We should be proud that Donofrio is from New Jersey

Conspiracy theorists come and go.

There are the conspiracy guys who claim that anyone and everyone from the Mafia, Fidel Castro, LBJ, the Soviets, or my Aunt Lilly had something to do with the JFK assassination. By the way, my Aunt Lilly was nowhere near Dallas on November 22nd.1963. She was probably at a beauty parlor in Brooklyn getting ready for my cousin Lenny’s Bar Mitzvah the next day. There are those who believe that Neil Armstrong did not really walk on the moon and that the whole thing was shot in a movie studio or somewhere out in the Arizona desert. Or that green M & Ms are an aphrodisiac.

Now, New Jersey can be proud that we have our own tin-foil hat wearing guy with his own conspiratorial theories about President-Elect Barack Obama: Leo Donofrio, an East Brunswick attorney.

Donofrio claims that since Barack Obama was not a “natural born citizen” --- since Obama had dual nationality at birth -- his mother was American and his Kenyan father at the time was a British subject -- he cannot possibly be eligible to be president, under the U.S. Constitution.

Donofrio also claimed that two other candidates, Republican John McCain and Socialist Workers candidate Roger Calero, also were not “natural-born citizens” and thus ineligible to be president. McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, and Calero was born in Nicaragua in 1969, and holds a green card as a resident alien. So, we have to give credit to Donofrio for at least exposing the Calero controversy. Glad we got that over with.

Now, Donofrio’s problem seems to be with the phrase “natural born citizen” from Article II Section I: No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President;

How does Donofrio define “natural born”? Does that mean that if someone is conceived through artificial insemination or through in vitro fertilization, that person may not be eligible to become the president? After all, since that is not ‘natural child birth’, that person could never be a natural born citizen.

Anyway, don’t worry. This week, the Supreme Court denied Donofrio his day in court. United States Supreme Court Docket for case number 08A407 - Leo C. Donofrio v. Nina Mitchell Wells will not be heard---in spite of Justice Thomas asking.

Now maybe he can go back to the street corners of East Brunswick screaming that the world is flat.

From BBC World News: Palin hits back at critics by calling them ‘jerks’; They call her a ‘doodyhead’. Then she says, “I’m rubber you’re glue…”

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has hit back at critics who said she thought Africa was a country not a continent, calling them "jerks".

“Of course, I know that Africa is a continent. Darn it, it’s right next to the continent of SOUTH Africa...everyone knows that!” said Governor Palin.

Anonymous Republican Party aides cited in a BBC World News report also said she could not name the three member nations of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

“Why should I name the three member nations of NAFTA? Those nations should be able to name themselves, for sure. A nation’s people choosing their own names is what democracy is all about! After all, we chose the name ‘America’---darn it, we didn’t let some Italian guy name us (giggle) (wink). "

Mrs Palin said her comments on Africa and NAFTA were taken out of context. “Those comments were taken out of context, just like this coment will be.”

The Republican National Committee (RNC) spent more than $150,000 on a designer wardrobe and beauty treatments for Mrs. Palin after she was chosen as John McCain's running mate. "Those are the RNC's clothes…I never asked for anything more than a Diet Dr Pepper once in a while."

Larry D. Young, President and CEO of the Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group did not return our calls for comment. However, Joe The Plumber commented, “Sarah’s one hot babe, who does not need a ‘diet’ anything.”

Yes We Can: Obama Campaign Sued for Trademark Infringement by National Canning Center

AP Newswire

It seemed like a natural phrase for a new, inspirational presidential campaign: Yes, we can. But, as it turns out, it has been the trademarked slogan for the National Center for Home Food Preservation and Canning ----the trade association folks in DC who advocate for the many ‘canning’ companies around the nation.

“It’s outrageous,” declared Homer “Deacon” Jones Jr., the president and grandson of the founder of the Intercourse Canning Company of Intercourse, Pennsylvania. “Over the years, we have suffered enough from the ‘Intercourse’ jokes. My father, Homer Sr, and his father, Malcolm before him, just took it all in stride. But when someone takes our prideful slogan, ‘Yes, we can!’ and usurps it for political purposes, well that makes my blood boil. That slogan is known all over the country for just one thing: Canning.” Mr. Jones was the President of the National Center for Home Food Preservation and Canning from 1996 – 2002.

