wars couldn't they at least spend our taxpayer dollars on U.S. pork. Here's somemore brilliance from Oklahoma, Tom Coburn's senatorial twin Jim Inhofe, For example my area of expertise is the English language. -- Sen. James Mountain Inhofe (R - OK)
1
POPSMcCain's Treasury Sec. pick tied to Subprime Meltdown More: For his work, Gramm and two other lobbyists collected $750,000 in fees from UBS’s American subsidiary. Wall Street firms are increasingly under scrutiny for contributing to the economic downturn by packaging and selling risky mortgage securities. When the home loans tied to the mortgages defaulted, investors and the banks lost billions, contributing to a widespread credit crunch. UBS has written down more then $18 billion in exposure to subprime loans and other risky securities and is considering cutting as many as 8,000 job Now, some housing experts and economists see Gramm’s thinking in the recent housing proposal from McCain, the Republican Party’s presumed presidential nominee. Gramm is often a surrogate for the Arizona senator, particularly in meetings focused on the economy. And McCain has hinted he’d consider the former Texas senator for Treasury secretary in a McCain administration.
1
POPSJohn McCain On Housing More: After casting himself as a "Maverick" in 2000, the new John McCain is walking in lockstep with President Bush, pandering to the right wing of the Republican Party, and embracing the ideology he once denounced. McCain Voted Against Over $1 Billion In Homeless Assistance. McCain voted against an amendment to restore homeless assistance funding to the 1995 level of $1.12 billion, an increase of $360 million from the bill, and offset the costs by reducing funds for the renewal of expiring subsidized private housing contracts On the campaign trail McCain has callously abandoned many of his previously held positions, even contradicted himself, in a blatant attempt to remake himself into a candidate Republicans can accept in 2008. So just who is the real John McCain?
2
POPSChristian Science Monitor on Reverend Wright - Did Obama's Pastor Preach Hate?
What people hear depends on their own experience and worldview, says Teresa Brown, who teaches the art of preaching at Emory U. in Atlanta. "I listen to 60 sermons a week by black and white pastors, you can find something in almost any one that is offensive to somebody." The key as to whether language is hate speech lies in a preacher's overall message, according to Martin Marty, of the University of Chicago Divinity School and renowned historian of religion. Dr. Marty, who has visited Trinity many times, says, "If Wright only had whites in his searchlight, you might call it . But he goes after the men in his church" about fatherhood, he puts himself and his people under the prophetic spotlight. "The black church took the distorted version of Christianity that provided the religious justification for slavery, carved out the racist elements ..and implanted new content that actually moved Christianity in this country closer to Jesus' message," says Dr. Braxton.
3
POPSJohn McCain's Money Troubles Continue More: Virtually every campaign observer agrees that the Arizona senator, who alluded to his lackluster and unenthusiastic fundraising efforts last spring, is going to have to at least double his $11 million monthly take to hopefully stay competitive. Me: Looks like tepid support in the republican base for McCain. A devout republican cousin of mine called my Dad to discuss Obama as my cousin thinks he is going to vote for Obama. Cousin says he doesn't believe another 100 years of war in Iraq is in our country's best interest. So people are answering poll questions but they aren't reaching into their pockets to pony up the cash.
2
POPSRepublicans See Storm Clouds Gathering More: "It's no mystery," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.). "You have a very unhappy electorate, which is no surprise, with oil at $108 a barrel, stocks down a few thousand points, a war in Iraq with no end in sight and a president who is still very, very unpopular. He's just killed the Republican brand." Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain (Ariz.) helped Oberweis raise money, and the NRCC pumped more than $1.2 million into the district -- using more than 20 percent of its cash on hand -- to no avail. "Even if it was mostly about Jim Oberweis, it's a terrible sign," Rothenberg said. "It adds to Democratic energy and further depresses the Republicans. And you can't dismiss the idea that there is an atmospheric advantage for the Democrats." Barack Obama campaigned on behalf of Bill Foster, who took over Dennis Hastert's vacated seat.
2
POPSSenator Bill Bradley - Strong Words about Hillary Clinton More: Clinton was the star guest at the Democratic party’s annual dinner in Canton, Mississippi, but the hall was barely half-full. Clinton went on to pledge in a contrived southern drawl that no matter who won Mississippi, “I’ll be there for you”. Obama said he was not going to be “drawn into a knife fight” and used humour to defuse the impact of the “red phone” ad. “What do people think I’m going to do? I’m going to answer the phone,” Obama said to laughter. “I’m going to find out what’s going on.” But he also charged that Clinton’s style of leadership was “to beat the other side into submission”.
12
POPSOklahoma Republican admits, "Iraq Probably a Mistake" More: Coburn at one point in the campaign reportedly said the war in Iraq was "absolutely not" a mistake. Vice President Dick Cheney, a vocal defender of the war, came to Tulsa to cam paign and raise money for Coburn. During that visit, Cheney criticized Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry for flip-flopping on the war by voting in the Senate to go to war but voting against adequate funding for the troops. Still, his comments at the town hall meeting may be the first time he has ever suggested the war was a mistake. Coburn's comment came less than a week after he returned from his second trip to Iraq since entering the Senate.
