General David Petraeus is the conservatives' Viagra when it comes to the war in Iraq. The commander of U.S. forces in Iraq has succeeded where his predecessors failed in fashioning a counterinsurgency-based Surge strategy that dramatically lowered American and civilian casualties in the latter months of 2007 while giving the Baghdad government breathing room to work through … [Read more...] about Selling the Iraq Mission Down the River
GOP Post-Iowa: No Surprises
At Politico, the lead, post-Iowa headline concerning the Republican candidates makes this claim: "GOP race in total disarray." At TMV earlier this morning, Shaun Mullen suggested it's time for the GOP to panic. I respect the Politico and Shaun immensely, but I'm compelled to challenge both; the former more so than the latter. To the writers of the Politico story, John … [Read more...] about GOP Post-Iowa: No Surprises
Dubya: The Invisible Hand in Iowa
There was but a single reference to him in the two lead New York Times stories today and scant mention elsewhere, but George Bush was the invisible hand in the Iowa caucuses. The deeply unpopular president has energized Democrats and nowhere more so than in the campaign of Barack Obama, whose message of change drew in substantial numbers of first-time, young and independent … [Read more...] about Dubya: The Invisible Hand in Iowa
How Far Can Obama Go?
Is the United States truly ready for a Black first family? Quite a few Africans appear to doubt it. This op-ed article from Nigeria's This Day asks, 'Has White America truly purged itself of its notorious resistance to interracial harmony? ... Obama represents all that White America has been struggling to prevent. ... In short, it's not news that race remains a raging issue in … [Read more...] about How Far Can Obama Go?
An Iowa Post-Mortem: Caucuses, Carcasses And A Call For Change
And so after months of stump speeches, mind-numbing debates and a tsunami of navel-gazing by an omnipotent punditocracy, we now have a small measure of how voters actually feel about the 2008 presidential field. As in a really small measure. Some 350,000 or so Democrats and Republicans -- a record but still less than 15 percent of the state electorate -- showed up at … [Read more...] about An Iowa Post-Mortem: Caucuses, Carcasses And A Call For Change
Iowa Caucus Voters Rejected Party Establishments And Embraced Generational Change
Iowa caucus voters yesterday delivered a message that they wanted to try something new, weren't about to follow their parties' establishments' desires or info machines -- and wanted a kind of generational change in politics that meant not just new faces but a new way of talking about politics. It was not a partial message. It was a resounding one: (1) Winners Democratic … [Read more...] about Iowa Caucus Voters Rejected Party Establishments And Embraced Generational Change
US & India: Differing Frenzies & Monkeying Around…
As someone said in a lighter vein that elections have become a near monkey business (although its outcome affects us all!!!), and generate a strange frenzy. While the US is in the grip of frenzy generated by presidential election primaries and results, the people in North India suffer from a frenzy caused by real monkeys!!! "In recent months, the deputy mayor of New Delhi … [Read more...] about US & India: Differing Frenzies & Monkeying Around…
Iowa: “The Change” That Is or Is Not Huckabee
I’m enjoying my first Caucus. That makes me a preschooler, or someone who arrived in the US less than four years ago. You can vote later. A couple of things strike me about this evening. The first doesn’t surprise me much, but the second is truly tantalizing. One of the United States’ greatest institutions, I quickly discovered after arriving in California back in late … [Read more...] about Iowa: “The Change” That Is or Is Not Huckabee
The triumph of hope (and Hope, AR) over “experience”
The results are in from the Iowa caucuses. On the Democratic side, it's Obama (38%), Edwards (30%) and H. Clinton (29%), with Richardson and Biden in low single digits, and Dodd under 1% and withdrawing from the race. This was predicted as a close 3-way, and it was. It seems that, at least in lily-white Iowa, America's First Black PresidentTM proved a liability for … [Read more...] about The triumph of hope (and Hope, AR) over “experience”
Fearless Predictions
After Iowa, a few fearless predictions... #1: Hillary Clinton will not be the Democratic nominee for president. Democrats in Iowa chose among candidates they all more or less liked and whose views on the major issues aren't all that different. Their judgment in favor of Barack Obama was, in part, a judgment that Senator Clinton, dogged by "high negatives," at least 45% of … [Read more...] about Fearless Predictions
And the Winner in Iowa is…Change
Here, I indicated on December 23, that I thought Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama would win the Iowa caucuses in their respective parties tonight. I also spoke of the parallel universes that are the Democratic and Republican presidential nomination races this year. But are there commonalities between the two parties' races? I think so and it's their common themes. In … [Read more...] about And the Winner in Iowa is…Change
Obama 1, Black Democratic Establishment 0
I'm a disgusted with the Big 2 parties type. Been that way since I cast my first vote in a local election when I was 18 years old. But I'm not politically stupid and I love history. And I realize political history when I see it. Barack Obama wins the Democratic Iowa Caucus and the Black Democratic Establishment (BDE) loses. And this black man (with a healthy dose of … [Read more...] about Obama 1, Black Democratic Establishment 0
I Voted Too, Part II!
