Giuliani only muddied the abortion waters

Charles Krauthammer: Giuliani only muddied the abortion waters
By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER36 minutes ago

LEGALIZING ABORTION by judicial fiat (Roe v. Wade) instead of by democratic means has its price. One is that the issue remains socially unsettled. People take to the streets when they have been deprived of resort to legislative action.

The other effect is to render the very debate hopelessly muddled.
Instead of discussing what a decent society owes women and what it owes soon-to-be-born infants, and trying to balance the two by politically hammering out regulations that a broad national consensus can support, we debate the constitutional niceties of a 35-year-old appallingly crafted Supreme Court decision.

Just how tangled the issue gets is illustrated by the current brouhaha over Rudy Giuliani's abortion response in the first Republican presidential debate. Spokesmen for the other candidates have gleefully seized upon what they deem to be Giuliani's gaffe -- not only defying Republican orthodoxy but appearing to want to have it every which way.

On repealing Roe v. Wade:
Giuliani: It would be OK to repeal. It would be also (OK) if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent and I think a judge has to make that decision.
Moderator: Would it be OK if they didn't repeal it?
Giuliani: I think the court has to make that decision and then the country can deal with it. ... states can make their own decisions.

Giuliani's response has been almost universally characterized as a blundering two-way pander. I think not. I've actually heard Giuliani elaborate his position on abortion. His debate answer is an overly concise version of it, which makes it so open to ridicule.

Democrats are pro-choice and have an abortion litmus test for judges they would nominate to the Supreme Court. Giuliani is pro-choice but has no such litmus test. The key phrase in his answer is "strict constructionist judge." On judicial issues in general he believes in "strict constructionism," the common conservative view that we don't want judges citing penumbral emanations and other constitutional vapors to justify inventing new rights they fancy the country needs.

However, one strict constructionist might look at Roe v. Wade as the constitutional travesty it is and decide to repeal it. Another strict constructionist judge could, with equal conviction, decide that after 35 years the habits and mores shaped by Roe v. Wade are so engrained in society that it should not be overturned.

And there is precedent for strict constructionists accepting even bad constitutional rulings after the passage of time. The most famous recent example is Chief Justice William Rehnquist for years opposing the original 1966 Miranda ruling as "legislating from the bench," but upholding it in 2000 on the grounds that it had become so engrained in American life that its precedental authority trumped its bastard constitutional origins. (He used different words.) In a country with a rational debate about abortion, Giuliani would simply have been asked how he would regulate (up to and including banning) abortion. That's not a relevant question here because neither presidents nor legislatures nor referendums decide this. Judges do. All presidents do is appoint judges.

Giuliani's answer on how to go about picking such judges is perfectly reasonable. It appears to be a dodge about the abortion issue itself simply because -- thanks to Roe -- every such debate becomes tangled with otherwise irrelevant issues of constitutional doctrine and stare decisis.
To give you an idea of how muddied the abortion debate has become thanks to this gratuitous constitutional overlay, consider the recent Supreme Court decision upholding the ban on partial-birth abortion. It has been misread by partisans on both sides. Pro-choice advocates denounced it as the beginning of a gradual cutting back on abortion rights. Pro-lifers celebrated it for precisely that reason.

It is nothing of the kind. The only reason the court upheld the ban is because an alternative (far more commonly used, in fact) to this mid-to-late-term procedure is readily available. Hence no "undue burden" on the woman. Hence it respects the confines of existing abortion jurisprudence. Roe (and its successors) lives.

I hope for the day when Roe is overturned, not because I want to see abortion criminalized -- I once voted in a Maryland referendum to keep abortion legal if Roe is ever repealed -- but to sweep away this ridiculous muddle. Perhaps Giuliani should have said something like that rather than leaving the precedent question up to judges. Abortion is already so contaminated with legalisms, why not turn the issue into one of simple democracy? Let the people decide. Let them work it out the way everything else in this country is worked out -- by political argument and legislative accommodation.

Charles Krauthammer is a columnist for The Washington Post.

Time's Nancy Gibbs on Romney's Faith

Saturday, May 12, 2007
Time's Nancy Gibbs on Romney's Faith
Posted by: Hugh Hewitt at 9:54 AM
Here's the beginning of our conversation yesterday:
HH: Now I want to start by letting people know, you’ve been writing for Time Magazine how many years?
NG: It’ll be 22 years this fall.
HH: So you’ve seen a lot of presidential candidates come and go.
NG: I have.
HH: Have you ever seen a conversation about a candidate’s religious faith as intense as the one surrounding Mitt Romney?
NG: I have not, and the closest thing, and it wasn’t even, I don’t think it even came anywhere close to this, was when Al Gore nominated Joe Lieberman as his running mate. And yet, I don’t think even that conversation approached this one. You really do, as many people have pointed out, you have to go back to 1960 to have anything like this kind of conversation. That’s really the reference point.
HH: When I was writing A Mormon In The White House?, I reviewed the famous The Making Of The President 1960 book, as well, ’64 and ’68, when Mitt Romney’s dad was involved in national politics. There was nothing like the intensity, either, or…I lack the word for it, brass knuckled, perhaps, Nancy Gibbs. What was your impression of the people eager to attack the Mormon faith? Were they overly aggressive? Or was it just par for the course these days?
NG: Well, you know, what I wonder when you talk about his father’s run, especially in 1968, is whether what happened in 1960, the fact that the country had an intense discussion about the relevance of Kennedy’s Catholicism, and essentially concluded that the substance of private religious faith is really not relevant to the discussion of qualification for public office. I wonder whether the residue of that conversation was still fresh in people’s minds when Mitt Romney’s father was running, and it has somehow faded, and so now we are, all these years later, having the conversation again, and much more intensely.
Read the whole thing. We have to hope that gradually the MSM will get to where Gibbs already is: Aware that the attacks on Romney's faith are unprecedented and unsavory. Gibbs notes that those in 1960 who were opposed to Kennedy were divided by Theodore White into the ignorant and the bigoted, and that Romney faces the same two camps today. I added that today there is a third group, or actually a respectable division among the bigoted, and that some of those have access to MSM. That's what makes Romney's challenge more difficult. When Jacob Weisberg and Al Sharpton are attacking a religion, the bigotry Romney confronts seems at the same time more respectable and more loathsome, more subtle and much more crude, but it is certainly a more powerful presence in the MSM than it was in JFK's day.

Prosperity Quest, Presented by C. Rick Koerber

15 May 2007, Tuesday
Prosperity Quest - Register Now Tuesday, May 15th, 2007 from 07:00 - 10:00 pm.Provo Marriott101 West 100 NorthProvo, UT 84601Admission: Free but must register to attend.
Presented by C. Rick Koerber, the Prosperity Quest event is the lunching of a new program to spread prosperity to as many people as possible. The May 15th seminar is an opportunity to receive updates and new announcements regarding FranklinSquires Real Estate Institute, American Founders University, Garrett Gunderson’s “Freedom FastTrack,” Free Capitalist Radio and the Producer Revolution™. This free event is “the next step” for individuals wanting to learn more about the above organizations and for individuals wanting to become more involved in applying the teachings of C. Rick Koerber and the late Les McGuire. Long-time associate of the Producer Revolution™ are strongly encouraged to attend.
Register Now

Romney's Estimated Wealth In Millions

Romney's Estimated Wealth In Millions
Between $190 -- $250 Million

May 12 - Republican Mitt Romney is expected to report financial assets between $190 million and $250 million, an amount that would likely make him the wealthiest of the 2008 presidential candidates.