2
POPSLobby Money: Hillary #1, McCain #2 More: Even as they pledge to rein in special interests, the leading Democratic and Republican candidates are relying on lobbyists to bring in campaign cash by raising money from other donors, a technique known as bundling. Heather Podesta, a Washington lobbyist, donated $4,600 to Clinton, FEC records show. She's raised more than $250,000 for Clinton by tapping her network of contacts and holding fundraisers. Like Podesta, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Steve Ricchetti has also signed on to be a so-called Hillraiser. Ricchetti's firm was paid $1.7 million during the first six months of 2007 to lobby on behalf of Amgen Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio, among others. McCain, 71, an Arizona Republican who led the successful 2002 effort to ban corporate and union donations to the political parties, counts as campaign co-chairman former Representative Tom Loeffler of Texas. Loeffler was paid $2.5 million by such clients as AT&T Inc. and Southwest Airlines.
5
POPSObama endorsed by CA Republican Governor's Wife (Maria Shriver) More: "Every single person can come to you and tell you, 'You should vote for this person' or 'You should vote for that person.' `It's not right to speak up. It's not right to speak out,' " Shriver said, her voice echoing through the arena."But this is a moment to have a conversation with yourself, not anyone else. Have a conversation with your own heart. And ask yourself, 'What kind of America do I believe in?' "
4
POPSRomney, like Bush, Cheats in Debate with an Earpiece After you watch the video youtube shows a total of seven clips about Romney's earpiece and the whispering that can be heard over the microphone. In one of the videos to the right there is whispering for another question but you have to turn up the volume really loud. I still remember Bush interrupting himself as he was speaking, and no one else at the debate had said anything. He was rambling through an answer and he stopped in mid answer and says "Let me finish".........but no one had said anything. This was the debate with the mysterious lump in the back of his jacket and a power cord line. What a pack of losers.
10
POPSDemocrats Bristle At Clintons' Attacks More: In Washington, Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), who endorsed Obama last week, castigated the former president for what he called his "glib cheap shots" at Obama, saying both sides should settle down but placing the blame predominantly on Clinton. "That's beneath the dignity of a former president," Leahy told reporters, adding: "He is not helping anyone, and certainly not helping the Democratic Party." That concern was also voiced by some neutral Democrats, who said that the former president's aggressive role, along with the couple's harsh approach recently, threatens to divide the party in the general election. there is concern that a Clinton victory could come at a cost -- particularly a loss of black voters, who could blame her for Obama's defeat and stay home in November
1
POPSRepublican Hypocrites Release Campaign Ads in Spanish More: Think Progress also noted: "Last fall, the owner of Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant Geno's Steaks endorsed Giuliani. Vento became notorious for posting a sign in his restaurant that read: 'This is America. When Ordering Please Speak English.' " The Giuliani campaign posted a video clip of Vento's endorsement from an interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto on the campaign's official YouTube site. In an October 3, 2007, Philadelphia Inquirer column, Monica Yant Kinney reported that during a visit to Vento's restaurant Giuliani told a local reporter: "Whenever I'm at Geno's, I order in English." As campaign cliches go, it doesn't get much better than Giuliani dropping by Joey Vento's neon palace in South Philly. The Italian American who wants to seal the border, bonding with the Italian American who once told a reporter that immigrants are infecting the U.S. with disease because "Mexicans play and drink out of the same water."
4
POPSBarack Obama on his Electability "I receive more support from Independents and Republicans then any other Democratic candidate. In head to head match ups with all the Republican candidates, I beat them all".
8
POPSRomney's: 5 Strapping Sons - None in Iraq! Hypocrisy More: Of more interest to his combat readiness, David was arrested in April of 2007 for trying to board a plane in Little Rock with a loaded Glock pistol in his carry on bag. So we know that the boy can shoot. Why isn't he on the front lines of the war his father so ardently supports in the name of Christ? (By the way, the reaction of Dad Huckabee to David's gun arrest is notable. "It's one of those stupid things," Mike Huckabee said. "He knows better." Ah, yes, nothing like a forgiving preacher. Do you feel safer now knowing that a gun toting animal abuser's father might be president? Clear the squirrels from the White House lawn now.) Huckabee says the war in Iraq is part of a "World War III' against Islamic fascism
6
POPSRepublican Adulterers Hall of Fame - 2007 Edition More: But Scaife got edged after we inadvertently ran across at least one adulterous period in the life of Ronald Reagan — and, no, Nancy was not involved. In 1938, when Reagan started dating his future wife, actress Jane Wyman, she was married to someone else. About 10 years later, when his marriage to Wyman was coming undone, Reagan lived on and off in the Garden of Allah Hotel on the Sunset Strip, where, he would later brag, he often woke up next to women whose names he couldn’t remember. Hey, here's an idea, let's put Ron Raygun's likeness on Mt. Rushmore
4
POPSDemocratic Voters' Fervor Worries Republicans More: So far, Iowans who have donated $200 or more to the presidential race have given Democrats a total of more than $503,000, compared with $376,000 to Republicans. That's a sharp reversal from 2000 when Iowa residents had given $205,000 in $200-or-more donations to Republican candidates and just $51,000 to Democrats. Behind Republican's uneasiness are voters like Wes Von Schlotterback of Des Moines. Mr. Von Schlotterback served twice in past elections as a county chairman for Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes. But this time he says he plans to stay home the night of the caucuses for lack of any good choices. He says he sees the same lack of enthusiasm among many of his Republican friends. "For the first time ever I'm thinking of voting for a Democrat -- for Obama," he says. He describes the Illinois senator as "genuine."
