Huckabee and McDonnell do rock and roll

Mike Huckabee and Virginia gubernatorial candidate, Bob McDonnell, hook up for fundraisers and rock and roll (that's McDonnell on the drums).



[Hat tip: The Shad Plank]

Crist hopes stimulus support speeds education waiver

Today, a reporter asked Florida Gov. Charlie Crist whether his "pretty strong political relationship with President Obama" might expedite the process on getting a stimulus waiver for education:

"I certainly don't think it's gonna hurt. We've been supportive of the stimulus. I don't know if that helped get it passed or not, but I suspect it didn't hurt, either."

He also hinted he might be open to a cigarette tax, depending on what the Legislature presents to him.

Previously, Crist has maintained he's not "warm and fuzzy" about an increase in the tax.

[Hat tip: The Buzz]

Esquire: Todd Palin is the man for America now

Esquire whets our appetite with a video preview of their upcoming profile of Todd Palin.

And yes, there's a snowmobile.



[Hat tip: Galley Cat]

Romney: Obama didn't cave

Mitt Romney praises President Obama's new plan for Chrysler and GM.

"I think a lot of people expected the President to cave and just write a big check and hope for the better. I'm glad that he's expressing some backbone on this and saying to those guys 'hey, you gotta get your house in order, or you guys are gone'."

John King then asks Romney the one last question anchors throw in before signing off: what about 2012?

Mitt spices things up by invoking a baseball metaphor, even if it's one of the more obvious choices.

"That is a horizon too far away to possibly speculate on right now. I love what.... Yogi Berra said something like this: ‘I don't like forecasting, particularly if the future is involved'."

Still waiting for a pol to ape Roger Clemens at his congressional hearing last year: Andy must have misremembered.

"Misremembered" should find a place somewhere in the 2012 lexicon.

You can watch the full video of Romney's appearance here.

Corker in demand

Considering his business acumen, Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker would probably like a post headline like the one above (you know, supply and demand).

Unfortunately, for Republicans, there's only one Bob Corker.

But fortunately, for Republicans, there is a Bob Corker.

The Hill:

Corker has taken on an increasingly public persona with the downturn in the economy, and that has made him in demand. His party looks to him for leadership. He’s becoming a regular on the Sunday shows, appearing twice on “Fox News Sunday,” as well as on ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’s “Face the Nation.” He’s frequently in touch with top economic officials, such as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and his predecessor, Hank Paulson.

GOP12's presidential profile of Bob Corker here.

Remember this clip from Corker's visit to the Detroit Auto Show?

I'll tell you that it was substantially more hectic than when Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and John McCain showed up at the show in 2008 on the eve of the Michigan primary election.

And way back in December of '08, MSNBC profiled the "new Senate star".

Even though he was elected only two years ago and is the lowest-ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, Corker made himself a commanding figure in deciding the fate of GM, Chrysler, and Ford.

[Hat tip: Nashville Post Politics]

UPDATE!: Full transcript of Corker's Monday, March 30th i/view with Larry Kudlow here.

Wisconisota

How's this for some interstate bi-partisanship (almost sounds kinky).

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle are finally giving specs on that interstate collaboration we heard about a few months ago.

By working together on over 80 projects, the governors estimate they can save each state $10 million.

Here's how:

a. developing new info technology systems

b. offering reciprocity for some regulatory requirements (e.g. dairy inspections, oversize trucks).

c. pooling their buying power on things like prison food and package shipping.

d. collaborating on initiatives such as a high speed rail between Minneapolis and Chicago.

For a more detailed list of share-and-care's, click here.

Pawlenty:

.... with this terrible national economic crisis and we need to do all that we can to make sure that best value is being put forth on behalf of our citizens.

Mount Murkowski names Jindal without naming him

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is planning to introduce legislation establishing regular funding for the Alaska Volcano Observatory:

"Recently there were some comments made about federal spending for volcano monitoring being wasteful. I can assure you that monitoring volcanoes is critically important to the nation and especially to my home state of Alaska.”

While we're on the topic -- Alfred Hitchcock famously noted that Grace Kelly was a "snow covered volcano" for being very naughty while appearing very nice.



[Hat tip: Talking Points Memo]

Nearly official: If Crist goes Senate, Sink will run for Gov

The Orlando Sentinel tracks Florida's musical chairs (and of course, one of the chairs is a throne, and we all know who wields his scepter atop it).

Word is starting to trickle in that Alex Sink says she's ready to throw her hat in the 2010 governor's race if Charlie Crist tries to bolt for the Senate.

The Democratic CFO apparently told guests as much at a fundraiser for her CFO re-election today here in Orlando.

So far, I've heard from three of those who attended the event at Roger and Susan Chapin's house near Lake Ivanhoe. And all three said the same thing -- that Sink didn't hedge her bets at all when asked if she would run for governor, should Charlie decide to leave Tallahassee.

[Hat tip: Orlando Republican Examiner]

Laffer's report agrees with Sanford

This morning, economist Arthur Laffer -- he of the famous Laffer curve -- unveiled his Policy Council's report arguing that the stimulus will do South Carolina more harm than good.

The report.... argues the state could lose an additional 23,800 to 34,850 jobs -- including government and private -- because of stimulus spending.

The report says that any money spent by government corresponds to a decrease in business spending because of higher taxes, debt and other costs.

It's not immediately clear how James Clyburn will respond to the news.

Democrats plan to exploit Palin: News flash?

Greg Sargent:

Multiple Democratic strategists say the party plans to increasingly elevate Palin in the same manner it has employed Rush for weeks.

(ea) Can you increasingly elevate anything Palin? Isn't she already like a giraffe nibbling on a Redwood's leaves at the top of Mount Everest?

Becoming Catholic; remaining Republican

Yesterday, Dan Gilgoff honored Newt Gingrich's weekend conversion by producing a list of prominent conservative politicos who've recently converted to Catholicism.

