Palin

Senator McCain recast himself as the maverick today selecting little known Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin to be his running mate. Palin is a conservative's conservative: pro-life, pro-second amendment, pro-drilling, etc. She's also from an energy producing state and is committed to reform challenging the likes of Alaskan icons Ted Stevens and Don Young. She may not sway Clinton supporters, but she can have an affect on soft Democrats and independents. And she may be able to influence far west states like Colorado and Nevada. The conservative base will be revitalized and the Republicans definitely have some momentum going into their convention next week.

New politics, new times

Senator Barack Obama accepted the Democrat nomination for the presidency last night in Denver giving his "new politics for a new times" speech. In traditional Obama style the speech was an oratory masterpiece that certainly elevated the throngs of Democrats in Denver as well as around the country. The venue and the speech were quite a spectacle. The speech itself was short on substance which is why it was so powerful. Obama portrayed himself as a generic liberal, a common man with uncommon purpose, who made a lot of promises last night; but the speech was short on specificity. If you listened closely to the content, it sounded like many of the liberal speeches of the past using different language, and delivery. Obama also hammered John McCain on a number of issues as Obama will try tie McCain to Bush during the campaign. This is where, according to strategist Dick Morris at wwww.dickmorris.com, McCain may have an opening:

"The issues on which McCain and Bush differ are legion:

* McCain fought for campaign finance reform -- McCain-Feingold -- that Bush resisted and ultimately signed because he had no choice.

* McCain led the battle to restrict interrogation techniques of terror suspects and to ban torture.

* McCain went with Joe Lieberman on a tough measure to curb climate change, something Bush denies is going on.

* McCain opposed the Bush tax cuts when they passed.

* McCain urged the Iraq surge, a posture Bush rejected for years before conceding its wisdom.

* McCain favors FDA regulation of tobacco and sponsored legislation to that effect, a position all but a handful of Republican senators oppose.

* McCain's energy bill, also with Lieberman, is a virtual blueprint for energy independence and development of alternate sources.

* After the Enron scandal, McCain introduced sweeping reforms in corporate governance and legislation to guarantee pensions and prohibit golden parachutes for executives. Bush opposed McCain's changes and the watered-down Sarbanes-Oxley bill eventuated.

* McCain has been harshly critical of congressional overspending, particularly of budgetary earmarks, a position Bush only lately adopted (after the Democrats took over Congress)."

Certainly, Obama gave a well delivered speech and he clearly won the night. He should get a fairly big bounce out of his convention. However, if McCain plays his cards correctly, srarting with the afternoon's announcement of his VP, he can minimize Obama's bounce as he moves forward to his own convention in Minnesota.

One final note--depending on the trajectory of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Gustav, the Republicans may need to make scheduling changes with respect to the convention. Stay tuned!

There are 68 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,743 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Biden gives a great speech...

Beau Biden that is. There wasn't a dry eye in the house last night as Beau Biden, son on Democrat VP hopeful, Joe Biden, delivered a powerful testament as to why America should elect Obama/Biden. The speech was personal, powerful, and right on the mark...Unfortunately, Senator Biden's speech was anything but convincing. It started promising enough talking about the narrative of the Senator's life. However, when it moved past the personal narrative it lost direction and focus. Biden went to great pains in trying to convince the party faithful of Senator Obama's credentials, which are razor thin to begin with...Furthermore, it appears that the Democrats are having a hard time figuring out just how to run against John McCain, who has become a much better candidate since the end of July/beginning of August. Should the Democrats paint McCain as another George Bush? Should they attack his credentials and judgment? Or should they attack his character? All of these elements were present in Biden's speech, but lacked theme and focus...However, President Bill Clinton, who has been a thorn in the side of Republicans since the early 1990s gave a very coherent and thematic speech that both championed Barack Obama and took shots at the Republicans, not necessarily John McCain. Clinton proved once again that he is the master politician...Finally, the significance of Barack Obama's nomination should not be lost on anyone. The fact that a major political party has nominated an African American demonstrates the progress our country has made in terms of race relations. Last night was a moment in history and Common Sense, while having fundamental differences with most Democrats, was especially proud to be an American last night...Speaking of proud Americans, Hillary Clinton's willingness to release her delegates and motion to suspend the rules last night in order to unanimously nominate Barack Obama was an act of great class and dignity. If you are a Democrat, you had a very, very good night last night.

There are 69 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,742 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Wither Warner

Former Governor Mark Warner of Virginia gave a very luke war Keynote speech last night at the DNC in Denver. He offered very little red meat and would not attack the Republicans or John McCain. As such, his speech was moved to pre-prime time. In all honesty it sounded more like a stump speech for the folks back home in Virginia as he tries to replace Senator John Warner...In contrast, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer excited the crowd and took a number of partisan shots at McCain. Schweitzer had the Convention floor on its feet. It was a very powerful speech. Keep on eye on Schweitzer. He's a rising star in the Democrat party...Of course, the highlight of the night was Senator Clinton. While she urged her delegates to vote for Obama, her speech overall missed its mark. It wasn't as a warm and personal tribute to the Obamas or why the junior Senator from Illinois should be president, but rather, why you should not vote for John McCain: "no way, no how, no McCain". James Carville commented that the Dems had a good night, but his analysis was based more on emotion rather than objectivity. Mrs. Clinton could have done a whole lot more for Obama, but as far as speeches go, she's finally hit her stride. I wonder if the Dems are beginning to realize they might have nominated the wrong person.

