I think the young woman (Bristol Palin ) who's pregnant is a tererific person. Her mother, Sarah Palin, once stated he couldn't stand people who were "holier than thou." Me too, Sarah.
After this particular barn door closes, all you can say is: "What can I do to help?" In this case, I want to mirror the obvious love the Palins have for all their children.
In a very short time, the American public has learned to love the Palin Family. They are amazingly reflective of all that's good and decent about our country. Let's wish them all well -- and let's get on with the business of winning this election.
Yes, I am pro-life. I especially believe we all have a right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Yet I have friends, -- quite a few -- who are pro-choice. They are NOT evil people. I disagree with their definitions of life. As we define existence, we can't fall back on Obama's cynical statement that determining what life is -- and what it's not -- is "above [our] pay grade."
I think my pro-choice friends' definition of life is deficient, but I the ones I know aren't morally careless or "bad" individuals.
As a man with libertarian bones in my body, I am also pro-letting-Americans-make-their-own-choices, even ones that might involve life and death. I'm not the world's moral arbiter.
In fact, people making choices is something they will do with or without my permission.
All I is ask is that such choices be informed ones, thoughtful ones.
When Mike Huckabee, whom I like a lot, said that Jamie Spears's teen pregnancy was a "tragedy," I begged to differ. (Admittedly, Mike immediately said that he was not one of those who would "line up" to "stand in judgment" of Britney's younger sister.)
Why did I disagree with Mike's use of the word "tragedy?" Actually, it's one of the most misused terms in our world.
In fact, Mike was unintentionally making an argument to terminate pregnancies. If getting pregnant is a "tragedy," there's an obvious quick solution, and it's not one he recommends.
Please bookmark this site and return often. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE VISITING THIS SITE TODAY, AND I'M DELIGHTED & GRATEFUL.
A good place to go to get facts separated from fictions is: http://talkstraight.org. The editor at that site is Tracy, who also blogs at: http://independents4mccain.blogspot.com.
Showing posts with label Inc." Mike Huckabee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inc." Mike Huckabee. Show all posts
Monday, September 1, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sarah Palin: First Female President?
Note: I sent the following message to several Republican congressional candidates I'm working with this year. Please pass it on to congressional candidates in your area. Thanks.
Bulletin for Republican congressional candidates and supporters: In KY exit polls are showing that two-thirds of Clinton voters are saying they will not vote for Obama in the General Election. Forty-one percent are saying they will vote for McCain.That's why I'm asking candidates and supporters to say, "A vote for my opponent is a vote for Barack Obama." That is not the conventional wisdom, but the conventional wisdom is wrong in this case. Tie yourself and your campaign to John McCain. (Please be kind enough to go Congressional Quarterly -- link below -- and vote for Gov. Sarah Palin (scroll down).
PLEASE let as many people as you can know about this poll. Post it on your blog, email your friends, write a note on your Facebook profile, anything to help push Gov. Palin over the top. Win or lose, VP Madness has been a major victory for our movement, but a win here could permanently catapult Sarah Palin into the top tier of the top tier of the veepstakes (at least as far as the media is concerned).
Bulletin for Republican congressional candidates and supporters: In KY exit polls are showing that two-thirds of Clinton voters are saying they will not vote for Obama in the General Election. Forty-one percent are saying they will vote for McCain.That's why I'm asking candidates and supporters to say, "A vote for my opponent is a vote for Barack Obama." That is not the conventional wisdom, but the conventional wisdom is wrong in this case. Tie yourself and your campaign to John McCain. (Please be kind enough to go Congressional Quarterly -- link below -- and vote for Gov. Sarah Palin (scroll down).
Will this woman, Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath be America's first female President? And will this man, Todd Palin, holding their new baby, Trig, be America's "First Dude?" There is a good chance John McCain will name her as his vice-presidential running mate. Please vote for her in the Congressional Quarterly "V-P Madness" poll (see below)
Palin Fans:
Gov. Palin is now just one victory away from WINNING CQ Politics' "VP Madness"! She beat out Rob Portman in the Final Four by a vote of 56%-43%, advancing to a final confrontation with Mike Huckabee. I'm very confident in the chances of a Palin victory, but the presidential primaries proved that underestimating Mike Huckabee is a huge mistake. So, let's make sure that we give our favorite governor as much help as we possibly can.
PLEASE let as many people as you can know about this poll. Post it on your blog, email your friends, write a note on your Facebook profile, anything to help push Gov. Palin over the top. Win or lose, VP Madness has been a major victory for our movement, but a win here could permanently catapult Sarah Palin into the top tier of the top tier of the veepstakes (at least as far as the media is concerned).
LET'S WIN THIS!!!!!--
Adam Brickley
Founder, "Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President"
Note from Steve: Adam Brickley, a 21-year-old college student (who's graduating this week in Colorado Springs) is the finest young political operative in the country. Please cast your ballot for Sarah, a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-military, pro-integrity woman who just might be "Mt. Rushmore material."
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
JOHN EDWARDS: IN BEAUTY PARLOR
"Congress is spending money faster than John Edwards in the beauty parlor." (Mike Huckabee)
"His detractors called him 'The Breck Girl.'" (From MSNBC)
Note: An addition to this column, about Sarah Palin, is at the end.
