comMITTed to Romney!

What do you think Mitt did the night after his 2nd place finish in Florida?  I know what I did - went to bed, intending the next day to take a short break, and try to re-energize and re-configure, re-focus for Super Tuesday.  It was a blow, I was mad at McCain, mad at Huckabee and mad that there weren’t more conservative voters in Florida.  I started to question if there are even enough conservatives left in the country to put their voices and hands behind Mitt and give and do and say all they could to get him to the White House.  I was worried, disheartened, frustrated.  Then the next morning, Rush Limbaugh started talking about how “the great thing about this country is that there’s always another election - 2012, 2016 - so maybe we’ll win next time around, blah, blah, blah.”  Thanks for another downer, Rush.

What was Mitt doing?  Hmm, let me think - tireless worker, eternal optimist, master strategist, turnaround expert…  - well, he probably wasn’t doing what I was doing! 

Elizabeth Holmes from the Wall Street Journal, who I believe is part of Mitt’s press entourage, confirmed my suspicions:

…Mr. Romney began sharpening his strategy early Wednesday as his campaign-chartered Boeing 737 flew over the Rocky Mountains. With most of the entourage asleep, the candidate sat at the front of the plane in the fold-down seat typically reserved for a flight attendant, surrounded by three of his aides, a notepad in hand.

Is this not the Mitt we know and believe in?  In the early morning hours after Florida, Mitt’s up strategizing (hopefully his aides are early-birds like him!) planning and preparing for the days and weeks ahead.  Sitting on the not-so-comfy flight attendant seat to boot.  I don’t know about you, but it’s those little details about Mitt that I really admire, and find so inspiring.  The types of actions that are characteristic of an honest, humble, hard-working leader, that are often so absent in Washington.  I find it interesting that the lie that is told the most by Mitt’s critics - that he lacks conviction and therefore personal integrity - is in reality the exact opposite - that he is a man, person, leader, husband, father, Governor, CEO and future President of extremely strong morals, standards and values, and who is willing to walk the walk, to do all and more of what he asks of those who follow him - this is what I have come to admire the most in Mitt.

Mitt’s in this for the long haul.   I think this is going to go beyond Super Tuesday, which is excellent for Mitt.  The more time he has, the better his chances are of exposing McCain, refuting the media’s lies (they haven’t really come up with a new one for a while now - that’s why McCain’s attempt over the weekend was so pathetic), and gaining the support of the conservatives of the party.  As Ann Romney said in the Florida speech, “This is just the beginning.”  It’s really exciting to watch and be a part of.  Mitt can and will take this all the way.  Let’s work hard to keep up with him!

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For fellow conservatives considering Mitt for the first time, it’s important to understand Mitt’s staunch support of the pro-life platform.  The media has tried to downplay and negate Mitt’s position on this.  They’ve managed to stick a big old post-it note on Mitt’s forehead labelled “Flip Flopper” in permanent ink.  They’ve asserted that he lacks conviction.  They’re wrong.  As Governor, Mitt consistently stuck to conservative principles.  On abortion, marriage, health care, economy and other important issues, Mitt consistenly made conservative decisions.  For a great summary on Mitt’s real record, see Ann Marie’s post back in November 2007.

On Monday, the 35th anniversay of Roe v. Wade, Mitt once again committed to overturning this decision:

After 35 years of Roe v. Wade, we are again reminded why this decision should be overturned,” Romney said in a statement provided to LifeNews.com.

“We recognize the worth and dignity of every person, a fact that is ingrained in our hearts and etched in our national purpose,” Romney added. “Unelected judges should not be the final arbiters on these important decisions which define who we are as a people.”

Recently, Romney told Nevada voters that he wanted the high court to overturn the infamous decision allowing virtually unlimited abortions.

“I am pro-life, and I would welcome a time when the people of America concluded that abortion was wrong, but that’s not where America is, and that’s why I believe that the next right step for America is for the court to overturn Roe v. Wade,” he said then.

“That would return to the states and to the elected representatives of the people the ability to set their own laws related to abortion,” he said.

“Today, as Americans from across this country participate in the annual March for Life, my thoughts are with all those whose dedication and compassionate concern have done so much to educate and assist others in creating a genuine culture of life,” he said.

The last phrase is a very telling remark.  As he does with so many issues, Mitt is able to look at the broader implications and ramifications of following a certain path.  When he discusses his decision to become politically pro-life, Mitt often states that as Governor he realized that the effects of Roe v. Wade weren’t just limited to abortion.  They extended to issues like embryonic stem cell research and teenage pregnancy, and to the very basic fabric of our culture.  The question, “Are we a culture of life, or of death,” has strong ramifications for our children, their education, their government, their health, their society and their future.  Mitt understood (and has helped me understand) that the issue of abortion isn’t solely about choice or murder or rights - it’s about the kind of culture, society and country we are creating (or destroying) for the next generation.