Tuesday's musings

The federal government has earmarked $50 million for each political convention to pay for security around the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field in Denver and the Excel Center in MN...The Libertarians raised a $12,000.00 for Bob Barr last week at a meet and greet...James Carville and other prominent Democrat advisers are correct. The Dems missed a golden opportunity to pounce on the Republicans last night. The imagery presented did not respond to two challenges Obama faces: 1. his exoticism and 2. charges of hollowness and inexperience...The Democrats just did not offer a lot of red meat last night. In addition it's being reported that Senatorial candidate mark Warner of Virginia, tonight's keynote speaker, will not offer much red meat either...Is there anything that Senator Clinton can say tonight that will convince 40% of her supporters to support Obama and not McCain or sit out the election? New reports are surfacing out of MN that McCain, in order to minimize Obama's bounce, will announce his VP candidate this Thursday, not on Friday as previously scheduled...Experts are predicting that Obama will get a 10 point bounce out of his convention. Stay tuned.

Democrats off to slow start

After a very slow start to their convention today, Senator Ted Kennedy inspired the faithful like only he can. Ignoring doctor's orders to stay away from the convention because of his frail immune system as a result of his cancer treatment, Kennedy gave a great speech. For a brief moment, it was 1980 once again when he challenged then sitting-President Jimmy Carter for his party's nomination. "For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die". Unlike Obama, Kennedy is a liberal with substance. Common Sense hopes the venerable Senator from Massachusetts is on the floor of the Senate when the 111th Congress convenes in January...Twenty nine percent of Democrats polled think Senator Clinton should have been Obama's choice for VP...Speaking of Mrs. Clinton, she'll release her delegates to Obama on Wednesday after her name is placed in nomination...In terms of delegate diversity, 50.1% of the delegates at the Democrat convention are women...Joe Biden's son, Hunter, is a Washington, DC lobbyist. As such, he cannot donate to the campaign since the Obama camp does not accept donations from federal lobbyists...Go to notready08.com for the Republican National Committee's take on the Democrats...The McCain camp's negative ads over the last few weeks have had an impact on the race. Obama has blown essentially a 15 point lead and is now in a dead heat with McCain in most polls. Obama has an opportunity this week to refocus his message and gain back the traction he's lost in August...In an effort to unite the party, the Democrats, at the behest of Obama, have reinstated the full Florida and Michigan delegations. I wonder what Mrs. Clinton thinks about that? Finally, if John McCain loses to Obama, look for a Portman/Jindal ticket in 2012.

Democrats open convention

The Democrats have kicked off their party's convention in Denver. Michelle Obama is the featured speaker this evening. However, the story behind the story are the Clintons. While the Democrats are hoping for unity in Denver, Bill Clinton has suggested that the delegates' vote is a personal matter, still holding out hope that the party may somehow nominate Mrs. Clinton. More problematic for Obama is the fact that many of Mrs. Clinton's supporters are adamant about supporting McCain over Obama which could swing the election. Common Sense currently has Obama winning the electoral college 273-265, but that presupposes that Obama carries Colorado, New Mexico, and Iowa. Perhaps if McCain selects someone like Kay Bailey Hutchison, he'll garner more of the women's vote. Selecting Romney might put Michigan and Colorado in play.

There are 71 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,740 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

You read it here first

Don't be surprised if John McCain does not choose either Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty as his VP running mate. Sources close to the Ohio Republican Party believe McCain's choice will be former Congressman Rob Portman from Ohio's second district. Portman represented the Cincinnati area and is wildly popular in the state. Portman's selection may also have an affect in Indiana and Kentucky. He's not mentioned much in the traditional media, but his selection would make a lot of sense and sure up a state McCain badly needs. Of note, no Republican has ever won the White House without carrying Ohio.

There are 72 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,739 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Obama/Biden

For the next two weeks Common Sense will be coming to you from the great state of Minnesota at the Republican National Convention. Barack Obama has chosen Senator Joe Biden as his running mate. Biden brings experience and a wealth of knowledge on foreign policy to the ticket. He's also not afraid to say what he thinks and will be a relentless campaigner on the stump. However, Biden's experience may be counter intuitive to the idea of Obama as an agent of change since Biden's been in Washington for over three decades. In addition, he has no executive experience. It will also be interesting to see how the Clinton supporters respond to Biden's selection. Over 10% of Clinton's supporters say they're going to vote for McCain. It will be interesting to see if the Democrats unite behind the Obama/Biden ticket in Denver. One last note; throughout the Democrat primaries Biden was relentless in touting that Obama was not ready to be president. Biden also said he would turn down the VP position if asked. Well, this is politics and we can overlook that Biden has changed his mind. However, Biden has publicly said that he would be honored to run with John McCain and serve as his VP. In fact, the McCain campaign has already launched an add with Biden praising McCain. Buckle up!

