Articles of Interest 12-12-07

330 Days until Election Day

MORNING UPDATE:

Republicans win Congressional special elections in Ohio and Virginia!!!

Stop the “Phone Tax”…call your State Representative.

Governor Granholm was the Grinch that stole Christmas…with her tax and spend policies…taking money out of YOUR pocket…EVERY SECOND…$39.00 per second!

I spoke at the New Centurion’s program in Grand Rapids last night.  A fresh crop of “trained” conservatives from across the state are getting ready for battle!

For more information on the New Centurion program go to:
http://www.conservativeinstitute.org/

See what Republicans in Pennsylvania are doing:
http://www.votersforrepublicanvalues.com/principles.html

Give a Gift this Holiday Season that Will Last a Lifetime!

The Michigan Republicans moved their headquarters to the Secchia-Weiser Republican Center in 2006 and plan to install a legacy site to honor those who have served the party and the citizens of Michigan.  The legacy site will create a well-deserved tribute to honor Michigan’s past, present, and future Republican leaders!  Buy a brick to celebrate, to inspire, or to commemorate friends, family, or yourself this holiday season!  They are a great way to honor others in memoriam, birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion.  Your honoree will receive a certificate commemorating their personalized brick.  Choose from our four different options and be a part of the Michigan Republican Party Legacy! 

To order your personalized Legacy Brick please visit www.migop.org/legacy, or contact Erin Meteer, Major Donor Program Manager at emeteer@migop.org. 

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Yesterday, Republicans swept two special congressional elections that were closely watched as indicators of what is to come as the parties battle for control of Congress in 2008.  Despite high profile and well funded efforts, Democrats walked away empty handed.

Michigan Republicans sent down staff and volunteers to help in the Ohio special!!!  Our team effort paid off…a good sign entering the 2008 elections.

Special congressional elections are frequently looked to as indicators of the political and issue trends that will influence the next general election.

Since the Democrats took control of Congress earlier this year, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has been squeezing the DC lobbying establishment hard for cash, with a good amount of success. 

Despite the well funded Democrat campaign, Republicans won yesterday with congressional candidate Bob Latta in Ohio's 5th district.  Liberal Democrat Robin Weirauch drew support from the DCCC, Nancy Pelosi, Charlie Rangel, EMILY's list, Governor Ted Strickland, and a host of other Democrats and liberal interest groups.  It wasn't enough.

In Virginia's 1st district, Republican Rob Wittman tonight defeated Democrat Philip Forgit.  Democrats had claimed that recent gains in the Virginia state legislature set the stage for new Democrat activism in the Old Dominion.  With two candidates, each with little name identification, battling over an open Congressional seat, Democrats had an opportunity to make a gain, but to no avail. 

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma issued twin statements congratulating Congressmen-elect Latta and Wittman tonight.

Democrats will try to explain away the Republican victories by claiming that these were Republican districts that elected Republicans - no news story.  Of course, such claims ignore the fact that Democrats made a major play to take Ohio's 5th district, and passed up the opportunity to make any gain in Virginia.

They'll also bypass the fact that in the heavily Democratic 5th district in Massachusetts, Republican Jim Ogonowski nearly took the seat despite a 14-point advantage in registration for the Democrats earlier this year.

Going into 2008, Democrat congressional candidates will have to contend with a political environment where Nancy Pelosi's and Harry Reid's unpopular Democrat Congress is only a hindrance, while solidly Republican issues of lower taxes and keeping America on the offensive in the global war on terror are resonating with voters, as demonstrated tonight.

- The Michigan state house is about to vote on SB410 – a bill that would mean $100 million in new taxes to fund 9-1-1 services and a broad category bureaucrats call “Public Safety.” The bill puts an 81 cent tax on ALL phone lines. Cell phones, land lines, voice over internet protocol: none will be spared.

The Michigan legislature may have repealed the service tax, but more taxes could be passed tomorrow! After approving $1.4 billion in tax increases on businesses and individuals, the legislature will vote on another surcharge on business— one that may include a fee on every phone, landline and cell phone.