Other canning companies around the country were similarly upset. “We have enough competition from the bottling companies, the cardboard manufacturers, and the plastic container folks. We really don’t need this right now,” added Lester Boyles, CEO of the Colusa Canning Company of Colusa County, California. “I support Obama and all, but, dang, don’t that beat all.” Mr. Boyles was one of the canning company executive presidents present at a “No, You Can’t” rally on a rainy Tuesday last week, which drew more than 35 people.

And that’s not all: The Obama campaign may be looking at a similar lawsuit on the international trademark front---this one from France. “Yes Oui Cannes”, it seems, is the newly minted slogan for the Cannes Film Festival. “Mon Dieu, c'est scandaleux!”, declared Jean-Luc Rudehomme, the spokesperson for the prestigious 62 year-old film festival set on the south of France.

In similar news, the semi-pro wrestler “Country Joe” Furst, 36, [born Joseph Furstenberger] of Calvin County, Oklahoma, upon hearing about the legal problems Obama may face, is considering a possible trademark infringement action against the McCain campaign. “It’s on my to-do list, right after my big cage match this weekend in Tuklsa,” shared Mr. Furst. “That’s outrageous. Using my name like that to popularize his presidential campaign.”

The McCain campaign could not be reached for comment.

Modernize the Debate Format

The first debate between presidential candidates in the modern era were the Kennedy-Nixon debates. Before those, and before TV, there was little demand for any type of debates between the presidential candidates.

The Lincoln-Douglas Senatorial debates of 1858 were actually the first nationally watched debates [ in the newspapers, at least]---mostly because of the hot button issue of the day of slavery. Those guys debated for hours at a time, with people watching, listening, and asking all the questions. "Mr. Lincoln, if you win the election, will you finally take off that big hat?"

No moderator. No lights. No sound bites or quips.

And those debates set up the national rematch just two years later when the candidates met again when running for President. NJ gave 4 Electoral votes to Abe and 3 to candidate Douglas, split the state north and south. Wow, even back then the south and the north had their differences!

And so with the high standards set for debating by Lincoln-Douglas and Kennedy-Nixon, we entered the debate negotiations this year. Choices: A standard debate with podiums and lights. Town hall format with candidates on high chairs, and answering questions of audience members. The candidates seated at a table, talking to each other and the moderator. All boring, with a capital B.

Suggested debate better formats:

Cage match, 'Thunderdome' style: Two candidates in, one candidate out. Both candidates get to swing from those elastic thingies, like in the Mel Gibson movie.

Play "Jeopardy" format: All answers must in the form of a question. For example "This is a nation we invaded for no particular reason".

Leno/Letterman and the Late Night Couch: Candidates talk about tell anecdotes about their childhood, plug their new book or an appearance on SNL, ask passersby some JayWalk questions and read a Top Ten list.

American Idol: Both appear in front of Simon, Paula and the other guy, and sing their economic programs. The home TV audience votes.

Stare contest: Both candidates stare at each other, and the first one to smile or laugh, loses.

and finally, Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?----with all questions posed at the fifth grade level.

News Bits and Bites

Some bits of news require either no comment or minimal comment. From today's New York Times:

$700 Billion Is Sought for Wall Street in Vast Bailout

President Bush discussed the government’s financial bailout proposal during a news conference at the White House on Saturday.

The proposal, not quite three pages long, was stunning for its stark simplicity. It would raise the national debt ceiling to $11.3 trillion. And it would place no restrictions on the administration other than requiring semiannual reports to Congress, granting the Treasury secretary unprecedented power to buy and resell mortgage debt.

Yup, they know what they're doing domestically, too.

...and one more headline, needing no comment:

Debate Pact Will Let McCain and Obama Spar

The presidential debates will follow a free-flowing format, but John McCain’s campaign insisted on more structure for Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s debate with Sarah Palin.

Yup, she's ready to rumble.

A Billion Monkeys

They say that if you put a billion monkeys in front of a billion computers for a billion years, one of them will write a Shakespearean play. Or throw feces at each other. Or vote Republican.

So, searching the web for the answer to the question: “What’s the difference between Sarah Palin and Dick Cheney?” I found at least a billion sites that gave the same answer: Lipstick. LOL. Or at least SUYB (snicker under your breath).

So, now that Governor Palin has officially been anointed as Republican VP candidate Palin, it’s time to figure out the actual differences between Palin and Cheney.

First off, while there are some slight similarities. For example, they both wear glasses. Both have received major dollars from oil companies. But that is where the similarity ends.

First of all, Palin was vetted more by ABC's Charlie Gibson, than by McCain. Cheney was vetted, well,…by Cheney.

