Iowa wild card: Christian conservatives

Image from Washingtonpost.com

With two weeks to go until the Jan. 3 Iowa Caucus, the great unknown in that race continues to be who evangelical Republicans will get behind. According to Boston.com, the majority of them are still undecided and torn between Ron Paul (TX), Michele Bachmann (MN) and Rick Santorum (PA).
The article did a good job of barely mentioning Rick Perry (TX), who's spending these final weeks before the Caucus on a bus tour of the state, focusing on these very voters. The media has completely written him off. That may be a mistake. If he gets in there and starts connecting with values voters on the ground, as a fellow Christian and governor, he may appeal to them far more than Paul, Bachmann and Santorum combined. He speaks their language on faith, foreign policy and limited government, has a record of executive leadership and honestly, he's not a woman (with this crowd, it does matter).
At this point every one's envisioning and girding themselves for a Paul upset in Iowa. For good reason. He's got a lock on the ground game and the most passionate supporters. At the same time, all the big guns are blazing away at Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich for epic flip-floppery and corruption, destroying voters' trust in them and cancelling each other out.
If evangelicals decide at the last minute that Paul is too off his nut on foreign policy and Bachmann and Santorum are just too weak, they could easily coalesce around the candidate that most comprehensively appeals to their vision of a leader - that male, conservative Christian, Southern governor. At this point, a win for Perry in Iowa isn't just possible, it would be the biggest upset of all.

Romney snags endorsement from the Des Moines Register

Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images North America

I don't know what's more exciting, Christine "I'm not a witch" O'Donnell's endorsement of Mitt Romney or the one he just got from Iowa's largest newspaper, the Des Moines Register. The paper acknowledges it didn't endorse Romney in 2008, but that was then and this is now. Now it's all about his "sobriety, wisdom and judgement." This year it's "a different field" (read: full of pandering psychos) and he's matured as a candidate. The paper tries weakly to explain away his myriad flip-flops by claiming he's evolved politically - and besides, they all do it! In closing ranks with the establishment, they argue Newt Gingrich is an alienating, unelectable bomb thrower and Ron Paul would bring about "economic chaos and isolationism." While they may be right about Gingrich and Paul, it's still fun to watch the establishment squirm over the possibility of Dr. No taking Iowa. It would be the right-leaning version of  OWS, occupying the Iowa Caucuses. There would be no greater discombobulation. And if that happens, expect the MSM to go into collective hyperdrive to (a.) diminish the Iowa victory by claiming the Caucuses no longer matter and (b.) by going "Dean Scream" on Paul to shut down his momentum. Here's the memo to come: He can't win! He can't win! He can't win! Got it?

From the So What? dept.: SC gov. Nikki Haley endorses Romney

South Carolina governor Nikki Haley (R) has endorsed Mitt Romney for the GOP nomination. My first thought when I heard that was, really? How politically dumb can she be? I agree with this writer at TPM, who suggests the endorsement won't do much for Romney in the Palmetto primary. Haley isn't exactly popular down yonder these days, even among Republicans. And SC conservatives just do not like or trust Romney, so it's a mistake to think her endorsement will help him. Maybe Haley's angling for the VP spot with Romney?

Rolling Romney $tyle

Image from The Washington Post

The colors are coming home: US military officially ends war in Iraq

President Barack Obama can cross off the list his greatest campaign promise - to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home. Nine years after the invasion and ouster of Saddam Hussein, and with the loss of 4,500 of our service members, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta took part in a ceremony packing up the flag U.S. forces fought under.

NDAA (indefinite detention bill) no longer faces veto threat from White House

The White House has withdrawn its veto threat of the National Defense Authorization Act which states the U.S.A. is a battlefield (WOT) and okays the detainment and indefinite detention of U.S. citizens identified as terrorists or terrorist sympathizers. The White House rescinded the veto threat after changes were made to the controversial provision. Those changes take the power of who to detain away from the Department of Defense and gives the authority to the president. Our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves if they knew just how much of our rights and freedoms we've given away since 9-11. As Ben Franklin said, "He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.” 

Doing delegate math with Mittens!

Here's your word problem for the day: Based on the delegate math, his performance in 2008 and the cosmic variable unknown, can Mitt Romney overcome a possibly hostile early primary schedule to win the GOP nomination?

Is Mittens the Hillary Clinton of 2012?

From an interview with Ben Smith and Maggie Haberman at Politico:

"When the (Des Moines register poll) came out showing Romney in third I actually had a shot of PTSD,” said one former Clinton adviser. “Four years ago, (the) biggest factor was opposition to Bush - and Obama skillfully managed to paint Hillary as timid on Bush … Now (the) biggest thing is hatred of Obama, and Gingrich … makes Romney seem timid. Or he seems it himself. So that’s why Romney is in the box of being third in Iowa. And counting on a New Hampshire firewall that is shrinking away.”

Newt/Romney a lock on Iowa? Don't bet on it

Image: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/08/am-the-republican-debate-social-security-and-minimum-wage/

As we get closer to the Iowa Caucuses Jan. 3, most folks are laser-focused on the slug fest that is Newt/Romney. I blame the political chatteratti for that. They conveniently forget there are a few other contenders in the race. The race could go down as predicted by most polls, showing Mitt Romney's support crashing and Newt Gingrich's surging from Iowa to Florida. But then again, being the strange and volatile season it is, other weirdness could ensue.
Take Ron Paul. His rising poll numbers in Iowa now have him in second place. His base is probably the most passionate and his ground operation is well-organized and strong. He's also been making a lot of noise with a great TV ad campaign that appeals to young voters and skeptics of Newt/Romney. Dr. No may be one of the oldest guys to ever run, but the kids love him. He shouldn't be underestimated in Iowa.
Then there's Rick Perry. Most everyone in the media has written him off because of his gaffes and space-outs. Sure, that dopey behavior puts off the elites and freaks out a lot of regular folks who still watch the news. But in Iowa, and especially South Carolina, those aren't exactly the voters Rick Perry is gunning for. Unlike Romney and Gingrich, his primary focus from now until Jan. 3 will be winning over the Hawkeye state's Christian conservatives. They are legion. If they decide they can't trust Romney and that Gingrich is too foul, Perry seems far more likely to be their candidate. And if he takes Iowa, he probably takes SC, too.
Then there's Jon Huntsman and New Hampshire. He's put all of his eggs into that crazy, independent basket. Who can really know which way Granite state voters will go? Not even the Magic 8-Ball has an answer for that one.
I know this much, if Paul or Perry pulls an upset in Iowa and Huntsman comes in first or second in New Hampshire, it will throw the race and entire media narrative into a realm of political weirdness we have not witnessed in decades. If political junkies thought the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008 was epic, they could be in for yet another nominating spectacle for the ages if the battle goes down to a brokered convention in Tampa.
I'm tempted to bet 10 Large Perry winds up with the nomination.