Aides to the former Massachusetts governor said his assets have been held in a blind trust that he and his wife set up when he took office in 2002. The adviser who provided the estimate of his assets cautioned that the number is based on 2005 and 2006 financial activity and could amount to a bigger total once the disclosure report is filed later this year.

The adviser spoke on condition of anonymity because the totals have not been officially released. The deadline for filing financial disclosures is Tuesday but Romney on Friday obtained an extension.

Romney lent his campaign $2 million this year and could clearly tap his wealth again if necessary. Romney is not the wealthiest candidate ever to run for president.

Mitt Romney: Brainy Wonk or Brazen Waffler?

Mitt Romney: Brainy Wonk or Brazen Waffler?
This post was written by RB Scott on 12 May, 2007 (09:34) All News
By RB Scott, Boston, Massachusetts
May 12, 2007

Is there anything we don’t know about Willard Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts who would be President?

He has confessed that most follicles in his 60-year-old scalp still produce thick black hair, making every tottering windbag in the land all the more envious. It was enough to learn His Hunkiness is a testimony only to clean living and regular exercise not to some gossipy plastic surgeon or bottle-tanned personal trainer.

Although Mitt has been openly campaigning for the Presidency for more than a year now - officially since January - the only thing we may know for certain is that he looks real good up close and personal and that he may have changed his mind on the key issues of the day about as often as his great-great grandfather and mine added new wives.

Ann Davies Romney, Mitt’s only wife for nearly 40 years and his high school sweetheart, may be the best kept secret of all. She was unknown to the rest of the world until she joined her husband for an interview with CNN’s Larry King. Still extraordinarily good looking despite having borne and raised five sons and battling multiple sclerosis for several years, Mrs. Romney’s spontaneous, direct but kind and literate comments instantly belied those persistently pernicious “blonde” jokes, not to mention the overworked caricatures of subservient “Molly Mormon” women.

Read the full story ...http://www.bloggernews.net/16708

Captain Mark Towner

Rick Koerber talks about what is a FreeCapitalist?

What is the FreeCapitalist Project?
At the most basic level, the FreeCapitalist Project is a network of local FreeCapitalist Forums that meet regularly to learn, network, and plan positive social changes in the surrounding community. Members are united by a shared commitment to freedom and liberty through the unique and divinely inspired document: the United States Constitution.

Why did the FreeCapitalist Project start?
The republic of the United States has suffered from consistent efforts to alter, subvert, or disregard the Constitution framework set up by the Founding Fathers. Ironically, the ultimate threat to the order ushered in by the work of the Founding Fathers is almost invisible to the average citizens. The FreeCapitalist Project was started to help learn about the Constitution to advocate change within families and communities.

What is the mission of the FreeCapitalist Project?
The general mission of the FreeCapitalist Project is to help teach the Principles of Prosperity and restore governing standards of public and private activity.

What political party is the FreeCapitalist Project affiliated with?
The FreeCapitalist Project is not affiliated with any political party. However, the FreeCapitalist Project is interested in helping any organization founded and committed to the advancement of these Principles of Prosperity.

Why are members of the FreeCapitalist Project called Free Capitalists?
The FreeCapitalist Project uses the term Free Capitalists to set apart those who are committed to our principle-based approach to living and contributing in a free society.

Captain Mark

The Rick Koerber Show

What is FreeCapitalist Radio™? http://www.freecapitalist.com/

FreeCapitalist Radio offers a unique perspective on politics, business, and investing not found on any other talk show. It educates listeners on what really constitutes prosperity and helps audience members realize the power of the individual to improve one’s life. Listeners are encouraged to make decisions and base actions on principles and actual data rather than jumping on the bandwagon of sensationalism. With subjects ranging from Cicero to Adam Smith, current events to the U.S. Constitution, FreeCapitalist Radio is talk radio at its best. Launched in October of 2005, The Rick Koerber Show has already amassed an audience in 25 states who tune in each weekday via radio or nationwide webcast to hear Rick and renowned guests—including U.S. senators, international professors, and prominent businessmen—talk about the principles of prosperity in a lively and engaging way.

Captain Mark

Catholics and evangelicals leap to Romney's defense

Catholics and evangelicals leap to Romney's defense

By Lisa Riley RocheDeseret Morning News
Catholics and evangelicals came to the LDS Church's and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's defense Wednesday, calling on the Rev. Al Sharpton to answer for suggesting Mormons don't believe in God.

"Extraordinarily bigoted" was how Romney described Sharpton's comment made during a debate on religion held Monday in New York City, where Sharpton said, "as for the one Mormon running for office, those that really believe in God will defeat him anyway, so don't worry about that, that's a temporary situation." The former Democratic presidential candidate spent Wednesday defending his remark. He told the Associated Press that he was not questioning Romney's belief in God but was attempting to contrast himself with the atheist author he was debating, Christopher Hitchens. "What I said was that we would defeat him, meaning as a Republican," Sharpton told the wire service. "A Mormon, by definition, believes in God. They don't believe in God the way I do, but by definition, they believe in God." Sharpton told CNN's Paula Zahn on Wednesday evening he was responding to Hitchens' claim that Mormons are an example of how religion promotes racism because the church had excluded blacks. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not grant the priesthood to males of all races until 1978. Sharpton said if Mormons did not in the past see blacks as equal, they're not "real worshippers of God because I do not believe God distinguishes between people. That is not bigotry. That's responding to their beliefs." It was Hitchens who "attacked the Mormons," not him, Sharpton said. "I'm the one that belongs to a race that couldn't join the Mormons and I'm the one that's the bigot," he said, calling on Romney to explain his views on his church's position on blacks. Romney, who would be the first member of the LDS Church to serve as president if his race for the White House is successful in 2008, responded earlier in the day to Sharpton on the MSNBC cable network news channel's "Morning Joe" program.