Jeremy Beer nods; then questions the integrity of the conversions, considering the fact that none of the neophyte Catholics seem to change their political mind about anything.

Did any of these men.... change his public opinions about any idea, policy, or other matter of public significance after his conversion?

.... My point here is simply that high-profile politico conversions such as Newt’s seldom if ever lead to . . . well, any change of public import whatsoever. They’re simply utterly irrelevant. The proper response should be: “Good for him. I hope that he’s a better Catholic than I am. Honey, can you pick up some milk on your way home tomorrow?”

If you're a Republican and want to harmonize God and mammon, the best book I've read is Michael Novak's Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life.

If you swing the other way, politically, you might want to try We Drink From Our Own Wells: The Spiritual Journey of a People by Gustavo Gutierrez.

[Hat tip: Rod Dreher]

Huckabee: Cancel the GOP's memorial

Mike Huckabee raised $50,000 for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell last night, and plans to appear at two more fundraisers this week that would bring the week's haul to $360,000.

Oh, and Huckabee says you can tell the political undertakers they're getting laid off, too.

"You come to places like Virginia and you see that with Bob McDonnell, we've got a very strong pulse. Cancel the memorial."

Chris Matthews: Palin was like a mail order bride

In all fairness, she can speak English.



[Hat tip: Hot Air]

Could Beck replace Van Susteren?

It's not just the Sarah Palin-John Coale-Greta Van Susteren menage a trois.

It's the fact Beck is crushing on Fox, and Van Susteren's viewed as a bit of a weak link in the prime-time lineup.

Those are tangibles.

Jeff Bercovici raises an intangible that points to foxy ambivalence.

When I ran the Beck-replaces-Van Susteren scenario by sources at Fox, I was told unequivocally that it won't happen, in part because the network has always had a woman in its prime time lineup and Fox News chief Roger Ailes would be reluctant to change that. Maybe. On the other hand, Ailes has never concerned himself much with political correctness in other contexts, and was happy enough to do away with a different sort of balance when he opted to let the network's only prominent liberal, Alan Colmes, depart without a replacement.

[Hat tip: Media Post]

UPDATE!: Jim Geraghty makes a good point.

If you are of the opinion that Bristol Palin's interview with Van Susteren was regrettable — considering the number of times her pregnancy was called a "private matter" in the 2008 campaign, with Palin herself attempting to declare her children off-limits - then a Van Susteren departure from prime time might not be such a bad thing.

Kyl: Beware of Vote-O-Rama

Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl prophecies on the President's budget:

You’ll see amendments that target each of these areas: healthcare, energy, education loans, the tax increases.

You’ll see us vote today and tomorrow, but then we’ll get into this vote-o-rama where there is one minute of debate, and it’s very hard to cover that. You may end up with 50 or 60 or 70 votes. What you’re relegated to is once it’s over with, and we’ve left town, there are the papers on the floor, and you pick them up and say, what did these guys do?

Cheers! Huntsman eliminates private club mandate

Before yesterday, you couldn't make a "three X's walk into a bar" joke in Utah, simply because you couldn't walk into a bar without being a member -- a member who had to fill out an application and pay fees.

So let's say you're on a business trip to Salt Lake and want to unwind at a nearby bar ("private club"). You approach its doors and the club asks for your membership card. If you don't have one, you have to fill out an application for membership, pay a fee, and only then, can you have your nightcap.

So most people opt for TV in the hotel room.

Think that could hurt tourism and any accompanying revenue?

Well, finally -- in a move one local "private club" owner thought he'd never live to see -- Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has signed a bill eliminating the private club mandate, and opened bars to the poor, huddled, masses.

Huntsman (ea)

"This is an important and new day in our state for purposes of economic enhancement, for purposes of travel and tourism, for purposes of enhancing our image. We're rolling out the welcome mat to the world."

Pawlenty angers..... dentists?

Tim Pawlenty's proposal to cut dental care for those on medical assistance has led dentists to form a new lobbying group, and Matt Snyder a familiar template:

The plot line is pretty formulaic at this point: Tim Pawlenty proposes budget cut. People directly affected by the cut get angry. Form group to decry said cut. Send out press releases outlining why cut will create more problems than it will solve. Pawlenty cuts budget anyway. We all wake up the next morning too figuratively hungover to give a shit anymore. Next. Issue.

Kind of like a Will Smith movie.

It's not just Newt: Conservatives turning Catholic

Dan Gilgoff compiles a list of recent US political figures who've converted to Catholicism.

And they're all conservative.

a. Sam Brownback

b. Jeb Bush

c. Laura Ingraham

d. Robert Bork

e. Larry Kudlow

f. Bob Novak

g. Ramesh Ponnuru

The fit is obvious:

Religious converts tend to be more orthodox, which means hewing closely to the church's conservative positions on social issues.

Remind yourself of 1986 tonight.

I turned over a new leaf
Then tore right through it
Whatever you taught me
I didn't believe it
Father, you fought me
'Cause I didn't care
And I still don't understand

Huckabee: Be like Jesus

Mike Huckabee spoke at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University last night, and delivered a message of Christian greatness through worldly smallness.

Huckabee:

“Be willing to do the little things,and God will lift you up to do the bigger things. But if you are unwilling to do the little things, you’ll never know the bigger things. Instead of saying, ‘I’m in charge,’ we should be saying, ‘I’m here to serve you.’”

For a full report on the night, click here.

One of the most pedestrian yet supernatural scenes in movie history.

Roger Stone: Don't run for Senate, Charlie

Roger Stone -- Sybarite, consultant extraordinaire, and close friend to Charlie Crist -- urges the Governor to tend to his mansion and resist the tempting fruits of Washington.

Stone offers two primary arguments.

1. Crist is more vulnerable to a significant primary challenge in a Senate race.

While Stone thinks it's unlikely Crist could be defeated in either primary, a run for Senate is inherently more ideological and represents virgin territory for Crist.

