Open Thread 11/21/09

44 Responses to “Open Thread 11/21/09”

1. Adam Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 10:25 am

   I don’t see how the vote fails tonight. Ostensibly the vote is only on whether or not to begin debate. Symbolically it is more than that, but literally it’s not. I’d be surprised if it failed.

2. Swint Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 10:36 am

   I’ve got a different conversation topic I would like to throw out, it is something that has interested me for some time, nothing important though.

   What is your opinion of the band Rage Against the Machine? Is there anyone out there, like me, who loves them?

   They were one of my favorite bands during my high school years and was really the first introduction I got in politics and issues of the day. Certainly, I disagree with them on almost every issue, but I have also always respected them. They always seemed real to me; like they really believed what they were saying. As oppossed to most high profile activists and hollywood elite who come across as fake and opportunistic.

   The funny thing is, many of the messages in their songs apply to the way many of us on the right feel right now with us fighiting against government power and corruption lead by the democrats. I would imagine it would drive Zack De La Rocha and his boys nuts to know that. I would argue they have had a more siginificant influence on me politically than any other thing. That makes it so much more amazing that I am a conservative…it is probably because I am Mormon.

3. Not the bad Anonymous Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 10:42 am

   Is Rand Paul really ready for the big time?

   http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009911190364

   Go to page 2 of the article and read the little tiff between Paul and Grayson.

4. MWS Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 10:51 am

   Adam,

   No, the big vote at 8 (7 central) is to end debate and bring the bill to a vote. It is “the filibuster vote” and if the majority succeeds, ObamaCare will pass the Senate and the House and Senate bills go to conference. If it fails, the Dems either start from scratch in the Senate, or move on.

5. bob Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 11:00 am

   It’s either now or never for Obama and the Dems. Obama’s poll numbers are falling faster than a sky diver who jumps out of a plane with a parachute that doesn’t open.

6. MWS Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 11:02 am

   Richard,

   I’m not as worried about Reid scheduling the Senate vote. On the House side, I if they light up the vote boards, that means they have the votes, or they wouldn’t risk the embarrassment. But it’s different on the Senate side.

   Having looked at important Senate roll calls for years, I can tell you that many of the roll calls used to assess Senators are on failed cloture votes. Sometimes they fail by quite a lot (say 53-47). So the fact that they are going to vote on cloture does not mean the majority has the 60 votes. Very often (maybe even the majority of the time) they don’t, but Senators want to record their ayes and nays, or the Senate would often have a very thin voting record.

   And when you think about it, Reid HAS to put this up for a vote either way, sooner rather than later. Momentum is against this bill and growing stronger with the MSM even exposing its flaws now. The closer we get to Election ‘10 the less likely it will pass. Senators want to be home for the Holidays. And Reid will never be forgiven by the left if he at LEAST doesn’t put the issue before the floor and make the Senators go on record. Now that the House has passed a bill, the Senate needs to act. If they just let it quietly die without a vote, it looks like the Senate leadership was less than motivated.

   I predict that cloture fails tonight. I think Lieberman and Nelson are sure nays. If so, then the bill is doomed, and Landreau and Lincoln join the nays to try to save their careers (since the bill is doomed anyway). So I think cloture fails, 56-44. Maybe 55-45 if Bayh jumps ship too.

   But this thing really hinges on Lieberman. If he fails us, the clotures passes 60-40, as the above mentioned “blue dogs” respond to the call of their masters. MAYBE Nelson holds strong and becomes our one Democrat, but I have less faith in him than Lieberman. No way Lincoln and Landreau are the ones to kill this. They would only vote against cloture if it’s going to fail anyway. If it can pass with their votes, they will vote for cloture and against the bill, hoping their constituents are too stupid to know what they did.

7. Aron Goldman Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 11:03 am

   Anticlimax in the Senate
   by Jay Cost
   http://www.realclearpolitics.com/printpage/?url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/horseraceblog/2009/11/tomorrows_anticlimax.html

   The media is stirring up drama regarding tonight’s vote – namely, they are speculating whether Landrieu and Lincoln will vote with Reid to start debate.

   Of course they will. Three big reasons:

   (a) “Keep the Ball Rolling”. Tomorrow’s vote – like all of the votes to date – is a process vote, meaning that Obama and the leadership can argue, “Vote yea to keep the process going. We can improve the bill later if you stick with us.” Every vote they have won to date has, I think, been won based on this argument – and it should carry the day tomorrow. The problem comes with the last vote, i.e. to end the process and enact the law. You cannot argue to keep the process going on the final vote!

