Senate Target: John Cornyn

I thought it would be a good idea to start looking at Senate races for 2008, so lets get started with a great candidate from the great state of Texas, Rick Noriega (no not that Noriega).

Rick is attempting to unseat first term Senator John Cornyn. Cornyn won his seat in 2002 with 54.7% of the vote, and has spent the last 5 years helping out all his fellow Texan's in the White House, all while racking up the third most conservative voting record in the Senate. All of this might help explain why Cornyn started the 2008 election cycle as least popular Republican Senator in the country with only a 41% favorable rating.

So whose Rick Noriega?
Well, Rick is a Lt. Colonel in the Texas National Guard who also happens to be a five term member of the Texas House of Representatives. Aside from being an Afghanistan War Veteran, a native Texan (including the accent), a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, a Hurricane Katrina rescue worker, and a finalist on American Idol, he doesn't have much of a resume compared to Cornyn. (I'm actually not telling the truth about the American Idol thing, but you get the point.) Noriega isn't a millionaire whose trying to buy this seat, but he is getting solid support from the right Dems in Texas, and even some Republicans.

The Breakdown:
Is this an easy pick up? Hell no. Is this a great candidate who can put up a great fight? Absolutely.

There hasn't been a Democratic Senator from Texas for 19 years. That's right, not since the Dodgers won the World Series has Texas been blue in the Senate, although Dems did make inroads in 2006 by picking up two congressional seats. Cook Political currently has this race classified as a "Safe Republican" seat, but the Noriega's campaign has only started making movement in the last month. Cornyn is currently sitting on $3.3 million in the bank, so Noriega will need to get fundraising A.S.A.P.

This is definatly a candidate and a race we should all keep an eye on.

The campaign site
The draft Noriega news blog
The first commercial
The DSCC breakdown

To Get out of Iraq, All We Need are Some Mega-Donors!

I have finally fully realized that our constitution's system of checks and balances is a fatally inadequate mechanism for reining in executive power. Today, I gave a lot of thought to bruinkid's diatribe about Harry Reid's "capitulation" to the president on the Iraq issue. And I came to the conclusion that it isn't really Reid's fault. The Democratic legislative branch just doesn't stand a chance in the face of President Bush's immense executive power over foreign policy.

But I have figured out a way for Democrats to finally wield some influence over the Bush White House. Though I must warn all of you that it will involve a lot of fundraising.

Now that the president is on his way out of Washington, one of his growing concerns is how to fund his presidential library. Of course, a presidential library is a very expensive project. The president estimates that he will need about $500 million to do the job right. The New Republic notes that he has already received donations from "wealthy heiresses, Arab nations, and captains of industry." If history is any indicator, he will probably auction off a few presidential pardons as well. Edward L. Cox donated between $100,000 and $250,000 to George H.W. Bush's library after his son--who was imprisoned on charges of bank fraud--received a presidential pardon in 1993. Likewise, Denise Rich gave $450,000 to build the William J. Clinton Library after her husband, Marc Rich, received a presidential pardon for charges of tax-evasion and racketeering.

Nevermind all this talk about phased-withdrawal and partitioning Iraq into ethnic enclaves. Getting out of Iraq really isn't that complicated; the only thing Democrats need to do is donate a hefty monetary contribution to the George W. Bush Presidential Library. Quick! Call George Soros and Norman Hsu! Get all those Democrats making money off hedge funds on the line, too!

I do forsee one small problem, though. It's unlikely that America will know anything about the Democratic Party's role in bringing our troops home. Unfortunately, like every president before him, Bush is not under legal obligation to make donations to his library public. What a pity!

Tony Snow Resigns

Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, has stepped down today so he can work on fighting his cancer. I wish him all the luck in the world for a quick and safe recovery, and can't wait to see him getting his own show on FOX News.



Regardless of why everyone is stepping down, one thing is clear: the Bush Era is ending.

Quote of the Day

"I never thought I'd write a book, let alone one that people would want to read. It surprises me more than anyone."
-Senator Joe Biden on his new book Promises to Keep. I think Bruin Democrats might be more surprised, senator.

Some Friday Reads

DOJ Expands Investigation of Gonzales

Norman Hsu Turns Himself In

Democrats Might Take Virginia's Other Senate Seat

Reid Opens Door to Pact with Anti-war Republicans

Would you Pay $64,500 for a Picture of Yourself?

Representative Jerry Lewis (R-CA) will Seek a 16th Term [Is this shady character really a former Bruin? He certainly acts like a Trojan.]

First Gay Couple Legally Married in Iowa

Of Course We're Number 1, Bitch! Did you Really Think UCLA would go Away?

What? People are Actually Buying Joe Biden's Book?

Giving up to Bush already??

I wanted this to happen:



But instead, it looks like this is what we're going to get instead. Looks like Harry Reid is ready to cave in and give Bush and the Republicans everything they want on Iraq.

Saying the coming weeks will be "one of the last opportunities" to alter the course of the war, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said he is now willing to compromise with Republicans to find ways to limit troop deployments in Iraq.

Reid acknowledged that his previous firm demand for a spring withdrawal deadline had become an obstacle for a small but growing number of Republicans who have said they want to end the war but have been unwilling to set a timeline.

I don't think we have to think that our way is the only way," Reid said of specific dates during an interview in his office here. "I'm not saying, 'Republicans, do what we want to do.' Just give me something that you think you would like to do, that accomplishes some or all of what I want to do."

God-freaking-damn-it!!! What the hell do you think we elected you guys to f*cking DO?? It was EXACTLY to tell those damned brain-dead Republicans DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO. On Iraq. On minimum wage. On national security. On health care. On global warming. Etc. DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, not what you guys have been doing the last 6 years f*cking over this country in every which way!

And now Reid's already giving up before the fight even begins? Before the September report from the White House (with occasional input from Petraeus, but only if it jibes with the White House line)?

Remember those benchmarks that Bush said were crucial back in January when he began the "surge"? Well, Tony Snow just showed us how much those mean to Bush.

Again, I would -- if you take a look at what Congress has mandated for this report, it says, have you met these? Have you met them in full? Well, the answer is, you're going to find in a lot of cases, of course they haven't met them. Now, the real question is, do you have progress in the right direction?

The other thing I would suggest is that it would be a mistake to limit one's view of what goes on in Iraq to the benchmarks.

Tony, you guys weren't saying that in January. This is seriously like Lucy with the football, and Harry "Charlie Brown" Reid is dumb enough to fall for it again, thinking Republicans will actually "compromise". When have they compromised ANYTHING on Iraq, Harry? Please, give me just ONE example where they've "compromised".

As Joan McCarter (mcjoan on DailyKos) said: "Bipartisanship only works when the other side compromises, too. Otherwise it's just capitulation."