If you are unsure about Mitt’s conviction on this or other social issues such as marriage, please DO NOT believe the picture the media has painted.  Please take a few minutes to visit Mitt’s site where he discusses his belief in “promoting a culture of life,” or visit the Encyclopedia Mittanica, where you can scroll down and find Mitt’s answers to just about any question, all neatly alphabetized according to issue. 

Warning:  if you take a few minutes to do this - to objectively look at Mitt’s platform and record, you WILL find he is a true Reagan conservative, and you WILL most likely want to join, sign up, contribute, campaign for, blog and in all other ways become a Mitt supporter!  Let us know when you do - we’d love to hear your story!

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Hugh Hewitt is the Executive Producer of a new documentary, the trailer of which you may have seen a few weeks ago. The first time I saw the trailer was December 6th. Well, it is finally premiering nationwide (see other locations by clicking CONTINUE READING at the bottom of this post)

Want to attend the premiere? For free? This post is intended promote the film in the Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside metropolitan areas. See details and RSVP information below the poster of the film.

The date of the California premiere is Monday, January 14, 2008 — Newport Beach, CA

Check-in Begins at 6:00 p.m. — Show Time is 7:00 p.m.

— See trailer and RSVP details below —

Hugh Hewitt will be at this showing next Monday. I plan to attend with my wife (she knows I like a cheap date!). This afternoon (1/10), I was told the theater hold about 500 people and they have received 200 RSVPs.

Southern California Premiere:

Regency Lido Theatre
3459 Via Lido
Newport Beach, CA 92651

RSVP Required by telephone (M-F, 8-5): 949-296-1520 or via email: rsvpoc@outsideeyes.com

Information: Click here —–> ABOUT THE MOVIE

Watch the Trailer: Click here ——-> TRAILER

This one time viewing in California, next Monday, is free of charge (in fact, all premiere locations are free).

OTHER PREMIERE LOCATIONS: The film is also being shown in these cities on various dates: New York, Atlanta, Washington, DC, Shreveport, and Salt Lake City. For more information for these cities, click CONTINUE READING just below.

~ Vic

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This morning, U.S. Senator Jim Talent sat down with me to express why he is such an ardent supporter of Governor Romney. A couple of things caught my attention as we began and I started asking questions related to Mike Huckabee. Senator Talent is a Evangelical Christian and is one of the strongest national leaders in promoting pro-life issues. His official title is Chairman, Domestic Policy Task Force – Mitt Romney for President, Inc. The interview was at the Romney Iowa Caucuses Headquarters in Des, Moines.

Press Release at the time Senator Talent joined Mitt Romney’s team

Senator Talent’s Wikipedia Description

The interview was conducted in a large, open space in what is effectively an office building among several tables and dozens of people making calls to get the vote out. After five minutes, about six volunteers joined us and actually helped me conduct the interview. How you ask? Well, I do not know short-hand, so first, their brief interruptions served to allow me time to better write my notes, and second, they had a couple of great questions that added to the interview!

Q: Why Romney and not other candidates such as Huckabee?

“Governor Romney is the only candidate with the whole package necessary to defeat the Democrats in the general election. The others do not have what it takes including Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, or Thompson.

None of the other candidates are as effectively pro-life as Governor Romney. All you have to do is look at what he did as governor of Massachusetts. Nobody fought harder in the protection of traditional marriage than Governor Romney and nobody was more effective in fighting for life at the early stages than Governor Romney. Regardless of any of the candidates’ positions in the pro-life agenda, Governor Romney is the only one that will be the strong, effective pro-life leader. He is the only one who will serve the pro-life agenda in a truly effective way.

Governor Romney is the only Republican candidate who can accomplish all of three of the following:
• Unify and mobilize the entire the Republican Party.
• Articulate an incredibly powerful message around 1) strong national defense, 2) strong families, and 3) a strong economy.
• Reach out to and connect with the center of America.

Governor Romney is the only true, comprehensive conservative among all the Republican candidates.

Q: Why Governor Romney over Huckabee?

I like to ask the simple question, “What would happen if Mike Huckabee were to be the Republican nominee?”

Think about Hillary Clinton deciding to run to the right of Huckabee on crime and taxes. Clinton could easily challenge Huckabee on any number of issues and run to the right on his past. Crime for example: Huckabee pardoned or commuted the sentences of 1,033 felons. On taxes, Huckabee raised taxes on the middle class.

As a person who has run several campaigns myself and who has run a couple of very tough campaigns, I know how important it is to have adequate resources. Mitt Romney is the only Republican candidate who has the resources to wage a long, tough, national campaign against the Democrats; all the other Republican candidates are underfunded and do not have the necessary resources.

Governor Romney has the executive management skill of all candidates and his campaign is the best run campaign of all.

Anybody who has ever met Mitt Romney knows him as a very open and genuine person. It is very touching when he is with his family.

Governor Romney is the only Republican who will make many good things happen and prevent bad things from happening.

Neither McCain nor Huckabee can mobilize all conservatives of our nation. Neither has a strong record on tax cuts. Republicans will not be able to win the general election without a strong stand on illegal immigration and Mitt Romney is the only candidate who is strong in this critical issue.

