President Obama aired his first political ad of 2012, which promotes his record on clean energy. Obama is a big environmentalist. In fact, for his election he plans to recycle the same promises he made four years ago...Jimmy Fallon
- The political autopsy by the pundits why Mitt Romney lost in South Carolina is fascinating. Some, like Peggy Noonan, have it half-right. She wrote, "Deep down, conservatives are not certain he is one of them. Deep down they're not sure he has a deep down." Others point to Newt's debating skills and taking on the media. Still others point to "late deciders," religious voters, Tea Party voters, etc. who jumped on Newt's bandwagon (in fact, Gingrich won every demographic pundits said he couldn't win). There's truth in those too. But, in my opinion, it's much more simple and what I've been writing about for years now: Conservatives and Republicans are looking for their candidates and their politicians to grow a set of balls (They thought they had it in Boehner until they watched him break down in public like a 4 year old who was just told Santa Clause is really Billy Bob Thorton ). Newt appears to be the guy who fits that criteria. Last week, when Romney was asked about his taxes, he ducked. Romney just can't or is unable to construct a narrative to explain himself. (amazing, considering he's been preparing for this moment for 8 years now. And he or his political geniuses didn't know the issue of his wealth and taxes would come up? Excuse me!). On the other hand, when Newt was asked about his ex-wife's accusations, he picked up a an old M-60 machine gun and just mowed sown the messengers. It's the kind of behavior many conservatives and Republicans have been looking for since the last election. And, as the S.C. exit polls also showed, even women supported Newt over Romney (Perhaps it was also because it was reported his ex-wife began dating Gingrich when HE WAS STILL MARRIED TO HIS FIRST WIFE. A little bit of information she failed to disclose earlier that week).
- But for Gingrich to win in the long run, he can't continue to exploit the anger of conservatives and Republicans toward the media. That strategy, in my opinion, has no legs. Republicans and conservatives, in addition to wanting someone with a set of brass ones, also want someone who demonstrates stability, discipline, leadership skills (now sadly lacking in the Oval Office) and good judgement. Personally, I don't see that happening with Gingrich. He has a long history of doubling-down at the wrong moments. Then again, I'm the guy who said months ago he'd never get this far. I still have a suspicion I might be proven right in the long term. However, if we learned anything in these last 4 weeks, we learned politics is a tough game to predict. And this campaign just might be settled at the convention. After all, it comes down to delegates anyway. Remember, "Super Tuesday," March 6, involves primaries or caucuses in 11 states including Ohio.
- More bad news for Romney. Two weeks ago, he had a 22 point lead over Gingrich in Florida (the next primary). Gingrich now is ahead at 41% to Romney's 32% according to Rasmussen. Only 9% remain undecided.
- By the way, this garbage being peddled that these campaigns are so negative, so destructive, so nasty is exactly that garbage. Thomas Jefferson accused John Adams of being a hermaphrodite. Affairs with other women were often exposed even then as well as accusations of illegitimate children. John Qunicy Adams accused Andrew Jackson of being a murderer. And more recently, the media questioned George W. Bush and his Air National Guard record. This stuff has been going on since the beginning of politics and will continue.
- So, as Andrea Peyser illustrated so well this week, Americans come fact-to-face with their own hypocrisy on "matters of the heart and other organs." Most Americans still hold John F. Kennedy and even Bill Clinton in high regard even those both men were pigs when it came to their marriages. In other words, as Peyser stated, "The nation is deeply schizophrenic on matters of sex."
- So I'm left with a question. Does character count anymore? Because if it does, you have to take a closer look at Romney. Yes, like anyone he has his flaws. But, unlike many, the guy is generally rock-solid when it comes to defining his character.
- How tasteless is Carnival Cruise Lines? The Costa Concrodia is a subsidiary of Carnival. And they made an offer survivors of the shipwreck can't pass up---a 30% discount on future cruises. They even proclaimed, with pride, they will refund the passengers. How pathetic?
- A word about Joe Paterno. I don't know and I don't think anyone knows the full extent of what he did and didn't do in response to the Penn State scandal. We'll know more in the months to come. But I do know this. Yes, he was a flawed man like most of us. I also know his legacy is worth more than the final two months of his life. So I'm left with this: Rest in Peace Joe Pa.
- Michael Goodwin on Obama's rejecting of the Keystone XL oil pipeline: "Now we have undeniable proof of the president's priorities. The man insisted that 'making sure jobs are available in is the first thing I think about when I wake up every morning" was just empty words from a TelePrompter." He added, "Instead his stands naked as an ideologue willing to sacrifice workers on the alter of special-interest politics." How many times did we hear Pres. Obama talk about creating "shovel read" jobs? How many times did he say we have to "invest" in American jobs creation? And now we know Canada will build the pipeline to its West Coast and sell the oil to China. In other words, the jobs created will be created in Canada and China.
- "Religion of Peace Update"---The Taliban put out a video showing them executing 15 Pakistanis (hear that Joe Biden
- But there is good news. According to Gallup's Crime Survey, 23% of gun owners in America now are women.
- Under the flawed leadership of Harry Reid (D-Nev.), on Tuesday, the Senate will mark 1000 days without approving a budget for America.
- Giants vs. Patriots looks like it might be a good Super Bowl. But even they have a lot of catching up to do to the:
