Elections are for Closers

by George Dienhart

I'm hosting a blog carnival, called "Elections are for Closers". Posts should focus on Obama's inability to close out the primary season. Posts can be humorous or factual- have fun with it!

You can sign up at the widget on the right.

Close the Deal!

by George Dienhart

Obama can have no coffee- Coffee is for closers (Glengary Glen Ross)

Obama can have no walls- Walls are for closers (Simpsons)

Obama can have no air- Air is for closers (Fouroboros)

Obama can’t use Salesforce.com- Salesforce.com is for closers (Wallstrip)

Obama can’t blog- blogging is for closers (Closers Only Blog)

Obama can’t sit at the Buffet table for. Buffet tables are for closers (Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino)

Obama can have no Breakfast- Breakfast is for Closers (T-Shirt)

Obama cannot receive communion- The Blood of Christ is for closers (Snopes.com)

Obama can not have pomegranate Juice- Pomegranate juice is for closers (Bettie Bookish)

Obama cannot eat steak- Steak is for closers (Poster Kramer at ChicagoSports.com)

I think you get my point here-

Obama cannot be President- The Presidency is for closers (Raw Meat for a Red State)

Of Obamicans and Macacrats

By George Dienhart

IndyStar.com is reporting massive cross over voting in the Indiana primary. Is this a sign of success for Rush Limbaugh’s Operation Chaos, a massive desertion of Republican Hoosiers to Obama, or something else? My money is on something else.

One thing that struck me about the IndyStar piece was a quote from Meghan Ward-Bopp. She said, "I'm a hardcore Republican," she said, "but it's about who I wanted in second place in case McCain doesn't make it. ... I don’t like the way this country's been run in the last 20 years. I'm sick of the dynasty (of two families) that's been running things." This taps into how voting is a personal experience, and as such cannot always be summed up by the pundits. The piece also quoted other voters as crossing over to prolong the Democrats misery. Again, a deeply personal, if not slightly twisted reason.

It is here that I must ask, what about the Obamicans and Macacrats? It is really the same pool of voters- what we are so used to calling Reagan Democrats. It is this demographic that will swing the election to the eventual winner. Obama’s supporters are constantly publicizing the Obamican- Republicans that are planning to vote for Obama. In reality, these voters were mostly independents, not Republicans. Obama is too far to the left for the vast majority of Republicans. Thus, Obamican is a misnomer. They are the same group of left leaning Democrats that the Democratic candidates traditionally court.

McDemocrats are a little different story. McCain has always done well with independents. Macacrats are security first voters and moderates. Like or not the McCain nomination has moved the party to the left. It was not a seismic shift. It was subtle- but true moderates noticed it. McCain is someone that a voter who traditionally leans slightly to the left can support- they’ll trade off issues that are not important to them for someone that will not just protect them, but also for someone who not tax them to death. McCain comes closest to this description.

This is something that McCain knows and is prepared to use. He is actually in the process of moving his campaign to the right after securing the nomination. This unprecedented move to shore up the base was made because McCain is so popular with moderates and independents. It is not something that President Bush could have done, and it is not something that Obama or Clinton can currently do. This has left the voter with three candidates- two of which are sprinting to the right, with the third floundering in past mistakes.

Candidate Obama’s past mistakes are grave. These mistakes would have sent him back to the Senate to finish his term months ago, had they happened earlier. His actions in avoiding accountability have alienated him from the right and the center- and remember, it is the center that most be one in every election. He continues to do the opposite of McCain and Clinton- he is still moving to the left. Democrats moving to the left in primary season are the traditional strategy- but this is not a traditional year. Candidate Obama has so damaged his campaign by pandering to leftist extremists that he has jeopardized what was once a sure thing nomination. He may have even destroyed any chance he has of being president.

Candidate Clinton has also embraced the moderates, by moving to the right. Her bombastic statements on Iran are only part of a strategy to shift her stance to be closer to her those of her husband. She is trying to make up for being far more liberal on social issues by pretending to be a hawk on security. This has left her with a gaping hole in her left flank. Obama has marched straight through this hole and has almost sewn up the nomination due to Clinton’s miscalculation. It was this decision that leaves the Democrats where they are today. Clinton thought she had the nomination wrapped up last summer, so she started moving to the right. The hard-core liberals in the cities and suburbs deserted here, turning in droves to Obama. This left the Democrats fragmented, and with little chance of uniting in the upcoming general election.