And thanks to these defeatist words from Reid, it looks like Democrats have already capitulated to the Republicans and Mr. 28%. You have just guaranteed the deaths of several hundred more American soldiers, and untold thousands of Iraqi civilians. I hope you can sleep tonight.

Union Endorsements Keep Coming

John Edwards has his first big union endorsement!

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Thursday welcomed his first national endorsement from a labor group, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Click here to read more.

Today's Must Watch

I don't think I need to say anything.

Republican Poll Watch: Iowa

This is my second installment of primary poll watch. Last time around we looked at the Democratic field in Iowa, and now it's the turn of the Grand Ole Party.

Info:

Like the Democrats, Iowa has sent the winner of their caucus towards their parties nomination in the last three elections. And in total they have only been off twice in the last eight elections (Bob Dole in '88, and H Dubya in '80.)

The Fake Poll:

The Ames "straw poll", something I'm glad the Dems don't do, makes about as much sense as the BCS. The results have really turned this race into Romney's to lose. This unscientific media orgy held on August 11th, pitted the Republicans against one another to see which campaign had more money errr supporters. John McCain, Fred Thompson, and Rudy Guiliani all opted out of the straw poll which turned it into a great opportunity for the "second tier" candidates to make an impact. Romney ended up running away with the win thanks to the $442.87 average amount per voter he spent. He (Romney) came in first, followed by Huckabee, Brownback, Tancredo, and finally good ole Ron Paul. Huckabee was dubbed the winner out of the lower tier which has resulted in a lot of attention and energy towards his campaign. The battle of Ames did claim a casualty in the process, none other than Tommy Thompson (ya the guy you never heard of that looked life a frog.)

The Good Stuff:

The last poll published in Iowa which came out yesterday, had Romney out ahead with 27%, Guiliani with 17%, energized Huckabee with 14%, undeclared Thompson with 13%, undeclared Newt Gingrich with 7%, and what the hell ever happened to John McCain straight talking his way into 5%. To make things worse for McCain, a few weeks ago his campaign actually saw a poll that showed Democrat Barack Obama having higher poll numbers in Iowa amoung Republicans than Johnnie.

Over at RealClearPolitics.com, their "poll of polls" now show Romney with a 15.6% average point lead.

Next up, Dems in New Hampshire.

Should Government Stay out of the Bathroom? Or Should Men Like Larry Craig Just Get a Room?

The LA Times has two great op-ed articles on the topic of Larry Craig. One article is penned by Reason Magazine Editor Nick Gillespie who argues that Republicans should use this moment as an opportunity to return to their small-government roots. Essentially, Gillespie adds public restrooms to the list of places government should stay out of. Meanwhile, David Ehrenstein does not have a problem with Craig's homsexuality (or bisexuality), but rather his decision to have sex in a public place. To Ehrenstein, the senator's decision to solicit sex in a public restroom runs against everything the gay movement is fighting for today. "Today's gays want to get married," he writes, "and an airport men's room is no place to propose." He finishes his article saying "never has the admonition "Get a room!" seemed more apropos. It's up to the I'm-not-gay(s) to discover the real freedoms fought for and won by the people they so fiercely claim they're not."

Buying Fake Handbags Supports Terrorism

“Most people think that buying an imitation handbag or wallet is harmless, a victimless crime. But the counterfeiting rackets are run by crime syndicates that also deal in narcotics, weapons, child prostitution, human trafficking and terrorism. Ronald K. Noble, the secretary general of Interpol, told the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations that profits from the sale of counterfeit goods have gone to groups associated with Hezbollah, the Shiite terrorist group, paramilitary organizations in Northern Ireland and FARC, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Sales of counterfeit T-shirts may have helped finance the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, according to the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. “Profits from counterfeiting are one of the three main sources of income supporting international terrorism,” said Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism expert at the University of St. Andrews, in Scotland.”

-Dana Thomas, writing in the New York Times

Some Thursday Reads

GAO Report Finds Little Progress on Iraq Goals

Blogger Attacks the Obamas

Democrats Split on Civil Liberties

John Edwards and Jimmy Carter get Cozy

Planned Crackdown on Immigrants Denounced

Judge Takes on Death Row Gridlock

White House Actually Consults Dems on Attorney General Nominations

Re: Gabe's Rant Re: Kyle's Rant

H/T to my favorite political blog wonkette for this.

Barney Frank (himself an out member of Congress) talks exactly on the topic Gabe discussed in great detail, ironically one year before the Craig incident.

According to the most legitimate source on the internets, wikipedia, this philosophy has been dubbed "The Frank Rule"

"It is acceptable to out a closeted gay person, if that person uses their power or notoriety to hurt gay people."

It's right up there with the Golden Rule and the Monroe Doctrine.

Re: Kyle's Angry Rant

I'm kinda sick about talking about this Larry Craig stuff, but I have one thing thats really bothering me, that I had to get off my chest.

Of course we all wanna point and laugh when some GOP anti-gay politician turns out to be... surprise, gay! It's funny, ironic, and points to the incredible hypocrisy that has come to engulf this whole "culture war." And it doesn't hurt that it seems to happen every other week- Mark Foley, that state legislator in Florida, now this.

But does it bother anyone else that we, as liberals, are jumping all over someone because he's... gay? Doesn't that seem inherently wrong to anyone else? I totally see Kyle's point about the example he sets, and how much he sets back our movement for LGBT equality. But can't we show him the same understanding that we show the rest of the community who struggles so deeply to keep their identity private? As we all acknowledge, people don't stay in the closet (or use secret foot-tapping codes in the bathroom) for fun- its an inevitable response to the homophobic culture in which we still live. Why don't we recognize Craig as another sad victim of this culture, having to live a public lie his entire life? As good as it may feel to drag him through the mud, and air his entire sexuality for the public to see, shouldn't we, as liberals, hold ourselves to a higher standard, and be a little more understanding?

Rolling Stone: The Real Liberal

Rolling Stone has a piece on who the real liberal is in the race. And it's John Edwards.

Take global warming: While Clinton spouts happy talk about ethanol and "clean coal," and Obama focuses on a technocratic proposal to lower the "carbon intensity" of auto fuel, Edwards has a plan that would make the Union of Concerned Scientists proud. "We need an eighty percent reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2050," the candidate told Rolling Stone in a wide-ranging interview. "You start by capping carbon emissions in America. Beneath the cap, you auction off the right to emit any greenhouse gases. And you use that money --$30 to $40 billion -- to transform the way we use energy."

Or poverty. Ending deprivation at home -- by making it easier for workers to unionize, raising the minimum wage to $9.50, cracking down on predatory lending, and providing matching funds to help low-income Americans save -- remains the hallmark of his candidacy. But informed by his travels in Africa, Edwards now proposes spending $5 billion a year to educate 100 million children worldwide, improve drinking water and sanitation in developing countries, and slow the ravages of HIV and AIDS.

