Articles of Interest 2-26-08

253 Days until Election Day

MORNING UPDATE:

Democrats continue to play partisan games with recalls while pitching “civility” to the general public…we didn’t believe them on taxes…and we don’t believe them now.  They voted for higher taxes and they are organizing recalls…see House Republican Leader’s Craig DeRoche’s comments below.

The Political, Candidate & Party Assistance teams were on the road again last night on the "Unity Road Show" in Macomb County with Macomb and St. Clair Counties activists attending. 

Thanks to Macomb County chair Jim Carabelli and Political Director Stephanie Pazrdo for setting up a great meeting with the Macomb and MRP leadership teams last night.  They've got a great team over there with Vice Chair Janice Nearon, state committee member Paul Viar, Commissioner Don Brown, and Candice Miller's team with Karen Czernel and Anthony Lewis. Next stop on Wednesday night: Grand Traverse and the surrounding counties.

MIRS Reports: Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland) wants state university funding to be linked to enrollment as part of a new higher education funding proposal he rolled out today.

His plan puts all university money into one pool. Money from the pool would be distributed on a per-student basis, with the amount increasing each grade level. Funds for restricted federal programs, private university tuition grants and the Children of Veterans Tuition Grant Program would be exempted from the pool.  Interesting???

Vice President Dick Cheney will be visiting Marshall on March 7 to be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for Congressman Tim Walberg. The doors open at 3:00 p.m. and the event cost $500 per person for general admission or $1000 per person for a special Photo reception with the Vice President. For more information and to rsvp please contact Sandra Baxter at 248-514-6884 or email her at sandrabaxterE@aol.com .

Congressman Pete Hoekstra pens a strong article in National Review titled the House fails to protect America.

For more information on Ralph Nader for President go to his web page.

Thursday, I will be “guest hosting” the Big Show, as Michael Patrick Shiels is gone on his honeymoon!  My invited guests will include Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove and others.

You’ll be able to listen live at www.wjimam.com .

Please tune in for the show and more information throughout the week as to where you can hear the show live.  We’ll also post it on our web page for your review as we do with all the shows we do.

Michigan Republicans have updated our web page with our own 2.0 version …easier to navigate, more information…and still under construction…so please be patient. 

THE REST OF THE STORY:

House Republican Leader Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, yesterday issued a statement after attempts by Michigan Democrats to recall him were rejected by officials for the second time:

"The Democratic Party leaders have failed again to silence Republican legislators who oppose the tax increases created by Governor Granholm and Speaker Dillon. The question of raising taxes is a major policy difference between us, so we Republicans will not back down from our position that these new taxes will kill jobs.

"Citizens expect us to work together to solve Michigan's problems, not to run recall elections against each other. It is time for a change in Lansing when the governor and Democratic leaders are running partisan campaigns against those who opposed tax increases. Instead, they should be working with us to fix the economy and Michigan's broken government.”

At an Oakland County hearing today, officials rejected a second version of the Democratic Party's recall language. The clarity hearing vote was taken by the Oakland County clerk, the probate judge and the county treasurer. DeRoche has been on record as opposing similar recall attempts.

Saul Anuzis

STATE STORIES

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/NEWS04/802250374

House member wins $2 million lottery prize

Tim Martin

February 25, 2008

State Rep. Barb Farrah, a Democrat from

Southgate

, loses her job in the House of Representatives at the end of this year because of term limits. After winning $2 million in the Michigan Lottery, she faces a lot less pressure to find a new gig. Farrah won the prize during Friday's basketball game between the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks at The Palace of Auburn Hills. She randomly was selected from a pool of five finalists. "This comes at a handy time," said Farrah, who is in her sixth and final year in the House. "I haven't made a lot of decisions about what comes next." Farrah's path to a winning ticket began with a birthday gift from her brother. She kept buying tickets with the winnings until one $20 ticket led to her entry as one of 875 contestants for the $2 million.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MI_SKINNER_CONGRESS_MIOL-?SITE=MIPON&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Skinner drops bid for Congress in