When John Edwards was on "The Letterman Show" recently, the host messed up his hair. Edwards flashed his usual "Crest Toothpaste" smile, but he was obviously not pleased by Letterman's actions.
Because of his $400 coif in California, Edwards, the "poverty candidate," will forevermore be known as The Haircut Man. How many poor people would $400 have fed? How many doctors' visits would it have paid for? Obviously, Edwards is not a man with a strong sense of irony.
Edwards was a very successful trial lawyer. In that role, he apparently took his full cut of the settlement money, approximately 40% (plus expenses). His personal fortune is estimated at a comfortable $20 million.
Last summer, after Edwards found out that his wife Elizabeth had terminal breast cancer, he announced that he would continue the campaign. He made the announcement at his new home in beautiful Chapel Hill, NC. The home is reportedly 28,000 square feet, big enough to contain a standard-sized basketball court.
Nearly a century ago the sociologist Thorsten Veblen talked about the "sheer vulgar fatness of great wealth." Thorsten Veblen, meet John and Elizabeth Edwards. A 28,000 square foot home is big enough to house most of the very poor people in a small city.
Edwards' explanation for the hair cut and the house is that his father was a "mill worker." Actually, for the time and place his dad had a decent job. Presumably, he had no aspirations to build a Vanderbilt-sized mansion. How many poor people would have benefited from the $5 million-plus he spent on the house?
The best way to give immediate assistance to the poor is not to run for President and make the case for a vast redistribution of wealth. Some like Bill Gates has done more to benefit people of low and modest incomes than John Edwards could do if he were elected President-for-life.
Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, "No one can plumb the mysteries of a human heart." That said, my own belief is that Edwards used his wife's illness for political purposes. Apparently, he gained more than his share of sympathy votes. He should be ashamed, and so should his wife.
The "game" they played is one highlighted in the book Games People Play. It's called the wooden-leg ploy. In it, people use a disability or illness to elicit more sympathy than they deserve.
Do I believe John Edwards truly cares about poor people? I don't. If he did, he'd spend less money on himself and more on them. Perhaps he might have started a business that would employ hundreds -- or thousands -- of poor people. If he truly wanted to assist the poor, he might have stuffed every Salvation Army kettle in North Carolina.
Yes, I'm angry at John and Elizabeth Edwards, because they reek of insincerity and demagoguery. They are not as stupid as they sound. They must be aware that the greatest poverty reduction force in history is the private enterprise economy in the U.S.
Don't look for John Edwards and wife to spend the rest of their days among poor people -- in a soup kitchen, for example. When you experience a setback, it's always nice to be able to return to a 28,000 square foot house. And don't look for him to start going to the neighborhood barber shop.
Lest there be any doubt, I'm sorry Elizabeth has cancer. I'm also sorry she has to spend the rest of her days with him.
_____________________
Here's an e-mail I just sent to some fellow strategists in the Draft Sarah Palin Movement:
For Sarah Palin to endorse Huckabee for President would be a major mistake. I wrote about matters vice-presidential last night and Huck would be the wrong choice for John McCain. He would also be the wrong choice for Sarah to endorse. However, if there's ever to be a remake of "Mayberry, RFD," I'd recommend Mike for a leading role.
McCain and Palin would both have very strong support from veterans and their families, groups that have never been targeted nearly as effectively as they could be. There are 26 million veterans in the U.S Sarah is not from a military family, but with Track in the infantry she is now a powerful link to military families.
I wish McCain would do some "maverick" things in naming a vice-president. Specifically, I hope he will say that this person shows many signs of not only being a great V-P but also an outstanding President. He must not accept in any sense that she is a "rookie." She is a national power and a remarkable elected official.
We all know the political "games people play," but I sure hope McCain stops playing them. His major strength is authenticity and straight talk -- one of the reasons he appeals to Independents and Democrats.
By the way, if McCain doesn't name Sarah or Mike, he might go with Charlie Crist, who is one helluva campaigner. McCain will not follow Rudy's suggest to "campaign in all 50 states." But I certainly hope he will compete in 40-42. The pure red state fixation is a razor's edge approach. McCain will be the nominee. The choice probably will be between Clinton and McCain.
Here's a piece of the article from the Fairbanks News-Miner on Gov. Palin's current thinking:
"Palin not quite ready to back candidate"
January 30, 2008
Gov. Sarah Palin said Tuesday she wasn’t ready to back any candidate for president but had narrowed it down to two — fellow Republicans Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Palin said she was trying to find time off the state clock to study where the two candidates stood on national security, resource development, and a natural gas pipeline, and had calls in to both campaigns.
“I would ideally love to speak with them personally on their positions on resources and national security,” she said....
Palin laughed at the idea that her endorsement mattered at the national level.
___________
A friend of mine and I were discussing various vice-presidential options for Senator John McCain. We mentioned two possibilities: Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida. Here's what I said in regard to Sarah Heath Palin of Alaska:
I'm going to write more about this subject on my blog. McCain must position the Party for the future, and another Midwestern white guy is not the ticket at this point in history. As Rudy Giuliani said in his endorsement of McCain, we must reach out to all groups -- including women professionals -- to win national elections. Sarah Palin is the perfect VP candidate: wife, mother, and parent of a U.S. soldier, dynamic communicator, conservative, pro-life, and a permanent member of the NRA.