Stone also suspects some of Crist's support is soft -- only 1/3 view him somewhat favorably, which means an economy that continues to bleed could seep through Crist's teflon shirt.

2. Stone holds hope for a Presidential bid from Crist in 2012. As has often been noted, coming from Tallahassee to Washington is more attractive than Washington to Washington.

Stone is quick to remind conservatives of the political talent they've neglected.

Governor Crist has the same affability and genial optimism of my former boss, Ronald Reagan. Crist also has Reagan's flexibility that often allowed the President to get 70% of his agenda achieved through the art of compromise as opposed to standstill Government and the kind of lack of progress we see in Congress.

Grassroots conservatives and their blogs (particularly Red State, which claims Crist would be "wholly unacceptable as a Presidential nominee for the GOP") have been chronically incapable of recognizing Republicans who succeed in diverse environments.

Crist is one such Republican.

Says Stone:

I attended the Republican Governor's conference in Miami several months ago. As a veteran of eight National Republican Presidential campaigns, I measured each of the Republican Governor's to see if our Party has a Presidential candidate. Only Charlie Crist has the grace and political dexterity for a Presidential run.

Of course, Roger Stone is Roger Stone, and conservatives will never embrace Roger Stone.

But Stone is savvy, if nothing else. And actually, from this New Yorker profile last year, he is everything else, having worked for Richard Nixon and Lee Atwater, and having been prescient on a number of issues, including one Eliot Spitzer.

His words should carry some currency, even if he is a patron of the Miami Velvet.

Romney headlines Illinois fundraiser

Mitt Romney will be in Illinois tomorrow night to headline a fundraiser for state Senator and former Illinois Romney campaign chair, Dan Rutherford.

Rutherford's all but certain to run for the state's treasurer position. Why? Because the current treasurer will likely run for Roland Burris' seat next year.

A site about dead politicians

While checking into the political history of past Illinois treasurers, I came across this site -- Political Graveyard. Dark, but very fun. The political equivalent of Slipknot.

For example, did you know that at least 25 politicians have donated their bodies to science?

Or that at least 37 politicians have been killed by fire or explosion?

And finally -- for Pollyanna's sake -- did your Mother tell you that 24 politicians' remains have never been found?

Alaskan natives: Palin has "declared WAR" on us

Sarah Palin's recent nomination of controversial Wayne Anthony Ross for Attorney General has generated some heat.

The Association of Village Council Presidents intends to fight Ross by using his initials (WAR) to evoke the spirit of defiance.

Myron Naneng:

“Governor Palin has declared WAR on the Native Community, as WAR has shown his colors in the past regarding the subsistence issue."

Subsistence issues have to do with giving rural residents priority in fish-and-game hunting.

In the past, Wayne Anthony Ross has expressed opposition to the federal law.

But in the present, Ross says he'll live with it.

“I support the Alaska constitution and that’s my official position and taking a position on other issues that may or may not come up would be a bit premature. I haven’t even got sworn in or confirmed.”

Newt puts hold on talking about conversion

Dan Gilgoff:

I checked with his media team, which says that Newt is declining interview requests about his conversion for now but that he may open up later in the year.

Sanford traveling state to make sure he's "not missing something"

Mark Sanford arrived in Greenville, South Carolina today and spoke to the Rotary Club about his stimulus position.

Reportedly, he brought a "stack of charts". To a rotary club. A stack of charts.

God love him.

Greenville Online:

Sanford told about 50 members of the Rotary Club of Greenville East that he was going around the state trying to make sure he is "not missing something" regarding his differences with lawmakers over how to use the money in the state budget.

He continues his "not missing something" tour with interviews for WYFF and conservative talk show host Bob McLain, as well as an appearance at Furman University.

Alaska Surprise: Murkowski more popular than Palin

Here's the poll.

Here's CQ putting it into a sentence.

The survey found that Palin, John McCain's 2008 running mate, has a 59.8 positive approval rating and 34.9 percent negative rating, while Murkowski received a 71.6 percent positive approval rating and 20.9 percent negative rating.

Regardless, it's safe to say both are safe.

Romney: "This is a quiet time"

Mitt Romney says he's not actively gearing up for another Presidential run, claiming "this is a quiet time".

Glen Johnson of the AP characterizes it best:

Mitt Romney is building toward a White House bid in 2012 by judiciously engaging and disengaging with the national debate.

It's a fine line -- engage too heavily, and you'll be accused of presidential posturing. Engage too lightly, and you'll be forgotten.

The Alternating Newt List

It's been tremendously difficult to center on Newt Gingrich's center, as of late.

I've compiled a list of "Alternating Newts" -- recent moments when he's looked surprisingly bipartisan and then recent moments of surprising surliness.

ALTERNATING NEWTS:

a. Newt claiming that taxing AIG bonuses might lead to a dictatorship.

b. Newt chatting with Essence magazine about the GOP's need to become more inclusive.

c. Newt talking about a breakdown in American rule of law comparable to Nigeria and Indonesia.

d. Newt praising Obama for his "unprecedented" approach to education.

e. Newt using "unprecedented" again, only this time in a screed against Obama's power grab.

f. The Political Insider calling Gingrich a "cross between Will Rogers and Dr. Phil."

g. Newt lamenting "gay and secular fascism".

h. Newt slamming the RNC for linking Obama with Blago.

i. Newt claiming the White House has dirty plans for the census.

j. Newt teaming up with Al Sharpton to talk education.

k. Newt writing an essay on Lincoln's birthday, comparing Obama with the former President, and concluding "one could easily imagine that, upon our telling the news of the current American President, there would be a smile."

l. Newt claiming it's irrational to want Obama to fail.

There are two possible explanations for this.

Newt Haters, such as Joe Klein who said today he detests Newt, politically, might see daily opportunism.

Newt Lovers are likely to see a welcome capacity to discard the talking points of party and deliver the unexpected.