Oakland

County

February 25, 2008

Associated Press

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) -- Democrat Nancy Skinner is no longer running for Congress in

Oakland

County

. The former radio talk show host lost to Republican Representative Joe Knollenberg in a close race in 2006. She was expected to face former state lottery commissioner Gary Peters this year in the Democratic primary in the 9th District, which includes parts of

Oakland

County

. Skinner announced her decision to withdraw Monday. She says Democrats need to rally behind Peters, who was beating her in fundraising. Skinner says a costly primary would have jeopardized Democrats' chances of beating Knollenberg in November.

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/02/lawyers_to_appeal_recallcampai.html

Lawyers to appeal recall-campaign ruling

The

Grand Rapids

Press

February 25, 2008

GRAND RAPIDS

-- Lawyers for the campaign to recall State Rep. Robert Dean, D-Grand Rapids, are appealing after a

Kent

County

judge refused to allow out-of-district residents to collect signatures for the recall petition. Robert Dean has been targeted by a recall campaign, along with 11 other legislators. The appeal follows a Feb. 14 decision in which Circuit Judge James Redford ruled the state laws governing recalls did not infringe on political speech.

Redford

ruled that state could restrict recall drives to residents of the affected district.

http://macombdaily.com/stories/022508/loc_local03.shtml

Brewer top donor to executive drive

Leader of state Dem party has given almost $8,000.

February 25, 2008

By

Chad

Selweski

With donations of nearly $8,000, Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer was, by far, the top individual contributor to the campaign that successfully put the county executive issue on the May ballot. A

Clinton

Township

resident, Brewer alone pitched in 16 percent of the $50,000 budget for the group known as Charter Equals County Executive, which completed a successful petition drive last fall. According to the group's 2007 financial report, the effort was bankrolled almost entirely by prominent Democrats, labor unions and the chambers of commerce.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/POLITICS01/802250362/1022/POLITICS

Governors agree: DNC will settle delegate issue

Monday, February 25, 2008

By Mark Hornbeck

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano sparred on national television Sunday as surrogates for their presidential candidates, but they found common ground on one issue: The question of seating

Michigan

and

Florida

delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be resolved long before the party's late August powwow in

Denver

. Granholm, a supporter of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Napolitano, who backs Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, said on CBS-TV's "Face the Nation" that the Democratic Party won't risk alienating Michigan and Florida voters heading into a tough race in the general election against the presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/columns-3/120395464452770.xml&coll=7

Not feeling loved in

Lansing

? Hire a lobbyist

Monday, February 25, 2008

Kalamazoo

Gazette

Everyone is part of a special interest group. Whether it's soccer moms or insurance agents or car buyers or senior citizens, everyone has at least one -- and possibly dozens -- of special interests. Unfortunately, some special interests have greater access to their lawmakers than others. John and Jane Doe can write a letter to their state representative or member of Congress asking for some legislative favor. But there's nothing like forming a political action committee and hiring a lobbyist to spread around a little love in the form of campaign contributions, fundraisers, meals and tickets to special events to get a lawmaker's attention. Lawmakers will be insulted at the suggestion that their votes are swayed by the amount of loot lavished on them by PACs and their lobbyists.

http://theoaklandpress.com/stories/022508/loc_20080225273.shtml

House targeting drunkest drivers

February 25, 2008

By RANDAL YAKEY

The hammer may come down hard on repeat drunken drivers and those who have been caught "excessively drunk" while driving. The Michigan House of Representatives has passed a package of bills that would mandate ignition interlock systems on offenders' vehicles. They would have to blow into a device, proving they have not consumed alcohol, before a vehicle would start. "The concept of a 0.15 (blood alcohol content) is that it is very excessive and we're trying to put some stiffer penalties on someone who is way over the limit," said Rep. Tim Melton, D-Pontiac. "Those who are that far over the limit are obviously out of control."