   (b) No Harm For Yea. GOP candidates could conceivably tie tomorrow’s vote to a vote for health care, but that’s a very specious argument to make. I would guess that local newspapers and television outlets would call them out on it. Plus, if (for instance) Blanche Lincoln votes yea tomorrow but ultimately votes against closing debate – those ads would be very ineffective. What’s more, there is an easy rejoinder, which we are already hearing: “I voted to open debate. What’s so bad about debate?”

   (c) Lots of Harm for Nay. A nay vote would gravely damage prospects for reform. And legislators on the Democratic side do not want to kill reform unless/until they absolutely have to, i.e. voting in favor on a particular item would seriously hurt their political careers. As noted above, a yea vote tomorrow will not damage anybody’s political prospects. A nay vote, on the other hand, would make that senator a pariah in the broader party (the interest groups, activists, and enthusiasts on the Democratic side) – which, I hasten to add, is the primary funding source for all of these members. Lieberman’s Independent Democrat status makes him basically half a Dem and half a GOPer. He’s voting yea, which should tell you all you need to know.

   Final point. The fact that these Democratic moderates are actually spending time “pondering” whether to vote against starting debate is a sign that they are very skittish about this bill. My guess is that this deliberation is just a dog and pony show for the folks back home – what’s noteworthy is that these senators feel they must do this. The reason why is pretty clear. Take the nationwide net approval/disapproval of this bill, then subtract 10 to 20 points. That will put you in striking distance of what the voters in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Nebraska think of it. Then remember that Blanche Lincoln is up for reelection next year, Ben Nelson is up in three years, and Mary Landrieu has yet to develop much electoral security in her increasingly Republican state. She’s up in 2014 – and if Obama wins reelection, she would have to stand before the voters of Louisiana in one of the roughest macro environments around (incumbent party’s second midterm).

   If I had to bet, I’d say the bill has maybe 54-56 votes in the Senate – with Bayh, Landrieu, Lieberman, Lincoln, Nelson, and Pryor all at least a little iffy. Losing Olympia Snowe between the Senate Finance Committee and the floor is a big deal – ideologically, she and Susan Collins are indistinguishable from Nelson. Also, these moderate Democrats come from generally Republican states [except Lieberman, who is going to need every Republican vote he can muster in 2012], and having Snowe on board gave them bipartisan cover that they do not have anymore. Liberals have been complaining about “President Snowe” for some time, but her support was a big deal. A few weeks ago, the story supposedly went that President Obama wanted Harry Reid to pursue Snowe’s trigger idea. I’m not sure I believe that, frankly (it seemed a bit like a C/Y/A ploy by the White House) – but if it was true, then this is why. Keeping Snowe on board guarantees at least 61 votes. Losing Snowe might cost the Democrats up to six more senators.

8. Adam Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 11:04 am

   MWS,

   I guess you’re right. My mistake.

9. Aron Goldman Says:
   November 21st, 2009 at 11:08 am

   Ben Nelson To Vote Yes Saturday: Two Dems Remain Uncommitted
   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/20/ben-nelson-to-vote-yes-sa_n_365572.html

   And then there were two.

   Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) announced Friday for the first time that he will vote to allow the Democratic health care reform bill to proceed to a debate on the Senate floor.

   That leaves Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) as the lone holdouts.

   Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has scheduled a vote on a “motion to proceed” — actually, it’s a vote to end a filibuster of the motion to proceed — for late on Saturday night. He needs all 60 members of the Democratic caucus to vote yes, as every Republican has indicated that he — or she — will vote no.

   Several weeks of floor debate and amendments will come next, followed by another vote to end a filibuster — this one to move to a final vote. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) has promised to vote with Reid on Saturday but wants to strip out the public health insurance option before offering to vote to end the final filibuster.

   Lieberman believes that the government can not afford to set up a public health insurance option, even though it would not be federally subsidized and would in fact save the government money, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Connecticut is a stronghold of the insurance industry, which is a strong backer of Lieberman.

   Nelson also opposes the public option and relies heavily on insurance industry money but said today he would let the debate move forward.

