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Political Hay
Take a Deep Breath
The fiery last debate and the hectic week since then hasn’t really changed anything. So relax…
Despite headlines about last Tuesday’s debate such as the Las Vegas Review-Journal calling it a “slugfest that tested candidates’ mettle,” despite hearing a new tax plan from Rick Perry, and a “9-0-9” modification of Herman Cain’s signature policy for certain low-wage workers, despite Rick Santorum saying that Herman Cain’s position on abortion is like that of John Kerry and Barack Obama, the past week seems to have changed less about the situation in the Republican field than any week so far during this campaign season.
Amidst all the spinning, all the scurrilous charges, all the hyperbole and cognitive dissonance, nobody’s mind seems to be changing, at least if betting odds are any representation.
Since the beginning of last week (prior to the debate) betting odds on Republican candidates have barely moved:
• Mitt Romney is trading around 66.5 percent to be the nominee, the same price at which he began last week.
• Rick Perry likewise remains at the 14 percent probability he had a week ago, hardly the move he might have hoped for following the only time he has been able to ruffle Romney’s coiffeur.
• Herman Cain, despite encouraging poll numbers in Iowa and elsewhere, is trading around 7.6 percent, essentially unchanged with the beginning of last week after a brief spike up to about 9 percent.
• Newt Gingrich’s “resurrection” has catapulted him from 2.5 percent a week ago to 3 percent now, actually the biggest move, both in absolute and relative terms, of any candidate but still hardly a ripple on the political ocean.
• Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum are each within about 0.1 percent of where they started the week, at 2.5 percent, 1.2 percent, and 0.5 percent respectively. Santorum’s odds are only 0.1 percent away from those of Mike Huckabee (who isn’t running) and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson (who nobody knows is running); one has to wonder how much longer Santorum will or should be included in these debates.
• Perhaps the smartest move was by Jon “Who?” Huntsman whose betting odds at about 2.6 percent remain, like the others, right where they were a week ago. But he accomplished that feat without having to spend money on a flight and hotel room (not to mention the other pleasures of Las Vegas).
It’s not as if we learned nothing in the past week, whether about Rick Perry’s petulance and flat tax plan-coming-soon, Mitt Romney’s ever-present political calculations, Herman Cain’s libertarian leanings, Rick Santorum’s sanctimoniousness, or Newt Gingrich’s consistently being the adult in the room.
And it’s not as if the media hasn’t tried spinning the last week’s news every possible way. Yet for the first time since the GOP field has been in its complete form, few minds were changed by any of it, including the debate, if betting odds are to be believed.
Do you feel after half a dozen debates more than a year before the general election, like a patient of Dr. D. P. Gumby, complaining “My brain hurts!”?
Or perhaps, are Republicans beginning to wonder whether many of the debates, especially those moderated by liberals such as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper, are less likely to inform us than to position Republicans in a circular firing squad for the primary benefit of President Obama’s re-election chances?
My Australian-born but now American citizen wife — who’s quite the Newt Gingrich fan based on watching the Republican debates — theorizes that the Occupy Wall Street shenanigans have distracted the nation from thinking about Republican candidates. She is, as always, on to something, and it will be interesting to see if the candidates take on the unsanitary leftist Occu-Pie-ers at the next debate. But I think there’s more to our slight candidate numbness than distraction by latter day hippies egged on by union goons.
On the one hand, we are beginning to feel as if we know these candidates, that we are unlikely to learn much more from further debates other than perhaps who is the best debater — itself not an insignificant point for someone who will have to debate Barack Obama. (While our president will not be at his rhetorical best unless teleprompter contact lenses are invented for him, with Messrs. Axelrod and Plouffe furiously typing away giving him talking points during a debate, the idea of Rick Perry going up against Barack Obama seems like my local junior high school going up against the Big Ten champions.)
About the Author
Ross Kaminsky is a self-employed trader and investor and is a senior fellow of the Heartland Institute. He is the host of The Ross Kaminsky Show on Denver’s NewsRadio 850 KOA at 11 AM on most Sundays. You can reach Ross by e-mail at rossputin(at)rossputin(dot)com.
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Innocent Bystander| 10.24.11 @ 6:26AM
Too many debates....
Arguments between Perry and Romney very
annoying and bad for Republicans...
Still time for a real conservative to enter the
race...Jim DeMint, Steve King, etc.
Please no more debates moderated by liberals...
Try to tie Romney down on issues like abortion,
balancing the budget, etc. He has the potential
to be a great president if he converts to the
conservative cause...
black knights 1802| 10.24.11 @ 7:59AM
It is quite obvious that the media, including Fox News, is only interested in getting the candidates to snipe and back stab each other. How about having a real debate, where questions of policy are proposed and each candidate has X minutes to answer, one by one. Instead we have a hodgepodge forum that leads to “yes you did”, “no I didn’t” responses. Meanwhile, the leftist White House is loving it.
DTOM| 10.24.11 @ 8:33AM
Wrongo, 1802!
Fox is only interested in selling advertising.
Adddd-vertising!
They are nobody's friends other than their own.
MSNBC, CNN and the others, they don't even care about selling advertising. They are pleasantly surprised at their sudden high ratings for the Republican debates though. It gives them some, "profitability" street cred... well a little.
Alan Brooks| 10.24.11 @ 10:28AM
Romney thinks building a bigger Navy will make us safer?
Aces and Eights| 10.24.11 @ 4:56PM
O'Bozo thinks "building" a smaller Navy will make us safer. Now THAT'S stupid!
Bumr50| 10.24.11 @ 6:31AM
"• Herman Cain, despite encouraging poll numbers in Iowa and elsewhere, is trading around 7.6 percent, essentially unchanged with the beginning of last week after a brief spike up to about 9 percent."