I have been a strong pro-life advocate my whole life. Certainly, we should scrutinize the pro-life position of any leader that has converted from a pro-choice position. Those of us who are national leaders (James Bopp, Jr. and Jay Seculow) in the pro-life movement have performed that scrutiny of Governor Romney and know him to be absolutely committed to the pro-life agenda in every way. He is the strongest pro-life candidate running today.

This is important. The Massachusetts Citizens for Life do not give out their highest award to just anybody and they gave theirs to Governor Romney for his tireless work in Massachusetts for life issues!

Stayed tuned for more news from Iowa. I have been working all day, but based on the buzz around me and what I have seen here today, there is a lot going on FOR Governor Romney. There are lots of really cheerful, enthusiastic volunteers all around, coming and going. I have been around very organized projects my entire career. Nothing compares to this though.

Ann Romney stopped in and went around and met many volunteers along with Mary Romney (Craig’s wife I think) and her son. Scott Romney, Mitt’s brother also stopped in and gave a little update along with Senator Talent accompanied by cheers. Apparently tonight there is a rally for supporters. When you get a chance, look for updates from Jason Bonham over at My Man Mitt who is embedded with Governor Romney’s press corp as they fly around Iowa. I had dinner with Jason last night and he was pretty excited about today.

~ Vic

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I never properly introduced myself on this site. My name is Rebecca. I am married and have two small children. My current employment is as a wife and mother. I have always liked politics and I have always loved to write. When a friend offered me the chance to blog on this site, it seemed like a good way to get involved without taking too much time from my family.

I first heard the name of Mitt Romney sometime in 2003 or 2004. I was talking with my Dad. The conversation had drifted to abuses of power by government agencies who were not accountable to anyone. He expressed the desire for a strong president that would take power from the bureaucrats and return it to the people, where it belonged. He thought that Governor Romeny could be that man–if only he would run.

Now, I respect my father and I have a high regard for his opinion. That said, he would be the first to tell you that I very seldom rely soley on his advice to make important decisions. I waited to see who was running and then I did a little research. What I found convinced me that Mitt Romney is the best candidate to lead the United States at this time.

In the first place, he is running. Say what you will, it is very difficult–perhaps impossible–to elect a man to office who is not willing to campaign. George Washington is the only man who was ever able to do it.

In the second place, he is running as a Republican and a Conservative. I have no use for the modern Democratic party. I cannot see that they have accomplished anything useful in my lifetime and they are actively advocating the downfall of my country and my species.

Thirdly, Mitt Romney is a good man. There has been a lot of debate over the past couple of decades about the division of public office and private affairs. I do not think there is a division. In a time when we must trust our President with our safety, trust him to make important decisions about life or death, we need someone who is, well, trustworthy. Opponents may like to paint Romney’s squeaky clean personal life as “too perfect” but to me it simply means he has integrity. And I refuse to believe that integrity can go out of fashion.

And then there is Romney’s experience. Romney’s business career consisted of turning around organizations founded on good ideas but with fiscal problems. He was immensley successful at doing this and gained a tremendous amount of trust and respect from his peers. He then used his experience and skills, as well as political saavy and diplomacy, to turn around the 2002 Olympic Games and the budget for the State of Massachusetts. Who better to take the helm of a nation founded on the principle “that all men… are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” but also finds itself in ever increasing financial turmoil?

I was, of course, concerned over the charges of “flip-flopping” on social issues, as well as Romney’s tendency to be rather more liberal on fiscal issues than many true-blue (or should I say true-red?) conservatives would like. As to the former, Romney did switch his position. Once. He has since said he was wrong. His story attests to the fact that Romney is ultimately ruled by his own morality than by any philisophical argument. In response to the latter, I have found that he is overall more conservative than other candidates. I also have great faith in the separation of powers. The President does not have the power to pass laws, Congress must do that. Should the President introduce any bill that is not favored by the people of this nation, it can be efficiently stopped by an appeal to individual legislators from their districts. See the graveyard of amnesty bills killed by grassroots efforts during the current Bush administration.

Romney is also a Mormon. I had no problem with this since I also belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Romney does not speak for the LDS Church. Those seeking clarification of Church doctrines should turn to other sources. I recommend www.mormon.org for a comprehensive outline of the tenets of this faith.

I have been in the same room with Governor Romney twice. Both times were at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in my home town of College Station, Texas. I never got close enough to shake his hand. Nor did he answer any of my questions. However, there is a feeling of quiet confidence, determination and willingness to work hard that surround this man. His wife was with him on both occassions as were several of his sons. It is impressive to me that his sons take such an active role in his campaign.

Mitt Romney is a man that I feel I can trust. The President of the United States is the leader of his or her party. They are responsible for the security of the nation. It is more important to be able to trust their judgement and morality than to agree with all of their so-called plans or positions. As it happens, in my case, Romney is the candidate whose positions I agree with most often and in whom I have the most confidence. I believe that as you search for information beyond the TV ads and radio spots that you will discover that he is someone to whom you may safely trust the future of our nation.

