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The White House has withdrawn its veto threat of the National Defense Authorization Act which states the U.S.A. is a battlefield (WOT) and okays the detainment and indefinite detention of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 The White House rescinded the veto threat after changes were made to the controversial provision.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.