When hunting, Palin shoots caribou and moose. When hunting, Cheney shoots friends and campaign contributors.

Palin was named “Miss Congeniality” in the Miss Alaska contest. In movie terms, that makes her Mary Poppins. Cheney is more like Darth Vader.

Palin does not know what the VP does everyday. Cheney, last year, said that the Vice President was not part of the Executive Branch.

As governor, Palin has kept Alaska safe from attacks from Canada and Russia. Cheney, on the other hand, initiated a pre-emptive attack on Iraq.

Under Miss Alaska pageant rules, if the 1984 Miss Alaska (Maryline Blackburn) cannot perform her duties for any reason, Palin must take her place. Under the 25th Amendment, if the president cannot perform his duties for any reason, I think Bush actually takes Cheney’s place.

And finally, in her interview with ABC’s Gibson, Palin did not seem to know what the Bush Doctrine is. And, of course, it was Cheney who developed the Bush Doctrine.

So it goes.

McCain's Yawner

Senator John McCain made one of the most boring nomination acceptance speeches I have heard in years. He spoke for nearly one hour, and the most exciting thing of the evening was the balloon drop.


He, once again, told his very compelling POW story---the same one told by Fred Thompson, and was told tonight in a brief biographical film before his speech. He was long winded, and was short on specifics. The speech was choppy, and at times, there were many in the audience who simply did not applaud.

Governor Palin's speech was much more animated and uplifting. She definately outclassed her running mate.

So, now the games begin.

McCain and Palin both depend on their staff....

"As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me, what is it exactly that the VP does every day?...We want to make sure that that VP slot would be a fruitful type of position..."
-- Gov. Sarah Palin, a month ago.


"I think — I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. "It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you.
-- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview...that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own.

Just who is this person on their 'staffs' ---who knows all this information? That's the person who should be the Republican nominee, as the only one who seems to know what's going on.

Their Party picks Palin; now they’re in a pickle.

This is Maryline Blackburn, the 1984 winner of the Miss Alaska contest. More about her later.

McCain chose the 1984 second place finisher for his VP, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

As the Repubs gather in the Twin Cities starting Labor Day Monday, the NJ Repubs are just gushing over the pick. Conservative Steve Lonegan, Senator Diane Allen, Sen. Kevin O’Toole and Senator Bill Baroni just think she is the cat’s meow.

And Baroni thinks she puts “New Jersey in play” for McCain. Which Six Flags ride did Baroni just get off?

“Now we’re adding a conservative choice in Sarah Palin who appeals to New Jersey’s conservative and independent voters, men and women,” said Baroni to The PolitickerNJ. And just what is it about the Alaska Guv that will appeal to NJ voters??

A couple of pointers: No VP pick, short of Bruce Springsteen himself, could put New Jersey ‘in play’ for McCain. We know it. They know it. That’s just more Baroni balogna.

This women will not resonate with New Jersey voters at all: she has nothing on common with them. She hunts, is a member of the NRA, and is solidly anti-choice. She hunts, eats moose hamburger, ice fishes, and rides snowmobiles. She was the second runner up in the 1984 Miss Alaska contest. Maybe if she had won, and at least came to see Atlantic City, then we could talk.

I am sure Dan Quayle is thinking, "Great. I don't suck as a pick anymore." Oh, but she was born in Idaho, so maybe she can spell 'potato'.

Some quirks: She smoked marijuana in Alaska when ---it was legal, “but did not like it”. She eats moose-burgers. She was a sports reporter before becoming the Mayor of Wasilla, population 5200.

Palin opposes abortion and supported the 1998 constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. She supports the death penalty. She certainly has the same resume of every Jersey girl I know.

Now, the winner of the 1984 Miss Alaska contest, Maryline Blackburn, would probably appeal to NJ voters more effectively. She is African-American, a singer who has performed with Bob Hope, Peabo Bryson, and Cab Calloway. She has appeared in films with Tom Cruise and one directed by Spike Lee.

Now, that is a woman who would put NJ in play for McCain...

"We are proud of that commercial."

...John McCain, on a commercial that compares Barack Obama's popularity with that of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Popular---you need to be pop-u-lar.

...and the commercial uses their likenesses without their permission ---something we here at NJPolitics Unusual would not do. Therefore, we paid a highly respected artist <------------ draw their likeness.

The commercial mainly takes Obama to task on the issue of his ‘celebrity'. Or as Bush might say, “Celibacy”. Or maybe “Celebritity’.