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“Mike Huckabee is the candidate that just keeps on giving!” [quote from Jeff Fuller just now after speaking with him]

Does Mr. Huckabee think we are all complete, utter idiots?

[Please forgive me for using the nickname "Duckabee" --- I depart from the normal decorum in this one instance as I believe the label best suits Huckabee as he continues to dodge truth --- I simply could not resist.]

KUDOS to Rusty, Ann Marie, and Mike for getting the Huckabee low-road story up so fast. Is this amazing, or what? Seriously, I think Huckabee woke up this morning and said to his wife,

“I think I want to become the first presidential candidate in the history of the Iowa caucuses to become a certifiable laughing stock of the media and the good folks of Iowa. What do you think darling? What is the best way for me to do that today?”

There are so many words that came to my mind after seeing all the reports today on this. I chose the title of this post from a line in Rusty’s post. Here are the words that came to my mind after watching all of these reports on Duckabee:

— CUNNING — INDECISIVE — MANIPULATIVE — CRAFTY — DISENGENUOUS — UNSOPHISTICATED — BACK-WATER — DISHONEST — CORRUPT — DECEITFUL — FRAUDULENT — DOUBLE-DEALING — UNPRINCIPLED — UNSCRUPULOUS — GUILE — TWO-FACED — DESPERATE (I could list the other 25 but want to keep this short)

Why the word “dishonest”? Simply because Duckabee absolutely knew that the State of Massachusetts, by law, does not allow capital punishment. Even if the guy feigns ignorance on this, he is inept at the very least. Governor Romney campaigned to add the death penalty in Mass.

The best moment of this day with Duck? When he said he made the (”high road”) decision to not run the ad but that he wanted to show it to the reporters so they supposedly would know he made the ad. He made that statement with a complete straight face as if he were serious. Then the entire audience burst out in complete spontaneous laughter and Duckabee stood there with a complete serious face. I totally expected him to burst into laughter himself. That was hilarious!

Carl Cameron, in one clip I saw, said this could end up as a genius move by Duck. If the people of Iowa don’t mind being played the fools by his camp, then maybe. There is a chance that Huckabee has attained “martyr” status in the minds of some in Iowa. If so, then there will be a sympathy following, but still I cannot imagine thinking people backing a person who touts his “Christian values” while his behavior is completely dishonest at best.

No, I think this will sink Huck’s life-raft. Iowans are not fools. Reporters of the MSM are not fools and I think they will turn on Huck. Until about two weeks ago, Huck has gotten a pass from the MSM. His presumptuous, manipulative, and cunning behavior to play all the reporters for fools will backfire. They will shred him in the next few days. Mark my words. It is over for Huckabee. He will get the martyr-sympathy vote, but that is it (credit to Jeff Fuller for this insight). Iowans are too smart to vote for this guy. I think we will see the media eat Huckabee alive over the next three plus days.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall in one of the Republican caucus meeting halls to hear the discussions among voters. Oh, how sweet it would be.

Here is how I would like the results to show three nights from now, in Iowa, on Thursday night:

— Romney: 44%
— Hunter: 18%
— Thompson: 9%
— Keyes: 8%
— Giuliani: 5%
— Paul: 5%
— McCain: 5%
— Tancredo: 4% (yes, he will still get votes)
— Duckabee: 2%

I gave Duckabee 4%, not because I think there are really dumb Iowans, but because I think 4% of the Republican voters of Iowa who liked Duckabee a month ago, will not have gotten the news from today.

IOWANS: Please remember that both Giuliani and McCain abandoned the Ames Straw Poll in August effectively telling you a) your straw poll does not matter, and b) we [McCain/Giuliani] don’t want you to have any of our campaign money for your economy.

~ Vic

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By now, everybody knows that Mr. Huckabee has done everything he can within his power to court every Evangelical Christian in Iowa and New Hampshire.

1) He evokes God in as many political appearances as he can.
2) He gives sermons to churches that he says are non-political in nature; and oh, by the way, he gets paid a lot of money to do so.
3) He calls big meetings of pastors and other Evangelical leaders to directly request their support.
4) He expresses outrage that any Evangelical would consider supporting any other presidential candidate.
5) He was upset that Richard Land, top Baptist leader in Washington, D.C., would not endorse him; that Land said so many nice things about Fred Thompson.

We know that Huckabee’s primary support is among Evangelicals; I am guessing his entire support is probably made up of 98% Evangelicals. There are approximately 500,000 Evangelicals in Iowa. And of course not every Evangelical is a registered voter and not every Evangelical registered voter is Republican.

There are approximately 22,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) in Iowa. The same is true of them; not all are registered voters and not all are Republican.

Clearly Mr. Huckabee has done everything he can to make the Iowa caucuses a referendum about religion and the superiority of his. Of course he denies that. Of course he says he represents all citizens. Of course! He is not an idiot. But when you follow his actions — his behavior, it is all about his religion; and that is why voters should vote for him. He righteously expects it.