"I can only, hearing that statement, wonder whether there's not bigotry that still remains in America," Romney said, adding that most people "have no interest in applying a religious test or suggesting that God wants one faith or another to succeed in becoming the president." Romney, who led Salt Lake's successful 2002 Winter Olympics before serving as governor of Massachusetts, called what Sharpton said an "extraordinarily bigoted kind of statement, and I find it really quite extraordinary." A spokesman for the LDS Church, Scott Trotter, had little to say about Sharpton's comment. "It's just campaign rhetoric and we're referring everyone back to Romney," Trotter said. The Catholic League called for Sharpton to "be held accountable for his bigoted outburst" and suggesting it "should finish his career," just as Don Imus' recent racist statements resulted in the cancellation of his radio show. Sharpton was among Imus' harshest critics. Kiera McCaffrey, the New York City-based league's director of communications, said Mormons are experiencing what Catholics did when John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960. Kennedy, who became the nation's first Catholic president, ultimately had to address the question of whether he would be controlled by his church in a speech made just before the election. Romney's faith has raised similar concerns, especially among evangelical Christians. "Catholics went through it. Now we see members of the LDS Church going through it," McCaffrey told the Deseret Morning News. "We're not hypocrites. If we're going to defend the rights of Catholics to participate in public life, we're going to do the same across the board." The Rev. Rob Schenck, an evangelical minister who heads the National Clergy Council, issued a statement calling on Sharpton to "immediately apologize to Mr. Romney and the good people of the LDS Church and repent before God for such sinful hubris." Schenck, who has met privately with Romney to talk about Mormonism, also said that "while many other Christian groups may have differences with LDS doctrine, to question someone else's sincerity of belief in God is the height of pharisaical arrogance." The reaction to Sharpton's comment will help set boundaries for future discussions of Mormonism and other faiths in the campaign, said Kelly Patterson, director of Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy. "You have evangelical groups and Catholic groups now saying that this is a line that has been crossed," Patterson said. "It helps not just Romney but all other candidates." Kirk Jowers, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, said the controversy "will have no impact on how people perceive the LDS Church or Mitt Romney. ... This is much more about Sharpton." He described Sharpton as "equal parts of publicity, pews and politics. I think publicity is driving this. It's another way for him to get back in the center of the storm. I think he enjoyed himself with Imus." Jowers, a Romney supporter, said there "certainly is some irony and some hypocrisy in that (Sharpton) led the charge to get rid of Imus for an outrageous comment." Imus referred to members of the Rutgers University womens basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said in a statement that while Sharpton "is eager to play the political correctness card when it suits his purposes, he apparently sees nothing wrong with an offensive attack against Gov. Mitt Romney using his religion." Sharpton's comment came in first half-hour or so of a two-hour debate on "Is God Great?" as he was explaining the religious roots of the civil rights movement lead by Martin Luther King Jr. Earlier, Hitchens had offered what he said was a contemporary example of using religion to justify racism. A GOP presidential candidate, he said, was a member of the "so-called Mormon Church" that had taught "that the Bible separates the sons of Ham and makes them lesser." Sharpton said there was no question about the civil rights movement being faith-based. "Let's not reinvent Dr. King any more than we try to reduce God to some denomination or convention," he said, before launching into his comment on an unnamed Mormon candidate. According to a tape of the debate, held at the New York Public Library, the audience laughed at what was clearly a reference to Romney before Sharpton continued his defense of religion and God. Hitchens, his debate partner, has written a new book, "God Is Not Great," that labels the LDS Church "a plain racket" that has turned "into a serious religion before our eyes." The debate was moderated by Slate Magazine's Jacob Weisberg, also critical of Mormons. Weisberg wrote in the online magazine last December that rejecting a Mormon presidential candidate is not religious bigotry. "I wouldn't vote for someone who truly believes the founding whoppers of Mormonism," Weisberg said in the article.
E-mail: lisa@desnews.com

Huntsman orders election Nov. 6 on school vouchers

Huntsman orders election Nov. 6 on school vouchers

By Tiffany EricksonDeseret Morning News
Voters will have their say on private school vouchers in November. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. issued an executive order Wednesday calling for a statewide special election on the school voucher referendum for Nov. 6, saying it will allow voters to voice their opinions "as soon as logistically possible." "This will allow for the greatest participation, where voters won't be disenfranchised, and moves to settle the issue sooner rather than later, and that is in everyone's best interest across the board," said Lindsay Zizumbo, spokeswoman for Utahns for Public Schools. But while voucher opponents applaud the move, supporters say it doesn't matter when the vote is because there is already a voucher law on the books. "Whether it is in November or February, it's inconsequential — we still want to see HB174 implemented now," said Leah Barker, spokeswoman for Parents for Choice in Education and Children First Utah.

Read the entire story..http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660219309,00.html

Captain Mark

Grandma gets her Law Degree on Friday

Salt Lake City Grandma to graduate from the U of U Law School on Friday May 11th.
Carrie Lynn Peterson was born in 1957 at Ballard Hospital, in the Norwegian fishing district of Seattle. She attended Lincoln High School, the oldest school building in the Seattle School District where she met and fell in love with her sweetheart Mark Towner.

After 3 years of dating, they were married in the LDS Oakland Temple in 1976. By the age of 28, Carrie had given birth to five daughters. After the delivery of their youngest daughter, Carrie decided it was time to finish her College Degree, and in 1989 she graduated cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Beta Gamma Sigma in business administration from the University of Washington.

For the next 14 years Carrie devoted her life to raising her daughters, and in partnership with her husband built several successful businesses and even ran for the Republican Nomination for Congress in Utah's 2nd district in 2002.

Again after the graduation of her youngest daughter from High School, and having always wanted to continue her education, Carrie applied for and was accepted to the University Of Utah Collage Of Law.

Thirty One Years of Marriage and three years of Law School and here we are.

She is lovingly referred to by her law school professors, the Dean of the Law School and her current employer, noted attorney Peter Stirba as "Grandma", a badge she wears proudly for them and her 3 grandsons and 2 granddaughters.

Carrie L. Towner
1331 Green Street · Salt Lake City, Utah 84105
townerc@law.utah.edu · (801) 897-0151


Education

University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law, Salt Lake City, Utah
Jurist Doctor Candidate, Graduate May 11, 2007
Publications and Awards
Student Note: “Parents Kidnap Their Own Child: The Parker Jensen Story,” Journal of Law and Family Studies, 2006
Executive Editor, Journal of Law and Family Studies
College of Law Outstanding Achievement, Constitutional Law
Reva Beck Bosone Writing Competition Scholarship, 2004-2005, Women in Politics
Women’s Law Caucus, President, 2005-2006
Moot Court Competition Candidate
Academic Support Program Property Teaching Assistant

University of Washington, School of Business, Seattle, Washington
Bachelor of Arts Degree, Business Administration 1989 – GPA 3.7
cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa
Beta Gamma Sigma
Legal Experience
Judicial Clerkship, Third District Court, Judge Atherton Summer 2005
Law Clerk, Utah Attorney General’s Office, Tax Division Summer 2005 to 2006
Law Clerk, Stirba and Associates, Civil and Criminal Litigation Summer 2006 to Present
Professional Experience

AWUC, Inc. Draper, Utah 2000-2005
President/Owner
President/Owner of event-planning company offering commercial contract catering to corporations, state agencies, and facility management. Responsible for successful operation of start up business achieving 250K in gross revenues in 2003. Continued business through first year of law school.

Alaska Perinatology Associates Anchorage, Alaska 1996-1999
Administrator
Directed operations and start up for the only Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic in the State of Alaska, with medical clinics in both of the major hospitals in Anchorage and a freestanding obstetric clinic. Achieved revenues of 3 million in the second year of operations. Developed policies and procedures for operations and marketing, achieving high quality customer service and recognition throughout Alaska. Supervised corporate build out of additional office and managed corporate relocation. Successfully directed Medicaid audit.

Alaska KIdney Center Anchorage, Alaska 1994-1996
Business Manager
Spearheaded installation of medical billing software, transforming previous paper ledgers, allowing Universal Billing (UB-92) and secondary electronic billing. Increased revenues with electronic billing system and working collections to an additional 300K within eight months of installation.

Health-Net Services of Washington & Alaska Seattle & Anchorage 1980-1994
Director of Business Development/Marketing, Training, Business Management/Co-Owner
Value-added reseller (VAR) of proprietary software (The Medical Manager®) Built team of professionals that led company growth and success to become the northwest’s leading dealer for The Medical Manager®.

Community Service
Rotary, Draper/Riverton Chair of 2004 Summer Steak Fry and Auction raising funds designated for the Draper Riverton Rotary Park for children with all abilities.

SCORE, Business Counselor Offered business counseling and advice including business ideas, developing detailed business plans, space planning, business networking, marketing, and assistance in obtaining financing.

Romney assails Sharpton's Mormon comment

Romney assails Sharpton's Mormon comment
By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 49 minutes ago
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Wednesday denounced the Rev.
Al Sharpton' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Al Sharpton's remarks about God and his Mormon faith, saying it could be construed as "a bigoted comment."

"It shows that bigotry still exists in some corners," said Romney, who spoke to reporters after a campaign event. "I thought it was a most unfortunate comment to make."
On Monday, Sharpton said in a debate that "those of us who believe in God" will defeat Romney for the White House. He denied he was questioning the Mormon's own belief in God.