The State Senate special election here still remains really tight. Republican Ray Cox currently holds a 220 vote lead with 66% of precincts reporting (42 of 63) RAY COX (R) 3556 50.08 KEVIN DAHLE (D) 3333 46.94 However, Northfield still largely hasn't reported in. Northfield has nine precincts, eight of which still are yet to report (the one that is in went for Dahle … [Read more...] about I Voted Too, Part II!
Student Caucusers, The Results
Again, I doubt this has any meaning whatsoever aside from amusing me. Results as of 8:51 Central Central College, Pella, Marion County (27 Obama, 12 Edwards, 10 Clinton, 1 Richardson) Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Linn County (7 Obama, 5 Edwards, 2 Clinton, 1 Richardson) Grinnell College, Grinnell, Poweshiek County (39 Obama, 21 Edwards, 7 Clinton, 6 Biden) Luther … [Read more...] about Student Caucusers, The Results
Obama Projected To Win Iowa Democratic Caucuses
CNN and NBC are now projecting that Illinois Senator Barack Obama will win the Democratic Iowa causes vote -- with polling so far showing former Senator John Edwards narrowly leading New York Senator Hillary Clinton: Mike Huckabee will be the Republican winner in Iowa, CNN projects. With 76 percent of precincts reporting, Obama had the support of 36 percent of voters, … [Read more...] about Obama Projected To Win Iowa Democratic Caucuses
Obama Leading by 4% and Opening
***Results as of 8:27 PM*** Senator Barack Obama : 35.25% Senator John Edwards : 31.02% Senator Hillary Clinton : 30.78% Governor Bill Richardson : 1.80% Senator Joe Biden : 1.01% Uncommitted : 0.11% Senator Chris Dodd : 0.03% Precincts Reporting: 1304 of 1781 Obama's lead has been growing all night. It's hardly over, but the trend lines are looking good for the … [Read more...] about Obama Leading by 4% and Opening
I Voted Today!
You Iowans think you've got all the attention. Well I voted in the special election to fill Minnesota's 25th State Senate seat. And with one precinct reporting, my candidate, Kevin Dahle is winning with a whopping 60% of the vote (out of 23 cast). His Republican opponent, Ray Cox, is reasonably moderate. In fact, I almost voted for him in 2004 -- I was undecided until I was … [Read more...] about I Voted Today!
CBS, CNN and NBC: Mike Huckabee Wins Iowa Caucuses Republican Vote
CBS, CNN and NBC have projected that Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee -- the GOP candidate who is not a favorite of the Republican establishment, the White House or talk show host Rush Limbaugh -- will win the Republican Iowa caucus vote, thus propelling himself into the media spotlight and undercutting former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the onetime favorite … [Read more...] about CBS, CNN and NBC: Mike Huckabee Wins Iowa Caucuses Republican Vote
CNN Projects Huckabee To Win Iowa
Now if that doesn't shake the GOP race up a bit... … [Read more...] about CNN Projects Huckabee To Win Iowa
Beginning Reports from Caucuses (Updated)
AMERICAblog is following this fairly closely. It looks like Clinton, Obama and Edwards are deadlocked on the Democratic side (combined, they have 97 percent of the delegates) and Huckabee has a significant lead over Romney on the Republican side. UPDATE: A gap appears to have opened between Obama at 34 percent and Clinton & Edwards (between 31 & 32 percent). A.P. Says … [Read more...] about Beginning Reports from Caucuses (Updated)