President Obama trailing GOP front runners?

I'm not buying the numbers being offered in a new round of USA Today/Gallup polls.They surveyed registered voters across 12 battleground states: Romney 48 - Obama 43; and Gingrich 48 - Obama 45. I'll bet you $10,000 they surveyed a bunch of older voters on land lines, leaving out the youthful multitude of voters who use cell phones. I'd love to see those numbers.

House, Senate agree on defense bill authorizing indefinite detentions of U.S. citizens

Donna Cassata at The Huffington Post reports: House and Senate negotiators late Monday agreed to a sweeping $662 billion defense bill that requires military custody for terrorism suspects linked to al-Qaida, including those captured within the U.S., and indefinite detention without trial for some suspects.
The big question now is whether President Barack Obama will follow through on his threat to veto it.

Savage offers Gingrich $1 Million to drop out of GOP race

Image: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/03/gingrich-prepares-to-make-his-move.html

Conservative radio host Michael Savage has offered "fat, old, white" Newt Gingrich, current GOP front runner, $1 million to drop his candidacy "for the sake of the nation." At his web site, Savage lists the reasons why he opposes Gingrich and mentions terms to the agreement. Gingrich has 72 hours to accept.

Taibbi discusses the declaration of Battlefield U.S.A.

The elites are feeling the heat from Occupy Wall Street and are striking back using their useful idiots in congress. If the National Defense Authorization Act passes (including the provision declaring the U.S.A. a battlefield), any U.S. citizen deemed by the government to be a terrorist or terrorist sympathizer could be detained indefinitely by the U.S. military. That means possibly anyone involved in domestic protest (OWS, Tea Party). All it would take to go after protesters is for an act of domestic violence to occur and be pinned on whatever movement it chose. Protesters could be accused of being in collusion with "associated forces." Make no mistake, this legislation has little to do with terrorists, but a lot to do with  crushing dissent.

House bill could make diplomacy with Iran illegal

The Orwellian/NeoCon nonsense continues. Reps. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Pete Stark (D-CA) warned colleagues in a letter that the Iran Threat Reduction Act (H.R. 1905), expected to pass this week, would make it illegal for U.S. officials to negotiate with Iranian officials in certain cases. In Nov., Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) also warned that "the sanctions against Iran mandated by this legislation are definite steps toward a US attack on Iran."

NDAA: Handing our nation's enemies the biggest victory ever

According to a new article in The Huffington Post:

A measure that Congress will likely pass this week allowing indefinite detentions of Americans by the U.S. military will mark a significant loss in the war on terrorism, says a former admiral who ran the Navy legal system.

The National Defense Authorization Act, passed by the Senate just over a week ago after a heated debate, includes a provision that requires the military to hold foreign-born terrorism suspects, and also lets the military grab U.S. citizens for indefinite detention.

The House and Senate are expected to release the final legislation as soon as late Monday, and in spite of a personal lobbying effort by President Obama, it is expected to include the controversial language.

A growing list of current and former government officials and national security experts oppose this measure. One of them is Adm. John Hutson, Judge Advocate General of the Navy from 1997 to 2000 and dean emeritus of the University of New Hampshire School of Law. The way Hutson sees it, the United States chipping away at one of its fundamental principles of civilian law enforcement is a win for terrorists.

"The enemy is just laughing over this, because they will have gotten another victory," Hutson told The Huffington Post. "There'll be one more victory. There won't be any bloodshed or immediate bloodshed, there's not a big explosion, except in a metaphorical sense, but it is a victory nonetheless for the enemy. And it's a self-inflicted wound."

Romney jabs at Gingrich, gets punched right back

Earlier today, a desperate Mitt Romney challenged Newt Gingrich to return the money he received from consulting with Fannie and Freddie.
Newt's reply: "I would just say: if Governor Romney would like to give back all the money he's earned from bankrupting companies and laying off employees over his years at Bain, then I would be glad to then listen to him. And I will bet you $10, not $10,000, that he won't take the offer."
Oh, snap!

Andrew Sullivan sums up tonight's debate quick-like

"10.54 pm. Tapper is playing up the $10,000 Romney bet - and I suspect he's right to. It leapt out at me, along with the "Newt Romney" line from Bachmann. Other than that, Newt wins; Romney loses; Paul rises. Have yourself a shot. I sure will."
A few thoughts of my own...
I predict Romney's glib $10k bet offer to Perry will be the equivalent of George H.W. Bush's epic space-out on the price of a gallon of milk. We all remember how that turned out. Just to drive that point home, Jon Huntsman, who was MIA tonight, bought www.10KBet.com. Can't wait to see what they do with that.
Romney went into this race desperately needing to neutralize Newt Gingrich's new front runner status. Instead, he received a knock-out blow from Gingrich at the very beginning when the former House Speaker reminded voters that Romney would've been a career politician if only he could've gotten elected.
Ron Paul did well and got much applause, but as usual, the talking heads refused to acknowledge it. The political press is mind-numbingly predictable. He's polling in second place right now in Iowa. I'd pay good money to see the look on the faces of a dumbstruck intelligentsia if Dr. No actually pulls a Huckabee and wins the Iowa Caucus.
Rick Perry did better than expected tonight. He gave good, heartfelt answers to two important questions re: character (if you lie to your spouse, who won't you lie to?) and where he came from (modest beginnings). As doofy as he is, I've been saying that it's foolish to count him out just yet. With an upcoming Iowa bus tour, he could still win the coveted Christian vote. As for Bachmann and Santorum, their role tonight was useful, but I doubt it'll do them any good.

ABC News-Iowa GOP debate: Will the real front-runner please stand up?