Before the Michigan legislature votes tomorrow, we need to send a strong message! This is not the time to increase taxes on our phone lines. Contact your lawmaker at www.capwiz.com/detroitchamber and tell them to stop the phone tax.

Or go here to Freedom Works web page:

http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=10657246

–  Our press release: Like the Grinch who stole Christmas, the Granholm-Democrat tax increase is pilfering the pockets of Michigan’s taxpayers to the tune of $39 every second. Since the beginning of the 2007-2008 fiscal year, that averages more than $240 million of tax increases, and counting.

Today, the Michigan Republican Party unveiled the Michigan Taxpayers’ Check that counts off how much more working families are paying under the Granholm-Democrat tax increase.

“Every second the Granholm-Democrat tax increase costs Michigan taxpayers the equivalent of a tank of gas, a week’s heating bill or a family’s trip to the movies,” said Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saulius “Saul” Anuzis. “The governor said her tax only costs pennies, but those pennies add up fast. So far, the Granholm-Democrat tax plan adds up to 24 billion pennies taken from taxpayers’ pockets.”

Anuzis said he will take the Michigan Taxpayers’ Check as he travels the state in the coming months to put a finer point on how much the Granholm-Democrat tax increase is costing families, businesses and Michigan’s economy. Anuzis also said taxpayers can post a web-based version of the check on their personal websites and blogs. The widget for the check can be downloaded at www.migop.org .

“The Michigan Republican Party is going to remind voters that it was Governor Granholm and the Democrats who passed a tax increase in the midst of a single-state recession  while families are losing jobs and businesses are leaving the state,” Anuzis said. “You can’t tax yourself to prosperity and the only thing the Granholm-Democrat tax increase will do is take more of what Michigan families and businesses can’t afford to give.”

What can $39 a second buy?

Half a week’s worth of groceries for a married couple (http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/202468).

A 13 gallon tank of gas (http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17334_17362-93060--,00.html)

A week’s worth of energy used by the average American family (http://fypower.org/news/?p=363).

Two-and-a-half-weeks worth of car insurance payments for the average Michigan driver (http://www.4carinsurancequotes.com/states-premium.htm).

The approximate cost for a family of 4 to go to the movies, plus concessions (http://www.thedirectory.org/movieth/showtimes/m02753.htm).

The math behind the Michigan Taxpayers’ Check
What the $1.23 billion-a-year Granholm-Democrat tax increase is costing Michigan families and businesses:
$1.23 Billion Per Year / 365 Days Per Year = $3.37 Million Per Day
      
$3.37 Million Per Day / 24 Hours Per Day = $140,417 Per Hour
      
$140,417 Per Hour / 60 Minutes Per Hour = $2,340 Per Minute
      
$2,340 Per Minute / 60 Seconds Per Minute = $39 Per Second.
      

- Recall efforts start & grow….see UPDATE “Tax Hiker Portraits” by RightMichigan:
 
Robert Dean:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/2/105439/416

Steve Bieda:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/3/10332/0059

Mike Simpson:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/4/92924/1118

Marc Corriveau:   http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/8/93248/2721

Terry Brown:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/10/101539/45

Mary Valentine:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/9/6253/0133

Kate Ebli:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/11/55455/873

Marty Griffin:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/15/94238/961

Kathy Angerer:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/16/14040/296

Aldo Vagnozzi:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/17/103640/75

John Espinoza:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/30/93255/658

Joel Sheltrown:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/10/31/103434/30

Mike Lahti:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/11/6/10250/0225

Kathleen Law:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/11/7/104242/595

Fred Miller:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/11/13/101018/55

Mike Sak:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/11/20/112958/68

Marie Donigan:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/11/28/10625/797

Pam Byrnes:  http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2007/12/5/112420/863

How do recalls work: http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/11/how-to-run-a-re.html

Saul Anuzis

STATE STORIES

http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2007/12/interview-saul.html