Sorry Ross.
Herman Cain's not going anywhere. His positions haven't changed on anything - yet the media AND supporters of other candidates are now guilty of trying to shape the narrative and/or discard a candidate in an attempt to whittle down the competition.
And you're a lousy bookie.
Sean| 10.24.11 @ 7:14AM
Herman Cain against a national sales tax before he was for it.
http://www.redstate.com/theher.....at-stupid/
chuck| 10.24.11 @ 8:16AM
Read it, and as usual, you read only the headline, not the story.
CAIN IS RAILING AGAINST ADDING A SALES TAX ON TOP OF THE EXISTING TAX STRUCTURE.
At the end he proposes the FairTax, which is a replacement for the existing tax structure, as is 9-9-9
You are a stupid, filthy liar!
chuck| 10.24.11 @ 8:17AM
But then the truth doesn't fit your agenda, does it?
Sean| 10.24.11 @ 8:48AM
You should read it. A national sales tax plus and income tax is a horrible idea. This idea is what liberals and world government types have been pushing for a long time.
chuck| 10.24.11 @ 9:05AM
I did read it, did you? Your original comment is horribly misleading! 9-9-9 replaces the existing tax code, as does the Fairtax, which he advocates in the column. What he was discussing was an added VAT which was proposed by the Democrats, which was added to the existing tax code.
You are as bad as the MSM, liberals, and the other Paul-bots here, you have to lie and distort the truth to try to bring down Cain.
Sean| 10.24.11 @ 9:58AM
9-9-9 keeps the income tax and adds a sales tax. Cain made the argument in his article that the politician would increase the new tax. I agree with what he wrote a year ago. The Fair tax recognizes that you can not also have an income tax. The 9-9-9 plan is not a pathway to the Fair tax it is a pathway to the liberal dream of a sales tax and income tax.
You big government liberals are something else.
Drunken Sailor| 10.24.11 @ 11:33AM
And apparently you did not read the whole plan.
"Phase 2 – The Fair Tax
Amidst a backdrop of the economic renewal created by the 9-9-9 Plan, I will begin the process of educating the American people on the benefits of continuing the next step to the Fair Tax.
•Ultimately replaces individual and corporate income taxes
•Ends the IRS as we know it and repeals the 16th Amendment"
You Paul supporters are something else.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 11:42AM
Read Dr.Ron Paul's " Plan To Restore America" & Get Back To Us.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....caPlan.pdf
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Sean| 10.24.11 @ 12:16PM
Step one would have to repeal the 16th Amendment. You liberals are crazy wanting both a national sales tax and income tax.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 9:33PM
Conservatives who aren't Paul-bots are liberals to them.
Because they don't believe in the cult of R. Paul.
And just like a typical Leftist, their ends justifies their means. In other words, they see fit to try and utterly destroy conservatives (which they are NOT), by lying, demeaning and misrepresenting their words.
Just more typical blatant lying from Sean, the resident punk.
Right Seany-poo?
Jeamar| 10.25.11 @ 12:37AM
Gosh Margie-poo-bot. So Ron Paul now is associated with cultists along with Romney. Do you add "-poo" to the name of everyone with whom you disagree?
Sean| 10.25.11 @ 1:30AM
Sorry Margie but people who support TARP are not conservatives.
Marco| 10.24.11 @ 9:52AM
Sorry y'all, ol' Herm just ain't ready for prime time. He shoulda hit the briefing books before now. Watching him try to debate, or answer a question in any format, is like trying to mix apples and oranges, which all know just can't be done.
Grzmlyk| 10.24.11 @ 12:54PM
You are right, Marco.
Too much vagueness, mounting gaffes, willful refusal to become more informed about policy.
His catch-all solution to every problem is "I'll find the solution."
Here's the Cain plan for curing cancer:
1) Assemble the finest team of oncologists and researchers available;
2) Charter the super-commission to find a cure;
3) Once the cure is found, make it available to everyone who has cancer.
Done and done.
Next problem?
I wish he were a better candidate because I think his temperament is perfect for these times. Unfortunately, it's going to be Mitt.
And if people like Loulou below choose not to vote for Romney, it'll be four more years of Obama, which means a dictatorship, complete with gulags and reeducation camps. And then we'll see the persecution of white, middle class people begin in earnest.
The Marxist ideal is not to eat the rich (many of whom are loyal Party members now). It is to destroy the middle class.
Indeed, the election of Obama in 2012 will be the voluntary suicide of America. Although, truth be told, we have been committing suicide in this country ever since the Great Society arrived like a plague of locusts.
The problem is that the elite GOP establishment decides who becomes the nominee. The truth is that nobody in a position of power wants to disassemble the nanny state; whether they have "Ds" or "Rs" behind their names doesn't really matter. They're all professional politicians, and the name of the game is Power. None of them either comprehends or cares about the fact that we've run out of tomorrows; all that matters for these people is today.
You get and keep power today by handing out goodies to constituents and cozying up to crony capitalist corporations.
I sympathize with Loulou. I despair at the thought that it'll be Mitt. On the other hand, I don't think Mitt would put me in a reeducation camp. I'm sure Obama would.
Either way, in five years this country will be a vastly different place - and the change will not have been for the better.
DRed| 10.24.11 @ 1:04PM
Gulags? You have to be joking. Even for you that's hysterically over the top.
Grzmlyk| 10.24.11 @ 1:58PM
They won't be called gulags, of course. They'll be called Jobs Training Camps or perhaps Attitude Adjustment Retreats. Something that will allow leftist pigs like you enough wiggle room to pretend you don't know what's going on. I mean, you people are masters at changing the language in order to disguise the truth of what you are - power-mad nihilists looking to dictate to others for fun and profit.
Hell, what is the education system in this country from K - the graduate level except one big indoctrination camp?
