Quote of the Day 4/7: Approaching normal

"[Recent reductions in violence have left Iraq] approaching normal political and economic life for the average Iraqi.

Political reconciliation is occurring across Iraq at the local, provincial, grassroots level... Sunni and Shi'a chased from their homes by terrorist and sectarian violence are returning. The 'Sons of Iraq' and Awakening movements, where former Sunni insurgents have now joined in the fight against Al Qaeda, continue to grow."

- John McCain on what he sees happening today in Iraq. His presidential bid is largely tied to the stability of the country, and the American public's willingness to stay there for "maybe 100" more years.

NY Post Assembles Killer Jokes

The NY Post actually did something constructive-- they asked some of the country's top comedians for the best joke they've heard in the last year. Several of the best responses were political. Below are my favorites, you can find the full article here.

Barack Obama bowled a 37. Is he black enough for you now?
- Bill Maher

John McCain is so old that running for President is on his bucket list.
- Jeffrey Ross

I think I might vote for Barack Obama. Because I live in New York City and have been giving black guys change for the past 10 years. I want to see what it feels like for a black guy to give me change.
- Nick Dipaolo

During a "Weekend Update" segment about Eliot Spitzer: And you wanted to have sex with a hooker but you didn't want to wear a condom? Really?!? That might not be scary if you were client number 1, but you were client number 9. I wear a condom if I'm ninth in line at the deli.
- Seth Meyers

My girlfriend said, "I hate it when you finish my sentences." So I said, "Period."
- Sean Keane

Gasoline prices are highest in Hawaii, closing in on $4 a gallon. President Bush said, "See, I told you it wasn't only in our country!"
- David Brenner

Have you heard they're doing a sequel to "Brokeback Mountain?"

No, what's it called?

"Brokeback Mountain 2."
- David Wain

Clintons Are Rich (SNL)

2 Elections Halfway Around the World

The New York Times has these two video profiles of current elections: the Democratic Primary in Pennsylvania, and the Presidential Election (the first full democratic election) in Zimbabwe.

The stories are striking in both their similarities and differences. And their short, so worth the watch...

Friday's Big Numbers **Updated**

80,000- US jobs cut in March

81%- of respondents say the country is on the wrong track, the highest percentage since CBS/ NY Times began polling in the early 1990s.

4%- of respondents in the same poll say the country is better off now than it was 5 years ago.

37- Barack Obama's bowling score through 7 frames at a Pennsylvania alley.

152- What I bowled last night in the law school playoffs, a personal best.

70,000- number of troops Obama advisor Colin Kahl says should stay in Iraq after 2010, at odds with Obama's stated plan to pull combat troops out within 16 months of taking office. Kahl said his position does not reflect that of the campaign.

$20,000,000- Amount raised in March by Hillary Clinton's campaign for president, $15m coming online.

$40,000,000- Amount raised in March by Barack Obama's campaign for president.

**UPDATE** There's one other "Big Number" that came out today:

$109,200,000- Amount of money earned by Bill and Hillary Clinton since 2000.

Say Hello to Bush's "Little Friend"

After months of lobbying European allies, President George Bush is positively giddy that French President Nicholas Sarkozy has agreed to send 1000 troops to the front-lines of the war in Afghanistan.

The news comes on the heels of Canada's announcement that they will be withdrawing troops.

Bush commented that the French president's recent US visit was like that of the "latest incarnation of Elvis." In a seeming acknowledgment of improved Franco- American relations since Sarkozy took over for Jaques Chirac, Bush called the 5' 7" leader his "good luck charm" and his "little friend."

Quote of the Day 4/3: So?

"So?"

- Vice President Dick Cheney being confronted with the statistic that 2/3 of Americans feel the War in Iraq is not worth it. See below...

The Reality of the "Big Mo"

What is primary momentum in reality? The dictionary says that momentum is "force or speed of movement; impetus, as of a physical object or course of events." In the political dictionary next to the definition of momentum it says: "The popularity or acceptance of the person who won the last state's caucus/primary."

However, let's be honest, in reality the idea of momentum is a stupid one. What it says is that people in state eight cannot come up with their own ideas or opinions about a certain candidate and instead just take the word of the past seven states before them. The sarcastic and skeptical say all that time, "Why are Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina sooooo important? They are just the start." The answer, it seems, for the average voter is that they are important because they are choosing who you will eventually vote for.

If states were truly committed to being independent about who they choose for the most powerful position in the land then it is highly unlikely (in an election of two equally qualified and legitimate Democratic candidates) that one of them should win eleven in a row except for that fact that State X simply decided to vote the same way State X -1 voted for.

In essence there is no way for true state primary independence can coexist with the ever powerful "primary momentum." The ideas are opposite. This is hard because there really is no way to fix this problem. The only way to do that would be to have all the primaries or caucuses on the same date. However that would take away what I think is an important part of the process which is to give the smaller states their seat at the table. A simple concession by states eight through fifty that they all sit and wait to see what the first seven do is all I ask.