With the fur now flying between the Romney, Gingrich and Paul campaigns, tonight's ABC News,Yahoo News, WOI-TV, Des Moines Register, Iowa Republican Party debate should be very entertaining. With the Iowa Caucus just weeks away, the stakes are higher than ever.
Questions to ponder while we wait for the fun to begin... will there be an open bar? Will a desperate Mittens locate his cajones and go after Newt face-to-face for screwing up his front-runner status by reminding everyone about his voluminous record of ethics violations and personal scandals? Will Newt drop the "I'm above it" act and go medieval on Mittens by rubbing his flip-floppery in his face like a dog's nose in poo? Will they both make each other look so petty and stupid that Ron Paul actually gains his opening to win the Caucus? (He is right up there with them in the polls.) What kind of Bush-league buffoonery will Rick Perry bring tonight? Will Jon Huntsman's rich daddy buy him some air time? And, will anyone notice those other two clowns still hanging around?
Seriously, I can only hope moderators Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos give Gingrich a good grilling over his recent comments regarding his disdain for child labor laws and saying that Palestinians are an invented people. I also hope she questions Mittens over why, as outgoing MA governor, he and his staff bought all those hard drives and scrubbed whatever records they could, as well as making him defend his record of ever-shifting positions. It would also be nice to hear Paul questioned over what he would do as president in his first 100 days in office, should he be nominated and beat President Barack Obama. I know, I know... it'll never happen. I'd still love to hear what Dr. No's big plan would be, just the same.
The debate is being held on the campus of Drake University in Des Moines and starts at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central. To watch, tune into ABC TV or watch the live-stream at ABCNews.com, Yahoo.com, MyABC5.com or DesMoinesRegister.com.

Mother Jones: 13 reasons Newt will not be the GOP nominee

In a recent column, conservative big-thought guy George Will described Newt Gingrich as unstable as water. That quote he plucked from Genesis nails it. Unfortunately for the rest of the Republican field (most notably Mittens), GOP primary voters haven't gotten the memo. In a recent article, Mother Jones gives readers a list of 13 reasons Gingrich will never be the GOP nominee. The list is devastating; but the jury's out on whether it will matter to Republican voters this go 'round. The harder the conservative intelligentsia goes after the former House Speaker, the higher his poll numbers rise. It's truly baffling.
As mercurial as this nominating contest has been, there's just no divining who will win the nomination. However, the Magic 8-Ball does say there's no way Gingrich, an epically flawed candidate can beat President Barack Obama in the general election.

Word association game - GOP primary edition



Photo: Aikenstandard.com

Instead of wasting time writing a detailed analysis of where today's GOP contenders stand, I've opted to go the simple route. A variation on word association. Why not? Since this is the most intellectually-challenged group of presidential nominees I've ever seen in my life, it's best to keep it simple. So here we go!

Mitt Romney: Can't buy me love
Newt Gingrich: Icarus
Rick Perry: Second coming of Dubya
Michele Bachmann: Delusional
Herman Cain: Not ready for prime time
Jon Huntsman: Better luck next time
Ron Paul: Still no chance
Rick Santorum: Yah right!
Buddy Roemer: Error message
Gary Johnson: File not found



The Mayor who cried "Lone-Wolf"?

AP Photo: Jefferson Siegel

I was watching CNN with a friend Sunday evening when they started reporting that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was going to give a live press conference at 7:30 p.m. It was some sort of announcement having to do with terrorism.
I rolled my eyes. If they weren't going live for another hour and a half that meant it wasn't actually that important. But CNN sure did keep reminding everyone to watch.
I thought of the bad press Bloomberg's been getting hammered with since he ordered his cops to remove Occupy Wall Street protesters from Zucotti Park. It hasn't been pretty. While there's plenty of competition out there for the top spot, he's become the poster boy for oppression against the movement.
Of course that made me suspicious. How convenient, I thought, that all of a sudden some terrorist event would happen and steal away all those bad headlines. No more bad press about terrible decision-making, suppression of first amendment rights and needless brutality. The hot glare would be removed.
So, finally we got the news. On Saturday, Bloomberg's crack cop squad busted up a one-man terrorist operation getting ready to blow up a bunch of good New Yorkers and recently returned veterans. The one-man act arrested was Jose Pimental, a 27 year-old Manhattanite born in the Dominican Republic. Bloomberg described him as an "al Qaeda sympathizer." Shazam - a Latino convert to Islam with al Qaeda-ish sympathy! Spooky stuff!
According to the story, Pimental was planning to blow up police cars, post offices and target returning vets. That's where the story got a bit weird for me. What do you get when you blow up police cars? Sympathy for cops. What do you get when you target a post office? Outrage. And targeting returning vets? Is Pimental psychic or something? Did he have some master list of soldiers? My bullshitometer was going off and wouldn't stop.
And for just a moment, people weren't talking about Bloomberg's stupidity and heavy handedness with regard to the OWS movement.
As of this morning, it appears my skepticism was well-founded. Multiple sources are reporting that the FBI declined to take the case when New York City officials offered it to them. According to Tom Hays of the Associated Press, an FBI official said that after reviewing the evidence, the bureau found Pimentel did not have the “predisposition or the ability” to carry out the terror plot.
It sounds like a case of entrapment more than anything. But it sure did change the subject, for a moment, anyway.

Who really chooses our presidential candidates?



Image: Adam

Former Bush political strategist Matthew Dowd brings up a question many of us have been asking for a long time - why are certain qualified presidential candidates excluded from the debates [former Republican governors Buddy Roemer (LA) and Gary Johnson (NM)] and given far less time in them when they (Ron Paul) clearly have just as much of a shot or better than some of those who are there? Establishment parrots always say Ron Paul doesn't have a shot at the nomination. How would they know? They've never given voters a chance to make that decision. Paul's poll numbers have been high and he has a larger following than Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Herman Cain and Jon Huntsman combined. His fundraising ability also leaves theirs (collectively) in the dust.
The only sensible answer is that some candidates are acceptable to the establishment and some are not. And big media does its best to serve those interests. So, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the system wasn't rigged in this way, Paul would get as much air time in debates as Mitt Romney, Roemer and Johnson would be included in the debates and it would be left up to the voters to decide who's viable and who isn't.
The way it is, it's no wonder so many people don't trust big media. Why should they? It can't even come up with a plausible excuse as to why it ignores candidates who might actually just steal the show. When it comes to experience in governing, independence and common sense, Paul, Roemer and Johnson are all head and shoulders above the current crop of candidates (Huntsman excluded). But then, that's probably what makes them so unacceptable to the powers-that-be.