Read the full story...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070510/ap_on_el_pr/romney_sharpton_7

Captain Mark

UTA asks Stand Up for Utah KidsSchool Choice Rally

Stand Up for Utah KidsSchool Choice Rally
JOIN US in support of Utah moms and dads who want to be able to choose the school that works best for their kids. Together, we can make a difference for the thousands of families who are depending on the voucher program to start THIS fall.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 15, 2007TIME: 1:30 - 2:30 PMWHERE: State Capitol, Salt Lake City(courtyard north of the main capitol building)
It's time to put KIDS before politics By law, Utah's new voucher program went into effect last Monday. Unfortunately, the State School Board chose to disregard the law at their recent board meeting by deciding to not implement the voucher program for this fall. We're holding the rally on May 15th because that is the day by law that the State School Board should make voucher applications available for families.
As many of you know, the referendum/petition against vouchers is only against the first of two bills that were passed during the recent legislative session. The Attorney General issued an official opinion stating that the voucher program should move forward regardless of the referendum.
Please make this rally a priority Together, our voices will put a human face to this important issue and pressure government officials to uphold the law by implementing the voucher program.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1. Attend the Rally Take a late lunch. Bring your whole family and your neighbors, too
2. Spread the Word Email this to everyone you know or Print this flyer and post it in your community
3. Volunteer at the Rally Call us at 532-1448 or reply to this email if you'd like to help.
If you will be attending the rally, please let us know so that we can plan appropriately. Just call (801) 532-1448 or reply to this email.
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED.
_______________________________
Parents for Choice in Education8 East Broadway, Ste 730Salt Lake City, UT 84111
801.532.1448http://www.blogger.com/

Mitt Romney's Chances at Winning the Republican Nomination

Mitt Romney is now leading in the nation's first primary by a comfortable margin but Texas holds the key to Mitt Romney's success.

Washington D.C. (PRWEB) May 9, 2007 -- SurveyUSA.com's latest New Hampshire poll shows that the former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, is leading in the nation's first primary by a comfortable margin. According to the poll of 551 likely Republican primary voters, Romney has 32% support followed by Giuliani and McCain with 23% and 22% support respectively.
"Supporters of the Romney campaign for president should expect more good news in the following weeks." says PresidentPolls2008.com, the nation's leading centralized location for up-to-the minute polls from more than 20 polling agencies.

PresidentPolls2008.com stresses that this is just one of many pieces of good news the Romney campaign has had in recent months. On April 2, 2007, Mitt Romney's presidential campaign reported that it raised more than any other GOP candidate, $20 million dollars. Then following the first GOP debate, according to a NewsMax internet poll, Mitt Romney was deemed the winner by 47%; 3 times more than Giuliani and almost 7 times more than McCain. "Although the NewsMax poll is non-scientific, at 47%, it still attests to the success the former governor had at the debate especially among true right winged conservatives." says PresidentPolls2008.com. They further pointed out that the frontrunners Giuliani and McCain are seen as being too moderate for the conservative base, a reason for Romney's latest success.

According to the web site, Giuliani stood the most to lose at the first debate and he did. "Giuliani waffled on the issue of abortion," says David Terr of PresidentPolls2008.com. Terr points out that Giuliani's slip helps give life to other candidates aside from McCain and himself. "Voters are afraid of voting for a candidate that has no chance of winning but with Romney's latest successes, conservatives are overcoming their caution on the candidate because it is looking like the race is very much up for grabs."

New Hampshire is geographically beneficially for Romney. Being from Massachusetts, he can better connect with voters from the state. Romney still lags behind in national polls, a measure of widespread notability. Many states have pushed up their state's primaries to February 5, 2008 which means that it might not be enough to only do well in Iowa and New Hampshire as it was for John Kerry in 2004. Because if that were the case then every governor and senator of Iowa and New Hampshire would become the eventual winner of the presidency.

Giuliani seems to be a shoe-in to win New York. In the Siena College poll of 980 likely registered voters on April 16-20, 2007, Giuliani more than triples second place candidate McCain 47-16. He has a sizeable lead in California as well. Of the big three states (New York, California, and Texas) Romney needs to campaign hard in Texas for a couple of reasons. It's strong conservative base resonates well with his political views; and the race is the closest in Texas. With its large number of delegates and if it moves up to February 5, Texas could be the key to a successful Romney candidacy. The Texas house has already approved moving the state's primary election to February but it is pending in the state senate.

New Jersey Jihad

As has been reported since last night six Jihadists have been arrested in New Jersey for planning terrorist attacks against an Army base.

Six men authorities described as radical Islamic terrorists arrested Monday night in Cherry Hill for planning to attack Fort Dix had also looked at Fort Monmouth, a federal building and a U.S. Coast Guard base in Philadelphia, and Dover Air Force base in Delaware.
Fort Dix may have chosen simply because one of the terrorists knew the base from delivering pizzas there.

"He delivered pizza to the base at Fort Dix regularly. He said he knew Fort Dix like the back of his hand. He drew a detailed map of Fort Dix from memory," U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie said at a speech Tuesday to the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce here at the Flanders Hotel…

…Christie called the camera shop owner that alerted federal authorities an American hero. The suspected terrorists had gone to the shop about 16 months ago to transfer training videos from video tape to DVD’s.

"The camera store owner saw Muslim men in military garb toting weapons in the woods. He heard them talking about jihad and how Allah was great. He called the FBI and became a hero," Christie said.

The names and Bios of the six are:
NAME: Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer.AGE: 22; Born in Jordan.HOME: Cherry Hill, N.J.OCCUPATION: Drives a cab in Philadelphia.IMMIGRATION STATUS: U.S. citizen.
NAME: Dritan Duka.AGE: 28; Born in the former Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanian.HOME: Cherry Hill, N.J.IMMIGRATION STATUS: In United States illegally.OCCUPATION: Operates Colonial Roofing and National Roofing, which list business address at the home of his brothers, Eljvir and
Shain Duka.

NAME: Shain Duka.AGE: 26; Born January 1981 in the former Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanian.LIVES: Cherry Hill, N.J.IMMIGRATION STATUS: In United States illegally.OCCUPATION: Operates roofing businesses with his brothers.

NAME: Eljvir Duka.ALIASES: Elvis Duka, Sulayman.AGE: 23; Born in the former Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanian.LIVES: Cherry Hill, N.J.IMMIGRATION STATUS: In United States illegally.OCCUPATION: Operates roofing businesses with his brothers.

NAME: Serdar Tatar.AGE: 23; Born in Turkey.HOME: Philadelphia.IMMIGRATION STATUS: Legal U.S. resident.OCCUPATION: Works at a 7-Eleven store in Philadelphia.

NAME: Agron Abdullahu.AGE: 24; Born September 1982 in the former Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanian.LIVES: Buena Vista Township, N.J.IMMIGRATION STATUS: Legal U.S. resident.OCCUPATION: Works at a Shop-Rite supermarket.James Joyner notes the connection to Muslim Bosnia:

An updated version of the AP story at YahooNews reports that, “four of the men were born in the former Yugoslavia, one in Jordan and one in Turkey. Five of them lived in Cherry Hill, 10 miles east of Philadelphia and 20 miles southwest of Fort Dix.” Given that Muslim Bosnia was part of “the former Yugoslavia,” — and that it would seem unlikely that four Slovenians or Orthodox Serbs would join up with two Muslims — we’re likely dealing with Islamists.And Laura Mansfield notes that the connections to al-Qaeda are slim at the moment, and we should not be surprised:

News media reports describe this morning’s terrorist suspects, who planned an attack on Ft. Dix, NJ, as homegrown with no ties to al Qaeda or any other international terrorist organization.
This isn’t surprising in the least.