   “For more than a year, Nebraskans and all Americans have debated health care reform in their homes, at work, and with friends at hundreds of town hall meetings. This weekend, I will vote for the motion to proceed to bring that debate onto the Senate floor. The Senate should start trying to fix a health care system that costs too much and delivers too little for Nebraskans,” he said. “Throughout my Senate career I have consistently rejected efforts to obstruct. That’s what the vote on the motion to proceed is all about.”

   But Nelson added that he would be willing to obstruct a final up-or-down vote on the bill if it wasn’t to his satisfaction.

   “[My vote] is not for or against the new Senate health care bill released Wednesday. It is only to begin debate and an opportunity to make improvements. If you don’t like a bill why block your own opportunity to amend it? As we have seen before, obstructionists are inviting a move toward reconciliation by opposing this first procedural vote,” he said. “Let’s be clear. That route shrinks debate and amendments, eliminates bipartisanship and needs only 50 votes to pass a bill. In the end, far more Washington-run health care policies win, but Nebraskans lose. In my first reading, I support parts of the bill and oppose others I will work to fix. If that’s not possible, I will oppose the second cloture motion–needing 60 votes–to end debate, and oppose the final bill. But I won’t slam the doors of the Senate in the face of Nebraskans now. They want the health care system fixed. The Senate owes them a full and open debate to try to do so.”

   Landrieu previously told HuffPost she wasn’t inclined to support a filibuster.

   “I’m not right now inclined to support any filibuster,” she said.

   The refusal of the GOP to participate meaningfully in negotiations has soured her on joining them in a filibuster. “For the Republican Party to kind of step out of the game is very unfortunate,” she said. “I’m not going to be joining people that don’t want progress.”

   Lincoln, meanwhile, faces intense pressure at home. The day she’ll be faced with the decision, her potential primary opponent will be hosting a free health care clinic in Little Rock for the uninsured.

10. MWS Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:09 am

    Adam,

    Aron’s link makes me think I was wrong about the vote tonight and you were right. I thought tonight they vote for cloture. But Cost makes it sound like they are just STARTING debate tonight with the cloture vote occurring at some unspecified future date.

    I really don’t know now.

11. MWS Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:12 am

    I guess #9 answers the question about tonight. My bad.

    My analysis in #6 applies to the final cloture vote to bring the bill up for a vote, when and if that happens. I think it will happen, and it will fail, unless the Senate amends in ways the House finds unacceptable (like no public option).

12. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:29 am

    Palin did an interview with Bill O’Reilly, of which I read a little bit of the transcript.

    Here are links to the videos of Palin’s interview with O’Reilly:

    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/11/20/sarah_palin_talks_mccain_campaign_katie_couric__media.html

    http://video.foxnews.com/11777485/factor-debut-part-3

    A couple things caught my attention that I suspect won’t sit well with supporters like Kris:

    Palin characterized herself as a “populist,” and divisively referred to the majority of Americans who recognize a woman’s right to choose as “pro-abortion.”

    I will still need to see her get out there if I’m to be convinced to vote for her (and I’m not sure she wants to run).

    Last night, four respected voices — Jim Pinkerton, Laura Ingraham, Mara Liasson and Pat Buchanan — all asserted the belief that Sarah Palin will not pursue the presidency in 2012.

13. Texasconserv Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:36 am

    Aron,

    Hannity had two regular guests on his show last night, S.E. Cupp and Kimberely Garfoyle. Both thought she would run, both thought she would win the republican nomination. Both seemed like big fans of hers.

14. DanL Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:47 am

    Texas, Hannity is the biggest hack of all. He has one token liberal in his roundtable, and the rest of the folks are republicans who think exactly like he does. I can’t ever imagine someone like Krauthammer being invited to Hannity’s roundtable.

15. Adam Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:51 am

    Yeah it’s confusing to me too. I guess tonight is NOT do or die then. That being the case, there’s no way that the procedural vote fails.

16. Adam Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:51 am

    S.E. Cupp is ridiculously yummy.

17. DanL Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:58 am

    So is Gilfoyle.

18. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 12:22 pm

    Landrieu Seems to Be Leaning Reid’s Way
    http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/landrieu-seems-to-be-leaning-reids-way/

19. Not the bad Anonymous Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    Who is slated to run against Landrieu?

20. MarkG Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Roger Stone reviews the talents of McCain/Palin staffers:

    McCain Aides Attacks on Palin Grow Tedious
    Schmidt Proved Incompetence in ‘08 Race

    By Roger Stone

    Gov. Sarah Palin
    The continued attacks on Sarah Palin by campaign Aides to Senator John McCain are almost beyond belief. Continued attacks on Palin, and on her performance as the Vice Presidential candidate by McCain Aide Steve Schmidt, are particularly ridiculous given Schmidt’s track record of incompetence and missteps by the Senior McCain Aide during the Presidential campaign.

    Schmidt is, after all, part of the gang that had McCain suspend his presidential campaign and rush back to Washington to take the exact same position as Barack Obama on the first Federal bailout bill which in the end, only bailed out Goldman Sachs and other Wall Street Bankers. With his endorsement of the bailout, McCain lost any chance to draw a contrast with Obama and wage a competitive race for the Presidency.

    Schmidt, the political genius was also party to the late October announcement that the McCain campaign was writing off Michigan. Even if polling showed that Michigan was beyond reach, why would you announce it publically so the Obama campaign could shift resources from Michigan to another toss-up-state?

    Schmidt also made the rookie mistake of releasing campaign videos on a regular basis which almost always stepped on the subject matter of McCain’s speech on any given day. The pathetic “Paris Hilton” video is a perfect example. It drowned out media coverage of McCain’s speech on healthcare that day. Under Schmidt, the McCain campaign was sending mixed and conflicting messages to the media. Insiders tell me Schmidt was running his own campaign from his end of the office, rarely coordinating with Campaign Manager, Rick Davis, or the traveling party.

    There is no doubt about the fact that the situation on the Palin campaign tour was chaotic. The candidate was rarely on time, baggage was lost, daily schedules were not printed or distributed on time, and Palin’s speeches were rarely given to the press in advance as is customary in a presidential campaign. This is all because Schmidt insisted on appointing two of his college buddies with no previous political experience whatsoever to run the Palin tour. Jason Recher was Palin’s Tour Director and Andrew Smith, Schmidt’s college room-mate, was her Chief of Staff. The complete lack of any political experience by both ensured the chaos that surrounded Palin.

    Instead of assigning a Senior Campaign Aide to the Palin tour, someone with experience, judgment and gravitas like Charlie Black or Wayne Berman, the McCain campaign sent Tucker Eskew, a Lee Atwater toady of minimal talent. By the end of the campaign, Eskew and Palin were not on speaking terms.

    Most outrageous is an attack on Palin by early McCain Advisor, John Weaver who said “Sarah Palin reminds me of Jimmy Stewart in the movie ‘Harvey,’ complete with imaginary conversations,” Weaver told the Politico. “All books like these are revisionist and self-serving, by definition. But the score-settling by someone who wants to be considered a serious national player is petty and pathetic.”

    This is the same John Weaver who burned through $18 million of McCain campaign cash, leaving the campaign broke before votes were cast in the first Primary. Weaver also recruited a top-heavy staff of Karl Rove lackeys who never had any real interest in electing McCain President. Weaver was fired by McCain and subsequently leaked stories to the New York Times about McCain’s alleged relationship with a female lobbyist. And John Weaver is criticizing Sarah Palin?

    Sarah Palin stands head and shoulders above the pathetic losers in the McCain camp who have turned attacking Palin into a cottage industry. These McCain’s Aides seem to forget their own complicity in the selection of the Alaska Governor as McCain’s running mate. If she is so bad, why did you fellows select her?

    Considering Stone’s past, this is either a scorching indictment by an experienced, successful operative, or it’s a killer hit by one of the greatest all-time American political assassins.

21. Martha Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:13 pm

    Of course Palin is running. She has given every indication. Her book, the tour, the inteviews are all aimed at one thing – pursuing the presidency. I don’t know why some people don’t get it. Read the book, it’s very obvious.

    I think people mistakenly look at her chances and think she reads the tea leaves the same way they do. But I don’t think she cares a whit about her unfavoribility ratings, or the polls or how unqualified she may be veiwed. She’s a big believer in destiny. I don’t have any doubt that she feels called to run.

    Bill O’Reilly went way too easy on Palin. He would never have treated a male ‘candidate’ like that.

    I thought she gave another very weak interview. She speaks in soundbites, and that’s it. When O’Reilly pushed her to go deeper, she simply couldn’t/didn’t.

    I don’t believe that this week has been all that kind to Palin.

