19 November 2006


GOP TO USE PELOSI AS WEAPON IN WAR ON HILLARY

Nancy Pelosi is at the heart of the Republican's plan to bring down Hillary Clinton's '08 presidential bid.

The GOP plans to paint the two as the Bobsey Twins and hope to kill two "birds" with one stone. (That's old fashioned Republican talk for "women").

So says a report in today's Telegraph. The U.K. newspaper quotes disgraced fromer GOP House Speaker Tom Delay on Republican strategy:

"Two years of Pelosi gives a good idea of what four years of Hillary will be like," said Tom DeLay, the Republican powerbroker who ran his party in the House before he was caught up in a lobbyist corruption scandal. "They are both committed liberals and we will make that clear to the American people."

A couple of questions jump out on this one. Why would anyone pay Tom DeLay any mind (not that I have any doubt that his assessment of GOP strategy is accurate)?

Also, what makes Pelosi and Clinton essentially the same person? Should the Democrats say Mitt Romney is the same kind of snake in the grass as DeLay, just because they are both white, male, Republican and conservative.

We think the American people will be smart enough to know that both Pelosi and Clinton should, and will, stand or fall on their own merits.

ROMNEY LEADS UTAH POLL

Not that it's a bellwhether state, or even close to being on the same political planet as the rest of the country, but for what it's worth residents of Utah favor Mitt Romney at this juncture of the presidential dance.

In a copyrighted story today, the Desert Morning News reported Sunday that 44% of Utahns polled would vote for Romney if the presidential election were held today. John McCain of neighboring Arizona was next at 15% and Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani finished in a tie for third at 7%.

A couple of things about this poll, done for the Desert Morning News and KSL-TV. No.1: It IS Utah after all, so how much can you read into it? Also, why on earth would the pollster bundle Democrats and Republicans in a presidential poll taken two years out? There is a little something known as a primary season that must be completed before one party faces the other, remember?

CLINTON NOT IN FAVOR OF OUSTING DEAN

Before we stray too far away from the topic of Hillary Clinton, the (NY) Daily News reports today that Clinton was not behind, nor supportive of, James Carville's attempt to topple Howard Dean as head of the Democratic National Committe. Carville, a former advisor to President Bill Clinton who retains close ties with the Clinton camp, last week called for the ouster of Dean. Carville suggested he should be replaced with unsuccesful senate candidate Harold Ford of Tennessee

IRAQ AND '08

The Newsweek magazine hitting the stands tomorrow has an interesting look at how the war in Iraq may help shape the 2008 presidential race.

In its report, the magazine says the two early frontrunners have the most to lose, with Republican John McCain carving out the most hawkish position of anyone running and Democrat Hillary Clinton refusing to repudiate her vote in favor of the war.

SOME ADVICE FOR RUDY

Several political strategists had some campaign advice for Rudy Giuliani in a story in today's New York Times. Among the most notable, former Cheney adviser Mary Matalin advises Giuliani to "evolve" to a more conservative platform slowly so as to not look phony in doing so. Democratic strategist Paul Begala advises the former New York mayor, who is pro-choice in an anti-abortion party, to "surrender" on the issue.







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