When he's not echoing Bono and Al Gore, Edwards sounds a bit like Michael Moore. He was the first contender with a plan for universal medical coverage, and his proposal goes further than Obama's by mandating that every American be provided a health plan. And where Clinton would leave a significant troop presence in Iraq indefinitely, Edwards calls for a complete withdrawal. He has issued the most forceful repudiation of Bush's "war" on terror, and in July he proposed a tax hike for wealthy investors.

"Edwards is swinging for the fences," says Peter Leyden, director of the New Politics Institute, a progressive think tank. "He's got strategy reasons for doing that -- he's got to get on the board differently. But given where we are as a country right now, his transformative rhetoric is right on the money."

Such unabashed progressive stances have made Edwards a hit among the party's Netroots activists. His climate-change plan was the runaway favorite in a MoveOn.org straw poll that followed the Live Earth concerts. And in a recent survey of more than 16,000 Democrats on Daily Kos, Edwards emerged as the top choice, registering forty percent support to Obama's twenty-two percent. "Edwards' proposals go the furthest -- they're like the ideal," says Moulitsas of Daily Kos. "Everybody else is playing it so safe it's dreadful."

As such, Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic even admitted that the media is trying to bury Edwards. By railing against corporate power, he's got those in the corporate media concerned and upset. They don't want to see him win, and so they're doing everything they can to smear him. Except it's not working, not anymore. Maybe in the days before blogs existed and could cut through media spin, it would have worked.

But check out Rasmussen Reports' daily tracking numbers nationally. Granted, it's national, but you get a sense of trends. Before this week, Edwards basically had a ceiling of 15% support (hitting 16% for just one day). But since this week started, he's been pretty much at 18%. And while he had been pretty much trailing Obama by double digits in the poll, this week it's become a dead heat, with them actually ending up tied at 18% each yesterday. Those who say he's not viable aren't paying attention. At this point back in August 2003, Joe "Turncoat" Lieberman was leading the field.


Finally, I'm an environmentalist at heart. That's my biggest issue. If that's your biggest concern too, in getting ourselves off our dependence on foreign oil and trying to stop our contribution to global warming, there again, the environmental blog Grist praises Edwards for having the most comprehensive climate and energy plan out there. Also, apsmith does a comprehensive rundown of where all the candidates stand on just about every single environmental issue out there. Please check it out to see where the major candidates REALLY stand on the issues.

And on health care? All you need to do is watch this video from New Hampshire.

The Obama-Hillary Foreign Policy Debate

This is old, re-hashed stuff. I know. But nonetheless, I know there are some people who have taken a lot of interest in the foreign policy debate between Hillary and Obama. Today, I found a New Yorker article that does a great job of "parsing" the policy and the politics. It's definitely worth checking out, no matter whose side you're on.

More on the Iraqi Refugee Situation

The New York Times ran another piece today about the plight of Iraqi refugees seeking safety in the United States. The State Department has expressed a willingness to offer asylum to Iraqis who have worked for the United States government, but Iraqis who worked for the United States indirectly--say, for a U.S. contractor helping with reconstruction--are out of luck. Unlike the State Department, insurgents don't see the difference between working directly or indirectly for the United States. In their eyes, working for Americans in any way is a death worthy offense.

Some Wednesday Reads

Elizabeth Edwards says her Husband can Win in the South

Castro says a Hillary-Obama Ticket is Invincible

A Senator's Wide Stance: "I am Not Gay"

A Scandal-Scarred GOP Asks, "What's Next?"

Three Dem Presidential Candidates are Taking Money from a Shady Character

Some Tuesday Reads

Religious Studies Professors Dig Barack Obama

Hillary Picks up UTU Endorsement

Poverty Rates Falling, but More are Uninsured

More Republican Contradiction

It seems like these guys can't catch a break. Just recently, David Vitter (who championed family values) turned out to be one of the clients of the DC Madame. It was revealed today that republican Larry Craig of Idaho, known for voting party-line on gay rights issues (aka, against them) plead guilty to a homosexual solicitation in a Minneapolis airport restroom.

Click here to read more.

When will the contradictions end? While I respectfully disagree with politicians who fight elections over "family values" and the like because I can tell they really believe it is best for the country, I have a huge problem with those who contradict themselves on such issues. It is one thing to be a "sneaky politician" and accept bribes or something along those lines (and that is wrong too, of course), but quite another to fight against an entire group of the population even if you are part of that group of the population. For shame.

And the IAFF Endorsement goes to... Chris Dodd?

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder links readers to Ben Smith's latest scoop. Apparently, the International Association of Fire Fighters has put their support behind Dodd as a reward for his service to their members. I guess loyalty still exists in American politics.

Ambinder notes that the IAFF's endorsement should give Dodd some significant help in New Hampshire. We'll see how it pans out.

Gonzo Is Gone

Alberto Gonzales resigns

Bye bye, good riddance, you were an utter embarrassment to the very concept of justice. TPM has a memorable compilation of Gonzales's top six lies.

And now the Bush administration wants the guy who messed up Katrina (Michael Chertoff) to be in charge of the Department of Justice??

So, we've seen both Rove and Gonzales now leave in just the last two weeks. Rumor has it that Tony Snow will leave in September, along with other officials. I'm getting the image of rats and a sinking ship in my mind. Why did Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have to take vacations right now??

BS Quote of the Day

“It has a gut-level appeal to it. It sounds fair, and it is fair.”
-GOP Consultant Kevin Eckery on the Republican ballot initiative to allot California’s electoral votes by congressional districts. Under such a system, President Bush would have received 22 of California’s electoral votes in the 2004 election.

Some Monday Reads

Republicans Have to Change the Rules to Win in 2008

The Outsider's Insider

Obama and Edwards Step-up Attacks on Frontrunner Clinton

Potential First Ladies don't have it Easy

Maliki Takes on Levin and Clinton

Bush tries to Stay on Course in Iraq

A Conservative who Bruin Dems can Agree With

Adam Schiff (D-Pasadena) wants to take Spouses off Campaign Payrolls

GOP Dirty Tricks in California

After Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004, guess which state the GOP is planning to use for their dirty tricks in 2008? Us! By now, you may have heard of the insidious ballot initiative here in California that would split up our 55 electoral votes by Congressional district. As a result, due to our gerrymandering, that would basically ensure about 22 additional electoral votes for the Republican candidate (given that Bush beat Kerry in 22 CDs here in 2004). It would also take away 22 electoral votes for the Democrat, meaning we're actually facing a 44-vote switch in the GOP's favor.

Policial analysts on both sides say that if this measure passes, it will be impossible for a Democrat to win the White House. We can get Ohio, and still lose.