22. MarkG Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:20 pm

    Calling all Palindrones! Your master speaks:

    Sarah Palin is still tweeting about the health-care debate:

    @SarahPalinUSA: Senate healthcare takeover debate begins in an hour. Pls call senators if u care about another 1/6th of our economy swallowed up by Big Govt

    @SarahPalinUSA: Thot I’d stick w tour news on Twitter but can’t help digress: Call senators! Tell ‘em KILL THE BILL tonite;horrible govt healthcare takeover

23. Martha Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:23 pm

    20. It all comes back to McCain. He simply didn’t have what it takes to put a good team together, or to run a decent campaign.

    Mark, are you reading the book? I don’t know anything about the man, but he is right about one thing:

    “All books like these are revisionist and self-serving, by definition. But the score-settling by someone who wants to be considered a serious national player is petty and pathetic.”

    Palin’s book is all about making herself look good, and every past enemy look terrible. She leaves out important information, and only presents the history that is favorable to her. Yes, memoirs are like that, but she just seems really petty to be going after people who crossed her ages ago.

    If Palin wants to be the leader of the party, and clearly she does, she needs to rise above and start acting like she’s worthy of national office. She just doesn’t appear to be a very mature person.

24. Martha Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    Which is it? Did the McCain campaign send her a bill for vetting, as she claims? Or did they send her a bill for the work lawyers had to do defending her on Troopergate?

    Which is it? Did the campaign already know about Bristol’s pregnancy before she went to AZ for vetting? Or is Schmidt telling the truth that the campaign did not know.

    Which is it? Did Nicole Wallace tell Palin that Couric has low self-esteem, and that the interview would be about motherhood? Or is that a complete fabrication, as Nicole Wallace claims?

    There’s more. I just find these claims by Palin highly suspect, when you look at them logically. A lot of people simply take Palin’s word in all of this, but when you read the book you realize that Palin is good at spinning a story to her benefit. And the other aspect is that it’s Palin’s word against a bunch of different people. Are they all lying?

25. Tommy Boy Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:34 pm

    In the Midnight Hour
    http://www.facebook.com/notes/sarah-palin/in-the-midnight-hour/178974418434

    The Senate is set to vote Saturday night, right before the holiday, on a motion to proceed on its latest health care government take-over bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing for yet another weekend vote (commonplace now for the party of “transparency”) because he knows that the American people will be none too happy about the Democrats’ proposal the longer they have to look it over.

    A vote against the Democrats’ motion will help stop Obamacare before it gets any closer to becoming a reality. While this Saturday night vote might seem like a procedural matter, at the end of the day a vote against Senator Reid’s motion is a vote against massive new government spending and a take-over of 1/6th of the U.S. economy; it’s a vote against billions in tax increases and penalties; it’s a vote against federal funding of abortion; and it’s a vote against ignoring responsible tort reform.

    And in case you hadn’t heard – just a reminder that you’ll start paying higher taxes to fund this scheme in 2010 even though it doesn’t start up until 2014. Only in Washington does that make any sense. Among the provisions in this bill will be a $2500 cap on Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). The IRS allows families with special needs children to use FSAs to cover educational expenses. This new $2500 cap will hit these families especially hard and cost them hundreds of dollars in new taxes every year.

    Contact your senators and tell them to vote against the motion to proceed tomorrow night. The American people don’t support this – we support the commonsense solutions that have been proposed, but totally ignored by (at this point) some out-of-control Washington politicians. Let’s put a stop to Obamacare before it goes any further.

    - Sarah Palin

26. Mike & Marco In 2012! Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    21. “Of course Palin is running.”

    Are you Nostradamus?

    My guess is the lady (and I’ve read her EXCELLENT book, too) runs in 2016 or 2020.

27. Mike & Marco In 2012! Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    25. That shows what she’s made of.

    We’re so lucky to have her on the public stage in these exceedingly trying times.

    Liberals hate her.

    Conservatives love her.

    The heartlands of this country long to see her.

28. narciso Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    Why is Schmidt or Wallace,
    considered the definitive word. The former has teamed up with Plouffe, to teach people how to run successful campaigns at the U. of Delaware (epic fail) the latter has proferred every conceivable alternative at the Daily Beast (Gary Sinise) both were among the anonymous voices that seeded the post election narrative, with Newsweek and Fox’s
    Cameron, and Politico. What% of those stories were right, and how long have they colored the polls
    you wave so magnanimously.

29. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    How bad does Rudy think Obama is doing?
    http://blog.silive.com/politics/2009/11/strictly_saturday_the_rudypalo.html

    The current administration is making him nostalgic for the good old days of President Bill Clinton.

    In reminiscing about his 1993 mayoral win, Giuliani said that it was a good night for the GOP all over, with Christie Todd Whitman and George Allen elected governors of New Jersey and Virginia, respectively, the same night.

    Giuliani pointed out that that was just one year after Clinton was elected.

    The mention of the former president’s name caused one dinner attendee to let loose with a mock-puking sound.

    “He looks pretty good now, doesn’t he?” Rudy said. “I’m not saying that he was great, but compared to this…?”

    Giuliani said that under Obama, “our country has never been moving in the wrong direction faster or in a more damaging way.”

    He said, “Things seem much worse than anyone thought it would be with the Obama election.”

    Giuliani, who ran for president in 2008, said he never thought Obama would get nominated “in a million years.” Hillary Clinton, Rudy said, was simply too strong, and Obama was unknown, and had no executive or foreign policy experience.

    Once nominated, Rudy didn’t think that Obama had a chance of winning, but was proven wrong again.

    “As an American, my feeling was, I don’t agree with him, but I hope I’m wrong and he’s right,” Rudy said. “And I hope that he kind of guides the country on a moderate course. Maybe a lot of the things he was saying he didn’t mean, and he will actually be more prudent and more careful as president.”

    Rudy told the crowd: “Just being honest with you, he’s been much worse than I thought he would be.”

    He said the $787 billion stimulus package was a “giveaway” to Democratic special interest groups and had nothing to do with stimulating the economy. Obama’s policies, Giuliani said, including health-care reform, the takeover of the auto industry and cap-and-trade, will do nothing more than devalue the dollar, spur inflation and make unemployment worse.

    Giuliani then issued a challenge to those at the dinner: “If you agree with me, you have to get involved.”

    And, with typical Giuliani bravado, he added, “If you don’t agree with me, leave.”

    And perhaps with an eye toward the GOP rift being seen on the Island, Giuliani also told the crowd, “The first thing we have to do is stop fighting so much with each other, because when we do, we give [the Democrats] an opportunity to win. We right now don’t have the luxury of fighting with each other so much.”

30. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 3:00 pm

    Palin’s book tour comes to Virginia
    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/11/palin_signs_books_in_roanoke.html

    Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will travel to Virginia this weekend for the seventh stop of her national tour to promote her book, Going Rogue: An American Life.

    Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee, will appear at a Barnes & Noble in Roanoke at 10 a.m. Sunday — the only Virginia stop on the much ballyhooed tour.

    Check out the Post stories on Palin’s first two stops in Michigan and Indiana where crowds lined up early to catch a glimpse of the possible presidential hopeful and get their books signed.

    The Roanoke Times reports that more than 1,000 people are expected to turn out.

    Local Republican officials are expected to attend, but no statewide officials. And yes, that includes Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell, who distanced himself from the controversial conservative figure during his campaign.

31. Tommy Boy Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    Friday Line: Ranking Republican leaders
    http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/the-line/friday-line-ranking-republican-1.html#more

    5. Mike Huckabee: Huckabee has a golden political opportunity. Poll after poll shows that he emerged from the 2008 campaign with extremely strong positive ratings among Republican (and even many Independent and Democratic) voters. To take full advantage of that positioning, Huckabee should be building a national fundraising operation, broadening his national staff and even sounding out operatives in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Instead, he seems largely content to continue hosting his radio and television shows and stoking his status as a political-media celebrity. It’s hard to argue, however, that if Huckabee runs — in spite of his unwillingness to do some of the basic blocking and tackling of an aspiring presidential candidate — he is a force particularly in Iowa. (Previous ranking: 4)

    4. Tim Pawlenty: The perils of running too fast too soon caught up with Tpaw in the runup to the November elections as he got himself involved — perhaps unwittingly — in the special election in New York’s 23rd district and then found himself advocating for a smaller tent Republican party that might not include Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine). (Pawlenty later recanted.) As Balz noted in a piece critical of Pawlenty, the governor must be careful to stay true to who he is rather than get caught up in the attempt to out-conservative the rest of the field. Still, Pawlenty’s aggressive move to the national stage and his role as vice chairman of the RGA means he will have a real say on the message and direction of the party in the coming years. (Previous ranking: 2)