If he were right, then most, if not all Evangelicals would be supporting Huckabee; right? I am guessing that Huckabee one night sat down and ran the numbers. His handlers probably told him that a very high percentage of Americans would never vote for a Mormon; we’ve all seen those polls, right? So he gets to thinking,

“Let me see; if I make this about my religion in Iowa, and I have almost a 23:1 (500,000 / 22,000) advantage over the LDS members, I could really win big! THAT IS IT!! I am going to run against Romney on his religion! I know that there is a very high probability that every Evangelical registered voter will vote for me and if just half of them do, I will win and I will win big! That is it! Yaaaahoooo! That is my strategy! That is how I am going to attack this!  That is exactly how I am going to win this thing!   Let’s roll!”

However, I think he left out the need to read a newspaper and to check GoogleEarth once a month. Best to stick to the above strategy and just be sure not to answer any more questions! Brilliant!

We know that over the last several weeks, Mr. Huckabee has surged to almost 40% in the Iowa polls; I think I saw a couple of polls showing Huckabee as high as 38%. Let’s use 38%. With Huckabee’s brilliant strategy of appealing to “his base” of Evangelicals, and his more or less scorched-earth, sectarian approach to campaigning (and if his strategy were actually working), what should the poll numbers show by comparison to Governor Romney?

With Huckabee at 38% let’s say, and a 22:1 advantage based on his base, Romney should be at or about 2%, maybe 3% in the polls (38 /22), by comparison. Since that is not the case, maybe Huck’s strategy was not so good. Maybe he underestimated the desire of Evangelicals to use their minds as they decide whom to support in Iowa.

~ Vic

Help Governor Romney get his message out — PLEASE CONTRIBUTE HERE, NOW

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“HE HAS AGREED TO BE A PART OF THE GROUP”
Gov. Huckabee Claims Foreign Policy Advisers Who Aren’t Advising Him
No Laughing Matter: A serious look at Gov. Mike Huckabee’s record and policy beyond the one-liners.

• Gov. Mike Huckabee: “And the ultimate thing is, I may not be the expert that some people are on foreign policy, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.” (WABC Radio’s “Imus In The Morning,” 12/4/07)
• National Review: “The Holiday Inn Express Candidate.” “In sum, conservatives should have worries about the depth and soundness of Mike Huckabee’s foreign-policy views. And staying at a Holiday Inn Express is not going to be enough to allay them.” (Editorial, “The Holiday Inn Express Candidate,” National Review, 12/10/07)

Confronted With Misstatements On Foreign Policy, Gov. Huckabee Insists He Is Authentic And Honest:

• Gov. Huckabee Says That People Are Looking For “Authenticity” And “Honesty.” NBC’s LESTER HOLT: “But can you afford those kind of misstatements when the spotlight is on you and people are looking for credible foreign policy credentials?” GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: “What they’re looking for is authenticity, they’re looking for honesty.” (NBC’s “Today,” 12/29/07)
• Yet, Gov. Huckabee Continues To Insist He Is Being Advised By Former Ambassador John Bolton:
  On Thursday, Gov. Huckabee Said That Ambassador John Bolton Had Agreed To Help Him Formulate Foreign Policy. “At a Thursday evening news conference, Huckabee said, ‘I’ve corresponded with John Bolton, who’s agreed to work with us on developing foreign policy.’” (Lisa Lerer, “Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs Lapses,” The Politico, 12/29/07)
• On Friday Morning, Gov. Huckabee Said That He Had Spoken With Amb. Bolton About Foreign Policy. “On Friday morning, Huckabee listed former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton as someone with whom he either has ’spoken or will continue to speak.’” (Lisa Lerer, “Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs Lapses,” The Politico, 12/29/07)
• By Friday Evening, Amb. Bolton Said He Hadn’t Spoken With Huckabee, Nor Agreed To Be His Adviser. “Bolton, however, has a different view. ‘I’d be happy to speak with Huckabee, but I haven’t spoken with him yet,’ said Bolton, now a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington. ‘I’m not an official or unofficial adviser to anyone,’ said Bolton, who mentioned he’d had conversations with other Republican candidates but declined to name any names.” (Lisa Lerer, “Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs Lapses,” The Politico, 12/29/07)
• On Saturday Afternoon, Gov. Huckabee Was Still Claiming That Amb. Bolton Had Agreed To Be His Adviser. REPORTER: “Governor, you mentioned John Bolton as someone who is helping you to shape your foreign policy proposals. He says he hasn’t had communications or conversations with you. And he wasn’t the only person who you mentioned in your list of people you have talked to, to get advice from, who have said they haven’t spoken to you. Can you clear that up?” GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: “Well, I had an e-mail exchange with John Bolton, and he has agreed to be a part of the group. He has not endorsed me. he has not indicated he would be supporting my candidacy, but he is one of many people who would be willing to have conversations. And we did have that e-mail exchange.” (Gov. Mike Huckabee, Press Conference, 12/29/07; YouTube)
  