Look, this is nothing but a dirty trick. Republicans are trying to pass this off as "election reform". You know, giving more Californians a "voice". Yeah, right. In this scenario, we'd have even LESS of a voice. Each district is so gerrymandered that we can already tell which candidate will win each district in advance, so nobody's vote in California is going to matter anyway. On the larger issue, because of gerrymandering nationwide, going by Congressional districts is a horrible way to go, even if every state were to do it. There are several "blue" states, like Michigan, that have a majority GOP congressional delegation thanks to clever gerrymandering.

Let's face it, this is simply a shamless power grab by the GOP who recognize there's no other way to win the 2008 election other than to literally change the rules. Oh, and this initiative is probably unconstitutional too, but if it passes, does anyone really want John Roberts and Samuel Alito making that decision for us?

Please join the Facebook group that's been set up to fight back against this initiative. Right now, it's a win-win for the Republicans. If it passes, they win the White House, simple as that. But even if they fail, they're counting on all the liberal and progressive groups and the DNC to spend upwards of $50 million in educating enough Californians to defeat the measure. And we need that money to go to other races and infrastructure.

Both the New York Times and Newsweek have editorials out blasting this measure for being nothing more than a dirty trick from the GOP. It's what we've come to expect from a party bereft of ideas. Additional coverage and analysis on MyDD and DailyKos and Calitics.

We cannot afford to be caught unawares again, or simply assume Californians will defeat the measure. It WON'T be on the ballot in February, when we have our Presidential primary. They're putting it on the more obscure June election, with a much lower turnout expected. And you can bet they'll be getting their people to turn out in places like Orange County to vote for this measure. Educating Californians will be key, as the Field Poll showed that when people understand what's at stake, opposition rises. However, the dangerous sign is that even knowing this will practically ensure a Republican wins the White House in 2008, 49% of Californians would vote YES for this measure, but only 42% would vote NO. That number should frighten the hell out of you. So tell everyone you know about this measure. Knowledge is the key.

More on the Cuba Debate

Foreign Policy Magazine's blog proffered some interesting commentary on the Cuba debate that made its way onto this blog two days ago.

Their post this morning notes that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet with dictator Muammar el-Qaddafi in October to discuss how to improve U.S.-Libyan relations. Much like Cuba, Libya has a terrible human rights record and has been a thorn in the side of U.S. foreign policymakers for years. In spite of these quarrels, though, Foreign Policy points out that "rapprochement marches on." They rightly suspect that relations continue mostly because Libya happens to possess about 39 billion barrels of oil.

The post uses this point as a springboard to its larger point: the only reason the United States refuses to meet with Cuba is because politicians like George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton do not want to upset the narrow interests of voters in Florida. Nevermind that opening relations could help improve the lives of both Americans and Cubans. Apparently, that's not really important. After all, it's votes, not sound foreign policy judgement, that wins elections. Indeed, as Foreign Policy laments, "If only the Cubans were sitting on 39 billion barrels of oil reserves..."

For more insight on the Cuba debate, checkout this post by Steve Clemons as well.

Diversity at UCLA

While reading the Race chapter of Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope recently, I came across many great ideas and quotes that inspired me to write about my stance on diversity at UCLA. (While it is directly related to the immigration issue, books can and have been written on it and I will keep my ideas local.) While you may or may not agree with me, I hope that what I have to say can at least inspire you to think about the issue.

"the challenges of immigration spark fears of an uncertain future. The demographics of America are changing inexorably and at lightning speed"

"America has nothing to fear from these newcomers, ... they have come here for the same reason that families came here 150 years ago"

UCLA's needs to be much more diverse than it is now, and we need to better represent the racial breakdown of Los Angeles, America, and the undeniable future of the world. In any profession these days, you must interact with other races, cultures, and differing levels of assimilation into "mainstream America." As an institution of higher learning, UCLA is supposed to prepare us for the world, and if we are not interacting with other races as we would in the world, UCLA is failing. Furthermore, we are doing a grave disservice to our minority applicants, whether or not they "look as good" on paper.

Only around 15% of UCLA's student population is Hispanic, and that hardly represents Los Angeles. A friend recently described this to me as a diversity crisis and at first I questioned the severity of her statement, offending her. The more I thought about it, the more I agree: UCLA has a diversity crisis. Overrepresented students are leaving unprepared for the real world, and minorities who do not get in because they do not have a 4.0 and have to work instead of volunteering (, etc... I could go on with reasons they don't work on paper) are being held back from many opportunities they would get after graduating from UCLA as well as the world-class education they would have received. Underrepresented minorities in UCLA (specifically, those of Spanish-speaking origin) are left in a microcosmic society where they are other-ed, discriminated against, and more (I can't claim to know, being of Caucasian heritage myself). This leads to higher transfer rates as well as less likelihood for admitted students to come to a place where they do not feel as welcome as they should.

So what should be done? I do not have an end-all answer to this question, but I can give a humble suggestion or two. Affirmative action is not only illegal in California (Prop 209) but is not the answer to this. What Chancellor Abrams did recently by changing up the admissions procedures to look at the whole applicant (aka, give more weight to the essay, which would probably indicate their race) is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough. We need to reach out to communities, help underrepresented minorities get the help they need to have a strong application and stay motivated in school, and pay for with state or federal money, not just the sweat of volunteers. We need to help those who have promise and desire to step up in the world get into fine institutions like UCLA. As for diversifying our own campus, we need to make it easier for applicants of color to be accepted, providing they show promise. The difference here from affirmative action is that they are not being let in just because of their skin color, but because of their potential.

Conservatives worried about their Caucasian children not getting in because "a minority took their spot" are foolish and shortsighted. Those who do get in are getting into a better institution and will come out better prepared for the world. Those who do not may have had higher SAT scores and a better course load in High School, but they probably didn't have as much adversity to overcome in their life. It would be good for them to go to another college that is, as UCLA should be, better represented by all races and get a good classroom and out-of-classroom education there. Hopefully one day, UCLA will represent the racial breakdown of Los Angeles and America better, but we are not there yet and we need to fight until we get there.

PS: I know I left a LOT out, so please don't jump down my throat. As I mentioned above, this is just a little musing into the gross problem, and is not a fully outlined essay.

Vets Tell it Like it Is

In response to President Bush's comparison of Iraq to Vietnam, a group called Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said:

"The last thing these veterans needed was a history lesson. They remember America's wars because they actually fought them."

To which President Bush replied, "Ouch." [Not really, or at least publicly.]

Whatta Scumbag!

The New York Times caught former Senator Robert G. Torricelli (D-NJ) spending his leftover campaign funds to help his business interests. Though this is technically legal, it does run against the spirit of the law. Read the full story.