Interview: Saul Anuzis

12/10/07

By Jack Lessenberry

Michigan

moved its presidential primary to January 15th, in an effort to have more of a role in the process. But both parties severely penalized the state for breaking the rules. Now Debbie Dingell, the Democratic national committeewoman, and Saul Anuzis, the Republican state chairman, are proposing a new bipartisan national plan. Michigan Radio’s Jack Lessenberry spoke with Anuzis about the idea.

http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2007/12/essay-primary-c.html

Primary Concerns

12/10/07

By Jack Lessenberry

Saul Anuzis and Debbie Dingell gave us a new

Michigan

primary this year that turned into an embarrassing train wreck, at least on the Democratic side. Now, they’ve come up with a new plan for selecting presidential nominees that makes a lot more sense. The only problem is that it is has virtually no chance of ever becoming reality. Here’s a little background. For months, both parties were trying to figure out a way to jump-start the presidential primary process to get

Michigan

more influence in selecting the nominees.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MI_MICHIGAN_PRIMARY_MIOL-?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Lawsuit calls for halt to Democratic presidential primary

Dec 11, 6:27 PM

By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- A Democratic activist has asked a federal court to halt Michigan's Democratic presidential primary, saying it will disenfranchise voters whose favorites aren't on the ballot. Martha Hayes' suit against the Michigan Democratic Party, the state of

Michigan

and Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land asks the court for both preliminary and permanent injunctions. If successful, it could force Michigan Democrats to hold a presidential caucus, something some Democratic activists already think is a good idea. Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Jason Moon didn't seem too concerned Tuesday that the primary was in trouble.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS06/71211073

Lawsuit filed against

Dems

,

Mich.

to prevent Jan. 15 primary

December 11, 2007

By

DAWSON

BELL

A west Michigan Democratic Party activist has filed a federal lawsuit against the party and the State of

Michigan

in an attempt to prevent the party from using the Jan. 15 primary to select a presidential nominee.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071212/POLITICS/712120408/1374/POLITICS01

Romney to air ads in Michigan

Presidential hopeful to reuse upbeat commercial to kick campaign into gear before holidays.

December 12, 2007

ByGordon Trowbridge

Mitt Romney's presidential campaign will begin airing television ads in

Michigan

today, pushing the Republican primary contest into a new stage. The ad campaign, 41 days before the Jan. 15 primary, is the first in

Michigan

since a brief series of ads here and in other early-voting states aired following Romney's campaign kickoff in February. And they come as the rise of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has threatened the early-state strategy the Romney campaign hoped would carry it to victory. The campaign did not release details of its advertising purchases, but said it will begin airing an ad it first used in

New Hampshire

in November, touting Romney's experience in business, running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and as

Massachusetts

governor.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/53_69/news/21318-1.html

Ways and Means

Battle

Kicks Off

December 11, 2007

By Lauren W. Whittington

Rep. Jim McCrery’s (R-La.) announcement late last week that he will not seek re-election in 2008 immediately touched off a yearlong race for one of the most powerful posts in Congress — the top Republican slot on the Ways and Means Committee.

Early jockeying points to at least a two-person race between Reps. Wally Herger (

Calif.

) and Dave Camp (

Mich.

), with the possibility of a three-man contest emerging.

While Herger is next on the tax-writing panel’s GOP roster, Camp has been a close ally of Republican leaders and is widely viewed as having the inside track to succeed McCrery.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS06/71211072

Proposed smoking ban in restaurants, bars may be up in smoke

December 11, 2007

By CHRIS CHRISTOFF

LANSING

– A House bill to ban smoking in all workplaces, including bars and restaurants, was effectively shelved in the Michigan Senate today. The bill was sent to a committee chaired by Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester Hills, who has said it is not a priority for Senate Republicans. The action could squelch a decade-old effort by anti-smoking advocates to rid public places of smokers. The smoking ban has been fought vigorously by restaurant and bar lobbies, who say it infringes on business owners’ rights to offer smoking or not to customers

http://www.mininggazette.com/stories/articles.asp?articleID=9766

Service tax replacement was sloppy

December 11, 2007

The Mining Gazette Editorial

After the state Legislature found an eleventh-hour replacement for its ludicrous tax on services, Gov. Jennifer Granholm brushed aside worries about the chaotic process that led to

Michigan

again dancing at the brink of tax-policy disaster.

