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Mitt Romney Watch: Iowa Caucus Poll – Romney Leads
Discuss the Romney Candidacy over at My Dental Forum
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney with his wife, Ann, speak to the delegates Saturday, May 19, 2007, at the Republican Party State Convention in Columbia, S.C.
Des Moines Register: The Iowa Poll
Mitt Romney has sprinted ahead of presidential competitors John McCain and Rudy Giuliani in a new Iowa Poll of likely Republican caucus participants.
The Des Moines Register poll shows Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, is the top choice of 30 percent of those who say they definitely or probably will attend the leadoff Iowa caucuses in January.
McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, nips former New York Mayor Giuliani for second place — 18 percent to 17 percent.
The GOP NUTS:
And the Candidate Impressions Poll:
Note this poll did NOT include either Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich.
Let’s look at the Real Clear Politics averages prior to this poll:
It initially appears that Mitt Romney has made a move in Iowa but closer examination of previous polls does not demonstrate this.More than likely, Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich will enter the fray and split votes away from Romney.
But, this might be a legitimate move.
The questions are:
1. Is the McCain campaign collapsing in Iowa?
2. Will Rudy attempt to compete in Iowa and participate in the Ames Straw poll?
Flap thinks the answer to both questions is no but stay tuned…….
Previous:
South Carolina GOP Debate Watch: The Second Debate
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney’s Wife Ann Has Donated to Planned Parenthood – Mitt’s Response
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney’s Wife Ann Has Donated to Planned Parenthood
Mitt Romney Watch: Romney Takes the Lead in New Hampshire
Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney
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Jimmy Carter Watch: Bush Administration is “The Worst in History”
Former President Jimmy Carter listens to a student’s question after speaking about his book ‘Palestine: Peace not Apartheid,’ in this March 8, 2007 file photo at George Washington University in Washington. Britain’s support for the war in Iraq was a ‘major tragedy’ for the world, Carter said Saturday May 19, 2007 as he criticized Tony Blair’s unwavering support for President Bush. Asked how he would judge Blair’s support of Bush, a Republican, the former Democratic president said: ‘Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently subservient.’
AP: Carter blasts Bush on his global impact
Former President Carter says President Bush’s administration is “the worst in history” in international relations, taking aim at the White House’s policy of pre-emptive war and its Middle East diplomacy.
The criticism from Carter, which a biographer says is unprecedented for the 39th president, also took aim at Bush’s environmental policies and the administration’s “quite disturbing” faith-based initiative funding.
“I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history,” Carter told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in a story that appeared in the newspaper’s Saturday editions. “The overt reversal of America’s basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and
Ronald Reagan and
Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me.”Carter spokeswoman Deanna Congileo confirmed his comments to The Associated Press on Saturday and declined to elaborate. He spoke while promoting his new audiobook series, “Sunday Mornings in Plains,” a collection of weekly Bible lessons from his hometown of Plains, Ga.
“Apparently, Sunday mornings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reckless accusations at your fellow man,” said Amber Wilkerson,
Republican National Committee spokeswoman. She said it was hard to take Carter seriously because he also “challenged Ronald Reagan’s strategy for the Cold War.”This is REALLY the pot calling the kettle black.
Jimmy Carter was THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER.
And the American voters supported that feeling by throwing his Georgia Dumbass out of office and electing a REAL President, Ronald Reagan.
Previous:
Michael Ramirez on Jimmy Carter’s New Book
Cox & Forkum: Peace, Love & Genocide
Technorati Tags: Jimmy Carter
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Missile Defense Watch: USA and Israel in $205 Million Missile Defense Deal
THAAD – Terminal High Altitude Area DefenseReuters: House seeks tighter U.S.-Israeli missile defenses
The U.S. House of Representatives has adopted a measure aimed at weaving closer U.S. and Israeli defenses against ballistic missiles of the type that could be fired by Iran.
Part of a $504 billion defense spending bill passed Thursday, the measure would redirect $205 million in Defense Department funds toward projects already underway in
Israel.It would provide $25 million more for Arrow missile co-production and integration, $45 million for a U.S.-Israeli short-range missile defense system dubbed “David’s Sling” and $135 million to buy a Theater High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, fire unit.