  
• Gov. Huckabee Also Wrongly Claimed Former National Security Adviser Richard Allen Is Advising Him:
  “Huckabee Said He Had Also Spoken With… Former National Security Adviser Richard Allen.” “Huckabee said he had also spoken with former State Department official Richard Haass (now president of the Council on Foreign Relations); military analyst Ken Allard; former national security adviser Richard Allen; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; Frank Gaffney, founder of the Center for Security Policy, a conservative think tank; and a ‘number of military personnel.’” (Lisa Lerer, “Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs Lapses,” The Politico, 12/29/07)
• Yet, Allen Also Says He Has Not Spoken With Gov. Huckabee. “Reached via e-mail, Allen said an intermediary asked him to speak with Huckabee, but he hadn’t yet agreed. ‘I’m gradually getting older, but am fully capable of recalling with whom I have spoken,’ said the former Nixon and Reagan foreign policy campaign adviser.” (Lisa Lerer, “Huckabee’s Foreign Affairs Lapses,” The Politico, 12/29/07)

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I was disgusted when I saw the video below. How long will Huckabee get a pass on this kind of language? Who wants their President talking this way? Last time I checked, suicide is at best morally ambiguous and at worst a mortal sin. How can a “Christian leader” talk so lightly about such a tragic act that takes over 30,000 lives per year (and another 24,000-750,000 attempted suicides) in the United States and leaves a massive wake of devastation?

“…and the point is, with limited resources, if you look at where we are, even in the national polls, we’ve spent a nickel to the hundred dollar bill of some of these guys. It’s not that I’m depressed thinking where we are, heck, I’m pretty encouraged. If I were some of these guys who spent tens of millions of dollars and weren’t any further ahead, I’d have to be sitting in a warm tub of water with some razor blades in both hands at this point saying how much money does one have to spend uh, you know, to get on track?“

First, let’s set aside that he gets his math wrong by two orders of magnitude (he meant to say a nickel for every dollar unless he believes that Romney has spent $654M in Iowa). Those kinds of gaffes are par for the course for Huckabee.

What is he saying here? Is he saying that Romney should be depressed and commit suicide? Is he saying that if he were in Romney’s place he would be committing suicide? That seems more likely. In that case, what does it say about the moral fiber and character of Romney vs. Huckabee that Mitt is nowhere near considering suicide given that’s where Huckabee would have ended up were their situations reversed? Do we really want someone so unstable and suicidal as our next POTUS?

Huckabee fans, before you accuse me of being willfully literal in my interpretation of Huckabee’s comments, let me assure you that what I think Huck is really saying is that he feels really good about his position in Iowa and that Mitt should feel really bad.

I just object to the way he’s saying it. It is crass, mean spirited, and unbefitting a public office holder, much less a “Christian Leader.”

I sent emails to the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) letting them know about Mike Huckabee’s disgusting and trivializing remarks about suicide. These are leading suicide prevention and issue advocacy organizations.

If you feel similarly, you can email the AAS at info@suicidology.org and the AFSP’s Public Relations Manager, Wylie Tene at wtene@afsp.org.

UPDATE: Apparently, this story first broke back in October. And, it’s not the first time he’s done it, and he’s been called on it in the past. “Razor blades in a bathtub” is a regular part of Huckabee’s repertoire.

Implication? He must actually think that this line is funny and continues to use it despite being made aware that it can be taken the wrong way!

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Great article from Ronald Kessler over at Newsmax on why Mitt is the best candidate. The whole thing is worth a read.

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Right about the time I was expecting to hear repeated the “teflon” label given Reagan, this news hits. I was driving home today and heard Hewitt break this news and callers saying RG will get over this little speed bump. I hurried home to post the story, parked the car, kissed my wife, ran to the computer, and SCOOPED! Ann Marie got it done! So at the ABC story, I decided to read the comments (150 now) and had to skip a bunch — there sure are a lot of vulgar people in this world! I copied over some of the more interesting of the comments below. First though, it appears (is alleged), that Giuliani,

1) Misappropriated NYC funds and resources for his personal use.
2) Provided significant city resources for his then publicly unknown mistress while at the same time providing the same services for the wife to whom he was married.
3) Used obscure city financial accounts to bury or divert the NYC Police expenses ostensibly to hide them.
4) Billed the city for hotel stays that had no official government purpose.

So what does all this mean? You decide. Does this revelation really matter to the race? Have we gotten to the point in America that with a nod and wink we can easily dismiss major moral and ethical indiscretions? To get you started, check out these comments from the ABC blog. What are your comments? Please leave one below:

It appears as if Mayor Rudy Giuliani finally found the perfect match for him, for now. He changes women like he changes his mind, constantly. Posted by: sue from texas

Anyone really surprised? He’s a natural for the presidency w/ the current state of affairs. I’m sickened that he calls himself a republican, much less an American. As higher forms of life go, I’d rate him at just under STD’s, and just above the amoeba. Posted by: VeteranD

In this corner weighing in as most adulterous the current champions Bradgelina…in the other corner the challengers Rudyjudy….. and the winner is RUDYJUDY!!!!….Posted by: GM