One reason McCain won FL was the endorsement of Mel Martinez and three Cuban-American congressional reps (all of them up there with him last night). McCain needs to get 40% (a stretch maybe) of the Hispanic vote in the general. Sarah Palin will play very well in the Hispanic communities, especially with women.
"His detractors called him 'The Breck Girl.'" (From MSNBC)
Note: An addition to this column, about Sarah Palin, is at the end.
When John Edwards was on "The Letterman Show" recently, the host messed up his hair. Edwards flashed his usual "Crest Toothpaste" smile, but he was obviously not pleased by Letterman's actions.
Because of his $400 coif in California, Edwards, the "poverty candidate," will forevermore be known as The Haircut Man. How many poor people would $400 have fed? How many doctors' visits would it have paid for? Obviously, Edwards is not a man with a strong sense of irony.
Edwards was a very successful trial lawyer. In that role, he apparently took his full cut of the settlement money, approximately 40% (plus expenses). His personal fortune is estimated at a comfortable $20 million.
Last summer, after Edwards found out that his wife Elizabeth had terminal breast cancer, he announced that he would continue the campaign. He made the announcement at his new home in beautiful Chapel Hill, NC. The home is reportedly 28,000 square feet, big enough to contain a standard-sized basketball court.
Nearly a century ago the sociologist Thorsten Veblen talked about the "sheer vulgar fatness of great wealth." Thorsten Veblen, meet John and Elizabeth Edwards. A 28,000 square foot home is big enough to house most of the very poor people in a small city.
Edwards' explanation for the hair cut and the house is that his father was a "mill worker." Actually, for the time and place his dad had a decent job. Presumably, he had no aspirations to build a Vanderbilt-sized mansion. How many poor people would have benefited from the $5 million-plus he spent on the house?
The best way to give immediate assistance to the poor is not to run for President and make the case for a vast redistribution of wealth. Some like Bill Gates has done more to benefit people of low and modest incomes than John Edwards could do if he were elected President-for-life.
Nathaniel Hawthorne once said, "No one can plumb the mysteries of a human heart." That said, my own belief is that Edwards used his wife's illness for political purposes. Apparently, he gained more than his share of sympathy votes. He should be ashamed, and so should his wife.
The "game" they played is one highlighted in the book Games People Play. It's called the wooden-leg ploy. In it, people use a disability or illness to elicit more sympathy than they deserve.
Do I believe John Edwards truly cares about poor people? I don't. If he did, he'd spend less money on himself and more on them. Perhaps he might have started a business that would employ hundreds -- or thousands -- of poor people. If he truly wanted to assist the poor, he might have stuffed every Salvation Army kettle in North Carolina.
Yes, I'm angry at John and Elizabeth Edwards, because they reek of insincerity and demagoguery. They are not as stupid as they sound. They must be aware that the greatest poverty reduction force in history is the private enterprise economy in the U.S.
Don't look for John Edwards and wife to spend the rest of their days among poor people -- in a soup kitchen, for example. When you experience a setback, it's always nice to be able to return to a 28,000 square foot house. And don't look for him to start going to the neighborhood barber shop.
Lest there be any doubt, I'm sorry Elizabeth has cancer. I'm also sorry she has to spend the rest of her days with him.
_____________________
Here's an e-mail I just sent to some fellow strategists in the Draft Sarah Palin Movement:
For Sarah Palin to endorse Huckabee for President would be a major mistake. I wrote about matters vice-presidential last night and Huck would be the wrong choice for John McCain. He would also be the wrong choice for Sarah to endorse. However, if there's ever to be a remake of "Mayberry, RFD," I'd recommend Mike for a leading role.
McCain and Palin would both have very strong support from veterans and their families, groups that have never been targeted nearly as effectively as they could be. There are 26 million veterans in the U.S Sarah is not from a military family, but with Track in the infantry she is now a powerful link to military families.
I wish McCain would do some "maverick" things in naming a vice-president. Specifically, I hope he will say that this person shows many signs of not only being a great V-P but also an outstanding President. He must not accept in any sense that she is a "rookie." She is a national power and a remarkable elected official.
We all know the political "games people play," but I sure hope McCain stops playing them. His major strength is authenticity and straight talk -- one of the reasons he appeals to Independents and Democrats.
By the way, if McCain doesn't name Sarah or Mike, he might go with Charlie Crist, who is one helluva campaigner. McCain will not follow Rudy's suggest to "campaign in all 50 states." But I certainly hope he will compete in 40-42. The pure red state fixation is a razor's edge approach. McCain will be the nominee. The choice probably will be between Clinton and McCain.
Here's a piece of the article from the Fairbanks News-Miner on Gov. Palin's current thinking:
"Palin not quite ready to back candidate"
January 30, 2008
Gov. Sarah Palin said Tuesday she wasn’t ready to back any candidate for president but had narrowed it down to two — fellow Republicans Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Palin said she was trying to find time off the state clock to study where the two candidates stood on national security, resource development, and a natural gas pipeline, and had calls in to both campaigns.
“I would ideally love to speak with them personally on their positions on resources and national security,” she said....
Palin laughed at the idea that her endorsement mattered at the national level.
