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Rand Paul and Marco Rubio at CPAC
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Deep Space Nine, Twenty Years Later
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The Spectacle Blog
Ames, Iowa —After his disastrous showing here, Tim Pawlenty’s ability to raise money was gone. He could have stayed in the race hoping to get lucky somehow, but it’s to his credit that he is opting to end his campaign instead. As his advisor Phil Musser puts it, Pawlenty “just wasn’t willing to risk debt to soldier on — part of why he would have been a good president.”
It’s been fashionable in the past few weeks to disparage the Ames Straw Poll as a meaningless exercise. Jim pushed back on this a bit yesterday, but Pawlenty’s exit should effectively refute it. This was a candidate who looked pretty formidable on paper: A resume comparable to Mitt Romney’s, but without the baggage of a healthcare law that served as a model for Obamacare, or of a reputation as a shameless flip-flopper (Pawlenty has changed positions on some things, but not as many as Romney). But he couldn’t seem to catch on. Ames proved a useful test as to whether he could build an organization that would defy his lackluster poll numbers. He made his best effort, but ultimately failed.
Clint| 8.14.11 @ 11:46AM
We Tea Party Patriots Stuck It To The Mainstream Media Talking Bloviators With A One-Two Near Dead Heat Finish In Iowa.
The Tea Party Is In A Media War Against The Washington Ruling Elite & Their Propaganda Flunkies In The Mainstream Media.
Rise Up In Rebellion.
A. Doer| 8.14.11 @ 12:23PM
Sorry, we're not going to have a President who thinks Iran should have nuclear missiles.
Bachmann is history also. Bachmann's lack of executive experience is going to do her in, now that Perry is in the race. Perry will crush her because he's got the executive experience, and he knows how to throw red meat to Tea Partiers (who don't seem to mind when what he's saying to them now is the opposite of what he was saying a few years ago).
And in the bluer states, his record as a moderate will serve him well too.
Unlike Bachmann, Perry has strong ties to the Islamic community. A long-time friend of Perry's, Aga Khan, is an Imam and a direct descendent of Mohammed. I think it's safe to say that Perry is the only GOP candidate who has quoted the Quran in a speech, and maybe the only one who has reached out to the Islamic community to establish joint ventures.
He's also not an extremist on immigration the way Bachmann is. He supported and still defends the DREAM act, for example, and that's going to play well with moderates.
Perry was a Democrat until 1989, and he only changed parties because there was an opportunity to run against a weak liberal opponent. Obviously, Texas being Texas he was a Democrat who leaned conservative, but then so was Al Gore, back when Perry was running Al Gore's campaign.
The bottom line is that Perry knows how to pump up the crazy for the Tea Partiers, but he's also got the kind of record that will have moderates and even some progressives who are disenchanted with Obama thinking that maybe he's not all that scary an alternative after all.
W| 8.14.11 @ 12:32PM
A.Doerr, are you for or against Perry? How do you know this Khan is a direct descendant of Mohamed?
A. Doer| 8.14.11 @ 1:03PM
As a liberal, I'm not exactly for him, but as GOP candidates go he's not nearly as scary as Bachmann or Palin or Santorum. He'll have a lot of appeal to moderates and independents, and even some progressives who are disenchanted with Obama.
Aga Khan claims to be a direct descendent of Mohammed. Just google it.
http://www.salon.com/news/poli.....ry_muslims
Perry is a friend of the Aga Khan, the religious leader of the Ismailis, a sect of Shia Islam that claims a reported 15 to 20 million adherents worldwide. Sprouting from that friendship are at least two cooperation agreements between the state of Texas and Ismaili institutions, including a far-reaching program to educate Texas schoolchildren about Islam.
Clint| 8.14.11 @ 1:50PM
Apparently, A.Doer Is Uninformed About The Texas Tea Party.
" Rick Perry supported Lance Armstrong’s 3 billion dollar Texas taxpayer funded medical research center. That’s like ObamaCare. That’s not free market.