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/NEWS01/802250364

Mich. AG's child support division tops $50M in collections

Associated Press

February 25, 2008

A special division created by state Attorney General Mike Cox has collected more than $50 million in previously unpaid child support. Cox says

Michigan

leads the nation in decreasing the number of delinquent child support cases. Other states on average saw 17,100 more cases in arrears between 2001 and 2006. But

Michigan

's delinquent cases dropped by more than 41,200 cases during that period. Cox set up a child support division in 2003 to go after fathers who can afford to pay child support but choose not to. Mothers attended a

Lansing

press conference Monday to talk about finally getting financial support for their children after years of frustration with the court system.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/BUSINESS01/802260303

UAW local strikes American Axle

Talks break down over proposed concessions

BY JEWEL GOPWANI

February 26, 2008

The UAW sent its members at American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. on strike early today, protesting the company's proposals on wage and benefit concessions. “The UAW has a proven record of working with companies to improve their competitive position and secure jobs,” said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said in a statement. “But cooperation does not mean capitulation. Our members cannot be expected to make the extreme sacrifices American Axle is asking for with nothing in return.”

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/NEWS06/802260333

Bush like a Nazi? Cancel that ad, judge tells Fieger

It could influence jurors in lawyer's trial, Borman says

BY DAVID ASHENFELTER

February 26, 2008

A federal judge told lawyers for embattled Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger that he must pull at least one of his TV commercials because it could influence potential jurors in a trial on charges he illegally contributed $127,000 to John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign. "This first one is just totally off the wall and outright blatant given that we have a jury trial coming up," U.S. District Judge Paul Borman told Fieger lawyer Michael Dezsi on Monday after viewing some of Fieger's commercials.

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/02/in_genesee_county_presidential.html

Genesee

County

presidential money race, Republicans emerge as winners

by Beata Mostafavi |

February 25, 2008

GENESEE COUNTY

,

MI

-- In an area dominated by Democrats, Republican presidential candidates are far ahead in the race for campaign dollars. State-wide presidential campaign donations Voters in Genesee County and surrounding areas have so far poured double the cash into the campaigns of Republican presidential hopefuls than they have into Democratic ones. More than double the number of households donated to the GOP.

And while Republican Mitt Romney may have already withdrawn from the race, he can at least declare himself the presidential fundraising winner here.

NATIONAL STORIES

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjQ4MTZiM2E0NmExYmNiZGM4ZTA2YWZiYmVmNDc2NDc

Another Vacation from History

The House fails to protect

America

.

By Peter Hoekstra

February 25, 2008

Over a week ago, the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives left town for a ten-day recess without taking action on a vital, bipartisan bill to fix the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). A temporary fix to FISA, the Protect America Act, expired midnight, February 17 — the act allowed intelligence agencies to monitor suspected foreign terrorists’ electronic communications, on foreign soil, without time-consuming court orders. The corresponding Senate bill passed by a vote of 68-29 and, with 21 Democrats pledging their support, the House bill would easily have passed if Speaker Pelosi permitted it to be brought to a vote. This inaction represents more than just unprecedented irresponsibility by the House leadership — it indicates House Democrats are taking a vacation from history.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080225/NATION/75962088/1002

Democrats aim to limit McCain's financing

By Stephen Dinan

February 25, 2008

Democrats said they will file a federal challenge today demanding that Sen. John McCain's presidential bid be forced to use public financing — a move that, if successful, would cripple his campaign for the next six months. Six months after applying to take part in the system, Mr. McCain, the all-but-certain Republican nominee, is trying to back out of it. But Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said yesterday that the senator from

Arizona

already has benefited from public financing and is required to stick to its rules for the remainder of the primary season.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/25/ST2008022502488.html?hpid=topnews