For the rest, it's just an interesting story.

Corker: "Firing Rick Wagoner is a sideshow"

For observers of the auto crisis, there's one voice in the Senate we've all been waiting to hear from.

And this afternoon, it's somewhere between a jet engine taking off, and Fenway Park in October.

Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker on Obama's new auto plan (All emphasis added, Corker would likely appreciate the bolding).

“Firing Rick Wagoner is a sideshow to distract us from the fact that the administration has no progress to announce today. The administration is hoping the media and the public will stay focused on Wagoner and fail to notice that negotiations have not progressed since December."

Pining for more?

"With sweeping new power the White House will be deciding which plants will survive and which won't, so in essence, this administration has decided they know better than our courts and our free market process how to deal with these companies.

It’s been a long time since Washington has seen the kind of kowtowing that’s about to occur among members of Congress trying to curry favor with the administration to keep plants in their states open, and it will be interesting to see if the administration makes these decisions based on a red state and blue state strategy or based on efficiency and capable, skilled workers at each plant."

And then, in an ending that speaks for itself (and likely, many others)...

This is a marked departure from the past, truly breathtaking, and should send a chill through all Americans who believe in free enterprise. I worry that in one fell swoop we’ve lost our moral high ground throughout the global community as it relates to chastising other countries that use strong arm tactics to invade on private property rights.

Read full statement here.

How do 2012 prospects score on animal rights?

Granted.

The Humane Society of the United States is not a special interest group playing a prominent role in a Republican Presidential nomination.

But every year, the society issues a congressional scorecard for legislators' record on animal rights issues.

It's called The Humane Scorecard (pdf), and let's see who throws cats into furnaces and who doesn't.

2012 Prospect Scores (scale: 1-100; the higher, the more animal friendly)

a. Jon Kyl 17

b. Jim DeMint 0

c. John Thune 17

d. Bob Corker 17

e. Kay Bailey Hutchison 17

Notes: As you've guessed by now, there's not a lot of variability in this scale. Every Senator received a 0, 17, 33, 67, 100, or in Barbara Boxer's case, a 100+.

That's because they're basing the score on only seven criteria.

CNS:

Because not all proposed legislation becomes law, lawmakers also were rated based on their co-sponsorship of bills. The "Humane Scorecard" also gave lawmakers credit for trying to boost funding for the enforcement of animal welfare laws.

If you want to see a video of a cat surviving an 80 foot fall from a tree, click here.

Embedding is disabled by request, but if you're a dog lover, or were born with a genetic disposition toward schadenfreude, you'll be wondered and amazed.

Is the NY Times over the moon with Mark Sanford?

Based on these verbs, adverbs, and adjectives, guess whether the NY Times editorial board wrote well or ill of Mark Sanford on Sunday.

"recklessly", "recession-ravaged", "political ambitions", "disastrous", "at risk", "losing", "irresponsible", "face-saving", "placed politics ahead of schoolchildren", "absolute chaos", "hurt tens of thousands".

Safe to say they're not over the moon with the governor.

Note: the last two on the list were words of one of Sanford's chief critics, so the NY Times never said the SC gov would promote absolute chaos that hurts tens of thousands.

They just noted it was "encouraging" to see Hugh Leatherman say so.

Romney, Hannity do Virginia GOP convention

What: Virginia State Republican Convention
Where: The Richmond Downtown Marriott
Who: Read post's headline
When: May 29th.
How Many: 8k - 10k are expected

Source: Washington Post
U2's new album: overrated

Thune continues fight for big Indian reservation $

Word has it that SD Sen. John Thune's working to include some cash for Indian reservations in Obama's budget.

If there's a blemish on Thune's conservative credentials, it might be here. Not because money for Indian reservations is bad - but because it's so much money -- $2 billion in these times of woe.

Thune sent his first letter to then President-elect Barack Obama in December of last year asking for the money, and we broke down how it would be spent:

1) Water projects on reservations nationwide ($1 billion)

2) Public safety on reservations ($750 million)

3) Indian health centers and sanitation facilities ($250 million)

Thune's also carred a few more troubling causes for fiscal conservatives.

1) In January, he expressed hope that one day a sales tax could apply to businesses that don't have a physical presence in the state. Don Bistow explained why that could be disastrous for small, on-line retailers.

2) In January, Thune also teamed up with Democrats to support a $50 billion bond act (pdf), which the Bush administration had opposed (pdf) in 2003 (only it was $63 billion, then). In other words, W showed more fiscal restraint, and as the past 8 years have taught us, that takes some doing.

Still, Thune's been at the forefront of a number of galvanizing causes, as of late, including his official role as card-check-opponent in chief, working to kill off the Fairness Doctrine once and for all, and forming a Right to Carry bill for the Senate.

Alaska Dems will try to block Palin's Dem appointment

Once state Democratic Senator Kim Elton resigned, Sarah Palin was forced to pick a Democratic replacement.

And she did. So why are Democrats vowing to block Tim Grussendorf?

Grussendorf was a registered Republican until just weeks ago, then switched to being a Democrat to qualify for the appointment.

That's like when you go to Denny's as a 64 year-old, and lie about your age (65) to get the senior's special on a Grand Slam.

Whitman's women

Women on the Web interviews the head of Meg Whitman's "Women Coalition", Jillian Manus, and focuses on just how heavily Whitman will be relying on the female vote come 2010.

Randi: How does the Women’s Coalition fit into Whitman’s grand plans?

Jillian: Well, when Meg asked me to run the Women’s Coalition, she said, "Listen, I’ve got to tell you, the women’s vote and the women’s voice are critical to the rehabilitation and success of California." She said, "Women are so important. I’ve seen it in business. I’ve seen it from a personal point of view. And we have to reach out and we have to understand and really mobilize and inspire the women to feel like they have a vote and a voice here in California."

