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Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Schwarzenegger Favors California Presidential Primary Move to February 2008
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger answers questions during an appearance at the Sacramento Press Club, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007, in Sacramento, Calif.
California Insider: Schwarzenegger at the Press Club
The governor addressed the Sacramento Press Club in his annual visit today and didn’t break news. But that won’t stop us from sharing a few tidbits.
–He clarified his position on the presidential campaign, sort of, saying he didn’t intend “to chase the presidential candidates from state to state” but did plan a few strategic speeches around the country to try to bring attention to the issues he cares about and thinks the feds should be taking care of, including global warming, health care and immigration.
–He declined to endorse a candidate in the early running, suggested he would consider endorsing a Democrat or a Republican, then backed off that and said he would probably endorse a Republican but not until hearing what they all have to say.
–He said California should move its presidential primary from June to February so it can become “relevant” in the presidential nominating process. Right now, he said, the state is an “afterthought” except when it comes to fundraising.
“They take the money and run,” he said.
–Asked about an LA Times editorial that said the U.S. Constitution should be amended so he could run for president, Schwarzenegger quipped:
“That’s why I am for comprehensive immigration reform.” He then added that he’s not thinking about running for president at the moment.
An early California primary would aid Rudy Giuliani. And California is a winner take all GOP delegate state.
Now, it isn’t a coincidence that the Mayor is a luncheon speaker at the California Republican Party Convention in Sacramento, February 9 -11.
Has Arnold made his endorsement?
Perhaps……..
But, will the Democrats who control the California Legislature agree to the change of primary election date?
Stay tuned……..
Previous:
Michael Ramirez on California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Radical Health Care Proposal
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Governor Schwarzenegger Proposes RADICAL Health Care Reforms
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Governor A No Show at Inaugural Parties
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Governor Continues to Work Despite Injury
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Governor Schwarzenegger Scheduled for Tuesday SurgeryArnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Governator Breaks His Leg while Skiing
Technorati Tags: ArnoldSchwarzenegger
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Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani and Edwards Top Latest Iowa Poll
****UPDATE****Â
The latest national Gallup Poll is out:
Gallup Poll. Jan. 12-14, 2007. N=412 Republicans and Republican leaners nationwide. MoE ± 5.
Giuliani – 31%
McCain – 27%
Gingrich – 10%
Romney – 7%
Rudy is pulling away from McCain.
Romney disappoints
Zogby International: Iowa Dems favor Edwards, GOP Favors Giuliani, McCain
Former vice presidential candidate John Edwards starts the new year with a double–digit lead over three impressive rivals a year before Iowans go to caucus to choose their next presidential nominee, a new Zogby telephone poll of likely Iowa Democratic caucus—goers shows.
Republicans are leaning toward two well–known moderates – Arizona Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani – in the race to replace George W. Bush at the top of their presidential ticket, a separate Zogby telephone survey of likely Republican caucus participants shows.
The poll results:
GOP: The Republican survey was conducted with 465 likely caucus-goers and was conducted January 15-16. It carries a margin of error of +/- 4.6 percentage points.
Giuliani – 19 %
McCain – 17%
Gingrich – 13%
Rice – 9%
Romney – 5%
Tancredo – 2%
Hagel – 2%
Not sure – 22%
Giuliani leads yet another poll over McCain and Gingrich makes a very respectable showing.
Romney disappoints
Democrats: The democratic survey included 596 likely caucus-goers and was conducted January 15-16. The margin of error is +/- 4.1 percentage points.
Edwards – 27%
Obama – 17%
Vilsack – 16%
Clinton – 16%
Biden – 3%
Kerry – 3%
Not sure – 13%
Edwards is doing well and Zogby asks if he is the Bobby Kennedy in the race? Edwards did well here in 2004.
Kerry disappoints
Hillary has her work cut out for her.
On the Republican side, the two most talked–about candidates are doing well and will fight it out for the support of moderate Republicans and independents. But our polling in this race also begs the question: Is Newt Gingrich the choice of the conservative wing? This is an impressive showing for him no matter which way you look at it. Should Newt’s support hold, he will complicate the efforts of Giuliani and McCain to move to the right. Condoleezza Rice represents the Bush mantle, but because she is not likely to run, Gingrich also stands to inherit that mantle. An interesting development can also be found in the 2% support for conservative Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado. It means that, if nothing else, he and Newt are going to influence the internal debate in the Republican Party.
Newt is the choice of conservatives. But, will he run? Or simply play Kingmaker at the GOP Convention?
A Giuliani Gingrich ticket will be very formidable.Nationally:
On the Republican side, nationally, Giuliani and McCain are the only top-tier candidates, with America’s mayor holding a small 21% to 17% lead over McCain. Gingrich won 8%, followed by Rice at 7%, who tied with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney wins 6%, rounding out the second tier of Republican candidates.
Stay tuned…….
Previous:
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani’s Inner Circle
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani – The United States Should NOT Leave Iraq in Chaos
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Soul-Searching, Waiting or Campaigning SMART?
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Tests Delaware Presidential Primary Waters
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Leading in North Carolina Poll
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani and Gingrich – GETTING IRAQ TO WORK
Technorati Tags: RudyGiuliani
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Michael Ramirez on the Minimum Wage Increase
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Pelosi moves to close Samoa wage loophole
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday said Democrats will close a loophole in the House-passed minimum wage increase that exempts American Samoa — an action taken after it was revealed that one of the U.S. territory’s main employers is based in her congressional district.
“I have asked the Education and Labor Committee as they go forward with the legislation to make sure that all of the territories have to comply with U.S. law on the minimum wage,” Mrs. Pelosi said.
