PATAKI’ING HIS BAGS; CFG BLASTS HUCKABEE; DENNY STAYING; MARTY GOING; RUSS’ PLAN.
Continue Reading January 31st, 2007
THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE.
PATAKI’ING HIS BAGS; CFG BLASTS HUCKABEE; DENNY STAYING; MARTY GOING; RUSS’ PLAN.
Former Governor George Pataki (R-NY) made several political trips to Iowa, New Hampshire and other key early contest states during 2005-06. He even rented an office in New Hampshire for his PAC — but recently placed it up for rent on a popular classified ads website. This week Pataki told a small group NH Republican leaders he was going to defer any decision on the race for a few more months. According to the Manchester Union-Leader, Pataki said he was “going to let the dust settle and see where we are in a few months” — and added he would understand if his GOP friends wanted to take a closer look at or endorse some of the announced GOP hopefuls in the meantime. One guest at the small dinner told the newspaper: “He never came out and said, ‘I’m not running for President,’ but everybody basically saw the handwriting on the wall, which is he’s out.” Pataki’s spokesperson said the ex-Gov was still “considering the possibility of running for President” but was instead “focused on policy, not politics.” Speaking of policy, Pataki unveiled his own Iraq War peace plan on a new website this week … The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports liberal humorist and radio talk show host Al Franken (D-MN) has decided to run against US Senator Norm Coleman (R) next year. The newspaper said Franken placed courtesy calls this week to state party leaders and members of the state’s Congressional delegation to let them know he will plans to shortly announce his candidacy … Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R) is already an early target of the conservative Club for Growth. Earlier this week the group issued a nasty five-page report blasting Huckabee for leaving a gubernatorial legacy of “numerous tax hikes, ballooning government spending, and increased regulation.” In response, Huckabee’s campaign spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal that “Huckabee pushed through the Arkansas Legislature the first major, broad-based tax cuts in state history — a $90 million tax relief package for Arkansas families … In total, Gov. Huckabee cut taxes and fees nearly 100 times during his 10 and a half years as Governor” and left office with the state with an $800 million budget surplus … Roll Call reports former House Speaker Denny Hastert (R-IL) sent out fundraising letters this week asking for $2,100 contributions to his 2008 re-election campaign. So much for all the early resignation/retirement speculation … Meanwhile, the AP reports seven-term Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) is engaged in talks with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell about becoming Chancellor. Meehan will be interviewed by the search committee on Friday … Republicans keep challenging Democrats who oppose President Bush’s Iraq War escalation plan to put forward their own alternative plans. Yesterday US Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) responded with his detailed plan. Today, US Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) released his detailed plan to end the war. Feingold’s plan “uses Congress’s power of the purse to force the President to safely redeploy US troops from Iraq by prohibiting funds for continued operations six months after enactment.” Click here to read the details. FYI: Congressional Republicans used a similar funding tactic to force President Clinton’s hand to curtail US peacekeeping operations in Bosnia.
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