Rick Perry, secured a 300 million dollar business handout slush fund for him and just the two leaders of the legislature to dole out to whomever he felt like being friendly to. That’s corporate welfare, a recipe for corruption, and as bad as the TARP bailouts that caused the Tea Parties to explode all across America. In fact, Perry gave 20 million dollars to Countrywide Financial which later went bankrupt.
He supported a new state business tax. He set up toll road tax collection booths all over Texas highways. The Austin Tea Party and the Austin Toll Party booed him on the steps of the state Capitol for that.
Rick Perry, signed an executive order forcing young Texas schoolgirls to get the HPV vaccine even if it was against their will — even if it was against their parents’ will — while his former chief of staff was a lobbyist for Merck. Perry's judgment was so bad the Texas legislature revolted against him and overturned his decision,"
The Tea Party Rebellion Is Here.
Carpe Diem.
Margie| 8.14.11 @ 2:07PM
Stop with that, would you?
From what I've read, it wasn't forced on anyone, there was an opt-out clause.
He isn't a Paulie so you can't stand him, We get it.
Clint| 8.14.11 @ 2:45PM
Do Your Homework.
" We thought the opt-out form for public-school students proved Perry correct until we learned that not all private schools accept the affidavit. That means some private schools may not allow their students to exempt themselves from any state-required vaccinations. Some 15 percent of more than 1 million Texas girls in fifth through 12th grade in 2008 were enrolled in private schools, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to a 2006 Texas Attorney General’s opinion: “A private school that does not accept state tax funds is not required to accept for enrollment a child who has received an exemption from the immunizations required by the Texas Health and Safety Code.”
Margie| 8.14.11 @ 4:17PM
Parents can and should say no. There is no forcing ultimately.
I think they should destroy this deadly vaccine anyway.
But I refuse to trash Rick Perry though that's what you want.
No go Geronimo.
Clint| 8.14.11 @ 8:19PM
You Trash Our Tea Party Co-Favorite Presidential Candidate Dr.Ron Paul & All The Bushes & Perry Trash Each Other.
Do Your Homework.
Mike W| 8.14.11 @ 9:51PM
I have no strong feelings for Paul but I would advise people to think about Perry before they fall in love with him. He has many flaws and many conservatives in Texas despise him. Don't let the momentum for him build without a critical evaluation.
Clint might be a Paulie but the issues he raises about Perry are true.
Margie| 8.14.11 @ 11:12PM
Sorry, but since there wasn't any forcing of the vaccine from what I've read, that would actually make Clint a liar.
Dai Alanye | 8.14.11 @ 12:13PM
The debates are what shot down Pawlenty, the straw poll simply confirmed his failures.
His unwillingness to go after Romneycare in the first debate hurt him initially, then came the stupid attacks on Bachmann. What kind of judgment does it show to batter the most sympathetic of your opponents? Pawlenty might as well have put out a video showing himself kicking kittens.
Rick Santorum had better take a lesson from this.
simon templar| 8.14.11 @ 12:16PM
He was largely ignored by the media.
Could not obtain that name recognition so needed and touted by your media cohorts who enjoy the power and exercise of that power in determining who are elected officials will be despite the interests and wishes of the people.
Just for the record, I was not a supporter nor was I a detractor. But keep up the good work..by the time the media is done there will be no one left on the ticket..and the poser will sail on to finish the job he came there for....
simon templar| 8.14.11 @ 12:18PM
It REALLY was a miracle that Ronald Reagan won in 1980.
hook| 8.14.11 @ 12:31PM
I think Pawlenty was a good man sans charisma. I think it is a shame that we elect people based on charm and charisma rather than experience and effectiveness. Having said that, I believe Romney, Perry, or the reverse will be a strong ticket as it will help Evangels who cant come to terms with Mormonism.
Margie| 8.14.11 @ 2:05PM
I'm a Christian and I liked Pawlenty. I was watching him and kind of rooting for him. I wish he didn't go after Michele like he did and it's probably what did him in?