Image source

What's with the secrecy, Mittens?



Photo: Corbis

This just in, "Just before Mitt Romney left the Massachusetts governor’s office and first ran for president, 11 of his top aides purchased their state-issued computer hard drives, and the Romney administration’s e-mails were all wiped from a server, according to interviews and records obtained by the Globe." Sounds kinda hinky. It'll be interesting to see if this story grows legs.



Thursday morning chatter

Rummaging through the GOP clown car... In "The Rise and Fall and Rise of Newt Gingrich," Bob Cesca reminds us in painful detail why the disgraced former Speaker of the House would be nothing short of a disaster as the GOP's nominee.

The Herman Cain Art Project goes dark... After totally pooching an easy question about U.S. foreign policy toward Libya on Monday in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Herman Cain's campaign has decided it's better to be seen than heard. Who can blame them? Add his clueless response to the Libya question to the list of his other blunders (the Right of Return, Uz beki beki beki...) and what it adds up to is a whole lot of stupid. Cain was scheduled to sit down with New Hampshire's influential Union Leader newspaper today for an interview but cancelled. According to AP reporter Steve Poeples, it was due to a disagreement over timing. Sure, sure. This morning, Michael Calderone at Huffington Post reported the Cain campaign requested the hour-long interview be cut to 20 minutes and that no cameras/video be allowed. It sounds like the newspaper balked at his request. After all, it takes Cain 20 minutes, alone, to figure out what country it is his questioners are talking about.

Occupy Wall Street marks its two-month anniversary... Mayor Boss Hogg Bloomberg may have had Zucotti Park cleared, but the movement is alive and well, celebrating its two-month anniversary with a day of protest around New York's financial district. Similar events are also scheduled for today around the country. Ah, beautiful chaos...

From the You Gotta Be Kidding Me department... In some weird, desperate gambit, debate Gaffe Master Rick Perry challenged House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to a public debate on Monday. Ba ha ha ha. At her news conference this morning she responded to the request mockingly, “He did ask if I could debate here in Washington on Monday — it is my understanding that such a letter has come in. Monday, I’m going to be in Portland in the morning, visiting some of our labs in California in the afternoon, that’s two … I can’t remember what the third thing is." Classic!

Mitt Romney: the Bob Dole of 2012?



Canadian Press Images

Reading Steve Kornacki's piece "The GOP and electoral suicide" at Salon.com I got to thinking, the race for the 2012 Republican nomination is the strangest, most fluid nominating contest I've ever followed (going back to the early '90's). Analytical skill and instinct be damned, there is just no predicting who will win it. Or is there?
Rachel Maddow (one of the most brilliant minds in politics & media today), predicts with certainty Mitt Romney will take it. She's the one with the doctorate and a staff of researchers, so maybe she's right; but I'm not convinced. She may be failing to grasp the depth and intensity of GOPers distrust and dislike of Romney.
Once the good 'ol boy party poo bahs decide to get behind one candidate (which I believe will be Rick Perry), the pretenders (Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann) will fade and the race will end somewhere between South Carolina and Florida. It's worth noting that in 2008 Romney couldn't buy the race. He tried mightily but got shellacked in Iowa by cash-strapped insurgent Gov. Mike Huckabee. Talk about embarrassing. Then he got beat by a weak John McCain in New Hampshire and SC (where he didn't have a prayer).
In Romney I see Groundhog Day. Why would voters be any more inclined to support him now than they did in 2008? His elitism and Olympic-level flip-floppery is even more evident now than it was then. If there's one thing voters from across the political spectrum agree on, it's having a general disgust for politicians with no moral core. Romney's campaign slogan might as well be I'll Tell You Whatever You Want to Hear!
If the GOP establishment does get behind Romney, he will most likely go down in history as the Bob Dole of 2012 (a mere sacrificial lamb). The meaning? They'll be done with him once and for all; and are already focusing on real presidential aspirants for 2016.
But like I said before, who knows. This race and political climate is unlike any other in modern times. If Maddow winds up being right and Romney becomes the GOP nominee, I will bow down before her brilliance and courage in making this early call. If my instinct is right and Perry wins his party's backing, she should hire me.

The stillest of days

It's Sept. 11, ten years to the day after we were attacked. After our world was turned upside down. Hard to believe it's been so long. So much has happened since. So much in life has changed.

This morning Bruiser and I were out for a walk. I was struck by the stillness and of how beautiful a day it is. Just like that day a decade ago. Just like it.

As I ironed my shirt for work that morning, I noticed how everything outside was bathed in a bright lemon light. Fresh early morning air came in through the open bedroom window. Until I turned on the radio, the only sound outside my window came from the happy little birds chirping in the low hanging branches. I was happy. It seemed like the most perfect day of the year.

How ironic.

This morning was as perfect as that morning was. Walking with Bruiser, I noted the only sound to be heard - besides the birds, was the sound of an airplane flying far off in the distance. It was eerie.

GOP's disrespect toward the president and his office is a disgrace

Until 2003, I was a lifelong Republican and proud of it. Coming of age in the 1980’s and beyond, I was conservative when it so wasn’t cool. But I greatly admired President Ronald Reagan’s leadership and what the GOP represented: fiscal discipline, a strong national defense and traditional values.

My, how times – and the GOP has changed.

These eyes were opened wide beginning with the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. At the time, I argued in The Charlotte Observer against the invasion – as a Republican and U.S. Army veteran of the Persian Gulf War. I believed it would be disastrous to our nation and to Iraq. Because I put what I saw as the good of the nation above the priority of a president and a political party, many fellow Republicans gave me the tongue lashing of a lifetime in response.

It was at that point I realized that today’s GOP demands loyalty to the party and to achieving power over loyalty to the constitution and the good of the nation. Defy the party line and you are branded a liberal and traitor.

If the Gipper could see the state of politics today and hear the viciousness in the right’s rhetoric toward Democrats and this president, he’d be rolling in his grave.