That last point was important. Polls show that over a third of Hillary supporters will not vote for Obama in a general election. Polls show that the same is true for Obama supporters, in that they will not vote for Clinton. These voters are the true phenomenon here. They are the true Macacrats- voters that will actually cross party lines to vote. McCain has to ensure that he does not run so far to the right as to push these voters back to which ever Democrat eventually wins.

Paul campaign refuses to face reality

by George Dienhart

I say Paul’s campaign, because Congressman Paul has faced reality. He is on a book tour. The campaign, however continues. Paul has 4 million bucks in the back, and has pared his staff down to just 15 people. In a sign of his irrelevance, his campaign had to issue a statement yesterday reminding people that he is still in the race. Curiously, this is in direct conflict with what the candidate had been saying himself for weeks. They brag that he garnered 16% of the votes in the Pennsylvania primary- which is hardly overwhelming proof of a movement. So why go on?

The book tour. Congressman Paul is trying to utilize his in place campaign structure to promote his book. As long as he sticks around, the fringe media will adore him, and allow him the free promotion that his book needs. Congressman Paul has also stated he wants to go to the convention holding 50 delegates- he believes this can get him a prime time speech spot at the convention. This would amount to an infomercial for the Congressman’s book.

In the end, this isn’t about changing the Republican Party, or service to our nation. It is about amassing personal wealth by selling a book. It is sleazy enough, staying in the race to sell books, but I think he may be violating the spirit of campaign financing to do it. It is impossible to prove, and Paul is not likely to implicate himself. Therefore, the circus will continue its tour.

There is one other sleazy aspect to this. Paul has been telling his supporters that he is running to save the Republican Party. When I hear that, I always wondered if ran as the Libertarian Party candidate to save their party as well. This save the party talking point is clearly not true. His refusal to drop out after being soundly thrashed by Sen. McCain is evidence that Ron Paul is not a loyal Republican. He places his own wealth ahead of the Republican Party, and of America itself. That is not the act of a patriot. It is the act of a snake oil salesman.

Woe, thy name is Lithonia

by George Dienhart

From the AJC:

“The city council held off on measures setting rules for city bank deposits and on fuel purchases for city-owned vehicles as its regular meeting descended into familiar territory. A standing room only crowd witnessed the occasional shouting match, Mayor Joyce McKibben and council members interrupting each other and even a call for the mayor's resignation.”

So much for my plea for the politicians to put their constituents first…

Hey, McCains still running too...

Here’s a sneak peak from the speech Sen. McCain will give at Wake Forrest today:

"For both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton, it turned out that not even John Roberts was quite good enough for them. Senator Obama in particular likes to talk up his background as a lecturer on law, and also as someone who can work across the aisle to get things done. But when Judge Roberts was nominated, it seemed to bring out more the lecturer in Senator Obama than it did the guy who can get things done. He went right along with the partisan crowd, and was among the 22 senators to vote against this highly qualified nominee. ... Apparently, nobody quite fits the bill except for an elite group of activist judges, lawyers, and law professors who think they know wisdom when they see it - and they see it only in each other."

That’s what we call “insight”. If we were playing baseball , we would call it a homerun…

What recession?

By George Dienhart

Larry Kudlow also had a piece in the National Review on the economy. He echoes what I said last week, agreeing that there is not yet a recession, much less a meltdown. He also credits the Bush administration:

"President George W. Bush may turn out to be the top economic forecaster in the country. About a month ago he told reporters, 'We're not in a recession, we're in a slowdown.' ... We're in the midst of the most widely predicted and heralded recession in history. Problem is, so far it's a non-recession recession. Score one for President Bush. In an election year, it could be a big one."

 

Last polls for today's primaries

by George Dienhart

I like the averages over at Real Clear Politics. Their final poll averages are Clinton up by 5 in Indiana, and Obama up by 7 in North Carolina.

Primaries in NC and IN

by George Dienhart

Today, two states go to the polls. As you doubtlessly know, these races are ever important for the Democrats. If you are reading from either state, the polls close at 7 p.m. in Indiana, and at  7:30 p.m. in North Carolina- now go vote!

