Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: Giuliani: U.S. must have bigger role in global marketplace

Giuliani: U.S. must have bigger role in global marketplace
7/12/2007, 9:54 p.m. EDT
By DAVID EGGERT The Associated Press

NOVI, Mich. (AP) — Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani pledged Thursday to give the United States a bigger role in the global marketplace, especially in the Middle East.
"The global economy is a wonderful thing for America," Giuliani said, adding later: "America is a brand after all — a great brand."
The former New York mayor described his trade and economic goals Thursday at a campaign stop in Novi, a suburb about 21 miles west of Detroit, where he addressed about 500 Republicans at a fundraising dinner. The Michigan Republican Party and state House Republican Campaign Committee will share $1 million raised at the event.


http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-45/1184285654205450.xml&storylist=newsmichigan

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: If McCain can survive, he could win

If McCain can survive, he could win

Thursday, July 12, 2007

ISSUE: John McCain presidential campaignOUR VIEW: South Carolina becomes more crucial than ever amid problemsSen. John McCain again has taken to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues not to press for a pullout from Iraq. He stands with President Bush on the need to allow the "surge" of U.S. forces to continue.The McCain plea comes amid increasing American public opposition to the war and ahead of a pending report on the status of the U.S. effort. The findings are not expected to be encouraging.McCain's stand also comes as he continues his campaign to become Bush's successor. The effort is struggling.

http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2007/07/12/opinion/doc46969209ad5e7506480967.txt

Behind McCain Adviser's Exit

Behind McCain Adviser's Exit
By Jackie Calmes

WASHINGTON -- For 11 years, John Weaver has worked for one thing: to make John McCain president. As difficult as it was for the chief strategist to be a casualty of the senator's shake-up of his faltering campaign, Mr. Weaver felt worse for his 14-year-old daughter, Jordan. For her, like him, the McCains had been family.

"I didn't get home in time to tell her before she saw the news on TV, and she was crying," Mr. Weaver, a single father, recalls of Tuesday's events. His association with the Republican senator was all she's known since she was a baby. ...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118429018747965500.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Giuliani to benefit as McCain crumbles

Giuliani to benefit as McCain crumbles

By Toby Harnden in Washington
Last Updated: 2:17am BST 12/07/2007

Republican strategists dissecting the carcass of John McCain's presidential campaign concluded yesterday that Rudy Giuliani is likely to be the biggest beneficiary of his friend and rival's demise.

John McCain is said to have hurt his campaign with his staunch support for the Iraq war
Although Mr McCain insists that he will fight on despite the resignations this week of his two top aides, a cash crisis and falling polls numbers, senior Republicans believe his White House bid is doomed and all that remains is for the spoils to be divided.

With close to 20 per cent of Republican primary voters backing Mr McCain, where his supporters end up could be a decisive factor in the battle for the nomination. The destination of major McCain donors will also be crucial.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/12/wuspols112.xml

USAT/Gallup Poll: Steady leads for Giuliani & Clinton

By: Mark Memmott and Jill Lawrence

USAT/Gallup Poll: Steady leads for Giuliani & Clinton
Fresh results from the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, parts of which are being released this hour:
• In the race for the Republican presidential nomination, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has a 10 percentage point lead nationally over former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., maintains his place in third.
• In the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has a 16-point lead over second-place Sen. Barack Obama. Former vice president Al Gore, who has repeatedly said he has no plans to run for the White House in 2008, comes in third.
The breakdowns:

Republicans.
Giuliani has the support of 30% of "Republicans and Republican leaners," vs. 28% a month ago; Thompson comes in with 20%, vs. 19% in June; McCain has 16%, vs. 18% a month earlier.
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney remains in fourth, at 9% vs. 7% in June.
The current numbers for the rest of the Republicans included in the survey: Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, 6%; former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, 2%; Rep. Duncan Hunter, 2%; Rep. Tom Tancredo, 2%; Sen. Sam Brownback, 1%; Sen. Chuck Hagel, 1%; former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson, 1%. Neither former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore nor Rep. Ron Paul registered any support.
None of the Republican numbers change significantly if Gingrich is removed from the poll.
The survey of 394 Republicans and voters who "lean" Republican has a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points.