‘‘Instead of looking in the rearview mirror, I’m looking forward,’’ she said.

That’s what politicians say when they want people to ignore a particularly bad stretch of road they’ve just dragged us over. Behind Granholm and lawmakers — especially House Speaker Andrew Dillon, D-Wayne County, and Senate Majority Leader Michael Bishop, R-Rochester — is a multi-car wreck of legislative procrastination, political gamesmanship and posturing. A state in such a tenuous economic condition needs to send a clear message to jobs-makers: Yes, times are tough, but we’ll get past this. Instead, too many employers are left wondering what new taxes they’ll face tomorrow and when lawmakers will have an all-night meeting to enact them.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/OPINION01/712110306/1007/OPINION

Credit card users deserve prompt notice of rate hikes

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The

Detroit

News Editorial

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin has doggedly uncovered a slew of unfair and suspect practices in the credit card industry. The Michigan Democrat wants satisfactory responses from banks but is also ready with tougher consumer protection laws if needed. Levin recently exposed companies that jack up interest rates on loyal customers who never miss a payment. Testimony before Congress illustrates the problem: In Milwaukee, a senior on a fixed income had for years faithfully paid $119 a month on a closed account but his rate jumped 15 percent to 27 percent. As a result, his payments over a year did not reduce the debt at all, said Levin, chairman of the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is probing such practices.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/METRO/712110387/1409/METRO

Metro

Detroit

water rates to soar

Double-digit hikes to slam 38 suburbs

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

By David Josar, Jim Lynch and Christine Ferretti

DETROIT

-- The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department wants to hike the price of water by at least 20 percent in more than a dozen suburban communities by July 1, and 26 other communities would see their rates go up by at least 10 percent.

Next year's proposed suburban rates, averaging 8.6 percent after a hike last year averaging 3.9 percent, caught local officials and customers by surprise. "That's definitely not something the village needs right now," said New Haven President Brett Harris, whose community of 3,000 residents is facing a 77 percent rate hike.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS04/71211066

Macomb

County

makes more cuts to ease deficit

December 11, 2007

By STEVE NEAVLING

From delaying new car purchases to cutting fees that politicians collect for attending meetings, Macomb County today slowly chipped away at next year’s $12-million deficit.

Commissioners cut the deficit to about $8 million during a meeting that grew contentious with finger-pointing, name-calling and an attempt by one commissioner to cut the board’s pay by 25%.Still at stake is the fate of the county-operated library and nursing home, assistant prosecutors and services for lower-income families, seniors and people with disabilities. Those cuts will be considered in January.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/POLITICS/712110392/1408/LOCAL

Debate starts on energy bills

House committee will tackle issues of costs, jobs and choice of providers.

December 11, 2007

By Mark Hornbeck

LANSING

-- The battle begins today over a state energy package that backers say would stabilize

Michigan

's electricity market into the future, but critics contend it would kill competition and drive up monthly electric bills. Hearings on the five-bill package are scheduled for today, Wednesday and Thursday in the House Energy and Technology Committee and possible passage to the floor for late this week or next week, said committee Chairman Frank Accavitti Jr., D-Eastpointe. "These bills will bring certainty to electric distribution and jobs to the state," Accavitti said Monday.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS07/71211059

Congress closes in on energy bill deal

December 11, 2007

By JUSTIN HYDE

WASHINGTON

— A key Democratic senator said Tuesday that a deal was close for an energy bill with a 40% increase in fuel economy standards, a move that could win the 60 votes necessary to block a Republican filibuster. The bill passed the House last week, but was blocked in the Senate because of a $21-billion tax provision and requirements on electric utilities to generate up to 15% of their energy from renewable sources. While the electricity plan was expected to be set aside, talks had focused on the tax plan.

http://www.examiner.com/a-1096927~Ford_temporarily_cuts_production_at_Mich___Ky__truck_plants.html

Ford temporarily cuts production at Mich.,

Ky.

truck plants

December 10, 2007

Associated Press

DEARBORN, Mich- Ford Motor Co. says it will temporarily shut down two light truck plants in

Michigan

and

Kentucky

on Monday. The shutdowns come two weeks ahead of their planned holiday closings. Company spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari said the move is part of the company's typical response to adjust supply to meet fluctuating demand.Affected are a plant in

Dearborn

that builds the F-150 pickup and another in

Louisville

,

Ky.

