End of the Year Money Chart for both Parties

Posted by Parker V on December 29, 2007 under Election 08 | Be the First to Comment

The year is over. And who has spent, gained and has the most cash on hand?
Charts below…

DEMOCRATS:

REPUBLICANS:

Source: CNN Politics

Review of the 08 Primary Candidates Christmas Commercials

Posted by Parker V on December 22, 2007 under Video | Be the First to Comment

Listed in order of release.

Ron Paul (R): Non political. Includes a large happy family. Very festive. Makes the candidate appear warm and human. Overall rating: its great. Extra points for not wussing out and saying the forbidden word “Christmas”.

Mike Huckabee (R): This commercial recieved a lot of media attention while pundits asked themselves weather the “floating cross” in the background was intentional or not. Huckabee says it was not and it’s just a bookcase. How that is a book case, we have no idea, since it looks like its a window, but whatever. Good points for the overall format. Bad points for mentioning “Jesus Christ” as Christmas is a federal (and thus secular) holiday honoring the philosopher Jesus of Nazareth whom most of the country believes is God, however not all Huck. Not all.

Hillary Clinton (D): Not a terrible idea but one that was terribly executed. The music is a little too menacing and the visuals fall right into the liberal caricature she’s trying to avoid: she’s sitting down using YOUR tax money to give YOU gifts. Taking our money and regifting it to us is not exactly keeping with the Season. Including “Middle Class Tax Cuts” is also a gaffe since her husband famously promised them during the 1992 campaign and failed to deliver on it. For that reason she should only mention that promise of hers with an explanation, not just putting it out there asking to be attacked. Ends with a weak “happy holidays”. Overall rating: Bad.

Rudy Giuliani (R):: A little silly, a little goofy, but softens up and shows some humor on the gruff and tough mayor. The “WHAT!?” is all wrong in the context they give here. I suspect a line was cut after the fruitcake objection. Something saying how lame a fruitcake is would make more sense because Rudy’s WHAT reaction is in the fashion of “WHAT? Are you crazy!?” where as if all a person said to him was “a fruitcake?”, he would have given a “whaaaat? whats wrong with a fruitcake??” type “WHAT”. Get it? His response about why the fruitcake is a good idea is also pretty 3-Stooges. Could have toned it down JUST a tad.Overall rating: not so good. too awkward.

His second one is much better:

Overall rating: Good. Ain no one gonna be gettin along this campaign. Even Santa thinks its a pipe dream. Cute.

John Edwards (D): This one is the best ‘on message’ ad as it isn’t in-your-face political because it gets to that point from the back door of motives and not policy. This would win out of all of them if it weren’t for the ridiculous and semi-insulting political correctness of ignoring that its Christmas. The (holiday?) tree in the background is barely visible, Christmas is not mentioned at all, and the Edwards camp even labeled this video on you youtube: John Edwards – “Season” TV Ad. Season? For someone who wants to be so generous with other people’s money, he sure is a Scrooge here.

John McCain (R): This seems to be McCains response to the Huckabee cross flap, as if to say “you think that’s a cross? I’ll show you a gad dang cross”. The story is a powerful one. As a Christmas ad, its only so-so. Overall rating: good

Huckabee Responds to Coulter

Posted by Parker V on under Video | Be the First to Comment

Team Huck has released this response to Coulter on MikeHuckabee.com. It addresses further comments by Coulter made in a column and not the appearance above specifically:

Ann Coulter’s comments are based on a response I made during a radio call-in show in which a caller asked what I thought about the Supreme Court ruling on Lawrence v. Texas. At the time I had not read the ruling and was basing my opinion on the summary by the caller. After reading the decision I believe it is obvious that the ruling was wrongly
decided. Lawrence v. Texas is an extreme example of judicial activism. It could, in fact, be inappropriately used to attack our marriage laws nationwide.

I am in agreement with the dissent by Justices Scalia, Rehnquist, and Thomas:

“[The ruling] dismantles the structure of constitutional law that has permitted a distinction to be made between heterosexual and homosexual unions, insofar as formal recognition in marriage is concerned. If moral disapprobation of homosexual conduct is ‘no legitimate state interest’ for purposes of proscribing that conduct, …what justification could there possibly be for denying the benefits of marriage to homosexual couples exercising ‘the liberty protected by the Constitution’?”

Furthermore, As Justice Thomas said, we might disagree with the wisdom of a law, but that is the province of the Legislature, not unelected judges. No such activist Justices will be appointed as long as I am President.