___________
A friend of mine and I were discussing various vice-presidential options for Senator John McCain. We mentioned two possibilities: Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida. Here's what I said in regard to Sarah Heath Palin of Alaska:
I'm going to write more about this subject on my blog. McCain must position the Party for the future, and another Midwestern white guy is not the ticket at this point in history. As Rudy Giuliani said in his endorsement of McCain, we must reach out to all groups -- including women professionals -- to win national elections. Sarah Palin is the perfect VP candidate: wife, mother, and parent of a U.S. soldier, dynamic communicator, conservative, pro-life, and a permanent member of the NRA.
One reason McCain won FL was the endorsement of Mel Martinez and three Cuban-American congressional reps (all of them up there with him last night). McCain needs to get 40% (a stretch maybe) of the Hispanic vote in the general. Sarah Palin will play very well in the Hispanic communities, especially with women.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
McCain: American Hero, Patriot, Christian
Mike Devine, who posts under the name "Gamecock" sent me an article that's critical of Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, and just about everybody other than Fred Thompson. It centers on the South Carolina primary, and you can see it by clicking on: http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200801/POL20080109d.html
The article may tell you more about SC politics than you want to know, but you won't find anything better between now and the Palmetto State primary. I expect Larry Perrault and SJ Reidhead can't wait to respond it -- especially SJ (Cindy), who hails from SC.
I think all the article's criticisms, including those of Mike Huckabee, are somewhere between petty and totally unfair. For Huck fans, the accusations are mostly "inside baseball" stuff about the conservative wing of the So. Baptist Church and the VERY conservative wing. In the mind of some Baptists, Mike chose the "wrong" side in a denominational struggle. Talk about arcana.
I like Mike Devine (Gamecock) a lot, but his support of Thompson, like the Fred Campaign itself, is embarrassing. Fred is the laziest of candidates, and he's the worst when it comes to raising money. After 9/11, Fred said, "Now is not the time to leave [the Senate]." Shortly thereafter, he left -- to join the cast of a television show (Richard Wolf's "Law and Order") that missed few opportunities to bash the military and the GWB segment of the country. Frankly, Fred should be ashamed of himself.
"Yes, we have no bananas," when bananas is an analogue to perfect candidates.
I criticize Mike Huckabee myself, but anyone with sense will see that he, like several other candidates, is a good one and a man with some remarkable political achievements.As for John McCain, yes, he is a "maverick," that is, someone who thinks for himself -- wow, how exotic.
He has been pro-life and pro-military for his entire life. He is a Christian, which is a term that does not and should not have a narrow meaning. Of great significance, he's an American hero who underwent torture for many years.
Of great note, he has tackled issues (including immigration and campaign finance) where others have relied on pandering to an increasingly clueless "base." That's a group which believes the answer to real, pressinging problems is to "just say NO." On campaign finance: it has turned into a vehicle for re-electing incumbents (Pelosi, Murtha, Obey, Waxman, Rangel) unto perpetuity.
McCain's approach may have had its flaws, but anybody who doesn't see that the current financing system is a nightmare for representative democracy has not been paying attention.
For Huck supporters, they need to see that -- in many ways -- McCain is a lot like Mike Huckabee, although without the Southern accent. Mike and John both get criticized at least as much for their virtues as their faults. At times it appears the only people who like them are voters (and not just in states like Iowa and New Hampshire).
My point is that we need to recognize that candidates who disagree with us on one or more issues are not therefore beyond the pale. Heck, even in my case, I'm not always right.
May the best man win.
The article may tell you more about SC politics than you want to know, but you won't find anything better between now and the Palmetto State primary. I expect Larry Perrault and SJ Reidhead can't wait to respond it -- especially SJ (Cindy), who hails from SC.
I think all the article's criticisms, including those of Mike Huckabee, are somewhere between petty and totally unfair. For Huck fans, the accusations are mostly "inside baseball" stuff about the conservative wing of the So. Baptist Church and the VERY conservative wing. In the mind of some Baptists, Mike chose the "wrong" side in a denominational struggle. Talk about arcana.
I like Mike Devine (Gamecock) a lot, but his support of Thompson, like the Fred Campaign itself, is embarrassing. Fred is the laziest of candidates, and he's the worst when it comes to raising money. After 9/11, Fred said, "Now is not the time to leave [the Senate]." Shortly thereafter, he left -- to join the cast of a television show (Richard Wolf's "Law and Order") that missed few opportunities to bash the military and the GWB segment of the country. Frankly, Fred should be ashamed of himself.
"Yes, we have no bananas," when bananas is an analogue to perfect candidates.
I criticize Mike Huckabee myself, but anyone with sense will see that he, like several other candidates, is a good one and a man with some remarkable political achievements.As for John McCain, yes, he is a "maverick," that is, someone who thinks for himself -- wow, how exotic.
He has been pro-life and pro-military for his entire life. He is a Christian, which is a term that does not and should not have a narrow meaning. Of great significance, he's an American hero who underwent torture for many years.
Of great note, he has tackled issues (including immigration and campaign finance) where others have relied on pandering to an increasingly clueless "base." That's a group which believes the answer to real, pressinging problems is to "just say NO." On campaign finance: it has turned into a vehicle for re-electing incumbents (Pelosi, Murtha, Obey, Waxman, Rangel) unto perpetuity.
McCain's approach may have had its flaws, but anybody who doesn't see that the current financing system is a nightmare for representative democracy has not been paying attention.