, that builds the Explorer sport utility. Sales of Ford's F-series pickups fell 11.7 percent to 46,568 last month.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/METRO02/712110337/1411/METRO02

Police give seniors personal safety tips

December 11, 2007

byDelores Flynn

FARMINGTON HILLS

-- The Police Department will help seniors with their personal safety as part of the Farmington Hills Senior Safety Program from 10:30-11:30 a.m. today.  Officers will tell seniors how to reduce their chances of becoming a victim while shopping or using a parking lot. Participants will also learn about winter weather preparations and about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors from the Fire Department, Senior Division, Commission on Aging and Emergency Preparedness Commission representatives. "Increasing the awareness and vigilance of our seniors is especially important during the busy holiday season," said Police Chief William Dwyer. "We want our seniors to know that there are ways they can reduce the chances of becoming crime victims."

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS07/71211055

Endowments eyed as way to rein in college tuition

December 11, 2007

By MAUREEN GROPPE

WASHINGTON

— Some lawmakers are eyeing universities’ growing endowment funds as a way to defray tuition increases. “Our colleges and universities are sitting on some of the largest fortunes amassed by any institutions in the history of our nation,” Lynne Munson of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, told the Senate Finance Committee this fall. “In too many cases, this wealth is being hoarded instead of shared.”

NATIONAL STORIES

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7343.html

Republicans win in

Va.

,

Ohio

elections

Dec 11, 2007

By: Josh Kraushaar

Republicans retained two House seats in special elections Tuesday, including a hotly contested

Ohio

race that the two parties spent nearly $700,000 trying to win.  Republican officials immediately pointed to the issue of immigration, an increasingly pivotal theme in contests across the nation as well as in the presidential primary race, as a key factor in their

Ohio

victory.  "Republicans will say they’ve found their silver bullet on the issue of immigration. This issue is very tangible and provides a great-short term gain for GOP candidates," said David Wasserman, the House analyst for the Cook Political Report.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/us/politics/11huckabee.html

In New Ad, Romney Attacks Huckabee on Immigration

December 11, 2007

By LESLIE WAYNE

Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign plans to begin running a negative television advertisement today in Iowa highlighting Mike Huckabee’s record on immigration, escalating the warfare between the two Republican candidates as they scramble for support in the nation’s first nominating state.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashhu.htm

Dems Hold Fire on Huckabee; See ‘Easy Kill’ In General Election

Tue Dec 11 2007

The Drudge Report

Democrat party officials are avoiding any and all criticism of Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee, insiders reveal. The Democratic National Committee has told staffers to hold all fire, until he secures the party's nomination. The directive has come down from the highest levels within the party, according to a top source.

Within the DNC, Huckabee is known as the "glass jaw -- and they're just waiting to break it." In the last three weeks since Huckabee's surge kicked in, the DNC hasn't released a single press release criticizing his rising candidacy.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRESIDENTIAL_RACE_DEBATES?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Dems, GOP in last debates before

Iowa

Dec 11, 2007

By LIZ SIDOTI

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- It's crunch time. Nine Republican and six Democratic candidates will meet this week in their final debates before the lead off Iowa caucuses, and lively exchanges are all but certain.The back-to-back debates - Republicans on Wednesday, Democrats on Thursday - come as both races in Iowa are toss-ups with just three weeks left before the voting begins.On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, has vaulted to the front-running position, overtaking longtime leader Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, in a matter of weeks. The two are engaged in an increasingly fierce battle, with Romney assailing Huckabee on illegal immigration in a new TV ad. Fred Thompson, the ex-senator of

Tennessee

who has dropped in polls, is looking to benefit from the two-way tussle in the final weeks of the campaign.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121101621.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=new