Democrats.
Clinton has the support of 37% of the "Democrats and Democratic leaners" surveyed, vs. 33% a month earlier. Obama's support is unchanged at 21%. Gore is the choice of 16%, vs. 18% in June.
Former North Carolina senator John Edwards remains in fourth, with 13% support vs. 11% in June.
The current numbers for the rest of the Democrats included in the survey: Sen. Joseph Biden, 3%; Rep. Dennis Kucinich, 2%; Gov. Bill Richardson, 2%; former senator Mike Gravel, 1%. Sen. Christopher Dodd drew no support.
If Gore is removed from the survey: Clinton gains 5 percentage points (to 42%); Obama picks up 5 percentage points (to 26%); Edwards picks up 3 percentage points (to 16%); Richardson picks up 2 percentage points (to 4%); and Biden picks up 1 percentage point (to 3%).
The survey of 516 Democrats and voters who "lean" Democratic has a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points.

The latest numbers are all based on a national telephone survey conducted Friday through Sunday (July 6-8).
There will be more from the poll later at USATODAY.com and in Tuesday's editions of USA TODAY.

Update at 1:45 p.m. ET:
Clinton's pollster and political strategist, Mark Penn, has written a memo on why he thinks polls and other indicators signal that the senator "is better positioned today than ever before" to be the next president.

Posted by Mark Memmott at 12:40 PM/ET, July 09, 2007 in Democrats, Polls, Presidential race, 2008, Republicans Permalink

Political Blogger Jessie Harris proposes to stop political free speech.

Political Blogger Jessie Harris proposes to stop political free speech.

A local Utah Political blogger plans on getting an elected official to run his proposed legislation. http://www.coolestfamilyever.com/2007/07/07/spam-wars-making-spam-illegal-in-utah/

I recently had an encounter with Mr. Harris and his attempt to intimidate several computer companies and elected officials who are personal friends or whose services I use to ban the Political Spyglass. Jesse Blogsite is http://www.coolestfamilyever.com/
And you can see from his many posts that his views on free speech are twisted.

Below is a copy of his different personalities and ways to contact him. If you agree with his position then contact him and say so. If you do not agree, contact him and tell him so. I think he needs some perspective.

About
Jesse: Born in Alabama and then transplanted to California, Jesse spent 14 years in Las Vegas before moving to the Salt Lake City area. He's a professional computer nerd by trade (any more detail than that would bore most of you to tears) and a political junkie by hobby. Jesse's also into cooking, old-school video games and semi-obsessive Linux puttering.
Contact:
E-mail: jesse@coolestfamilyever.com
ICQ: 1589572
AIM: TheElevatorMan
MSN: elforesto@hotmail.com
Yahoo: elforesto
Jabber: elforesto@gmail.com

I thought I had settled my prior issue with Mr. Harris, but it appears not to be from his continued attacks and comments. I will continue to send out The Political Spyglass every day to anyone who I please. It’s my Constitutional right Mr. Harris, or do you see the First Amendment to the constitution like many liberal democrats see the Second amendment as well?

Romney Tries To Pack A Straw Poll But Thompson's Stock Is Rising

Romney Tries To Pack A Straw Poll But Thompson's Stock Is Rising
07 Jul 2007 09:03 pm

The Young Republican National Federation's annual convention ends tonight in Ft. Lauderdale with the announcement of its straw poll results -- a poll that, in all likelihood, Mitt Romney will win, and then use to tout as an example of how Young Republicans are enthusiastic about his campaign.

But Romney had a few legs up. For one thing, the Young Republican's executive director, Jon Woodward, is the St. John's County chair for Romney. The convention's chief organizer is Brian

Graham, who is also a Romney backer. Romney's campaign helped to sponsor tonight's dinner. And the YRNF convention corporation, according to Erick Erickson at RedState, decided for some reason to allow non YRers to vote in the straw poll. That allows organized and well-monied campaigns to bring in supporters, so they should choose.


http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/07/romney_tries_to_pack_a_straw_p.php

Parable of Romney and McCain explains why money is so important in politics

Parable of Romney and McCain explains why money is so important in politics
By MATT STEARNS
McClatchy Newspapers

As of June 10, Republican presidential hopeful and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney had used his fundraising haul to buy 4,549 television ads.