I wish Ms. Coulter had contacted me or my campaign to discuss my position in detail before writing her column. I would have appreciated the opportunity to clarify this matter.

Sledding At The Romneys

Posted by Parker V on December 20, 2007 under Video | Be the First to Comment

McCain’s new ad, “Not Easy” (VIDEO)

Posted by Parker V on December 19, 2007 under Video | Be the First to Comment

This new ad from the McCain camp seems to give him the grandfather role of “you may not like my rules, but they’re good for you and you’ll thank me later”. Will it work? The first act appeals to independents and Reagan Democrats, and the shot of him WITH Reagan himself attempts to reassure the conservative base that despite all his conservative heart breaks, he has always really been one of them.

Iowa Dem Debate Reaction: Focus Group says Obama was best

Posted by Parker V on December 16, 2007 under Election 08 | Be the First to Comment

Coverage of Iowa reactions after the Des Moines Register debate and analysis of Barack Obama’s strong performance.

Oprah & Obama in Des Moines: Introduction

Posted by Parker V on December 9, 2007 under Video | Be the First to Comment

Oprah Winfrey introduces her good friend, Senator Barack Obama, to Des Moines, Iowa. December 8, 2007.

The Mike Huckabee Immigration Plan…

Posted by Parker V on December 8, 2007 under President | Be the First to Comment

The Mike Huckabee Immigration Plan…

The Secure America Plan A 9-Point Strategy for Immigration Enforcement and Border Security

Overview: Implement a broad-based strategy that commits the resources of the federal government to the enforcement of our immigration laws and results in the attrition of the illegal immigrant population.

1. Build the Fence

• Ensure that an interlocking surveillance camera system is installed along the border by July 1, 2010.
• Ensure that the border fence construction is completed by July 1, 2010.

2. Increase Border Patrol

• Increase the number of border patrol agents.
• Fully support all law enforcement personnel tasked with enforcing immigration law.

3. Prevent Amnesty

• Policies that promote or tolerate amnesty will be rejected.
• Propose to provide all illegal immigrants a 120-day window to register with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and leave the country. Those who register and return to their home country will face no penalty if they later apply to immigrate or visit; those who do not return home will be, when caught, barred from future reentry for a period of 10 years.

4. Enforce the Law on Employers

• Employment is the chief draw for most illegal immigrants and denying them jobs is the centerpiece of an attrition strategy.
• Impose steep fines and penalties on employers that violate the law.
• Institute a universal, mandatory citizenship verification system as part of the normal hiring process.
• Prevent the IRS and the Social Security Administration from accepting fraudulent Social Security numbers or numbers that don’t match the employees’ names.*

5. Establish an Economic Border

• Move toward passage of the FairTax.
• The FairTax provides an extra layer of security by creating an economic disincentive to immigrate to the U.S. illegally.

6. Empower Local Authorities

• Promote better cooperation on enforcement by supporting legislative measures such as the CLEAR Act, which aims to systematize the relationship between local law and federal immigration officials.
• Encourage immigration-law training for police. Local authorities must be provided the tools, training, and funding they need so local police can turn illegal immigrants over to the federal authorities.

7. Ensure Document Security

• End exemptions for Mexicans and Canadians to the US-VISIT program, which tracks the arrival and departure of foreign visitors. Since these countries account for the vast majority of foreigners coming here (85 percent), such a policy clearly violates Congress’ intent in mandating this check-in/check-out system.
• Reject Mexico’s “matricula consular” card, which functions as an illegal-immigrant identification card.

8. Discourage Dual Citizenship

• Inform foreign governments when their former citizens become naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Impose civil and/or criminal penalties on American citizens who illegitimately use their dual status (e.g., using a foreign passport, voting in elections in both a foreign country and the U.S.).

9. Modernize the Process of Legal Immigration

• Eliminate the visa lottery system and the admission category for adult brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.
• Increase visas for highly-skilled and highly-educated applicants.
• Expedite processing for those who serve honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Improve our immigration process so that those patiently and responsibly seeking to come here legally will not have to wait decades to share in the American dream. Governor Huckabee has always been grateful to live in a country that people are trying to break into, rather than break out of.

*This policy will be drafted to comply with the final federal court decisions on this issue.

Note: This plan is partially modeled on a proposal by Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. (“Re: Immigration: Ten Points for a Successful Presidential Candidate,” National Review, May 23, 2005.)