In Poll, Huckabee Closes on Giuliani

Clinton

Far Ahead Among Democrats

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

By Jon Cohen and Dan Balz

Three weeks before the first contest of the 2008 campaign, Republicans remain sharply divided over whom to choose as their presidential nominee and which of the five leading candidates best embodies the core values of a fractured GOP, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani continues to lead the Republican field in the national poll, but his support is at its lowest point this year. Mike Huckabee, the former

Arkansas

governor, has more than doubled his support among likely GOP voters since early November and runs just behind Giuliani.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316433,00.html

Rudy Giuliani Says He Wished He Could Have Deported All Illegal Immigrants

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Fox News

WASHINGTON

—  Rudy Giuliani says he wanted to deport all 400,000 illegal immigrants from

New York City

when he was mayor there, but federal officials' incompetence made him tailor policy friendly to immigrants.

The GOP presidential candidate, whose primary rivals have been hammering him for weeks for running a "sanctuary city" friendly to illegal immigrants, told FOX News contributor Bill Sammon that he had to accommodate illegal aliens because the feds would only round up to deport 700-1,500 each year. "If they could [have deported them], I would have have turned all the people over. It would have helped me. I would have had a smaller population. I would have had fewer problems," Giuliani said in an interview given for Sammon's upcoming book, "Meet the Next President.”

http://www.examiner.com/a-1097819~In_New_York__illegal_immigration_took_a_back_seat_to_making_the_city_safe.html

Book Excerpt: In

New York

, illegal immigration took a back seat to making the city safe

Dec 11, 2007

By Bill Sammon

WASHINGTON- Rudy Giuliani says he wanted to deport all 400,000 illegal immigrants from

New York City

when he was mayor, but ended up welcoming most of those who were “causing me no trouble.” In an interview for the new book “Meet the Next President,” Giuliani lamented that the Immigration and Naturalization Service deported only 700 to 1,500 of the city’s 400,000 aliens each year during his mayoralty. Giuliani said it was obvious the INS was not about to increase deportation “from 700 or 1,500 to 400,000.”

http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NATION/112110053/1001

Huckabee basks in success

By Stephen Dinan

December 11, 2007

MIAMI

— Mike Huckabee jokes that if he's not the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, someone better tell the other campaigns to turn their fire elsewhere. While he's not quite comfortable with the term front-runner — "I would like to say we're 'emerging,' " he said yesterday — the former

Arkansas

governor finds himself facing near-smothering press attention and the concentrated attacks from other campaigns. But whatever he's called, his emergence means the former two-man race between Mitt Romney and Rudolph W. Giuliani is now a lot more complicated.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7302.html

Huckabee support hinges on churches

Dec 10, 2007

By: Jeanne Cummings

Mike Huckabee’s bid to win the 2008 Republican nomination faces plenty of obstacles, Mitt Romney’s money and machine being chief among them. But lurking in the background could be a new concern: the Internal Revenue Service. In recent election cycles the IRS has upgraded its scrutiny of churches and other charities, which risk losing their tax-free status if they engage in partisan political activity or advocacy for a particular candidate.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-huckabee11dec11,1,4449705.story?coll=la-politics-campaign&ctrack=1&cset=true

Huckabee does a flip-flop on

Cuba

December 11, 2007

By Peter Wallsten

MIAMI

-- As governor of

Arkansas

five years ago, Mike Huckabee joined a bipartisan chorus of politicians who concluded that the

U.S.

trade embargo against

Cuba

was bad for businesses. Now that he's a top-tier candidate for president, Huckabee has decided he favors the embargo -- so much so that he vowed Monday to outdo even President Bush in strangling the regime of Cuban President Fidel Castro and punishing those who do business there.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/H/HUCKABEE_MORMONS?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Huckabee questions Mormons' belief

By LIBBY QUAID

Dec 11, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, asks in an upcoming article, "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?" The article, to be published in Sunday's New York Times Magazine, says Huckabee asked the question after saying he believes Mormonism is a religion but doesn't know much about it. His rival Mitt Romney, the former