Divided Are We?

Über geek- chique mag the Economist commissioned an extensive study to compare its native Great Britain to its great grandson, the United States. The impitus for this survey was a pair of press conferences by foreign leaders. At Camp David, in July of last year, President Bush called his country's relationship with the UK their "most important bilateral relationship." For his part, new UK PM Gordon Brown commented on the two countries "shared values... the belief in the dignity of the individual, the freedom and liberty that we can bring to the world..."

However, French President Nicholas Sarkozy also spoke of his country's "fraternité" with Great Britain, because of their similar cultures-- tastes in music and literature-- that is independent of the United States.

So, the Economist had this poll done to see just how similar citizens of the two countries think. After all (as has been pointed out many times) we share the same language, values, and the most famous Briton of the 20th Century was 1/2 American.

Its results showed that Britain seems more European than American, as it's far more liberal. This chart is somewhat difficult to read, but it shows the disparity within each country's conservative and liberal elements (notice Britain is more intellectually homogenous), and then compares the corresponding factions against each other. Kind of convoluted, yes, questionable because the poll notes no margin of error, yes again, but interesting nonetheless.

For a complete breakdown of how each country stands on specific issues, consult the table to the left. It's too small to read, so check out the article, here which has a link to the full image toward the end of the page (left side).

Letterman & McCain trade Barbs

Senator John McCain went on Letterman last night, despite the late- night comics constant jokes about his age. He showed good humor, especially for a guy whose high school nickname was McNasty.

How Would Jesus Vote? Nation Re-Considers

Last night at Notre Dame, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne began his lecture with the same story that opens his book, Souled Out:

Mrs. O'Reilly was dutifully being taken to the polls on Election Day by her son [Bill?]. Mrs. O'Reilly always voted straight Democratic. Her son, a successful member of the upper-middle class, had become an Independent, and often voted Republican.

As was their routine, the son asked his mother how she would vote, and, as always, Mrs. O'Reilly responded, "Straight Democratic." The exasperated son replied, "Mom, if Jesus came back to earth and ran as a Republican, you would vote against him." His mother shot back, "Aw, hush, why would he change his party after all these years?"

Later, Dionne declared, "The era of the religious right is over." Although Dionne acknowledged the movement's death knell has been rung incorrectly before, a true testament to its power of "resurrection," he insisted that this time is (mercifully) different.

Democrats like Barack Obama and Tim Kaine feel comfortable talking about their faith publicly, in a way their predecessors did not a generation ago.

Dionne, a liberal Catholic, also foresaw a shift in the way divisive topics like abortion are dealt with in this country. For 35 years, Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land, ensuring a woman's right to have an abortion. For just as long, the religious have sought to criminalize the practice and looked to the Republican party for salvation.

Yet, after millions of votes, dollars and volunteer hours, Roe does not appear to be going anywhere. And even if it did, Dionne notes, the number of abortions is very unlikely to fall. So the best way to tackle what Christians consider to be an immoral practice, is to focus on why there are more abortions here than in other countries where they're legal, and to try and reduce the number.

Additionally, the American religious have refocused on economic morality. The widening gap between rich and poor is at frightening levels (one British paper said it's caused another Great Depression), and Republicans still push capital gains tax- cuts and trickle- down theory. As a result, the Democratic tent bulges with the faithful, intent on a greater commitment to issues like poverty, climate change and third- world relief.

Even the most socially conservative Republican in the '08 field, Mike Huckabee, talked about economic responsibility. As Arkansas governor, he raised taxes for what he claimed were "moral" reasons, and got no endorsements from traditional Christian leaders, but found surprisingly ample support from voters.

Overall, Dionne's take is cutting edge, and his assessment is well- grounded.

So, while Jesus might never change parties, it appears some of his followers have.

Superdelegate Update

NBC News provides a very helpful update on where the Superdelegate count lies:

We listed the Senate superdelegates endorsements earlier today. We've broken out the House backers as well, and Clinton leads 72-68. That means there are 92 House members who are undecided. Also of note among these House endorsers, 23 of Clinton's 72 are reps from New York (32%). By contrast, nine of Obama's House backers are from Illinois (13%).

Here's how Clinton's and Obama's superdelegate support breaks down:
Among senators: Obama 14-12
Among representatives: Clinton 72-68
Then, among party activists/former party leaders: Clinton leads 171-140
TOTAL: Clinton 255, Obama 222

There's that, and Bailing Hay

Last night, President Bush threw out the first pitch at new Nationals Park in Washington DC. He went up on the mound and threw a hard ball, a bit high. As ESPN's John Miller put it, "There have been many other presidents that have thrown out first pitches, but I don't know any who have done it better."

And it's true, Bush throws a mean opening pitch. As someone who has done it on a much smaller scale, I can attest that's no small feat. It's probably the thing he's best at, and brings back memories of the 2001 World Series, where his pitch at Yankee Stadium (with bullet proof vest on, from the mound, weeks after 9/11, and a 90% approval rating) was probably the highlight of his presidency.

baseball
by krs601

Below is that 2001 video... you have to give it to him-- it was a strike. This video is pretty cool, even though it combines two of my most disliked things.