WASHINGTON There were two object lessons last week in why money matters so much to political campaigns, in the persons of Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, outpaced all Republican rivals in amassing campaign cash so far this year, a total of $44 million. That includes nearly $9 million of his own money. McCain raised $24.8 million over the same period.
The disparity allowed Romney — a little-known one-term governor of a state considered outside the political mainstream — to vault to front-running status in key early voting states. And it’s why McCain — an American hero and best-selling author — struggles to keep his campaign afloat.

Romney used his haul to buy 4,549 television ads through June 10, more than all the other candidates combined, according to a report by The Nielsen Co., which analyzes ad buys.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/181285.html

Giuliani faces minefield for GOP nomination

Giuliani faces minefield for GOP nomination
By Tony Quinn Updated: 07/08/07 7:32 AM

Rudy Giuliani’s lead in the race for the GOP presidential nomination is driven by two words: Hillary Clinton. Republicans see in Giuliani the candidate most likely to defeat Clinton in 2008, assuming, as seems more likely all the time, she emerges as the Democratic nominee for president.

Giuliani actually is not the only GOP candidate who runs well against Clinton; Sen. John McCain runs as strongly as he does. In the most recent CNN poll, Giuliani trailed Clinton by a single point, 48 percent to 49 percent; but McCain is behind by only two points, 47 percent to 49 percent. All other GOP candidates did worse.

But winning a presidential nomination is also a matter of luck, and Giuliani has been very lucky thus far. Eight months ago, McCain was the Republican establishment choice and ahead in most polls. But he is also the most closely aligned with the unpopular Bush administration, and the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq.

McCain also suffers from being both the insider choice and an outsider. His stands on many issues, most recently immigration reform, have grated upon grass-roots Republican voters. As McCain’s prospects have declined, Giuliani’s have risen and he is now replacing McCain as the choice of much of the establishment, especially the business wing of the party.

Giuliani also is lucky in that the candidacy of the third top-tier candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has blocked the rise of any of the second-tier candidates. Former

http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/115273.html

Who is Florida’s favorite presidential hopeful?

Who is Florida’s favorite presidential hopeful?

With a new early primary, state’s size will test spending power of candidates

By Betty Parker Originally posted on July 08, 2007
The Associated Press•

The Republican already have participated in several televised debates along with the Democratic candidates. Candidates from both parties will need to rely more on television than visits to Florida to get their messages out because the primary is so early and the state is so large.

Think of it as the calm before the political storm.This sweltering Southwest Florida summer is just a breather before the blizzard of television ads and mail, as presidential candidates compete in the state’s newly advanced Jan. 29 primary.But if you’re expecting an endless series of candidates marching through Southwest Florida, similar to what’s going on in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina — still following tradition as the first states in the primary race — you may be surprised.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070708/NEWS0120/70708004/1075

Dems blast Sen. Clinton for using strategist who's also CEO of PR firm

Dems blast Sen. Clinton for using strategist who's also CEO of PR firm

July 8, 2007

BY ROBERT NOVAK Sun-Times ColumnistSen. Hillary Clinton is facing increasing Democratic criticism for using Mark Penn as her presidential campaign's chief strategist while he also serves as CEO of Burson-Marsteller, the public relations giant with corporate clients whose policies run opposite to Clinton's.

Clients include Royal Dutch Shell (attacked by Clinton for ''windfall profits''), as well as tobacco and pharmaceutical firms with records she has deplored. Penn was a key operative in President Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign and continued as a second-term adviser.
A footnote: Penn criticized Bloomberg News, which has reported on conflicts between Burson-Marsteller and the Clinton campaign, for obtaining ''several months'' of Penn's internal blogs. On June 29, a former employee who started a rival firm filed suit in New York City against Penn for monitoring his personal e-mails.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/novak/459642,CST-EDT-novak08.article

The Internet It's a potent new tool, but no one's sure how to use it

The Internet
It's a potent new tool, but no one's sure how to use it

By Kenneth T. Walsh
Posted 7/8/07

As Barack Obama made clear last week, candidates have discovered ways to raise millions of dollars in contributions from the Internet. The question is what they do with this potentially powerful tool beyond raking in cash.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070708/16wild.net.htm

Mark Towner's Month of Hell

Imagine coming in on final to Salt Lake International and suddenly your back molar screams with pain. Every foot of descent is more and more agony. After grabbing your luggage you feel every heart beat in your jaw that is simply on fire. When you get home you find some left over pain med’s that you never used and swallow them like candy. The next day you beeline for your dentist, open the door of his office, and beg to have some relief.