For some reason, the McCain campaign believes that the ability to draw tens of thousands of people to rallies in Europe, and seventy thousands of people to rallies in the states is somehow a ‘negative’.

Indeed, we certainly don’t want a president who is ‘popular’.

Perhaps McCain is so inspired by Bush’s poll numbers sliding down faster than the Jamaican bobsled team, that he feels the best way to become president is to be 'unpopular'.

The commercial shows a montage of celebreties who are popular, but apparently lack any substance ----Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are the prominent blonde duo in the spot. So, somehow we are supposed to draw the conclusion like Spears and Hilton, Senator Barack Obama is also shallow, stupid, and vapid.

Furthermore, perhaps McCain wants us believe that should Obama successfully move from Illinois Senator to the full-fledged POTUS, that he will immediately be--

Photographed by paparazzi without undershorts when he gets in to the Presidential limo.
He will be arrested for drunk driving and star in his own reality show.
And appear in an online sex tape---probably all in the same week he goes to his first G-8 conference. All of which might make even more popular, actually.

When you think about it, much of what Hilton and Spears have done, has been done before by other presidents. Bill Clinton exposed his underwear choice on MTV; Bush has been arrested for drunk driving; and even Ford appeared in a sort of reality show ---Saturday Night Live.

Of course, no president has appeared in an online sex tape—at least not yet.

Side note: Paris Hilton's parents [full fledged McCain supporters who maxed out], say that the commercial demeans their daughter.

Only in America could an appearance in a presidential campaign commercial demean someone who has been in jail, appeared on a reality TV show, and appeared in an online sex tape.

McCain announces his plan for cutting back on NASA funding.

Special to NJ: Politics Unusual:

(AP) Fifty years ago in July, United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into existence, creating NASA.

However, if Senator John McCain becomes the next Republican President, he is likely to sign NASA out of existence.

“They found water on Mars? Big f$#@king deal. What we needed for them to find is oil,” said the Arizona Senator.

“Why the hell do you think we’ve been spending all that money on the Phoenix Mars Lander? To get some ‘Martian ice’? No way, Jose. We needed to start 'way, way' off'-shore oil drilling there immediately. Now, whatya got? Zip. Nada. Nothin’.”

The Senator did make note that he was embarrassed that the Mars Lander was named for a ‘city in [his] home state’. “You cannot imagine my disappointment. I just don’t know what to say," he shared, holding back tears.

William Boynton, the lead NASA scientist for the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer instrument on Phoenix, was stunned, too. All he could muster were mumbles of “we have water...we have water”, over and over again. Boynton also said that water was positively identified after the lander's robotic arm delivered a soil sample on Wednesday to an instrument that identifies vapors produced by heating.

“That damn Mars machine can use its robotic arm to pleasure itself up there in space, for all I care,” McCain said. “If I'm in the White House, I will have one rule for NASA: No Texas Tee, no government moolah. No black gold, no American gold. Capice?”

NASA had no further comment.

The McCain Pause and the Straight Talk Express

Maybe it's a case of projectile disfunction. Many people in New Jersey pause when thinking about whether or not to vote for John McCain. “Hmm…” they think.

Hopefully, they’re taking more time than the eight seconds McCain took to give a non-answer to a question about health insurance, birth control and Viagra.

McCain touts his ‘straight talk’ on a myriad of issues…well, except, birth control apparently. From the answer the Arizona Senator [who opposes women’s right to choose] gave to MaeveReston of the Los Angeles Times about birth control, his talk was anything but straight. It was non-existant.

The reporter asked about whether it was fair for insurance companies to pay for Viagra, but not birth control.

McCain paused for a full eight seconds. And then said, “I don't know enough about it to give you an informed answer…because I don't recall the vote.”

Straight talk indeed.

Eight seconds in today’s short attention span/ADHD infested society is a life-time. It’s time enough for Kobe Bryant to score a winning basket. For the New Jersey Giants to kick that winning field goal. And, perhaps, for anyone from New Jersey to spew out the names of all twenty-one counties. Go ahead and try it:

I did.

Maybe McCain should try that for eight seconds.

McCain: Wrong for New Jersey, New York and the “Region”.

There was a time when I fit in with the Republicans more ‘stealth-fully’.

As a white, bald, bearded, paunchy male in his 50s, I blended in with the crowd. But, alas, today I was out-ed at the opening of the “New Jersey/New York Regional Campaign Headquarters for McCain”. I was recognized upon entering by the former campaign manager for Mayor Marty Marks. Oh well, with fame comes responsibility. Or something like that.