Massachusetts

governor, is a member of the Mormon church, which is known officially as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/12/10/romney_vs_giuliani/

Romney vs. Giuliani

December 10, 2007

By Scot Lehigh

Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani are both running for president as experienced, results-oriented executives ready to roll up their sleeves and get things done.But that's pretty much where the similarities end. Stylistically, the former governor of

Massachusetts

and the former mayor of

New York City

are as different as can be. With both stumping regularly in

New Hampshire

, the

Granite

State

campaign has offered a good chance to observe their contrasting styles. So let's see how they compare.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YmMxYTUyYzA1YTk2YzE5NGVmNjc0OGFjYWJmNzMzNjI=&p=1

Romney for President

December 11, 2007

National Review Editorial

Many conservatives are finding it difficult to pick a presidential candidate. Each of the men running for the Republican nomination has strengths, and none has everything — all the traits, all the positions — we are looking for. Equally conservative analysts can reach, and have reached, different judgments in this matter. There are fine conservatives supporting each of these Republicans. Our guiding principle has always been to select the most conservative viable candidate. In our judgment, that candidate is Mitt Romney, the former governor of

Massachusetts

. Unlike some other candidates in the race, Romney is a full-spectrum conservative: a supporter of free-market economics and limited government, moral causes such as the right to life and the preservation of marriage, and a foreign policy based on the national interest.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Jane+Swift%3a+If+Republicans+nominate+flip-flip+Romney%2c+they%27ll+lose&articleId=57d312b8-d0e1-4bf7-a529-970bbb5e6499

If Republicans nominate flip-flip Romney, they'll lose

Monday, Dec. 10, 2007

By JANE SWIFT

YOU'VE SEEN the cover stories. You've heard the jokes. Mitt Romney's flip flops have provided endless fodder for the late night talk show circuit. But just beneath the humorous surface lies the Democratic strategy for defeating a Romney ticket come November, and history shows this strategy works. American voters don't trust chronic flip floppers. Sure, everyone is free to switch a position here and there, but too many changes of heart and you risk offending the country's sense of integrity and fair play. George Bush's 2004 victory over John Kerry is a great example. My Democratic friends groan when I remind them of this line: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." Kerry's ability to convincingly connect with average Americans was undermined by their suspicion that today's press release was tomorrow's fish wrap.

http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=It%27s+Iowa%2c+not+NH%2c+for+Thompson&articleId=ca44e967-dc3d-4cd6-8b86-95079e51fa08

It's

Iowa

, not NH, for Thompson

December 11, 2007

By JOHN DISTASO

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson has no plans to return to first-primary state

New Hampshire

to campaign before the end of the year, a spokesman said yesterday."Obviously,

Iowa

comes first," campaign deputy communications director Karen Hanretty said. "

Iowa

is first in the nation, so we'll spend our time in

Iowa

and then be spending our time in the states that come after it."

Iowa

's caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 3; the

New Hampshire

primary is scheduled for Jan. 8.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121102116.html

Bigger Than Life

By Joel Achenbach

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Freddie Thompson hit full height in the 10th grade, some 6 feet, 5 3/4 inches. His buddies called him "Stick." He was a nice-looking kid, played football and basketball, chased girls, horsed around in class, rarely cracked a book. "Basically, just a carefree, underachieving kid," he says today. "Pretty good kid. Never gotten in trouble or anything like that. But didn't care much about my studies."  Years ago, he put it a different way in an interview with The Washington Post: "I was interested in two things -- and sports was one of them."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=3978940&page=1

Ron Paul Unplugged

John Stossel Interviews Ron Paul on

Iraq

,

U.S.

Intervention

Dec. 11, 2007

By JOHN STOSSEL and KRISTINA KENDALL

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, is the only Republican presidential candidate who says we need to get our troops out of

Iraq

now, and that we never should have invaded

Iraq

at all.

The

United States

should not be the "world's policeman," said Paul.