Democratic Governors See McCain As Formidable

They Cite His Life Story, His Appeal to Independents

By Dan Balz

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Democratic governors from states likely to help decide the 2008 presidential election see Republican Sen. John McCain as a potentially formidable opponent whose life story and reputation for political independence make him a threat in November, despite conditions that they say now favor their nominee. "To quote President Bush, McCain is never to be misunderestimated," said Gov. Janet Napolitano of

Arizona

, McCain's home state. "He's a tough campaigner." "In some ways," said Gov. Edward G. Rendell of

Pennsylvania

, a state that is considered a must-win for any Democratic nominee, "he's the ideal [Republican] candidate for

Pennsylvania

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/POLITICS01/802250423/1022/POLITICS

McCain says to win he must convince country

Iraq

policy is succeeding

Monday, February 25, 2008

Liz Sidoti / Associated Press

ROCKY RIVER,

Ohio

-- John McCain said Monday that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that

U.S.

policy in

Iraq

is succeeding. If he can't, "then I lose. I lose," the Republican said. He quickly backed off that remark. "Let me not put it that stark," the likely GOP nominee told reporters on his campaign bus. "Let me just put it this way: Americans will judge my candidacy first and foremost on how they believe I can lead the county both from our economy and for national security. Obviously,

Iraq

will play a role in their judgment of my ability to handle national security."

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MjRiNGQ4MGYxYjE1Y2QxOGRiMzdkNWY1OTc4MjJjMjE

McCain’s Veep Problem

If he chooses a solid conservative, he’ll have a running mate who disagrees with him on some key issues.

By Byron York

February 25, 2008

John McCain faces a dilemma when it comes to choosing a vice president. He needs a running mate who will be a contrast to him in a few key ways — younger, more knowledgeable about economic issues, and, especially, more conservative. But if McCain selects a running mate whose conservative credentials are beyond dispute, he’ll be choosing a candidate who likely disagrees with him on some issues of great importance to the Republican base.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/us/politics/26campaign.html?ref=politics

McCain Says Prospects May Hinge on

Iraq

By MICHAEL LUO

Published: February 26, 2008

ROCKY RIVER,

Ohio

— Senator John McCain said Monday that he needed to convince the American people that the troop escalation in

Iraq

was working and that American casualties there would continue to decline. If he did not, he said, “I lose” the election. “Is there any doubt?” Mr. McCain said to reporters on his campaign bus. But then he pulled back from his blunt assessment. “Let me not put it that stark,” he said, explaining that he believed people would judge his candidacy on his ability to handle the economy, which has emerged as a pre-eminent voter concern, as well as on national security.

http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/JeffreyAnderson/2008/02/25/why_mccain_shouldn%E2%80%99t_want_huckabee_on_the_ticket

Why McCain Shouldn’t Want Huckabee on the Ticket

By Jeffrey Anderson

Monday, February 25, 2008

The GOP field is down to two candidates. The presumptive winner, John McCain, enjoys only lukewarm support among conservatives. The other candidate, Mike Huckabee, has great support among conservatives—or so the press reports. Thus, it seems only natural for McCain to be eyeing Huckabee as a potential running mate. But Huckabee is not the solution to McCain’s conservative problem. Take Mitt Romney’s oft-repeated characterization of conservatism as a three-legged stool, with economic, defense, and cultural legs. McCain is strongest on defense, and somewhat weaker on the other two. But it’s more complicated than that. McCain is not consistently bad on economic or cultural issues. He’s better on spending than on taxes, better on abortion than on stem cells or immigration. What McCain is—and this is what drives the talk-radio crowd crazy—is consistently unreliable.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/02/romneyback.html

Mitt Romney to rejoin GOP race?

February 25, 2008

By Andrew Malcolm

Josh Romney, one of former Gov. Mitt Romney's five sons, says it's "possible" his father may rejoin the race for the White House, as a vice presidential candidate or as the Republican Party's standard-bearer if the campaign of Sen. John McCain falters.