There are 73 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,738 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Obama picks...

Hillary Clinton to be his VP running mate? Such a pick sounded ludicrous just a week ago but that's when Obama was leading John McCain. According to the latest Reuter/Zogby, McCain now leads Obama by 5% points. More interesting is that McCain is trending higher in 13 of the 16 battleground states. Now McCain's lead is not a function of his rising in the polls, but rather Obama's drop. McCain doesn't seem to be generating any excitement so it's become a referendum on Obama, much like it was in 1992 on George H.W. Bush. Obama has had a terrible summer, underperformed at Saddleback, the charges of his inexpereince and lack of substance are beginning to stick, and his arrogance appears to be getting the best of him, i.e., flying around with his own presidential seal. Perhaps the Obama campaign is panicked to the point that rumors are circulating that he's chosen Hillary Clinton. It makes sense politically to win the election, but having to govern with her, and Bill, for eight years is the stuff of nightmares. We should know in the next 24-36 hours who Obama has chosen. Stay tuned!

There are 74 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,737 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Thursday musings

Newt Gingrich outlined a scenario yesterday with Bob Barr getting 15% of the national vote, and the current Zogby poll showing a majority of likely voters want Barr to be included in the Presidential debates. The former Speaker is perhaps overly optimistic about how well Barr will perform...In terms of the debates, McCain and Obama have agreed to three of them (one in September, the other two in October). Unless Barr is tracking at 15% nationally, he will not be invited...Senator Lieberman will not be McCain's running mate. Lieberman is slotted to speak on Monday or Tuesday of the RNC which rules him out as McCain's VP....There is, however, a role for Lieberman in a McCain administration as Secretary of State or Defense...Secretary of State Rice states that the US and Iraqi government are close to an agreement regarding the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Accordingly, all US troops will be outo f Baghdad by June 2010 and all combat troops out of Iraq entirely by 2011. This bodes well for McCain that the surge did indeed work...Obama's VP choice is down to Tim Kaine of Virginia or Joe Biden of Delaware. While Kaine is an executive he is quite inexperienced. Biden, on the other hand, has a wealth of experience but no executive experience. This begs the question: is either man qualified to be President?

There are 75 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,736 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

McCain now leads in the polls

AP reports this morning that "In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday. McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll". Obama has been declining in the polls since mid-June when he clinched the nomination. Furthermore, if McCain has the advantage among voters on the economy, it boosts his chances to win the White House in November...Karl Rove said yesterday on Hannity and Colmes that if he were advising Obama on a VP choice, it would be Senator Clinton. Of course such a ticket would be formidable but all the baggage that the Clintons bring to an Obama administration make the choice a long-shot. Furthermore, selecting someone like Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia would only raise more questions about Obama's judgment by someone as inexperienced as Kaine. The safe selection would be Senator Joe Biden of Delaware who would certainly strike back against the McCain campaign, much like Bob Dole did for Gerald Ford back in 1976, allowing Obama to remain positive. Biden also adds gravitas to the ticket and is well versed in foreign affairs, which is a weakness for Obama. However, Biden himself would not help with any one particular state. As for McCain, it's down to Pawlenty and Romney. The idea of a pro-choice running mate like Tom Ridge is off the table. The best choice here is probably Romney since he may sure up Michigan and some of the far west states, like Colorado. Both men have made their choices, it's now just a matter of waiting for the formal announcement...Barack Obama raised $51 million in July to John McCain's $27 million. It was McCain's best fundraising month of the campaign. Now with polls showing McCain in the lead, expect more money to roll in.

There are 76 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,735 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

McCain to announce his VP on his birthday

Politico.com has confirmed that Senator John McCain is set to announce his vice presidential running mate in Ohio on Friday, 29 August, which is of course, his 72nd birthday. Which is, of course, the day after Senator Obama accepts the Democrat nomination at Invesco Field in Denver. Obviously, the timing of the announcement is meant to squash any sort of momentum Obama may get coming out of his convention making McCain's choice the story of the weekend before the Republicans begin their convention on Labor Day. Sources close to McCain have Governors Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty at the top of the list. Pro-choice candidates, like former Governor and Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, did not track well among Republicans...Senator John McCain also raised $1.75 million at a fund raiser tonight in Atlanta. What's interesting here is that former Christian Coaltion Executive, Ralph Reed, sent out emails on McCain's behalf. Reed's name has been associated with convicted lobbyist, Jack Abramoff. Reed, however, did not attend the event.