It is very likely that this cell, like numerous others that have been uncovered in the past year, falls into the category of "Individual or Small Group Terrorism", as espoused by the Al Qaeda ideologue Abu Mus’ab al Suri in his book "Call to Global Islamic Resistance"..
The doctrine of "Individual or Small Group Terrorism" is a major concept in al Suri’s 1604-page manifesto, published on the internet in December 2004.

Al Suri, who is believed to be currently in US custody, describes three primary phases of Jihad in the book:
Organizations
Open Fronts
Individual/Small Groups
He explains in depth each of these phases, and makes a strong case that the wave of the future is individual and small group terrorists.
He believes that the days of the larger groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, are close to ending, citing the increased effectiveness of security forces in breaking up the groups, as well as the security risks posed in top-down, chain of command structures. A primary concern of Al Suri was that an arrest of anyone in the chain could compromise all those involved. While this cell was arrested before an attack happened, all because of a good citizen observing something suspicious and then calling police, we do not know how many more of these cells are growing. That’s the danger of al-Qaeda 3.0 as Rusty from The Jawa Report calls it. Fanatical Islamists are reading books, watching training videos on the net, and reading material supplied on Jihadist websites and then going out to do the bidding of Bin Laden. Are they taking orders from al-Qaeda, no. Not in the sense that they are receiving direct communication but you cannot discount the fact that the Global Jihad movement is supplying all the information and training needed to start up their own cells….all for one common goal. The destruction of the west.
On another note, as I read the news accounts of this arrest I was struck by this report:
A local marksman remembers the guys with the AK-47s as "bad shots."
Randy Swiden, 59, said he remembers the Russian-speaking men were shooting with 20-round clips rather than the typical three-round clips. They were shooting at 50-yard targets, packs of paper plates and milk jugs, and were missing.
Suspicious activity at a public shooting range in Monroe County led an official from the state game commission to tip authorities on what turned out to be an alleged terror plot to attack Fort Dix in New Jersey.

"(The men arrested Monday) allegedly used our rifle range in the Gouldsboro area to train in some tactics," said Tim Conway of the game commission in a phone interview today. "We did recognize a few things awhile back and reported that to the appropriate authorities."Why should this one account ring a bell for me? Well in July of 1989 one of our biggest intelligence failures, that being Mr. Ali Mohamed, former Army Sergeant and al-Qaeda member, traveled from Fort Bragg to Long Island to train four men at shooting guns. These four men (Mahmud Abouhalima, Mohammed Salameh, El Sayyid Nosair, Nidal Ayyad) were part of the cell that would be responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and the Day Of Terror plot to blow up the UN, the FBI headquarters, and tunnels into Manhatten.

GOP Contender Rudy Giuliani

Aired: Monday, May 07, 2007 11-12PM ET

By host Tom Ashbrook:Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, self-styled "America's Mayor" after the attacks of 9/11, will not be out-gunned on the national toughness front.At South Carolina's conservative military academy The Citadel over the weekend, Giuliani said he wants to boost the size of the US Army even more than President Bush.And on that tough talk, Rudy is leading. Leading McCain. Leading Romney. Leading Hillary Clinton in the latest polls on the '08 race for the White House. Can it last?This hour On Point: a look at the mercurial one-time mayor who would be president, Rudy Giuliani.

Listen......
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2007/05/20070507_b_main.asp

Captain Mark

First Quarter Grades for GOP

For the GOP, in recent national opinion polls, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani averages 35 percent support, an A+. Sen. John McCain's 19 percent gets him a B. At 9 percent each, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich are C's. All of the other declared candidates are lower than that. Former Sen. Fred Thompson's poll numbers are running anywhere from 10 percent, a C+, to 17 percent, a solid B. We need a few more polls with Thompson in the mix to get a firmer fix on his score.

In polls limited to Iowa, McCain and Giuliani each get a B+, and Romney earns a C+; in New Hampshire, McCain pulls an A, and Giuliani and Romney both get a B+. Finally, in terms of first-quarter campaign contributions, Romney leads with a B+. Giuliani gets a B, and McCain gets a C+.

Full Story.....http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0507/050807op.htm

Captain Mark

From Rick Koerber's Free Capitalist, Lessons Lost

Watergate’s Forgotten Lessons
by Alan CarubaMay 7, 2007

“The United States was resolved to intervene on behalf of its interests, but it was also resolved to intervene in such a way as not to violate the principle of nonintervention,” wrote Prof. Han J. Morgenthau, examining the lessons of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion that was intended to overthrow Fidel Castro.
“In order to minimize the loss of prestige, the United States jeopardized the success of the intervention…and we lost much prestige as a great nation able to use its power successfully on behalf of its interests…It sought the best of both worlds and got the worst.”
The Bay of Pigs invasion which occurred April 15-19, 1962 failed because then-President John F. Kennedy lost his nerve and denied the air cover needed to protect the invading forces of CIA-trained Cuban freedom fighters. Earlier, the original point of invasion had been moved to the Bay of Pigs, sixty miles away from Havana, giving Castro’s forces tactical advantage. Mostly, though, the intelligence that underwrote the fiasco was just wrong.

Read the entire story.....