Of tax reliefs and obliteration

By George Dienhart

Funny watching two Democrats argue over tax breaks. Obama is against the tax holiday on gasoline while Clinton is for it. I guess we should enjoy this while we can, I mean Clinton normally would not advocate any kind of tax break. She is desperately trying to distinguish herself from Obama. She chose to make her stand over a tax holiday that was first proposed by…John McCain?

There is usually some cross-pollination of ideas in an election. Different candidates can claim the good ideas of the primary opponents. Unpopular ideas are often cast off and forgotten. This is a little different, though. Sen. Clinton has chosen to make her stand on an idea advanced by the presumptive Republican nominee. Stealing Ideas in a primary is old news. Stealing ideas from the opposition party is a bold new direction, even for Clinton.

This is not the only difference that the two candidates have. Clinton is apparently Pro-obliteration, while Obama is anti-obliteration. I am speaking in regards to Iran, of course. I am usually against obliteration, but in this case, I might make some exceptions. For example:

• Enemies of America that wish to obliterate us
• Osama bin Laden
• Anyone harboring bin Laden
• That guy that keeps calling me to try to sell me a time-share. I mean it, I am REALLY not interested.

I agree with the Clintons on almost nothing. The one thing I can say about Hillary is she probably will not surrender to the terrorists. I cannot say that about Obama. I hope that Clinton would apply the same standards on obliteration to all of our enemies- and that telemarketer.

 

Obama supporter William Ayers desecrates U.S. flag

Little Green Footballs has a piece on an Obama supporter- complete with a picture of him standing on the United States flag.

Lithonia update.

by George Dienhart

People often laugh when I say small town politics can get ugly. Not just because local politics tend to attract those with big egos and small ideas, but also because it is at the local levels that politics has the most impact on out lives. If you live in Lithonia, it must be tough hearing your town dragged through the dirt on the news almost every night. Fortunately, the city may be making progress.

In review, these problems started when Mayor Joyce McKibben tried to fire the Police Chief, only to have the City Council reinstate him later that evening. These actions lead to Mayor McKibben’s supporters locking themselves in city hall.  In return, the city council changed the locks. See the big egos and small ideas?

There’s more. The City council will vote on 2 issues tonight: setting rules for city bank deposits and fuel purchases for city-owned vehicles. Seems like a good idea, right?  Not to Councilwoman Linda Pruett, who according to the Atlanta Constitution Journal, stated, "It seems to me that overall it gives more authority to the mayor than the charter allows."

This type of Infighting takes time. Time that should be spent on renewing and issuing business licenses. City Clerk Victoria Bateman told the AJC that licenses paid for in October have yet to be issued. That’s where local politics effects regular people. If the mayor and city council of Lithonia truly wish to serve their constituents, they will start to play nice with each other, and focus on actually running the city.

 

Another Political scandal, another Democrat in Trouble

By George Dienhart

Another Political scandal, another Democrat in Trouble: The AP reports that Ohio attorney general  Marc Dann (D) has admitted that he is “in over his head”. He is referring to an affair and subsequent sexual harassment lawsuit. I guess he figured “It worked for Bill Clinton…” Dan was elected only 4 months ago.

Slate unabashedly pro- Obama

By George Dienhart

From Slate “Magazine”:

“Can we please stop pretending she has a plausible chance to win the nomination? Here's a rule I would like every political reporter, campaign official, TV talking head, and politician in the United States to follow. Go ahead and say, if you like, that Hillary Clinton retains a serious chance of winning the Democratic nomination. If you say this, however, you must describe a set of circumstances whereby this could happen. Try not to make it sound like a fairy tale."- Timothy Noah

Seems these projections have been all over the place- Here, Here, Here and Here. Now I’m for McCain, but as I have said, this sure is fun to watch…

Speaking of Rev. Wright

by George Dienhart

From the New York Post:

 'The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's loose cannon of a spiritual adviser, stole the wife of a parishioner - after the man sought Wright's help in saving his troubled marriage, the former husband told friends. Delmer Reed, 59, confided to pals that he believed the minister moved in on his wife while Wright was counseling the couple at his Chicago church in the early 1980s, The Post has learned. ... A spokesman for the Wright family flatly denied the allegation.'

Again, this brings up questions about Obama’s judgment- when you cite a man like Rev. Wright to be your mentor and spiritual advisor, what kind of judgment does that show?