Running mates

Marc Blumenthal of National Journal has a piece today at MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26269137/ on how hard it is to measure the impact of vice presidential running mates on the election. His analysis for the most part is correct: the impact of vice presidential running mates affects the decision of a smaller percentage of voters, approximately 25%, than expected. So he concludes that once the hoopla of the announcement itself, the convention, etc. dies out, it's really who's at the top of the ticket that decides the outcome of the election. However, since this year's election is so close, coming down to a couple of states, the 1/4 of the electorate who does pay attention to the bottom of the ticket may ultimately impact the outcome of the election more then we know. Look for Obama to make his announcement at the end of the week and McCain by the end of next week.

McCain cheated

NBC's Andrea Mitchell is reporting that Senator John McCain did so well at Saturday's faith forum because he may have advanced knowledge of the questions. The source of this report? The Obama campaign itself. Rather than acknowledge that the junior Senator from Illinois had a really bad week, the media is trying to pin McCain's strong performance at the forum as something unseemly. The Democrats tried to do the same to President Bush back in 2004 when he clearly defeated Senator John Kerry in a debate...President Musharraf of Pakistan is resigning. Rather than putting his country through the trials of an impeachment, Musharraf will step down. The US will be losing a "key ally" on the war on terror but it is time for Musharraf to go. After eight years in office, Pakistan's fledgling democracy needs to go in a new direction. However, Common Sense doubts Musharraf's resignation will deter militants in Pakistan...More polls are showing Obama and McCain in a dead heat, 45%-45%. The question becomes can McCain hold onto all of the states President Bush carried in 2004? Present polling shows Iowa, Colorado, and New Mexico leaning Obama. If Obama wins all three states, he wins the White House. McCain will needs to double and redouble his efforts to hold onto these three key battleground states if he wants to win the White House. Sources report that Mitt Romney will be McCain's running mate.

There are 78 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,733 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

McCain gaining traction

Senator John McCain clearly won the night at yesterday's "Political Forum" on CNN hosted by Pastor Rick Wilson. As one analyst put it, "the Straight Talk Express clearly had a full tank of gas". McCain was focused, articulate, and most of all, "conservative". His best line of the night that drew the most applause from the Evangelical crowd, "I'm pro-life and my administration will employee pro-life policies". It's only taken 18 months or so, but perhaps Senator McCain is finally getting it. Senator Obama, on the other hand, was less effective. The media, and the Republicans, are picking up on the fact that when Obama does not have a teleprompter in front of him, he's much less charismatic. Clearly, Senator Obama had a bad week. Look for him to rebound this week though I'm sure McCain will get a big boost in fundraising...Speaking of fundraising, President Bush continues to impress even though his approval number are some of the lowest of presidency. An AP report out Friday suggests that President Bush has raised nearly $1 billion in his eight years as president. At a recent fundraiser in California that lasted ninety minutes, Bush raised close to $95,000.00 a minute. While John McCain does not want the President stumping with him on the campaign trail, President Bush can be an enormous asset behind the scenes raising money for McCain and the Republican party.

There are 79 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,732 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Good grief

The Bureau of Economic Affairs, an agency with the Department of Commerce, reported today that it will no longer track "who is buying America", i.e., it will no longer track if companies, real estate, etc. are being bought by American nationals or foreign firms. Why? BEA reports that it's just too much work to keep track of all of these statistics even though it has a robust budget. Now no one will know how much foreign influence there is in the US and we're all the more ignorant...Democrat National Chairman Howard Dean has put his foot in his mouth again by calling Republicans "the White Party". This is the third instance since 2005 that Dean has made a racial remark...Continental Airlines remains the lone major US carrier that continues to charge US servicemen $100.00 for extra bags. Such a resprehensible policy goes beyond outrageous. Go to www.continental.com and let them know how deplorable this policy is...Apparently, Russia's invasion of Georgia could not get Senator Obama off the beaches of Hawaii to interrupt his vacation. Clearly, this was a missed opportunity for the Senator to look "presidential" and quiet calls that Obama is too inexperienced. Clearly, John McCain won the week. In the latest Gallup poll, McCain and Obama are tied at 44%. Ever since Senator Clinton conceded the nomination to Obama in June, Obama has lost ground.

Did Senator Clinton win the nomination?

It sure looks like it, at least for three and half days according to Senior Fox analysis, Dick Morris, who has an interesting piece today on www.foxnews.com about how the Clintons have "hijacked" the Democrat Convention later this month in Denver. Read on!

"Hillary and Bill have hijacked the Denver convention, making it into a carbon copy of what it would have looked like had she won until the last possible moment. By the time Obama gets up to speak and put his stamp on the convention, Hillary will have had one prime time night all to herself. Bill will have pre-empted a second night. Hillary will have had all the nominating and seconding speeches she wants. And the roll call of the states would record, in graphic detail, how the voters of state after state rejected Obama’s candidacy in the primaries. Only then, after three and a half days of all Clinton all the time will the convention then, finally, turn to its nominee and allow him to have an hour in the sun!