The head of the McCain campaign in New Jersey is Senator Bill Baroni [R-14]. Sounding like the quarterback of a team that has not won a game in many a year, he declared the “New Jersey/New York Regional Campaign Headquarters for McCain” officially open today at 1pm. His counter part from New York, Ed Cox stood by his side.

At this rate---that’s just one headquarters for about every 28 million people---that’s just about 11 ‘regional’ headquarters for a nation of 305,986,357 people. But seriously, folks…

“New Jersey/New York Regional Campaign Headquarters for McCain”. That is a mouthful for a small headquarters, actually located in Perth Amboy [although they like to tout that the HQ is in Woodbridge, that bastion of Democratic activity].

"Woodbridge has the kind of voters that John McCain appeals to all over New York and New Jersey," declared Baroni. His counterpart did not seem quite as positive. Said Cox: "The headquarters had to be somewhere in the region, so we picked New Jersey." Does not sound like a good explanation to the folks back home in the Empire State.

Baroni touted that a coalition of “Reagan Democrats and independents” will win both New York and New Jersey for McCain. He and Cox repeated this mantra at least four times during the 40 minute or so press conference. Of course, it was a tough call whether or not he should be told that Reagan Democrats are either no longer with us may have retired and moved elsewhere. This year the ‘independents’ are leaning Democratic big time. The one word that no Republican dared to speak: George W. Bush. Hmmm….

Also, on hand was Senator Leonard Lance rallying the Republican troops to win the New Jersey/New York region from “Buffalo to Cape May”. Kean Jr. was also there with some blasé comments about how New Jersey is going for McCain this year.

The Baroni/Cox team was battered with questions from the media---101.5FM, the Associated Press, NJN-- about McCain’s chances of winning in a state where no Republican has won state wide since 1997; No presidential candidate has won state-wide since 1988. Where McCain supports off-shore oil drilling in a state where “The Shore” is capitalized. A state that opposes the war in Iraq, that supports some sort of better national healthcare plan.

Overheard dialogue, throughout the crowd:

“Off shore drilling is not a problem. So many oil tankers got sunk in WWII. They didn’t have any ‘ecological crisis’ over those ships.”

“OBama doesn’t have enough military experience to oppose the war.”

Who Wants to be a Democrat?

I am so glad that the presidential campaign season has finally begun. The two candidates ---Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain--- can finally get their campaigns started. It was getting soooo boring there for a few months.

My Aunt Rose lives in Florida, and whenever I have the chance to visit, it’s like living in a Seinfeld episode. She is 83 years old, and a life long Democrat. She is just less than 5 feet tall, wears very thick glasses and walks with a walker. She plays Mah Jong, Canasta, and has voted Democratic for more than sixty years. The area in Broward County where she lives is so Democratic, it would make your teeth hurt.
Back in 2000, she was one of many voters who may have voted for Pat Buchanan. When I asked her if she voted correctly given the ‘chad’ system, she became very indignant, and yelled at me.

“What, are you out of your mind? Of, course I voted correctly! Of course, I voted for Al Gore and Joe Lieberman.....I think.”

"I think." That’s what we need today: More ‘thinking’ Democrats.

After spending the last several months reading about how Hillary supporters are not going to be supporting Obama, I ventured to talk to my Aunt Rose about it.

“I cannot support O-Bama”, she said, saying his name with a loud “O”. By this time, I had to follow through. “But, why not? He’s a Democrat,” I declared.

“He is a secret Muslim.”
“ ‘A secret Muslim?’" I pondered.

“ ‘A secret Muslim," she repeated.
"And just where did you get that idea?”

“From my friend, Shirley. It’s true”

“And just how does Shirley know this, that he is "a secret Muslim?’ ?” I ask.

“Oh, Shirley is on the websites all the time. And she gets the email. She knows.”

‘On the websites.’ ‘The email’.

This is what passes for knowledge these days. Oh to be a retired Democrat in Florida.

Bush has made saying dumb things “IN”

Our good friend Daniel Kutrzman scours the late night talk shows for the funniest lines from the top comedians.

He also reports periodically on the oddest things said by the presidential candidates. Now that we’re still down to just three candidates, here are some of the odder moments:

10. "I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go." --Barack Obama, at a campaign event in Beaverton, Oregon.

When he gets back to wearing the flag lapel pin, maybe he should count how many stars on the flag.

9. "The issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should. I've got Greenspan's book." --John McCain, in an interview with the Boston Globe.

Seems like he understood it well enough, when he was one of the Keating Five.