http://www.freecapitalist.com/columnists/guest_archives.php?id=112

Captain Mark

Upcomming Events in May and June

- May 7: Lt. Governor Herbert will offer opening remarks at the Voting Technology Practices, 9 a.m., University of Utah, Salt Lake City.- May 7: Midday Metro at 10 a.m. on NPR Utah, KCPW 88.3 FM, features the science of integrative health with Dr. Hugo Rodier, selling Utah to tourists with Tracie Cayford of the Utah Office of Tourism, and Utah’s growing Hispanic business community with Lorena Riffo-Jensen of DPR Communications, banker Joe Reyna, and Elly Madrigal of Rancho Markets. Call 801-355-TALK or email midday@kcpw.org during the show.- May 7: Lt. Governor Herbert to offer remarks at the May Utah County Republican Women Meeting, 12 p.m., Academy Square, 550 North University Avenue, RM 201, Provo.
- May 8: The Lighted Candle Society Fifth Annual Guardian of the Light Awards Dinner, 6:00 p.m., The Little America Hotel. Featuring special guests the Most Reverend George H. Niederauer, Archbishop of San Francisco, and 2007 Guardian of the Light Award Recipients Michael Reagan and Pamela J. Atkinson. For more information visit www.LightedCandleSociety.org or call 801-296-2224.- May 8: Utah for Richardson Meeting, 7 p.m., Conference Room 1, Salt Lake City Library, 210 East 400 South. Utah for Richardson is an organization of Utahns who support the candidacy of Governor Bill Richardson for President of the United States. The meeting is open to all interested community members. RSVP to Aaron Thompson at dipl0mac03@yahoo.com.- May 9: Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Committee, 9 a.m., L.H. Miller Training Center.- May 9: Governor Huntsman to attend the Utah State Parks 50th Anniversary, 10 a.m., Great Salt Lake State Marina.- May 9: Lt. Governor Herbert to keynote the UDOT Maintenance Conference, 1 p.m., Three Seasons Ballroom, Sheraton City Centre Hotel, 150 West 500 South, Salt Lake City. - May 10: 2007 Sutherland Transcend Series, Session Two: “Ethics and Integrity: Timely and Timeless.” Half-day seminar, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., includes breakfast and lunch. Facilitator is Dr. Quinn McKay, professor, consultant and author of three books on the topic. All registrants receive a copy of Dr. McKay’s most recent book, The Bottom Line on Integrity, prior to the session. To register, call 801-355-1272, or email si@sutherlandinstitute.org.- May 10: Governor Huntsman to attend the Stoel Rives Innovation Awards, 12 p.m., Marriot City Centre, 220 S. State Street, Salt Lake City.- May 10: Governor Huntsman to attend the Rededication Ceremony at This is the Place State Park, 1:30 p.m., Historic Social Hall at This is the Place State Park.- May 11: Governor Huntsman to give brief remarks at 50th Annual National Federation of the Blind of Utah Convention, 10:30 a.m.- May 11: Governor Huntsman to attend the Region VIII Health IT Roundtable, 12:30 p.m., The Radisson Hotel, Salt Lake City.- May 12: Davis County Democrats monthly breakfas, 8:30 a.m., Granny Annie's Restaurant, 286 North 400 West, Kaysville. All Democrats and the general public are invited.- May 12: Utah for Obama Organizing Meeting and Public Forum on Healthcare, 2 p.m., Conference Room C, Level -1, Salt Lake City Library, 210 East 400 South. Utah for Obama is a grassroots group of supporters of Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign. The discussion on Healthcare begins at 3 p.m. Biweekly meeting and monthly forum are open to the public. To RSVP, or for more info, contact Misty Fowler at admin@UtahForObama.org.- May 16: Legislative meetings scheduled throughout day. See Legislative calendar for details. - May 17: Higher Education Task Force, 10 a.m., room W125. - May 18: Fourth Annual Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament, 7 a.m., Hill Air Force Base Hubbard Golf Course. Luncheon and prizes at the completion of the tournament. Registration fee is $100/person and will go towards veterans programs. Deadline is May 15. To enroll or for more info call 801-326-2372 or email tschow@utah.gov.- May 19: Valentines Day in May annual fundraiser for the Senate President at the McCune Mansion. To all those who lost Valentines Day in the turmoil of the legislative session, here's your second chance. Black tie optional. Call John Valentine, Ric Cantrell 801-673-1603, or click here for more information.- May 22: Lt. Governor Herbert to speak at the 2007 Utah Conference on Service, 8:30 a.m., Marriott Hotel, 100 South 100 West, Salt Lake City.
- May 24: ACLU of Utah Annual Bill of Rights Celebration, Salt Lake City. Special guests include Chris Finan, President of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression and The Salt Lake Tribune editorial cartoonist Pat Bagley. For more info about the Bill of Rights Celebration or to order your tickets, please visit www.acluutah.org or call 801-521-9862 ext 101. - May 25-27: Democratic National Committee Western Caucus - May 26: Utah for Obama Organizing Meeting, 2 p.m., Conference Room C, Level -1, Salt Lake City Library, 210 East 400 South. Utah for Obama is a grassroots group of supporters of Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign. The biweekly meeting is open to the public. To RSVP, or for more info, contact Misty Fowler at admin@UtahForObama .org.- June 9: Utah Republican Party Organizing Convention, South Towne Exposition Center, Sandy.- June 16: Judgesrun 5K fun run/walk 8 a.m., Highland High School. 100% of the proceeds from this race go to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research. Awards given for male and female winners up to 3rd place in 18 age categories. Pancake breakfast at the finish line. Register for the race or volunteer to help with the event here.- June 16: Democracy for Utah two day training, 9 a.m., AFL-CIO Utah Headquarters. Cost is $60 in advance, $70 the day of the training, or $30 for low income participants. For additional information, email Carrie Ulrich at carrie@democracyforutah.com or click here.- June 19: Utah House Republican Caucus annual Bowlers Ball, 6:30 p.m.
- July 13: Jefferson-Jackson "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!" Fundraising celebration, This is the Place Heritage Park.- July 14: Utah Democratic Party State Convention

Giuliani Leads GOP Field

Click on this comprehensive look at the 2008 GOP Campaign

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-192.html


Captain Mark

UPD Blogwatch

Blog Watch-- The Washington Post’s On Faith blog posts essays about Mormonism from 16 prominent religion writers.
-- RealClearPolitics blog says: “Surely Bob Novak would claim he's just reporting the facts, but it's hard to see his column today as anything other than a slam on Mitt Romney and his religion. Perhaps there are ways of talking about the Sept. 11, 1857, Mountain Meadows Massacre (which, for those without a calculator, happened 150 years ago -- before the Civil War even) and the upcoming movie documenting its events without tying it so closely to Romney, but Novak eschews such pretenses.”
-- Robert Bluey says Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett “sell out” conservatives by supporting the D.C. Voting Rights Act, which would give Utah a 4th congressional seat. Similar criticism comes from National Review Online’s The Corner, while FreeRide is more even-handed.
-- Fred Gedicks at Balkanization says: “The theological bed rocks of conservative Christianity–-the Trinity, resurrection, real presence, virgin birth, atonement for sins and salvation by grace–-are all as bizarre as the strangest Mormon doctrines, but seem "reasonable" because they’ve been around for centuries and are shared by large American majorities. Thus James Dobson argues--without any sense of irony--that the U.S. should be governed by (his version of) the teachings of a God who was born to a virgin, allowed himself to be crucified, and then brought himself back from the dead to an eternal life, at the same time that he suggests that Mormons or Muslims are simply too weird to be trusted with political power or office.” See also Ken Jennings and Article VI blog.

I predicted this would happen

Months ago I predicted that states would break away from party regulations and hold Presidential Primaries right after Jan 1, 2008.

It will be interesting how the National Parties deal with this.

Florida Cuts Ahead of Primary Line, Despite Parties’ Threat to Push Back
By Rachel Kapochunas 4:45 PM; May. 04, 2007 Email This Article
Florida officials are going ahead with their plans to jump the line in the already front-loaded presidential nominating process, moving legislation that will set Jan. 29 as its 2008 primary date — and daring penalties threatened by national Democratic and Republican party officials who are trying to restrain all but a small handful of states from holding their events before Feb. 5.
The bill rescheduling the Florida primary from its original date in March, cleared by the state legislature Thursday, now awaits a promised signature from Republican Gov. Charlie Crist.
“With an earlier presidential primary, Florida will now take its rightful place near the front of the line in determining the next leader of the free world,” Crist said in a statement Thursday.
The rush of states to the front of the primary and caucus calendar has been occurring in stages over a couple of decades, but has accelerated as the nation approaches a rare presidential election in 2008 that is void of an heir apparent for either party’s nomination.
California, New Jersey, and New York are among a growing list of states that have officially moved their primaries to Feb. 5, creating the latest rendition of a presidential “Super Tuesday.” They were joined most recently on April 30 by Tennessee, where Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen signed a bill shifting the state's primary date to Feb. 5.
But Florida is pushing the envelope further by picking Jan. 29, muscling into the territory occupied thus far by the traditional first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses (currently penciled in for Jan. 14) and the New Hampshire primary (expected to be held Jan. 22); two new early events handpicked by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Jan. 19 caucuses in Nevada and a Jan. 29 primary in South Carolina; and a South Carolina Republican primary scheduled for Feb. 2.
The national parties warned Florida that any state slating its contest earlier than Feb. 5 without express permission will lose half its delegates to the party’s national conventions in the late summer of 2008. In addition, Democratic Party rules stipulate that any candidate who campaigns in a state that has violated Democratic scheduling rules will forfeit delegates the state retains — in effect, shutting out the state altogether.