Jillian also says Whitman has a bit of a sly sense of humor.

I was at her house, and we were talking about dieting, and she looks at me and says, "You know, somebody should write a book on ‘The Campaign Diet’ because this is the best diet I’ve ever been on." And we laughed and laughed. It’s such a woman thing to say.

Now that humor's out of the way, let's talk about some cold, hard facts Whitman could turn into hot, new votes.

In 2008, 54% of Californians who voted were women. And of those, 64% went to Barack Obama. So obviously, there's a lot of space Whitman can fill up.

Jillian Manus, again:

We’re trying to get as many women involved on many different levels. We’re rolling out these mega-women events, these "meet Meg" events where people can really start to connect to her as a person, as well as a political leader. I have many, many goals – and a ten-page action plan.

Palin's new AG: Abortion is "killing kids"

The Anchorage Daily News runs a profile of Wayne Anthony Ross, Sarah Palin's new pick to be Attorney General.

You're left with the sense he's an Eastwood-like figure who walks into the courtroom in cowboy hat and boots; and never stands when the judge enters.

Actually, according to ADN, he does exactly that.

He's also got some larger-than-life quotes, and a larger-than-life survival story.

On abortion, which he has called "killing kids":

"I feel I have a good relationship with the good Lord (but) if I could overturn Roe vs. Wade, I figure I got my ticket."

As he faced an impending surgery he might not have survived:

''I told him [God], 'If you want my input, there's a lot of good fights out there to be fought and I'd just as soon stick around.' ''

And former legislator, Mitch Abood, on that Sinclair Lewis-sized personality:

"I just can't say enough good things about him. He'll do anything in the world for you, [but he] can't stand to be wrong. . . . He's on a mission. There's no doubt about it. He thrives on confrontation. . . . He tries to convince me that he is absolutely right and I am absolutely wrong."

Of course, the Left has more than their fair share of complaints, many of them detailed here and here. A good deal center on the abortion comments highlighted above, but others concern more mundane incidents like defending a man who poured buckets of water onto anti-war demonstrators when it was frosty and chilly outside. Take it to the Supreme Court!

For Ross' bio, click here.

The morning in pictures

A reader sends in a picture of Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison standing within 2 inches of each other and not holding knives or sharp objects.

Ben Smith has a mailer that points to Sarah Palin's swing district appeal -- swinging the district toward the Left.

The "Anti-Arnold": CA candidates run from Terminator

The LA Times says GOP gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner are actively distancing themselves from current Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

To the point that a top Republican strategist has called the race a competition to become "the Anti-Arnold".

The Times wonders whether that will hurt Whitman and Poizner among moderates, but there seem to be few in California to offend.

In a February Survey USA poll, Arnold's approval rating stood at 25%. To provide context, even folks in Massachusetts like their governor, Deval Patrick (28%) better than Schwarzenegger.

So how about two quick jabs, one from each major Republican candidate.

First, Poizner:

"[I have] never been confused with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I'm an engineer, I'm an entrepreneur. I fix things, build things."

Well, Arnold's an engineer, too. He was engineered to be an unstoppable cyborg assassin. So what if the cause-effect's slightly off?

Second, Whitman:

"The next governor of California is going to have to plant herself in Sacramento 24/7, 365 days a year."

That's a jab at Schwarzenegger's supposed delinquency.

Then:

"Being CEO of the state is not a popularity contest".

Again, the third world nation getting obliterated is not in question.

In retrospect, maybe handing the 8th largest economy in the world over to this guy wasn't such a great move.

Cantor: Falling, fading, or clouded star?

There's a difference among the three.

And for Eric Cantor, it's likely his star has momentarily dimmed from a cloud passing by.

Glenn Thrush and Patrick O'Connor recount those recent clouds, but even before getting into the actual copy, take a look at the headline "Budget, Britney dim Cantor's star".

First, how long does a budget last? Second, how long does Britney last? Budgets come and go; Britney will soon make the news for something other than playing (kind of) host to a Minority Whip, and third, a hedging interview on MSNBC can quickly be replaced by a unanimous vote or two.

And if Britney Spear sings, money talks louder. In a profile of Cantor last year, the Washington Post said his staff estimated Cantor's raised $60 million for Republican reelection committees and candidates, including a cool $10 million for John McCain.

$60 million will keep your place at the table.

To close, Frank Luntz:

“I’ve been in the room when Cantor gets up to speak to other members. When he begins to talk, they shut up and start listening. That’s why all this other stuff doesn’t really matter.”

Newt's doomsday scenario: Just one nuke could wipe out US

Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen claim North Korea's incipient "communications satellite" bespeaks a much more malignant threat.

The rocket that carries the satellite could also carry a nuclear warhead "over any location on the planet in less than 45 minutes".

So how could that wipe out the United States?

The authors:

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a by-product of detonating an atomic bomb above the Earth’s atmosphere. When a nuclear weapon is detonated in space, the gamma rays emitted trigger a massive electrical disturbance in the upper atmosphere. Moving at the speed of light, this overload will short out all electrical equipment, power grids and delicate electronics on the earth’s surface. In fact, it would take only one to three weapons exploding above the continental United States to wipe out our entire grid and transportation network. It might take years to recover from, if ever.

Newt and Forstchen then urge the reader (you) to skim the Report of the Commission To Assess the Threat of the United States from Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack (pdf).

And in case you think this is Newt Gingrich being manic, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece last August, titled "The EMP Threat", which the WSJ urges not to read before bedtime.

Imagine you're a terrorist with a single nuclear weapon. You could wipe out the U.S. city of your choice, or you could decide to destroy the infrastructure of the entire U.S. economy and leave millions of Americans to die of starvation or want of medical care.

The latter scenario is the one envisioned by a long-running commission to assess the threat from electromagnetic pulse, or EMP. The subject of its latest, and little discussed, report to Congress is the effect an EMP attack could have on civilian infrastructure. If you're prone to nightmares, don't read it before bedtime.