And what leverage did the Clintons have to achieve all of this? None. Hillary could not have taken the convention by storm and any show of party disunity would marginalize her forever in the Democratic Party. Had she or her supporters tried to pull off distracting demonstrations or to recreate Lafayette Park in Chicago in 1968, she would have paid a permanent price among the party faithful for sabotaging Obama’s candidacy.

This Clintonian tour de force raises a key question about Barack Obama: Is he strong enough to be president or can he be pushed around? His failure to stand up to the Clintons makes one wonder how effective he will be against bin Laden, Iran, Chavez, or Putin. And now word emerges from the Obama camp that Indiana Senator Evan Bayh is on the short list for vice president. To select Bayh would bring Obama’s nemesis, Mark Penn, in through the campaign’s back door. Penn and Bayh are an item. Mark’s second (and current) wife, Nancy Jacobson was the key fund raiser for the Senator during his Senate campaigns. Penn has always been Bayh’s consultant and chief advisor. Penn played the key role in 1996 in getting Bayh a slot as the convention keynote speaker. Bayh has always marched to Mark Penn’s tune.

This, of course, the same Mark Penn who structured the vilification of Barack Obama as a marginal American and orchestrated the campaign to summon the white working class in opposition to his candidacy. How much will Obama take? His weakness if the face of the Clinton demands coupled with his refusal to debate McCain in the town forum meetings raise the question of whether he is tough when the teleprompter is turned off. Why is he afraid or unwilling to do tough interviews? It is not enough for him to say that he is the front runner and ask why he should risk such confrontations. In case he hasn’t noticed, he’s not the front runner. The tracking polls all suggest a tied race where taking certain risks would be reasonable, unless his handlers worry about his vulnerability in difficult or extemporaneous situations.

Is an unscripted Obama a pushover? Will foreign leaders conclude that he is not up to the job, just as Khrushchev did with JFK at his 1961 Vienna summit that presaged the Cuban Missile crisis? If he does so poorly in negotiating with the Clintons, how will he do with the Russians?"

Musings

AP reports today that "a top Russian general said Friday that Poland's agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base exposes the ex-communist nation to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons, the Interfax news agency reported." Moreover, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced today that Georgia may have to accept "deep concessions" in order to stop the violence and bloodshed by Russia. Part of those "concessions" entails ceding over 1/3 of its territory to Russia. What's next? Ukraine? Poland? And what can the US do?...Senator John McCain raised $27 million in July. While it pales in comparison to what Senator Obama raised, there's a definite sense that this race is tighenting up considerably despite what national polls might say...Furthermore, this election will not be a "blow out" as many Democrats expected...If we believe Howard Wolfson's claim that Senator Clinton should be the Democrat nominee if Senator Edwards had not run because of the lie he was concealing, then does Wolfson believe that Senator Bob Dole, or even President George H.W. Bush, should have been elected and reelected? Why? President Clinton should not have run in the first place because of the Gennifer Flowers affair, which Clinton later admitted was true under testimony. Oh, the hyprocrisy!...So much for party unity. Hillary Clinton's name will be placed in nomination at the Democrat convention starting on 25 August. Rather than do the traditional voice vote, the Democrats have decided on a roll call in order to keep the Clinton delegates quiet in a national "show of unity"... One last musing...ESPN radio host Colon Cowherd on his show "The Herd" said yesterday he did not trust the media. He liked many members of the daily news media, but he did not trust it. Why? Cowherd suggested that the media have an "agenda" to the exclusion of actually reporting the facts as they happen. We're not as miserable, apathetic, hated, etc. as the news media might make you believe. Hats off to Mr. Cowherd for pointing out the truth.

There are 81 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,730 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Buckley for US Senate

Libertarian Party of Georgia candidate for the US Senate Allen Buckley <http://www.buckleyforsenate.com/> has assembled a survey to help him determine which issues are the ones with which Georgia's voters are most concerned. You can help by taking three minutes to participate. Click <http://webmail.mercer.edu/redirect?http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=kmaQ8XgAi7Fr_2fDLs4Md9sA_3d_3d> to fill out Allen's questionnaire -- then visit his website to see the other ways you can help him become the next junior Senator from Georgia!

There are 82 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,729 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Veepstakes?

Mike Allen writes in today's "Playbook" on www.politico.com that "Howard Wolfson says on Fox News last night that he has "heard some rumors" about JFK being vetted for Obama No. 2: "Look, John Kerry has been vetted. He ran for president. I think he would be a strong choice. He’d be a good choice, especially in the context of foreign policy.” Geez...talk about an uninspired choice? Selecting Kerry would only stir up memories of the Swiftboat vets and his poorly run presidential campaign back in 2004. Mr. Wolfson has wondered off the reservation these past couple of days with is diatribe that Hillary Clinton should be the Democrat nominee and now this unliekly scenario.

