TresSugar

Day 3: Mitt, Mike, Rudy, and Finally! Sarah Palin Speaks!

CitizenSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:15:27 -0700

Ah! Now this is more like it! The arena was rocking tonight, and it finally felt like a real convention. Fast forward to the end, they loved Sarah Palin - and it's crystal clear the Republicans are fired up! It was a packed line up and here are the highlights: GOPAC Chairman Michael Steele was the first speaker to rouse the full arena saying, "So, do you want to put your country first? Then let's reduce our dependency on foreign sources of oil and promote oil and gas production at home. In other words, drill baby drill! And drill now!" The crowd erupted in a chorus of "Drill baby, drill!"

Mitt Romney (whose hair is just as flawless in person) sounded very Reagan-esque, saying, "Our economy is under attack. China is acting like Adam Smith on steroids, buying oil from the world's worst, and selling nuclear technology. Russia and the oil states are siphoning more than 500 billion dollars a year from us in what could become the greatest transfer of economic wealth in history. This is no time for timid, liberal empty gestures."

Oh, yes. The gloves were off tonight. To see more highlights and the main event, Sarah's big speech, read more.

Mike Huckabee was a huge hit, both with laughs and tricky issues, rousing the crowd saying that Sarah Palin got more votes running for mayor than Joe Biden got running for president. He then addressed Obama's candidacy saying:

I grew up at a time and in a place where the civil rights movement was fought. I witnessed first hand the shameful evil of racism. I saw how ignorance and prejudice caused people to do the unthinkable to people of color not so many years ago. So, I say with sincerity that I have great respect for Senator Obama's historic achievement to become his party's nominee -- not because of his color, but with indifference to it. Party or politics aside, we celebrate this milestone because it elevates our country. But the Presidency is not a symbolic job, and I don't believe his preparation or his plans will lift America up.

Rudy Giuliani got an enormous standing ovation and had perhaps a more New York bluntness to his remarks saying as president, "it's not good enough to be present," and "this is not a personal attack . . .it's a statement of fact - Barack Obama has never led anything. Nothing. Nada."

And then Sarah Palin! After a more than two-minute ovation from a crowd packed with handmade signs reading "Palin Power," and "Soccer Moms for Sarah," Palin was finally allowed to speak. And when she did, the crowd couldn't have been more enthusiastic, and I couldn't stop thinking, that's a woman! That's a woman up there! Palin said,

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening. We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.

She seemed sprightly and iron-strong all at the same time, and addressed each of the subjects bandied in the media for the past week, with delicacy and pointedness. "Here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this great country." Huge, deafening applause.

Given the number of times she was interrupted by wild cheers and applause, the audience was charmed and very, very charged up. Were you? And when John McCain came out at the end? Forget about it. Complete and total of the best kind of Republican pandemonium. This crowd has spoken: McCain/Palin '08.

Source

On My Shopping List: Giuliani on Sale

CitizenSugar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 15:02:23 -0800

Aww! Look what's on sale at Urban Outfitters. America's Mayor himself, Ol' Rudy.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm snapping one up - it's $10 - and may just be a collector's item someday...

Check This: Giuliani's . . . Strategy?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:00:00 -0800

2008 kicked off with the breathless anticipation of traditional campaign faves: Iowa, New Hampshire, tiny whisperings of South Carolina. But while the frontrunners continued to pound the pavement, themselves, and each other, one (who bizarrely keeps leading in national polls regardless of his seeming obliviousness to the campaign) kept out of the snow altogether.

Rudy Guiliani's embraced a new method of campaigning: just don't. Now, different from the Fred Thompson method of napping in the La-Z-Boy 'til it's over, Guiliani is branding this anti-campaign strategy "Florida, Florida, Florida." The state's 57 delegates are bundled in a "winner take all" prize. Chasing big numbers, he's committed to spend his time not with a broad cross-section of the electorate but by concentrating almost exclusively on Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, California, Georgia, and New Jersey. To see how this plays out nationwide, please read more.