Gingrich and Forstchen conclude with an apocalyptic soundbite to end all apocalyptic soundbites:

What good will a bailout be if there is no longer a nation to bail out?

Note: Forstchen's history should be taken into account. He's a science fiction writer, but apparently, one with a good deal of technical training, as well.

DeMint pushes parental rights legislation

It's not just legislation.

It's an actual constitutional amendment that House Rep. Peter Hoekstra and Sen. Jim DeMint will try introducing on Tuesday.

At issue, the rights of parents to direct their children in the educational upbringing of choice, regardless of federal, state, or international treaty law.

Those international laws are being pushed by Sen. Barbara Boxer, who claims the standards set forth in the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child are necessary to prevent abuses.

Hoekstra's been a leading critic of the convention's standards. You can check out his three minute chat about it here.

For his part, DeMint's already been at the focal point of legislation defending the rights of parents to rear and educate children as they please, but his Parents' Rights Empowerment and Protection Act of 2007 never made it out of committee.

There's a big jump between getting out of committee and getting into the constitution, but this is one more badge on DeMint's conservative uniform he can run with in 2010, and if he chooses, 2012.

Howard Ahmanson: "I'm now a blue dog for Bobby Jindal in 2012"

Supremely influential philanthropist and Christian conservative, Howard Ahmanson, has switched party ID to become a Democrat, although he calls himself a "blue dog Democrat for Bobby Jindal in 2012".

Why's the switch so surprising?

In 1985, Ahmanson told the Orange County Register:

"My goal is the total integration of biblical law into our lives."

Indeed, Salon samples some of his conservatism in a 2004 profile:

In 1992, Ahmanson banded together with four right-wing businessmen to back the campaigns of anti-gay, anti-abortion, pro-big business candidates; two years later, they scored their first major victory, propelling the GOP's takeover of the California Assembly. With $3 million funneled through seven pro-business, anti-abortion and Republican political action fronts, Ahmanson and company captured a startling 25 of the GOP's 39 legislative seats for their candidates.

So why the switch?

Taxes.

From Ahmanson's statement:

About six weeks ago, I, a known leader of the Religious Right in California, decided to reregister in the Democratic Party

I think I was reading about the budget struggles and threatened purges in the Legislature, and I was getting more and more tired and disgusted of it, and I realized that, had I been a Republican assemblyman, I could have hardly escaped being purged myself. The Republican Party of the State of California seems to have decided to narrow itself down to one article of faith, which may be described as NTESEBREE: No Tax Shall Ever Be Raised Ever Ever.

Read his full statement.

Gingrich's new Christian organization gets big contribution from casino baron

One of those odd, bed-fellow stories to cap off your Sunday afternoon.

In a profile of Newt Gingrich, The Daily Beast notes that the new Catholic took over $5 million from casino big-wig Sheldon Adelson to help launch his Renewing American Leadership Group.

Dan Gilgoff described the new organization last week:

Called Renewing American Leadership, the group is led by Gingrich's longtime communications director and includes some of the country's top conservative Christian activists on its board.

This spring, Gingrich will speak to a handful of large gatherings for politically conservative clergy that have been organized by David Barton, an influential evangelical activist who spearheaded the Republican National Committee's rigorous outreach to pastors in 2004.

To read a fascinating NYT profile of Adelson, click here.

To read Wikipedia's profile of George Washington, our country's first President, click here.

The Brains behind Hutchison and Perry

At some point, at least two in the Kay Bailey Hutchison brain trust worked for Rick Perry. At some point, at least one in Perry's top circle worked for Hutchison.

This is what happens during an intraparty war. This is also what happens in rural regions of Kentucky.

Preliminary list here.

When will Charlie Crist show up?

Florida lawmakers like Charlie Crist -- but they'd also like to know what he''s thinking.

Things are tough in Florida right now. Unemployment's at 9.4%, the budget deficit's at $3 billion, and Crist is at a crossroad of sorts.

There are two avenues the perennially happy Crist could skip down.

One, he could raise taxes to protect "the most vulnerable among us", or two, he could keep taxes low and risk the wrath of those who've come to depend on government services.

The Governor:

"I'm resistant to tax increases because I'm sympathetic to the people of Florida and the difficulties they're facing right now."

His potential foe in a Senate race, Dan Gelber:

"He says he doesn't want to cut services, but he doesn't want to increase taxes. It's hard to navigate that. At some point he's got to say: Cigarette tax, yea or nay? Tax exemptions, yea or nay?"

And... whatever happened to that budget proposal (pdf) Crist drew up?

Republican state Senator, Mike Fasano:

"We threw that away."

In the U.S. Senate, there are 99 others to take the credit and share the blame. Just sayin'.

Thune: Obama's "raiding" of defense budget threatens national security

SD Sen. John Thune has sent a letter to Barack Obama, urging the President to retain plans for a "Next Generation Bomber".

Other Senators who signed were Thune's South Dakota colleague, Tim Johnson, as well as Texas Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn; and both Senators from Louisiana.

By now you've probably picked up on why these Senators feel especially compelled to address this issue.

There are large airforce bases in South Dakota, Texas, and Louisiana -- any of which would be the likely home for the bomber.

Thune makes the national security case:

"It appears the Administration plans on raiding the defense budget to pay for the out-of-control spending habits that have come to define their governing philosophy.

Terminating the Next Generation Bomber would be detrimental to our long-term national security."

Then makes the South Dakota case:

"If Ellsworth is ultimately the home of the Next Generation Bomber, the base's future would be secure well into the 21st Century."

Press release and letter here.

Here's a clip from 1990 of Jimmy Stewart talking about his experience in the Air Force, which the modest Jimmy often eschewed.

Add thirty minutes for every fifteen

Buried inside Greta Van Susteren's defense of husband, John Coale, is a sentence showing the absurdity to which the world of Palin has descended (ea).