The decision follows criticism over the exemption, reported earlier this week by The Washington Times, to allow tuna canneries in American Samoa to continue paying $3.26 an hour — nearly $4 less than the $7.25 minimum wage passed by the House Wednesday.Republicans, after the vote, pointed out that StarKist Tuna, one of two companies that employs about 75 percent of the Samoan work force, is owned by Del Monte, which is headquartered in Mrs. Pelosi’s San Francisco district.
So much for Speaker Pelosi and the Culture of Corruption.
Now, does anyone think that a minimum wage increase if it is bad for American Samoa that it may be bad for other areas of the United States?
Nahhhhhhh those young folks don’t vote anyway…….
Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, NancyPelosi, AmericanSamoa, Starkist, MinimumWage
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Cuba Watch: Fidel Castro – Decided to Avoid Colostomy?
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Cuba’s President Fidel Castro is seen sitting in Havana October 28, 2006. Castro chose to avoid a colostomy and opted for riskier intestinal surgery that led to serious complications, the Spanish newspaper El Pais said in its Wednesday edition.
Reuters: Castro decided to avoid colostomy: newspaper
Cuban leader Fidel Castro chose to avoid a colostomy and opted for riskier intestinal surgery that led to serious complications, the Spanish newspaper El Pais said in its Wednesday edition.
The shortcut involved sewing the colon to the rectum but did not heal properly and broke apart, releasing gastric fluid with feces that caused serious infection, El Pais said on its Web site.
The newspaper reported a day earlier that Castro’s prognosis was “very serious” and that he is being fed intravenously after three failed operations for diverticulitis, or pouch-like bulges in the large intestine that get infected.
El Pais cited medical sources at the same Madrid hospital where a surgeon who examined Castro in late December works.
Spin Spin Spin………
Cuba government transition plans are in the works.
Ailing Cuban President Fidel Castro meeting with international leaders in recent months mainly from Latin America have raised speculations that he may moving towards a transition of power in a bid to protect his four-decade old government.
US National Intelligence Director John Negroponte while reviewing global threats last week said that Castro and his brother Raul, who has taken over as Cuba’s interim leader, are trying to create a “soft landing” leading to a transfer of power.
“From the point of the United States policy, we don’t want to see that happen,” Negroponte said. “We want to see the prospects for freedom in that country enhanced as a result of the transition” from Fidel Castro. Negroponte also said Castro’s days “seem to be numbered.”
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez and Cuba’s President Fidel Castro in a September 15, 2006 television grab. Castro’s recovery from surgery is slow and has risks, his close ally Chavez said on Tuesday, but he denied reports Castro’s condition was serious.
Castro is 80 years old. He is not coming back to the presidency.
PUT A FORK IN FIDEL – HE’S DONE!
Stay tuned…….
Previous:
Cuba Watch: Fidel Castro – Gravely Ill – Is He Done?
Cuba Watch: Cuba Awaits Verdict on Castro’s Health
Cuba Watch: Is Fidel Castro Dead?
Technorati Tags: Cuba, FidelCastro
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Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani’s Inner Circle
Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll
Matt David (left) and Katie Levinson are top communications staffers on the governor’s campaign. Eric Luse photo courtesy of San Francisco Chronicle
Washington Post: Giuliani’s Widening Circle of AdvisersFormer New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has a famously loyal group of advisers — individuals who have stood by his side not just in political campaigns but also in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in the Big Apple.
Here’s a look at Rudy’s Inner Circle as currently comprised:
Tony Carbonetti: Carbonetti started with Giuliani as a volunteer in the unsuccessful 1989 campaign against Mayor David Dinkins (D) and has been with him ever since. Carbonetti rose to chief of staff and is perhaps the first among equals in Giuliani’s political universe. Since Hizzoner left office in 2001, Carbonetti has been with Giuliani Partners.
Roy Bailey: Bailey was a leading voice urging Giuliani to run for the Senate in 2000 against Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bailey has extremely strong ties to the Texas money world and will be charged with heading a Giuliani fundraising effort that has set a goal of collecting $100 million in 2007 alone.
Sunny Mindel: Mindel joined Giuliani’s mayoral administration in 1996, served as spokeswoman for his reelection campaign the following year and joined the mayor’s office in 1999. Fiercely loyal, Mindel will serve in a senior advisory capacity.
Katie Levinson: Levinson is one of the newest faces on Giuliani’s political team, having spent the last year in California serving as communications director for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) successful reelection bid. Prior to joining Schwarzenegger, Levinson served as director of television operations at the White House. She will be tasked with building a national communications team for Giuliani.
Mike DuHaime: DuHaime will manage Giuliani’s campaign if and when the former mayor decides to make a run. Over the past several cycles DuHaime has built an impressive resume — serving a northeastern political director for President Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign and then as political director at the Republican National Committee in 2006.
Chris Henick: Henick, who will be tasked with overseeing the political department in Giuliani world, is personally close to White House senior adviser Karl Rove, for whom he worked in the 2000 Bush campaign and in the White House.
Pat Oxford: Oxford is the managing partner in the Houston-based law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani. A Texan, Oxford was a major donor to Bush and is likely to serve as the general chairman of Giuliani’s campaign.
One friend of Rudy and someone Flap would consider a Giuliani Insider is former California Gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon.
Stay tuned for more staff announcements……
Previous:
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani – The United States Should NOT Leave Iraq in Chaos
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Soul-Searching, Waiting or Campaigning SMART?
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Tests Delaware Presidential Primary Waters
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Leading in North Carolina Poll
Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani and Gingrich – GETTING IRAQ TO WORK
Technorati Tags: RudyGiuliani
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Day By Day by Chris Muir January 17, 2007