I know what you're thinking, Dred: Once you plug all the holes in our society, you'll have an air-tight totalitarian state - and then there will be no need for gulags - er, Attitude Adjustment Retreats.
DRed| 10.24.11 @ 2:44PM
You seriously believe that? Seriously?
Grzmlyk| 10.24.11 @ 8:15PM
The only way socialism works (and it never works for long) is at the point of a gun. Ask your buddy Lenin; he knew as early as 1917 that his "people's revolution" would only work if his thugs in the Cheka killed or co-opted those who weren't "down" with the program. Lenin never had any illusions that socialism was anything but an illusory carrot or a stick dangled in front of fools or crooks.
Because, contrary to what you believe, people - and I include hypocrites like YOU - will not willingly work an extra several hours a day for an abstraction like "the common good" - which, in theory, makes people like you tingle with self-satisfaction but, in practice, means enriching the corrupt party elites whose only talent is for kissing asses or busting heads.
Without the incentive of personal gain, a different incentive has to be imposed - and it's not warm-and-fuzzy altruism; it is penalties for non-compliance.
Just look at the tax code if you don't believe me. And, in fact, if the government hadn't cleverly disguised the extent to which socialist redistribution already robs people of their earnings through things like withholding taxes and payroll taxes (to name just two duplicitous practices), there would already be an uprising among taxpayers who typically work the first four months of the year for the government. But they don't realize it because the government cleverly does them the "favor" of taking taxes out every single paycheck. And the amount of salary people are losing to fund ever-more lavish health care plans - which force policyholders to subsidize ridiculous things like aromatherapy and transgender counseling - would surely give rise to grass-roots movements around the country of people who've had enough of feeding the big government leviathan. Maybe we could call these grass-roots movements, oh, I don't know, "Tea parties."
In other words, "from each according to his ability to each according to his needs" never works in the real world - in part because it is always some bureaucrat who decides what one person's abilities are and what another's needs are - and these decisions are always made in accordance with what is most advantageous to the people that bureaucrat is beholden to - the ruling regime.
Read up on some of your socialist heroes, like Lenin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Mao, Castro, Ortega, Chavez. There are only two ways for the state to keep people in line under a "socialist regime" once the citizens figure out they're simply pawns in a giant kleptocracy: either kill or "reeducate" them.
I'm sure many people in Germany in 1942 thought that those who talked of mass exterminations were mad - because, after all, Germany was a paragon of culture, chastened into an ecumenical world view by the humiliation of World War 1, right?.
Tell me again why gulags can't happen here? human nature is remarkably consistent.
This is not the world I want - it's the world you want. And we are perilously close to it. So yes, if you have your way, it will occur. If Obama has his way, it will occur. he's already made utterances that reveal he's amenable to things like "reeducation camps."
Or don't you remember this quote, from July 2, 2008, when Obama was running for president?
The U.S. "cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."
Care to tell me what the purpose of this shadow army is?
I get a kick out of your faux shock - after all, you wouldn't even view these as gulags - in your mind, it would just be doing the good deed of teaching people how to embrace diversity and tolerance and multiculturalism.
I say again: What the hell do you think our schools are, if not reeducation camps?
DRed| 10.24.11 @ 10:29PM
Shadow army? I can't tell if you're living a paranoid fantasy or if you just willfully take things out of context. Here's the preceding sentence that you left out : "And we’re going to grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy." He's talking about using soft power in addition to our military might to achieve foreign policy objectives. Strange that you didn't add that to your quote.
As for the rest of your deluded rant, I don't even know where to start. What do you want me to read? Robert Conquest? Solzhenitsyn? The Black Book of Communism? I realize you're not one for nuance or in-depth study, but if you can't tell the differences between contemporary American and Stalinist Russia, you're even more deranged than Clint is.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 1:47PM
Gotta do the right thing, always. Real conservatives WILL vote for the Republican nominee, even if it's Romney.
But keep those dollars flowing to Herman Cain!
Teagle| 10.24.11 @ 3:20PM
Not this real conservative. When the Real republican leadership starts supporting authentic conservative candidates, then I might consider voting for the Republican nominee in November. But not if it's Romney!
loulou| 10.24.11 @ 9:58AM
It looks the Romneyites are out in full force this morning.
George Will had a good point--Romney = Michael Dukakis.
A warning to the Romneyites--conservatives will not be voting for Romney. Yes, that means we might get more of Obama but we were screwed last time with McCain. No more holding of noses and voting for the elite annointed candidate.
ImissBuckley31| 10.24.11 @ 4:16PM
The problems with Obama staying in the White House is obvious: Judicial/government appointments, an incoherent Foreign Policy, etc.
The few positives: A Republican Congress, (control of the Senate and the House) means a impotent Obama(he already kinda is), who can't get anything passed and depending on how many seats we win next year ObamaCare could possibly be repealed (which doesn't need a Republican President). There is also the fact that Republicans tend to hold on to their limited government principles when its a Democrat in the White House. And the fact is, we can't be sure that a President Mitt Romney and a Republican Congress won't screw us over when the time comes for fiscal responsibility. So for our purposes a Divided government may be more preferable to one party rule.
We have to face the fact that 2012 is likely gonna be another "pick your poison election", which is very very depressing.
Mattress-x | 2.2.12 @ 10:02PM
Interesting battle there.. :)
Ross Kaminsky | 10.24.11 @ 9:08AM
Bumr,
Not sure why you felt the need to say "Sorry Ross" as if I expressed a preference about whether Cain's odds were rising or dropping.
Nor why you felt the need to say I'm a "lousy bookie" when (1) I was simply reporting on what the odds are, not making the odds myself, and (2) I've been doing quite well on political betting, such as (as I've told these pages) betting that Sarah Palin wouldn't run, and selling (going short) Jon Huntsman.
Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
Doctor Right| 10.24.11 @ 9:44AM
"Betting odds"??
WHO are these folks doing this "betting"??
Cain is leading Romney 28% to 21% in Iowa, a state he's hardly even campaigned in:
http://www.rasmussenreports.co.....can_caucus
Cain also leads Romney in Nevada:
http://www.washingtontimes.com.....g.facebook
loulou| 10.24.11 @ 10:00AM
WHO are these folks doing this "betting"??
Why, the GOP establishment and the lefties of course. The cluelessness of the GOP elites is astounding.
Grzmlyk| 10.24.11 @ 2:29PM
I don't think it's cluelessness, Loulou - I think it's simply an example of the incestuous nature of the elites. They're like NFL players - sure, they do battle with each other during games - even get into some pretty serious scuffles. But when it comes to being in the NFL, they are members of a rarefied club. They're all in the same players' union, they all share common interests beyond the sidelines, and they are brothers under their uniforms, even if those uniforms happen to represent different teams.
I have mixed feelings about Cain - I do like him, but let's face it - there are gaping holes in his candidacy. And, right now, he's simply the flavor of the month, sucking up a lot oft he enthusiasm that Perry ceded with his comatose debate performances.
loulou| 10.24.11 @ 2:43PM
Cain is not perfect but he's more than flavor of the month. Cain is learning and improving as he goes.
You're right--the elites want to keep their club elite.
Grzmlyk| 10.24.11 @ 3:08PM
I like Cain a lot - but, for me personally, I have to be more confident that he understands these policies initiatives. I also think his thinking could be vastly more sophisticated. He doesn't have to be a wonk, but look at Reagan - Reagan was a serious thinker who devoted a lot of words and thought to conservative principles and policy implications for years - and yet he was considered a dunce by the mainstream media.
I think Cain's thinking along some of these lines is far shallower than Reagan's ever was, and, while I understand that they'll portray ANY GOP nominee as an idiot, I want someone who I believe has an agile mind and some real heft.
I am not yet convinced Cain has that - as I say, though, I like him a lot and would rather have him as our nominee than Romney by a long shot.
But his improvement must accelerate. I thought his "apples and oranges" stuff was PAINFULLY amateurish.
And some of his gaffes - letting Gitmo prisoners go, the abortion flap, not knowing what a neocon is - I like having an outsider as a president, but I want him to know the terrain on which he's about to do battle, or he'll be eaten alive.
I'd also like to see him put together a formidable organization; right now it's sort of an ad hoc and motley crew.
Ross Kaminsky | 10.24.11 @ 10:09AM
Surely betting odds can be wrong, but you can't simply map a couple of individual state polls into the odds of Cain actually getting the nomination.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 12:56PM
Dittos, Bumr50.
The stupid ones trying to discredit Herman Cain aren't being listened to by them because we know the real thing when we see it.
Country Class Women for Herman Cain 2012!
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 10.24.11 @ 6:35AM
Santorium may be one to something noting that's there is not much difference between Obama, Kerry and some of the Republican candidates.
There isn't a true conservative in the bunch, merely a group of big government embracers with a slightly different vision from Obama of how to shepherd big government onward and upward.
The number of true conservatives in this country is small and getting smaller as the decades pass on.
Ironically, the alleged small government Republicans have their work cut out for them.
Here's a part of Obama's record that they will have trouble dislodging:
Obama is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, tax cutter in history. By extending the tax cuts and cutting the payroll tax, I think he is the biggest tax cutter ever. The only thing working against Obama is the fact that federal revenues are down significantly so his tax cutting numbers may not be as big as Bush 2000-2004.
Obama has managed the biggest group of deported immigrants in our history, deporting more illegal immigrants than any other President.
He's also ending the War in Iraq. Say what you will, it's a popular move and the Republicans can't wait to shoot off their mouths about it. If they were smart they would welcome it because about 90% of the public approves.
In short, Obama has done a horrible job in many ways. But he owns several of the Republican talking points including tax cuts and immigration.
Yeah, he wants to raise taxes in 2013 and may get the opportunity.
The Republicans in Congress haven't come up with one good plan that sticks in the public mind.
They better learn how to be simple because simple is going to win.
And simple is cutting taxes (Obama), deporting illegal aliens (Obama) and ending the war in Iraq.
Not one Republican candidate has elucidated a vision of leadership or has come up with a plan that will overcome Obama's record.
Yes, Obama is corrupt and perhaps stupid in some ways. But his record on taxes and immigration can't be touched by any Republican.
Brian Mc| 10.24.11 @ 8:49AM
Not one candidate has come up with a plan because they are all ignoring the biggest elephant in the room, Bill. The monstrous growth of big government and the 'plan' to cut it down to Constitutional size is missing from all the arguments. Get off the tax talk; I want to hear what they will do to fight the elephant. It starts with an attitudinal shift through realization-that their lives are not enriched because the government is doing something...on the contrary and this is the fact of life that is ignored.
Bob K.| 10.24.11 @ 1:12PM
Well said!
The inflation of government and it bureaucracies have done more to create our financial crisis than our tax code has: Which is nothing more than a creation of this inflated government!
TrueBlue| 10.24.11 @ 4:16PM
Thing is, he had nothing to do with bringing the troops home from Iraq with possible exception of telling them there's no way our guys would stay there without a SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement). The Iraqi government wanted all crimes our guys committed to be taken care of in Iraqi court, including punishment, and given how their courts and punishment works that'd be like forcing every person over there to risk being killed every time they left camp just because they looked at someone the "wrong way," or in the case of any female soldiers, because she wasn't dressed appropriately. This drop dead date was decided on back when BUSH WAS IN OFFICE, but he won't get any credit for that.