7
POPSRepublican Huckabee Clueless After Bhutto's Death More: He said the U.S. should weigh the impact Bhutto’s death would have on Pakistan’s “continued” martial law. But President Pervez Musharraf formally lifted the emergency rule in Pakistan on December 15th, nearly two weeks ago. Huckabee also told an Orlando crowd that he offered his “apologies” for what happened in Pakistan. The campaign quickly recanted the statement, saying he actually meant “sympathies.” Huckabee’s muffed and embarrassing responses to Bhutto’s death underscore his glaring foreign policy incompetence. Huckabee also seized on the Bhutto assassination to tighten up his hard-line anti-immigration stance. Yesterday, he said the U.S. should be on heightened alert from the threat posed by Pakistani immigrants: UPDATE: A “senior aide” to Huckabee admitted Friday that Huckabee has “no foreign policy credentials,” explaining why he pivoted to the immigration comment.
7
POPSBush Hides Behind Condolezza's Skirt Huckabee said he consulted several foreign policy experts but wrote most of the article himself and took responsibility for its passages. "I certainly approved them," he said. Rice was asked about the criticism from Huckabee at a news conference. She did not mention Huckabee by name in her response and at first declined to weigh in, saying dismissively: "Look, I don't comment on other people's comments. I don't have time, all right. I really don't have time to worry about this." But she then launched into a vigorous defense of the administration's multilateral diplomatic efforts on Afghanistan, North Korea and Iran, and pointed to improving ties with traditional allies in Europe, some of which were strained by the Iraq war.
7
POPSFormer CIA: Evidence Abounds for Impeachment of Bush & Cheney The recent report detailing Iran's stopping its nuclear weapons program four years ago, is an example of how the administration knows it can no longer hide such "incontrovertible evidence" from the American people in the fallout from the misinformation they received on the Iraq War, McGovern said. He added that he had almost given up believing their were people still working at the top with a conscious and enough people at the top willing to let analysts do their job and accept independent analysis. McGovern also addressed the reasoning he believes is behind the threat of war with Iran. He believes Israel thinks they have a pledge from the White House to deal with Iran before Bush leaves office and relayed the story of the U.S.S. Liberty, which was attacked by the Israelis in 1967 and covered up by the U.S. Thirty-four U.S soldiers were killed and about 170 were seriously injured. "On June 8, 1967 Israel realized it could literally get away with murder," McGovern said.
7
POPSTexan Republican faces stunning defeat: Democrats riding wave in GOP Gerrymandered State. This election is a sign of the future. In less than 2 years, Texas Democrats have picked up 8 state house seats with rumors circulating that another may be on the way. Before the primaries are over, the gains made by the Republican's have been cut in half while we still compete on the same Republican favored, unconstitutional, Tom DeLay sponsored map. We sit on the edge of a Democratic House because we have won special elections, general elections, and the hearts and minds of voters across the state. Texas Democratic Party Chairman, Boyd Richie stated simply: Dan Barrett won in a district drawn by Republicans to elect a Republican, and his victory is a slap in the face to Speaker Tom Craddick and the failed Republican leadership in this state. Voters have sent a message that they are tired of "business as usual" in Austin and want leaders who will replace the pay-to-play politics of the Republican Party with a state government that works for all Texans."
3
POPSHistory Lesson: Bloated Republican Spending, W. and the 109th Congress Some of the rightwingers are trying to make hay over Nancy Pelosi having spend $16,000 over the course of a year for flowers. Many of which are used to entertain foreign dignatories who visit the U.S. at the request of the Bush White House. When you compare that to, (1) the record spending and deficits of the Republican controlled 109th Congress, and (2) Bush never casting a single veto to stop a spending bill, you see how desperate the Republicans are. Shjould we talk about the $2 trillion dollars of waste in Iraq? This article is from the Cato Institute. A conservative think tank (possible oxymoron).
1
POPSGovernator Arnolt - Lavish Foreign Trips in Spotlight More: Now he is a public figure, the lines between private enjoyment and business conducted on behalf of taxpayers have become somewhat blurred. Mr Schwarzenegger recently hosted a fundraiser that netted close to half-a-million dollars for the foundation – a possible conflict of interest as he is the foundation's chief beneficiary. I'm a Republican. Do as I preach not as I do.
Newest Clips
see Newest Clips
1
Latest Pops
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Tags
Print
Save
Turn on live update