Now the tooth in question has had a gold crown on it for nearly 35 years (my teeth suck because I was born in Japan and didn’t get the right food for good teeth) and the dentist took me into his exam room and had an assistant take an x-ray of the area. All you could see from the x-ray was a solid light spot where the gold crown was.

After shooting me not one, not twice, but four times to get numb, he then broke three drill bits trying to get through the gold crown on the tooth. Finally he broke through and the pressure that had built up on the plane trip was relived There was infection under the crown, and this needed to be overcome before any further dental work could proceed. He packed the tooth with cotton so the stuff underneath could seep out and not build up pressure.

He prescribed antibiotics and pain med’s until I could see someone about a root canal. I was fine as long as I was on the pain pills, and continued working. I then was promoted to our Park City Store, and drove up Parleys. On return I experienced the same shooting pain as before. After double doses of pain meds I was able to sleep for few hours. The next day I worked up in Park City and coming back down to Salt Lake the pain was unbearable.

Going into my garage I selected a pair of needle nose vice grips and locked onto the tooth. On the count of three I used all my strength and the crown and tooth broke off at the gum line. Remarkably the pain diminished and looking into the Gold crown was black icky gook. Several salt water mouth washes later I actually felt normal again. I called my dentist the next morning and told him what I had done. There was total silence on his end, and he finally said in all my years of dental work, I have never had a patient extract their own tooth with vice grips.

He said the tooth was infected and would either need a root canal or extracted. However because the tooth was broken off at the gum line, I would need to seek a specialist. Numerous calls to five different surgeons I found one that would at least see me, but I might have to wait hours for a break. I drove down to South Jordan and waited nearly three hours. The doctor finally had a break, and examined my tooth. He said the tooth could not be saved, and needed to come out before additional infection or problems occurred. I said great lets get it out right now. He asked if I had come alone and I said yes. He said that he would normally perform the surgery under IV, but since I drove myself, the only thing he could offer me was local and gas.

Once I was numb he started the procedure forgetting about the gas, but I didn’t care. I wanted the tooth out at all costs. Several tools were required to get the tooth out and because it was in such bad condition it came out in three pieces.

He sutured up the area, and we are making plans on inserting a titanium screw and bone graft, along with an implant tooth to fill the obvious gap.

So this has been my past month. A month of pure hell, and I have a bone graft and screw to look forward too.

Keep in mind during this period I was heavily medicated and not fully normal. So I ask for some consideration, about some of the things I may have said or posted.

Ouch,

Captain Mark

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: McCain's Prospects Look Pretty Grim

(The New Republic) This column was written by John B. Judis.
The release of the second-quarter fundraising totals spells trouble for two presidential candidates: Democrat John Edwards and Republican John McCain. Edwards has always been a long shot for the nomination, but McCain was once the Republican frontrunner and expected (by me, among others) to have an easy path to the nomination. His candidacy is in now a shambles — and for more reasons than money. When former Senator Phil Gramm was running for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996, he used to cite "Huckaby's Law," named after political consultant and fundraising expert Stan Huckaby. Huckaby's Law said that the presidential candidate who raised the most money by January 1 of election year would inevitably win the nomination. John Connally had defied the law in 1976, but that was before public financing kicked in.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/06/opinion/main3023853.shtml

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass:Poll: Bloomberg Takes From Giuliani