    3. Mitt Romney: The former Massachusetts governor is laying VERY low at the moment. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Romney’s discipline is far superior to many of his compatriots; he refused to wade into the NY-23 special even as pressure mounted from the conservative base to do so. Romney, who was plagued by his desire to be everything to everyone in 2008, seems to have cured himself of that problem. Expect Romney to emerge as a force on the campaign trail in 2010 and use the momentum gained from what will almost certainly be an incredibly aggressive schedule to pivot into a second presidential bid in 2012. (Previous ranking: 3)

    2. Haley Barbour: The victories by McDonnell and Christie have elevated Barbour, who was already very well regarded within the party, to near-revered status. Barbour’s “aw shucks” manner belies a very savvy political mind and with 37 gubernatorial races at the forefront of the potential Republican revival in 2010, the Mississippi governor, who chairs the RGA, is in prime position to emerge as the smartest — or at least the most influential — man in GOP politics come next November. (Previous ranking: 5)

    1. Sarah Palin: After this week, it’s impossible to argue about Palin’s influence within the party. She can draw big crowds, sell tons of books and command the biggest media stages — it doesn’t get much bigger than “Oprah” and Barbara Walters. Whether they admit it or not, every establishment Republican wonders regularly about what Palin has planned for 2010 and 2012 and worries about what impact what she will do has on the party. We dubbed Palin the “prime mover” in Republican party politics many moons ago — she acts, others react — and we are sticking by it. (Previous ranking: 1)

32. Au standard Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 4:14 pm

    once again Lieberman doesn’t come thru…

33. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    The ‘Going Rogue’ Index
    Sarah Palin wouldn’t make one, so I did it for her.
    http://www.tnr.com/print/article/politics/the-going-rogue-index

    Will Palin’s book tour jump-start a political movement?
    http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/v-fullstory/story/1345480.html

    Sarah Palin Third Party Presidential Candidate 2012?
    http://www.examiner.com/x-18383-Maricopa-County-Progressive-Examiner~y2009m11d21-Sarah-Palin-Third-Party-Presidential-Candidate-2012-

    Palin is an empty vessel, even for conservatives
    http://voices.kansascity.com/node/6634

    Palin slams Senate health care vote
    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/21/palin-slams-senate-health-care-vote/

    If Palin’s book could talk
    CNN’s Jeanne Moos tells what it might be saying.
    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/21/if-sarah-palins-book-could-talk/

34. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 4:47 pm

    Senate Democrats assured of 60 votes to debate health bill
    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/21/senate-democrats-assured-of-60-votes-to-debate-health-bill/

    Senate Democrat Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas said Saturday she will support bringing the Senate health care reform bill to the floor for debate, giving Democrats the 60 votes they need to prevent a Republican filibuster.

    “Although I don’t agree with everything in this bill, I believe it is important to begin this debate,” she said. “This issue is very complex. There is no easy fix,” she said in making her announcement on the Senate floor, just hours before Saturday night’s 8 p.m. procedural vote.

    Earlier Saturday, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, became the 59th lawmaker to agree to vote for debate.

35. Paul Revere Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 5:22 pm

    http://www.infowars.com/call-your-senator-demand-debate-on-hr-3590/
    November 21, 2009
    Editor’s note: The Obamacare bill, HR 3590, is now in the Senate and faces a “cloture” on the “motion to proceed” today. Call your representative and tell him or her to vote against “cloture” (a motion to bring debate to an end). You can call your Senators toll-free at 1-877-762-8762. The alternate, non toll-free, number is 202-224-3121.

    Help yourself to letting your Government know, Americans want a say in their lives, let those Senators know a vote for the Health-Care Bill from your Senator, equals a definite vote against him or her from you come election day!

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/health/policy/22health.html
    Mr. McConnell warned of the political consequences for senators who vote to move ahead. “Senators who support this bill have a lot of explaining to do,” Mr. McConnell said. “Americans know that a vote to proceed on this bill, to get on this bill, is a vote for higher premiums, higher taxes and massive cuts to Medicare.”