Anyone who served in his and his predecessor’s Army knew well that it’s one thing to dislike an officer, a general, or the commander-in-chief; but quite another to disrespect any of them up the chain of command. That behavior was unprofessional and unacceptable.

This leads me to the insufferable behavior of today’s congressional Republicans and their leadership. As President Barack Obama prepares to give his jobs speech tonight to a joint session of congress, certain members have been telling the media they won’t be attending. And House and Senate leaders John Boehner and Mitch McConnell openly encourage this odious and disrespectful behavior.

If Democratic lawmakers showed such a vile and public level of disrespect towards a Republican president, the GOP, right-wing pundits and voters’ heads would collectively explode. As with so many other forms of the right’s hypocrisy, the same standards don’t apply to them.

For a member of congress to flaunt such profound disrespect for the president of the United States and his office is beyond disturbing. It’s also unprofessional, unacceptable and a terrible example to set for our nation’s children.

Those legislators who sit out tonight’s speech have no business serving in public office. Their priority is not the good of the nation, but to destroy Obama’s presidency and the social safety net. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stated that first goal plainly shortly after Obama took office.

In today’s political climate, I often wonder what President Reagan would think of it all if he were still on the scene. Based on his record, he probably wouldn’t feel much at home with today’s GOP. It’s important to remember, he never saw the Democratic Party as an enemy, but as the loyal opposition. He refused to demonize his opponents on the other side of the aisle by party or name. And it’s commonly known that he had a warm, albeit combative relationship with legendary Democratic House Speaker Tip O’Neil.

Reagan was a realist, not an ideologue. His flexibility and independent-mindedness in governing served him well and explains why he was so highly regarded across the political spectrum. He raised taxes when it was called for, argued in favor of raising the debt ceiling to ensure the U.S. government’s full faith and credit, deplored the use of torture against enemies and rightly chose to bring our Marines home from Lebanon rather than risking more of their lives in someone else’s civil war. He also refused the advice of Republican elders to not trust Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Because his realist instincts were right, the Cold War was won without a shot fired.

Today’s Republican Party in no way resembles the party Reagan once led so successfully. All reason and good faith is gone. The GOP may not see it now, but if they continue down the path of contempt and putting the interests of the wealthy and corporate elites before the interests of the working class just to hurt this president, it could very well go the way of the Whigs.  

It’s time for Republicans to stop paying lip service to the greatness of our former president and start acting like him, instead.

The president gets tough and the public is with him

White House Photo, Pete Souza

According to a new Quinnipiac University poll, voters are not buying the Republican mumbo jumbo on the debt talks. The numbers strongly favor President Obama and his positions. So much so, he should roll the study up like a news paper and smack Eric Cantor upside the head with it.

President Barack Obama is finally getting tough and pushing back on debt ceiling negotiations. Yay! On Wednesday, he went all commander-in-chief on Eric Cantor, giving him a good rhetorical spanking in front of everyone over his unwillingness to compromise. Cantor promptly covered his ears, closed his eyes and started chanting "nah, nah, nah, nah..."

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker should polish up his resume over his summer vacay. After taking a blow torch to union rights last winter and pissing everyone off, voters are gearing up to send him a pink slip in 2012.

The "Morning Joe" crew chatted with Sen. Claire McCaskill (D.-Mo.) this morning about the debt talks. She conceded that Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.) has "lost his mind." You know it's bad for the Republican position when even Mr. Morning Joe (Scarborough) is agreeing with a Democrat. Loop holes! Loop holes! Loop holes!

Cenk Uygur, the Young Turks/MSNBC host shares some clips of Michele Bachmann's husband making some truly head-scratching comments about homosexuality. Here at the Cafe, we're taking bets on how long it takes for Mr. Bachmann to come (or be pried) out of the closet.

Cainiac reveals Herman Cain's musical past



Image from The Daily Caller

Following in the footsteps of epically dorky politician-crooners Orrin Hatch and John Ashcroft ("Let the Eagle Soar"), presidential wanna-be Herman Cain recorded a gospel album back in the day. That's the kind of crap people do when they get too rich and bored. Ugh. He was, however, good enough to bury it for the good of the nation, but then some crazy Cainiac had to go drop it on the interwebs.

Afghan president's brother assassinated by body guard

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's half brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai was assassinated by a bodyguard in his home Tuesday. Though he was the head of the Kandahar provincial council, controversy surrounded him. He was accused of drug trafficking and being on the CIA payroll.

"In matters of national security, the best politics is no politics." - Scoop Jackson



Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson, ca. 1972, Courtesy UW Special Collections

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan awarded Henry "Scoop" Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. To Reagan, giving the nation's highest civilian award to the legendary Democrat was a no-brainer. In Reagan's White House diaries he noted Jackson's passing as "a real loss." At the award ceremony the president called him "one of the greatest lawmakers of our century..." It's hard to imagine any of today's high profile Republicans offering such affection and admiration for any member of the Democratic party, for any reason.

President Reagan's remarks from the ceremony (from Wikipedia):

Scoop Jackson was convinced that there's no place for partisanship in foreign and defense policy. He used to say, 'In matters of national security, the best politics is no politics.' His sense of bipartisanship was not only natural and complete; it was courageous. He wanted to be President, but I think he must have known that his outspoken ideas on the security of the Nation would deprive him of the chance to be his party's nominee in 1972 and '76. Still, he would not cut his convictions to fit the prevailing style.I'm deeply proud, as he would have been, to have Jackson Democrats serve in my administration. I'm proud that some of them have found a home here.

Monday morning musings

Live press conference with President Obama.

In the latest issue of Newsweek, Sarah Palin boldly claims she can beat President Obama in the 2012 election. If she runs. According to daughter Bristol, the decision has already been made; but the former governor is currently having too much fun messing with every one's heads to jump into the race right now. Priorities, people.

The New York Times' brilliant and cranky economist Paul Krugman blasts the Beltway blabbermouths for being totally wrong on why our economy's been stuck in the ditch for the last year and a half.

Talks between the president and House Speaker John Boehner to secure a deal on the debt-limit have fallen apart. Big surprise. It's next to impossible to work with moral and intellectual zeroes like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R.-Va.) and his TeaTard contingent. The grown-ups can't get anything done with them throwing their hissy fits on behalf of the nation's poor & needy wealthiest citizens.