Unfortunately, after Slick Willie’s time in the White House, there is no behavior that would be bad enough to scandalize a President (or Presidential Candidate) short of murder. Everything that would have been a scandal in the past is simply dismissed as normal behavior from a politician…Posted by: Nathan

Simple Question for Giuliani: “Did Judi Nathan receive city-paid security or transportation in 2000, when you were still married to Donna Hanover?” Posted by: D

Bye bye Rudy!! We hardly knew ya!!!! Posted by: Mrzip

Clinton’s scandals seems positively silly compared to the flagrant abuse of power and contempt for the taxpayer on display here. Posted by: mk

How much did Bill Clinton’s mistress Monica cost the taxpayers? Bill Clinton set the moral standards for us. Who cares about Rudy’s escapades? Posted by: Caryl M

Wow, Romney comes under heat for his religion, yet Giuliani is leading a polygamist life with two “wives” under security, simultaneously. Posted by: bill henry

What happened to “America’s Mayor”? Isn’t he a man who prides himself on being on top of everything and in the know? If he can’t explain the accounting of his personal expenses on the city’s tab, how does he think that he’s equipped to be president? Posted by: Brooklynite

“America was stupid enought to elect Slick Willie - TWICE so what’s the fuss about? At least Rudy wasn’t caught in the White House or Mayors Office.”

No, he was not caught in the mayor’s office. That’s the whole point. He was taking his adultery on the road, at taxpayer expense. Posted by: Alvin

This is one CONSERVATIVE who’s totally disgusted by Rudy. I have been very disappointed in my party for supporting this man. He’s dishonest, obviously, and isn’t a conservative. Unethical behavior is bad no matter which side of the aisle you’re on! Posted by: Oink

When the Democratic New York State Controller was caught improperly having his wife chauffeured around at state expense he was forced from office. Do we have a double standard here? Posted by: evan500

If this was about Clinton, this would be the top story for, oh, about a year. Posted by: Clay

There IS a God. Posted by: LeeO

But…..but……Pat Robertson backed him. Let’s hear what Pat Robertson has to say now. [cue crickets] Posted by: Your Conscience

Rudy is a piece of dirt and he always was. Sure NYC was better but remember a vibrant economy and a crime bill that put 100,000 new cops on the street was as much a factor as his tough gestapo like tactics. Mayor Bloomberg has improved the city without treating minorities like dirt as Giuliani did. His own family doesn’t like them. That should tell you all you need to know. Posted by: Jeff

Remeber Dukakis in the tank? Wait until all the transvestite pics of Rudy appear. He’s toast - time to start looking for a different serial adulterer. Posted by: Larry

Rudy: Against-publicly funded health care For- publicly funded adultery. Posted by: weelzup

LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT….WHEN MOST PEOPLE DIAL 9-1-1 THEY HAVE THE OPTION OF AN AMBULANCE. WHEN “SHE” DIALS 9-1-1 SHE GETS A TAXI !!!!! DOES RUDY KNOW HOW TO IMPRESS HIS MISTRESS OR WHAT? Posted by: tomcat27834

so tell me………….when will Rudy REFUND the taxpayers of New York for his sexual escapades? Mr. 9/11 should donate every dime of the TENS-OF-MILLIONS made on speaking engagments off the backs of grieving New Yorkers………….This guy has no shame. Posted by: tomcat27834

Rudy had a duty not to squander NYC’s scarce public resources. It is shameful; among other destinations his creative bookkeepers found for these expenses were an agency that provides legal services to the indigent. He is very unpopular in NYC and I’ve no doubt that sources within the government will unearth other venal revelations. Posted by: AG

Apparently she was shopping for clothing for the cross-dressing Rudy Julie Annie. Posted by: Bill Hicks

and of course the new voice for the christian right supports him. pat (I never saw a corrupt person I didnt like) Roberston. Posted by: gary

Mud slinging? Anyone that cheats with someone and cheats on someone will more than likely be a cheat in general. Posted by: London

Giuliani is done. Posted by: mikeVA

Giuliani is the typical New York politician. A crook. And he says he will cut the waste in Washington. Well, what’s going to happen when he gets bored with wife #3? Does mistress #4 get a secret service escort and a bullet proof car that comes with a police motorcade? You know, with the security concerns surrounding Giuliani, it might be a necessary expense!! Security concerns! I’m sick of these pols wasting my tax money. Romney, you have my vote!! Posted by: Spencer

Rudy believes we are all stupid and he can shrug this stuff off with an “I didn’t know anything about it”. If he didn’t know he is too careless and clueless to be President. And Kerik is only another part of this iceberg wreck. Follow the money and look at Rudik’s partner’s, lawsuits [Google], and you’ll fine more, more, more. He is patently dishonest and secretive and would continue to damage our country on every level possible. His dishonesty is spectacularly obvious. Posted by: morris1030

He needs to be confined in a room with a view. You know! JAIL Posted by: joe

I have tremendous and abiding faith in our form of government. America truly is the example in all the world of liberty, freedom, and hope. Corruption has always existed in various ways in this nation, hence the reason our founding parents devised checks and balances that work. One of those “checks” is a free press. Why a free press? For no other reason than to simply expose and reveal corruption among the powerful. It is that basic. Mr. Giuliani was granted power by the citizens of his city and he crossed the line many times in his abuse of power. Character does matter. This has nothing to do with mistakes or being too busy to see details or any of that. This is all about character and judgment. As I have said in this blog before, once Giuliani begins to spend his money to catch Governor Romney in the early states, it would be the beginning of the end of his campaign. That spending started this week. What was revealed today will only hasten the end for this man. There is still more to reveal. Name recognition will only carry you so far.