36. Tommy Boy Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    John McCain jumps in with Palin:

    McCain links political correctness to shootings
    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jA8sGg3T4kXJ6cYNVa5BofHXw2xgD9C42ACG2

37. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 6:48 pm

    Glenn Beck Stakes Out a More Activist Role in Politics
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/business/media/22beck.html?pagewanted=print

    Glenn Beck, the popular and outspoken Fox News host, says he wants to go beyond broadcasting his opinions and start rallying his political base — formerly known as his audience — to take action.

    To do so, Mr. Beck is styling himself as a political organizer. In an interview, he said he would promote voter registration drives and sponsor a series of conventions across the country featuring what he described as libertarian speakers.

    On Saturday he held a festive campaign-style rally in The Villages in Florida, north of Orlando, in which he promoted his recently released book, “Arguing With Idiots,” and announced another book to come next August filled with right-leaning policy proposals gathered from the conventions.

38. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 6:52 pm

    WATCH: Palin Finally Tells The Truth
    http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5fdc8c7607/sarah-palin-tells-the-truth?rel=player

    Palin: ‘Not sure I can convince Lincoln to vote no’
    http://thehill.com/blogs/twitter-room/other-news/68977-palin-not-sure-i-can-convince-lincoln-to-vote-no

39. Heath Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 7:11 pm

    The strangest exchange from part 2 of Bill O’Reilly’s interview with Sarah Palin last night (transcript here).

    O’REILLY: Now, but that’s the key question because John McCain is up there in years. You had to be qualified to take that office over.

    PALIN: Right, but I’m saying I was running for vice president just like Joe Biden in running for vice president. I’ve never once heard you or anybody else question Joe Biden and his experience.

    O’REILLY: Well, he’s got a lot of experience.

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

    Is she serious?

40. Martha Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    38. I’ve heard Palin say plenty of times that she was indeed qualified to be VP, and POTUS if necessary. She’s got an ego the size of Alaska.

    But honestly, Heath, how is it possible to have such an outrageous disconnect with reality?

41. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    Republicans Eye the Tiger of Populism
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/weekinreview/22stevenson.html?pagewanted=print

    Enthusiasm for Palin, and Echoes of 2008 Divide
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/us/politics/22palin.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=print&adxnnlx=1258856181-wBJFQ1YaNj+ev8jz+UcsVQ

    The Pit Bull in the China Shop
    by Frank Rich
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/opinion/22rich.html?pagewanted=print
    http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/11/21/opinion/22blitt_ready.html

    Laura Ingraham Show: Frum vs. Ziegler on Palin
    http://lauraingraham.com/pg/jsp/charts/streamingAudioMaster.jsp?dispid=302&headerDest=L3BnL2pzcC9tZWRpYS9mbGFzaHdlbGNvbWUuanNwP3BpZD03NzgzJnBsYXlsaXN0PXRydWUmY2hhcnR0eXBlPWNoYXJ0JmNoYXJ0SUQ9MzAyJnBsYXlsaXN0U2l6ZT0xMA==

42. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 21st, 2009 at 11:23 pm

    Selling Meg Whitman in California
    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703683804574531801959125322.html

43. Heath Says:
    November 22nd, 2009 at 6:09 am

    No idea Martha! If you find out be sure to let me know.

    And ostensibly brilliant people like AK have fallen for her! What’s with that? Can’t even be her sex appeal .

44. Aron Goldman Says:
    November 22nd, 2009 at 11:06 am

    Reagan Never Went Rogue
    http://www.frumforum.com/reagan-never-went-rogue

    Sarah Palin, the cynical mean girl
    http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/11/21/sarah_palin_the_cynical_mean_girl?mode=PF

    “The Earth Is Going Rogue”: SNL’s Palin 2012 Disaster Movie Parody
    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/the-earth-is-going-rogue-snls-palin-2012disaster-movie-parody/

    Florida’s Rubio Would Welcome Palin Endorsement
    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/22/floridas-rubio-welcome-palin-endorsement/

    Martha Stewart: Palin Is A ‘Boring, Confused And Dangerous Person’
    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/martha-stewart-sarah-palin-is-a-boring-confused-and-dangerous-person/

    Barack Obama dream fades as China visit fails to bring change
    Even his allies feel let down by the president’s lack of progress both in Asia and at home
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6926987.ece

    SNL Gives It To Obama Over Unemployment And Debt To China
    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/snl-gives-it-to-obama-over-unemployment-and-debt-to-china/