For Huck supporters, they need to see that -- in many ways -- McCain is a lot like Mike Huckabee, although without the Southern accent. Mike and John both get criticized at least as much for their virtues as their faults. At times it appears the only people who like them are voters (and not just in states like Iowa and New Hampshire).
My point is that we need to recognize that candidates who disagree with us on one or more issues are not therefore beyond the pale. Heck, even in my case, I'm not always right.
May the best man win.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Key Presidential & Congressional Races
Starting tomorrow morning (Monday) at 8 a.m. there will be a new column every day between now and February 6, 2008, the day after "Super Tuesday." I've p
redicted that Senator Barack Obama will win the New Hampshire primary in a close race with Senator Hillary Clinton. I've also predicted that Senator John McCain will win the New Hampshire -- and that he will finish far ahead of the second place finisher, former Gov. Mitt Romney.
I believe the eventual presidential nominees will be Barack Obama and John McCain. However, I wouldn't bet the house on my own projections. Mike Huckabee will retain his strong support among evangelicals and home-schoolers, who propelled him to victory in Iowa. Mitt Romney has spent tens of millions of his own money and, as the saying goes, "you ain't seen nothing yet."
I believe the best candidate the Democrats have is Hillary Rodham Clinton, which isn't saying much, because the top-tier Democrats all advocate policies that will be harmful to the nation.
Mrs. Clinton may still win the nomination, but if she finishes second in New Hampshire and then goes on to lose in South Carolina, her campaign is in deep trouble. Obama would have all the momentum, and he would be almost unstoppable. I think that's likely to happen, but at this point, there are few absolute certainties.
Last night, I attended a remarkable meeting that featured former congresswoman Melissa Hart, who is seeking to regain her seat in Pennsylvania's 4th Congressional District. Her race against Jason Altmire is reflective of many congressional battles taking place around the country. I'll be writing more in the weeks ahead about the Hart-Altmire struggle.
If you'd like to learn more about Melissa Hart, you can check her archived appearance on Doug Gibbs's Blog Talk Radio on January 3, 2008.
redicted that Senator Barack Obama will win the New Hampshire primary in a close race with Senator Hillary Clinton. I've also predicted that Senator John McCain will win the New Hampshire -- and that he will finish far ahead of the second place finisher, former Gov. Mitt Romney. I believe the eventual presidential nominees will be Barack Obama and John McCain. However, I wouldn't bet the house on my own projections. Mike Huckabee will retain his strong support among evangelicals and home-schoolers, who propelled him to victory in Iowa. Mitt Romney has spent tens of millions of his own money and, as the saying goes, "you ain't seen nothing yet."
I believe the best candidate the Democrats have is Hillary Rodham Clinton, which isn't saying much, because the top-tier Democrats all advocate policies that will be harmful to the nation.
Mrs. Clinton may still win the nomination, but if she finishes second in New Hampshire and then goes on to lose in South Carolina, her campaign is in deep trouble. Obama would have all the momentum, and he would be almost unstoppable. I think that's likely to happen, but at this point, there are few absolute certainties.
Last night, I attended a remarkable meeting that featured former congresswoman Melissa Hart, who is seeking to regain her seat in Pennsylvania's 4th Congressional District. Her race against Jason Altmire is reflective of many congressional battles taking place around the country. I'll be writing more in the weeks ahead about the Hart-Altmire struggle.
If you'd like to learn more about Melissa Hart, you can check her archived appearance on Doug Gibbs's Blog Talk Radio on January 3, 2008.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Christmas Stories: McCain & Spears
Picture of downtown Pittsburgh, with the Monongahela River on the right and the Allegheny River on the left. The two come together at Point State Park to form the Ohio River.My Christmas Story
As a POW, my captors would tie my arms behind my back and then loop the rope around my neck and ankles so that my head was pulled down between my knees. I was often left like that throughout the night.
One night a guard came into my cell. He put his finger to his lips signaling for me to be quiet, and then loosened my ropes to relieve my pain. The next morning, when his shift ended, the guard returned and retightened the ropes, never saying a word to me.
A month or so later, on Christmas Day, I was standing in the dirt courtyard when I saw that same guard approach me. He walked up and stood silently next to me, not looking or smiling at me.
After a few moments had passed, he rather nonchalantly used his sandaled foot to draw a cross in the dirt. We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas, even in the darkness of a Vietnamese prison camp. After a minute or two, he rubbed it out and walked away.
That guard was my Good Samaritan. I will never forget that man and I will never forget that moment. And I will never forget that, no matter where you are, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there will always be someone who will pick you up and carry you.
May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and Happy Holidays,
John McCain.
As many of you know, I'm giving John McCain another look. I continue to believe that he and Rudy Giuliani would be outstanding presidential choices. I'm also hopeful that both of them would lean toward Gov. Sarah Palin when they're considering vice-presidential choices. Finally, on the basis of their past performance, both McCain and Giuliani would be willing to campaign for Melissa Hart and William Russell in their efforts to win congressional seats.