The 60-year-old Romney, who "suspended" his campaign for the GOP nomination after a disappointing showing on Super Tuesday and a week later endorsed McCain, was taking a break from politics this weekend on a skiing vacation in

Utah

with his wife, Ann, according to his 32-year-old son.

http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/784danym.asp

Six Things We Don't Know

In which an observer surveys the landscape of Campaign '08 and raises the white flag of surrender.

by Noemie Emery

03/03/2008, Volume 013, Issue 24

1. John McCain: Does his appeal to independents, centrists, and Lieberman Democrats outweigh the ennui, nausea, and revulsion he evokes among those on the right of the right? In a sense, this is a row between conservatives who are politicians, and concerned with assembling a center-right coalition they can use to wield power, and movement conservatives who are theoreticians and see the coalition as a vessel to contain their ideas. The first camp are mainly in Congress, the second on the radio and online. When the latter realized after the Florida primary that McCain might become head of the party, it set off a week of ferocious assaults; some struck a pose like that of Rebecca in Ivanhoe, and threatened to throw themselves over the parapet rather than submit to the stranger's embrace. Damage control was commenced by McCain allies such as Tom Coburn, Sam Brownback, Jack Kemp, and George Allen, who have strong ties to movement conservatives.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25170

The New York Times' Dirty Work

by Jennifer Rubin

02/25/2008

The biggest story of last week was simply owned by the New York Times. The story featured devastating violations of ethical standards and serial failures to live up to a hard-earned reputation. It was almost bound to be a career-ender. And then there were the allegations the story made against Sen. John McCain.  It is not surprising that journalists, media watchdogs and radio talk show hosts on the Right would cry foul. They, of course, have been on to the Keystone Kops of journalism for years, long before fabulist Jayson Blair proved that the Times lacked even the most rudimentary internal quality controls.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080225/D8V1JDOG0.html

AP Poll: Obama Catches

Clinton

Across US

Feb 25,  2008

By ALAN FRAM and TREVOR TOMPSON

WASHINGTON (AP) - Barack Obama has taken clear leads over Hillary Rodham Clinton among white men, middle-income earners and liberals, allowing him to catch his faltering rival in their race for the Democratic presidential nomination, a national poll showed Monday. The Associated Press-Ipsos poll highlights how the bottom is falling out among some supporters of

Clinton

, the

New York

senator, since the last survey was taken two weeks ago. Since that poll, Obama has gained momentum by winning 11 consecutive primaries and caucuses while taking a small lead among delegates to the party's convention this summer.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=518585&in_page_id=1811

Obama in a turban: Barack accuses Hillary of smear campaign after circulating photos of him dressed as 'a Muslim'

By DAVID GARDNER 

25th February 2008

Supporters of Barack Obama have accused Hillary Clinton of using shameful "smear" tactics after a photograph of him wearing traditional African dress appeared on the internet. The snapshot, which shows Mr Obama, 46, wearing a white headdress and matching robes during a visit to

Kenya

, was published on a popular American website.

Campaign chiefs for the

Illinois

senator have reacted furiously, claiming the image had been leaked to stoke up fears of terrorism and associate Mr Obama with similar pictures of Osama Bin Laden.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8667.html

Obama slams smear photo

By: Mike Allen

Feb 25, 2008

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe accused the

Clinton

campaign Monday of "shameful offensive fear-mongering" by circulating a photo as an attempted smear.

Plouffe was reacting to a banner headline on the Drudge Report saying that aides to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) had e-mailed a photo calling attention to the African roots of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/NATION/476716884/1001

Military fears 'unknown quantity'

By Rowan

Scarborough

February 26, 2008

Members of Washington's military and defense establishment are expressing trepidation about Sen. Barack Obama, as the Illinois senator comes closer to winning the Democratic presidential nomination and leads in national polls to become commander in chief.But his backers, including a former Air Force chief of staff, say the rookie senator believes in a strong military, and with it, a larger Army and Marine Corps."Any military person who concludes he's a left-wing, hair-on-fire, Kumbaya child of the '60s has sadly misunderestimated him, to use George Bush's term," said retired Gen. Merrill McPeak.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/25/ST2008022503216.html?hpid=topnews

Finding Political Strength in the Power of Words

Oratory Has Helped Drive Obama's Career -- and Critics' Questions

 

By Alec MacGillis

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The 2008 presidential campaign has witnessed the rise of a whole arsenal of new political weapons, including Internet fundraising and sophisticated microtargeting of voters. For Sen. Barack Obama, however, the most powerful weapon has been one of the oldest.