All three projects involve interceptors designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight paths.
As Iran blusters, missile defense capability in the Middle East continues.
A missile shield will afford Israel some civilian population solace and outright protection from a missile attack by Iran when the United States and Israel decide to end Iran’s nuclear weapon’s program. Also, combined with the Israeli nuclear capability immunize herself from missile “blackmail.”
Israel has already tested and deployed their Arrow system and the USA THAAD system has had some notable success in recent tests.
Note the House fully funded the President’s request.
Stay tuned…….
Missile Defense Watch: Russia and USA Clash Over European Missile Shield
Missile Defense Watch: THAAD Missile Defense Test is Successful
Missile Defense Watch: United States Missile Defense Operational Within a Year
China Watch: China Uses Ballistic Missile to Destroy a Satellite in Space
Missile Defense Watch: U.S. Missile Defense Agency Rolls Out the Airborne Laser (ABL) Aircraft
Missile Defense Watch: The LEFT’S Revisionist History on Missile Defense
Missile Defense Watch: Reagan’s Vision
Missile Defense Watch: Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld Tours Alaska Missile Defense Center
Missile Defense Watch: United States and Israel Collaborating on Missile Defense
Missile Defense Watch: “Concept of Operations†To Be Done by Fall
Technorati Tags: Missile Defense Agency, Missile Defense, Israel, THAAD, Arrow, David’s Sling
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Illegal Immigration Watch: Chances DIM for Senate Immigration Bill
A vehicle drives along the US-Mexico border fence (L) as activists opposing illegal immigration fly US flags on a hilltop from which they search for illegal border crossers, October 2006 near Campo, California. Senators and the White House clinched a deal Thursday on bringing 12 million illegal immigrants out of the shadows and securing US borders.
Washington Times: Illegals deal alienates everyone
In forging an immigration deal this week, President Bush turned away from Republican allies in favor of striking a deal with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, banking on the senior legislator to deliver enough Democrats to pass a bill.
But the strategy may come back to haunt him, as many Democrats said they can’t accept the agreement and Republicans lined up to criticize both the deal and Mr. Bush, their party’s leader.
And it may only get worse for Mr. Bush, as political forces drive the issue: Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor running for the Republican presidential nomination, injected the issue straight into 2008 presidential politics, announcing he was running television commercials calling for better enforcement as the solution to illegal immigration.
“The president’s willingness to accept the granting of amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants has sent a harmful message to Republican voters around the country,” said Rep. Mike Pence, Indiana Republican. “But I also believe that’ll sort itself out in the primaries of 2008. At the end of the day, this is an issue where I find myself focusing less on politics than what policy I think is in the best interests of the American people.”
Human Events has a good summary of the Senate Bill’s provisions here.
Flap’s political assessment of the Senate’s proposal is:
1. Chances of the bill passing the Senate is 50-50 as of Saturday.
2. Should the bill pass the Senate, the GOP House would NOT provide the 70 GOP Rep. votes demanded by Speaker Pelosi to provide political cover for her own Democrat members.
3. Except for McCain, NO GOP candidate for President will endorse this compromise proposal.
4. McCain’s presidential ambitions will now be on “DEATH WATCH.”
5. Is this proposal better than the status quo? You bet.
6. Illegal immigration will be an issue in the Presidential 2008 race with an advantage to the GOP.
7. Any immigration reform legislation will be:
- Decided by the new Congress and President after the Presidential election of 2008
- Be incremental and NOT comprehensive in nature
- Focus on “BORDER SECURITY”
Stay tuned…….
Day laborer Juan Carlos Vazquez expresses his reaction to the immigration reform proposal Friday, May 18, 2007, outside a Home Depot in Los Angeles. Illegal immigrants and advocacy groups sharply criticized the Senate’s immigration reform proposal, saying the provisions are overly harsh and will drive many people deeper into the shadows.
Previous:
Illegal Immigration Watch: No Illegal Alien Amnesty?
Michael Ramirez on the Illegal Immigration Bill
Illegal Immigration Watch: Amnesty SI
Technorati Tags: Illegal Immigration
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Day By Day by Chris Muir May 19, 2007