Case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn falling apart

Whenever the TV media goes into a frenzy over something or someone - such as former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn being accused of rape on May 14, I get suspicious. Especially when the accused is a real threat to the powers that be (as DSK was as the head of the IMF and as a possible French presidential candidate). The one-sided and irresponsible TV coverage, ruining this man's career and character before he was ever tried in court, convinced me to refrain from judgement until all the facts were in.

My distrust of the media's motives and hesitance to embrace its salacious narrative was vindicated late yesterday when it was reported that the case against Strauss-Kahn is collapsing. Apparently, the accuser has lied to investigators repeatedly and is connected to some pretty shady characters. Their dealings include drug trafficking, money laundering and depositing at least $100,000 into her bank account over the last two years.

The new evidence doesn't mean Strauss-Kahn and the Guinean-born maid didn't have relations. DNA evidence does point to some kind of interaction. However, with these new revelations of the accuser's untrustworthiness and criminal connections, the felony charges will probably be dropped and strict bail conditions lessened. Strauss-Kahn will be in court today for a previously unscheduled hearing.

My only question now is will the TV media spend several days harping on the accuser's sketchy connections and the possible setting-up of Strauss-Kahn to take him out politically? And will it take responsibility for its part in destroying this man's reputation before a jury could ever hear the facts? I highly doubt it.

Wisconsin protestors ruin Scott Walker's day

The Magic 8-Ball just dropped a prediction. Wisconsin governor and anti-union crusader Scott Walker will have a short career in politics.

Old GOP ally "B-1" Bob Dornan blasts Newt Gingrich

Holy cow! Who knew former fire breathing conservative congressman Bob "B-1" Dornan was still alive?! He recently got The Daily Beast's Bryan Curtis on the horn to blast his former House colleague, Newt Gingrich over his bid for the 2012 GOP nomination. "B-1" absolutely can't stand the guy and is chomping at the bit to confront yell him at the next GOP debate. That should be fun!

Here's a little taste from Curtis's article:

Bob’s argument is that Newt is a pseudo-intellectual gasbag, a moral basket case, and a political performance artist whose campaign is less a bid for the White House than a marketing blitz to pump up “Gingrich Inc.” When I call him back, Bob says he wants to do the nation a service. “I want to get this man the hell out of America’s hair!” he roars.

A pseudo-intellectual gasbag and moral basket case... Yah, that's about right.

Michele Bachmann announces bid for 2012 GOP nomination

Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the self-styled leader of the Tea Party Caucus, formally announced her bid for the 2012 GOP nomination today. In honor of her big day, Huffington Post put together a wonderful little compilation of Bachmann's most memorable public moments and quotes. Folks, there's never a dull moment with this one!

Kimmel spoofs Jon Hunstman campaign ad

It's official! Jon Huntsman, the former Utah Governor and Ambassador to China is running for the 2012 GOP nomination. Please try and contain your excitement. In this clip, Jimmy Kimmel has some fun pointing out the weirdness of the candidate and this ad. Apparently, it's a Republican virtue to not take your wife to that fancy restaurant she's been dying to go to.

Don't underestimate Michele Bachmann, Taibbi warns

Illustration by Victor Juhasz

For the current issue of Rolling Stone, Matt Taibbi has written a great piece on Michele Bachmann, the comely and cunning Minnesota Congresswoman running for the GOP presidential nomination. The article, Michele Bachmann's Holy War, is both funny and frightening. Taibbi quotes Ezra Klein (who nailing it) half-jokingly said, "Bachmann is the candidate Sarah Palin was supposed to be." The current crop of Republicans running for the 2012 nomination would be foolish to underestimate her. For anyone following the 2012 presidential race, this is a must-read.

Somebody tell Gingrich his "campaign's" over

This just in! Basically, Newt Gingrich's whole presidential campaign staff has resigned. That's what he gets for not taking them all with on his vacay to the Greek Isles (and for not heeding their um, wisdom to actually campaign among real-life voters). So, can we cross Gingrich off the list of "credible" GOP candidates, already?

US media too hot for Peckergate to cover real news

David Sirota deserves a medal for pointing out 10 stories the media missed because they were too into covering Weiner's Weaner. We are clearly moving into a state of Idiocracy. Sirota, a media critic at Salon, introduces the list:

As of my writing this, it takes less than two-tenths of a second for Google News to register 15,500 hits for the name "Anthony Weiner." Those are the kind of rare numbers that come along only when the media and political establishment is expressing full-blown Howard Beale Outrage -- the kind of scandal-addled rage that was once reserved for break-ins at Washington office buildings and arms-for-hostages deals.

But, of course, after those controversies created constitutional crises and almost brought down presidencies -- well, then came the real scandals: Bill Clinton staining that blue dress, Larry Craig's wide stance in the Minneapolis Airport, Mark Foley's instant messages, Chris Lee showing off his chest... and now, of course, Anthony Weiner. These are scandals that come with made-for-24-hour-cable-news visuals and require no investigative reporting whatsoever. These are scandals, in short, that are better sculpted for the 21st century Idiocracy that we call America circa 2011 -- so they are presented as even more important than anything that might actually affect the future of the nation or the planet.

Still, for some odd reason -- I don't know, call me old fashioned or crazy or both -- an irrelevant congressman's bizarre behavior in a silly 140-character-limited medium strikes me as a tad less offensive and less worthy of media focus than at number of other less-covered stories that broke at the same time as the Weiner Scandal. I think these 10 stories from this week are far more offensive -- and involve what should be considered more egregious infractions -- than Anthony Weiner's half-naked sexts.

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Thatcherites to Palin: Bugger off!

Getty images (2)

The Daily Beast's Alex Massie reports that Sarah Palin is looking forward to meeting her idol Lady Margaret Thatcher later this summer. Someone might want to let Palin know that the conservative icon, who is ailing and not into receiving guests, just isn't that into her.
According to the article: One Thatcherite ally told The Guardian: "Lady Thatcher will not be seeing Sarah Palin. That would be belittling for Margaret. Sarah Palin is nuts." Indeed. Or as Tim Montgomerie, editor of the influential Tory website ConservativeHome put it, "She is an embarrassment for mainstream Conservatives."
'Nuff said.

