FLETCHER, BESHEAR WIN BIG IN KY; ROMNEY, EDWARDS LEADING IN IOWA; CONGRESSIONAL DEM LEADERSHIP BETRAYING 2006 VOTER MANDATE.
May 21st, 2007
WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE.FLETCHER, BESHEAR WIN BIG IN KY; ROMNEY, EDWARDS LEADING IN IOWA.
KENTUCKY: Embattled Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) overcame opposition from many state GOP leaders and a blistering attack ad campaign from former Congresswoman Anne Northup to win a surprisingly wide renomination victory. Fletcher won with 50%, followed by Northup at 37%, and wealthy businessman Billy Harper third with 13%. Fletcher's victory is a major defeat for US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who solidly aligned his forces and influence behind Northup. The Fletcher faction of the Kentucky GOP is already looking to find a tough primary challenger to oppose McConnell next year. Despite the feisty nature of the campaigns, turnout was very light. On the Democratic side, former Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear appears to have won a big enough vote -- finishing over the 40% mark -- to avoid a run-off. Like Fletcher, Beshear scored a win that was larger than anticipated. The numbers: Beshear - 41%, wealthy health care executive Bruce Lunsford - 21%, former Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry - 17%, State House Speaker Jody Richards - 13%, attorney Gatewood Galbraith - 6%, and businessman Otis Hensley at 1%. Northup and Lunsford both conceded defeat shortly after polls closed. The major losing candidates on both sides were quick to endorse the respective primary winners in their various concession speeches. For now, place the hot Fletcher-Beshear race in the toss-up category.
IOWA: A new Startegic Vision-R poll shows Mitt Romney (R) and John Edwards (D) now leading in the state's Presidential contest. Further, this poll shows a further slide by the two candidates -- John McCain (R) and Hillary Clinton (D) -- who started the race as the early frontrunners. On the GOP side, these were the results: Romney - 20%; Rudy Giuliani - 18%; McCain - 16%; Fred Thompson - 10%; Tommy Thompson - 7%; Newt Gingrich - 5%; Mike Huckabee - 3%; Sam Brownback, Ron Paul and Tom Tancredo tied with 2% each; and all others at 1% or less. On the Democratic side, these were the numbers: Edwards holds a five-point lead. The numbers: Edwards - 29%; Barack Obama - 24%; Clinton - 16%; Bill Richardson - 9%; Joe Biden - 3%; Chris Dodd - 2%; and Dennis Kucinich - 1%. Now, here are a few new wrinkles to throw into the mix. When asked if they supported "a withdrawal of all United States military from Iraq within the next six months," Republicans answered yes by a 54%-37% margin (and Dems agreed by an 81%-5% vote). Also, by a lopsided 5%-79% margin, Republicans said President Bush is not "a conservative Republican in the mode of Ronald Reagan."
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.23.07 | Permalink | postCount('052307a');
EDITORIAL: CONGRESSIONAL DEM LEADERSHIP BETRAYING 2006 VOTER MANDATE.
"There has been a lot of tough talk from members of Congress about wanting to end this war, but it looks like the desire for political comfort won out over real action," said US Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) about the Democratic Congressional Leadership's capitulation on Tuesday to the Bush White House on Iraq War funding. Pelosi, Hoyer and company can try to pretty-up this bad deal as much as they want, wrap it in thick rhetorical trimming, and spin, spin away -- but they shamefully lost their nerve this week on the single most important political issue facing our nation today. Democratic leaders seemed to have forgotten they recaptured majority status largely on angry voter backlash to Bush's bloody, failed and seemingly never-ending military occupation of Iraq. The Leadership actions this week are a betrayal of the voters. Yes, the Dems lack the votes to override the President's vetoes. Likewise, President Bush cannot force Congress to send him an Iraq War funding bill without timelines. That's the nature of a checks-and-balances stalemate that should force a meaningful compromise. But, instead, the Dem Leadership simply caved and gave a virtual greenlight to White House plans to double the number of US troops in Iraq to over 200,000 by the end of the year. Congressional Dems should continue sending Bush identical Iraq funding bills -- week after week -- that contain timelines. Dems should be repeatedly asking the American people why the President won't sign any of the Iraq funding bills they keep sending him if he truly wants to fund the war. "Is he against our troops? Does the President want to leave them vulnerable to the terrorists," Dems should be asking the public. It's time for backbone. It's time for Congressional leaders to support our troops and vote -- again and again and again -- to fund an interim war effort while starting to bring our troops home now. We already know Republican leadership adamantly oppose ending this terrible war. But, if our current Democratic leaders don't have the guts to be real leaders, maybe we need to find stronger Democratic leadership after the next elections.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.23.07 | Permalink | postCount('052307b');
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Your daily free speech zone.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 05.23.07 | Permalink | postCount('052307c');
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