Just like he won't get any credit for the enhanced interrogation methods that produced the location of Osama bin Laden. Obama had the guys Clinton didn't to okay the mission to take the guy out, but that's all he had to do with the operation! The only ones he can claim are the deaths of Anwar al-Alwaki and and Samir Khan, which were done illegally since he didn't bother to call up Hillary and the State department to revoke their citizenship first so they should have been arrested and brought before a court. Should they have been targetted? Yes. But given how simple it would have been, given all of the evidence and their repeated statements for attacking the US, to revoke their citizenship the fact that he didn't do that shows either laziness or contempt for the law (pick one). One is bad, the other is worse.
TrueBlue| 10.24.11 @ 4:16PM
"guys" in the second paragraph should have read "guts"
Shamus| 10.24.11 @ 7:29AM
I was watching a Ron Paul interview yesterday and I realized that I need to vote for him, even though he seems to have no chance of winning. He's the only candidate who actually wants to solve our problems rather than make them worse.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 8:50AM
"A Harris poll, released at the end of September, revealed that Paul and Romney would beat Obama in a hypothetical general election. According to the Harris poll, if Paul won the Republican nomination he would win the general election with 51 percent of the votes to Obama’s 49 percent."
irish19| 10.24.11 @ 10:19AM
So, how 'bout them All-Blacks?
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 10:45AM
The Frogs screwed their line out & let NZ's prop Woodcock shoot through that gap.
irish19| 10.24.11 @ 10:59AM
I only caught the end of the first half and missed the try. I did catch the entire second half though. Say what you will about the Froggie army, there ain't no quit in their rugby team. Both sides' kicking games sucked or the score would have been higher. NZ was lucky to hang on and win, but win they did.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 11:13AM
Yup, The Frogs' Captain Dusautoir won both IRB Player Of The Year & Man of the Match.
Sean| 10.24.11 @ 12:19PM
Yeah the kicking game sucked big time and not just the penalty and conversion attempts.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 3:59PM
Agreed. Some of those clearing punts were hurtin'.
irish19| 10.24.11 @ 10:54PM
"Shocking" is what the Premier League commentators would have called them (had it been soccer, which it wasn't). Still loved seeing the game, though. Wish the USA could do a bit better.
Doctor Right| 10.24.11 @ 11:55AM
UH-OH, Clint!!!
LOOK-OUT!!!
The Pope wants a HUGE, centralized banking authority for the WHOLE WORLD!!!!!
http://www.reuters.com/article.....7020111024
WHAT will you die-hard, conspiracy-theorist, Ron-Paul-lovin' Catholics do now???
WHO ya' gonna' choose?
The Pope? Or Prince Ron???
LOL!
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 12:48PM
Duuuuuuhhhhh !
American Spectator's Resident Fixated-Obsessed Lapsed Catholic Turned Ax Wielding Anti-Catholic Storm Trooper, Dr.Reich.
This Isn't A Mandated Ex Cathedra Statement Of The Catholic Church.
But Then, You Already Knew That, Dr.Reich.
You're The Guy,Who Badmouths Mormons Too, But Will Vote For The Ruling Elites' & Wall Street RINO-CINO Frontman Mittens Romney.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Doctor Right| 10.24.11 @ 2:07PM
Did I say it was "ex Cathedra"??
I just want you to comment on how two men you claim to admire soooooo much can have such diametrically opposed views!
BTW, genius...I'd vote for Rick Santorum in a heartbeat. He's a Catholic, right???
Duuuuuuuuhhhh!
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 5:15PM
Duuuuuuuhhhhh !
Do Your Homework, Dr.Reich.
"At a news conference Oct. 24, the Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, emphasized that the document was "not an expression of papal magisterium," but instead was an "authoritative note of a Vatican agency," the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. In that sense, he said, it would not be correct to report that "Pope Benedict says" what's in the document, he said."
Many Of We Conservatives Fell Off Ricky Santorum's Sled Here In Pennsylvania, Because He Supported The Super RINO-CINO Arlen Specter Against Our Candidate Pat Toomey, In The 2004 GOP Pennsylvania Senate Primary.
You'd Vote For The RINO-CINO Ruling Elites' Frontman, Mittens Romney Too.
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Grzmlyk| 10.24.11 @ 2:12PM
The express train to the home for the Terminally Delusional and Very Angry has just pulled into the station, Clint.
I understand you have a complimentary pass for a seat in the very first car!
Maybe they'll even let you ring the bell just like a grown-up, you AINO-CINO.
The whack job is here, and his name is Clint.
Ding, ding! Aaaaall aboard!
Al Adab| 10.24.11 @ 4:02PM
I'm beginning to worry that Clint is hanging out with Post-American a bit too much. I skip their posts anymore.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 5:20PM
You Don't Get To" Define " Me Or The Tea Party Or Our Tea Party Co-Favorite Dr.Ron Paul RINO-CINO PropagandaBoy Grizwacker.
"RON PAUL “PLAN TO RESTORE AMERICA”
REGULATION:
Repeals ObamaCare, Dodd-Frank, and Sarbanes-Oxley. Mandates REINS-style requirements for thorough congressional review and authorization before implementing any new regulations issued by bureaucrats. President Paul will also cancel all onerous regulations previously issued by Executive Order."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 1:01PM
Dr. Right,
It never mattered what the Papacy did, does or is going to do to people like Clint the pervert.
Just like it doesn't matter what Ron Paul believes about America being at fault for terrorists being terrorists because our country are "Occupiers".
A Cult is a Cult is a Cult, and its members will not face reality.
Unless of course God has mercy on them.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 5:28PM
Uh Oh !
American Spectator's Resident Lapsed Catholic/Anti-Catholic Female Tag Team Partner To Dr.Reich Is In The Building.