Rick Santorum wants to be your culture warrior-in-chief

AP photo

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was thrown out of office in 2006 for being an ignorant douche. Apparently he hasn't learned anything in the interim, well, except for the fact that he's got a serious Google problem. That alone would make most of us run like hell from the media. But not this guy! He misses the spotlight so much he's running for the 2012 GOP nomination. Did you know that? If you said no, it's okay. You're not alone. The few people who do know it couldn't care less.

The day after GOP honcho Haley Barbour spoke on the need to get past purity tests at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, Santorum showed up to explain the opposite. He was blabbing on about taking bullets for Jesus or something. Yada yada yada.
The Magic 8-Ball has some advice for Santorum. You better super glue your rhetorical bullet-proof vest to your body. When the primary season gets into full swing, reminders (bullets?) of your inauspicious past are gonna be sprayed at you, fully-automatic, from all sides. If your "campaign" makes it past Iowa, it'll be a true miracle. We, here at the Cafe, won't be holding our breath, though.

What was Romney saying, again?



New Hampshire Union Leader, June 3, 2011

It's happening. Sarah Palin, who hasn't even declared a candidacy yet, is already stealing all of the media oxygen from those who have or soon will. Since last week, everyone's forgotten about that guy, "T-Paw" and she completely overshadowed Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's announcement about a "mysterious" June announcement to come from Iowa (What kind of strategery is that, Bachmann?). This week, the Mama Grizzly mauled Mitt Romney's big kick-off speech in New Hampshire. No winning the news cycle for you, Mr. Romneycare! It must really chap Mittens' ass that some pretend politician/reality star got the lion's share of attention today from "the Granite State's" leading paper. Guess we know who they don't like!



This just happened in New Hampshire

Poor Mittens! Sarah "Rolling Thunder" Palin had to go ruin his big day. Her Magical Mystery Tour just happened to show up right down the road from the farm he was holding his announcement at. As expected, the media left him in the dust to go chasing after her. To make it worse, she and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, also speaking in New Hampshire yesterday, both took pot shots at the so-called GOP front-runner. Way to honor Reagan's 11th Commandment, guys!

Jane Lynch wants Sarah Palin on "Glee"

The bitingly hilarious actress and comedienne Jane Lynch "takes over" NewsCorp and lays down the law. Look out Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. She's got plans for you!

Jon Huntsman hearts socialized medicine?

If former Utah governor Jon Huntsman actually does run for the GOP nomination, he's going to have some 'splainin to do with wing nut primary voters. Apparently, as governor he got all Socialist and pulled a RomneyObama on Utah.

Reporter Jason Cherkis at Huffington Post writes, "On March 19, 2008, he signed into law health care reform legislation that included a requirement that the state study 'the costs and benefits associated with (a) different forms of mandates for individual responsibility; and (b) potential enforcement mechanisms for individual responsibility.'"

The funniest part of this whole anti-Obama health care thing is, it was basically a Republican/Heritage Foundation idea to begin with. Even President Dick Nixon wanted universal health care! But then President Barack Obama had to go start pushing it, which turned it into a Commie plot.

None of this historical reality matters, though. In Tea Party land and among "real Amurkans," facts and history are for bitches and whiners.

Huntsman, who was also a former Ambassador to China for the Obama administration, is just way too reasonable and, dare I say, decent for red meat Republican primary voters. To them, reasonable means RINO (Republican In Name Only) and traitor.

The Magic 8-Ball indicates Mr. Huntsman should save his time, money and respectability by letting the losers duke it out for the chance to get their ass whipped by Obama.

Huntsman has served this country well and doesn't need to stain his reputation by running (i.e. saying stupid, dishonest things he doesn't believe in just to win over delusional wing nut voters). He seems better than that.

Here's hoping Huntsman comes to his senses and decides against running, at least until 2016. At that point, he becomes a much stronger, better-known candidate.

Is Palin pulling a Trump?

The Magic 8-Ball is clear on one thing: Sarah Palin will never be president. One doesn’t need magic to divine this truth, however. Poll after poll shows she is increasingly radioactive across large swaths of the voting public – as in pre-2008 Hillary Clinton unpopular. And yet, she flirts. So, what’s her game – will she run for the 2012 GOP nomination, or is she pulling a Trump to stay in the headlines?

With former governor Mike Huckabee (leader of the 2012 pack) out of the race, Palin may see this as her moment. Social conservatives, who gravitated to Huckabee, would be Palin’s for the picking. Also vying for those voters will be Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Rick “Man on Dog” Santorum. No worries for Palin on that score. She’s the big dawg and they are but fleas.

As for Mitt Romney (struggling to be seen as the field’s frontrunner), a Palin candidacy would be his worst nightmare. Her star power and ability to raise tons of cash is competition he absolutely does not need. The combination of name recognition and fundraising prowess was the one thing he had going for him.

Poor Mittens. He’s a far weaker candidate than the Beltway press seems to grasp. He’s the king of flip-floppery, has the charisma of a cement block and is viewed with great suspicion by the party’s social conservatives. Palin could be the anti-Romney they’ve been looking for.

The rest of the Republican field will get very little attention if Palin runs. This must drive that other boring governor, Tim Pawlenty nuts. His campaign is already going nowhere at the speed of light. With Palin in the race, he just becomes another interchangeable white guy.

I believe Sarah Palin will run for the 2012 Republican nomination. Why wouldn’t she? She has everything to gain by it no matter the outcome. There’s no way she (queen of the mammoth ego) would turn away from the possibility of being the first female to run for president on the Republican ticket. There’s also no way she’ll turn down all that free publicity (and wardrobe!); not to mention all the cash to be made down the road.

For Palin it’s not about actually winning or serving a greater good. It’s about keeping herself in the spotlight and feeding her greed. Look how she bailed on Alaska after only two and a half years into her first term to pursue the almighty dollar (book, TV deals). Her campaign slogan should be “Show Me the Money!”

With such a pitiful GOP field, I can see her winning her party’s nomination and then losing badly to President Obama in the general election. It’s all good, though. To Palin, losing a presidential race is actually winning!