THE RACE: Support for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Hillary Clinton in a theoretical general election matchup in New Jersey, with and without an independent candidacy by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
THE NUMBERS - WITHOUT BLOOMBERG
Rudy Giuliani, 47 percent
Hillary Clinton, 44 percent
THE NUMBERS - WITH BLOOMBERG
Rudy Giuliani, 36 percent
Hillary Clinton, 36 percent
Michael Bloomberg, 18 percent
OF INTEREST:
If Giuliani were to become the GOP nominee for president, he might look to New Jersey as a place to pick up electoral votes that have gone to Democrats in recent elections. A Bloomberg candidacy, however, might siphon off more support from Giuliani than Clinton. New Jersey hasn't supported a Republican for president since 1988. But the new poll has 61 percent of the state's voters holding a favorable view of Giuliani, higher than any other presidential contender.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/05/ap3887934.html

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: Giuliani: Money drives campaign schedules

By SEANNA ADCOXAssociated Press Writer
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. Support in early voting states such as South Carolina, Iowa and New Hampshire is important, but Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani explained Friday that he has to follow the money."You have to raise an enormous amount of money to do this. Everybody knows that. We'd all like it to be different, but that's the reality of it. That drives a lot of the scheduling," the former New York mayor said after he greeted about 250 people at a pancake house here.Giuliani, who raised $15 million for the primaries during the last three months, has made more visits to Florida and California than to other early voting states. He said he considers South Carolina important to his White House bid, and that he plans to make more visits.
http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/article/20070706/APP/707060727

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: Presidential Campaign: McCain in flux

Presidential Campaign: McCain in flux
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
Brother, can you spare a million?
Expect that to be Sen. John McCain's campaign slogan now that The Associated Press has reported that his campaign is "trailing top Republican rivals in money and polls, is undergoing a significant reorganization with staff cuts in every department."
With $2 million in the coffers, about 50 staffers will be let go while others face pay cuts.
So, what happened to the guy who was in third place, cash-wise? Perhaps it was backing the president on the troop surge in Iraq, joking about bombing Iran and making comments to the press that made it clear he had no idea of how bad things are in Iraq that made him seem like a poor choice for a campaign donation.
Maybe.
And if money talks, then we're liking what people are saying these days.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/322614_mccained.html

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: Money Needs Take Giuliani to Big States

Money Needs Take Giuliani to Big States
Friday July 6, 2007 6:16 PM

By SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press Writer
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani knows where the money is - that's why he's been campaigning more in California and Florida and less in early voting states like South Carolina.
``You have to raise an enormous amount of money to do this. Everybody knows that. We'd all like it to be different, but that's the reality of it. That drives a lot of the scheduling,'' the former New York mayor said after he greeted about 250 people at a pancake house here.
Giuliani, who raised $15 million for the primaries during the last three months, has made more visits to Florida and California than to other early voting states. He said he considers South Carolina important to his White House bid, and that he plans to make more visits.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6762053,00.html

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass: Bush Got It Right... Unlike Mr. Clinton

Jack Kelly Thu Jul 5, 12:30 AM ET
"Scooter" Libby will serve as much time in prison for lying under oath to a federal grand jury as Bill Clinton served for lying under oath to a federal grand jury.
Mr. Libby, who was chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted in March of lying about from whom he learned that Valerie Plame Wilson worked at the CIA. Last month Judge Reggie Walton sentenced him to 30 months in prison and a $250,000 fine.
On Monday, President Bush commuted the prison sentence. His conviction still stands, and Mr. Libby still must pay the fine.
Democrats were outraged. "As Independence Day nears, we are reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under law," said Sen. Charles Schumer of New York. "This commutation completely tramples on that principle."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/realclearpolitics/20070705/cm_rcp/libbys_punishment_worse_than_t

Mark Towner's Political Spyglass

By Andrea Hopkins 1 hour, 17 minutes ago
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday a lawsuit challenging the domestic spying program created by President George W. Bush after the September 11 attacks must be dismissed, in a decision based on narrow technical grounds.
The appeals court panel ruled by a 2-1 vote that the groups and individuals who brought the lawsuit, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, did not have the legal right to bring the challenge in the first place.
The surveillance program was authorized by Bush to monitor the international phone calls and e-mails of U.S. citizens, without first obtaining a court warrant. A lower court had ruled in August 2006 that the program was unconstitutional.
The Bush administration appealed, and the appeals court in Cincinnati set aside the decision.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070706/ts_nm/bush_eavesdropping_dc_3