Mike Huckabee and Jamie Spears
I heard on CNN that candidate Mike Huckabee described the pregnancy of 16-year-old Jamie Spears (Britney's younger sister) as a "tragedy." Frankly, that's a misuse of the word "tragedy," which is not a synonym for every unfortunate event that occurs in the world. The sad thing is that there's no solid evidence that young Miss Spears is ready to have and care for this child. Huckabee did salute her -- and wisely so -- for apparently never considering an abortion.
I wonder if her responsible behavior in choosing to have the child doesn't over-ride the irresponsible part: getting pregnant at age 16. At this point, all we can do is wish her and child well -- and provide whatever support we can for this young-mother-to-be.
The untold story in this event is what steps, if any, Miss Spears and her family are willing to take to ensure the child is loved and well-cared-for. Is she, like her older sister, intends to continue "partying" and devoting her life to a series of pointless activities, then the child truly will need our prayers.
I hope Jamie decides from this point on to be a role-model for the 800,000 American teenagers who become pregnant annually. In avoiding the easy way out of having an abortion, she may in fact be off to a good start.
As for Mike Huckabee, he needs to read up on the concept of tragedy. I suggest he start with Aristotle's "Poetics." Also, as a Christian minister, he needs to emulate Jesus Christ in staying away from judgmentalism. "Nor do I condemn you . . . Go and sin no more."
Thursday, September 27, 2007
BULLETIN: GIULIANI IN NHI
The latest national and state polls show Rudy Giuliani surging to the lead nationally and -- of great significance -- drawing even in the key state of New Hampshire. He's doing so with significant support from the evangelical Christian and conservative Catholic communities. "America's Mayor" is advancing in spite of the scorched earth policy of a tiny fragment of evangelicals, such as Laurence White and Larry Perrault, whose effort seem designed mainly to hand the general election to Hillary Rodham Clinton. On White and Perrault, see the two columns I'll write on Thursday and Friday.
Gov. Romney has reportedly spent $2 million in NH, and he served as Governor of the neighboring state of Massachusetts. The spending and proximity may not be enough. If Romney loses New Hampshire, his campaign will be a case of "dead man walking." Senator McCain, who won the primary in the Granite State in 2000 is locked in third place. Mike Huckabee, the approved candidate of the two Larrys (White and Perrault) has only a tiny fragment of the vote and shows no sign of forward momentum.
The following are the figures, released today, from the WMUR (Manchester, NH) poll conducted this week: Romeny, 25%, Giuliani 24%, McCain 16%, Thompson 13%. The results reflect a surge in Giuliani''s support, while Romney has dropped 9% since early this year..
Stephen R. Maloney
Ambridge, PA
Gov. Romney has reportedly spent $2 million in NH, and he served as Governor of the neighboring state of Massachusetts. The spending and proximity may not be enough. If Romney loses New Hampshire, his campaign will be a case of "dead man walking." Senator McCain, who won the primary in the Granite State in 2000 is locked in third place. Mike Huckabee, the approved candidate of the two Larrys (White and Perrault) has only a tiny fragment of the vote and shows no sign of forward momentum.
The following are the figures, released today, from the WMUR (Manchester, NH) poll conducted this week: Romeny, 25%, Giuliani 24%, McCain 16%, Thompson 13%. The results reflect a surge in Giuliani''s support, while Romney has dropped 9% since early this year..
Stephen R. Maloney
Ambridge, PA
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
LAURENCE WHITE AND LARRY PERRAULT: EVANGELICAL EXTREMISM (AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HUCKABEE CAMPAIGN)
NOTE: ON THURSDAY, SEPT. 27, I'LL BE WRITING ABOUT HOUSTON BLOGGER LARRY PERRAULT AND HIS SPIRITUAL MENTOR, DR. LAURENCE WHITE, A HOUSTON PREACHER -- AND A MAN I CALL "EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY'S OSAMA." THE PIECE WILL DEAL WITH THE DEEP HATRED OF AMERICA FOUND IN THE EXTREMIST SEGMENT OF THE EVANGELICAL "COMMUNITY." I WILL BE ASKING MIKE HUCKABEE TO DISSOCIATE HIMSELF FROM LAURENCE WHITE'S VENOMOUS COMMENTS ABOUT THIS COUNTRY -- COMMENTS I'M SURE ARE AS DISTURBING TO MIKE AS THEY ARE TO ME . . . AND WILL BE TO YOU. http://camp2008victorya.blogspot.com/ (my site); http://mtio.com/articles/bissar55.htm (Dr. White's speech/essay, where he compares America to Nazi Germany)
http:// http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=478 ((Dr. White's letter to Mike Huckabee saying "This Election Cannot Be About Electability")
I strongly believe Dr. White's apocalyptic rhetoric is the kind that encourages such demented "pro-life-killers-for-Christ" as Paul Hill and Eric Rudolph. This man and others like him are going to tarnish Mike Huckabee's reputation beyond repair.
http:// http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=478 ((Dr. White's letter to Mike Huckabee saying "This Election Cannot Be About Electability")
I strongly believe Dr. White's apocalyptic rhetoric is the kind that encourages such demented "pro-life-killers-for-Christ" as Paul Hill and Eric Rudolph. This man and others like him are going to tarnish Mike Huckabee's reputation beyond repair.
Like any candidate, Mike inevitably will attract some nutcases. But the last thing he needs are "supporters" who claim to be Christians chanting "We Hate America."