Michael Scheuer, who was the head analyst at the CIA’s bin Laden unit, Alec Station, and authored the books Through Our Enemies Eyes and Imperial Hubris, said “I thought Mr. Paul captured it the other night exactly correctly. This war is dangerous to America because it’s based, not on gender equality, as Mr. Giuliani suggested, or any other kind of freedom, but simply because of what we do in the Islamic World and because ‘we’re over there,’ basically, as Mr. Paul said in the debate.”
Scheuer also agreed with Dr. Paul’s statement in the debate that the war in Iraq was a diversion from capturing or killing Osama bin Laden and that bin Laden was “delighted” that the U.S. is occupying Iraq as it has become a training ground and recruiting tool for new jihadists joining the movement."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Dan| 10.24.11 @ 8:47PM
Bigot Margie,
Tell us how the papacy killed fifty million people, that is 50,000,000.
Do you believe in the divinity of Jesus? Yes or No.
Skip the cut and paste from the Bible, Yes or No.
Still afraid to answer because your answer is No and you therefore are not a Christian but a cult of one.
Bob K.| 10.24.11 @ 7:34AM
Bill,
He doesn't have any competition on the 1st 2 issues.
He is President and in the position to deport illegal aliens. That is his job. Who else was going to do it? The same goes for ending the war in Iraq, if that is what it can be called, because Congress never did declare war there. He is President and can pull out the troops if he so chooses. No one else can. As far as lowering taxes, I would think that is a responsibility of Congress and if they let him take credit for it they are foolish.
Vern Crisler | 10.24.11 @ 8:07AM
Once Hermann Cain gets a little more polished in his answers to the inevitable gotcha questions, he will be unbeatable.
Maxwell| 10.24.11 @ 8:18AM
I could not support Santorum after he backed Arlen Spector over Pat Toomey for the U.S. Senate. Why, Arlen was pro abortion and Santorum wants me to believe he is pro life. Am I missing something here?
Mittens still reminds me of a used car sales person, with nice hair just like John Edwards.
DTOM| 10.24.11 @ 8:41AM
And, since he's in politics, he doesn't have any illegal immigrants work on HIS lawn. It's okay if every body else does. Wonder what he would do if he found Rick Perry's pool man was an illegal? Trying to figure how to work that in without mussing his hair would keep him and his staff busy for weeks. He does have that vindictive look, doesn't he?
Mike Hawk| 10.24.11 @ 9:07AM
You have no idea what you are talking about.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 1:03PM
Santorum blew it when he decided to come out and lie, saying that Herman Cain is pro-choice.
He twisted the meaning of his words, in the same way the despicable Leftist Media did, trying to paint him as such.
You're a LOSER, Santorum. You've stooped to the same dishonesty as they did.
Dan| 10.24.11 @ 10:38PM
Admit it, Bigot Margie, you don't like Santorum or Newt because they are Catholic. Yesterday you said if Newt was honest he would leave the Catholic Church. At least you are consistent.
WilliamInWien| 10.24.11 @ 8:43AM
I do not suppose that many high school and college level debating club coaches are assigning their stdents the responsibility to watch the "debates" unless they are asked what is wrong with the "process". I would prefer to watch a single subject debate that would require the candidates to present their ideas in five minutes and then have an audience Q & A. Such a process would (hopefully) eliminate illegal lawn care employees and focus on what is wrong with the USA and how they propose to change the current conditions. Of course, this would require the dropping of a number of the "lesser" candidates from the process, starting with Santorum.
Al Adab| 10.24.11 @ 11:38AM
Audience Q&A turns into audience speeches. Written format works OK. Like you I would prefer something along the lines of "What would your administration do to reduce the cost and size of government"? Or "Resolved, the purpose of the federal government is to protect the liberty and security of its citizens." Debates like that would be worth watching. These become harmful in that we point out the flaws in each other while ignoring the clear and present danger currently residing in the White House.
bottes ugg | 10.24.11 @ 8:52AM
also.....
Timothy L. Pennell| 10.24.11 @ 8:59AM
They still don't get it. They are not gonna pick our Candidate. We are. They've had their chances. They picked Dole. They picked McCain. Those two LOSERS, were theirs.
They said Reagan couldn't win.
Unlike the Ron Paul Jew Haters, I'm gonna tell ya, once again, why Herman Cain is our best bet.
He's not afraid to take it to Obama.
There isn't another Republican on that stage, that will do that. They've all got their little handmaidens, with their soft hands and penny loafers, whispering in their ears: "Don't go after Him. Go after his Policies. We don't want to be accused of being RACIST."
this Campaign is as much about the Marxist, as it is his Marxist Policies. The Buck, stops with Him. Not, with his Policies. He's the one who's been LYING THROUGH HIS TEETH, for the last 3 Years. These are His Defecits. His Bankruptcies. His Foreclosures. His Downgrade. And, if you're afraid to confront him, MAN TO MAN, on what he has done to this Country, because you might be CALLED A NAME?
Then, you're not the person to lead us.
Herman Cain has the GUTS, and the Life Experiences, to lead us out of the Nightmare that OBAMA has Created, in his image.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 1:10PM
Yes, he does, Timothy, Herman Cain has all that. And that's why the Elite can't stand him. They're too comfy in keeping the status quo. They don't want to scrap the tax code for example, or get rid of big gov. programs.
They may say that they do, but things never change.
Herman Cain is Reaganesque IMHO.
He's a Christian, a real conservative, is business savvy, and he understands about what putting America FIRST really means.
Country Class Women for Herman Cain 2012!
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 9:09AM
Dr.Ron Paul,
" While President Obama’s demand that Israel
make hard concessions in her border conflicts may very well be in her
long-term interest, only Israel can make that determination on her own,
without pressure from the United States or coercion by the United
Nations.