Also, believe me when I say that Romney being a Mormon or for that matter, Rick Santorum being Catholic (I don't know this but someone here said so), isn't why or why not I'd vote for them.
It's what they believe about how our country works and whether or not they are on the side of freedom. A conservative has to be strong on the things that really matter. They cannot be pro abortion, they cannot be for higher taxes and have to be for lowering them and getting rid of regulations that have suffocated this country's businesses, and they have to be for a strong military defense.
The only "Religion" I know of that would disqualify anybody form serving as President is the "Religion of so-called Peace."
Occam's Tool| 8.15.11 @ 12:53AM
I would not count Bachmann out. But Paul is toast. While maniacs like Clint think Iran should have the bomb, most Americans with 303 brain cells and above don't.
As I noted before, Pawlenty had no charisma. I worked for the man. But Bachmann is going to crush Paul and break him in half. Don't be too sure she can't beat Perry and Romney. She has fought her entire political existence against odds.
Trinacria12| 8.14.11 @ 2:39PM
With all due respect, hook, good men do not comport themselves in the manner Pawlenty did Thursday night. His attacks on Bachmann were baseless, gutless, and disgraceful.
Ask yourself this: would you trust this man to have your back in a battle? Unless you can answer with an unequivocal "yes" (and I suspect that even his most ardent supporters have reason for doubt), I don't know that your characterization is warranted.
Oldefarte| 8.14.11 @ 4:14PM
If what was stated above that Perry has '...is the only GOP candidate who has quoted the Quran in a speech, and maybe the only one who has reached out to the Islamic community to establish joint ventures.....', then that if definately a deal killer for myself and many others as well. Not that I'm an Islamaphobe or whatever, but what they hades is he doing that for? It should be the other way around IMHO. It was their fellow Muslims that caused the deaths of 3000+ civilian innocents on 9/11/01, and if anyone wishes to be reminded of that horror, I'll be glad to post here video pictures of some of their leaping to their deaths from the twin towers in NYC as a refresher. It is the Muslim community who have had the audacity to attempt to build a mosque within blocks of the site of the former twin towers, as a slap-in-the-face to this country. If/until the Muslim community begin to specifically identify their known relatives/citizens of the middle east [and in this country as well] who are today plotting to perform similar terrorist activities to our authorities, they and their sympathizers can IMHO.....GO TO HADES AND STAY THERE! So if Perry and/or his supporters wish to play political footsie with the Muslims, have at it but STAY THE HADES AWAY FROM ME, OKAY??????????
Margie| 8.14.11 @ 4:20PM
Don't believe everything you hear, especially from Liberals and Paul-bots.
I'm not going to say he's a Muslim sympathizer on the basis of hearsay. No way.
Occam's Tool| 8.15.11 @ 1:01AM
Dear Margie:
Perry is an interesting one. He's pro-Israel, but Texas is a state with a LOT of Arab ties.
If you want a biased but factual slam on Perry on this, check out Debbie Schlussel's site. Debbie is as pro-Israel as Clint is anti-Israel, so know your slant and proceed. Debbie is, as you know, an uber-Conservative as well.
As regards to the HPV vaccine---it prevents cervical cancer. It does that well. That's a major disease burden. People have problems with vaccines for some reason. PUBMED/CMDT search search revealed no problems other than fever in 4% of recipients, and no absolute contraindications except allergy to vaccine or its component. Mr. Air has no daughters and is a moron, but what have you heard, Margie?
Any rate, G-d Bless.
Hook| 8.15.11 @ 1:14AM
Trinacria,
I don't think Pawlenty was out of line exactly in attacking Bachmann but he didn't use good judgment-I agree.
The Republicans need to strongly attack Obama as he and his minions in the media are going to start blaming them for the economy. They need to point out that they have congress and not the senate or the whitehouse and for two years Obama had all three branches and look where we are? I PROMISE that the administration and the media will blame Bush with a straight face.
What is impossible to understand is why the media backs an administration that is so obviously incompetent---forgetting ideology. Does political correctness extend THAT far?