Thursday, September 13, 2007
EXPOSING "PRO-LIFE, INC." (Plus Palin & Giuliani News)
"It's better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness." (Father Keller of The Christophers, many years ago)
"When all is said and done, a lot more is said . . . than is done."-- Lou Holtz, football coach, who was head coach at Wm. & Mary when I was there in 1968 (really!)
Note: In the efforts of dozens of bloggers and others to help ensure that the first female President of the United States is NOT named Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, but rather Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, we've approached supporters of every leading presidential candidate, including Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, and John McCain. This week it's the turn of Rudy Giuliani's supporters. In today's column you will read about Mayor Giuliani's appearance in western Pennsylvania. Earlier, on September 9, 2007, there's a column ("Rudy Giuliani Among the Evangelicals") from about Rudy's unusual, but intriguing, strategy to win the nomination.
Note: Sarah Palin is NOT a candidate for President in 2008, but she is a leading candidate for the vice-presidential nod. She will be a candidate for President, and she will win, in a future election. I'm concentrating on Mrs. Palin's participation in the elections of 2012 and 2016. For the campaign for the vice-presidency next year, visit Adam's site at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I'm going to have numerous short pieces about: (1) my eminently workable constitutional amendment to sharply reduce the number of abortions in the U.S.; (2) the tendency of some elements in the pro-life movement to take positions that almost ensure that the number of abortions will continue at the present levels (in excess of 800,000 per year; (3) the irresponsible comments by Pastor Laurence White and others that result in the pro-life movement being easily caricatured as a bunch of self-serving extremists.
Dr. Laurence White: The Rhetoric of Pro-Life Extremism:
f you'd like to see clearly what I'll be talking about I urge you to read two pieces by Lutheran Pastor Laurence White: (1) an essay called "God and Caesar" available at: http://mtio.com/articles/bissar55.htm;
(2) a letter to Mike Huckabee called "This Election Cannot be About Electability," available at: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=350
In my view, both these pieces are exercises in extremism. They make statements about the United States -- comparing it to the Weimar Republic and Nazi German -- that are totally irresponsible. They are condemnations of the culture of the abortion that offer no practical solutions to the problem.
They offer justifiable praise of many Christian heroes of the Nazi era: Dietrich Bonhoffer, Martin Niemoller, and Paul Schneider, among them. However, they absolutely fail to explore in any detail why so many Christians failed to stand up to the Nazis. They fail to distinguish between Naziism and the pluralism that is an essential part of the American system of government and society.
My Human Life Amendment: In several previous columns, I've offered a Human Life Amendment -- one that would results in hundreds of thousands fewer abortions that will occur if we settle for the status quo. I urge people like Laurence White, Larry Perrault, and Mike Huckabee to embrace my proposal. I fear they will not. Why?
Because much of the pro-life movement has become an enterprise unto itself. Preventing even one unnecessary abortion is a triumph. Preventing hundreds of thousands -- and millions over time -- is a great victory. However, people like Dr. White reject this approach. They say it doesn't matter if a pro-choice politician like Hillary Clinton gets elected.
Look very carefully at what they're proposing: they are basically advocating the election of people whose policies will increase the number of abortions. With that approach, they're saying essentially that abortion doesn't matter. Seemingly, all that does matter is their continued ability to express their enduring moral superiority to people like me, proponents of practical steps that will dramatically reduce the incidence of abortion.
At their worst, people like Dr. White are members of "Pro-Life, Inc.," an enterprise that defines itself not by how many abortions it can stop -- and how many adoptions it can encourage -- but by how many speeches it can make condemning their fellow Americans. It's time, frankly, to put "Pro-Life, Inc." out of business.
Stephen R. Maloney
Bulletin from Pennsylvania: As usual, PA (color us VERY Lite Blue) is shaping up as a critical state in the general election for President of the U.S. From time to time, I'll offer updates about the candidates who visit the state. Today (Thursday), there's an excellent story by Dan Majors of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Rudy Giuliani's vist yesterday to Canonsburg, which is 20-some miles from where I live in Ambridge.
Here's what Rudy said: "Pennsylvania is a very important state. We want to win the primary [a late one], and we want to . . . win the general election here and return it to the Republican column, where it belongs, and I believe I'm the Republican who can do that. I think I have the best chance of winning Pennsylvania."
Dan Majors adds: "[Giuliani] said the difference is that other Republican candidates poll well in certain parts of the country, while his support is strong nationwide."
Giuliani added: "I'm the only Republican candidate that can carry on a 50-state campaign . . . . If I get nominated by the Republican Party a year from now, I'll be back here in Pennsylvania campaigning, because I can win Pennsylvania."
Steve adds: Frankly, some of my political allies in Pennsylvania, including individuals who are devoted pro-life evangelical Christians, are raising money for Rudy Giuliani, partly because of the tireless support he offered in 2006 for conservative Republican candidates. (They also believe that the election of Mrs. Clinton would set the pro-life movement back 20 years -- a view with which I concur.)
There's growing support in PA for a Giuliani-Palin ticket and even some emerging support for a Huckabee-Palin ticket.
I expect the GOP primary battle in PA will be between Mayor Giuliani and Governor Huckabee. Since they're my two favorite candidates, that will be just fine with me. (I believe most of the support that now goes to Fred Thompson nationwide eventually will start streaming toward Mike Huckabee, who's currently "everybody's number two" in PA and elsewhere.)