Quote of the Day

"I say to the president respectfully, 'Pick whatever number you wish.' . . . Say, 5,000 could begin to redeploy and be home to their families and loved ones no later than Christmas of this year. That's the first step."
-Senator John Warner (R-Virginia), calling for President Bush to set a date for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Some Friday Reads

Senator Warner (R-Va) Calls for Troop Pullouts by Winter

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is also Set to Urge Troop Cuts

2008: The Year of the Civilian

Not to Dwell on Bad News, but More Iraqis Said to Flee Since Troop Increase

Officials Won't Delay Raids on Immigrants for Census

Edwards Keeps Trying Out Change Theme

Hip-Hop Quote of the Day

"I ask--'cause I'm that sure--does anyone make real shit anymore?"
-Kanye West

Bush Defends His War

It has been talked about for a few weeks in Washington and has been all over the blogs, and now it has come to pass: Bush has compared Iraq to Vietnam.

I could summarize various articles about this, but you would probably be best off by reading the one written by Michael A. Fletcher of the Washington Post.

In my opinion, this is a gross over-simplication of matters. While no war is the same, there are a few that are similar, but I do not think Vietnam and Iraq are similar enough to warrant comparison. True, both wars were/are unwinnable. (By that, I mean that we have no clear goal, and thus can never achieve success.) But the world has changed a lot since Vietnam and we are not fighting just one enemy. Furthermore, a majority of the people are not in agreement with us. When we entered Vietnam, most of those who we set out to help pretty much didn't have a problem with America and our way of life. The Middle East is different; people there have a fundamental problem with Western society. We are not fighting one group of opressors but an entire ideology. This is a battle that we cannot understand, let alone win, and needs to be settled internally. I agree with most of the Democratic presidential nominees that we should have forces present to keep somewhat of a calm, but we should not be taking full control of the war and trying to find solutions ourselves.

Republicans Prefer Obama

The following article, taken from salon.com, is presented in full:

It was sort of like finding a Christmas tree in a cornfield. In late July and early August, Iowa Republican voters were asked to name their choice for president in a University of Iowa poll. Mitt Romney, who leads most Iowa surveys, got 22 percent of the total. Rudy Giuliani came in second with 10 percent. But third place went to a Democrat, Barack Obama, who got nearly 7 percent -- more than Mike Huckabee, John McCain and Sam Brownback combined.

Not to worry: The Obama campaign isn't likely to join the Grand Old Party, and pollsters are convinced that Obama has exactly zero chance of winning the Republican caucus in Iowa. But something is going on. "I don't want to make too much of it," says David Redlawsk, the professor who commissioned the poll. "But I do think that the message Obama is putting out right now is the most likely to reach across party lines."

What does this mean for Democrats and our primary election? Probably not much, but it is something. By putting Obama's name down, the republican who picked him not only said that they agree with a lot of what he has to say, but it also showed that he has great bipartisan appeal and is a good sign for, at the least, his ability to grab independent and moderate-right votes. On another note, it is yet one more sign that Hillary may be my "girl" (that was a reference to a speech she gave recently, if you didn't pick it up), but she has a lot of work to do if she wants to reach out to the moderates. Ironically, she is in actuality probably more moderate than Obama...

Looks like Obama girl's hot for Hill these days

"YouTube sensation Obama Girl has made the cover of Steppin' Out magazine, with Chaunce Hayden scoring an interview with the fickle pseudo-political hottie -- whose real name is Amber Lee Ettinger. Amber revealed to Chaunce that she's most likely voting for Hillary now! Not Obama's girl anymore!"

Click here to read more about this.

Let's all hear it: a collective "Wah wah wahhhhhhhhhh."

Democratic Poll Watch: Iowa

Knowing that the national polls don't really mean much in this primary process, I thought it would be a good idea to have a running series where we focus on one state in the big four and see who is making the biggest noise with the voters there. I thought monotioring the good ole Republicans would be a good idea too, so I'll post that version later this week.

Lets get started with the Democrats and the earliest state Iowa.

Info:

Iowa is a a caucus state (over 1800 town meetings where each group will discuss and select their representative nominee), so there isn't individual ballots like in regular primary states. This 96% white state, who gets to chime in their decision first in the US, has selected 6 of the last 9 Democratic nominees. They have been 3 for 3 in the last three elections, with the only prior exception being in 1988 when Tom Harkin, Iowa's siting Senator won the caucus, followed in third by the eventual nominee Bill Clinton with 3%.

The Polls:

In 2004, John Edwards came in second right behind John Kerry's 38%, with a strong showing of 32%. The running joke in Iowa has been that John Edwards hasn't really left since. His showing in the polls is evidence of this.

The latest poll coming out of Iowa published by Strategic Vision a couple of days ago has Edwards sitting on top of a one point lead with 23%, followed by Barack Obama's 22%. Hillary Clinton comes in the third with 21%, and Bill Richardson comes in a strong fourth with 14%.

Another site I like looking at that came in handy during the 2006 midterms is RealClearPolitics.com. On this site, they publish a "poll of polls" that takes in as many major polls within the last month, and averages their totals to find a.. well... poll of polls. According to their averages for the past month, Hillary Clinton is winning with 25.4, followed closely with John Edwards 24.6. In third Barack Obama has 19.9, and once again Bill Richardson has a strong fourth place showing with 11.6.

Along with checking in with that site, over on wikipedia you can find recently submitted published polls by major groups.

This race is anything but over.

Next up, Republican polls for Iowa, and Dems in New Hampshire.

Some Thursday Reads

Obama: Presidential Bid at Times Insane

Bush Compares Iraq to Vietnam

Predictably, Historians Question Bush's Comparison of Iraq to Vietnam

This One is for Kyle, Everybody's Favorite Gerontology Minor

David Ignatius Argues that Obama is Controlling the Foreign Policy Debate

The GOP Can't Count

Schwarzenegger Doesn't Like CA Dems Healthcare Plan

Thought I Would Share This

In the spirit of Kyle's great dot connecting post he just made. I thought I should post an op-ed written by Theodore C. Sorensen in Monday's Des Moines Register.

"Those Democratic contenders who, as U.S. senators, voted to authorize the most disastrous blunder in U.S. foreign-policy history - the mindless, needless invasion and endless occupation of Iraq - are trying now to regain ground not by stopping the continuing tragic loss of American blood, billions and moral authority in Iraq, but by questioning the foreign-policy credentials of the one serious candidate who opposed the war even before its launch - Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois....

...Obama is not the first young senator running for president to discomfort the Washington foreign-policy establishment by
speaking frankly on a subject displeasing to an American ally. Fifty years ago this summer, a 40-year-old first-term senator, John F. Kennedy, called on the Senate floor for the U.S. government to pressure its French ally into halting its war against Algerian independence."

Who is Theodore C. Sorenson? He was special counsel and presidential advisor to non other than John F. Kennedy.

Read the whole op-ed here.