Not since the days of the whistle-stop tour and the radio addresses that Franklin D. Roosevelt used to hone his message while governor of

New York

has a presidential candidate been propelled so much by the force of words, according to historians and experts on rhetoric.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23333598/

Farrakhan hails Obama as 'hope of entire world'

Senator's spokesman repeats Dem's objections to Nation of Islam leader

Associated Press

Mon., Feb. 25, 2008

CHICAGO

- In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Sunday that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the "hope of the entire world" that the

U.S.

will change for the better. The 74-year-old Farrakhan, addressing an estimated crowd of 20,000 people at the annual Saviours' Day celebration, never out rightly endorsed Obama but spent most of the nearly two-hour speech praising the Illinois senator.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/clinton-on-phot.html

Clinton

on photo: 'Why is anybody concerned about this?"

February 25, 2008

ABC News

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Jacqueline Klingebiel Report: During a Monday interview with ABC's Dallas affiliate, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., did not flatly deny the DrudgeReport's charge that her campaign forwarded a photo of rival Barack Obama in traditional African dress. She then turned the tables on her Democratic rival and accused him of using the controversy to distract the public's attention from deficiencies in his platform and experience. "I know nothing about it,"

Clinton

told ABC affiliate WFAA. "This is in the public domain. But let's just stop and ask yourself: 'Why are you -- why is anybody concerned about this?'"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/us/politics/26clinton.html?ref=politics&pagewanted=print

Clinton

Campaign Starts 5-Point Attack on Obama

February 26, 2008

By PATRICK HEALY and JULIE BOSMAN

After struggling for months to dent Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy, the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is now unleashing what one

Clinton

aide called a “kitchen sink” fusillade against Mr. Obama, pursuing five lines of attack since Saturday in hopes of stopping his political momentum.The effort underscores not only Mrs. Clinton’s recognition that the next round of primaries — in Ohio and Texas on March 4 — are must-win contests for her. It also reflects her advisers’ belief that they can persuade many undecided voters to embrace her at the last minute by finally drawing sharply worded, attention-grabbing contrasts with Mr. Obama.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080225/ELECTION/232909011/1028/election

ON DEADLINE:

Clinton

waving white flag?

By Ron Fournier

February 25, 2008

Was that a white flag waving over

Texas

? Democrats who think Hillary Rodham Clinton needs to do something dramatic — like going negative — to save her presidential candidacy might wonder about her mostly positive, always cautious debate performance Thursday night.The New York senator is not one to surrender easily and nobody should count her out prematurely, but Clinton's kid-gloves approach with Barack Obama raises questions about her strategy headed into two must-win primaries March 4. Can she stop Obama without attacking him? Can she attack him without turning off voters? Is her only hope that Obama makes a mistake on his own?

http://nymag.com/news/politics/powergrid/44457/

End and Endgame

How can she win? Actually, the more important question may be: How does she lose?