8. "I'm not going to put my lot in with economists." --Hillary Clinton, after being asked by George Stephanopoulos about economists' claims that her gas tax holiday proposal would not bring down gas prices.

If she understands economics the same way she is touting her own campaign numbers, then we are all in trouble.

7. "Why can't I just eat my waffle?" --Barack Obama, after being asked a foreign policy question by a reporter while visiting a diner in Pennsylvania.

'Waffling' is not good for presidential candidates...or presidents.

6. "You know that old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran? Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran." --John McCain, breaking into song after being asked about whether it was time to send a message to Iran.

Wow---McCain listens to the only group from the Sixties actually still younger than he is.

5. "Hold on one second, sweetie, we're going to do -- we'll do a press avail." --Barack Obama, to a female reporter for ABC's Detroit affiliate who asked about his plan to help American autoworkers.

Come on, sweeties, he was just being nice.

4. "It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." --Barack Obama, explaining his troubles winning over some working-class voters.

Cynicism is an unpleasant way of saying the truth. Lillian Hellman (1905 - 1984).

3. "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know, I just, I don't understand it." --Hillary Clinton, on why she is staying in the race.

'...I just don't understand it' ??? Don't understand what? One of the most insensitive things I have ever heard in a political race. And, strangely enough, from Hillary it seems almost like a planned 'gaff'. She is just too smart for it not to be.

2. "Make it a hundred...That would be fine with me." --John McCain, to a questioner who asked if he supported President Bush's vision for keeping U.S. troops in Iraq for 50 years.

Well, when you're his age, 100 years may not seem like a very long time, perhaps.

1. "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base." --Hillary Clinton, on visiting Bosnia in 1996, contradicting other accounts that said there was no threat of gunfire. Clinton later said she "misspoke".

No, not 'sniper fire', but perhaps, 'liar, liar...pants on fire.'

Entertainment and Politics

Last year, I participated in a study done by a researcher from Gonzaga University Political Science Department on the recent trend of entertainers becoming involved in politics. The researcher interviewed such legends as singer Martha Reeves [currently a council member in Detroit], comedian Tommy Smothers, singer Jerry Butler [Butler is working in Chicago as a Commissioner for Cook County] and Will Durst [comedian who ran for mayor of San Francisco]. He also interviewed me.

We talked at length about how entertainers get involved in politics, whether they should, the liberal vs conservative dichotomy in the entertainment world. Currently, comedian and writer Al Franken is running for Senate in his home state of Minnesota.

Recently, actor and martial arts dude Chuck Norris entered the fray, endorsing Mike Huckabee for President. Here's what he had to say about Senator John McCain, and why he did not pick McCain:

"I didn't pick John McCain to support because I'm just afraid that the vice president would wind up taking over his job in that four-year presidency, so we need to find someone that can handle it for four years or eight years, that has the youth and vision and communication skills to make that work."
-- Chuck Norris

And here is McCain's response:

"I'm afraid that I may have to send my 95-year-old mother over to wash Chuck's mouth out with soap."
-- John McCain

Maybe some people in show business should stay out of politics. And visa versa.

No Comment Needed.

"Make it a hundred [years]. That would be fine with me."
-- John McCain on how long the U.S. should have troops in Iraq

"It could easily be that, absolutely."
-- George W. Bush, when asked if the U.S. would have troops in Iraq for the next ten years."

Real Message Out of New Hampshire: Vote Democratic

The real message out of New Hampshire was that people voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic candidates. This bodes well for November, whether the Democratic presidential candidate is Obama or Clinton or Edwards.

New Hampshire is an open primary state. This means that anyone, regardless of political party affiliation, can vote for anyone they choose. In a sense, a Barack Obama has as much to fear from a Hillary Clinton as he does from a John McCain.

But here are the numbers from the January 8th NH primary, with 91% of the districts reporting:

Democrats Vote %

Clinton 102,486---- 39%
Obama 95,263---- 36
Edwards 44,283---- 17
Richardson 11,943---- 5

Republicans Vote %

McCain 81,005 ----- 37%
Romney 69,132 -----32
Huckabee 24,364 -----11
Giuliani 18,763 -----9

As you can see, even with Obama in second place behind Hillary, he scored with enough New Hampshire independent voters to outpace McCain, the Republican leader. In 2000, McCain won New Hampshire, and his style still resonates with the independent thinking New Hampshirians. New Hampshirites? New Hampshirers?

Anyway you define them, the folks from the Granite State were rock solid for the Dems.