"When all is said and done, a lot more is said . . . than is done."-- Lou Holtz, football coach, who was head coach at Wm. & Mary when I was there in 1968 (really!)
Note: In the efforts of dozens of bloggers and others to help ensure that the first female President of the United States is NOT named Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, but rather Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, we've approached supporters of every leading presidential candidate, including Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, and John McCain. This week it's the turn of Rudy Giuliani's supporters. In today's column you will read about Mayor Giuliani's appearance in western Pennsylvania. Earlier, on September 9, 2007, there's a column ("Rudy Giuliani Among the Evangelicals") from about Rudy's unusual, but intriguing, strategy to win the nomination.
Note: Sarah Palin is NOT a candidate for President in 2008, but she is a leading candidate for the vice-presidential nod. She will be a candidate for President, and she will win, in a future election. I'm concentrating on Mrs. Palin's participation in the elections of 2012 and 2016. For the campaign for the vice-presidency next year, visit Adam's site at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I'm going to have numerous short pieces about: (1) my eminently workable constitutional amendment to sharply reduce the number of abortions in the U.S.; (2) the tendency of some elements in the pro-life movement to take positions that almost ensure that the number of abortions will continue at the present levels (in excess of 800,000 per year; (3) the irresponsible comments by Pastor Laurence White and others that result in the pro-life movement being easily caricatured as a bunch of self-serving extremists.
Dr. Laurence White: The Rhetoric of Pro-Life Extremism:
f you'd like to see clearly what I'll be talking about I urge you to read two pieces by Lutheran Pastor Laurence White: (1) an essay called "God and Caesar" available at: http://mtio.com/articles/bissar55.htm;
(2) a letter to Mike Huckabee called "This Election Cannot be About Electability," available at: http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=350
In my view, both these pieces are exercises in extremism. They make statements about the United States -- comparing it to the Weimar Republic and Nazi German -- that are totally irresponsible. They are condemnations of the culture of the abortion that offer no practical solutions to the problem.
They offer justifiable praise of many Christian heroes of the Nazi era: Dietrich Bonhoffer, Martin Niemoller, and Paul Schneider, among them. However, they absolutely fail to explore in any detail why so many Christians failed to stand up to the Nazis. They fail to distinguish between Naziism and the pluralism that is an essential part of the American system of government and society.
My Human Life Amendment: In several previous columns, I've offered a Human Life Amendment -- one that would results in hundreds of thousands fewer abortions that will occur if we settle for the status quo. I urge people like Laurence White, Larry Perrault, and Mike Huckabee to embrace my proposal. I fear they will not. Why?
Because much of the pro-life movement has become an enterprise unto itself. Preventing even one unnecessary abortion is a triumph. Preventing hundreds of thousands -- and millions over time -- is a great victory. However, people like Dr. White reject this approach. They say it doesn't matter if a pro-choice politician like Hillary Clinton gets elected.
Look very carefully at what they're proposing: they are basically advocating the election of people whose policies will increase the number of abortions. With that approach, they're saying essentially that abortion doesn't matter. Seemingly, all that does matter is their continued ability to express their enduring moral superiority to people like me, proponents of practical steps that will dramatically reduce the incidence of abortion.
At their worst, people like Dr. White are members of "Pro-Life, Inc.," an enterprise that defines itself not by how many abortions it can stop -- and how many adoptions it can encourage -- but by how many speeches it can make condemning their fellow Americans. It's time, frankly, to put "Pro-Life, Inc." out of business.
Stephen R. Maloney
Bulletin from Pennsylvania: As usual, PA (color us VERY Lite Blue) is shaping up as a critical state in the general election for President of the U.S. From time to time, I'll offer updates about the candidates who visit the state. Today (Thursday), there's an excellent story by Dan Majors of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Rudy Giuliani's vist yesterday to Canonsburg, which is 20-some miles from where I live in Ambridge.
Here's what Rudy said: "Pennsylvania is a very important state. We want to win the primary [a late one], and we want to . . . win the general election here and return it to the Republican column, where it belongs, and I believe I'm the Republican who can do that. I think I have the best chance of winning Pennsylvania."
Dan Majors adds: "[Giuliani] said the difference is that other Republican candidates poll well in certain parts of the country, while his support is strong nationwide."
Giuliani added: "I'm the only Republican candidate that can carry on a 50-state campaign . . . . If I get nominated by the Republican Party a year from now, I'll be back here in Pennsylvania campaigning, because I can win Pennsylvania."
Steve adds: Frankly, some of my political allies in Pennsylvania, including individuals who are devoted pro-life evangelical Christians, are raising money for Rudy Giuliani, partly because of the tireless support he offered in 2006 for conservative Republican candidates. (They also believe that the election of Mrs. Clinton would set the pro-life movement back 20 years -- a view with which I concur.)
There's growing support in PA for a Giuliani-Palin ticket and even some emerging support for a Huckabee-Palin ticket.
I expect the GOP primary battle in PA will be between Mayor Giuliani and Governor Huckabee. Since they're my two favorite candidates, that will be just fine with me. (I believe most of the support that now goes to Fred Thompson nationwide eventually will start streaming toward Mike Huckabee, who's currently "everybody's number two" in PA and elsewhere.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)