George Will on Politics & Baseball

On Opening Day, here's a cool piece ESPN showed last night before the Nationals/ Braves game. It features Washington Post columnist George Will, a man known for his intellect, conservatism and love for baseball. He draws parallels between America's two national pastimes: baseball and politics.

It's only a couple of minutes long and worth checking out.



As Mr. Will once said, "Baseball trivia is the ultimate oxymoron, because there's nothing trivial about baseball."

Quote of the Day 3/28: Me Too!

"David Wright. He does everything I like and he's very young."

- The Godfather of baseball statisticians, Bill James, after being asked on 60 Minutes who he would build his dream team around. He picked the Mets 3B without hesitation.

That most American of holidays, Opening Day, is almost upon us. In three days the games count for real, and my beloved Mets open the season against the Marlins in Miami, here's a brief preview of the NL East, courtesy of ESPN's Baseball Tonight and Metsblog.com.

Now back to your regular, political programming.

Mukasey Controversy at BC Law

The law school at Boston College, my old university, plans to have the attorney general speak at commencement ceremonies in May. What might have been a prestigious event has turned controversial. Students, faculty and alumni have banded together to draft a letter asking AG Michael Mukasey to reconsider his attendance.

At his confirmation hearings last year, Mukasey's position was that he did not believe water-boarding constituted torture, and would not prosecute those that authorized or implemented the practice against terror suspects.

The group believes that his position leaves him at odds with the University's Jesuit commitment to human rights.

Mukasey will not receive the law school's highest honor, the Founder's Medal, although Dean John Garvey said that decision predated the controversy. The Founder's Medal is given to those who "embody the traditions of professionalism, scholarship, and service which the Law School seeks to instill in its students."

This is similar to the uproar that surrounded Condoleezza Rice's commencement address to the undergraduate class of 2006 (of which SAM blogger CPC is a member). Many students turned their backs, and one professor even resigned.

As a donor to the university (I gave $15 just before graduating), my take is that, based on the criteria, Mukasey probably doesn't deserve the Founder's Medal, but the protest itself goes against the Jesuit principles of reflection and open discussion as much as Mukasey's position.

Debate on serious legal issues is what higher education is all about. As Garvey put it:

"It is a mark of prestige among elite schools to attract a speaker who operates at the epicenter of American legal issues, regardless of whether the speaker's political views are liberal, moderate, or conservative... Far from wishing the controversy would go away, I think we should rejoice in it."

Rolling Stone Magazine: A Political History

On their website, Rolling Stone has posted a slide show of political covers over their magazine's 40 years. Below is one of three covers that featured President Bill Clinton.

Growing Gobama Buzz

In his latest column for Time Magazine, old SAM Online favorite, Joe Klien, touches on what he admits is a very unlikely scenario.

That would be Barack Obama being unable to gain the support of working- class whites, and the emergence of a ticket led by Al Gore, with Obama (and his 1900 delegates) on the back end.

This would only happen if the Democrats were deadlocked, and neither Obama or Hillary Clinton were able to get the necessary 2025 delegates for the nomination.

As Klien notes- "Chances are, no one will hand [the nomination] to [Gore]. The Democratic Party would have to be monumentally desperate come June."

But also- "A prominent fund raiser told me, 'Gore-Obama is the ticket a lot of people wanted in the first place.'"

Debating Obama

Check out these two links.

http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/03/the-daily-voice-debate-on-obam-000381.php
http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/03/the-daily-voice-debate-on-obam-1-000383.php

A past Notre Dame poli sci professor, current Rutgers professor, my old boss, and a generally awesome guy, Alvin Tillery, Jr., debates fellow academic, Dorian Warren, on the Daily Voice. This discussion begins with Warren saying, "As a native and proud Chicagoan who is supportive yet also very critical of the senator, I have to ask you, why are you such a hater?"

Tillery responds: "I think that Obama has run, up until the controversy with the Reverend Wright forced him to talk about race relations last week, using a neo-southern strategy. In other words, the vast majority of the signals that Obama sends through his campaign rhetoric seem crafted to soothe the psychic angst of white voters while offering black voters very little."

They raise a lot of interesting issues and add a great deal to the race discussion in America.

First Lady gets the Hollywood Treatment

An update on the ongoing story of Oliver Stone's Bush bio-pic "W."-- as we noted in January, Stone cast Josh Brolin in the title role.

Now, he appears to have zeroed in on his Laura-- 40 Year Old Virgin hott Elizabeth Banks.

Come on, who's playing Karl Rove, Matthew McConaughey?

I'd have gone with someone like Laura Linney (who is currently playing another first lady), but I do really like Brolin as W. If this movie is even in the same ballpark as Nixon I'll be happy (and I'm confident it will be).