TNR Takes Obama's Blog to Task

Douglas Wolk has some rather interesting criticisms of the writing on Barack Obama's campaign blog. It's no secret that I'm a huge Obama fan. Maybe that is why I enjoyed Wolk's critique so much. He poses an excellent overarching question: why does Obama--a man who is a terrific writer--have such a poorly written blog?

In fairness, I suppose it is due in large part to the fact that he is not the person writing it. Nonetheless, it's still a pretty good question.

Another Reason Why Edwards Should Stop Portraying Himself as an Angry Populist

Admittedly, this is an old story, but I think it still has some significance and pertinence to my criticism of John Edwards’ posturing as an “Angry Populist.”

Last week, Politico’s Ben Smith and other media critics pointed out that Harper Collins—which media mogul Rupert Murdoch owns—published Edwards’ latest book, Home. Of course, this seems a little hypocritical given Edwards strong public criticisms of media consolidation in the wake of Murdoch’s purchase of the Wall Street Journal. Edwards doesn’t seem to think it’s all that hypocritical since he donated “every dime” of his $500,000 advance to charity. However, he was also given an operating budget of $300,000 to write the book, every penny of which went to his daughter Cate and his political aide Jonathan Prince. If you put that together, you get a sum of $800,000 to purchase a book that has sold hardly any copies. That’s not chump change by any stretch of the imagination, especially considering that Simon & Schuster—who published his memoir Four Trials—turned down Home in spite of the fact that they maintained the option of publishing his second book.

Murdoch’s Harper Collins often offers politicians incredible book deals. For instance, they offered Newt Gingrich $4.5 million to write a book when he was Speaker of the House. It appears as though they offered Edwards a similarly great deal. Other publishers are quoted in Smith’s piece saying they wouldn’t have offered the former Vice Presidential candidate half as much money for his book.

This reeks of the same kind of corporate influence peddling that Edwards decries in his stump speeches and debate appearances.

The candidate might have former Deaniac Joe Trippi in his corner, but his record is simply not consistent with the “Angry Populist” image he is trying so desperately to project on the campaign trail. If he wants to be seen as a serious candidate for President of the United States, then he needs to come up with a campaign narrative that isn’t laughable.

Some Wednesday Reads

Bush Turns up Heat on Maliki

A Damn Interesting Piece on how Iowans see Edwards, Clinton, and Obama

Iraq Brings Drop in Black Enlistees

Obama tells War Veterans Iraq War is Failing

California Democrats Push Popular Vote Measure

It's all About Priorities for Michelle Obama

Only Iraq War Vet In Congress Endorses Obama

Rising star Patrick Murphy set to endorse fellow freshman Obama.

"I think he's absolutely our best chance to change the direction of our country," Murphy said, emphasizing the words "our best chance" in a way that seemed to imply Obama might be the most electable candidate. "I'm inspired by his call to action to change how it's done — the business in Washington."

H/T tpmcafe.com

The Daily Show Goes to Iraq---No, Really

Daily Show Correspondent Rob Riggle will actually report from Iraq in a series of two-minute dispatches that he filmed while on a recent USO comedy tour.

Check out the story.

Some Tuesday Reads

Senator Carl Levin Calls for the Ouster of PM Maliki

British Civics Class Asks, What Would Muhammad Do?

Can Jenna Bush Save her Father's Presidency?

Hillary and McCain go Toe-to-Toe

John Edwards is Still Mad as Hell

Rudy Giuliani Spent More Time at Yankee Stadium than Ground Zero

Quote of the Day: Reagan

"a moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida. The one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work."

-- Ronald Reagan in his recently published diaries; May 17, 1986.

(c/o Gabe)

Returning to Westwood via LAX?

It may be more than a few weeks before everyone starts returning to UCLA for Fall Quarter, but it is never too early to be a good Democrat and plan an environmentally friendly way to get from the airport back to UCLA. Oh yeah, and a cheaper way too.

Unveiled this summer, the FlyAway program which offers direct service from LAX and various places around LA has been expanded to include UCLA. Our station is at Lot 32 (the corner of Weyburn & Kinross), and you can take any of the city busses or the free campus shuttle from Lot 32 to wherever you have to get to in the Westwood area.

The service runs from 5am to 1am and runs every 30 minutes in both directions, and leaves from LAX at every terminal's bus stop and goes directly to Lot 32. It costs only $4, which is much less than a Super Shuttle.

Read more about it here and here. Can't wait to see all you Bruin Democrats next Fall!

Obama not a fan of Obama Girl

It may have been done in jest, but the YouTube video depicting a girl's love for presidential candidate Barack Obama isn't quite so funny to his family. Apparently it has raised some challenging questions from his daughter.

Read more about this here.

Though he didn't outright condemn the video, Obama nonetheless doesn't seem to be embracing it. He is reaffirming his commitment to family, which he hopes will show the American public that he is a good person and that Democrats also have morals (even if we have Clinton, JFK, Villaraigosa, etc). Though I personally don't think it is enough compared to her experience, this aspect of Obama's personality may be just what he needs to beat Hillary.

Some Monday Reads

Ch-ch-check it out...

Bob Shrum Reminisces

Iran is Arming Insurgents in Iraq

Some Fuel for the Debate on Pakistan

Some Good Weekend Reads

Is Barack Obama the luckiest man on Earth?

Dems grapple with how to get out of Iraq

Remember Afghanistan?

California thinks about splitting up its electoral college votes

Republican Party values

Here's a video made by a blogger from DailyKos that shows the extent of Republican corruption. So many corrupt Californians in that mix.

Quote of the Day

"It's a choice."
-Governor Bill Richardson, in response to a question about whether homosexuality is a matter of biology or choice. Read more about the Human Rights Campaign/LOGO Candidates Forum.

Is Liberalism on the Upswing?

The Economist has some excellent commentary on the state of the battle of ideas in America. Here are some highlights:

"The issues that people care about are also tipping the Democrats' way. A Pew Research poll in March discovered growing worry about income inequality combined with growing support for the social safety net. The proportion of Americans who believe that “the government should help the needy even if it means greater debt” has risen from 41% in 1994, at the height of the Republican revolution, to 54% today. The poll also revealed a decline in support for the things that drove the Republican resurgence in the mid-1990s, such as traditional moral values."

" The proportion of 18-25-year-olds who identify with the Republican Party has declined from 55% in 1991 to 35% in 2006, according to Pew."

" The damage is not limited to the Bush administration: a Rasmussen poll on July 25th-26th found that Mrs Clinton outscores Mr Giuliani as the candidate voters trust most on national security. "

BUT...

"The Democrats' good fortune is much more the result of a Republican collapse than a Democratic revival. The March Pew poll shows that the proportion of people who express a positive view of the Democratic Party has actually declined by six points since January 2001."

"The Democratic-controlled Congress is even more unpopular than the Bush White House, with the lowest approval rating in 35 years."