~ Vic

Please Help Mitt Get His Message Out —-> MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

“The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops – no, but the kind of man the country turns out.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, philosopher and poet (1803-1882)

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

— Helen Keller, American social activist, public speaker and author (1880-1968)

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—–>From ABC News’s The Blotter

Quote:

Well before it was publicly known he was seeing her, then-married New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani provided a police driver and city car for his mistress Judith Nathan, former senior city officials tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.

“She used the PD as her personal taxi service,” said one former city official who worked for Giuliani.

New York papers reported in 2000 that the city had provided a security detail for Nathan, who became Giuliani’s third wife after his divorce from Donna Hanover, who also had her own police security detail at the same time.

Click —–>Here For The Rest of the Story.

Doesn’t it just make more sense to go with the man with the Experience, Leadership, Family Values, and Character that will serve our country above reproach?

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You know how we often hear the term “the liberal elite” which connotes some ivory tower intellectual superiority? It might only be I who thinks such a term is rather an oxymoron. This great article on discoveries in stem cell research reminds me of the same liberal forces of the last two decades that have argued that ending life in the womb is “a right” while at the same time suing drunk drivers that cause accidents resulting in the death of a fetus.

This entire Wall Street Journal Op/Ed piece is outstanding and is a must-read for any conservative. Link —–> Trading Places — Will the secular left soon attack the religious right for being pro-science? — BY JOSEPH BOTTUM

Or, maybe, the argument is just beginning, for this news turns on its head everything in what the nation’s newspapers have delivered to us as a story of blinkered pro-lifers vs. courageous scientists.

The people who turn out actually to have believed in the power of science are the pro-lifers–the ones who said that a moral roadblock is not, in point of fact, an outrageous hindrance, for scientists will always find another, less-objectionable way to achieve their goals. President Bush’s refusal of federal funding for new embryonic stem cell lines didn’t halt major stem-cell advances, any more than the prohibition against life-threatening research on human subjects, such as the infamous Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male, stopped the advance of medical treatments.

For those who attacked the pro-lifers in the name of science, however, things look a little different. As Maureen L. Condic explained to First Thigns readers this year in her careful survey, “What We Know About Embryonic Stem Cells,” the promises of medical breakthroughs were massively overblown by the media.

But there were reasons for all the hype. I have long suspected that science, in the context of the editorial page of the New York Times, was simply a stalking-horse for something else. In fact, for two something-elses: a chance to discredit America’s religious believers, and an opportunity to put yet another hedge around the legalization of abortion. After all, if our very health depends on the death of embryos, and we live in a culture that routinely destroys early human life in the laboratory, no grounds could exist for objecting to abortion.

With these purposes now severed by the Japanese de-differentiation technique, which way will it break?

The answer is, quite possibly, toward a rejection of science by the mainstream press. Since the 1960s, abortion has skewed American politics in strange and unnatural ways, and the cloning debates are no exception. Recently John Tierney of the New York Times had a long article called “Are Scientists Playing God? It Depends on Your Religion.” It’s a little unfortunately timed, given the news from England about Mr. Wilmut’s change of heart, but the theme is that American Christians and European post-Christians are unlike the Chinese, Koreans and other Easterners with no history of opposition to science.

The whole idea seems more than a little peculiar, when one reflects on the birthplaces of modern science. And yet, Mr. Tierney sees something that is, from his perspective, genuinely hard to explain: The left in America and Europe supports destructive embryonic research, while it increasingly rejects genetically modified “Frankenfoods.”

Shake loose from the narrative of antiscience fundamentalists and pro-science liberals, however, and a different story starts to be visible. Abortion skewed the political discussion of all this, pinning the left to a defense of science it doesn’t actually hold. The more natural line is agitation against Frankenfoods and all genetic modification, particularly given the environmentalism to which the campaign against global warming is tying the left.

Narratives about positions on public policy are like enormous steamships: It takes a long time to turn them around. But if the news of stem-cell breakthroughs prove accurate, we may well see over the next few years a gradual reversal in news stories and editorials. Watch for it, now that abortion is out of the equation: much less hype about all the miracle cures that stem cells will bring us, more suspicion about the cancers and genetic pollution that may result, and just about the same amount of bashing of religious believers–this time for their ignorant support of science.

Oh, the wonder of the fluid logic of the elite liberal mind!

~ Vic

Please Help Mitt Get His Message Out —->MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

“The liar’s punishment is not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe anyone else.”

— George Bernard Shaw, Anglo-Irish dramatist and wit (1856-1950)

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