.... we did the interview in the home with her in her kitchen, another news organization was standing by and followed with their interview (I think it was the Anchorage Daily News) while we went outside to interview her husband on his snow machine.

McCain: I'd like to see Palin run

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

On 2012 issues:

"I'd like to see her [Palin] compete. I think we've got some very good candidates. Jon Huntsman, probably when I run down these things I always leave out a name. Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty. There's so many. There are a lot of good fresh talent out there."

Would he support Palin?

"I'd have to see who the candidates are, and what the situation is at the time. But have no doubt of my respect, admiration, and love for Sarah Palin".

One note.

John McCain's put forth Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman's name repeatedly when asked about the future of the Republican party. It could be rote habit, or it could be something much more McCain-ish that's even spread to his daughter.

Meghan McCain on February 21.

"I think no matter who, in the next four years, becomes the prominent up and coming person -- Bobby Jindal, Gov. Huntsman -- there are lots of names being thrown around right now."

McCain speaks to Sean Hannity on January 16.

I'd also like to point out that it's very early in this whole season.... People like Bobby Jindal and Jon Huntsman and Tim Pawlenty and Mark Sanford...

On December 14th, chatting with George Stephanopoulos:

We've got some great other young governors.... Pawlenty, Huntsman."

So here's a question: Why doesn't McCain ever mention Mitt Romney?

And here's an accompanying question: Why does McCain always mention Huntsman?

There's the first, obvious answer: Huntsman bypassed fellow-Mormon Romney and endorsed McCain early on in the 2008 cycle. That's bound to breed respect.

But there's one more issue, and that is the feud between Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney, one that extends back to 2006 and a disagreement between the two on using BYU almuni lists in campaigning.

Read of the feud here.

Transcript of McCain's chat with Gregory.

Why Hutchison v Perry is more than just Hutchison v Perry

Larry Sabato says the primary matchup between Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rick Perry is the war being waged on every Republican's yacht kitchen table.

"If Hutchison can beat Perry in a GOP primary dominated by conservatives, it may indicate that some of the activists have gotten the message: The Republican Party cannot continue to win national elections simply with conservative white males. It will project (Hutchison) even further into the national debate."

And then there's the Vice-Presidency in 2012.

"She's a prominent senator now. To be governor of Texas and to win as a moderate conservative Republican, she becomes a very hot property. She'll automatically become a prospect for vice president."

Of course, some Republicans wonder why there has to be a primary bloodbath, at all. A sitting Senator against a sitting Governor from the same party? Isn't that like the United States and Great Britain pulling out nuclear weapons over the Atacama Desert?

There's at least one candidate who recognizes the curious arrangement -- Democrat Tom Schieffer:

"It gives somebody like me with a middle-of-the-road philosophy an opportunity to demonstrate what a common-sense approach can do."

"I'm just a friend of hers. I'm not on staff and I'm not paid"

There's a verse in Proverbs that says "in the multitude of counselors there is wisdom."

If Solomon were alive to edit his work, he might change it to "In the multitude of counselors, there is wisdom, except when some of your counselors are based in D.C., others in Alaska, and still others, detritus from your days as a mayor."

The quote above -- "I'm just a friend of hers..." -- is from John Coale, husband to Greta Van Susteren and DC lawyer extraordinaire. It forms the core of Andy Barr and Jonathan Martin's new piece on the growing fissures in the Sarah Palin juggernaut. There's such a thing as having too many friends. There's such a thing as having too many show up at your funeral.

The authors march through a long list of "Oops, we did it again"'s, many of which Palin bears no responsibility for. It's called being spread too thin -- it's one of the reasons the Romans lost their empire, and it's one of the dangers Palin must overcome to avoid losing hers.

Politico piece here.

They attack you because they fear you

Your daily Charlie Crist is super-duper, highly-likely to run for Senate!

This evening's entry: Alex Sink is coming under the Republican gun, b/c the governor's seat is looking to be open.

St. Petersburg Times:

The Florida GOP suddenly last week launched a series of e-mails attacking Democratic Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink for her questioning of a no-bid contract awarded by Attorney General Bill McCollum and Sink talking about investing public money in toxic assets.

State GOP chairman Jim Greer may or may not know Crist's plans, but he certainly seems to have decided it's wise to start softening up the Democrats' strongest contender for an open gubernatorial seat.

(ea) Greer and Crist are extraordinary close. Remember, Greer was one of the first to excoriate Chip Saltsman for Barack the Magic You-Know-What.

It was taken to be something of a feed from Charlie Crist concerning the party's post-2008 direction.

UDPATE!: From Red State:

Insiders claim that he [Crist] will now form a Senatorial exploratory committee before the state legislature’s scheduled recess on May 1.

(ea) This conflicts with Crist's earlier statements.

Palm Beach Post, February 3:

"When the session is over, I'll have a long discussion with my wife, Carole, and make a decision."

The Ann Coulter Hang-Ups on Mitt Romney

American Right to Life is releasing a new vid, highlighting the growing divide between Christian conservatives and Ann Coulter (who, of course, claims to be one, except for that silly, turn the other cheek nonsense).

There are actually two targets -- Ms. Coulter, and Mitt Romney. American Right to Life lumps them together, because the former was supposedly covering up the misdeeds of the latter.

Here's the vid. Here's the website.



[Hat tip: Fox Business]

Damage Control? Palin backs strong pro-life measure

Sarah Palin is digging in her heels on this one.

Her legislature is currently battling over whether abortion legislation should include "parental consent" or "parental notification".

Abortion foes want the more draconian former; opponents the latter.

But lost in all of this is that parental consent was struck down two years ago by Alaska's Supreme Court in a 3-2 decision. Palin recently replaced one of the pro-choice judges with another pro-choice judge.

So why the do-over? Repairing a breach with your base, perhaps?

The ADN:

.... the bill is also a big priority for the governor, and Palin is not interested in a compromise.