Wonkette spanks Palin for crashing biker rally for vets

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

As usual, Sarah Palin is all about celebrating some Sarah Palin! Those crazy kids at Wonkette are busting her out for crashing the "Rolling Thunder" biker rally for veterans on Sunday:

Happy Memorial Day! It is time to honor America’s War Heroes, meaning Sarah Palin. America’s favorite snowbilly grifter showed up Sunday at “Rolling Thunder,” a non-partisan organization which raises awareness of veterans’ issues through the display of motorcycles that run on Muslim-Arabian fuel.

Snowbilly grifter... that's even better than Caribou Barbie!

Hillary Clinton: Vanity Fair's Woman of the World

 Illustration by Edward Sorel.

Jonathan Alter's new Vanity Fair piece on Hillary Clinton looks interesting. Alter's a great reporter. And love her or hate her, the Secretary of State and former First Lady is a fascinating character. The teaser says it all:

Her lightning-rod years behind her, Hillary Clinton is an administration star and a formidable, low-maintenance secretary of state. As she grapples with the Arab Spring, Jonathan Alter steals quality time with the ever airborne diplomat in chief.

I used to loathe her. That was based on my belief that she was untrustworthy and of bad character. While I always saw her as wickedly intelligent, I believed her motives to be deeply suspect. Her support for the invasion of Iraq and all things Neoconservative proved me right. It was her well-earned downfall. Had she displayed the same courageous intellectual independence Barack Obama did by opposing the invasion, she probably would've won the 2008 Democratic nomination.

That was then, this is now.

Since her defeat, she's done an admirable job dusting herself off and moving forward. I've been impressed by her joining Team Obama and putting her formidable talents to good use as secretary of state. She's done a great job so far in that post. And thankfully, the animosity I used to feel for her has disappeared. Somewhere along the line following the 2008 primaries, I think Hillary's motives became truer than they have ever been. And that accounts for much of her current success.

GOP to Newt: Suck it!

Perennial presidential wanna-be Newt Gingrich finally had a good (meaning gaffe-free) week. Unfortunately for him, it was followed by a new survey released by Public Policy Polling revealing what many of us already know: He is very unpopular even within his own party.
The poll shows 38 percent support for Gingrich among Republicans; while 45 percent view him unfavorably. That's no small number. (Among Democrats, he is viewed unfavorable by 80 percent.) Even Sarah Palin, who fled office after only two and a half years into her governorship, scored higher than the former Speaker of the House with 55-37, respectively.
The combination of past and recent bad press and negative polling numbers beg the question, what makes Gingrich think he has any chance of winning the Republican nomination - sheer ego the size of Mt. Rushmore?
I'm no expert in statistics, but the Magic 8-Ball never lies. Gingrich stands about the same chance of winning the nomination as he does in winning the gazillion dollar lottery. One would have to be a complete fool to run on those odds.

Desperation city

According to a CNN/Research survey of Republican voters, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani edges out former governors Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin for the top spot in a hypothetical 2012 matchup. Giuliani received 16 percent support to Romney's 15 percent and Palin's 13 percent.

AP Photo

Of course, this is but one survey. But the results are head scratching. How so? Let's jump into the Wayback Machine and return to the run-up to the 2008 GOP primaries. Giuliani, still milking his glorious 9-11 wave of  popularity for what it was worth enjoyed some of the highest poll numbers of the pack, thanks to the breathless Beltway press hyping him incessantly. According to the Chatteratti, his expertise in national security made him the candidate to beat.
Giuliani's campaign got off to a rocky start. There were many questions about his sordid personal life and his current wife's past. He also failed miserably to connect with voters on the trail. This must've been all too apparent to his staff because they proceeded to run the most bizarre primary strategy known to mankind: blow off the early primary states and take it all in Florida. Yah, that turned out real well. His campaign flamed out famously before it ever began.
The point to this post is simple. There is such a horrible void in the Republican field today, voters are still thrashing around, looking for "the one." I can all but guarantee to those who took this poll and other like-minded voters, Rudy Giuliani is not going to be the next Republican nominee. Granted, there is no candidate in the current GOP crop who can claim to be the 'national security guy'. Perhaps that could give "America's Mayor" a new footing, but I highly doubt it.
The Magic 8-Ball says Giuliani would be a fool to waste his time and money on such a ridiculous quest. Here's hoping his ego doesn't get the best of him.

Obamas get a royal reception from Queen Elizabeth

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in London today to kick off their official state visit. They were greeted in high style by Queen Elizabeth II and husband Prince Philip. The warm welcome included a private tour of the palace, a meeting with Prince William and Kate Middleton and a 41-gun salute. Such a visit is a rare honor for a U.S. president.
Historically, the Queen hosts one or two heads of state per year.
The Obamas will attend a state banquet held in their honor. On Wednesday, President Obama will give a rare address to both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall. This occasion is usually reserved for British monarchs. Normally, the heads of state are recieved in the Queen's Robing Room or the Royal Gallery.
Former U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan (1982) and Bill Clinton (1995) gave their speeches in the Royal Gallery. The last state visit by a U.S. president was George W. Bush in 2003.

(Photo: John Stillwell/The Associated Press)

Pawlenty pardoned serial child molester in 2008

Wow. This is disturbing. I don't think I like Tim Pawlenty's judgement.

According to Kase Wickman at The Raw Story... Reporting by Minneapolis City Pages' Nick Pinto brought to attention a pardon then-Gov. Pawlenty granted to a sex offender in October 2008, which is sure to haunt the candidate throughout his campaign: the man Pawlenty pardoned was later arrested again for molesting his daughter more than 250 times in an eight-year span, including six years prior to his pardon.

Jeremy Giefer served 45 days in prison in 1994 after being convicted of statutory rape. However, because he married the then-14-year-old girl and stuck around to father the child they conceived together, he begged the state for an extraordinary pardon, which would no longer require Giefer to report himself as a sex offender.

The board — which includes the Minnesota attorney general, the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, and the governor (Pawlenty, at the time) — voted unanimously to pardon Giefer.

The damning details came in November 2010, when Giefer was again arrested on counts of sex with an underage girl — this time with the daughter he had conceived with Susan before his first rape charge.

Prof. Steffen Schmidt breaks down the 2012 race

Forget the MSM pundits. This guy knows his shiz when it comes to breaking down the race for 2012. Yes, he's a bit dorky - like those folks on PBS or at NPR; but like them, he's definitely worth listening to.
Cheers!