Russia's invasion of Georgia demostrates just how weak the US has become on the world stage following its invasion of Iraq. Besides strongly condemning Russia's actions, there's not a whole lot the US can do to leverage Russia at this point . While Senator John McCain's analysis is right on, that Russia is trying to recapture the glory of its past empire, the US cannot consider any sort of military move or even logistical aid for the Georgian military at this time since it suffers from imperial overstretch. Russia is intent on reestablishing itself as a dominant world power that is flush with money from being one of the largest oil exporters in the world. It appears that the best the US and its European allies can do is threaten the loss of the 2014 Winter Olympics or expel Russia from the G8. Sadly, such courses of action clearly demonstrate just how weak the US has become in matters of foreign policy and geopolitical influence since 2003.

There are 83 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,728 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

McCain/Lieberman?

Dick Morris has a new piece out today at http://www.dickmorris.com/ suggesting that John McCain should select Connecticut Joe Lieberman as his running mate against what Morris perceives to be an Obama/Biden ticket this fall. While such a ticket would add excitement to an otherwise unentusiastic presidential race, selecting Lieberman would all but kill McCain's chance at the Whote House. But you be the judge.

"John McCain has zero charisma. Next to the excitement of Obama, he looks like an old man defending the status quo. Ironically, his career has embodied exactly the opposite. He is what Obama symbolizes - a person who rises above party, confronts the special interests, and wants to change the way Washington works.

Yet despite his inability to campaign effectively, polls show him tied with Obama, due largely to doubts about the Democrat not to enthusiasm for McCain. But if he chooses the right vice presidential candidate, McCain can give his candidacy excitement and meaning, transforming the drab into the unusual and the ordinary into the spectacular. The easiest way to do so is to name a woman. Two seem available. But Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, an attractive candidate for the future, is too inexperienced and Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is, perhaps, too experienced. Both would have difficulty navigating a presidential campaign. Hutchison might just seem like an old woman running with an old man and Palin with McCain might seem like a father-daughter team, the younger partner just learning the ropes.

Instead, McCain should choose Senator Joe Lieberman. By choosing a Democrat - the party’s nominee for vice president only eight years ago -- McCain would dramatically demonstrate that his candidacy transcends the normal, vitriolic partisanship that grips Washington. It would be the first bi-partisan ticket since Abraham Lincoln sought to transcend party and picked Andrew Johnson, the Democratic pro-union governor of Tennessee, to be his 1864 running mate. Then, as now, the system was broken and there was an evident need to overcome the narrow constraints of partisanship and act in the national interest.

Obama scares the daylights out of a lot of Democrats and Independents. With a Democratic running mate, McCain would become a viable alternative. Sure McCain and Lieberman disagree on a lot of issues. But their very disagreements would be sources of strength - a statement that no one person has all the answers and that solutions forged in consensus and dialogue are the key to a functioning democracy. Would Lieberman alienate the Party base? Most top McCain advisors don’t think so. With anti-Obama sentiment rising with each new proposed tax increase he offers, the likelihood is that they will turn out with total enthusiasm whoever McCain picks.
While neither McCain nor Lieberman are exactly charismatic. Between them, watching paint dry is more exciting. But by running together, the ticket epitomizes an end to gridlock, partisan bickering and privilege, and dogmatic adherence to narrow ideology.

Mitt Romney, the current VP front runner has a hard time getting people to vote for him. Despite outspending his combined opponents 3:1, he lost Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, and California. Why take on the baggage that kept voters from Romney in the primaries?

Obama too, would want to name a woman since he is now losing the votes of women over forty, a natural Democratic constituency. But he can’t choose Hillary. If he did, he would inherit all their scandals, past and present and would be linked to a candidate awash in special interest money who is married to a former president knee deep in tainted associations with rulers from Dubai to Kazakhstan.

But if Obama doesn’t choose Hillary, he can’t choose another woman. That would elevate another woman to be competition with Hillary, a declaration of war on the Clintons. So Obama will go with a safe choice: Virginia’s Governor Tim Kane, Indiana’s Senator Evan Bayh, or Delaware’s Senator Joe Biden. Biden is the best choice. He is well versed in national security issues and offers reassurance that Obama will have someone to turn to. Excellent in debate, he can be counted on to bring the war to the Republicans. He would add reassurance and gravitas to the ticket just as Cheney did for Bush and Johnson did for Kennedy. (The only problem is that anyone objectively looking at an Obama-Biden ticket wonders if it shouldn’t be upside down).

Kane lacks the very experience that Obama misses and adds nothing. Neither one can find the men’s room in the White House without a GPS. Bayh lacks any killer instinct. He refused to attack the Republicans when tapped to give the keynote speech at the 1996 Democratic Convention and is allergic to negative campaigning. That’s OK in a presidential candidate, but what’s a vice president for if not to sock it to the other side?

So the race may boil down to Obama-Bayh vs. McCain-Romney. But it should be Obama-Biden vs. McCain-Lieberman."