The entire story....

http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/05/florida_cuts_ahead_of_primary.html

Captain Mark

Face off - Sean Hannity vs. Rocky Anderso

Face off — Sean Hannity vs. Rocky Anderson
Duo air reasoned arguments — and barrage of personal jabs
By Deborah BulkeleyDeseret Morning News
Round One. Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson labels the war in Iraq an "egregious" crime based on a "total fabrication" and calls for President Bush's impeachment.

Sean Hannity, Rocky Anderson Round Two. Radio and TV talk show host Sean Hannity accuses Anderson of unfairly singling out Bush when Democrats also called for the war, says the mayor is undermining the war on terror and argues "it's not George Bush who should be impeached or removed from office — it's your mayor." Round Three. During a question and answer session, statements about the war dissolve into personal jabs between the two personalities during their much-anticipated debate Friday in Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah.

Read the full story.....
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660217927,00.html

Captain Mark

Will the Mormon Massacre Film 'September Dawn' Hurt Mitt Romney?
By Robert Novak May 4, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Opening in theaters Friday, a motion picture called "September Dawn" depicts a brutal American massacre that has been forgotten. On Sept. 11, 1857, in Utah Territory, Mormons slaughtered more than 120 California-bound settlers from Arkansas. Retelling at this time the 9/11 carnage of 150 years ago does not help Mormon Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. The basic facts about the Mountain Meadows Massacre are not in dispute. Mormons mobilized Paiute Indians, accompanied by Mormons disguised as Indians, to attack a peaceful wagon train.

Will the Mormon Massacre Film 'September Dawn' Hurt Mitt Romney?

The settlers beat off the attack but were left short of food and ammunition. They disarmed themselves at the request of Mormons who said they would lead them to safety but instead turned on the settlers, murdering every man, woman and child above the age of 8. All that is in doubt historically is whether this was ordered by Brigham Young, president of the Mormon Church and territorial governor of Utah. "September Dawn" says he was responsible, and the church denies it.

Today's Mormons, including Romney, cannot be blamed for these events. Nevertheless, the candidate has followed the church's example in ignoring this movie. Romney will not comment on "September Dawn" and indeed will not watch it. That follows his decision not to defend his Mormon faith or actively fight religious bias that has impeded his candidacy.

I attended an April 11 screening of the movie at the Motion Picture Association of America headquarters in Washington, hosted by its lead actor: Academy Award-winner Jon Voight (who plays a fictional Mormon bishop). A conservative, he said this was no hit against Romney. "I didn't even know he was running when we began this," Voight told viewers after the screening. But he said this terrible story is important considering America's war against terrorists.

Indeed, Brigham Young -- played by the British actor Terence Stamp -- is portrayed in the film as a 19th-century Osama bin Laden. Calling himself a "second Muhammad," he insists on the "shedding of blood" by "gentiles." He is seen fighting the United States, which was sending federal troops to Utah.

The church always has accepted Young's plea that he had nothing to do with the Mountain Meadows Massacre. But Voight is certain that he did, based on research for the movie. "If any miserable scoundrels come here, cut their throats," Young said in his "Blood Atonement Sermon" (which concluded that he would not fight "unless they come upon us and compel us"). The movie's researchers found in the church archives a generic threat against interlopers: "I will loose the Indians on them, and I will slit their throats from ear to ear."

In response to this column's inquiry, a Mormon Church spokeswoman in Salt Lake City Wednesday said: "The weight of historical evidence shows that Brigham Young did not authorize the massacre." She added that "the church has no comment on the 'September Dawn' movie."

John D. Lee, Young's adopted son who led the massacre, was executed by a firing squad 20 years after the killings -- the only person punished. "I have been sacrificed in a cowardly, dastardly manner," he said after his excommunication by the church and his conviction. In his autobiography, he said the attack was planned "by the direct command of Brigham Young."

I knew no Mormons growing up in Joliet, Ill., and my first experience with the church was watching the 1940 film "Brigham Young." It depicted the original Mormon settlers in Utah as persecuted and peaceful, and Young as prudent and wise. When some Mormons complained then that Young came over as vacillating, church president Heber J. Grant said of the movie: "I endorse it with all my heart. This is one of the greatest days of my life." He knew it could have been much worse.

Mitt Romney surely is not responsible for what kind of man Brigham Young was, but that question hurts his candidacy. Romney has been described by many Republican insiders as the perfect candidate: magnetic, smart and with an excellent record as an executive. His greatest liability has been religious bias against him. He has never seized this issue, thinking it so wrong-headed that it will go away.

Similarly, he has rejected efforts by the producers of "September Dawn" to reach out to him. I made three attempts without success to get his views of the movie. Neither watching it nor condemning it, he may just hope that Americans will not include this bloody tragedy in their spring and summer viewing.

Editor's note: The release date for the film has been pushed back to June 22 and is scheduled to open in 800 theaters

Clinton Can't Count on Women Voters

Clinton Can’t Count on Women Voters

New America Media, Commentary, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Posted: May 04, 2007

Editor's Note: Women are turning up in droves for Hillary Clinton fundraisers but even if she becomes the Democratic candidate, New America Media Associate Editor Earl Ofari Hutchinson says that doesn't mean they'll all vote for her. Hutchinson is a political analyst and author of The Emerging Black GOP Majority (Middle Passage Press, September 2006).

Hillary Clinton’s top advisors gleefully predict that women will storm the voting booth barricades to punch the ticket for her. The inference is that female voters will power her into the White House. This is wrong on many counts, and Clinton is too politically savvy and experienced to make that claim this early in the presidential game. In the near century that women have voted, the only presidential election where women tipped the scale was Bill Clinton’s re-election in 1996.

Read the Rest of the story.....

http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=bd1c71ca217568e41b60d1b79b5d51ed

Captain Mark

Giuliani & Romney Crush other 2008 hopefulls

by Mark E. Towner

Rudy and Mitt cleaned up tonight. This is the winning ticket for GOP in 2008

Just watch what the polls say tomorrow.

State Republican Party executive director fired

State Republican Party executive director fired
By Bob Bernick Jr.Deseret Morning News

State Republican Party executive director Jeff Hartley was fired Tuesday by party chairwoman Enid Greene, even though she has only six weeks until her term as chair runs out. "I wanted to clean the decks, make a new start" for the new chairperson, whoever that may be, Greene said Tuesday. "This is about money — he was and had been spending far too much money," said Greene. Hartley said: "This is a personal, petty, mean, vindictive act by someone who has a reputation for doing such things." Hartley said he has a wife and children to support, and Greene fires him with only six weeks until she leaves. Hartley said he'd talked to several top GOP officeholders Tuesday, and they all ensured him that they would push whoever the new party chair is to reinstate him. "I was told to just ride it out and (party leaders) say they will make sure I'm back in," said Hartley. Greene said she had expressed her concerns to Hartley several times about state party finances since taking over for former party chair Joe Cannon last November. Cannon resigned as chair knowing he would soon be named editor of the Morning News. Greene was then-vice chair of the party, and party leaders named her to fill out Cannon's term.

I was told (in November) that the party was $180,000 in debt," said Greene. It is not uncommon for a political party to end a campaign season with some debt. "But come February, suddenly it jumped to double that," said Greene. She added her actions were not personal, "but I had to do what is best for the party." Hartley agreed that party debt grew. "That's because we didn't have all of the invoices" in November for work done on behalf of GOP candidates.

Read the Entire Story.....