Ron Paul: Is War Ever Justifiable?" It's OK for us to have a responsibility, personally, to help other people … [but] to go around the world and spread democracy and spread our goodness, no. I think it doesn't work … too many unintended consequences, and, to spread our goodness overseas, it usually requires force. "We're spreading our goodness in

Iraq

, [and] we can't do that without dropping bombs on them and killing a lot of people

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071211/D8TF21NO0.html

Clinton

Says Hillary Was Always the One

Dec 11, 2007

By MIKE GLOVER

AMES, Iowa (AP) - Campaigning for his wife, former President Clinton says that when they were starting out he was so struck by her intellect and ability he once suggested she should just dump him and jump into her own political career. That didn't happen, of course, and on Monday he gave an

Iowa

crowd his version of why it didn't. "I thought it would be wrong for me to rob her of the chance to be what I thought she should be," said

Clinton

. "She laughed and said, 'First I love you and, second, I'm not going to run for anything, I'm too hardheaded. '"Hillary Rodham Clinton is running now, and husband Bill was stumping for her in the 2008 campaign's leadoff caucus state - two days after rival Democrat Barack Obama got a full weekend's worth of attention by bringing in talk show queen Oprah Winfrey to campaign for him.

http://nationaljournal.com/taylor.htm

Honesty: Hillary's Glass House

By Stuart Taylor Jr.

Monday, Dec. 10, 2007

Hillary Rodham Clinton is supposed to be smart. But how smart is it for a woman with such a bad reputation for truthfulness and veracity to put those character traits at the center of the campaign? The irony of her potshots at Barack Obama's character has hardly gone unnoticed. Nor has the idiocy of her December 2 press release breathlessly revealing that "in kindergarten, Senator Obama wrote an essay titled 'I Want to Become President.' " (Emphasis added.) This, the

Clinton

release explained, gives the lie to Obama's claim that he is "not running to fulfill some long-held plans" to become president. Hillary was not, it appears, joking.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20071211/D8TFH9000.html

If

Clinton

Loses

Iowa

: Her 'Plan B'

Dec 11, 5:49 PM (ET)

By BETH FOUHY and PHILIP ELLIOTT

MANCHESTER

,

N.H.

(AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton's backup plan if she falters in

Iowa

can be summed up in two words:

New Hampshire

.

Clinton

's Democratic team is preparing television ads here criticizing Barack Obama's health care plan and working to build what campaigns call a firewall. If the Obama presidential campaign ignites in

Iowa

, she wants to be ready to cool him off in a state where her organization is strong and her support has proven durable. This past weekend, the

Clinton

campaign already had volunteers going door-to-door with fliers criticizing Obama on health care, and possible TV ads against him were screened for focus groups.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7312.html

Liberal views could haunt Obama

Dec 11, 2007

By: Mike Allen and Ben Smith

When Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was seeking state office a dozen years ago, he took unabashedly liberal positions: flatly opposed to capital punishment, in support of a federal single-payer health plan, against any restrictions on abortion, and in support of state laws to ban the manufacture, sale and even possession of handguns.  Filling out a 12-page questionnaire [part 1 of questionnaire, part 2 of questionnaire] from an

Illinois

voter group as he sought a state Senate seat in 1996, Obama answered “yes” or “no” — without using the available space to calibrate his views — on some of the most emotional and politically potent issues that a public official can confront.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7304.html

Obama's departure ticket for two

By: Roger Simon

Dec 11, 2007

Sure, the press is making a big fuss over Barack Obama’s rising poll numbers, palpable momentum and huge campaign weekend with Oprah. But you’ll know the press is really taking Obama seriously when it starts speculating on whom he wants for his vice president. So let’s start speculating even though it is irresponsibly early to do so. (As always, we ask ourselves the question: If we are not irresponsible, who will be?)

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/12/voting_the_dream_into_reality.html

Oprah the Believer

December 11, 2007

By Eugene Robinson

WASHINGTON

-- Is it foolish to think that a nation stained by centuries of slavery and racism is prepared to elect a black president? Rarely phrased so bluntly, that's the central question posed by Barack Obama's candidacy -- especially for many African-American voters, whose doubts are informed by having seen many an oasis turn out to be a mirage. Oprah Winfrey, as is her wont, cut t