Hillary should be the nominee?

According to Howard Wolfson, former Director of Communications for Hillary Clinton, if John Edwards did not run for president, Senator Clinton would be the Democrat nominee. Wolfson believes that if Edwards did not run, Clinton gets the majority of the Edwards vote and wins Iowa, not Obama. If Clinton wins Iowa, she likely goes on to a big win in New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina etc. and secures the nomination. Wolfson is in obvious denial that Edwards would seek the presidency knowing, and publicly concealing, his extramarital affair. Unfortunately for Wolfson, the exits polls do not bear him out. A majority of Edwards' supporters in Iowa say they would have supported Obama, and not Clinton, which would not have changed the dynamic of the campaign. Sadly, the Clinton campaign continues to look for scapecoats for her failed bid for the nomination rather the arrogance of entitlement in which the campaign was conducted.

There are 84 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,727 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Bibb county Libertarians

If you're local, and interested in the Libertarian Party, the Bibb County Libertarian Party of Macon holds its monthly meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at Books-A-Million on Eisenhower Parkway. They gather at 7 p.m. to fight for liberty. Join them for their upcoming meeting on August 12. Get more information by sending an email to corrd@bellsouth.net.

Obama slipping?

There's a great article today in POLITICO that Democrats are now worried that John McCain's campaign is picking up some steam and MAY actually over take Barack Obama. You can check out the article at http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080811/pl_politico/12433.

New US foreign policy

As talks continue between Iraq and the US continue concerning the ultimate withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, the next President of the United States should focus on a few essential goals instead of the far wider aims now being employed by the Bush administration. Instead of assuming that democratizing nations such as Iraq and Afghanistan will turn them into reliable allies, the US should focus on basic security needs, the most important of which is preventing nuclear weapons getting into the hands of terrorists.

Holding free elections is not sufficient to establishing democracy. Attempts at "long distance social engineering" rarely work because the local population does not feel that they own the project. Developing a democratic culture takes more than a generation, especially in cultures with no historical institutions to support democracy. Sudden liberation is often followed by a dramatic upsurge in organized crime and anti-social behavior, i.e., Russia.

As such the first priority of the next Presient of the United States should be exporting security, not democracy.

There are 85 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,726 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

Let's drill

Over at Newt.org, they have an anecdote worth highlighting about a recent study conducted by two economists on how opening up ANWR would impact today's oil prices. The study concluded: "We find that oil that is expected to reach the market some years hence has an immediate impact on oil prices," and that "if oil firms were allowed to drill in ANWR and many of the other areas that are currently off limits to oil production, it is possible that these areas together might have a significant impact on world oil prices."(Side note: Martin Feldstein, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Reagan, recently wrote a related op-ed, "We Can Lower Oil Prices Now," that is well worth your reading). But back to the study. When the authors submitted it to the prestigious Energy Journal, it was rejected because it didn't offer anything new to the field of economics. Or, as the rejection letter put it, "your main result (the present impact of an anticipated future supply change) is already known to economists."In other words, as is already a well-known fact among economists, drill here, drill now so we can all pay less.

There are 86 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,725 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!

The kids got it right

Common Sense is always on the lookout for fresh conservative "faces" posting their thoughts in the blogosphere. If you're interested in a new and thoughtful conservative blog, check out
http://www.down-right.org/. You will be pleased that you did.


Unfortunately, the rumors that have dogged Senator John Edwards are true. The former Senator from NC admitted to ABC News that he had an extramarital affair with a 42 year-old who produced "webisodes" for his failed presidential campaign. She was paid $114,000.00 for her efforts even though she "lacked experience". Moreover, she gave birth to a child a few weeks ago. Edwards adamantly denies being the father and is willing to take a paternity test to prove he's not the father. Through it all, one can only feel sorry for Elizabeth Edwards who has inoperable cancer.

Democrats are saying while they are greatly disappointed in Edwards, the bottowm line is that this situation is bewteen the Edwards and none of our business. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. It's all about character or lack thereof. If Edwards was the Democrat nominee, this news would certainly have derailed his campaign. More importantly, if he had been the nominee, what message does it send to voters that we need to restore trust in the White House when one of its candidates looks us all in the eye and lies! Does this remind you of a former President who looked us all in the eye, waived his finger, and lied? Poor personal judgment can lead to poor public judgment. Is it any wonder why people do not trust politicians any more?

An evening with Bob Barr

It isn't often you get to shake hands with a person whose name is on the ballot for President Of the United States. Take advantage of this unusual opportunity! The Libertarian Party of Georgia presents "An Evening With BobBarr And Friends" on Saturday, August 23, 2008, at the Crowne Plaza Raviniain Atlanta. It's your chance to meet our Presidential candidate and our other statewide candidates over a dinner banquet. You'll also enjoy professional entertainment, and get to visit with other Libertarians and freedom minded people from all around Georgia. And you'll be able to show your support for the work the Libertarian Party of Georgia does to keep liberty-oriented ideas in public policy debates 365 days a year.