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660216749,00.html

Captain Mark

School voucher opponents gather enough signatures for repeal vote

School voucher opponents gather enough signatures for repeal vote
By Tiffany EricksonDeseret Morning News
Anti-voucher organizers challenging the new voucher law set a record in qualifying a referendum petition that would ask voters to repeal the state's new voucher law. Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert announced today that the 124,218 verified signatures is not only a record number on a referendum petition but it's the first time in 33 years a referendum petition has been successful — a land use bill was overturned in 1974. The next steps in the process is for the state's Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel research to enroll a title within 15 days and prepare what language will go on the ballot. The governor has said he will set the election day for Feb. 5, 2008, the day of the presidential primary election. Kim Burningham, spokesman for Utahns for Public Schools and president of the State Board of Education said he was delighted and surprised at the announcement since they had more verifiable signature than expected, calling it a significant victory for the anti-voucher group.

Read the full story.....

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660216429,00.html

Ther Captain

Mormon documentary is riveting, balanced

By Vince HoriuchiThe Salt Lake Tribune
Article Launched: 04/28/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT

It's difficult to sift through the rhetoric about the history and current state of one of the world's fastest-growing religions. The LDS Church has drawn passion on both sides: the self-righteous who boast the church can do no wrong and the anti-Mormons who spew unfair criticisms. But in the new PBS documentary "The Mormons" - perhaps the biggest national documentary about the church ever televised - filmmaker Helen Whitney has combed through rapture and rants about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to get to the simple truths. She has produced a comprehensive look at the church's violent and tumultuous history and its modern-day popularity with objectivity - no pious declarations from church leaders or venomous attacks from anti-Mormons. And it's riveting.

Read the entire story.....

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5774488

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5774484

Captain Mark

Mormonism: Religion, Denomination, or Cult?

By Frank Pastore
Saturday, April 28, 2007

Am I an anti-Mormon bigot for simply raising this question?

In this column two weeks ago (available here), I stated I would vote for Mitt Romney should he win the Republican nomination, and that “though I am willing to unite with and befriend Mormons in common cause to advance our shared values, I am hoping to be a voice of clarity – unwilling to allow Mormonism to be mistaken for orthodox Christianity and unwilling again to disqualify a candidate simply because he is from a faith tradition so different from my own.”

I also stated, “many Mormons in recent years have taken to calling themselves Christians, and a growing number of Christians are willing to speak of Mormonism as something akin to another Christian denomination. But, Mormonism is not a Christian denomination, nor is it merely ‘a non-Christian religion.’ To be theologically precise, though perhaps politically incorrect, Mormonism is a cult of Christianity.”

Everyone should read this and post comments about how you feel on Frank Pastore's Blog site as well as on the Spyglass site. http://politicalspyglass.blogspot.com/

Here is the complete story....
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/column.aspx?UrlTitle=mormonism__religion,_denomination,_or_cult&ns=FrankPastore&dt=04/28/2007&page=full&comments=true

Captain Mark

Greene won't run for term at helm of Republican Party

By Bob Bernick Jr.Deseret Morning News

Enid Greene, Utah Republicans' first female party chairperson, will not run for her own two-year term as state party leader in the June party convention, she said Friday.

Enid Greene But whether she ran or not, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will not be endorsing her or any other candidate for the top party post — a change in tradition. "I am not going to run," said Greene, who was appointed to head the party earlier this year. "We all assumed Fred Lampropoulos was going to run and would be the governor's pick. I don't know why (Lampropoulos) isn't. But this is quite a change. It is a wide open field." Lampropoulos ran against Huntsman for governor in 2004, losing in the state party convention. Historically, the "top of the ticket" GOP incumbent recruits or anoints the Republican Party chairman. That won't be the case this year. "It is a change," acknowledged Jeff Hartley, state GOP executive director on Friday after meeting with top Huntsman aides. Greene — divorced from convicted felon Joe Waldholtz for more than a decade — is planning to remarry this summer. And she said she wants to give her time to personal pursuits. "We're selling houses and building a house and blending families and I have much to do," said Greene. She's not closing the door to any future political campaign, just this one. "I want to see the party in good hands. There's a bit of a vacuum in leadership. I believe we will find a good chairman; it just won't be me." Mike Mower, Huntsman deputy chief of staff and spokesman, said "The governor encourages all good candidates" for party chairman to run. "And the governor will work closely with anyone who wins" the two-year term as party chairman, Mower added. Huntsman is running for re-election in 2008, and is the "top of the ticket" candidate for Republicans, said Hartley. As such, historically Huntsman would have a big say in who the next party chairman is.

Read the Rest of the Story...

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660215867,00.html

Captain Mark

Congress challenges Bush to veto Iraq pullout

By Richard Cowan 58 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In an unprecedented slap at
President George W. Bush' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> President George W. Bush's war policy, the U.S. Congress on Thursday approved legislation that links withdrawal of combat troops from
Iraq' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iraq to paying for the war, ensuring a veto.

By a vote of 51-46, the Senate joined the House of Representatives in backing the bill that would provide about $100 billion for the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Afghanistan this year while setting a deadline to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq over the next 11 months.
It was the first time that the entire Congress, controlled by Democrats since January, has defied the president. Bush has repeatedly said he will not accept "surrender" dates.

Read the rest of the story.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070426/pl_nm/iraq_usa_funding_dc_4

Captain Mark Towner

Show respect for vice presidency

TODD D. WEILER
"I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being."
-- Jackie Robinson

BYU students should be honored to have the second most powerful man in the world speak at their graduation ceremony today.
There is a certain amount of respect and decorum that accompanies the office of vice president of the United States of America -- no matter who happens to occupy the office.

If the world is truly BYU's campus, then BYU ought to be a gracious host when it comes to visit.
Several years ago, I attended a convention where President Clinton was invited to speak. Although I disagreed with his politics and his morals (this was post-Lewinski), I was genuinely honored to be in the presence of a sitting president. It was an experience that I will simply never forget.

I did not try to shout him down, carry a sign, or turn my back as he spoke. Instead, I listened to his remarks and applauded when appropriate. I respected the office that he held, and treated him accordingly.

The thought of intentionally trying to show disrespect to an invited guest never even occurred to me.

Read the Entire Story.....

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/219229/

Well Said Todd

Captain Mark

Republican senator McCain formally announces White House bid

Wed Apr 25, 2:43 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Republican Senator John McCain (news, bio, voting record) formally confirmed on Wednesday he is running for the White House, seeking to revive a campaign bogged down by missteps, controversy over his support for the
Iraq' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> Iraq war and lackluster fundraising.

"Today I announce my candidacy for president of the United States," McCain said in Portsmouth, in the key state of New Hampshire, considered a major testing ground for candidates because it hosts the first party primary elections.
It was in New Hampshire that McCain, scored an upset victory primary victory in the 2000 race, before being defeated for the Republican nomination by George W. Bush, now in his second term as US president.

Read the full story...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070425/ts_alt_afp/usvote2008mccain

The only person who does not realize his campaign is doomed is McCain, how sad

The Captain

Election 2008: Giuliani (R) 46% Obama (D) 43%

Election 2008: Giuliani (R) 46% Obama (D) 43%

rasmussenreports.com Wed Apr 25, 10:38 AM ET

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) clinging to a narrow lead over Illinois Senator Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) (D) in an early 2008 Presidential trial heat. Obama, however, enjoys a ten-point lead over former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson (R).

Giuliani, the GOP frontrunner, leads Obama 46% to 43%. A month ago, Giuliani led the Illinois Senator by just a single point. Back-to-back months in toss-up status represents a significant improvement for Obama--in December he trailed Giuliani by 11.

Read the rest of the story.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/rasmussen/20070425/pl_rasmussen/giulianiobama20070425_1

Captain Mark