“Unlike this President, I do not believe it is our place to dictate how
Israel runs her affairs. There can only be peace in the region if those
sides work out their differences among one another. We should respect
Israel’s sovereignty and not try to dictate her policy from Washington.
“The President also defended his unconstitutional intervention in Libya,
authorized not by the United States Congress but by the United Nations,
and announced new plans to pressure Syria and force the leader of that
country to step down."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
loulou| 10.24.11 @ 10:04AM
Howabout President Cain give Ron Paul a seat on a commission or an ambassadorship or something.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 10:56AM
Howabout Reading:
"RON PAUL'S “PLAN TO RESTORE AMERICA”
SPENDING:
Cuts $1 trillion in spending during the #rst year
of Ron Paul’s presidency, eliminating #ve cabinet
departments (Energy, HUD, Commerce, Interior, and
Education), abolishing the Transportation Security
Administration and returning responsibility for security
to private property owners, abolishing corporate
subsidies, stopping foreign aid, ending foreign wars, and
returning most other spending to 2006 levels."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Ross Kaminsky | 10.24.11 @ 9:09AM
Interesting how pretty much every comment so far is about which candidate the commenter likes or doesn't rather than the actual point of the article that odds aren't changing and pondering what THAT fact means.
chuck| 10.24.11 @ 9:17AM
The question is, how accurate are these odds at this point of the process historically?
I realize this is all mental masturbation, but we just can't help ourselves, it feels so good!
Moe Blotz| 10.24.11 @ 9:25AM
Odds will change when more people begin paying attention to the coming elections. After the bread and circuses end, the armchair quarterbacks will turn to politics for amusement. Ross himself knows that all Americans are not political junkies as those posting here. Attention span, what?
Ross Kaminsky | 10.24.11 @ 10:10AM
Chuck and Moe:
I basically agree with you, but I find it interesting that as people are learning more, at least for now, the odds are changing less.
Attention span: short, but longer with 9% unemployment than otherwise
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 10.24.11 @ 9:24AM
It doesn't mean anything because the Republican candidates have yet to formulate anything that makes sense that will stick with the public.
In the meantime Obama has outsmarted the Republicans with his tax cuts and massive deportation of illegal aliens.
Until the Republicans come up with anything that looks like success and is simple enough for the public to grasp without being filtered by all the naysayers, individual handicapping is meaningless.
I think most of the commenters here decided that before the debates because it was pretty well established they wouldn't be debates.
When there are two or three left standing then you will have a debate and the debate will have consequences.
The only game changing play now would occur if one of the candidates would actually stand for something.
Drunken Sailor| 10.24.11 @ 9:54AM
Personally, I think it means about as much as a straw poll. Not much in the big picture. I don't think we will see much change here on out until the first couple of primaries, unless someone really screws up. Until then it appears everyone is on cruise control waiting for the traffic pattern to change.
AVCurmudgeon| 10.25.11 @ 10:12AM
Ross, I think what it means is that to the extent any candidate can improve his or her standing in a context of confronting other Republicans, that has run its course and, I expect, voters pretty much know who they support. Americans now want to know what the candidates are about on a bigger scale. That's why further "debates" are pointless; the candidates have to focus their fire outward.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 9:27AM
Follow The Ruling Elites' Frontman, Mittens Romney's Campaign Money Trail.
Goldman Sachs $354,700
Credit Suisse Group $195,250
Morgan Stanley $185,800
HIG Capital $176,500
Barclays $155,250
Kirkland & Ellis $129,100
Bank of America $121,500
PricewaterhouseCoopers $118,250
EMC Corp $117,300
JPMorgan Chase & Co $109,750
The Villages $92,500
Vivint Inc $88,250
Sullivan & Cromwell $78,750
Marriott International $75,837
Bain Capital $69,500
UBS AG $64,250
Wells Fargo $63,000
Blackstone Group $57,300
Citigroup Inc $56,550
KKR & Co $53,900
loulou| 10.24.11 @ 10:06AM
Is Ron Paul keep all his campaign contributions from last election? Is he now a very wealthy man?
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 11:18AM
Ya Might Wanna Read:
"RON PAUL'S “PLAN TO RESTORE AMERICA”
ENTITLEMENTS:
Honors our promise to our seniors and veterans,
while allowing young workers to opt out. Block grants
Medicaid and other welfare programs to allow States
the $exibility and ingenuity they need to solve their
own unique problems without harming those currently
relying on the programs."
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Mike Hawk| 10.24.11 @ 11:25AM
That's the Paul Ryan plan not the Rube Paul plan.
Clint| 10.24.11 @ 11:35AM
Let The American Spectator Readers Read Dr. Ron Paul's " Restore America Plan " & Tell You Who's Plan It Is, Sport.
" TAXES:
Lowers the corporate tax rate to 15%, making
America competitive in the global market. Allows
American companies to repatriate capital without
additional taxation, spurring trillions in new
investment. Extends all Bush tax cuts. Abolishes the
Death Tax. Ends taxes on personal savings, allowing
families to build a nest egg."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....caPlan.pdf
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 1:14PM
Ron Paul blames America for terrorists being terrorists.
He can NEVER become President because of this.
Even WITH a good idea for fiscal sanity (which he stole from us).
Sean| 10.24.11 @ 12:21PM
No Paul Ryan is that liberal that voted for TARP and auto bailouts. Ron Paul is the guy proposing to cut 1 trillion dollars in his first year.
POST American| 10.24.11 @ 10:05AM
----Capstone cardboard gallops on.
MEANWHILE, the recent public green lighting
of dumping one's spouse with Alzheimer's
by BOGUS 'Christian' PAT ROBERTSON
-----NEEDS talking about.