Hillary's Pseudo-Controversy

The Associated Press decided to do a little research into Senator Clinton's thoughts on the role of nuclear weapons in American foreign policy. As it turns out, last year, in response to a question about the use of the atomic bomb against Iran, she told Bloomberg television that she "would certainly take nuclear weapons off the table."

Recently, she harshly--and apparently hypocritically--criticized Barack Obama for saying nuclear weapons were off the table in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This goes back to the ruthlessness of Hillary Clinton that I talked about in my post on Wednesday. It appears as though she merely made Obama's comments an issue because it gave her an opportunity to caricaturize him as "irresponsible" and "naive." I'll ask the same question I asked on Wednesday: if she is so willing to polarize her own party, how can we trust Hillary to bridge the partisan divide created by President Bush?

Nickel and Dimed

"Maids, as an occupational group, are not visible, and when we are seen we are often sorry for it. On the way to the Martha Stewart-ish place, when Holly and Marge were complaining about her haughtiness in a past encounter, I had ventured to ask why so many of the owners seem hostile or contemptuous toward us. "They think we're stupid," was Holly's answer. "They think we have nothing better to do with our time." Marge too looked suddenly sober. "We're nothing to these people," she said. "We're just maids.""
-An excerpt from Barbara Ehrenreich's book, Nickel and Dimed. Every liberal should read this book, especially if he or she claims to be concerned with poverty and the lives of America's working class.

The Clinton / Obama Ticket

As the race progresses, more and more people are predicting a Clinton/Obama democratic ticket. CNN (both on the blogs and on the network), Gingrich, Giuliani, Politico, and more.

This argument makes sense, especially under the circumstances of Hillary winning the endorsement. Obama is a HUGE name and countless people LOVE his policies, ideas, etc (like most Bruin Democrats and other young people, myself excluded). She would be foolish to not bring him with her to the debates, press junkets, and White House.

On the flip side, I do not necessarily know whether they would work well together. They agree on a lot of issues, but there are some things that they just seem to be very different on. Take, for example, the policy on Iraq: are they too different, so that they would end up sabotaging each other?

I do not predict Edwards as a VP candidate again. He had his chance, didn't do much with it, and doesn't really have that much new stuff to bring to the Vice-Presidency than he did before. Yes, he has grown a lot as a leading candidate, but I do not think running him as VP again would do much good.

Richardson is the only possible exception to the Clinton/Obama ticket. He has the leadership that both Clinton and Obama don't have (he is Governor), he is from a border state so he probably gets immigration, etc much more than the other candidates, and he can quite possibly bring the Latino/a vote. This shouldn't be ignored. Plus, though some people have a problem with his God-like "6 day plan", I think that there is not much room for him bringing bad press as a VP, but so much to gain.

More on China

Foreign Policy Magazine has a web exclusive article about China and the 2008 Olympic games that's worth reading.

A couple of days ago, I opined that the Olympics might bring a few reforms to China. I don't think I'm entirely wrong on that account, but I'm willing to acknowledge that the issue is so gray that there are a lot of negative things to say about the International Olympic Committee picking Beijing as a host. For instance, repressive governments like China and Russia use the games as a way to gain undeserved legitimacy. And that's only part of the problem--read the article, mang, I'm not an expert, or a Marshall Scholar for that matter.

Hillary's Pseudo-Appeals for a United Party

“I’ve noticed in the last few days that a lot of the other campaigns have been using my name a lot. I’m here because I think we need to change America; it’s not to get into fights with Democrats.” -Senator Hillary Clinton

While her sentiment is certainly appreciated, her willingness to actually live up to her words is demonstrably lacking. A sizable portion of the verbal jabs that have been thrown in the past two Democratic candidate forums are rooted in her attack on Barack Obama in the CNN youTube debate.

After Hillary made Obama look like a man who wants to open the doors of the White House to the world’s peskiest dictators, he did not have much of choice but to go on the offensive. If he let her remarks go unanswered, Clinton’s portrayal of him as inexperienced and naive would have stuck in the press. Obama’s controversial foreign policy speech in which he advocated pursuing al-Qaeda in Pakistan was also arguably inspired by Hillary’s accusations that he lacks the thoughtfulness to be commander-in-chief. Of course, this speech resulted in more criticism from Senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd who are aching to draw some attention from the media.

It’s this kind of behavior that leads Americans to believe she is every bit as ruthless as her critics say. If she is this willing to polarize her own party, how can voters trust her to bridge the partisan divide created by President Bush?

Obama and Hillary Continue to Spar on Foreign Policy at AFL-CIO Debate

"You can think big, but remember, you shouldn't always say everything you think if you're running for president, because they could have consequences."
-Senator Hillary Clinton criticizing Barack Obama's willingness to attack al-Qaeda in Pakistan on the basis of "actionable intelligence."

"I find it amusing that those who help to authorize and engineer the biggest foreign policy disaster in a generation are now criticizing me for making sure we're on the right battlefield."
-Senator Barack Obama in response to criticism of his foreign policy judgement by Senators Chris Dodd and Hillary Clinton.

AFL-CIO Post-Debate Analysis

Going into the debate tonight, the pundits wondered to what extent Edwards and Obama would continue their attacks on Hillary’s willingness to take campaign contributions from federal lobbyists. They didn’t have to wait long to get their answer. When Keith Olberman asked Edwards how he would improve America’s infrastructure, he managed to fit the specter of lobbyists into his answer. Later, in response to a question about NAFTA, Edwards said that the trade agreement is a striking example of the influence insiders have on policy in Washington. Naturally, skewering Washington lobbyists played pretty well in front of a union audience.

It looks as though Edwards is finding his niche as the “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore” candidate. He plays the role well, but the question is whether or not it’s too late. Albeit there is plenty of time left before the Iowa caucus; however, there is no denying that media elites have anointed Hillary and Obama as the queen and king of the 2008 primary. In spite of Edwards’ passion and substance, there is no indication that his new routine is doing any real damage to the frontrunners.

Timing is not the only questionable element of Edwards’ new about-face. The believability of his role as the “mad populist” is also iffy. This blog’s audience does not need to be reminded of how $400 haircuts and appearances on the covers of Esquire and Men’s Vogue have tarnished the candidate’s populist reputation.

Things heated up when Olberman asked Chris Dodd to comment on Obama’s proposal to take the war on terrorism to Northwest Pakistan. After Dodd criticized Obama’s judgment, Hillary commented that a commander-in-chief should not always talk publicly on matters of foreign policy. The crowd responded to Hillary’s remark with boos, and all the criticism woke up Obama who was a little flat for most of the debate. With his back to the wall, the senator from Illinois asked how his detractors had the temerity to question his foreign policy judgment after voting for the Iraq War Resolution in 2002. It’s a fair question.