Indeed, the ADN provides Palin with a headline "Palin stands firm on consent" bound to please her base.

This, despite the fact Palin didn't exactly "stand firm" and risk political capital by asking for more (and potentially pro-life) names on a proposed list of nominees for Supreme Court, a non-move that angered some pro-life activists.

Family Research Council Action Vice President, Tom McCluskey:

"The fact she wasn't willing to stand up and fight this is something (they) will seriously question on the national stage."

Palin's op-ed: To Thine Own Self Be True, Alaska

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin pens an op-ed in this weekend's Anchorage Daily News that highlights her strongest argument on refusing some stimulus money: We are Alaska; not Washington.

Some, enticed with as much Washington money as possible, assume this is free money. It is not. America is $11 trillion in debt. They also may fail to consider the level of federal intrusion. For example, Alaska’s communities would have to adopt building energy codes that compliment the most recent International Codes. These standards should be locally determined, not federally mandated.

.... When Alaska was granted statehood, it was with the expectation that our independent, innovative spirit and rich resources would largely sustain us, rather than depending on federal government. Creating more dependence on Washington steers us away from Alaska’s magnificent potential and destiny, and that, to me, is a problem.

(ea) As long as Palin can frame the battle as Us v. Them, she should be fine.

Of course, pro-stim Alaskans will try to make it about Alaska, too. They'll make their case in dollars and cents; Palin will make hers in hearts and history.

[Hat tip: Ben Smith]

Fun's over: Texas legislature prunes Governor's latitude

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's controversial $50 million grant to his alma mater, Texas A&M, won't happen again.

House Appropriations Chair, Jim Pitts, who'd previously expressed shock SHOCK at the transfer of $ from one fund to the other, inserted language in the legislature's proposed budget on Friday to strip Perry (or Kay Bailey Hutchison or Kinky Friedman) of the ability to do so without approval from the Legislate Budget Board.

For background on the story, click here.

2012 Governors and Unemployment

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its list of states with statistically significant unemployment changes from Feb 2008 to Feb 2009.

Of course, you'd be daft to pin the praise or damnation on the governors of those states, but governors are kind of like Quarterbacks -- win the game and the glory; lose the game and your job.

So let's get to the list.

A few notes: + is negative in this tally. Means your unemployment rate has gone up. Second, to the right (in parentheses) is the actual unemployment rate in Feb 2009.

Prospective 2012 candidates and their states:

1. Sarah Palin's Alaska: +1.5% (8%)

2. Jon Huntsman's Utah +1.8% (5.1%)

3. Bobby Jindal's Louisiana +1.9% (5.7%)

4. Rick Perry's Texas +2.0% (6.5%)

5. Tim Pawlenty's Minnesota +3.1% (8.1%)

6. Haley Barbour's Mississippi +3.2% (9.1%)

7. Charlie Crist's Florida: +4.2% (9.4%)

8. Mitch Daniels' Indiana: +4.4% (9.4%)

9. Mark Sanford's South Carolina +5.3% (11%)

A few comments: First, there are 22 Republican governors, and nine, NINE are Presidential prospects.

Second, shouldn't these jumps in unemployment/total unemployment rates get as much play as whether a governor refused stimulus money?

[Hat tip: Terrance This Is Stupid Stuff]

Ethics issues might sink Coleman for RNC; Pawlenty to replace?

Steve Perry notes the Mike Allen float on March 16th that if Michael Steele's March fundraising numbers are a bust, a possible replacement as RCN chair would be Norm Coleman (should he lose the recount battle).

But now Steve Perry says new ethics questions might sink the hypothetical Coleman bid.

Politics in Minnesota:

Paul McEnroe and Tony Kennedy of the Strib, who spent a lot of time last year digging into allegations regarding the relationship of Coleman and his longtime friend and patron Nasser Kazeminy, have obtained a copy of a deposition given recently in an ongoing Texas lawsuit filed against a Kazeminy-owned company, Deep Marine Technology. In that deposition, Deep Marine CFO B.J. Thomas says that Kazeminy directed him to pay $100,000 to a Minnesota insurance company where Coleman's wife, Laurie, worked.

Now for a bunch of "IF'S":

1. IF Coleman loses his recount battle, he could be a candidate to replace Steele IF Steele's numbers/gaffes hemorrhage.

2. IF the ethics issues continue to dog Norm Coleman, there are whispers around Minneapolis that Tim Pawlenty might be the incoming RNC chair.

But that's only IF Pawlenty decides not to run for reelection in 2010, and IF Pawlenty can make a plausible calculation that a leap from RNC Chair to Republican nominee is possible.

So as you can see, IF is the operative word, which is why weekend speculation so rarely turns into Monday news.

Hutchison praises Hillary for "keeping a confident face"

Kay Bailey Hutchison offered guest Hillary Clinton some good-will today at a forum in Dallas, as she reminisced on the Secretary of State's primary run.

"You were completely devastated and you never let it show on your face. That character is why you are secretary of state today."

(ea) That character is also why Amy Poehler had such a fun 2008.

Huckabee set to talk Christian service in tough times

Mike Huckabee's going to be filling the pews this weekend in Virginia. A total of 20,000 people are expected to attend four events, including two at Baptist churches.

Huckabee will talk tough times and God, while promoting the Christian Values Network, a free service allowing customers to shop at over 900 internet retailers and contribute a portion of the sale to a favored charity.

“I believe God has established Christian Values Network for this unique time and place to help ministries in lean times. They are providing a very simple and practical solution: using people’s everyday Internet purchases to support their chosen organization.”

Huntsman legalizes homebrewing in Utah

Is there something in the Bacchus that's made Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman turn into Bacchus?

On Tuesday, Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr. signed "The Exemption for Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing License" into law making Utah the 46th state to legalize homebrewing, according to a press release issued by the Brewers Association.

The holdouts: Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Alabama.