"An Evening With Bob Barr And Friends" will start with a cocktail reception and social hour at 6:00 PM, then we'll sit down for a banquet dinner at 7 o'clock. All our candidates will report on their progress, as well as national Libertarian standard-bearer Bob Barr. The Crowne Plaza Ravinia is at 4355 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE, across from Perimeter Mall. If you wish to stay overnight at the Ravinia, reserve yourroom at (770) 395-7700, and make sure you say you are attending the Libertarian "An Evening With Bob Barr And Friends" event in the hotel."

The VP sweepstakes

Here's part of an interesting article by Dick Morris on the VP sweepstakes. Both men need to announce their respetive running-mates in short order.

Morris writes that McCain "...needs to jump start his candidacy and inject a “wow” factor. Either choosing a woman (likely Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison – Condi’s not interested) or Joe Lieberman would do nicely.

Its tempting to name a woman and collect all those alienated over 40 women who are not backing Obama. Remember the enthusiasm Geraldine Ferraro generated when Mondale nominated her in 1984? Women who had backed Hillary, will turnout in droves to elect a woman vice president. Even a pro-life one at that. It’s hard to imagine any other VP choice that would produce so many votes.

But…is Kay Bailey up to the job? Would she come across as an old lady to go with an old man? Can she handle the battering of a VP run without making any faux pas? Is she intellectually impressive enough to nominate? I have my doubts.

So I think McCain should choose Joe Lieberman. The first cross-party ticket since Abraham Lincoln named Andrew Johnson in 1864 would send an unmistakable signal of change. It would flag McCain’s determination to transcend the partisan gridlock in Washington and his independence of party orthodoxy. Selecting Lieberman would elevate the national security issue and reassure environmentalists on climate change issues. It would help attract Jewish voters in Florida and Ohio. And Lieberman has proven he can handle the stress of a national campaign. Joe is the way to go.

But McCain will probably choose Mitt Romney who will do him no good at all. Voters are allergic to Romney, perhaps because of his religion. Despite massive spending, topping his rivals by 3:1 in the primaries (largely out of his own pocket) Romney lost Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and California. The only states he carried were Michigan where his Dad had been governor, Massachusetts where he was, and a bunch of LDS (Mormon) states in the far west. He also carried some Super Tuesday states when his rivals didn’t have the money or time left over after California to fight him."

McCain surging?

Even though national polls show Barack Obama holding a 47%-41% lead over John McCain, one cannot help but sense that momentum is turning as more and more voters tune into the presidential race and realize that Obama is not yet ready for prime time. On the three biggest issues America faces, the economy, the war, and energy independence, Obama could not be more wrong as he has flip-flopped over the last month on these key positions.

To deal with the economy, Obama has proposed raising taxes on small business, personal income, investment profits, and more. Such a position is wrong. Obama's plan will kill jobs and put the economy in a tailspin. On the war, Obama has shown the kind of judgment you would expect from someone who was in the state legislature just four years ago with no real world foreign policy experience. When it comes to gas prices, Obama observed that he did not really mind how high the price of gas is, just that it went up so fast. Such a position is obviously out of touch with main stream America. This is not surprising when you consider that Obama also opposes increased domestic drilling and increased use of clean, safe nuclear power--two major sources that will help us become energy independent.

Once you cut through the fog of his oratory, the truth is Obama is running as a very traditional liberal on a very, very thin record which voters are now beginning to see as the campaign enters its final ninety days.

Surge working?

AP reported yesterday afternoon that the US and Iraqi governments are close to an agreement to withdraw US troops by October 2010:

"Iraq and the U.S. are near an agreement on all American combat troops leaving Iraq by October 2010, with the last soldiers out three years after that, two Iraqi officials told The Associated Press on Thursday. U.S. officials, however, insisted no dates had been agreed.

The proposed agreement calls for Americans to hand over parts of Baghdad's Green Zone — where the U.S. Embassy is located — to the Iraqis by the end of 2008. It would also remove U.S. forces from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, according to the two senior officials, both close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and familiar with the negotiations.

The officials, who spoke separately on condition of anonymity because the talks are ongoing, said all U.S. combat troops would leave Iraq by October 2010, with the remaining support personnel gone "around 2013." The schedule could be amended if both sides agree — a face-saving escape clause that would extend the presence of U.S. forces if security conditions warrant it."

Obviously this is great news but one has to wonder about the timing of such announcement as the presiential race between McCain and Obama heats up. Stay tuned.

We're back

After a month-long hiatus, Common Sense is back. Obviously, a lot has transpired in the intervening month, but first and foremost a big "Congratulations" to CJS for landing the gig at WNNG and the Patriot! Bravo CJS! All of our best as you begin a new chapter in your life.

There's 88 days until the presidential election. And, it's been 2,723 days since there's been a terrorist attack on US soil. Good day and God bless!