With the exception of her boo-inspiring remarks, Hillary gave another solid and poised performance. Once again, she was in a somewhat hostile environment, but she still managed to stay on top of her game with thoughtful and quick responses. More importantly, though, she showed as much authenticity in this forum as she did at the YearlyKos convention. Nonetheless, in an election year that is all about replacing the deceptive Bush Administration, arguing that a president should not always share policy ideas with the American public is not pleasing to the ears of voters.

China and the 2008 Olympic Games

While I sympathize with people who argue that China should have never been allowed to host the Olympic games in 2008, I think this position is a little short-sighted because it fails to consider all the attention that will be focused on China in the coming year.

Don't get me wrong, it's reprehensible that the Chinese government is kicking poor people out of their homes to build stadiums, and there is no denying that China has a terrible record on human rights and freedom of the press. However, the Olympic games are putting a spotlight on all of these issues. For the next year, groups like Reporters Without Borders will have plenty of opportunities to raise a fuss on the world stage as every other country watches.

Hopefully, the Olympics will bear the fruit of democratic reform in China.

Quote of the Day

"We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman. Those things get you a lot of press, worth a certain amount of fundraising dollars. Now it's nice to get on the news, but not the be all and end all."
-Elizabeth Edwards, quoted in CIO Insight.

Hillary, Foreign Policy, and the General Election

The Washington Post notes that Senator Clinton has consciously packaged her foreign policy for consumption in the general election. Rather than getting caught in the classic predictament of running far to the left in the primary and desperately trying to run back to the center in the general election, Hillary is attempting to minimize the difference between her rhetoric in the primary and her rhetoric in the general. This is a pretty sound political strategy, at least according to Republican campaign guru Ken Mehlman's standards, and I don't mean that in a bad way.

Not too long ago, Gabe told me about the time he heard Mehlman speak about how to translate a win in the primary into a win in the general election. Gabe said Mehlman made a convincing argument that the candidate who is ultimately elected president is usually the candidate whose message changed the least from the primary campaign to the general election campaign. When you think about it, the rule works as an explanation for Bush's victories in 2000 and 2004.

But is this gambit too late for Hillary? Right-wing pundit Sean Hannity has already treated his audience to a tape documenting the evolution of her stance on the Iraq War, and it's not pretty. On the other hand, there is no denying that Senator Clinton is very adept at projecting a presidential heir when she discusses foreign policy on the campaign trail. In other words, she knows how to articulate her foreign policy proposals without falling into the rhetorical traps of sloganeering that are so prevalent in any primary. If she wins the nomination, she will certainly have to answer Republican questions about her inconsistent position on Iraq, but her current strategy of answering questions on foreign policy with the "tone of a commander-in-chief" will take away at least a few of GOP talking points.

Some Late Thoughts on the YearlyKos Candidates Forum

For a rollicking good time, watch the YearlyKos candidates forum on youtube. The audience was allowed to boo, hiss, cheer, and applaud, which made for a debate, er, forum, that was actually fun to watch.

Some might say that Hillary Clinton stumbled, but that is not entirely true. Though Barack Obama certainly hit her hard on the matter of taking campaign donations from federal lobbyists, she deserves credit for sticking by her unpopular position in front of a crowd of bloodthirsty netroots activists. She was in hostile territory, and she handled it with grace and a good sense of humor. When one of the moderators accidentally called her President Clinton, she sarcastically joked that it must have been a Freudian slip. Humor aside, Clinton’s delivery was poised and well practiced, as always. The Senator’s highpoint came in a candid response to a question asking what she learned from her mistakes as the head of her husband’s efforts to give America universal healthcare. If she could do it over again, she says she would have spent more time strategizing and building coalitions before attempting to take on the big insurance companies. The icing on the cake was a self-deprecating remark that she would not make the same tactical mistakes she made in the early nineties, which she says were too many in number to count. Honesty and authenticity is so refreshing, especially coming from Senator Clinton.

Meanwhile, Obama continued to raise eyebrows with some long awaited morsels of substance. This time he delved into the issue of U.S.-China relations. “I think that the right way to look at it is that China is a competitor, but it doesn’t have to be an enemy unless we help make it into an enemy,” he argued. From there, he commented that the United States must not only find its way out of debt to the Chinese, but also fill the void that China is currently filling in African nations. If you add the substance to the differences he drew between himself and Senator Clinton on accepting contributions from lobbyists, Obama had a solidly strong showing.

Since there is still some disagreement about whether or not it’s a two-candidate race, I’ll take some time to give John Edwards a few plaudits. While one part of me says his campaign can’t recover from his inability to reconcile $400 haircuts with populism, another part of me sees a man of substance and sincerity. His performance in the forum revealed an authentic passion for keeping the special interests out of important decision making in Washington. Edwards is in tune with those voters in Middle America who have lost faith in our democracy, and like the Bill of yore, he feels their pain. For whatever reason, he still does not seem to be catching enough traction to keep up with Hillary and Obama. Nonetheless, he still hasn’t gone away.

Failed States Index

For the past three years, Foreign Policy Magazine has released a list of the sixty states that are most vulnerable to failure. As Americans know too well, failed states are often the preferred neighborhoods of terrorists. Terrorism aside, globalization fosters an environment in which the problems of these weak states become transnational in nature. It's no coincidence that Sudan and Chad--two countries teetering on the edge of collapse--share a border.

Here's a List of the Top 10:
1. Sudan
2. Iraq
3. Somalia
4. Zimbabwe
5. Chad
6. Ivory Coast
7. Democratic Republic of the Congo
8. Afghanistan
9. Guinea
10. Central African Republic

Giuliani's Daughter Supports Obama

The Associated Press reports that Rudy Giuliani's seventeen year old daughter is audacious enough to support Barack Obama instead of her father.

Giuliani's family troubles are his own business, but I'm not sure social conservatives would agree with me. He's currently on his third marriage. His son Andrew does not seem to be on speaking terms with him. And, apparently, his daughter does not think highly enough of her father to support his bid for the presidency.

In spite of Rudy's family drama, he's hailed in most circles as the current Republican frontrunner. We'll see if he can stay in that spot until January.

A Great Summer Read

Hey Everybody. Since I have finally (pun intended? I'll let you decide) emerged from finals oblivion, I figured I should actually deliver on my promise to keep the BD blog discussion rolling.

If you're reading this, you're probably a bored bleeding heart liberal. Well, instead of wallowing in boredom, you should pick up Frank Rich's book The Greatest Story Ever Sold. I'm only 50 pages into this 225 pager, but I can already tell it's a gem.

Rich not only takes an engaging look inside the incompetency of the Bush Administration, but also outside the Bush Administration. That is, rather than simply reminding us about the ineptitude of our president and his cohorts, he also examines the culture that surrounds them. For instance, he links American society's obsession with reality TV shows to the administration's penchant for developing their own realities. It's an interesting concept, and there's plenty more where that came from. Do yourself a favor: read this book.