While the argument "that's where the money, the Guiliani-sympathizers, and the densest proportion of delegates are" certainly qualifies this as a "strategy," can you really be a viable candidate if you only court half a dozen states? Picking and choosing and campaigning where you think you can get the most for your money (and protecting your reputation) is a little like starting the marathon on foot and then riding the subway to the finish line - but it's a long, long ride until November.

Given this strategy, is Rudy Giuliani still a viable candidate?

Source

Headline: Bhutto Assassination and the Campaign

CitizenSugar — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:36:03 -0800

As commentary and analysis of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto continues to tumble in, the presidential candidates, in Iowa with less than a week to the first true contest of the campaign, are carefully weighing their reactions. An international tragedy, especially one deeply entrenched in the struggle between democracy and terrorism, at this point in campaign serves as a grave litmus test. A not-so-hypothetical "what would you do?" Here's a sample:

From John McCain:
According to the Washington Post, McCain said that he was the only Republican candidate with the credentials to deal with national security threats posed by Islamic jihadists. McCain said,

"I think my record is clear - 20 years, I've been involved in every national security issue that's faced this nation. And I have the judgment to handle it, and I've proven it."

For more candidates' reactions, please read more.

From Rudy Guiliani:
Also in the Washington Post, Guiliani stated that the assassination serves as another reason why the United States needs to play offense against Islamic terrorism and expand its forces in Afghanistan to block the possible resurgence of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. He said,

"We need a military that is ready for anything the terrorists might throw at us. The reality is we need a larger military so these things don't become a strain."

From John Edwards:
He was the only candidate who actually spoke with Musharraf, the current President of Pakistan, almost immediately after the assassination. According to MSNBC, Edwards said,

". . . we had a conversation in which I urged him to continue the democratization process. He told me, he gave me his assurances that he intended to do that, and we also spoke about having international independent investigators allowed into the country for transparency purposes, for credibility purposes, and we spoke briefly about the elections.”

And from Barack Obama:
He issued a lengthy statement yesterday to CBS News.

"We’ve been distracted by Iraq. We have not been paying attention to Pakistan for several years and as a consequence we have had a subversion of democracy at the same time we have ignored or at least not dealt with the growing threat of Islamic militants in Pakistan. If anything, Iraq has helped to spur some of the militancy in Pakistan. Now moving forward we have to send a message that we stand strong with the Pakistani people in moving the democratic process forward but we have to continue to press, to deal with this on going chaotic situation with the militants in Pakistan."

Regardless of the content their individual statements, what is made crystal clear by the sheer necessity of making them at all is that whoever wins also wins a whole truckload of global challenges.

Headline: Republicans Gallop Toward Iowa Finish Line

CitizenSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:11:25 -0800

With a grab bag of political strategies, here's where (and why) the Republicans were today:

Mike Huckabee, fresh from his Tonight Show appearance, was up again at the crack of dawn with a speech in Burlington, Iowa, followed by repeat performances statewide. Scrapping for a sprinkle of the dark horse miracle, he's gotta be everywhere all at once, just praying that he doesn't turn into a pumpkin come 7 o'clock.
Mitt Romney's win tonight is less crucial - he's got the bucks and nationwide appeal to carry him through. Nonetheless, he's set to shore up corporate support starting his day with a speech in Des Moines at a more civilized 10:30 a.m., touring the state, then ending up in West Des Moines to wait for the results.
Rudy Guiliani is completing his iron-clad snub of the Hawkeye State by giving speeches in New Hampshire and Florida. He's marching to his own drummer on this one, so I guess we just wait for the inevitable thud tonight and catch up with him next week.
And John McCain, who's only dabbled in Iowa as well, sat out campaigning today waiting for his expected big showing in New Hampshire.

It's certainly been said that Iowa isn't the crucial contest for the Republicans that it is for the Democrats, and maybe this round-up shows just that. If you're following the Democrats free-for-all, here's a little gem: Wanna know who has the busiest schedule tomorrow? Bill Richardson. Hmm...
Source