This marks the FIRST open public
betrayal of CORE, Christ uttered doctrine
by the CON-servative Christian establishment
in favor of capstone EUGENICS X-speed--iency.
-------------CHILLING beyond words.
NEVER ourselves taken in by this crooked
smiling swine ----it was years ago when we
were pulled up short as we happened to catch
one of his broadcasts where he was counseling
his followers to ----'get rid of their soul'.
AGAIN, YOU-genics 'on the go'-------
the 'destruction of ALLLL that was'.
THIS HAS TO BE DEALT WITH.
THIS SWINE HAS TO BE DRUMMED OUT
----------------------FOR GOOD-------------------------
Dan Mathewson| 10.24.11 @ 4:41PM
How do you propose to "drum" him out?
USSAlabama| 10.24.11 @ 10:13AM
All of the current GOP contendees would be a better president than the one we have.
We have to nominate a candidate who can DEBATE.
Obama will come in to a debate with our nominee with all of the lies and spin he used before -- and if we don't have someone who can discern the facts and expose his rhetoric -- expect 4 more years of the same . . .
or worse.
AVCurmudgeon| 10.25.11 @ 10:08AM
If you want the one who can stand toe-to-toe with Obama on ideas and as a man, then it's Herman Cain. Obama will roast the rest.
Ken (Old Texican)| 10.24.11 @ 10:29AM
Ross,
reciting "betting odds" is just a stupid waste of electrons.
Personally,
I am just going to support the candidate I respect the most......all the way down the line.
Then ..... anybody but Obama.
Screw the bookies.
Ross Kaminsky | 10.24.11 @ 6:46PM
FYI, Ken, these odds are not set by bookies. The web site is just an exchange, and prices are created only by people putting in bids and offers, like a stock price.
Mimi| 10.24.11 @ 11:39AM
The Sunday shows made a BIG-DEAL of the spiteful/fighting the top poll guys displayed , at the last Tuesday-DEBATE over and over again...The Republican embarrassment!!!
If those two arn't out, they darn well ought to be ! Did you SEE Presidential ? We want to vote out the incompetant one...with no WISDOM, and replace him with one of those two petty present top-dogs who didn't know they were on NATIONAL TV and needed to behave like grown-ups in Big STAKES-LAND!
It's time to pay close attention...The people, God Bless Them will choose....And ...it looks like it won't be where the MONEY is going.....The bookies are behind too!!!
James| 10.24.11 @ 2:52PM
Romney is no better than the hollow chocolate bunny we have now.
I shall vote for neither.
Tickedoff2012| 10.24.11 @ 3:41PM
RACIST! RACIST!RACIST! Wait til ABC, CNN, CBS, NBC, and all the others get you.......
Ron| 10.24.11 @ 3:01PM
Interestingly enough, the very same supporters of Romney were also the heavy weight bankroll that were giving to NerObama...
See a pattern here? Anybody?
tickedoff2012| 10.24.11 @ 3:38PM
Betting odds? Seriously? I expected better from American Spectator, but I guess not. Provided that the conservative vote congeals around one candidate, Mittens will not be the nominee.
Vern Crisler | 10.24.11 @ 6:01PM
Ah, say it ain so. Mark Steyn is bad-mouthing Herman Cain over at NR:
http://www.nationalreview.com/.....mark-steyn
Margie| 10.24.11 @ 9:43PM
Who cares what Mark Steyn says?
Greg| 10.24.11 @ 7:27PM
Ron Paul is the most conservative candidate in the field but the Republican establishment is not really conservative so they ridicule him and promote clowns like Perry and Romney. The media will not cover him honestly, no serious airtime. I am so glad I left the Republican Party.
emo| 10.24.11 @ 10:46PM
The GOP field is the worst Ive seen in my lifetime. Right now i wouldnt vote for any of the current GOP candidates. I am looking for an Obama win in 2012 by roughly the same amount as in 2008, 53-46 with IN and possibly NC flipping, but that is it. I can see the GOP losing the House 210-224 also. The Senate will be only a 1-2 seat gain.
Obama is a horrible president, but if we're going to have a horrible president, I'd rather it be a horrible Democrat
POST American| 10.24.11 @ 11:39PM
-------------------BOTTOM LINE-----------------------
-STOP worshipping your rectums,
circumscise your clotted heart, mind and eyes,
stand up and BE MEN
----------------and SPEAK to the REAL ISSUES.
--------WE ARE DEALING WITH TREASON-------
Jeff| 10.25.11 @ 4:18AM
I am a conservative first and a Republican second.
If the GOP gives us John McCain Jr.(Mitt Romney) I will no longer hold my nose and vote GOP . I will vote for Barak Obama ,a real Democrat rather Mitt Romney ,a fake Republican.
I would like to vote for Hermann Cain, Rick Perry or (God help us) Newt Gingrich but I will not stomach Romney the RINO as my candidate.
emo| 10.25.11 @ 5:44PM
Why would you actually vote FOR Obama??? Why not just skip the Presidential portion of the ballot???
AVCurmudgeon| 10.25.11 @ 10:06AM
Fourteen more debates?! Are you kidding?! This is beyond ridiculous, it is self-destructive. At best the GOP candidate, whoever that may prove to be, will be shopworn and at worst nicely set up for the kill by a format that only encourages the candidates to go after each other by any means necessary. Whoever agreed to this never-ending circus must be an undercover operative for the DNC. And whatever might be left for the candidates to say in this circular firing squad format, it is impossible to believe that there is enough to go 14 more rounds.
This has already gone past the point of diminishing returns. Enough, already. Obama is in full campaign mode and the GOP is beating itself up. Nobody in any of these things should do anything other than address what is going on in the country and Obama's failures. If indeed there is any reason to participate at all.