By John Heilemann

Feb 24, 2008

The cheeseheads had just rejected her emphatically, overwhelmingly. The Teamsters had just flipped her the bird. The pundits were composing her political obituary. And another handful of superdelegates had just thrown in their lot with Barack Obama. Now, on the evening after the Wisconsin primary, Hillary Clinton was deep in the heart of the

Rio Grande

Valley

, standing onstage before a crowd of mostly Hispanic students in

Brownsville

,

Texas

. The

Rio Grande

Valley

is the place that gave Hillary her first taste of national politics in 1972, when she volunteered there for George McGovern—and that, 36 years later, she is counting on to help rescue her increasingly doomstruck-seeming presidential campaign.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/opinion/25ferraro.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Got a Problem? Ask the Super

By GERALDINE A. FERRARO

Published: February 25, 2008

AS the race for the Democratic presidential nomination nears its end and attention turns to the role of so-called superdelegates in choosing the nominee, it is instructive to look at why my party created this class of delegates.  After the 1980 presidential election, the Democratic Party was in disarray. That year, Senator Ted Kennedy had challenged President Jimmy Carter for the presidential nomination, and Mr. Kennedy took the fight to the convention floor by proposing 23 amendments to the party platform. When it was all over, members of Congress who were concerned about their re-election walked away from the president and from the party.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/NATION/159027170/1001

Democrats pack punch in their jabs

By Brian DeBose and Christina Bellantoni

February 25, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton further upped her criticism of Sen. Barack Obama's soaring rhetoric by accusing him yesterday of posing as a secular messiah who will bring about paradise on Earth. The rhetoric got more biting from the other side too, with the

Illinois

senator accusing the former first lady of presenting herself as if she were "co-president" from 1993 to 2001 while being disingenuous about taking credit for only some of the

Clinton

administration's achievements.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8V1N0N80&show_article=1

Bush Predicts GOP Will Hold White House 

Feb 25 2008

By BEN FELLER

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush predicted Monday that voters will replace him with a Republican president who will "keep up the fight" in

Iraq

. "I'm confident we'll hold the White House in 2008," Bush told donors at the Republican Governors Association annual dinner, which raised a record $10.6 million for GOP gubernatorial candidates. "And I don't want the next Republican president to be lonely," Bush said. "And that is why we got to take the House, retake the Senate, and make sure our states are governed by Republican governors." The pep talk came in the midst of a presidential campaign that largely has overshadowed Bush's final year in office. Bush has promised to be an active fundraiser, and he had no trouble slipping into enthusiastic campaign mode Monday evening.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TERRORIST_SURVEILLANCE?SITE=MILAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Bush Lobbies Again for Surveillance Law

By BEN FELLER

February 25, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush on Monday lobbied again for an intelligence law allowing government eavesdropping on phone calls and e-mails, as the tone of the dispute between the White House and Congress over terrorist surveillance grew increasingly sharp. "To put it bluntly, if the enemy is calling into America, we really need to know what they're saying, and we need to know what they're thinking, and we need to know who they're talking to," Bush said at the start of his annual meeting with the nation's governors at the White House. "This is a different kind of struggle than we've ever faced before. It's essential that we understand the mentality of these killers," Bush said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/EDITORIAL/11760649/1001

Pelosi's amnesty scheme

THE

WASHINGTON

TIMES EDITORIAL

February 25, 2008

Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chief Rahm Emanuel have tried to talk tough on illegal immigration. Mr. Emanuel told The Washington Post last year that immigration is "the third rail of American politics," adding that "anyone who doesn't realize that isn't with the American people," earning himself angry denunciations from the far-left fringe. Last month, Mrs. Pelosi joined House Minority Leader John Boehner in announcing that the House-passed economic stimulus bill would "not allow any taxpayer funds to be distributed to illegals." The Democratic leadership's efforts to sound tough on illegal immigration have created serious friction with some members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which believes the Democratic leadership is too timid about pushing for amnesty legislation.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/FOREIGN/837063323/1001

N.Y. Philharmonic arrives in

N. Korea

By Burt Herman

February 25, 2008

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — The New York Philharmonic today became the most prominent U.S. cultural institution to visit isolated, nuclear-armed North Korea, and orchestra members said they hoped their musical diplomacy could bring the two nations closer together. A stern-faced border guard checked music director Lorin Maazel's passport before he descended the steps of the plane to the tarmac, where officials welcomed him and other orchestra members with handshakes and smiles. Later, the musicians were treated to a North Korean dance program and a banquet